Memories & the Stone
By harryginnyfan91
The Troll
October 31st, 1991
Harry and his friends grew into a routine of sorts as time passed. They still hated Professor Snape and Harry couldn't help but do his very best in his Potions class just to piss Snape off. He yawned as Ron and Neville talked about the classes for the day.
Harry had been up later than usual finishing his homework because he had spent most of the night after dinner scrubbing out cauldrons without magic. Harry couldn't believe how messy some of these cauldrons could get in only a month of use. Then again Harry couldn't help but thinking that Snape had saved a few of those cauldrons from last year just for him when he came this year. He couldn't help but think that what he, Neville, and Ron did for him to end up in detention with Snape in the first place.
Neville and Harry had once again been paired together to work on their potion. Harry looked over to Ron and winked over as took his wand and cast a silent confundus charm on Draco Malfoy. They watched as Malfoy shuttered when the spell hit him.
Malfoy looked around the Potion's classroom. Looking back it couldn't have worked out any better for Harry and his friends. Snape chose the moment after the spell hit Malfoy to call out, "Potter! Pay attention to your potion."
Malfoy thinking that Snape was talking to him jumped, knocking over his half completed potion onto the floor where it started to eat its way through the floor. Snape glared at Harry before he turned and pointed his wand at the mess eating the floor making it disappear.
With Snape's back turned Harry pulled out a little vile of a bright fuchsia color. Harry passed the vile to Neville who passed it to Ron. Ron leaned over and poured the liquid on Snape's bat like robes. The Robes glowed bright for a moment. When the glow faded Snape's once black robes were the same bright color as the potion Ron slipped into his bag.
Not one to miss out on a chance to punish Harry, proof or no proof Snape automatically accused Harry and sentenced him to a weeks' worth of detention. The best part was that the potion lasted for a week and even when Snape changed his robes because he touched the potion on the robes all his robes became that bright fuchsia color.
Snape had tried everything to get his robes back to normal but nothing worked. It was so worth the weeks' worth detention however Harry was curious as to why Snape was so confident that it was Harry and his friends.
Today Harry could smell the scent of pumpkin wafting through the castle corridors as he and his friends headed down to breakfast. Hermione was still a bit annoyed with Harry because he refused to give in and tell her all of his problems. As he sat down and grabbed a piece of toast to butter Harry listened to his fellow first year's gossip excitedly about the upcoming charms class in which they were going to learn to make objects fly.
Harry had read ahead and was pretty sure he could figure it out but he wanted to hear what Professor Flitwick had to say on the subject. He listened as Hermione explained that she was confident that she would be able to do it and he couldn't help but think that she wondered why people didn't like her when she sat there and bragged to anyone who would listen.
Herbology passed quickly and Harry soon found himself sitting in the Charms classroom next to his two friends. Professor Flitwick paired the students up and Ron and Hermione found themselves together. Harry heard Ron groan when it was announced that she would be working with the one girl in Gryffindor house he couldn't stand.
Harry was working with Seamus when he heard Hermione start in on Ron. "You're pronouncing it wrong!" Hermione exclaimed, "It's Wing – Gar – Dium Levi – o – sa. You should be making the gar nice and long."
Ron was about to say something back to her when Harry kicked his leg out and kicked Ron's leg. Harry shook his head at Ron and he gave Harry a slight glare before shutting his mouth and trying again. Ron continued to try and continued to fail.
Hermione thinking that Ron had accepted his help because he started to say it the way she said he should. "Now you're doing the movements wrong!" She exclaimed when Ron twisted his wand instead of flicking it.
Ron scowled and glared at her. "Look why don't you do it yourself if you know so well!" Ron told her.
Hermione was taken aback for a few moments before she sat up straight and pointed her wand at her feather. "Wingardium Leviosa," she said and with a swish and flick of her wand her feather rose up into the air.
"Well Done!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed when he saw Hermione's feather. "Miss Granger go ahead and take ten points for Gryffindor."
Harry smiled at her and glared over at Ron when he saw Ron's angry look.
As they were leaving the Charms classroom Ron couldn't help but vent about what had happened in the last hour. "Can you believe her?" Ron asked his friends. "You're doing it wrong! It's no wonder she has no friends."
Hermione who had been walking behind them and heard everything Ron had said. She pushed past them with tears in her eyes.
Ron stopped mid step and said "Opps."
"Yeah, opps." Harry said looking at his friend. "You just couldn't keep your mouth shut. Could you?"
"I'm sorry." Ron said and he actually looked sorry. "I promise I will apologize tonight. She was really only trying to help me."
Harry sighed. "It's ok but you really need to think before speak sometime Ron. Sometime what you say can be hurtful to others. How as punishment we are going to go find an empty classroom and practice the spell you failed to get in class."
Hermione didn't show up to any of their next classes. Ron looked even guiltier as the hours passed. They were eating dinner that night and no one had seen Hermione since Charms that morning. Ron wasn't eating very much when they heard Parvati telling Lavender that Hermione had been in the girl's bathroom all day crying.
Neville looked over at Ron and shook his head. Frustrated Ron said, "I get it, alright!"
Harry stood up and started to walk away. Neville and Ron quickly stood up and followed him. "I think we should go and find Hermione. She wasn't at lunch this afternoon and now she didn't show up for dinner. Let's go get her, apologize, and come back so she can get something to eat.
They were nearing the bathroom, when they all stopped and crinkled their noses. "What in the name of Merlin is that awful smell?" They all asked each other at the same time. They rounded the corner and Harry froze. Neville and Ron who had been following too closely knocked into Harry and almost knocked him over.
"A troll." Harry whispered, his voice shaking a bit in fear. Ron and Neville's faces turned white when they heard Harry and they all looked on as the smelly troll headed into the girl's bathroom Harry and his friends were headed for.
If possible all their faces turned even whiter. "Hermione!" Harry said and took off towards the bathroom not even thinking about the danger in front of him. Neville and Ron were only a few seconds behind him. Harry didn't stop to think if he knew any of what was happening he only thought if his friend.
Harry slowly opened the door and looked inside. He saw Hermione pressed against the opposite wall of the restroom. She looked like she was about to faint and Harry couldn't blame her. The troll was advancing on Hermione and Harry saw her knees give out.
"Confuse it, so we can get Hermione out of here." Harry said to his friends. Neville and Ron both nodded and picked up a piece of one of the sinks the troll had knocked off the wall. They threw their pieces of sink at the wall and the troll.
The troll grunted and turned around swinging its giant club. Ron and Neville both dropped the next piece of debris they were about the throw and took a step back.
Harry quickly rushed around the troll and grabbed Hermione pushing her behind his back. Suddenly Harry's vision blurred and he was seeing this exact moment from a completely different point of view. He saw Ron, Hermione, and the troll but there was no Neville to be seen. Harry watched from what seemed to be from the back of the troll. He could see his wand sticking out of the troll's nose. He saw Ron lift his wand and cast the levitation spell.
An idea suddenly popped into Harry head. He shouted out, "Ron the club!" Ron looked from Harry to the club and back again. It almost seemed like a whole minute before Ron finally caught on to exactly what Harry was talking about.
Harry smiled when Ron raised his and cast the levitation spell. Nothing happened, and Harry threw his head back in frustration.
"Swish and flick, Ron" Hermione called out. Ron nodded and tried once again. This time the club lifted out of the trolls hand and into the air. Ron was so surprised that he actually did it that he lost control of the spell and the club started to fall.
Harry noticed that the club wasn't going to hit the troll. He quickly directed his wand at the club and sent it flying into the trolls head at an unbelievable speed. The force of the club sent the troll soaring straight through the wall.
Everyone froze in place. Hermione was the first one to recover from the scene. She pulled Harry over to Ron and Neville. She than preceded to throw her arms around all three and them and whisper, "Thank you. Thank you, all so much. I was so scared."
Harry patted her awkwardly on the back, while Ron and Neville stood there frozen not only from the troll but also the much unexpected hug.
"I didn't really do much," Neville said quietly.
"You came," Hermione said.
"Neville, you are a good friend." Ron said finally getting over the shock.
Harry looked around at the destroyed bathroom and his heart sunk. "Guys," Harry said. "Why don't we continue this little pow wow in the common room, where we can't get into trouble.