"HALLOWEEN" Malfoy shrieked waving his hands high in the air like a conductor. Nott rolled his eyes, while Zabini flopped on his bed like marionette. Crabbe and Goyle grinned too and cracked their knuckles.

"Come on Potter," Draco urged. "We gotta use some of your spells to prank the girls today. C'mon let's go they're not awake yet I bet."

Harry for one had been astonished to find that Halloween in the wizarding world was traditionally celebrated by pranking, at least among pureblood families. The only time of the year that this sort of thing was considered acceptable, encouraged even. But he duly followed. Pulling out his wand he cast on the doorway a few colour changing charms that he had just learnt the other day.

Dolores Runcorn, a fellow first year had stepped out first and instantly shrieked as her hair was turned purple and then flashed into an old grey. Zabini and Malfoy both guffawed and went rushing back, Harry hot on their heels. Further shrieks of outrage came behind.

"Good one, Potter," Draco exclaimed clapping him on the back. "Now let's think… Could you…"

Harry of course wasn't feeling especially up for this as it was the anniversary reminder of his parent's deaths at the hands of the Dark Lord. But shrugging, he obliged. By the time it was over, all the girls had their clothes changed into a ghastly off-coloured shade. Multiple times, each time they had presumably changed back inside and tried again to look presentable upon leaving. Their school robes, bags, they were ruined one by one at the door.

Harry never claimed to have fully mastered the charm without the mishaps. After the girls, Daphne, Tracey, Pansy, Millicent, and Dolores had left to find Professor Snape, the Slytherin boys emerged in triumph from the hiding at the door of their dormitory about twenty steps further down where they had been feigning sleep. Or actually asleep in the case of Goyle and Crabbe.

Harry, who was also far-sighted felt that he was simply doing the utmost to ruin his reputation among the girls, for none of them had found it even remotely funny.

"That just, uh might have repercussions for my future," Harry said looking askance at Malfoy. "I think you owe me one now."

"Nonsense," said Malfoy looking delighted. "They'll simply blame it on the upper years. After all, none of us are supposed to know how to do anything like this. We can prank them at will and they'll never suspect us. It's perfect!"

Harry was of the opinion that Malfoy severely underestimated the wits of the fairer sex and soon enough the boys were chased by a flock of hummingbirds cast by several seventh year girls as they raced screaming out of the dormitory. Harry was only relieved to get out now, before the entire House invariably descended into anarchy for the day as Draco assured him that it would.

After lessons that day, where even SNAPE, yes Snape turned a blind eye to pranks in his classroom (except those concerning potion ingredients of course), Harry was quite fascinated at the hullabaloo that was being generated for the occasion instead of the normally quiet and reserved manner that Slytherin house members usually interacted with each other.

By the time they were descending to the Great Hall for the feast he was feeling in good spirits. Good enough surprisingly to even drive off the twinges of grief that threatened to overwhelm him at periodic times of the day. Whole life feelings that he had never met his parents and would never do so, all because of this day, reduced to today. Compressed in its intensity. He never usually thought like this. But today was a reminder that for his whole life, Harry Potter was an orphan.

Suddenly, Hermione came into sight at the turn of the corridor, head bowed, walking furiously. Harry was startled to see her face rumpled up and streaked with tears… Looking sideways, apparently they had seen it too. Hermione walked past them, turned a corner and he heard a door slamming. "Did you look at her weeping like a faucet," Draco sneered, "Mudblood Granger has finally realized that she's got no friends." He mimed her infamous eagerness in raising her hand and the rest of them guffawed.

Harry laughed uncomfortably as well, awkwardly, in a half-pretended manner as they continued to stroll down to the feast. Harry had considered spending more time with Hermione whom he genuinely felt interested in knowing better, but he knew it was extremely unwise to be seen hanging around a muggle-born in front of his fellow Slytherins. He then reflected in his mind on what he had seen and found himself feeling quite upset about it too.

As he deliberated silent whether or not to follow or tell anyone about her, he decided to just give her space for the time being. Whatever was the matter, he could always talk to her later.

The Great Hall was magnificent and a hundred live bats flew overhead chased by an owl or two. Harry dug in with enthusiasm while he listened to various Slytherins detailing their pranking prowess and details. It made for quite an interesting hearing, the creative purposes that magic could be used for.

Harry glanced surreptitiously at the Gryffindor table, at the end where the first years usually sat but he couldn't find Hermione.

The doors of the Great Hall suddenly burst open with a harsh bang. Professor Quirrel came through sprinting at full speed just as Harry clapped his hand to his forehead. For some reason or another, his scar always seemed to hurt in Quirrel's presence.

"T-t-troll. I-In the dungeons. T-thought you w-wanted to k-know." And he fainted dead at the feet of the high table.

There was instant pandemonium.

"Prefects! Lead your houses back to their common rooms," came the booming shout from Professor Dumbledore. Harry looked around at the commotion as many of the younger students seemed to be in a state of panic. Harry wasn't sure he understood. Sure, trolls sounded fearsome but he was pretty sure that given the uses of magic a skilled teacher could make short work of one. He also didn't understand why Professor Quirrel, supposedly teaching DADA could be so faint-hearted. Hadn't he had any experience dealing with this sort of thing before? Looking at the still prone figure of Professor Quirrel he suffered another shot of pain in his scar and rubbed it irritatingly.

Then he remembered about Hermione. He looked back at the High table, but all the professors were already filing out ready to proceed to the dungeons presumably as Quirrel had told them. Harry tried to shout, wave his hand, but in the thick crowds of students and the chaos they couldn't see or hear him.

Then they were gone. Harry made his decision and backed out of the Slytherin crowds. He had to find her because there was just the risk, that unacceptable risk…

Out of the Great Hall now Harry retraced his steps hurriedly. Amidst the confusion and masses of students he had been able to make his escape quite unnoticed. And now he was turning round that corridor again on the third floor…

He heard it. Stomps even from far away, it could only be…

Impossible. Wasn't the troll in the dungeons. But it couldn't have just walked up here without anyone noticing. He was after all a considerable distance away from the Dungeons.

He wondered where the Prefects were taking Slytherin House since they obviously couldn't go back to their common room.

Harry tiptoed very cautiously towards the source of the noise. He heard a smashing sound, of what sounded like a door being thrown nearly off its hinges. And then a terrifying scream.

Harry against all his instincts which were telling him to stay way, stay far far away threw himself towards the damaged door that was a female lavatory?

And saw the troll, standing twelve feet high, reeking of foul odours, with great rough grey skin, dirty breeches, a small round head, wielding an enormous club. In the background he could hear whimpering from the stalls.

Then it brought it down on the stalls.

"EXPELLIARMUS" Harry shouted and was forced to duck as the heavy club flew his way. A few splinters of wood and shards of glass cut into him as the heavy club crashed into the mirrors behind…

"STUPEFY! IMPEDIMENTA! INCARCEROUS! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS! REDUCTO!"

Nothing seemed to work, the spells largely bounced off the troll's hide that it barely noticed while his last spell forced it slightly backwards. But the troll still seemed to be largely occupied in staring at his hand, trying to figure out apparently where his club had gone?

To hell with it, Harry thought. "Hermione! You have to get out of here! C'mon its distracted at the moment! We have to go!" He gestured frantically at the stalls as Hermione let out another terrified whimper and was apparently paralyzed.

Not caring about the niceties of the thing, Harry shouted "Alohomora" and the bathroom stall door was flung open to reveal a dishevelled and terrified Hermione Granger covered in dust and cowering.

The troll started to head for him again taking two steps forward. Then it drew back a fist.

Harry banished the glass and splinters around him straight at the troll which howled in pain as some of the glass had penetrated its thick skin and flickers of light green, what could only be blood spilled to the floor. By now Hermione had crawled out and pointing her wand, murmured somewhat shakily, "Immobulus." The troll's motions slowed noticeably but the effect soon wore off and it was angrier than ever. It kicked its gigantic feet and Harry and Hermione ducked for cover under the sinks just in time as floor tiles came out.

Harry cast a blinding hex which proved effective as the troll turned and turned 360 degrees in frustration kicking out randomly unable to locate any target. It punched a few stalls sending a shower of wood that Harry blocked with a shield charm.

"Aim for its head," Hermione encouraged still trembling. He sent another Reducto curse but as its head was high and a small target, not to mention the troll was moving blind quite unpredictably, he missed.

Harry had an idea. With another Reducto he smashed up several sinks ahead of them and a flood of water cascaded onto the bathroom floor. Soon, with the floor flooded…

"Glisseo"

Harry watched in satisfaction as the troll slipped and fell crashing to the floor. Pouncing on the opportunity, Harry jumped out of their hiding spot and brandished his wand.

"REDUCTO!"

The troll's head exploded smattering the bathroom walls and floors around with a mixture of green blood and brain… Hermione turned away in disgust as both she and Harry were splattered with it. Harry quickly scourgified them both.

Hermione was in shock. But Harry dragged her out and they quickly left the mess behind. Harry didn't stop until they were a floor down and he dragged her into an empty classroom while he gave her time to recover. With the effects of adrenaline fading now he too could appreciate how drained magically he was.

"Are you okay," he asked concerned still panting.

"Fine," she replied shakily not looking at him.

Guessing her mood, Harry took the intuitive and tried to sound calm. "I don't care what you were doing in the bathroom, I mean I can guess, and I do care, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. None of this was your fault as you couldn't have known."

"It's just… it all seemed so… natural to you."

Harry blinked

"You just blew up that Troll's head," Hermione said shakily looking somewhat disconcerted. Finally she looked him direct in the eyes with an almost accusatory look. "You killed it."

Harry was nonplussed and struggled to answer. "To be honest I wasn't intending anything. I just… reacted on instinct on the first thing I had in my mind. What was most effective, I didn't think… it would have that sort of effect."

"I was just trying to save all our lives," he finished lamely.

"I'm not blaming you", Hermione said quickly. And she looked down, as if uncertain she had anything more to add. "And thank you for coming. To my rescue that is."

"Well, I had no idea you needed rescuing. Professor Quirrel said the troll was in the dungeons."

"Thank you for coming to find me then," Hermione finally said. "It means a lot to me."

Harry felt like he wanted to say more, express more concern? But he couldn't muster the words out. In truth, he was still in shock. After the adrenaline had left his system he was suddenly aware of a profound shakiness, weakness and tiredness and he slumped into a chair.

"I told Neville and the rest of Gryffindor House too that Professor Snape forced Malfoy to give back the remembrall" Hermione said suddenly.

"Good then", Harry answered back awkwardly not really looking at her clutching his arm and examining the cuts. Even though he was loathed to let Snape take credit for any goodwill that he couldn't possibly have in the first place.

"You need to see Madame Pomfrey, Harry," Hermione said regaining a bit of her authoritative voice.

"I'll be fine. But I think we should both head back to our common rooms before everyone realizes we're gone."

They stood. And then Hermione left first without another word. Harry stumbled his way back, out on the alert for any professors, but he knew it was hopeless. If they caught him in this state, he couldn't exactly hide…

He couldn't even see the school nurse because then obviously it could implicate him. Besides the cuts weren't deep. Harry resolved he would look for healing charms next. Even if they were deep in the Restricted Section he would find them.

He entered the dungeons and five minutes later stood at the grey wall entrance. "Basilisk." he said duly.

Nobody was inside. Apparently everyone was still thinking the troll was in the dungeons. Well that suited him. He ventured quickly into the lavatory and washed himself quickly and thoroughly. The bleeding had stopped at the very least. But he couldn't shake off that disconcerting feeling. Why had Professor Quirrel lied about the troll to get all the professors out of the way?

Had he planned the attack? Harry did not consider Professor Quirrel's fainting performance to be entirely credible.

He heard students from the outside filing out. Sighing he quickly dressed and was prepared to slip back into his dormitory.

"Potter where have you been?" Tracey and Daphne stood before him staring with equivalent wide eyed, disbelieving looks.

"Uh… nothing. Went to the bathroom. Tripped in the bathroom, cut myself on some shards of glass unfortunately."

Daphne looked at him suspiciously. "I know it was you this morning and I'm warning you now Potter don't mess with us or we're going to have problems. Now and in the future."

And Harry could only gulp and nod as Daphne and Tracey turned their backs on him and went back into their dormitory.