Hey guys! Time for the next chapter! School's just gone back so I'll go back to just updating on the weekends again. Anyway, enjoy chapter 10!

Jessica Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter Ten

Halloween

Malfoy looked like he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by next morning Jessica and Hermione thought that meeting the three-headed dog had given them a lot to think about, but it was a horrible adventure that they didn't want to repeat. Hermione had now completely stopped talking to Harry and Ron, and Jessica was thinking about following her lead, but really wanted to see what they thought the three-headed dog may be guarding.

"Well, when Hagrid and I went to collect it, it was in a grubby little bag. It's about two inches long." Said Harry when Jessica asked him

"I bet it's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry and Jessica simultaneously.

"Well, I'd better go find Hermione, she's probably mad that I'm talking to you two," said Jessica.

"She's a bit, bossy isn't she?" said Ron.

"Oh, I guess she's fine... anyway, see you."

"Bye Jessica."

Although Jessica joined Hermione in avoiding the boys, she still occasionally talked to them when Hermione wasn't looking. They were trying to think of ways to get back at Malfoy, but they couldn't come up with any ideas until the post came about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by two long, thin packages carried by six large screech owls each. Jessica was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in the two packages when the owls swooped down and dropped one in front of her, and the other in front of Harry. They had hardly fluttered away when another owl dropped two envelopes in front of her on top of the package. She opened one of the envelopes first and it was from Remus.

Dear Jessica,

Professor McGonagall wrote to say you had been put on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Congratulations! I'm so proud of you. Here's you broomstick, Professor McGonagall told me to send it as soon as I could, do I hope it gets there in time, and good luck, Quidditch is an intense sport and I just know you'll love it.

Remus.

The second envelope contained a message from Professor McGonagall.

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your Cleansweep Seven broomstick, but I don't want anyone knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you and Harry tonight on the Quidditch pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor M. McGonagall

Jessica had a hard time holding in her glee as she handed the note to Hermione to read.

"So it arrived? That means you really will be seeker?"Hermione said, distracted, "that's really great, Jess."

They left the Great Hall quickly so Jessica could unwrap her broomstick when they met Harry and Ron with their way blocked by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione stormed straight past them and upstairs, but Jessica stopped to see what the problem was.

"That's a broomstick," said Malfoy, throwing Harry's wrapped parcel to him with a look of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them." He looked at Jessica, "Oh, do you have one too? You're both going to get it."

"Harry hasn't just got any old broom," blurted Ron, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand."

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" said Jessica in surprise, "wow, that even makes my Cleansweep Seven seem ordinary."

"I know, what did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two-Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry and Jessica. "Comets are flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.

"Potter and Lupin have been sent broomsticks, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry and Jessica.

"Professor McGonagall told me about all about the special circumstances. And what models are they?"

"Harry's got a Nimbus Two Thousand, and I've got a Cleansweep Seven, sir."

"And it's really thanks to Malfoy that we have them," added Harry.

Jessica, Harry and Ron headed upstairs smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall we wouldn't be on the team…"

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?"

Came an angry voice just behind them. They had just walked past Hermione, who had been waiting at the top of the staircase, looking disapprovingly at Harry.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

"Jessica, I thought you weren't talking to them either. I think it's time for you to decide who your real friends are; them or me." Said Hermione coldly.

"What? I um, I can't make a decision like that."

"I see how it is," said Hermione, and she walked off with her nose in the air.

Jessica had a hard time keeping her mind on her lessons that day. It kept wandering up to where her Cleansweep Seven was lying under her bed, or to the Quidditch pitch, where she imagined her and Harry zooming through the cool evening air diving and spinning to try to catch the golden snitch. She was also desperately trying to telepathically apologise to Hermione (it didn't seem to be working). None of these thoughts were very productive, especially when it was already hard to concentrate in some classes. She inhaled her dinner that evening without noticing what she was eating and then rushed upstairs with Harry and Ron to unwrap their broomsticks.

"Where should we do it? If we get them out in the common room, everyone will crowd around and we won't get any space." Said Jessica as the hurried up the staircase.

"You can come to our dormitory, no one will be there for ages."

"Cool, I'll go get me broomstick, just wait one minute." And so Jessica scooted ahead and ran up to her dormitory and just as she came back into the common room, Ron and Harry were just coming through the portrait hole.

"Wow," Ron sighed as the Nimbus Two Thousand rolled onto Harry's bedspread. It looked amazing; it was sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.

"That's spectacular Harry, you're really lucky. Are you sure you two want to see mine?"

"Yes, of course we do," said Harry.

Jessica carefully opened her parcel and put her own Cleansweep next to Harry's Nimbus. It also had a mahogany handle, but it wasn't as shiny and it had a few scratches along it from minor crashes I n the woods. The tidy tail of twigs was slightly shorter than the one on the Nimbus Two Thousand, and near the top of the handle in black writing it said Cleansweep Seven.

As it neared seven o'clock, Harry and Jessica walked down to the Quidditch pitch in the dusk. Jessica had never been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the pitch so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the pitch were three goalposts. They reminded Jessica of the plastic sticks that muggle children use to blow bubbles though, except fifty feet tall. Eager to fly again, both Harry and Jessica mounted their brooms and kicked off the ground. The cool evening air was wonderful as they swooped in and out of the goalposts and sped up and down the pitch.

"Hey, you two, come down!"

Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Jessica and Harry landed next to him.

"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant … you're both naturals. I'm just going to each you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."

He opened the crate. Inside were four different sized balls.

"Right," said Wood, "Quidditch is easy to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. Does either of you already know the rules?"

"Yes, I do," said Jessica, "Seven players: a keeper, three chasers, two beaters and a seeker, four balls: the Quaffle, two Bludgers and the Golden Snitch. The chasers try to put the Quaffle through one of the hoops for ten points, the keeper tries to stop them, the beaters hit the Bludgers at the other team and the seeker tries to catch the Golden Snitch for a hundred and fifty points." She recited all this without breathing.

"Yes, that's basically it. Did you catch that Harry?"

"Err, no," said Harry.

Oliver quickly repeated it to Harry, who kept stopping him to make sure he remembered it all.

"So what balls are which?" asked Harry.

"This one," said Wood, holding up a bright red ball, "is the Quaffle. The Chasers try to get this through the goalposts past the Keeper, that's me."

"OK, got that, what about the others?"

"I'll show you now. Take these

He then passed Jessica and Harry a small club each that looked a bit like a small baseball bat.

"These two are the Bludgers." He showed them two identical jet-black balls that were slightly smaller than the Quaffle. They looked like they were straining against the straps that held them in the box.

"Stand back," Wood warned. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once the Bludger rose high in the air and then pelted at Harry's head. He swung at it with the bat and sent it zig-zagging away into the air – it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Jessica. She swung – hard. There was a loud bang and Bludger shot off towards the other end of the pitch. It zoomed back and Oliver dived on it and managed to pin it to the ground.

"That was a great shot, Jessica," panted Wood as he forced the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Blugders rocket around trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team – the Weasley twins are ours – it's their job to protect our side from the Bludgers and try to knock them to the other team. So – you think you got all that?"

"I think so," said Harry.

"Very good," said Wood.

"Er – have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?"

"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you two. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or Bludgers – "

"– Unless they crack my head open."

"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers – I mean they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."

Wood reached into the crate and took out to the fourth and last ball. Compared to the Quaffle and Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ands when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages – I think the record id three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the Players could get some sleep.

'Well, that's it – any questions?"

Both Harry and Jessica shook their heads. Jessica understood exactly how to play; it was doing it that was going to be the problem.

"We won't practise with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back in the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, the three of them were up in the air, and Wood was throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry and Jessica to catch. They didn't miss a single one. Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.

"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could've played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing Dragons."

Perhaps it was that she was so busy, what with Quidditch practise three evenings a week on top of all her homework, but Jessica couldn't believe it when she realised she'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle was really starting to feel just like home. Her lessons too, were becoming more interesting now they had mastered the basics.

On Hallowe'en morning they woke to the delicious smell of pumpkin cake wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had been dying to do since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Jessica's partner was Neville. Harry was with Seamus, but Ron was with Hermione. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. Jessica hadn't spoken to her since the day her and Harry's broomsticks arrived.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practising!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too – never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was very difficult. Jessica and Neville swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed t be sending skyward just lay on the desk. Jessica looked over to see if anyone else had managed it. Seamus had become impatient and was prodding the feather with his wand when the feather set itself alight and Harry had to put it out with his hat. Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Jessica heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand and said "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desks and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Determined not to let Hermione get too much praise, Jessica turned back to her own feather and raised her voice so Hermione would hear, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Jessica's feather rose into the air, slightly higher than Hermione's. She sent her a small smirk.

"Excellent! Miss Lupin too! Five points to Gryffindor!" said a very excited Professor Flitwick.

Ron was in a very bad temper by the end of class

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said as they pushed their way into a crowded corridor. "I'm glad you showed her up Jessica. She's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone knocked into Jessica as they hurried past her. It was Hermione. Jessica caught a glimpse of her face – and was startled to see she was in tears.

"I think she heard you," said Harry.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must have noticed she's got no friends."

Jessica felt a little guilty about making Hermione feel bad, but decided to get over t, Hermione did sort of deserve it, didn't she?

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way to the Great Hall for the Hallowe'en feast, Harry, Jessica and Ron overheard Pavarti Patil telling her friend Lavender Brown that Hermione was crying in the girls' toilets and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this.

"Oh, I feel terrible! I'm going to go comfort her," said Jessica

"Why? She wants to be left alone, I say it's for our good as well as hers if we stay out of her way," said Ron.

"No, I'm going, she's going to miss the feast and it's because of us."

Jessica headed straight to the girls' bathroom without waiting for a response from Ron or Harry. She slowed down as she approached the door to the bathroom, now she was nervous, what on earth would she say? No, this is silly, I'm a Gryffindor, and I can pluck up the courage to talk to a friend, She thought.

Jessica took a deep breath, opened the door and entered the bathroom.

Inside, there was only one closed cubicle, and Jessica could hear fait sobs issuing from under the door.

"Hermione? Is that you?" said Jessica.

"Go away," sobbed Hermione.

"No, I won't go away. Hermione, I'm so sorry for ignoring you and trying to show you up in Charms, and I'll bet four Galleons that Ron feels really sorry for what he said too."

"I don't care, he was right. I must be so mean."

"He wasn't thinking when he said that, you aren't that kind of person, Hermione. Ron is the one here who's mean. He's just a liar, and pathetic and alone in life."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"I know it is. Now do you want to come out here so we can get you cleaned up and get down to the feast?"

The door slowly opened, a slightly pale, red-eyed Hermione stepped out. She gave a weak smile. "Thanks Jess, you really are a great friend."

"No, I'm not, a good friend wouldn't stop talking to her best friend and then let her cry in the bathrooms for a whole afternoon. But I'm sorry, can we be friends again?"

"Of course, on one condition: I need a really comforting hug after all that – "

She didn't even get to finish her sentence because Jessica near tackled her in a huge bear hug.

Jessica's ears pricked up at a low grunting and shuffling of something huge.

"What's that?" she said.

"What's what?"

"That noise, it sounds like something's coming this way. And that's when they smelt it. A foul scent reached Jessica's nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.

They could hear muffled voices coming from outside in the corridor, and Jessica took a couple of cautious steps forward. She gasped and stumbled back to the wall, for a horrible-looking creature had just lumbered through the doorway. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were too long.

The door slammed shut behind it, and Jessica heard the click of the lock. She wanted to scream, but who she opened her mouth, no sound came out. Hermione however, seemed completely capable of using her voice and let out a high, petrified scream. The ugly creature made straight towards them. It was knocking sinks off the wall as it went. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and Ron and Harry came running in. Jessica came back to her senses.

"What is this thing?" she yelled at Harry and Ron.

"It's a troll, it somehow got into the castle," said Harry, "confuse it! Make heaps of noise!"

As Ron and Harry started to throw things and yell at the troll to confuse it, Jessica tried to pull Hermione out of the troll's way, but it was no use, she was paralysed against the wall. Instead, Jessica tried to keep the troll away along with the boys. She threw taps at its head, and shouted insults, but it hardly had any effect.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: he took a great running jump and fastened his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped – it had gone straight up the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry hanging on for dear life; any second the troll was going to rip him off or catch him with a terrible blow with the club. Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron then pulled out his own wand and yelled the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over – and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet, out of breath and shaking. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised staring at what he'd done. Jessica was slowly helping Hermione up. It was her who spoke first.

"Is it – dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out."

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like grey, lumpy glue.

"Burgh – troll bogies."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realised what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room closely followed by Snape, with Quirrel bringing up the rear. Quirrel took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Jessica had never seen her so angry. Her lips were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" she said, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in you dormitory?" Jessica wished Ron would put his wand down. Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

"Us, Professor, they were looking for us," interrupted Jessica.

"Yes, I went looking for the troll because I – "

"– We thought we could deal with it on our own – you know, because we've read all about them." Jessica couldn't believe what was going on, Hermione Granger telling a downright lie to a teacher? And her, Jessica covering for her, lying just the same? Ron dropped his wand in shock, he was obviously thinking the same way.

"If Ron and Harry hadn't found us, we'd be dead by now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish us off when they arrived," said Hermione.

"Well – in that case …" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, Miss Lupin, you foolish girls, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione and Jessica hung their heads.

"Five points will taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If your not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their Houses."

They left.

"That could've gone much better, I admit. But I'm surprised Professor McGonagall believed our little story," said Jessica.

"Probably because we've never lied before. I do hope Ron and Harry don't too much trouble."

"Yeah, but they came to help us out, so they may even gain Gryffindor some points."

"I hope so."

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig Snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up

"Hang on, lets wait for Harry and Ron."

They only had to wait a few minutes before the portrait swung back, and Ron and Harry clambered through the hole. They came over to Jessica and Hermione. There was a very embarrassed silence. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried to get plates.

But from that moment on, the four of them became friends. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.