Hey y'all! How's everyone doing? Here's another chapter where plot happens and Seth is done with 11 year old boys being 11 year old boys even though he was once an 11 year old boy and is also physically an 11 year old boy. Sorry if that sounds confusing but it made sense in my head. Anyways, here you go, another chapter for you all.

Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just "It's bad." I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I'm always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.

Thanks for reading this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y'all.

Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC's that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies.

Warning: No beta, we die like Stingbulbs.

Chapter 6: This is Halloween, Everybody Make a Scene

XXXXXX

The Great Hall was filled with students for study hall with professors patrolling down the aisles to make sure that the students were actually using their time wisely. With our three Gryffindor boys though, there is a distinct lack of studying going on.

Harry and Ron idly flip through their textbooks. Their notebooks are barely filled and the rolls of parchment for their assignments sit untouched.

Seth taps his quill as he doodles in his notebook. He'd already finished his history of magic essay, his only incomplete assignment for the day. Only able to do so due to the notes he managed to bugger off the Ravenclaws at the start of study hall.

"What do you think that dog was guarding?" Ron whispers to Harry, keeping a careful watch out for any patrolling professors that may come their way.

"I don't know," Harry whispers back, "But it has to be important right? Otherwise, Dumbledore wouldn't have warned everyone to stay away or put a three-headed dog there to guard the entrance."

Seth barely bothers to pay attention to the conversation. He had more important things to do than investigate a single corridor and what it could be guarding. There was an entire castle with no explicit warning placed anywhere else within its halls to explore after all. Why should he limit himself to just one hallway?

Besides, he'd learned the hard way that sometimes, mysteries should stay mysteries because they're mysteries for a reason. The less said about that one spelunking trip the better. Warren and Dale still give him the cold shoulder every time he mentions cake within their earshot.

So instead of participating, he's too busy thinking about his plan to disrupt the social order of Hogwarts. So far, it was wavering between stage one and stage two.

Stage one was where he'd make a bunch of individuals question the prejudice they've grown up with. Specifically those in his first year class since they were the only ones he could get a read on and have access to.

Stage two is where he harasses students from different houses. And by harassing he means sitting at a random table each study period (but not meal times yet cause some students and professors might actually have a heart attack if he does) and trying to make friends with each of the houses until either the students or a professor chase him off.

The rest of the stages were still in development though he was slowly loosing the motivation to come up with the details for the rest of his grand scheme. Planning's great and all but it also makes causing chaos boring and energy consuming. Who wants to plan on how to trip someone with a banana when you can just toss the peel and be done with it?

So now here he is thinking about maybe just abandoning his plan altogether and just doing whatever the hell he wants because is it really chaos if there's any form of order to it? Now that he's thinking about it further...no, it's not. He's also technically on vacation so...

Alright, abandoning the plan he'd spent a month agonizing over and implementing it is. He's just going to do whatever the hell he wants, damn the consequences...or well, most of the consequences. He's still got some sense of self-preservation after all. At least his efforts were still bearing fruit even though he just decided to abandon all planning and just do whatever he felt like doing.

So far, Hufflepuff was the most recipient to his presence. Whenever he'd pop by their table, they'd scoot over to offer him a seat before proceeding to surround him with warm conversation and stuffing him full with multiple snacks they'd snuck away from the kitchens.

Which, by the way, he needs to ask them about cause he has yet to find where the kitchens are and he'd really like a place to bake some of the recipes Grandma Sorenson taught him cause while the Hogwarts food was great, nothing beats home cooking.

Hannah Abbot was an absolute sweetheart who must always be protected at all costs while Susan Bones was, in Seth's opinion, one hundred percent a wizard lawyer in the making. Her knowledge of wizarding law was enough to make his head spin. Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan were alright though he couldn't quite see where the loyalty aspect of Hufflepuff came in for those two. And he had no clue how the hell Zacharias Smith ended up in Hufflepuff given how much of an asshole the kid was, even more so than the Slytherins which was actually kind of impressive.

Professor Sprout would always pass by him with a smile and a pat on the back that was accompanied by a compliment for doing what no other house has been willing to do in the past few centuries. Even though Seth gleefully revels in his chaotic neutral stances, Sprout's warm words always made him feel like he should be leaning towards chaotic good.

Ravenclaw could give less of a shit as long as he didn't deliberately interfere with their studies. They were also really helpful in answering any questions he might have as long as those questions weren't some variation of "can I copy your homework?"

In his year, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, and Michael Corner were delightful and absolute riots despite being such nerds. Though Padma Patil, the twin of fellow Gryffindor Parvati Patil, seemed to have a good enough head on her shoulders to keep them in line.

Professor Flitwick also gives him a pass because he, too, believed in inter house unity and the destruction of prejudices, which makes sense considering his goblin heritage.

Slytherin was the most hostile given how many jinxes he had to dodge just to reach their table. But it was good practice for his reflexes and he seemed to be slowly wearing them down as he'd only had to dodge fourteen jinxes today instead of the thirty plus he'd gotten used too.

Even though he's yet to get a word out of him, he'd at least gotten Draco to give nods of acknowledgement whenever he sat nearby. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were lost causes as all bodyguard/grunts were which is unfortunate because they would've made great minions. Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson gave him uncomfortable vibes whenever he'd sit nearby like they were trying to hex him through the sheer force of their presence. Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, and Theodore Nott were most certainly only playing the role of "pureblood supremacist future Death Eater" Slytherins because they knew nothing else. Seth decided to make it his mission to offer them another option cause how can you break a cycle if there's no option B? And Blaise Zabini...is just Blaise Zabini who's in Slytherin cause he's the most cunning first year of the lot and thus, very tolerable towards Seth's presence.

Professor Snape never verbally objected to his presence but if looks could kill, his glare would've burned Seth to ashes a long time ago.

Gryffindor was the most confused and vocal about his house jumping practices. Many older students were wary and would always lecture him to stop going to other tables, especially to the Slytherins. They'd get up on their high horse and Seth always had fun knocking them down by rebuking their statements with some good ol reliable lawyer speak. The circles he'd talk around them were hilarious and he'd always time himself to see how fast they'd drop the issue and leave.

Only Fred and George were encouraging of his actions as they believed that mischief making had no boundaries and the more people in on the joke as possible, the better the prank would be. He'd also succeeded in getting them to find ways to help others skip class though not much encouragement was really needed. All he did was ask if they had anything that could help him skip DADA. They then slapped their foreheads for not thinking of that and immediately set to brainstorming. The ideas they've come up with so far were actually kind of terrifying in their ingenuity if Seth's being honest. At the rate the twins were going, they could open their own shop by the time they graduated and be millionaires not even a year after.

His fellow first years were more confused about his actions as they were merely following the examples of their elders and the stories they'd been told. While none of them were quite willing to make the jump to sitting at the Slytherin table (sometimes they'd even glare whenever he did), a few were slowly but surely sitting with their Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff friends.

Mcgonagall was rather silent on the matter but she seemed to approve as she'd subtly nod whenever he made eye contact with her. Of course, she'd always look like she'd swallowed a lemon whenever he sat at the Slytherin table but hey, baby steps.

The other professors were mum about the whole thing since none of them were heads of houses though he could totally tell which house they'd belonged to given their expressions whenever he sat at a specific table. Though he'd yet to figure out Professor Trelawney's expressions because it always seems like she's high.

Professor Dumbledore was an enigma though. He'd never seen someone's eyes twinkle like that, especially not the eyes of an old man. But the Headmaster seemed to be approving of what he was doing as he'd yet to be stopped by any authority figures other than older students.

Oh well. Who cares what others think? Not Seth.

XXXXXX

Breakfast is in full swing in the great hall. Idle conversation is had and all is going as normally as normal can be going in a school of magic.

Ron's stuffing his face with eggs, bacon, and pudding as Seamus and Dean look on with fascination at the amount of food he's putting away. Hermione looks disgusted as she attempts to lecture him on his table manners but Ron just chews louder with his mouth open to get her to stop.

Seth's reading through a list of get out of class options that Fred and George were working on. They'd handed it to him earlier in the week to get a second opinion on what ideas they should be investing in and which can wait until later. So far, the fainting fancies, fever fudge, and puking pastilles sounded like amazing ideas. The nosebleed nougats can wait.

In between the two boys, Harry was idly picking at his eggs while reading a "Quidditch through the Ages" book that was propped against his goblet of pumpkin juice.

A chorus of chirping coming from overhead has the hall falling silent as the morning mail owls make their rounds.

Seth holds out a hand as a small packet of letters lands directly in it. Kendra, the owl, lands gracefully on his shoulder. He gives her some bacon as a reward for her hard efforts. Kendra nuzzles her soft, feathered head against his cheek before taking off back into the air.

Buzzing suddenly fills the hall when a team of five large owls fly in with a long wrapped package carried by them. The buzzing grows louder when the package is dropped in front of Harry, displacing his book and causing Ron's food to fly into the air due to one end hitting the side of his plate.

Harry gapes at the package with its wrapping slowly getting soaked by pumpkin juice.

"Were you expecting a package or something, Harry?" Ron asks, looking mournfully at his wasted food.

Harry shrugs helplessly. "No. I never get mail."

"There's a letter attached," Hermione interjects, pointing at a small note card tied to the package. "Maybe it will tell you who it's from?"

Harry removes the note card from the package and softly reads the card out to the other three.

"Dear Mr. Potter,

DO NOT OPEN THIS PACKAGE AT THE TABLE. It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand. I don't want everybody to know 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. DO NOT abuse the privilege you've been granted.

- Professor Mcgonagall."

Ron stares at the package in awe. "A Nimbus 2000! That's brilliant, Harry! Let's see it, then."

Harry nods as he eagerly reaches a hand out to unwrap the package, completely ignoring Mcgonagall's warning.

"Hold on there," Seth cuts in, placing a hand on Harry's to stop him. "Maybe we should open it in our dormitory? Away from prying eyes," he suggests while gesturing at the entire hall full of students now whispering and pointing at them.

"Oh yeah, good idea," Harry sheepishly agrees.

The three boys get out of their seats but before they can leave, a sharp "ahem" catches their attention. The trio turns to see Hermione glaring at them like they'd just killed her cat or gotten her a detention.

"I'll bet you think this is some reward for breaking the rules then," she says sharply.

"Oh bugger off. It's none of your business," Ron retorts, waving at her dismissively.

Hermione gathers up her things and gets out of her seat as well to stand before the trio. "You better not get used to breaking the rules and expect there to be no consequences for you because it's not just you this will affect but the rest of us in Gryffindor as well."

She whirls around, making sure her bushy hair slaps both Ron and Harry in the face, before marching off with a huff.

"She really needs to get her priorities sorted," Ron grumbles out, rubbing at his face petulantly.

"Let's just head back to the dormitory already, before classes start," Seth urges, ushering them out of the hall as quickly as possible with the entire student body burning holes into their heads from all the staring.

Unfortunately for them, as soon as they've gotten about halfway down the corridor leading to the great hall, Draco emerges from the shadows. He quickly snatches the package from Harry and examines it.

"That's a broomstick," Draco says gleefully as he tosses it back to Harry. Though his tone contradicts his expression, which is a mixture of jealousy and spite. "You're really in for it this time, Potter. First years aren't allowed to have their own yet."

"An exception was made for him," Ron retorts.

Draco's face turns red with indignation.

"And I haven't quite thanked you yet, Malfoy," Harry says.

"Why's that, Potter?" Draco snarls.

"Because if you hadn't decided to pull that stunt with Neville's remembrall, I wouldn't have gotten scouted to join the team by Professor Mcgonagall," Harry smugly answers.

"And if you weren't the Boy who Lived, you would've been expelled the moment you were caught breaking the rules," Draco snaps back, finding vindictive joy when he sees Harry flinch and shrink into himself in response.

"That's right," he taunted gleefully, "The only reason why you're still even here is because of who you are. People everywhere will bend over backwards just to shower themselves in your fame and prestige. Your talent with a broom is only a bonus, an afterthought."

"Oh bugger off, Malfoy," Ron interjects, stepping protectively in front of Harry, "It's not Harry's fault your mum and dad didn't love you enough as a child."

Draco scoffs. "Me? Unloved? If anyone's unloved by their parents it'd be you, Weasley. How many brothers have your clothes gone through before being handed off to you? And I'm also sure that wand of yours isn't even your own but just another hand me down from your much more accomplished brothers."

Now Ron is the one turning red with indignation, whipping his wand out from his robes.

"What are you going to do, Weasley?" Draco mocks, sneering down at him, "Poke my eye out?"

"I'll do more than that you little death eater scum," Ron snarls.

"Alright, I think that's enough," Seth calls out, placing himself in between the two boys. He points at Ron. "You...stop. You're a Gryffindor so I can't exactly tell you off for being headstrong and hope it sticks. But you," He points at Draco, "You are a Slytherin. Act like it. Be cunning. Be ambitious. Don't be a spoiled brat and a bully cause there's nothing cunning or ambitious about knocking a kid down just cause you're feeling jealous and petty."

Then Seth turns around to wrap his hands on the backs of Ron and Harry's cloaks, dragging them away with multiple protests before an actual fight could break out.

Draco is left behind, fuming at having been told off like a little child by the infuriating Seth Sorenson once again.

XXXXXX

"Alright class, today we will be working on one of magic's most basic skills...levitation, the ability to make objects fly!" Flitwick announces from his podium stand of books.

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students sit separately from each other on the two different sides of the classroom. Both houses listen to his lecture with intense focus and excitement.

He pulls out his wand. "We will finally be applying the swish and flick technique we'd been working on in the past week or so," he says before making a sharp wrist movement, "Do not forget the wrist movement as it's very vital for your spell. Let us do a refresher now, everyone."

The students lift their wands up and follow Flitwick's movements.

"Swish and flick!"

Flitwick nods in approval. "Now the spell to levitate objects is Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then!"

Soon an unspoken competition forms between the two houses over who could get the spell right first.

The Ravenclaws watch their feathers and their forms while enunciating the spell with different degrees of emphasis. They wanted to prove that they were as clever as their namesake.

The Gryffindors repeatedly spam their wrist movements and the spell over and over again, expecting sheer force of will to work in their favor. They were competing simply because it seemed like the Gryffindor thing to do and they're just competitive.

Seth stares, bored as hell, at his feather as he watches everyone try and fail to get the spell to work. Except Hermione who was practicing her wrist movements as she held her wand like she was holding a teacup. She glances over to him.

"Are you not even going to try it, Seth?" she asks.

"You're not doing it either," he remarks, "You're just practicing the movements over and over again."

"That's because practice makes perfect and I want to get the spell on my first try," she explains, still going through the motions as she speaks to him. "What's your excuse?"

"Levitation is boring. I thought we were going to do something more advanced than making a feather float," he whines.

"You think our first charms spell is boring?" she asks, incredulous.

"Of course it is, it's the most basic spell in the book, even a baby could get it right," he retorts, "Wingardium leviosa!"

He makes the swish and flick movement resulting in his feather rising up a few inches before gently falling back down. "See?" he says pointedly as if what just occurred made his point valid.

Hermione rolls her eyes, though the corners of her lips do quirk up a bit into a smile. Then their attention is caught by Ron repeatedly flicking his wand violently and placing heavy emphasis on the wrong parts of the spell.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Hermione cries out, holding out a hand to halt Ron's movements, "You're going to take someone's eye out!"

Ron stops his violent motions and puts his wand down.

"And besides, you're saying it all wrong," she continues to lecture, "It's wingardium leviOsa, not levioSA."

Ron rolls his eyes. "You do it then if you're so clever," he says, gesturing at her feather, "Go on then!"

Hermione gives him a look before gracefully picking up her wand and performing a perfect swish and flick. "Wingardium leviosa!"

Her feather rises from the table, higher and higher and higher, until it catches everyone's attention and the room falls silent as everyone stares at the floating feather in awe.

"Well done, Ms. Granger!" Flitwick exclaims, "Five points to Gryffindor!"

Hermione smiles smugly at Ron as she brings her feather back down to the table. Ron frowns and looks away with a huff, a put upon expression on his face.

Suddenly an explosion goes off, startling everyone and almost toppling Flitwick off his stack of books. Everyone's gaze snaps towards the origin of the explosion and sees Seamus covered in soot and his feather blown to smithereens.

Harry, who'd been sitting right next to him, stares at the aftermath in flabbergasted shock. "I think we're going to need another feather over here, professor."

XXXXXX

The Gryffindor boys rush out of the classroom and out into the courtyard. Seamus, Dean, and Seth were in the front while Harry, Ron, and Neville trail a bit further away behind them.

"How in the world did you make a basic levitation spell explode in your face?" Dean asks, incredulous.

"And how do I do that myself?" Seth asks, with joking curiosity.

"Well lads, all you need is faith, trust, and," Seamus pulls out his wand, "A magic matchstick!"

The three of them laugh.

Seth stops when he sees Hermione walking past. "Oh hey, Hermione! What's-"

But she keeps walking with her head down, picking up her pace in an attempt to leave the courtyard as soon as possible. Seth frowns and turns to ask the others if they knew what happened when he sees Neville glance nervously at Ron and say, "I think she heard you."

His frown grows deeper and he walks up to Ron.

"What the hell did you say?" he sharply demands.

"Nothing! I didn't say nothing!" Ron protests. But Seth glares harshly at him, prompting him answer. "I only said that Hermione was a bit of a nightmare and that's why she's got no real friends because people only ever talk to her for help on their homework."

Seth has to take in a deep breath and count to ten in order to stop himself from punching an 11-year-old boy for being an 11-year-old boy. He slowly releases that breath and glares more sharply at Ron, feeling a bit of satisfaction when he jumps in fear.

"Next time, think before you speak because sticks and bones may break bones but words cut deeper than they have any right too," Seth hisses before rushing off to find Hermione.

He leaves Ron standing there, feeling extremely guilty with each passing moment, as Harry pats his back in comfort and Neville nervously offers reassurance. Seamus and Dean tut at Ron.

"You should go apologize to her when you have the chance, mate," Seamus recommends.

Dean nods sagely. "Yeah, cause hell hath no fury than a woman scorned."

Ron pales at that. Dean and Seamus nod in satisfaction before walking off.

XXXXXX

Seth wanders through the halls, looking high and low through each available floor and wherever the staircases take him as he searches for Hermione.

His stomach growls something fierce and he checks his watch for the time. "It's dinner already?" He sighs. "And it's the big Halloween feast too. Damn. I really wanted to have candy for dinner."

He slaps his cheeks. "No! Focus!" He says to himself. "Hermione is an important friend who needs someone right now because good friends help each other even when that friend really just wants to eat sweets right now."

He shakes his head to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts and returns his focus to the task at hand. "Alright, if I was a prepubescent girl who just got her feelings hurt by an idiot boy, where would I go?" He taps his chin thoughtfully.

Then a light bulb goes off. "The girl's bathroom!"

XXXXXX

Seth tentatively walks up to the door of the girl's bathroom. He leans till his ear is against the door as he knocks. "Hermione? Are you in there?"

There's no response but he can hear the faint sound of crying coming from within. "Hermione?" he calls out again in worry when the crying is immediately stifled and replaced with sniffling. "I hope no one else is in there with you cause I'm coming in."

He gently opens the door and sees Hermione huddled in a corner on the other side. She ducks her head down under her arms when she spots him but not before he sees the tears streaking down her face.

Seth slowly makes his way over to her. He sits down beside her, close enough for her to lean on him should she need it but not close enough for her to feel stifled. He puts his hands on his knees as he brings them up towards his chest.

They sit there for some time. Neither one speaks to the other. Only the sounds of Hermione desperately trying to stifle her crying can be heard echoing throughout the bathroom.

Eventually, she lifts her face from the impromptu shelter and wipes the tears away before facing him. "What do you want, Seth? Don't you know this is the girl's bathroom?"

Seth shrugs. "Eh. That's not gonna stop me from helping out a friend. Besides, if there'd been any other girls in there with you, you would've been outta there and hexing Ron long before I found you."

"A friend?" she asks, skeptically. "I thought you were just another idiot boy who only ever spoke to me for help on homework."

"Um, excuse you. That's what the Ravenclaws are for," he dramatically scoffs. He grins when she chuckles in response. "And I consider you my friend whether you're a nightmare or not. All the best friends are to an extent. That's what keeps friendships interesting and long lasting."

"You consider me a friend?" she asks, tentatively.

He nods vigorously. "Of course! My best friend in fact! I don't risk getting mauled by a pack of angry girls with magic wands for just anybody you know."

Hermione beams brightly at him.

He smiles back in return as he slowly gets up and offers a hand out to her. "Now come on. There's a whole pumpkin pie with chocolate sprinkled on top calling my name."

She wrinkles her nose in disgust as she takes his hand. "Chocolate on pumpkin pie?"

He shrugs. "Don't knock it before you try it."

Just then, the two stop on their short trek to the exit when a horrendous smell assaults their senses.

"Ugh! What in the world is that?" Hermione asks as she pinches her nose.

Seth takes another tentative sniff before quickly pinching his own nose. "Smells like old gym socks and unclean public restrooms."

Then a low grunting and shuffling sound can be heard faintly down the hall through the open door. The two shared a look before quickly making their escape from whatever was making that sound and smell.

Before they can reach the exit, the ugliest looking mountain troll Seth had ever seen shuffles in. It was twelve feet tall with dull, granite grey skin and a great lumpy body like a boulder with a small bald head perched on top like a coconut. Its long ears waggle as it drags a large wooden club across the floor. Somehow, Seth got the feeling that a Duggish banana joke might not have the same effect like it did on Udnar.

Hermione grips his arm tightly before he can say anything and slowly drags him back along with her. Her expression is one of complete terror. Suddenly, the door closes and locks with a click.

"Well shit," Seth says as Hermione lets loose a high pitched scream that prompts the troll to lift its club and swing it towards them.

Seth wraps his arms around her and throws the two of them down as the club brushes above them and breaks through the wooden walls of the bathroom stalls. As he looks up, he sees the door swing back open as Ron and Harry stumble inside.

The two boys look over to Seth and Hermione, shoulders sagging in relief. Then they look to the large troll in fear and determination.

"Oy! Pea brain!" Ron calls out, tossing a piece of a stall at its head.

The troll makes its way towards Ron as Harry separates from him and rushes towards Seth as he helps Hermione back up.

"Come on! Let's go!" Harry hurriedly insists as he latches onto Hermione's arm and helps Seth guide her towards the exit as Ron continues to distract the troll.

However, the echoing noise from both Harry and Ron causes great confusion for the troll as its head turns back and forth between the two boys. The confusion grows into anger and its roars before charging at Ron like a football player going for a touchdown no matter who stood in its way.

Before Seth can shout at the troll to stop, Harry does the bravest and stupidest thing that would've made actual 11 year old Seth of the past damn proud. He takes a running jump and wraps his arms around the troll's neck. He pulls his wand out and shoves it up the troll's nose.

It roars out in pain and anger, flailing around in order to shake Harry off. Harry clings on for dear life as Ron shouts out the first spell he can think of. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club suddenly flies out of the troll's hand and high into the air before dropping down and making harsh contact with its head. The troll sways violently before falling flat on its face with a thud hard enough to make the floor shake.

Harry clambers off the troll as Ron, Seth, and Hermione join him in standing beside the troll's unconscious body.

"Is it dead?" Hermione tentatively asks.

Seth taps the troll's arm with his foot. "No, I think it's just unconscious. Troll heads are made of some stern stuff."

Harry bends down to pull his wand out of the troll's nose. It's covered in a lumpy grey substance. "Ugh, troll boogers," he remarks in disgust as he wipes his wand off on the troll's pants.

A sudden rush of loud footsteps have the four of them looking up to see Professors Mcgonagall, Snape, and Quirrell rushing into the bathroom. Quirrell takes one look at the troll before shuffling out of the bathroom with a whimper as he clutches at his heart. Snape walks over to examine the troll with a frown while Mcgonagall marches over to the four of them with the angriest expression Seth had ever seen on an old woman.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Mcgonagall says with fury cold enough to turn water into ice. "You're lucky you weren't killed! Why weren't you in your dormitory?"

Before any of the boys could answer, Hermione steps forward from behind them. "Please, Professor Mcgonagall. They were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!" Mcgonagall exclaims in surprise.

"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," Hermione stammers out.

The three boys share looks of outright surprise because Hermione Granger, the teacher's pet and rule follower extraordinaire was lying to a professor?

"If they hadn't found me, then I'd be dead now," Hermione continues to explain. "Seth talked me out of it but before we could leave, the troll came in. Then Harry and Ron came after it. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its club."

Mcgonagall gapes at her before clearing her throat. "Well, in that case...Miss Granger! You foolish girl! How could you even think of tackling a mountain troll by yourself?"

Hermione hangs her head in shame and guilt as Harry and Ron do their best to hide their shock and make it look like her lie was actually the truth. Seth places a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looks at him gratefully.

"Miss Granger, ten points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," Mcgonagall states firmly, "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better head off to the Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione leaves the room, hesitantly looking back as she stands by the doorway before Seth shoos her off with a reassuring smile.

Mcgonagall turns to face the three remaining boys. "Well, I believe you were all rather lucky to survive, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll and lived to tell the tale. You each win Gryffindor five points. But Professor Dumbledore will be notified of this. You may go."

The three boys rush out of the bathroom, only slowing down when they were about halfway to the common room.

"You'd think she'd give us more than 15 points for risking our lives," Ron grumbles.

"It's actually five after you remove the points Hermione lost," Harry states.

"Good of her to get us out of trouble though, since we did save her after all," Ron begrudgingly admits.

"Well you wouldn't have needed to save her at all if you hadn't locked the door on us," Seth deadpans.

Ron colors in embarrassment and doesn't say anything for the rest of their trip back to the dorms.

They reach the Fat Lady's portrait and it swings open once they all say the password. The common room is jam packed and noisy with students cheerfully talking with one another as they downed plate after plate of wonderful food. Hermione stands by the door, obviously having waited for them.

Seth's gaze zeros in on an entire pumpkin pie with chocolate flakes sprinkled on top. "Sorry guys, but a chocolate sprinkled pumpkin pie is currently calling out my name." Before he rushes off, he gives Hermione a quick hug. "I'm glad you're okay."

Then he's off like a bullet with only pie in mind. Meanwhile, the remaining three awkwardly stand around in embarrassing silence. With none of them looking at each other, they all say "Thanks," and then hurry off to get their own plates.

And from that moment on, a golden quartet of friends had been formed.

And that's all she wrote! For now! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter cause the plot is finally going to start picking up in the next. Until then!