I am so sorry that this chapter is so late. I was going to post like two weeks ago, but then things happened. School definately picked up (I had like 3 papers and tests in a week) and then my sister's cat had to be put to sleep. He was in my family for 12 years, since I was eight. He had inoperable cancer. His name was Roswell. (Like the city in New Mexico).
Anyway, thanks to:
Elia950 - Well, what I can do is have a Harry/Hikosu with one sided Draco/Hikosu (with Draco being the one sided) and then have his obsessive/romantic feelings dull down into a brotherly mode, like Cael.
Beautiful-Phoenix75 - Love that you like my story! Thanks for the review.
The Submarauder - Like I said before, I should do that for when he gets them in the 3rd book. XD
Oh! One more message! I'm going to give Hikosu at least two more animal guides. I'm asking you guys as my readers to pick an animal, name, and their looks as a human to put in my story. In the fifth book one of the four animal guides is going to die, however. I'm so evil, I know...but it makes for good drama...unless you guys vote for a near fatal wound or something. (I'm going to put up a poll later on).
Chapter Ten
Halloween
Draco 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 the next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one.
The young blond boy was rather jealous – although he didn't know why – when Hikosu had hurried into the room and that snow leopard had ambled up to her, purring. It wasn't this that had him jealous, however; it was when she spotted Harry and instantly flung her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The two were rather close as he saw…but Draco didn't think that Harry should be friends with such pretty and mysterious creatures.
At the Gryffindor table, Cael had finally met Fayen. The two of them sat in the animal forms, staring at each other before they began to talk.
Who are you? Cael warily asked as the gorgeous snow leopard narrowed her eyes at him. both of them felt a bond forming between them, but neither of them recognized what it meant…yet.
I am Fayen. You? She replied, cocking her head to the side. Her beautiful eyes narrowed as she sized the great white wolf up – at least she could admit that his coat was well kept.
I am Cael, loyal servant to Lady Hikosu. At this the snow leopards whole demeanor changed. The air around her changed from suspicious to warm and welcoming.
Ah! You are Lady Hikosu's first animal guide! It is a great honor to meet you, sir. I am her second. We bonded yesterday. After she gave this information, Cael's eyes warmed up. They knew the other was telling the truth for animal guides couldn't lie to their brethren. Those under the same Animalia became each others' family.
It is my pleasure, Fayen. Believe me; Lady Hikosu is happy to have you as well. I can feel it. The great wolf said, eyes smiling as he nodded his head to her. Both of them phased at the same time, taking a seat next to the other on the bench in order to eat breakfast.
Harry was filling Ron in about the package that seemed to have moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection. One of his hands was clasped tightly in Hikosu's; she had refused to release him after she saw that he was alright.
"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.
"Or both," said Harry.
Or perhaps it's only dangerous in the hands of those who want to use it for evil? Hikosu suggested and Cael relayed to Ron quietly.
But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.
Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.
Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Draco, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.
As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel.
Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:
DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.
Professor M. McGonagall
Hikosu could feel Harry's elation through their weak bond; it was strange how it seemed to grow just the tiniest bit strong as their time at Hogwarts passed. Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.
"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."
The three of them, along with Cael and Fayen, left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Fayen growled menacingly as Cael gave them a disapproving glare. Hikosu just gave a disappointed and unheard sigh, leaving Draco feeling a jolt of some unnamed emotion. He shrugged it off, seizing the package from Harry and feeling it.
"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."
Ron couldn't resist it.
"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as Nimbus."
Finally Cael took the situation into his own hands. He phased into his humanoid look, giving the three Slytherins a dangerous look.
"Boys, I believe you should be getting to class. Don't make me do something I'd rather not do." He said, grinning and showing off his fangs. Fayen smirked in her snow leopard form, showing off her impressive set of teeth as well. Although they were impressive, all Draco did was glare, keeping his fear hidden.
"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Draco 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, boys?" he squeaked.
"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Draco quickly.
"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"
"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Draco's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.
Harry, Hikosu, Ron and the others headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.
Harry, that's mean. Hikosu giggled as they continued up the stairs.
"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team…"
"Well, if he hadn't stolen that ball then I wouldn't have found Lady Hikosu." Purred Fayen as she phased into her humanoid form. Harry's hand tightened around his best friend's hand, face flushing as he realized he hadn't let go of it the entire time. They were obviously remembering when she had fallen.
"That was scary. If Fayen hadn't caught her…" Ron said, shuddering. They all did. if Fayen hadn't caught her than Hikosu would have been dead.
"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's free hand.
"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.
"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."
Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.
Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying under his bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where he'd be learning to play that night. He bolted his dinner that evening without noticing what he was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last. He had agreed to meet Hikosu in the Quidditch pitch; Wood didn't mind that they'd be having a spectator. He had been fascinated with a certain snow leopard. He was saying that it was too bad she wasn't a lion – she could have been their mascot.
Oliver Wood was one of the few people who accepted the new arrival other than the first years who saw Fayen save little Hikosu's life. Not much was known about the Animalia and their animal guides since their numbers had been dwindling – not to mention that they lost their trust in most of humanity – so the witches and wizards of Hogwarts didn't trust what they didn't understand.
"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry's bedspread.
Even Harry, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.
As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. He'd never been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded Harry of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.
But what got Harry's attention, however, was the fact that there was someone already in the field. Hikosu, Cael, and Fayen were already there…except for the fact that Cael and Fayen seemed to be playing some sort of keep away game. They had stolen Hikosu's outer robes, the ones outlined in white, and were throwing it back and forth to each other as the silver eyed girl jumped to reach for it. All three of them were laughing…looking almost like a family.
Not wanting to bother them and too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, he sent a small nudge through his and Hikosu's still raw bond. She nudged him back and he smiled, mounting his broomstick and kicking off the ground. What a feeling – he swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.
Harry… he heard a whisper in his mind just before a voice shouted, "Hey, Potter, come down!"
Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Harry landed next to him.
"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant…you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you and your lady friend the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week." The older boy explained, sending a sidelong glance at Fayen while he was talking. Hikosu's face flushed bright red at being referred to as Harry's 'lady friend'.
He opened the crate while Hikosu and her two animal guides appeared next to the emerald eyed boy. Inside the crate were four different-sized balls.
"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."
"Three Chasers." Harry, Cael, and Fayen replied. Hikosu just gave a small smile and a slight nod to show that she understood. Wood then took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.
"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"
"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So – that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?
Or sort of like hockey in the air with an added player. Hikosu mused, earning a snort from her best friend.
"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.
"Never mind," said Harry quickly.
Aww…Wood lives a sheltered life. The silver eyed girl sighed, once again drawing soft laughter from her best friend.
"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper – I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."
"Three Chasers, One Keeper." Cael said this time. They were determined to remember it all for it was a unique sport.
"And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" Harry asked, pointing at the three balls left inside the box.
"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."
He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.
"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."
He showed them two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. The wolf figure seemed to notice that they were straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box. He motioned for Harry to hand him the bat, grinning as the young boy did so.
"Stand back," Wood warned Harry and Hikosu, thinking that the two animal guides could look after themselves. The older teen bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.
At once, the black ball raised high in the air and then pelted straight at the two females. Harry quickly wrapped his arms around Hikosu's waist and jerked her out of the way while Cael swung the bat at the Bludger to keep it from breaking Fayen's nose. She was shocked at how fast the little black ball could move. It zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.
"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers 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 their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So – think you've got all that?"
"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Fayen responded this time.
"Very good, you four." Said Wood.
"Er…have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.
"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. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers…"
"Unless they crack his head open." Fayen purred sadistically. The others looked at her with weird expressions before going back to Wood's explanation.
"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 the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the 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 his 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 ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages – I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep." He paused for breath, "Well, that's it…any questions?"
Harry shook his head, looking down at his best friend. Her eyes were wide with worry for him. He understood what he had to do all right, it was doing it was that going to be the problem.
"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these." He said and the three spectators took their cue. They quickly settled in the stands as Wood pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.
Harry didn't miss a single one, earning cheers and praises from the three spectators. The ones who got him the most were the soft and gentle praises that only he could hear. The ones from Hikosu. 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 turned out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons." At the mention of dragons little Hikosu's eyes brightened so much.
I'd like a dragon… she sighed dreamily, much to the amusement of Harry, Cael, and Fayen.
Perhaps it was because he was so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. His lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.
Of course, Harry was experiencing the worst bout of separation anxiety that he had ever faced. During these two months at Hogwarts he slept in totally different ends of the castle from Hikosu. He had never slept so far away from Hikosu before. It pulled on his very heart and caused him to start breaking down whenever he had gone without holding her hand or being in her presence. He would become a nervous wreck.
Usually, Hikosu was the same. They all had the same classes together, but when they were forced to study in separate rooms – Hikosu in the dungeon with Severus and Harry in the tower with the other Gryffindors – they were forced to resort to that one magical sheet of paper they both had, remember? One of them would write on their sheet and the message would send to the other sheet and vice versa.
Of course, the two of them spent quite a bit of time in the Great Hall and the Library so they could study together.
On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin 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 all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice.
Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived. Hikosu was to work with another one of Harry's new friends, Dean Thomas. Cael and Fayen sat at the head of the classroom in their animal forms, looking at the students intently.
"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" 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. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it – 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," Harry 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 desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"
Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. He wasn't the only one who had trouble with the spell at first. Hikosu was doing all that she could; she was mouthing the words and making the correct wrist movement and neither Fayen or Cael could figure out what was going wrong.
My lady, perhaps you should not only mouth the words…but say them in your head as well? Fayen suggested as she stared intently at her mistress. Cael cocked his head to the side as if he was thinking about her suggestion.
It may prove useful, little one. I often find that repeating words in my head both strengthens the meaning and helps me remember. Perhaps it will help strengthen your magic? The wolf commented as he thought about it. Nonverbal magic was very difficult to master. She tried again, this time thinking the words instead of just simply mouthing them, and the feather glowed a soft white, lifting just barely off the table. It was a weak Wingardium Leviosa spell, but she had accomplished it.
On the way out of the room Hermione asked to walk with her, commenting that she thought that they would benefit from studying together. After all, they were the only two who had successfully completed the spell. On their walk, however, they overheard a rather nasty comment.
"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to harry as the four of them pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."
Hikosu gasped soundlessly as Hermione knocked into Harry as she hurried past them. Harry caught a glimpse of her face – and was startled to see that she was in tears. The silver eyed girl glared at Ron for upsetting Hermione, telling her two animal guides to stay put.
I'm going after her. Both of you stay here and make sure they don't do anything stupid. Hikosu said directly to the two animal guides. Fayen made a motion as if she were going to protest, but the chilling look in the eleven year old girl's eyes made her think twice.
I'm going alone, Fayen. She said, but then her eyes softened, but I'll call you later if I need help.That was enough to calm the female snow leopard down.
Wait, why her? Cael cried, pretending to be insulted.
…Would you really want to go into a female's bathroom? Fayen asked, sending the higher ranked animal guide an odd look. Cael started as a flush working its way through his soft fur. Hikosu smiled softly at the two's banter, knocking her shoulder into Ron's as she made her way after Hermione.
Both of the girls didn't turn up for the next class and weren't seen all afternoon. Cael stayed with Harry, but Fayen soon grew restless. She didn't know the people in the castle as well as the wolf animal guide did and decided to get herself acquainted with the workings of the castle. After telling her superior of her intentions, she went off to explore the castle.
Harry, Ron, and Cael soon made their way to the Great Hall for the feast. On their way, however, the three of them overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone, but that Hikosu had stayed with her. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations had put Hermione out of their minds…but Harry could still feel a little tug of worry on the edge of his subconsciousness. It was odd for he wasn't the one feeling worried.
A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feat appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.
Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. Harry had never felt so scared because he didn't have Hikosu in his line of sight. Cael was growling next to him, obviously berating himself for letting his charge wander off on her own. She was only eleven!
There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.
"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
Percy was in his element.
"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a Prefect!"
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs. Cael wanted to go look for his mistress, but he had promised her that he would stay with Harry. He only hoped that Fayen would be able to get to her.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.
"I've just thought – Hermione and Hikosu!"
"What about them?"
"They don't know about the troll!"
"Oh, all right," he snapped. "For Hikosu. But Percy'd better not see us." And with a yip from Cael they were off.
Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.
"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin before Cael could tell them otherwise.
Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy, but Severus. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.
"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"
"Maybe he's looking for Hikosu?" it made sense. She was his daughter, after all.
Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Severus' fading footsteps.
"He's heading for the third floor," the emerald eyed boy said, but Ron held up his hand as the wolf animal guide let out a whimper.
"Can you smell something?"
Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.
And then they heard it – a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed – at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. the three of them shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.
It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, 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 so long.
The troll stopped next to the doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.
"The key's in the loc," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."
"Good idea," said Ron nervously.
They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.
"Yes!"
Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop – a high, petrified scream – and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up. Suddenly, both Cael and Harry felt a subdued feeling of terror flash through their bodies.
"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.
"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.
"Hermione, Hikosu!" they said together.
It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Harry was scared, but the wolf animal guide was already clawing at the door, trying to get in. He was snarling and his eyes were wild with anger. Wheeling around, the two wizards sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.
Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. Hikosu was crouched over the other girl, shaking as a trail of blood was running down her temple. The emerald eyed boy's heart gave a lurch as Cael's growl intensified.
"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.
The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.
Harry! Hikosu exclaimed, causing him to steal a glance her way. With a loud growl, Cael jumped on the back of the troll, giving him the opportunity to rush to his best female friend's site.
"Bloody Hell, Hikosu." He breathed, pressing the corner of his robe to her forehead. He took it off so she could have easy access to it as she told him what happened.
When the troll attacked we were caught off guard. He destroyed one of the stalls…and the wood beaned me in the head. She said, pointing to the rather large gash on her forehead. A howl from Cael brought their attention back to the ogre. Hikosu stood, but her vision swam as she sunk back to the ground. Harry looked down at her, worry evident in his emerald gaze. It was up to him and Ron since Hermione's wand was all the way across the room.
"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to try to convince Hermione to move.
"Come on, run. Run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.
The shouting, growling, and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. Despite all the damage that Cael had done to his flesh, the troll seemed to have a one track mind.
Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: he took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll with 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 one of the troll's nostrils.
Oh, Harry, be careful! Hikosu exclaimed in fright. Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.
Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright with Hikosu still kneeling over her. Ron pulled out his own wand – not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry 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 the owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the twole room tremble.
Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his want still raised, but Cael had morphed into his humanoid form, scooping the silver eyed girl into his arms.
I am sorry for not being here, little one. I will not fail you again. He swore to her as she buried her face into his chest like a small child would do to an elder sibling.
It was Hermione who spoke out loud 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 lumpy gray glue.
"Urgh – troll boogers."
He wiped it on the troll's trousers.
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps and made the three of them looked up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Fayen had come bounding through the door with her fangs bared. She gave off a soft roar of her own at the fallen troll before morphing and hurrying to Hikosu, who gave her a half-hug. She was still trembling slightly as the female animal guide inspected the wound on her head.
A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Severus, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.
Severus made his way towards his daughter, eyes immediately darkening as he spotted the wound on her head. He glared at the three Gryffindors, almost silently accusing them of harming his daughter. He almost said something, but Hikosu's voice whispered in his mind.
Papa… it wasn't what she said, but how she said it. Her voice was breaking and her lower lip wobbled as she looked up at him. Her silver eyes were glassy; she had never been so scared in her entire life. She lifted her arms from around Cael's neck and gestured towards her father, lips still wobbling.
Severus was quick to lift his surprisingly light daughter from Cael's arms. She wrapped her arms around her father's neck and nuzzled her face into his broad shoulder.
Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.
"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"
Severus gave Harry a swift, piercing look as Cael mentally filled him in on the situation. Harry looked at the floor. He wished Ron would put his wand down.
Then a small voice came out of the shadows.
"Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for Hikosu and me."
"Miss Granger!"
Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.
"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know, because I've read all about them. Hikosu found me and told Cael and Fayen to find Harry and Ron. Cael found them."
Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?
"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Hikosu shielded me when the troll destroyed the stalls. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. Cael bit and scratched at it, but it wouldn't be deterred. They didn't have any time to fetch anyone – be glad that Fayen could smell us out. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."
Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.
"Well – in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"
Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Severus had started wearing a pink tutu to his Potions classes.
"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."
Hermione left.
Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.
"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."
"Severus, it may be wise to take Hikosu to the hospital wing." The Transfiguration Professor suggested, but the Potions Master just glared. He was going to take his daughter to their chambers and take care of her himself. Not that he didn't trust Poppy Pomfrey, but he would rather make sure she was fully healed.
Harry and Ron hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.
"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled. Harry was still a little worried about Hikosu, but he just couldn't ignore Ron's conversation.
"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."
"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."
"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her…and Hikosu was in there, too." Harry reminded him.
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. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looked at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.
But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became Harry and Ron's friend. The group was expanded, now made up of Harry, Hikosu, Cael, Fayen, Ron, and now Hermione. 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.
