Chapter 8
The Fight at Night
To Harry's enduring disappointment Malfoy wasn't dropped from the Slytherin team, however as Hermione said it was probably more because of his father's broomsticks that his skill. However the fact that they had even considered dropping him had made Malfoy very bitter. His remarks were even more vindictive than usual, although without Snape skulking around Malfoy found it hard to get revenge. The worst thing for Malfoy was the way the Gryffindors treated Harry as their hero. However Malfoy had a new addition to his little gang of Crabbe and Goyle. Laure Trold was a small mean second year with mousy coloured hair and a sly smile. Unlike Crabbe and Goyle, Trold had brains and was fond of using them for mean tricks. Hermione often saw him in the library pouring over books trying to find new curses and spells. One of his favourites was putting pepper potion in people's meals so that they couldn't stop sneezing all day or when the teachers weren't looking bewitching people's quills so they would write wrong answers. He had had more detentions than the whole of Slytherin put together, but there were still things that he didn't get punished for. Harry, Ron and Hermione hated Laure almost as much as Malfoy. As Ron remarked one breakfast, "At least Malfoy wasn't nasty to everyone." Hermione looked scathingly over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy was talking loudly about how his father had just bought a new house-elf. Her eyes glittered angrily, "They're as bad as each other. I wonder what Trold is up to though, he's always in the library and he's definitely not doing school work," she said sniffily. Malfoy saw her look and swaggered over to her, Trold, doing a reasonable imitation of Malfoy's swagger, behind him, "Oh Granger," he said in his usual slimy way. "Why were you looking at our table. wishing you could join us perhaps? Well I'm sorry, we only allow purebloods to sit with us, we couldn't have something as dirty as you near our food." His little gang laughed loudly. Hermione stared straight ahead, concentrating on buttering her toast. Harry and Ron pushed back their chairs and stood up, trying to look threatening, but there was little they could do under the watchful eye of the teachers, "Go play with dragons Malfoy," Harry said angrily. Malfoy suddenly flashed out his wand and yelled "Fernuculus!" Harry with lightening speed, born of Quidditch training, ducked down and the curse flew harmlessly towards the ceiling. Professor Jenai appeared next to Malfoy, looking at Malfoy with disdain, "Improper use of magic in the school- that'll be a detention for you Malfoy and ten points from Slytherin." She swept off without another word. Malfoy stormed off followed by his little group. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged wide smiles, "He should know better than to do magic in front of teachers," Hermione said happily. "A detention!" said Ron gleefully. "That serves him right. and that was a superb duck Harry." "Look at the time," interrupted Hermione, "come on its transfiguration and McGonegall will kill us if we're late." They ran up to the transfiguration room only to find they weren't the last ones. Neville was also missing. McGonegall had only started the register and paused at Neville's name, "Anyone know where Neville is?" she asked pointedly. No one replied and McGonegall glared at them as if they had hidden him somewhere. Neville wasn't in divination either or in any of the lessons that day. Hermione was looking quite worried as she entered the common room after Arithmancy. "None of the teachers have seen him," she said anxiously. "Where can he have got to? Do you think we should tell Professor Dumbledore?" "I'm sure someone will have told him already," Ron pointed out. There was nothing to do but go to bed. Harry had just got into his pajamas and into bed when he noticed a small white mouse scurrying about on the floor. Harry stared at it interestedly. It was running in straight lines, stopping and turning in a different direction, then turning back and going the way it came. Harry softly called out to Ron, "Ron, you've got to look at this.Ron wake up!" Ron rolled over, rubbing his eyes, "What is it?" he asked sleepily. "Just look at this mouse." By this time Dean and Seamus were watching too. "It looks like its trying to tell us something." Dean told them. "Yes but what?" replied Harry. The mouse continued making the same strange movements. "Look!" Ron said suddenly. "Letters.its spelling out something. There's an L. and that must be an E." The mouse had stopped making funny jerking movements and ran to the other side of the room where it started again, running straight, turning 145 degrees and then running straight again, "NEVILLE!" yelled Seamus. "He's spelling Neville. That mouse must be Neville!" The mouse stopped and started to nod its head. "What do we do now?" asked Ron. "Lets get Hermione.she'll know what to do," Harry said. Ron ran quickly down the stairs and returned shortly with Hermione. She looked in horror at the small white mouse that was Neville Longbottom. "It must be a simple transfiguration potion," she told them. "I bet that's what Laure Trold's been doing in the library all the time." "That's all very well," Seamus said, "but how do we get him back again?" "Luckily I think it's fairly easy- a simple counter spell should do it," Hermione told them. "Don't you think we should get him to the hospital wing?" Dean asked. Hermione ignored him and instead pointed her wand at the mouse, "Reversare transformatio," she said giving a small flick of her wand. Neville appeared before them with a loud pop. He looked very miserable, "It's no good- I should never be in Gryffindor. I can't stand up to anyone." Anger started to mount in the dormitory, "It's not your fault Neville, it's Malfoys and Trolds. We'll get our revenge don't you worry." Ron told him. Neville looked at them still unhappily, "Malfoy sent me with a message. He says to meet him on the third floor corridor tomorrow night and he'll finished what he started at breakfast." A big tear slid down Neville's cheek. "I'm not fit to be a Gryffindor. Malfoy said so. He said that I was a failure, that I shouldn't be at Hogwarts at all." Hermione exploded, "You're exactly in the right place Neville, don't anyone ever tell you otherwise. The sorting hat is never wrong." Neville crept quietly into bed. The rest of them decided to have a meeting. "We've got to do something." Hermione told them, her eyes flashing. "This duel. we'll go and we'll win. Malfoy doesn't care about detentions. We can have some serious fun and we'll tell Malfoy that if he mentions anything to a teacher then we'll tell him about Neville. We could get him expelled for that I'm sure." The others listened excitedly. "Yep, let's do it." Seamus said thrilled. Harry thought rather guiltily about his promise to Professor Dumbledore but banished it when he thought about revenge on Malfoy. Hermione was a great help, she taught them all sorts of useful charms and curses including the star freeze, the slug- spitting curse and werewolf curse, which made hair grow all over your body. The Gryffindors were extremely impressed. It was nearly two o'clock when Hermione eventually told them she was going to bed. Tiredly the boys climbed into their beds.
The next day things started to get a bit out of hand. Hermione sent Malfoy the note telling him what she would do if there was any funny business on his part. However the news of the challenge had leaked out and nearly every Gryffindor in the common room at break and lunch was discussing which curse they were going to use. At teatime Harry overheard a group of Slytherins discussing the same. Quietly he whispered to Hermione, "Isn't this going a bit too far. its turning into a full scale war. We're bound to be caught." Hermione nodded, "But its too late to back out now," she said worriedly. Neville however was treated like a hero throughout the day. Somehow the story had become a little distorted and throughout the school the story was being told about how Neville had single handedly fought against ten Slytherin before being overpowered and forced to drink the transfiguration potion. Something about the gleam in Hermione's eye told Harry that this story had something to do with her.
That night at twelve Harry counted forty Gryffindors armed with their wands queuing at the portrait hole, the remainder cheering them off. Hermione and Neville led the possession, followed by Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and the Weasley twins. At the end of the corridor they met nearly headless Nick. He had a ghostly sword and huge shield, that looked almost too heavy to hold, "Couldn't miss out on the fun" he said almost happily. "I haven't had a good fight since.well I'm not sure when. I'm longing to throw a few blows at the Bloody Baron. You know, a few thrusts and parries." As they reached the third floor corridor the Gryffindors became quiet and slowed, carefully going round every corner incase of an ambush. They reached the third floor without difficulty. At the end of the corridor about forty Slytherins were waiting for them headed by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Where's Trold?" Hermione hissed. Malfoy stepped forward, he seemed a little whiter under the strange flickering lights of the candles. "Well look, couldn't face me on your own Potter- you had to bring your friends" Malfoy said indicating the Gryffindors by a wave of his wand. "I didn't ask them to come," Harry said hotly, "They came because of Neville, I'll take you on anytime Malfoy, without your friends." Just then there was a sudden noise of charging feet. The Gryffindors turned to see another thirty Slytherins charging towards them from the opposite direction wands outstretched. While they turned Malfoy's gang of Slytherin's drew their wands and started cursing left, right and centre. Pandemonium reigned. Harry watched with horror as a hundred different curses flew across the corridor. They were making enough noise to wake the entire school not to mention the people in Hogsmeade. Harry felt a curse whizz past his cheek and he ducked down. Through a gap in the writhing crowd he was just able to make out Malfoy and Trold sneaking off along the corridor. Trust them to escape thought Harry angrily. He started to follow them. He pushed past Millicant Bulstrode and Hermione who had dropped their wands and were now rolling about on the floor locked in combat and stepped over Fred Weasley who had been disabled by the leg-locker curse. Nearly-headless Nick was having a very elaborate sword fight with the bloody baron, but had already lost one silvery opaque arm which was lying on the floor. Harry ran after Malfoy and Trold but they had a head start. Harry was just able to catch them going into a small classroom on the second corridor. Heart pounding and wand drawn he followed them in. At first he could see no- one, but then he heard the disarming spell and his wand left his fingers. He heard Trold say Lumos, and behind him the door shut firmly. Malfoy and Trold were standing in front of him, grinning inanely and holding Harry's wand. "Totalis petoralis!" Trold said and Harry immediately felt himself under the influence of the body bind curse. He couldn't move anything and then to his horror he saw Laure Trold bring a knife out from his cloak. "Lets see if this works then," he said rather wildly. Trold held the knife out in front of him and whispered words that Harry couldn't hear and then withdrew his hands so the knife remained quivering in the air. The bewitched knife suddenly zoomed towards him, and past him, cutting his cheek as it did so. Then it returned to its original position in front of Malfoy who looked ecstatic, "It's as good as you promised, lets have some fun." Quietly he said the counter curse which freed Harry from the body bind curse, just as the knife headed for Harry a second time, this time making a cut on his leg. Harry turned and bolted for the door, just as the knife headed for his arm. Slamming the door behind him he ran wildly down the stairs. The knife followed him down, sometimes catching his legs, arms or face as he skidded round pillars and through doors. The rapturous laughter of Malfoy and Trold followed him. Harry ran blindly through corridors and flew down stairs. He had to get back to the common room he realised. It was his only way of escape. Harry could hear the knife whistling again towards him. He threw himself to the floor, and the knife just missed his ear as it went whizzing past him. Harry scrambled to his feet and continued, panting. Just as Harry turned a corner a foot was put out and sent him flying onto the floor. His chin met with the cold stone with a sickening crunch. Harry saw Malfoy and Trold in front of him, their arms folded. Behind them was a girl he only knew by sight. She had shoulder length frizzy hair and freckles that covered her face and arms. Harry scrambled to his feet his back against the wall, Malfoy, Trold and the girl surrounding him. The girl looked concernedly at Harry. Harry realised that his face was covered with a mat of blood where the knife had caught him and run down his face. Together with the deep cuts on his arms made him look like something out of a horror movie. He tried to talk but he couldn't move his mouth properly, his jaw seemed to be broken. All he could do was make grunting noises. The girl suddenly shook herself and said angrily, "Its gone too far now Draco, let him go!" Malfoy looked furious, "We've only just started Hathir. This'll teach him. thinking he can get away with fighting a Malfoy. We're going to turn him into a spider and hope someone stands on him." Malfoy raised his wand, Hathir suddenly pushed between Malfoy and Harry. She spat her words out, "You told me we were going to see something special Draco. This isn't special its disgusting. To think that I ever liked you, get lost. Leave him alone.Now!" Malfoy looked at her in disgust, "You'd protect him over me?" he asked in disbelief. Hathir nodded her eyes flashing. Malfoy looked beaten. He glared at Hathir as if in pain. "If I let him go?" he asked quietly. She looked back at him. "No.its over," she said quietly but firmly. Harry looked on in amazement. Malfoy had a girlfriend! He couldn't believe it. Malfoy exchanged looks with Trold, "Then you're as bad as him," Malfoy told Hathir with venom. He and Trod drew their wands and pointed them at her. Harry slumped against the wall. The pain in his arms, which at first he hadn't noticed, had suddenly broken through in a wave. Malfoy, Trold and Hathir stood waiting for someone to make the first move. The tense silence was broken by a queer clanking from up the corridor. All four of them turned to see a suit of armor making its way up the darkened passage. The suit of armor was dull silver and in its arms it carried a large shield and a glittering sword pointed directly at Malfoy. It clanged up the corridor straight for Trold and Malfoy. Malfoy turned and ran, Trold pointed his wand and yelled, "Spittan limus." There was a flash of green light and the curse bounded off the armor and headed straight for Trold. He turned and retched. His mouth opened and green slime erupted like a fountain covering the walls and floors with sticky algae coloured gunk. Trold turned and ran, thick slime spraying from his mouth every time he opened to take a breath. The knight in armor removed his helmet and a mop of tousled black hair appeared. Neville grinned down at them. Harry looked at Hathir and Neville and tried to say thank you, but it came out more like, "Grug Goo." Hathir gave them a quick smile and fled down the corridor. Neville got out of his armor and bent down to Harry, just as Professor McGonegall swept down the corridor, "Never in all my life have I known." she was yelling. She stopped when she saw Harry. "Good heavens, saints preserve us. Harry are you all right?" she said rather weakly. Harry nodded feebly. "Come on up to the hospital wing now," she said offering her arm. Harry took it and together they limped off. Neville slipped into the shadows and headed back to the common room.
The hospital wing was packed. Madame Pomfrey was rushing from one patient to the next trying to reverse jelly legs, rubber legs and tenticalitus all at once. Professor McGonegall pushed Harry to the front of the queue. Madame Pomfrey gave them a desperate look. "Bluot Hailjan, Minerva," she said to Professor McGonegall. "Third shelf down, blue bottle in the medical cupboard," and she paused. "He looks like he may need a bone mending charm for his jaw. I'll see to that later," and she rushed off. Professor McGonegall found him a spare bed and gave him the potion to put on his arms face and legs. Harry felt very tired and soon went to sleep.
The next morning seemed very quiet after the night before. Harry found himself tucked in a hospital bed when Professor Dumbledore walked purposefully towards his bed. Harry was suddenly remembered of his promise about no midnight wanderings, let alone a full-scale war with Slytherin. Dumbledore sat on the end of his bed and looked severely at Harry. "I have," he began, "been talking to some of your peers about the goings on last night. I understand you had something to do with it." Harry stared at his sheets guiltily. "Would you like to tell me exactly what happened last night," Dumbledore continued sternly. Harry told him everything taking care not to embellish the story. Dumbledore listened silently until Harry had finished. When he had, he nodded to himself and then left Harry without another word, leaving Harry feeling sick and not from the healing potion. After breakfast, Madame Pomfrey told him that he was free to go down to the hall. His wounds had healed over night, but he had been left feeling rather stiff. All the Gryffindors and Slytherins were there looking rather tired and anxious. Professor Dumbledore stood at the front and the students were silent as they waited for the repercussions. Dumbledore was swift and angry, "What happened last night was unacceptable. It will not happen again. As a punishment there will be no outings to Hogsmeade, all those involved in the fight confined to the library or the common rooms at break and lunch and as from now, for one week you will be having only bread and water for meals. I have also expelled Laure Trold for unacceptable bewitching of a knife and the transfiguration of a student. Draco Malfoy is to be given a warning. Another incident similar to this and he too will be expelled. That may be all you. You may go now." The students left for their first lesson, "All in all I think we got off rather lightly," Hermione told them.
The Fight at Night
To Harry's enduring disappointment Malfoy wasn't dropped from the Slytherin team, however as Hermione said it was probably more because of his father's broomsticks that his skill. However the fact that they had even considered dropping him had made Malfoy very bitter. His remarks were even more vindictive than usual, although without Snape skulking around Malfoy found it hard to get revenge. The worst thing for Malfoy was the way the Gryffindors treated Harry as their hero. However Malfoy had a new addition to his little gang of Crabbe and Goyle. Laure Trold was a small mean second year with mousy coloured hair and a sly smile. Unlike Crabbe and Goyle, Trold had brains and was fond of using them for mean tricks. Hermione often saw him in the library pouring over books trying to find new curses and spells. One of his favourites was putting pepper potion in people's meals so that they couldn't stop sneezing all day or when the teachers weren't looking bewitching people's quills so they would write wrong answers. He had had more detentions than the whole of Slytherin put together, but there were still things that he didn't get punished for. Harry, Ron and Hermione hated Laure almost as much as Malfoy. As Ron remarked one breakfast, "At least Malfoy wasn't nasty to everyone." Hermione looked scathingly over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy was talking loudly about how his father had just bought a new house-elf. Her eyes glittered angrily, "They're as bad as each other. I wonder what Trold is up to though, he's always in the library and he's definitely not doing school work," she said sniffily. Malfoy saw her look and swaggered over to her, Trold, doing a reasonable imitation of Malfoy's swagger, behind him, "Oh Granger," he said in his usual slimy way. "Why were you looking at our table. wishing you could join us perhaps? Well I'm sorry, we only allow purebloods to sit with us, we couldn't have something as dirty as you near our food." His little gang laughed loudly. Hermione stared straight ahead, concentrating on buttering her toast. Harry and Ron pushed back their chairs and stood up, trying to look threatening, but there was little they could do under the watchful eye of the teachers, "Go play with dragons Malfoy," Harry said angrily. Malfoy suddenly flashed out his wand and yelled "Fernuculus!" Harry with lightening speed, born of Quidditch training, ducked down and the curse flew harmlessly towards the ceiling. Professor Jenai appeared next to Malfoy, looking at Malfoy with disdain, "Improper use of magic in the school- that'll be a detention for you Malfoy and ten points from Slytherin." She swept off without another word. Malfoy stormed off followed by his little group. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged wide smiles, "He should know better than to do magic in front of teachers," Hermione said happily. "A detention!" said Ron gleefully. "That serves him right. and that was a superb duck Harry." "Look at the time," interrupted Hermione, "come on its transfiguration and McGonegall will kill us if we're late." They ran up to the transfiguration room only to find they weren't the last ones. Neville was also missing. McGonegall had only started the register and paused at Neville's name, "Anyone know where Neville is?" she asked pointedly. No one replied and McGonegall glared at them as if they had hidden him somewhere. Neville wasn't in divination either or in any of the lessons that day. Hermione was looking quite worried as she entered the common room after Arithmancy. "None of the teachers have seen him," she said anxiously. "Where can he have got to? Do you think we should tell Professor Dumbledore?" "I'm sure someone will have told him already," Ron pointed out. There was nothing to do but go to bed. Harry had just got into his pajamas and into bed when he noticed a small white mouse scurrying about on the floor. Harry stared at it interestedly. It was running in straight lines, stopping and turning in a different direction, then turning back and going the way it came. Harry softly called out to Ron, "Ron, you've got to look at this.Ron wake up!" Ron rolled over, rubbing his eyes, "What is it?" he asked sleepily. "Just look at this mouse." By this time Dean and Seamus were watching too. "It looks like its trying to tell us something." Dean told them. "Yes but what?" replied Harry. The mouse continued making the same strange movements. "Look!" Ron said suddenly. "Letters.its spelling out something. There's an L. and that must be an E." The mouse had stopped making funny jerking movements and ran to the other side of the room where it started again, running straight, turning 145 degrees and then running straight again, "NEVILLE!" yelled Seamus. "He's spelling Neville. That mouse must be Neville!" The mouse stopped and started to nod its head. "What do we do now?" asked Ron. "Lets get Hermione.she'll know what to do," Harry said. Ron ran quickly down the stairs and returned shortly with Hermione. She looked in horror at the small white mouse that was Neville Longbottom. "It must be a simple transfiguration potion," she told them. "I bet that's what Laure Trold's been doing in the library all the time." "That's all very well," Seamus said, "but how do we get him back again?" "Luckily I think it's fairly easy- a simple counter spell should do it," Hermione told them. "Don't you think we should get him to the hospital wing?" Dean asked. Hermione ignored him and instead pointed her wand at the mouse, "Reversare transformatio," she said giving a small flick of her wand. Neville appeared before them with a loud pop. He looked very miserable, "It's no good- I should never be in Gryffindor. I can't stand up to anyone." Anger started to mount in the dormitory, "It's not your fault Neville, it's Malfoys and Trolds. We'll get our revenge don't you worry." Ron told him. Neville looked at them still unhappily, "Malfoy sent me with a message. He says to meet him on the third floor corridor tomorrow night and he'll finished what he started at breakfast." A big tear slid down Neville's cheek. "I'm not fit to be a Gryffindor. Malfoy said so. He said that I was a failure, that I shouldn't be at Hogwarts at all." Hermione exploded, "You're exactly in the right place Neville, don't anyone ever tell you otherwise. The sorting hat is never wrong." Neville crept quietly into bed. The rest of them decided to have a meeting. "We've got to do something." Hermione told them, her eyes flashing. "This duel. we'll go and we'll win. Malfoy doesn't care about detentions. We can have some serious fun and we'll tell Malfoy that if he mentions anything to a teacher then we'll tell him about Neville. We could get him expelled for that I'm sure." The others listened excitedly. "Yep, let's do it." Seamus said thrilled. Harry thought rather guiltily about his promise to Professor Dumbledore but banished it when he thought about revenge on Malfoy. Hermione was a great help, she taught them all sorts of useful charms and curses including the star freeze, the slug- spitting curse and werewolf curse, which made hair grow all over your body. The Gryffindors were extremely impressed. It was nearly two o'clock when Hermione eventually told them she was going to bed. Tiredly the boys climbed into their beds.
The next day things started to get a bit out of hand. Hermione sent Malfoy the note telling him what she would do if there was any funny business on his part. However the news of the challenge had leaked out and nearly every Gryffindor in the common room at break and lunch was discussing which curse they were going to use. At teatime Harry overheard a group of Slytherins discussing the same. Quietly he whispered to Hermione, "Isn't this going a bit too far. its turning into a full scale war. We're bound to be caught." Hermione nodded, "But its too late to back out now," she said worriedly. Neville however was treated like a hero throughout the day. Somehow the story had become a little distorted and throughout the school the story was being told about how Neville had single handedly fought against ten Slytherin before being overpowered and forced to drink the transfiguration potion. Something about the gleam in Hermione's eye told Harry that this story had something to do with her.
That night at twelve Harry counted forty Gryffindors armed with their wands queuing at the portrait hole, the remainder cheering them off. Hermione and Neville led the possession, followed by Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean and the Weasley twins. At the end of the corridor they met nearly headless Nick. He had a ghostly sword and huge shield, that looked almost too heavy to hold, "Couldn't miss out on the fun" he said almost happily. "I haven't had a good fight since.well I'm not sure when. I'm longing to throw a few blows at the Bloody Baron. You know, a few thrusts and parries." As they reached the third floor corridor the Gryffindors became quiet and slowed, carefully going round every corner incase of an ambush. They reached the third floor without difficulty. At the end of the corridor about forty Slytherins were waiting for them headed by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Where's Trold?" Hermione hissed. Malfoy stepped forward, he seemed a little whiter under the strange flickering lights of the candles. "Well look, couldn't face me on your own Potter- you had to bring your friends" Malfoy said indicating the Gryffindors by a wave of his wand. "I didn't ask them to come," Harry said hotly, "They came because of Neville, I'll take you on anytime Malfoy, without your friends." Just then there was a sudden noise of charging feet. The Gryffindors turned to see another thirty Slytherins charging towards them from the opposite direction wands outstretched. While they turned Malfoy's gang of Slytherin's drew their wands and started cursing left, right and centre. Pandemonium reigned. Harry watched with horror as a hundred different curses flew across the corridor. They were making enough noise to wake the entire school not to mention the people in Hogsmeade. Harry felt a curse whizz past his cheek and he ducked down. Through a gap in the writhing crowd he was just able to make out Malfoy and Trold sneaking off along the corridor. Trust them to escape thought Harry angrily. He started to follow them. He pushed past Millicant Bulstrode and Hermione who had dropped their wands and were now rolling about on the floor locked in combat and stepped over Fred Weasley who had been disabled by the leg-locker curse. Nearly-headless Nick was having a very elaborate sword fight with the bloody baron, but had already lost one silvery opaque arm which was lying on the floor. Harry ran after Malfoy and Trold but they had a head start. Harry was just able to catch them going into a small classroom on the second corridor. Heart pounding and wand drawn he followed them in. At first he could see no- one, but then he heard the disarming spell and his wand left his fingers. He heard Trold say Lumos, and behind him the door shut firmly. Malfoy and Trold were standing in front of him, grinning inanely and holding Harry's wand. "Totalis petoralis!" Trold said and Harry immediately felt himself under the influence of the body bind curse. He couldn't move anything and then to his horror he saw Laure Trold bring a knife out from his cloak. "Lets see if this works then," he said rather wildly. Trold held the knife out in front of him and whispered words that Harry couldn't hear and then withdrew his hands so the knife remained quivering in the air. The bewitched knife suddenly zoomed towards him, and past him, cutting his cheek as it did so. Then it returned to its original position in front of Malfoy who looked ecstatic, "It's as good as you promised, lets have some fun." Quietly he said the counter curse which freed Harry from the body bind curse, just as the knife headed for Harry a second time, this time making a cut on his leg. Harry turned and bolted for the door, just as the knife headed for his arm. Slamming the door behind him he ran wildly down the stairs. The knife followed him down, sometimes catching his legs, arms or face as he skidded round pillars and through doors. The rapturous laughter of Malfoy and Trold followed him. Harry ran blindly through corridors and flew down stairs. He had to get back to the common room he realised. It was his only way of escape. Harry could hear the knife whistling again towards him. He threw himself to the floor, and the knife just missed his ear as it went whizzing past him. Harry scrambled to his feet and continued, panting. Just as Harry turned a corner a foot was put out and sent him flying onto the floor. His chin met with the cold stone with a sickening crunch. Harry saw Malfoy and Trold in front of him, their arms folded. Behind them was a girl he only knew by sight. She had shoulder length frizzy hair and freckles that covered her face and arms. Harry scrambled to his feet his back against the wall, Malfoy, Trold and the girl surrounding him. The girl looked concernedly at Harry. Harry realised that his face was covered with a mat of blood where the knife had caught him and run down his face. Together with the deep cuts on his arms made him look like something out of a horror movie. He tried to talk but he couldn't move his mouth properly, his jaw seemed to be broken. All he could do was make grunting noises. The girl suddenly shook herself and said angrily, "Its gone too far now Draco, let him go!" Malfoy looked furious, "We've only just started Hathir. This'll teach him. thinking he can get away with fighting a Malfoy. We're going to turn him into a spider and hope someone stands on him." Malfoy raised his wand, Hathir suddenly pushed between Malfoy and Harry. She spat her words out, "You told me we were going to see something special Draco. This isn't special its disgusting. To think that I ever liked you, get lost. Leave him alone.Now!" Malfoy looked at her in disgust, "You'd protect him over me?" he asked in disbelief. Hathir nodded her eyes flashing. Malfoy looked beaten. He glared at Hathir as if in pain. "If I let him go?" he asked quietly. She looked back at him. "No.its over," she said quietly but firmly. Harry looked on in amazement. Malfoy had a girlfriend! He couldn't believe it. Malfoy exchanged looks with Trold, "Then you're as bad as him," Malfoy told Hathir with venom. He and Trod drew their wands and pointed them at her. Harry slumped against the wall. The pain in his arms, which at first he hadn't noticed, had suddenly broken through in a wave. Malfoy, Trold and Hathir stood waiting for someone to make the first move. The tense silence was broken by a queer clanking from up the corridor. All four of them turned to see a suit of armor making its way up the darkened passage. The suit of armor was dull silver and in its arms it carried a large shield and a glittering sword pointed directly at Malfoy. It clanged up the corridor straight for Trold and Malfoy. Malfoy turned and ran, Trold pointed his wand and yelled, "Spittan limus." There was a flash of green light and the curse bounded off the armor and headed straight for Trold. He turned and retched. His mouth opened and green slime erupted like a fountain covering the walls and floors with sticky algae coloured gunk. Trold turned and ran, thick slime spraying from his mouth every time he opened to take a breath. The knight in armor removed his helmet and a mop of tousled black hair appeared. Neville grinned down at them. Harry looked at Hathir and Neville and tried to say thank you, but it came out more like, "Grug Goo." Hathir gave them a quick smile and fled down the corridor. Neville got out of his armor and bent down to Harry, just as Professor McGonegall swept down the corridor, "Never in all my life have I known." she was yelling. She stopped when she saw Harry. "Good heavens, saints preserve us. Harry are you all right?" she said rather weakly. Harry nodded feebly. "Come on up to the hospital wing now," she said offering her arm. Harry took it and together they limped off. Neville slipped into the shadows and headed back to the common room.
The hospital wing was packed. Madame Pomfrey was rushing from one patient to the next trying to reverse jelly legs, rubber legs and tenticalitus all at once. Professor McGonegall pushed Harry to the front of the queue. Madame Pomfrey gave them a desperate look. "Bluot Hailjan, Minerva," she said to Professor McGonegall. "Third shelf down, blue bottle in the medical cupboard," and she paused. "He looks like he may need a bone mending charm for his jaw. I'll see to that later," and she rushed off. Professor McGonegall found him a spare bed and gave him the potion to put on his arms face and legs. Harry felt very tired and soon went to sleep.
The next morning seemed very quiet after the night before. Harry found himself tucked in a hospital bed when Professor Dumbledore walked purposefully towards his bed. Harry was suddenly remembered of his promise about no midnight wanderings, let alone a full-scale war with Slytherin. Dumbledore sat on the end of his bed and looked severely at Harry. "I have," he began, "been talking to some of your peers about the goings on last night. I understand you had something to do with it." Harry stared at his sheets guiltily. "Would you like to tell me exactly what happened last night," Dumbledore continued sternly. Harry told him everything taking care not to embellish the story. Dumbledore listened silently until Harry had finished. When he had, he nodded to himself and then left Harry without another word, leaving Harry feeling sick and not from the healing potion. After breakfast, Madame Pomfrey told him that he was free to go down to the hall. His wounds had healed over night, but he had been left feeling rather stiff. All the Gryffindors and Slytherins were there looking rather tired and anxious. Professor Dumbledore stood at the front and the students were silent as they waited for the repercussions. Dumbledore was swift and angry, "What happened last night was unacceptable. It will not happen again. As a punishment there will be no outings to Hogsmeade, all those involved in the fight confined to the library or the common rooms at break and lunch and as from now, for one week you will be having only bread and water for meals. I have also expelled Laure Trold for unacceptable bewitching of a knife and the transfiguration of a student. Draco Malfoy is to be given a warning. Another incident similar to this and he too will be expelled. That may be all you. You may go now." The students left for their first lesson, "All in all I think we got off rather lightly," Hermione told them.