Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Chapter 7

Halloween

The next month flew by slowly with pranks flying left, right, and centre, mainly at the Gryffindor's courtesy of the Weasley twins and any and all Nero's with free time to assist at the time. Confrontations were very tense and thick with malice from both sides. The first confrontation after the attack on Harry was the worse so far as it happened in the great hall when some Gryffindor's tried to jump a group of Nero's.

However, the Nero's had been on guard and hexes and curses went flying all over the hall putting most of everybody involved in the hospital wing. And after that fight, neither Gryffindor nor Nero went anywhere alone, including the bathroom. In fact, the other three houses were getting so worried they were taking this same stance encase they got caught in the crossfire.

Slytherin seemed to be enjoying the all out house war, and to Gryffindor's stupidity they seemed to be trying to drag the snakes into it as they have not stopped fighting with the Slytherin's for their immediate problems. However, Nero House kept well away from any conflict involving Gryffindor and Slytherin because the Slytherin's were pretty much leaving them alone. If they ever did enter a Slytherin, Gryffindor conflict, Nero House knew that although Slytherin's are the worse of two evils they would side with that evil for the simple reason, with a Slytherin you know what you're getting.

Slytherin's don't pretend to be all-good and then attack when your back is turned or your guard is down because that is what Gryffindor's do. No, Slytherin's are dark and ambitious, but not evil as Gryffindor's and books would have you believe but that does not mean they are to be trusted. However, with them, they are what they are, they don't try to hide their true nature, and the Foxes can at least respect that a little.

However, with the Gryffindor's they believe strongly that they are in the right no matter how stupid and selfish that sounds, to them it is simple fact they are all good even though they attacked another student for selfish reasons.

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were harder to read, though one thing was certain, both houses were disgusted at Gryffindor for attacking Harry the way they did and starting this stupid House War. Therefore, both houses wanted nothing to do with the other three houses, and a few cross-house friendships were broken to keep their whole houses out of the confrontation.

The teachers were on constant watch for house confrontations, which luckily Nero tried to avoid as best they can settling primarily on humiliating pranks, something Gryffindor was helpless against, and lacked the skill to retaliate with the Weasley twins now in Nero.

Professor Lupin was starting to get a bit worried about the pranks pulled on Gryffindor because they were getting bigger and more malicious as time went by. Even the Marauders had their limits, but that was primarily because their was only four of them, but now there's a whole house of cleaver minds to come up with ideas with wizards and witches talented enough to pull them off. He figured his old friends James and Sirius would love this all out war of pranking talent, and would have loved to be on the greater side.

Harry and Ginny had stayed out of as much as they could as they were studying a lot of new spells in their spare time. Harry had had his bandages removed and was thankful his eye worked fine, since he did not want to have to wear glasses.

The pair of best friends worked on every and any spell that crossed their paths and caught their interest to such an extent that Ginny was now second in most classes, which seemed to just piss off Hermione Granger even more, which brought on even more attacks on the pair, but they were now never without at least one or two older students when not in the common room. It was top priority to protect all Nero quidditch players.

Quidditch practice was one of those rare times when the quidditch team could relax a little because half of the house came and set up guards around the stadium. They would not let anyone in because they would not risk their teams' lives; their team is family after all.

Harry had to order himself a broom but he had not wanted a Nimbus like the Slytherin's, but two weeks before Halloween he had received a new broom catalogue that made him grin like a loon as he finally made his order. This new broom was a lot more pricy but to him it was hardly spare change.

Halloween was a lovely affair when everyone seemed to be ignoring the House War and enjoying the great feast the house elves had prepared. Not even one prank, which was only because the Foxes wanted to enjoy the day without anything to worry about. However, that was until Professor Quirrell came running into the hall panting for breath he came to a stop at the teachers table.

"Troll in the dungeon – thought you ought to know!" he gasped out before he collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.

The hall was in a chaos of panic, as many students screamed and cried in fear. However, Harry just sat in his seat watching with a frown because its one troll, and in the dungeon, which is far from the great hall so nobody is in danger because even if it was here the upper classes could handle it plus the teachers would protect everyone. Panicking and screaming will just draw its attention anyway.

Dumbledore stood at this point sending sparks into the air, his power booming. Harry finally realised why the man was thought of as the greatest wizard of this age.

"Silence!" he yelled out and the school all paused staring at him. "Prefects will escort students to their houses and the rest of the feast shall be continued in your common rooms. Teachers with me," he then led the teachers out of the hall while the house prefects led their housemates.

**

They had all reached their common room to be greeted by the Halloween feast scattered about the house coffee tables, so settled themselves about on chairs, sofas and even on the floor discussing what could be going on and how the troll even got into the school. It was an odd occurrence since trolls are supposed to be stupid either somebody led it to the school or it got in by accident, which was unlikely because the school wards should have prevented such a thing.

There was lots of discussion as to who could have let the vile creature into the school and why. Though most speculated that whoever let the troll in did it as a distraction in attempt to perhaps steal whatever Dumbledore might have stashed away on the third floor corridor. Not that anyone thought that he should be stashing anything away within a school full of children, but Dumbledore is considered a little odd.

Mostly everyone in Nero House figured it must be one of the teachers attempting to rob the school as it would be near impossible for a student to sneak in a troll, and even more difficult for an adult from outside the school.

"What are you two doing?" asked Harry suddenly looking at the Weasley twins as they wrote someone else's name down in a little note book.

"Taking bets on who's trying to rob the school," said Fred with a huge grin. "So far the number one suspect is Snape, two to one odds if you're interested."

"And what if there is nothing to steal in the school, or we never find out?" he retorted in amusement.

"Then all bets are off," said George with a shrug.

"I bet two galleons its Malfoy," said Donavan. "He's a jerk, and his dads a death eater, right? I bet their working together."

"Ok, ten to one on Malfoy," chuckled Fred as he marked it down in the book. "What about you, Harry, want some action?"

He shrugged as he thought about it before grinning widely.

"Sure I'll bet ten galleons on Quirrell," he said cheerfully. Those close enough to hear, minus Ginny looked at him as if he is crazy.

"Quirrell?" asked Emily doubtfully. "You'll be loosing ten galleons on that one, he's a wimp, he's even to afraid to take house points from us if we mess about in his class."

"Yep, I believe Quirrell is the bad guy," he agreed with a nod and a shrug.

"Ok, you're, lose!" said Fred as he marked it down. "I'll give twenty to one odds on that."

"Easiest two hundred galleons I'll ever make," he chuckled while Ginny giggled.

Just then, Professor Lupin entered the common room looking both annoyed and haggard dropping down into an empty seat. The common room dropped its noise looking to him expectantly. He smiled sheepishly at his house before clearing his throat.

"The troll has been contained," he began to some cheers. "I might as well tell you before you find out through the rumour mill. Three students were almost killed by it. Hermione Granger said she went looking for the troll because she thought she could handle it," he snorted here with a few others. "And said Longbottom and Weasley followed trying to stop her, but I'm not buying it even if Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore did, which I doubt very much but we can't prove otherwise.

"All three are in the hospital wing injured," he continued with a sigh. "If it wasn't for Nitrous stalking through some paintings through the castle seeing them and the toll, not in the dungeon I might add, and quickly finding myself and the headmaster they might have been killed."

"I do not stalk," interrupted said fox from his painting as he had just arrived back. "I was just taking a walk, saw that idiot Quirrell running into the hall yelling about a troll so I went and did my duty to my school and searched it out. I do have my uses you know."

"Err, sorry," replied Lupin sheepishly. The fox just nodded his acceptance before lying down, closing his eyes and quickly falling to sleep. "Well anyway, everyone, continue your meals, we all need our strength for classes tomorrow."

They all continued with their meals thinking about what they have learnt as Lupin grabbed himself a plate and dished himself out some food. Harry was not surprised that Longbottom, Granger, and Weasley had gone looking for the troll like good little Gryffindor's they're idiots who don't think about the consequences before they act, and Granger thinks she is smart, its no wonder she ain't no Ravenclaw.

"So Professor, how badly were they hurt, will Longbottom be able to fly next week?" asked Emily eagerly.

He laughed with a nod of his head.

"Yes the boy will… though if Professor Snape and I had our way we would have had his quidditch privileges taken away," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "But we had to settle for just fifty points each. I don't think Gryffindor have a chance for the House Cup this year since they're already minus five hundred and fifty the last time I checked while we're actually in the lead by about sixty with Slytherin coming in second."

"Awesome!" chimed Emily. "We haven't ever been in the lead before, but its still early we need to keep up our hard work."

"Indeed you do…" began Lupin but trailed off as an army of post owls suddenly flew in through the common rooms open doors landing about everywhere, where they left eight wrapped cases before flying off back out of the door.

Everyone was quiet as they looked at the wrapped packages while Harry got up with a grin and they watched him collect all of the packages and pile them up by his chair as he sat back down. All eyes were on him, curious what he had purchased before they watched him tear the first wrapping open to reveal a beautifully varnished red wood case with a black leather bound handle. However, the platinum lettering across it was what got everyone's attention.

The word 'Guststar Zero', mostly everyone's mouths fell open in shock.

"Whoa, how the hell did you get that?" asked Emily in awe. "It isn't supposed to be released over here for another year or two, it's even better than the Nimbus."

"I just ordered it straight from the manufactures in Japan when I received the catalogue," he shrugged with a cheeky smirk. "Cost a fair bit more with the import export and delivery but I thought it was worth it. I bought seven for the house and one for my self."

"You freaking bought the team these to play on?" yelled out Mark the goalkeeper in shock.

"Sure, why not, Malfoy did," he replied with a shrug. "I just paid a fair bit more and just happened to already be on the team."

"There's no way Gryffindor can win now," said Ginny in awe. "Come on, Harry pull one out," she added eagerly.

He nodded while everybody watched he flipped the catches slowly, no one blinked or even breathed afraid they might miss something. Harry took a steadying breath as he could already feel the beautiful pulse of the brooms magic even through the case. He carefully lifted the lid and everyone gasped as they lay eyes for the first time ever on the Guststar Zero racing broom.

It was beautifully aerodynamic, red wood smartly varnished it kept a reflection, its name was perfectly embroiled into the handle in both English and Japanese, in platinum, its slim line body was a work of pure art with the beautiful grain lining it. Its tail was perfectly straight red twigs melding quickly into yellow, then melding into an icy blue at the tips. Harry stroked the soft cool wood and the buzz of power sparked through his hand.

"Oh my god," whispered Emily. "The pictures don't do it justice, but how fast is it?"

"Zero to one hundred in seven seconds with a top speed of one hundred and thirty," he said without his eyes leaving the broom. "It can reach top speed in nine seconds. The Nimbus two thousands top speed is only eighty five miles per hour, zero to eighty-five in fourteen seconds."

"Whoa, now that is impressive it gets to top speed before the Nimbus, and it's faster," said Kelly one of the chasers eagerly. "We'll have to get used to them before the match."

"Well we have the pitch before dinner tomorrow," said Emily just as eagerly.

**

Tuesday wasn't the best day. The day after Halloween, the day after three foolish Gryffindor's tried to fight a fully-grown mountain troll and failed. The thing that made this day bad began at breakfast that morning. The Gryffindor's were gloating over Longbottom, Weasley, and Granger's defeat of the troll even though, Lupin had told his whole house Dumbledore had stunned the creature and the moronic trio had ended up in the hospital wing.

Both Slytherin House and Nero House were fuming at the audacity of the idiots thinking they can claim they won when they would be dead if not for Professor Dumbledore. It was a disgrace, and no matter how many times both houses refuted their claims they didn't care or attacked and walked around as if they own the school.

It was just before lunch when the largest commotion happened just after a herbology when the Nero first years re-entered the school through the entrance hall when they saw the second year Gryffindor's and Slytherin's were facing off in an argument. It included the idiot trio and Malfoy and his gang. Other students were around watching the commotion but trying to keep as clear as they could.

As soon as the Nero first years entered the school they gained the two opposing forces attention and paused, glares all around, the tension in the hall just thickened as nobody quite knew what to do but that didn't mean the Nero's weren't building forth their magic readying themselves for a fight, something both Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had already done. The atmosphere in the hall was crackling with magic as the three houses stared each other down, no one wanting to be the first to fling a curse through fear of getting into trouble so they stared with insults attempting provocation.

"Oh look its Potter and his looser friends!" hissed Neville angrily glaring at him.

"Oh look it's the Boy-Who-Got-His-Ass-Kicked-By-A-Troll!" he retorted with a smirk. "How is our wonderful nurse I hope she's doing well after having to suffer some time with you?" the Nero's and Slytherin's laughed while Neville went red with rage.

"Shut it, Potter!" hissed Ron coming to his friends aid. "You're nothing but a cheat who corrupted my baby sister!"

"That what you think, huh?" asked Malfoy in amusement. "You're pretty stupid aren't you? Blaming your own faults on others jealous Potter and your sister have more talent than you'll ever have." The Slytherin's snickered while the Nero's were surprised and the Gryffindor's just getting angrier.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" interrupted Hermione. "You don't know anything, Potter's just a cheat, and he's obviously taught her how to cheat too!"

"Don't call me or Harry cheats!" yelled Ginny angrily. "You're just a cow, jealous we're better than you and work harder in our studies!"

"Don't speak to our friend like that!" roared Neville enraged. "She's smarter than you'll ever be… she's a genius!"

"Book smarts isn't genius, you idiot!" interrupted Harry with a glare as a fuzzy blue light faded into form around his right fist. "You're just a bunch of bullying evil gits who won't leave anyone and anything be. I bet Godric Gryffindor's spinning in his grave at your disrespect to his house!"

"Shut up you're the evil ones, not us!" yelled Ron angrily. "And you've turned my sister evil just like you!"

"You're pathetic, Weasley if you actually believe that!" laughed Malfoy smugly. "You just think everyone who has different belief's and ideas is evil you moron!"

"You're just saying that because you're evil too!" said Hermione with a scowl. "I bet Nero House and Slytherin House are secretly working together!"

"We are not!" hissed a black Slytherin boy stepping forward with a glare; Harry believed he is Blaize Zabeni. "But believe what you want fools, you're just proving you're afraid of us!"

"ARE NOT!" screamed out Neville a yellow light forming around both clenched fists. "I'm the Boy-Who-Lived, and I defeated You-Know-Who!"

"No I don't know who," said Harry smirking. "Maybe Voldemort?" he asked amused as everybody except the Nero's gasped and flinched.

"You shouldn't be saying his name, Potter!" hissed Hermione shakily. "Its not accepted in wizarding society!"

"Screw what you think genetic traitor!" he retorted angrily getting a lot of confused looks; he rolled his eyes. "It's what I'm calling muggleborns who have no pride in their muggle heritage and side with purebloods in their bigotry trying to act as if they are pureblooded them selves."

Malfoy and the Slytherin's laughed while the Nero's smirked smugly.

"Ha, good one," said Malfoy. "I always wondered why the other houses mudbloods always sided with purebloods against you Foxes."

"Don't call her that you asshole!" roared out Ron while Hermione looked on the verge of tears.

The Nero's however, laughed in amusement.

"Pathetic, crying over an insult like that!" hissed Ginny with a scowl at the girl. "I can call you much worse things, what you going to do then run off and cry to your mommy?"

"Shut up traitor!" she screamed in reply throwing a lame stunner that Ginny just swatted away angrily and it just hit a wall.

"Pathetic!" hissed Harry as he threw his spell at the Gryffindor's, Malfoy quickly followed suit, in turn so did Ginny while the three Gryffindor's threw spells at Malfoy, Harry and Ginny. The spells clashed in a small explosion between the three groups and they all had to shield their eyes from the blinding light for a moment looking up to see nobody had actually been hit with a spell they were all readying for another volley, this time including more of their friends.

"STOP THAT, THIS INSTANT!" roared an angry voice suddenly. They all looked to the stairs and gulped to see Professor McGonagall storming down them red with rage she stopped between them. "Right sixty points from Longbottom, Granger, and Ronald Weasley. Fifty points from Malfoy, Potter, and Ginevra Weasley, and a detention each tonight after dinner!" she hissed angrily.

"What why do we lose sixty while they only lose fifty?" demanded Ron angrily.

"Because doing so will give you extra detentions," she retorted with a glare. "And you already have them until Christmas so think your self lucky, we're already in minuses by hundreds, and I'm taking another ten points for your backtalk and disrespect! Now get to lunch before I give you all a detention now and make you go hungry!"

The large group and spectators quickly disperse and hurriedly rushed into the great hall to lunch before she changed her mind. McGonagall groaned and rubbed her tired eyes as she shook her head. Why did they all have to bump into each other like that, and to make matters worse from what she saw both Slytherin and Nero attacked Gryffindor together while Gryffindor had to fight both? She had figured if a confrontation like that came about that Slytherin and Nero though enemies would side together against the enemy they dislike the most, which she had no doubt is Gryffindor.

"It is a shame that came about, Minerva," said Dumbledore suddenly standing beside her and making her jump as he looked into the great hall where the Gryffindor's were glaring at the Nero's and Slytherin's, and the Slytherin's were glaring at the Gryffindor', though what was surprising the Nero's were just getting on with lunch and acting as if nothing happened. "I don't think this will stop until the Gryffindor's back down, because the Nero's can't afford to because it would mean letting grades drop, loosing the House Cup and purposefully losing all their quidditch matches for the Gryffindor's to leave them alone.

"And the Slytherin's cant back down because it would mean accepting Gryffindor's run the school and I'm afraid to say that is the worse thing that can happen, because I have noticed in the past few years that Gryffindor House bullies and causes more trouble than the other four houses combined."

She nodded with a sad and tired sigh.

"I'm afraid you're right," she agreed sadly. "I've tried speaking with my house but all I get is a lot of false accusations against Nero House. Them trying to tell me that they are all cheating to get such good grades suddenly, when in fact they have just started working harder when they realised they actually could get the House Cup if they put enough effort in. And Longbottom keeps accusing Potter of being dark and wanting to become the next dark lord so muggleborns can take over the wizarding world."

She snorted at the mere thought and idea while Dumbledore shook his head sadly she continued.

"Potter is too smart for that," she said. "If he was going to try and take over he would do it within the law, after all the Foxes are supposed to be cunning."

"Indeed," chuckled Dumbledore letting a small smile grace his lips. "Or perhaps create a new magical world and school and hide it from us, all he would have to do is invite muggleborns before they are eleven since I doubt the ministry would even let us take them earlier even then."

McGonagall rolled her eyes at the old mans theory.

"Creating a hidden society from us would not be that easy, Albus," she retorted shaking her head. "They would have to create new wards to keep any of our people from stumbling across them, which might also mean tuning in everyone from their world into too many wards, it would be near impossible."

"Oh, maybe," he agreed with a shrug and his blue eyes twinkling full force. "But they are very determined children, and they shall be just as determined adults. We shall just have to wait and see what the future holds for us all."

To Be Continued…