Me: Now it's time for a twist on the book plot... I'm going forward a bit and changing a part a little tiny bit...
Harry: Is this going to make me and Ron look bad?
Me: Maybe just a tad bit, but it makes Lavender seem nice, and seeing as I HATE her... *mutters dark things and leaves*
Ron: *sweatdrop* Well then... Farali doesn't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does... for now...
...
Admittedly, the first months of school were no different. Hermione and Carrie got top marks in all classes, even Potions, Harry and Ron slacked off on homework until the girls got them up to do it.
While Harry and Ron worked feverishly on their homework at the last second, Hermione and Carrie would either hang out in the Common Room, or find Draco and talk by the lake. Harry and Ron were annoyed that their two friends hung out with him so much, Ron kept telling Harry about what went on at the Ministry between their fathers, and how Lucius Malfoy was bad news, so Draco had to be.
This frequently got on the nerves of Hermione and Carrie, to the point they almost wouldn't talk to each other. Finally, they had gotten so fed up with each other, the only time they saw each other was during class.
Soon, it was Halloween. It was a fine morning, except for one thing…
"I can't believe you two, can't you give him a chance!"
"Carrie you must be blind! Can't you see that he's a little rat? Coming to you for sympathy, pretending to be your friend? He's just trying to take advantage of you and Hermione!"
"Ron, if he was taking advantage of us, Carrie and I would know! We aren't idiots, you know."
"Well you sure are acting like idiots… If you were smart you'd see we're telling the truth… I thought you trusted me Carrie, I thought you were my sister?"
Carrie, ready with a comeback, opened her mouth angrily, face red, but stopped. She closed her mouth, her face burning the same color as her hair, her big hazel eyes welling up in tears.
Hermione put an arm around her, "Harry, Ron, how could you? Why are you two being such insolent jerks? You have the kindness and gentleness of… of a snake!" "Which Malfoy is…" Ron muttered.
Hermione flushed, and took Carrie by the hand, "Come on Carrie, let's go somewhere more private."
…
Ron and Harry didn't see Carrie and Hermione for the rest of the day, though as they went to dinner they ran into Parvati and Lavender.
Lavender sneered at them, "Aren't you two late for dinner?"
Parvati nodded, "Yeah, by the time you get there your dinner might be cold – or perhaps you two prefer it that way, eat something as cold as you…"
Harry grimaced, "Is this about Hermione and Carrie? Why are you two late?"
Lavender rolled her eyes, "Well, we had gone to the girls' bathroom… but we found out no one uses it because of this ghost who haunts it, Moaning Myrtle. But we went in and saw Carrie and Hermione, Carrie crying over one of the sinks, Hermione comforting her. Is that all you want to know?"
Harry nodded, "Thanks Lavender, now I guess we all may as well get to dinner, we're late as it is…"
They made it to dinner in time, and started eating. But then Professor Quirrell raced into the hall, "Troll! Troll in the dungeon!" It was mass panic. Students everywhere, Prefects directing first years, Harry and Ron almost had to fall on the floor to avoid being grabbed by Percy.
They were slowly shepherded into the corridors, but Harry and Ron were separated from the main group, when Harry grabbed Ron, "What about Hermione and Carrie? They don't know about the troll!"
They made their way back to the place Lavender and Parvati had come from. When they reached the door, they stopped. There were loud thunks coming from within… made by something that had to be large.
"Harry," Ron whispered, his tone scared, "I think Professor Quirrell was wrong, I think that the troll's… in… there…"