A/N Well that last chapter got a lot of opinion in the reviews! This story is written almost entirely from Harry's POV so no Pomfrey flaying Albus written I'm afraid. It would have happened though, let's face it, Pomfrey is just like that. As for those of you that said Harry should leave Hogwarts, I think you'll enjoy this chapter. Harry is only eleven and he's not superpowered he just says/does stuff as it is and takes advice when he needs it.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 7

After he was released from the Hospital Wing, Harry fell back into doing what he did best - taking the path of least pain. He avoided Dumbledore as best he could and completely skipped Defense and History of Magic lessons. He was often found in the library or in Professor Flitwick's office during these sessions but regardless of the number of detentions he got or points he lost no-one could convince him it would be better to return. Harry would nearly always recover the points he lost from not turning up to Defence by his hard work in Transfiguration or Charms. He wanted to learn magic and he wanted to be able to do magic, but neither Defence nor History lessons were teaching him anything. Harry certainly loved magic but he didn't think much of the magical world so far.

On Halloween night Harry went into the Great Hall looking for his three friends. They were all going to have dinner together tonight at the Hufflepuff table - the most accommodating table by far. Susan and Neville were easy to find but Hermione wasn't there. They waited and waited but she still didn't turn up.

"Anyone seen Hermione?" Harry asked, adding food to his plate and creating a sandwich.

"Nope" came the answer from his friends.

"We'll go and look for her after the feast" Susan said, noticing Harry's worried expression. "Or tell someone at any rate. She might have just gone back to the dorm or to the loo or something."

"Yeah that sounds like a good plan Harry. I'll tell McGonagall after we've eaten" Neville added.

"Okay, as soon as this finishes" Harry agreed. He didn't want to drag his friends away from the feast they'd all looked forward to, but he was worried about Hermione. He'd said he would always be there for her, what if she got hurt? What if she needed him and he wasn't there?

His anxiety grew throughout the meal and when Quirrell came in screaming about a troll his control snapped.

"I'm going to find Hermione" he stated. "I've got a bad feeling. You can come or go back to the dorms with everyone else, but I'm going now."

As Harry tapped his ring with his finger, Neville put his hand on his friend's shoulder to ask him how he planned on finding her. The next thing he heard was Harry saying "Hermione Granger" and feeling a sharp tug in his stomach.

"Hermione?" Harry called out as soon as he landed. "Are you alright?"

As he was shouting, he noticed that something smelled badly wrong. He didn't know what could make such a gagging smell, but whatever it was couldn't be good.

"Harry!" Hermione's shout came from behind him. He spun round and saw the owner of the smell - a twelve foot mountain troll with a raised club.

"Hermione, move!" Harry yelled. "It's going to hit you!"

Harry still couldn't see his friend, but he heard a squeak and a hurried shuffle, before the troll brought its club down, smashing everything in its path.

Harry heard a shriek and everything he'd ever thought about staying safe went out of the window. His friend was injured, he wasn't going to wait for help, the easiest way, not to mention the quickest would be to do it himself. He spotted Neville next to the door.

"Neville!" he yelled. "Hermione's hurt. Help me!"

"What can I do?"

"Imagine all of this mess lifting off the floor! Not hovering in the air, but actually lifting."

"Why?" Neville asked.

Harry didn't answer. His eyes were screwed tightly shut. Miraculously however, some of the debris was starting to rise up.

Neville looked in awe before he realised Harry had asked him to help. He glanced over to Harry and found the troll about to strike again.

"Harry duck!" Neville yelled. Harry's drop and roll made Neville wonder what Harry had done in his childhood to have reflexes like that. The troll must have missed him by centimetres.

"Neville! Imagine. Please!" Harry yelled as he ducked under the troll again. "I can't do both much longer!"

Neville had a fleeting wish that the troll would freeze as he tried to concentrate on the debris. Each noise Harry made killed his concentration so if the bloody troll would stop attacking him then he might be able to help.

Suddenly all the noise stopped and for a fraction of a second there was silence. Then Harry let out a big breath.

"Bloody hell Nev, you froze a troll!"

Both boys looked on in complete shock before a they heard a whimper and snapped back to attention. A minute or so later all the debris was floating and Harry ran under it to a battered and barely conscious Hermione.

"Grab onto me" Harry ordered. "Gringotts."

"I need a Healer!" Harry shouted when he landed. Somehow it sounded different but he didn't have time to ponder that now. Hermione needed help.

"Lord Potter?"

Harry saw Griphook walking towards him and knew he was safe. They would all be safe. He felt the adrenaline flow from his body and just managed to utter out "Injured need Healer" before he collapsed, leaving a very confused Neville and goblin.

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Harry didn't open his eyes but he let his other senses wander, specifically his hearing.

"What are they doing here?" The voice was low and there was some sort of strange guttural accent that Harry couldn't place but he could still make out the words. "You know I will treat any beast or being you bring me Griphook, but wizards in a Goblin facility is pushing it. You'd best hope you meet no-one or that the Director is in a benevolent mood until you get these three out of here."

"I heard a goblin yell for a Healer and then as I approached, Lord Potter said only three words before collapsing. Two of the three were obviously injured and the third extremely confused. What would you have me do instead?"

Harry almost jumped. That sounded like Griphook and yet it didn't. Griphook had no accent like that. He mused on this so much he missed the start of what the other goblin said.

"...like to be in your position when the Director finds out."

"Lord Potter has never asked for any favours from a goblin. He pays instantly in gold for everything. I merely treat him with the respect that deserves."

"Griphook you are walking a very fine line. If you are caught consorting with wizards and degrading goblin values..." As the goblin trailed off, Harry made up his mind. He wasn't going to let Griphook be punished for him barging in.

"It's alright. We're going" Harry said as he stood up and opened his eyes simultaneously. Neville and Hermione stared at him in clear shock, confusing Harry. Hadn't they heard the conversation? "Take whatever I owe you for all three of us from my vault."

Harry walked briskly towards the door, throwing glances behind him for his friends to hurry up. However as he reached the door, he found it locked. Scowling, he grabbed hold of his friends and touched his ring.

"Home."

Nothing happened. Harry looked in clear disbelief at the goblins before repeating himself to the same effect.

"Goblin portkeys do not work inside the hospital" the goblin stood next to Griphook said with a hint of a snarl.

"People would always be using them to get out if they did, wouldn't they" Harry said resignedly.

Griphook smirked. "Indeed Lord Potter."

"So what other ways of us getting out of here undetected are there? I don't want you or Griphook in trouble and it would be easiest if we just vanished."

Griphook's forehead furrowed in confusion for a moment before something dawned on him and he looked curiously at Harry.

"Lord Potter forgive this question but why did you come here?" he asked in Gobbledegook.

"Because I trust you more than anyone at Hogwarts" Harry replied in the same tongue.

"Harry!" Neville and Hermione screamed together.

"What?"

"You just... You just... You just spoke Gobbledegook!" Neville spluttered out in awe.

"You overheard our conversation" Griphook stated.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Wizards do not normally care about the wellbeing of goblins, Lord Potter, and goblins do not care about the wellbeing of wizards. Remember that."

"Yes sir."

"You cannot come here again. It is too dangerous. To lose the Potter fortune at this stage would be tragedy."

"Okay, sorry sir."

Griphook stared at Harry before turning to the goblin at his side. "They are fit to go?"

"Yes but Lord Potter may be tired and sore for a few days. How do you plan on managing to get them out?"

"By you playing interference."

The grins the goblins gave boded trouble.