Chapter 14 – Halloween

Woops I've missed this for a few chapters so for those in doubt… Everything you recognise in this story belongs to JK Rowling and anything else is mine.

A/N – Birthday Post!

Can't believe I'm nearly at 100 reviews, come on, we can do it!

To OldOne – Glad you like the development of Tom's family and I'm sorry for that mistake, I'm human! I see the fact that the majority of the ministry and Hogwarts is pureblood/half-blood a sign of an underlying bigotry. Children also don't have the inhibitions of adults so are more likely to voice those opinions. I believe that was part of Hermione's teasing up until Halloween in cannon and that it only stopped due to her friendship with THE Harry Potter.

Tom looked down at his watch again, it was now five to seven, where was everyone. He paced in front of where the room of requirement hid; ignoring the fact that after every third pace the door would change shape. Finally he saw Hermione turn around the corner and his fear of being stood up slightly abated. Blaise and Daphne arrived dead on seven and the Twins a few minutes later. They entered the room of requirement together in silence. Tom had made the room into a study much like his grandfather's but instead of one seat in front of the desk there were five. He sat on one side of the table and waited as the others took their seats.

"Firstly thank you all for coming, you all know the awkward position I am in at the moment and I need a way to resolve it and quickly. I have a plan but it's going to require all your help to pull it off."

After he said that he looked each one of them in the eye wishing he was better at legilimancy to know what they were thinking. It didn't take much to guess what they were thinking though. Blaise and Daphne were obviously calculating the cost/benefit ratio of being friends with him. The twins where busy setting their prank planning abilities into action ready to help with Tom's plan. Hermione finally was wondering why Tom would go to all this effort to stay friends with her. Tom unravelled a blank sheet of parchment on the desk in front of him and shared a look with the twins.

"This is the marauder's map; it shows the whole school, secret passages and the occupants of the school. Today during the Halloween feast everyone will be in here. We need something to happen that will mean the Slytherin's can't help but respect me and Hermione. I know Blaise, it won't change their view of Muggleborns but at least we can set the ball rolling and stop this awful predicament we're all in at the moment."

"But what could happen that would cause them to change their mind about both you and Hermione?" Daphne said.

"Everyone in our year if not the whole of Slytherin respects Malfoy for his father's money. We just need to save his life and publicly."

Everyone sat around the table looked at Tom dumbstruck; he was planning on putting Draco Malfoy's life in danger. If this plan failed they'd all be off to Azkaban before they could utter a word to their defence. Finally Hermione broke the silence by whispering to herself, although everyone heard it in the silence, "Brilliant." To which the dumbstruck looks turned to her and even Tom looked a little surprised. Hermione's face blushed bright red as everyone's eyes turned on her and quickly tried to explain herself. "Well you see, um, there's no need for him to be in danger, just the appearance of danger, we needn't risk his life, although it wouldn't be much of a loss anyway." That got everyone looking even more shocked. "Well, do you think it would be?" She asked the others.

The twins took over after that,

"We could put a spell on him that only we know the counter to."

"There's bound to be a very rare spell that even Dumbledore won't know."

Tom quickly stopped the Twin's train of thought, "Whoever it was that cast it would be in trouble so we can't do that, plus also how do we explain how we know the counter?" The twins looked crest fallen at that but soon cheered up at Daphne's words.

"That's a brilliant idea but instead of a spell we should use an animal, make it so only Tom and Hermione can call it back."

"If we're going to do that though we're going to have to wait for an animal, train it, and then get it near Draco."

"Did you really think we'd get this sorted today Tom?"

"Well I had hoped…" He trailed off as he saw the stupidity of trying to make and enact a plan that would save his and Hermione's reputation in one day.

"Rome wasn't built in a day." Hermione said much to the confusion of everyone bar Tom. After that everyone left to go down to breakfast and think more about what animal to get, how to train it and how to set it on Draco.

Tom arrived at breakfast and sat down at the bottom bench, he no longer tried to sit with his year mates as it was upsetting getting rejected three times a day. Helping himself to some sausages he tucked in and his thoughts drifted to his planning session before. It felt good to be with his friends and seeing them all getting on together. He now had a plan which could turn around his life at Hogwarts and make it enjoyable again. If that failed the first Quidditch game was in November and he was sure that if he did well enough that he'd be back talking with everyone.

His thoughts were disturbed however when his grandfather's owl flew down to the table with a message in her beak. She deposited it on the table then pecked at Tom's finger until he gave her a piece of bacon. She then flew off leaving Tom to read his letter.

Dear Tom,

You had us really worried with that last letter, we don't like it when you're so short with us. I'm glad to hear you think you can sort it and that you'll go to professor Snape if you can't. Hogwarts is supposed to be enjoyable for you and we don't want you being miserable or we'll home school you! I know Halloween will be hard for you this year so we just wanted you to know our thoughts are with you and that we love you very much. Your Grandfather wants me to tell you that your personal life is no excuse for falling behind on your studies but ignore that, we just want you happy.

All our Love

Mum and Dad

Xxxxx

Tom smiled once he'd read the letter, his mum always knew what to say to cheer him up. He felt a pang of homesickness which he quickly ignored and pushing the letter into his bag he went off towards charms. His route there was uneventful due to all the Slytherins being at breakfast still and he reached the classroom twenty minutes before it was due to start. Not wanting to have to wait in the corridor he turned the door handle to enter the classroom. Finding it locked he got out his wand and with a quick swish and a muttered "Alohomora" he opened the door. He entered the classroom and quickly moved his wand around to the top of the room from where he heard a squeak. He soon lowered his wand when he realised he was pointing it at Professor Flitwick.

"I'm sorry Professor I didn't realise you were in here. I just wanted to go somewhere where I wouldn't be stared at or insulted."

The small teacher got off his chair and walked over to Tom, "I had noticed your little rift with the Slytherins, over young Hermione, yes?"

"Yes unfortunately, the Wizarding world can be so bigoted."

"I know that better than most Mr Murphy as I'm sure you can appreciate. It took me becoming a duelling champion before I could get any job, goblin blood you see? Anyway, of course you can come in but may I ask one question? How did you get in?"

"Oh I just used Alohomora sir. My Grandfather thought it may be useful for me to know."

"I should have known, Valerian!" The professor said with a little exasperation. "I should have known he'd teach you before you came here. Have you learnt anything in my lessons so far? Be honest."

"Well, to be honest, no."

"Hmmm curious."

"What is sir?"

"Two things really, firstly what you're reading in that first year textbook and secondly why you're not a Ravenclaw."

"Well a good magician never reveals his secrets." Tom replied hoping that Flitwick would understand the muggle reference.

"Ahhh. So that's why you're a Slytherin then! Well its five minutes to nine so everyone will be arriving soon, you better take your seat."

Tom took his seat not sure what to think about his conversation with Professor Flitwick, he felt he may have said to much but he was so disarming and had been so honest with him. Students started to flow into the room so Tom got his book out and started to read his next chapter in "Magical Theory the Definitive Guide".

Valerian was sitting eating his lunch when an owl flew through the window looking exceedingly tired. It landed on the table between Mary and Valerian and Mary reached out eagerly for a letter from her son. The owl however hooted at her and shuffled over to Valerian. Expecting it to be a letter from the ministry Valerian ignored it and carried on with his breakfast. However he was interrupted by the owl alternating between hooting, jumping and biting him. After a minute of this he relented and took the letter from the bird however this did not cause the bird to fly away and it carried on as before.

Valerian excused himself and went to his study followed closely by the owl that by now looked close to death due to its overexertion. He sat at his desk and the owl went onto the nearby perch, to rest and drink some water. He opened the letter curious as to what could be so urgent.

Dear Valerian,

My old friend it has been too long, I think the last time I saw you, you were unconscious on the floor due to my wand. Anyway that was a long time ago now and I'm sure we can let that go for the sake of your grandson. We had a chat today before Charms and I have to say it was interesting to see how advanced he is. Now I expected you to teach him a bit before he came here but he seems to have learnt a lot more than you could have dreamed. Now due to that he is very bored in lessons, more so than I'm sure you expected so in the interest of his education I have a proposal. I will teach him on Monday after lessons and give him work to do in order to stretch and challenge him. I have not informed Dumbledore of this as I know your animosity with him. Please reply with the owl I have sent. If I do not receive a reply soon I will have to go to Dumbledore with this.

Sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

Valerian quickly jotted a reply giving his thanks for the lessons and for not telling Dumbledore. He tied the letter to the owl and set him off to Filius in Hogwarts. He hoped the tired looking owl could make it as it would be disastrous if Dumbledore looked closer at Tom. He spent a few seconds clearing his head before he went back to the breakfast table to find his family looking at him curiously.

"I just received a letter from Filius Flitwick, charms teacher at Hogwarts and duelling champion. Now he seems to have caught on to how advanced Tom is and has offered to give him extra lessons."

Kevin looked confused at the look of annoyance on his grandfather's face and said "So what's the problem with that?"

"Well me and Filius go back a long way, the last time I saw him he'd beaten me for the 5th time in the worldwide duelling championship final. Anyway, in the last war with Voldemort he worked very closely with Dumbledore and so I find it hard to trust him. However he is a Ravenclaw so I am sure he is doing this only because he sees the potential in Tom and wants to nurture it, at least I hope so."

Tom sat at dinner by himself, he looked around at the floating pumpkins some of which he was sure were bigger than himself. His eyes wondered to those in his year further up the table. He wondered where Daphne was, she was nearly never late, when Professor Quirrel burst through the doors to the Great Hall with all the drama of the cheesiest soap causing quite a few laughs across the hall. His turban was askew and his robes were dirty but what he said next was more shocking than any of that. Without his usual stutter he said, "Troll in the dungeon, just thought you ought to know" and then he feinted on the spot.

Silence reigned for a whole 10 seconds before pandemonium broke out. Girls were screaming and people were shouting to one another and getting up and trying to leave the hall. A few of the first years burst out crying and prefects looked pale faced, wondering what to do.

Dumbledore stood up and shouted "SILENCE" to which there was an immediate compliance. "Prefects lead your house to their common room and then stay there until a teacher tells you it is safe to leave." There was sudden chaos as the prefects tried to lead their students to the dorms without losing anyone. The Slytherin prefects looked especially nervous as they were heading towards the danger. However the dungeons where massive and the Slytherin common room was far from most of it. All Slytherin reason left Tom as his thoughts suddenly went back to Daphne's absence and the idea of one of his few friends being killed by a troll. He saw Hermione a few people away and made his way towards her. Grabbing her arm he pulled her towards the dungeons. The pair of them followed the Slytherins and in the chaos no-one noticed a Slytherin and Ravenclaw shoot down one of the passageways towards the dungeon loos. Tom thought that was the most likely location for Daphne and if she was late due to the troll then that would be there to. On the way Tom explained his suspicions to Hermione and they only paused in their run briefly when Hermione asked Tom what his plan was. Tom thought for a second before he carried on running, pulling Hermione along with him said "To save her." After which they continued in silence.

Tom and Hermione reached the toilets to find a gigantic back blocking the way, the wall had been smashed through and the pair suddenly realised the size of their problem. Tom heard Daphne shouting for help inside the toilet, in-between firing spells at the troll. The spells however were ineffectual due to the spell resistance of the Troll's skin. Tom quickly thought back to what he knew on trolls, spells were normally ineffectual and you normally had to resort to muggle means.

He turned to Hermione, "You shout at him leading him off down the corridor. I'll banish the bricks he's knocked down into him which should knock him out."

Hermione looked very nervous at this but trusted Tom. She began shouting at the Troll and it slowly turned around. Tom couldn't help but be a little nervous at the troll facing them. Hermione ran down the corridor to the left and the troll started to follow her. Tom drew his wand and shouted Wingardium Leviosa lifting all the stones. He then pushed his wand towards the troll causing all the stones to fly towards him. One hit his leg, a few hit his back and the last one hit him right on the head causing him to fall flat on his face, with dark green goo oozing out of the cut. Tom ran to check Hermione was ok but seeing her unharmed and climbing daintily over the troll he ran to check on Daphne.

He saw her standing in the bathroom a look of shock on her face; she soon recovered her decorum seeing Tom and said, "Well that could do it!" To which all three of them burst out laughing. That was the strange scene that the teachers arrived to see, a dead troll in the corridor and three laughing teenagers in a wrecked bathroom.

Tom woke up the next morning and walked into the Great Hall to hear cheers, whooping and clapping. He looked around confused and then it finally hit him, the story had spread across the whole school. Blaise came over to him and led him down to the chair he used to sit in with well done's and back slaps following him. He sat down to people all around him asking him how he'd done it, what it had been like seeing a troll, how big it was. Tom regaled the story over and over until it was time to go to Potions. He had to force his way through a crowd and he saw that Hermione was having a similar problem on the Ravenclaw table and Daphne also. Tom caught both of their eyes and smiled.

Dear Mum,

I have a few great pieces of news. Firstly I sorted out the problem, all it took was me saving someone from a troll, and no, that isn't a metaphor. Me and Hermione saved Daphne from a massive troll in the dungeons, it was so cool! Secondly I'm going to be getting private lessons from Professor Flitwick who used to be a duelling champion! Finally we've got our first Quidditch match in a few weeks and I can't wait. Thank you for your letters they really cheered me up.

Love you Mum!

Tom

xxxxx