Chapter Ten: The Troll

"Hattie," she heard her brother's voice yell.

"Hermione!"

"That's supposed to be in the dungeons!" Hattie looked past her brother down the corridor to see it was Draco who had screeched. Neville nodded, both he and Draco pale. Hannah and Susan stood with them, silent with shock. This troll thing was supposed to be at Hogwarts or not here?

Confused by the new noises, the twelve foot troll looked away from Hattie and Hermione to the six frozen first years. Hattie struggled to move as Hermione was still latched firmly onto her back. "The door, the door, get the door," Hattie whispered frantically as she tugged at it. Hermione remained petrified. When it was nearly shut, Hattie yelled. "Run! Get a professor Harry! We've got the door!

Draco tore away. "I'm getting Professor Snape," he shrilled.

"Hattie! I'm not going to leave you and Hermione!"

"We're fine! Get out of here so you are too Harry!"

She eyed the troll who was still swiveling his head between Harry and the rest down the corridor to Hattie and Hermione just behind the door. Harry needed to get out of here, he was wide open down there and Hattie didn't even fully trust the door to hold once she shut it the last few inches.

"Go!"

With a sudden roar, the troll made up from its confusion. It grabbed the door and ripped it right off the hinges. Hermione screamed. The girl's death grip saved Hattie, pulling her back as the club swung at them. Harry screamed and Ron insulted it loudly, but the troll ignored them as it ducked into the bathroom. Hattie looked about frantically. Hermione had pulled them back and under the only cover, the sinks. There had to be a way out. An escape or way to get around the thing.

The club tore through the stalls easily, then hit a sink. It swung back, knocking more sinks off the wall. Not enough it had enough size and muscle of its own, it had to have that club too. The club! She could get rid of its weapon. Then maybe Hermione and her could hide or run better without it having that advantage.

"Confuse it!" Harry's voice echoed. Ron picked up broken bits and threw them anywhere to create sound or hit it. Susan and Hannah followed his example. The troll looked to the wall, confused again, seeing the items hitting it and then followed where they came from. Its mean little eyes found Harry.

Taking advantage of the distraction and fear of her brother's safety, Hattie flung out her wand and directed it at the club. The long lumpy club became a successful transfiguration into a long lumpy pillow instead.

"Oye, peabrain!" Ron threw a broken piece of a tap at it. It didn't seem to feel it, but it turned its focus over to Ron. Harry raced around behind it quickly and tugged at Hermione. The girl remained plastered to the wall. Hattie gave her a shove, wanting her and Harry and everyone out of here.

"Come on, come on, run," Harry said frantically. His other hand kept his wand pointed at the troll, fingers white at how tight he held it.

"It's stupid but strong and it'll go berserk at some point Hermione." Hattie shoved more forcefully.

Susan and Hannah kept throwing broken objects at it, keeping the troll's attention divided and away from the escapees. Neville was pale and shaking, eyes darting everywhere as he held his long piece from a stall divider. He jumped at the troll's yell, the stick of his impromptu weapon going up and edging close to the pair throwing. But the troll swung at Ron with his former club.

The troll roared even louder when his attack did no damage and dropped the large pillow to go at Ron. Harry let go of Hermione and did something so stupid, Hattie was momentarily speechless. With a run and jump, her brother launched onto the troll from behind, arms clasping around its neck. His wand jammed up its nose.

"Harry!"

The troll went berserk, flung its upper body and too long arms around its head, spun around with Harry clinging for dear life. Ron, wide eyed, backpedaled from the troll and tripped over the pillow and farther into the broken stalls.

"Trip," Hattie breathed out. The idea hit her and she hurried to act, to make sure they were safe from the troll, especially Harry. "Susan, Neville! Grab a hold of this end! Hannah, Hermione! Help me on this end! Let's trip it, quickly!"

Susan and then a determined Neville grabbed the end lying next to them. Hattie and Hannah dashed around the trashing troll for the other end on the long transfigured pillow. Hannah was as pale as Neville, but yanked and Susan grabbed onto the opposite end tighter. Her brother was slipping downwards.

"We...we got you Harry," Neville managed out.

"Hold on," Susan shouted.

"Pull!" All together they did so. The troll stumbled, but remained upright. "Again!" The troll banged a toilet free of the floor as his feet shifted. Ron barely managed to leap out of the way. "Hermione," Hattie shouted desperately back at the bushy haired girl. "Everyone heave!"

Finally, Hermione moved into action and grabbed the pillow next to Hattie for the following pull.

"Wingardium leviosa!" A swish and flick of his wand, Ron lifted the broken toilet upwards.

"Pull!" There was a give and then Ron dropped the toilet onto the troll's head. It stumbled. "PULL!"

The huge troll fell with an astounding crash and shook the whole floor. Harry, who had jumped off, lost his footing and his bottom hit the floor with the rest of them. Hattie quickly got up and clambered over the troll's thick arm and squeezed her brother tightly.

It was Hermione who spoke in the silence of disbelief. "Is it...dead?"

"I don't think so," Harry said. He shifted from the hug to get a better look. "I think its just been knocked out." With a squeeze, he let go of the hug.

"That's it," Susan declared. "Hattie befriending people deemed interesting brings trouble of troll grade magnitude. "

Hannah huffed, smiling at Hattie in amusement. "I think she's back on Draco again."

Neville whimpered, trembling. "I don't want a troll too."

"Malfoy can get the next one," Ron informed Neville. "Bloody git ran off at first sight of it."

"Maybe he's not a moronic boy like you boys," Hattie snapped. "Hermione and I could have been fine if you'd run to a professor to deal with it."

"I wasn't going to leave you, you're my favorite sister after all Hattie," Harry said. Apparently the thrill of danger had left him enough to crack jokes.

She snorted and shoved at him. "I'm your only sister moron."

"Good. Let's keep it that way." He grinned at her.

"All if you boys. Morons."

"Hear that Neville?" Ron nudged the boy. "You're one of us mate."

Neville went wide eyed, then flushed at the inclusion. The shy, but pleased smile on his face was endearing. Hattie grinned at him, then wagged a mock disapproving finger, mouthing 'moron' at him. His face flushed more and he ducked his head down, embarrassed further.

Harry walked over to the troll, made a face, and retrieved his wand from up its nose. "Ugh." He wiped what looked like lumpy globs of glue off on the troll's pants. "Troll boogers."

"I think," Neville said tentatively, "we can count that guess out on your hair Hermione."

There was a snort from someone, then they all broke into hysterical laughter. His words had broken the dam of frightened adrenaline. It had to have been quite a sight. A busted up girls loo, a twelve foot monstrosity of a troll unconscious with a broken toilet next to his head and an eight foot pillow tangled up in its feet surrounded by seven preteens laughing.

"Dirty laundry in physical form," Hermione stated. Hattie perked up at the girl joining in on her guessing games.

"Dumped in the loo after Fred and George's turn when they know Percy or I are waiting," Ron added. He shivered in disgust, then gazed contemplatively at the troll. "Think I can get this smell bottled up for revenge?"

"Ronald!" Hermione reached over and smacked him. "They're your brothers!"

"Exactly! Let me see you live with the twins when they get bored at home! At least there's more distractions here!"

"A real life stretch toy," Hannah suggested.

"A toy?" Susan stared at her in disbelief. "Nope. Not a toy."

Neville nodded fiercely. "Not a toy Hannah. I agree with Susan."

"Have any of you seen one? They're creepy."

"If Uncle Vernon was magical," Hattie said. She shared a look with her brother, then they looked to the downed troll, and both snorted with amusement.

A sudden slam and footsteps was heard. Their faces froze, fearful again as they looked at each other. They were sure to be in trouble for this mess. A frantic high pitch voice was heard.

"They're down here! Hurry up! It was huge and repulsive and where'd Potter and Weasley and the rest go? The whole door's been ripped off! She was in here!" Draco skidded into the doorframe, breathing hard, face pinched in panic and terror. He spotted the troll and his jaw dropped open.

Professor Snape swept inside and faltered at the sight. He gave all of them a look over, black eyes narrowed as he snapped his gaze over each student. Then he stepped to the troll to look over it, raising an eyebrow in confusion at the oval snapped bruise starting to show on its crown. Professor Quirrell was next to stumble in, before whimpering and falling against the wall when he saw the mountain troll.

The Deputy Headmistress though had her sights set on them. Hattie had never seen her look so angry. "What on earth were you thinking of? You're all lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitories?"

Professor Snape's narrowed gaze found them once again, his check over the troll apparently done for the time being.

"Please," Hermione pleaded. "Professor McGonagall, they were looking for me."

"No I wasn't," Draco retorted from the doorway.

"Silence Mister Malfoy!" He stepped back at Professor McGonagall's no nonsense flashing eyes that promised detention and pursed his mouth shut. She turned back to Hermione. "Miss Granger! Explain."

"I..I went looking for the troll, because I...I thought I could deal with it on my own you see, because I...I've read all about them."

Ron's wand clattered to the floor. Susan made an odd noise of shock, eyes wide. Hermione Granger, tell a lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me...I'd be dead right now. Harry stuck a wand up its nose and Hattie transfigured it's club to a pillow and Ron dropped a toilet on its head and Neville and Susan and Hannah all helped to trip it. They didn't have time to fetch anyone."

"I did," Draco broke into the conversation again. Ron and Susan sent him glares. "And I remembered seeing Professor Snape on the third floor before we found know-it-er Granger and the troll."

Professor Snape's gaze stared at Draco, who stared back evenly save for the slight gulp. While Professor McGonagall seemed like she could be buying the story from the teacher's pet, even in her growing disapproval in the story, Professor Snape didn't seem as if he would buy anything.

"Miss Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. I must say you were all lucky. Not many first years could take on a full grown mountain troll. You each earn Gryffindor and Hufflepuff five points each. Slytherin earns ten for having the preservation of mind when panicked to find a more experienced person to deal with it, admirable as it is to jump in when those close to you are in danger. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. If none of you are hurt, you better return to your common rooms. Students are finishing their feasts in their houses. You may go."

They all hurried out of the chamber. Draco lingered behind the rest, catching the pointed look from his head of house gave him. Hattie squinted, sure she saw Professor Snape holding something bulky instead of his wand. A chunk from the broken loo? Harry stuck near her as they speed around the corner and out of sight, reaching over to squeeze her hand. She squeezed back.

Hattie was relieved her brother was fine but internally stressing on how everyone jumped into danger over her and Hermione. What if they hadn't lucked out? They shouldn't be doing things like that over her. At least Draco was the only not moronic boy. Even Hannah and Susan rushed in and could have died. Draco and Hermione were the only ones not morons about it. Hide or run away. Who takes on a twelve foot mountain troll?

Ron and Susan glared back at Draco. Hannah suddenly bit her lip and shifted nervously on Hattie's other side.

"What are you up to Malfoy? Why help us out and not tattle like every other time?"

Draco sneered. "I didn't help you weasel. Didn't you hear your head of house? I have self-preservation unlike you stupid Gryffindors. Or didn't you hear our Prefects deliberating a change of direction on going back to our house?"

Hattie remembered her earlier confusion. "That's what you meant by it was supposed to be in the dungeons. They told you to go to your house, in the dungeons, the same place you were told the troll was at?"

"What?" Hannah had gone pale at that. "The Slytherin common room is where the troll was supposed to be and they didn't tell you to just stay in the Great Hall or something? That's...that's... How did they not realize that when they told us to go to our common rooms?"

"On a question of that, why didn't the professors just keep everyone together in the Great Hall rather than splitting the houses up and creating more panic and confusion? If it was reported to be in the castle, there should have been a better way to handle it like a fire drill in primary!" Hermione had worked herself up and looked to the rest for confirmation. Harry and Ron nodded quickly, just agreeing with it. Draco seemed both startled by the defense on his safety and baffled at the last part of Hermione's rant.

The Slytherin boy paused at the staircase, waiting for one heading down to reconnect with the third floor level. Hattie, then her brother slowed and the rest waited at the moving staircases. Draco nodded, smoothed his face, and stuck up his nose. "Self-preservation. Five points to you on figuring out the Slytherin Commons. I'm even more surprised that Longbottom lost his sense of preservation."

Neville flushed and stuttered at the remark. Ron shot Draco a glare and patted Neville on the back. The round faced boy stumbled and nearly fell, his arms still visibly shaking.

Hattie grinned. It was probably the closest she'd get to a compliment. And this was shaping up to Draco finally giving in and talking freely to her again like he had at Diagon Alley. His better than you act didn't have her forgetting he still had no reason to be with them on the third floor.

Ron noticed that too, super suspicious of the boy from Slytherin. "Should have just disappeared with the rest of the slimy Slytherins," he snarked. "Who said we wanted you here?"

"Who said I wanted you shoving her candy in my face," Draco spat back.

"Like you deserve what that candy means," Susan scoffed.

Ron pointed. "Exactly!"

Digging through her pockets, Hattie managed to find a spare and quickly pressed it into Draco's palm. He froze and stared at her. Hattie smiled, removing her hand from his. The Mars Bar sat in the middle of his open hand. "You should have told me earlier you wanted it from me."

Harry snorted and covered it with a hand. She bopped him over the head.

"I mean, you even came to the girls' loo wanting my personal touch on my gift rather than Ron," she continued. Hannah was hiding a smile with her brother now. Susan was exasperated, but the rest were in shock. "Understandable. I'll make it up to you tomorrow Draco and join you for breakfast at your table. I really should have done so earlier, sorry, but everyone there seems to be such a tight knit group of best friends. Oh! The rest of you can join us for breakfast too if you want. Speaking of this group, we can use that time to finally figure out what room to meet in for our first study group on Monday."

"What?" The blonde boy managed out. His hand fisted shut around the candy bar. "I already told you no every time you ask me! I don't like them!"

"Don't worry, it's mutual." Ron said.

"Definitely." Susan added in.

"That's the issue? Disappointing, but I can live with that since you like me," Hattie mused. Draco became a fish mouth. "It's no problem then for you to join me. They're not interested in the official Potions study group next week. Harry says you like that subject too from your joint class. What about Transfiguration?"

His head swiveled from the staircase down attaching, foot poised to head down it. "No!"

"Huh. Okay, just Potions then. See you tomorrow morning for breakfast Draco!"

His face contorted, sputtered a little, but couldn't manage to find a proper response. He glared at Harry and Hannah who were hiding smiles again before taking off.

"He has no idea what to make of you, does he?" Harry remarked. "I'd feel a little bad for him, but at least Dudley, stupid as he is, knows when you're teasing and putting him on. It's funny to see him suffer."

"So your sister doesn't like Malfoy? She's just doing it to irritate him?" Ron brightened at this. "Nice strategy! We should do that too!"

"Ronald!" Hermione protested. "He may be terrible but you shouldn't be picking on him."

"What's wrong with that? It's not like the slimy git isn't doing the same to us."

"Yes, well," she trailed off on that protest. "He still ran for a professor for Hattie and I instead of running away."

"See? Good guy, wants to be friends, but has no idea how to be a kid about it and act like his parents," Hattie said. "Wants to be impressive and knowledgeable."

"Quidditch again?" Harry asked. "Or have you started preaching football at him yet?"

"Both! He actually has given up a few Quidditch factoids despite trying not to respond to my friendly overtures."

"She's wearing him down," Susan complained. Then she sighed. "It is actually impressive. He still spouts off too much about his father and his terrible beliefs, but well. His father is sneaky and vicious working around the ministry, you can never really tell what he's really thinking. Draco is almost Gryffindor in his bursts of temper, he can't hide-oof!"

Hattie swung the red haired Hufflepuff around, pronouncing loudly. "Hannah! Susan said his first name! Susan said Draco! Success!"

Hannah smiled, laughing as Susan demanded, "Put me down you over optimistic Hufflepuff loon!"

Harry roared with laughter too. Neville smiled at Hattie. Ron shook his head, as though he didn't see this as something to celebrate.

Hermione spoke up. "The staircases are moved again, we should get going before any of the professors find us."

Ron groaned, but turned to go anyway with Hermione and Neville. Harry paused for Hattie instead of going with them. "Good night Hattie. You know how to find me if another troll gets in."

"Moronic boy," Hattie chastised. "Don't rush into danger again."

Harry grinned at her and then hurried after Hermione, Neville, and Ron. Hannah, Susan, and Hattie left soon after to make it to their own common room. They took their houses assumptions that it had been a simple trip back from the bathroom since they had seen the first years go in that direction, thinking nothing of the loyalty in getting and telling Hattie and Hermione of the troll in the dungeons. It was in the dungeons, not anywhere near the third floor corridor.

Hattie nodded along as Hannah and Susan talked about what had happened up in their dormroom. Fear of what could have happened hit them, but the safety of the dorms had them sleeping soon enough. Before the others came up from the feast in the common room, Hattie closed off her curtains. Harry could have died. They could have been really hurt, hurt badly.

She fell asleep, crying quietly. Her sleep was plagued by clubs swing at Harry, a gray hand grabbing at him, and then filled with sausage like human fingers grabbing at her while she tried to hide herself and it from Harry nearby. The nightmare that sent more fear in her than the ones of killing green light variety. Familiar and terrible names from the direction of the sausage fingers, green eyes dazed from being knocked hard into the wall and she screamed.

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Thanks to Toraach for reviewing.