Thanks to all again! Not as long as the others, but as interesting hopefully. I wanted to get it out on Halloween, but things kept piling up, and it didn't happen. So here it is now. ~ RG
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Harry's step was a bouncy one as he made his way to the dinner table. Hermione and Colt eyed him warily as he sat down, grinning idiotically from ear to ear. Harry whistled as he piled food on his plate, and gave a cheery hello to his friends.
"What's up with you, mate? You seem…out of sorts." Hermione shut her book and raised an eyebrow at her friend, seemingly as curious as Colt. Harry finished his mouthful and smirked.
"Do you swear on Merlin's grave you won't tell a soul?" he prompted. Colt dropped his fork and leaned in, his attention fully drawn to his friend. Both he and Hermione nodded vigorously, and Harry nearly bounced in his seat. He leaned in to whisper, so no one else would hear, "I'm the new Ravenclaw Seeker." For a moment, they stared at him, dumbfounded, then Colt reached across and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Good one, mate! But April is a ways off." Harry sighed.
"I'm not joking!" he pressed. "I really the new Ravenclaw Seeker. Why else would I still be sitting here? You heard Madam Hooch! I should be expelled."
"Whoa Harry! That's great!"
"Yeah, Harry, but you shouldn't let Quidditch take over. I mean, classes are still important," Hermione put in, opening her book once more.
"I know, I've already been warned by Uncle. But there's more! He's getting me a new broom, probably that new Nimbus model." Colt's eyes widened and his mouth hung open.
"I envy you, mate! First years aren't allowed them!"
"I know, Uncle is going to keep it between practices and games. I can't actually 'have' it until next year," Harry said, resuming his meal. He was about to elaborate when screeching filled the halls. The Evening Prophet dropped into Hermione's lap, and Harry leaned over her shoulder as she read.
"Listen!" she whispered excitedly, "Gringott's was broken into last night! 'Believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown, the goblins insist nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier this month.' That's odd, I didn't think one could get into Gringott's without the goblins."
"Harry, mate, are you alright?" Colt had seen Harry's face go slack, as if he were trying to remember something.
"Earlier this month?" he repeated. "I, erm, overheard my uncle talking to the Headmaster. Something about a 'package' that was delivered on the first. He wanted to make sure it was in Hogwarts." Hermione's brow furrowed.
"There's nothing to link them, Harry. That could be something completely different."
"I know, I just have this gut feeling. Besides, 713? That's July 13th, right? The Headmaster's birthday. I remember we had a joint birthday this year, when I turned eleven, and my uncle and he had a private conversation then, too. Very strange." Colt rolled his eyes.
"I think you're looking too much into things, Harry. Come on, let's go back and celebrate your making the team!" Harry nodded, still thinking, but joined his friends in quiet celebration.
"It's Halloween mate! How can you not be excited?" Colt was grinning as they made their way to the Feast. Harry threw him an 'are you stupid?' look, and Colt stopped in his tracks. "Sorry mate, I forgot. I'm such an idiot."
"It's alright, I'm just not as excited about it as normal kids are, that's all. I still like all the candy and toys we get." They entered the Great Hall and took their normal places at the Ravenclaw table, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. Harry frowned and stood, walking over to Neville Longbottom.
"Hey Neville, have you seen Hermione?" he asked. Neville swallowed and looked at him in awe, as if he couldn't believe Harry Potter was talking to him, of all people. Harry raised an eyebrow impatiently, and Neville blushed.
"Parvati Patil said she won't come out of the girl's bathroom. Says she's been in there all afternoon, crying." Harry's eyes narrowed, and he beckoned for Colt to join them.
"Why is she crying, Neville?" Harry asked quietly. For a moment, Colt was reminded a bit of Professor Snape, and he shuddered. Neville seemed to pick up on it as well, and began stammering.
"Well, uh, you see, Ron said something, and she heard him, and now –"
"Wait," Harry held up a hand, "What did he say?" Colt threw a quick look down the table at Ron, who was laughing at his brothers and Lee as their hair turned bright blue from a Halloween popper.
"I don't know, Harry, honestly. I wou–"
"Troll!" The whole of the hall looked up at Professor Quirrell burst through the doors, screaming like a madman. "Troll in the dungeon!" Dead silence reigned, and he managed to whisper before he fainted, "I thought you ought to know."
Chaos erupted as students began screaming and running for the exits. It took many loud bangs from Dumbledore's wand to silence them.
"Silence! Now, prefects will lead their houses back to their dormitories; teachers will come with me to the dungeon." Harry and Colt were ushered out of the door by the Head Boy, but not before Harry noticed his uncle sneaking out the back way, not with the teachers.
Colt grabbed Harry's arm just before they reached the staircases. "Harry! Hermione doesn't know!" Harry's eyes widened and he stopped. As one, they turned and bolted for the girl's bathroom, but they stopped upon hearing a rather odd noise. They hid as a large creature lumbered down the hall and through a door.
"The troll's in the bathroom!" Colt whispered fiercely. Harry pulled his wand and stood.
"You go to the dungeons and tell the teachers! I'll try to stall it!" Without another word, they split, and Harry burst into the bathroom.
The troll was looming over Hermione, club in hand, ready to bring it down upon the girl. Harry racked his brain for a useful spell, and thought back to his childhood.
"Harold James Potter!" An eight year old Harry turned, hiding the knife behind his back, and carefully stepping up to hide his project from view.
"Yes, Uncle?" he asked innocently.
"What do you think you are doing? Expelliarmus!" Harry gasped as the knife flew from his hand and to his Uncle. "I told you, you are not to be preparing ingredients without proper supervision. Go upstairs while I decide your punishment!"
Harry grinned and thrust his arm out, "Expelliarmus!" The club whizzed out of the troll's hand just as it brought it down, and Harry had to duck to avoid getting knocked into the wall. The troll turned, now confused, and set his beady eyes upon Harry. Hermione scrambled backwards, against the wall, and began edging over to the door. Harry saw her and began moving away from the door, turning the troll's back to her, so she could escape.
Hermione squeezed out of the door just as Colt came dashing up with the Headmaster and McGonagall. "Harry's still in there!" she screamed. "The troll's got him backed against a wall!" Colt pulled her aside as they entered, and patted her on the back.
Harry nearly jumped for joy when the two professors entered and dispatched the troll. His grin faded, however, when his uncle slammed through the door, nearly raving.
"Potter! What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Harry looked down, noticing his uncle's bloodied leg, but said nothing. Instead, he gazed back up into the man's eyes, taking a deep breath to begin his story. Colt and Hermione were hovering near the door, and Colt gave him a nod of encouragement.
"Well, we noticed Hermione wasn't at the Feast, so I asked Neville. He said she was in here, and then Professor Quirrell came in yelling about the troll. Well, we were on our way up to the dormitories, but then we remembered that Hermione was here, and she didn't know about the troll. So we came down to tell her, but the troll was already here and coming in, so I told Colt to come get you and I came in here to try and distract it until you got here." As he finished his tale, he noticed the twinkling smile from Dumbledore, and the pursed lips of McGonagall, but mostly, he was staring at his uncle, willing him to believe.
"You should have come to us at once," he finally said, "but I suppose something is to be said for your quick thinking." The Headmaster clapped his hands together merrily.
"Most definitely," he admitted. "Five points to Mr. Potter for his bravery and ingenuity. Back to your dormitory, now. We will take care of this." He looked back down at the troll sadly. Harry scooted past his uncle, accidentally brushing up against the man's leg. Harry heard the faint hiss of pain, and threw a worried look back at him, but he only received a glare in return. Colt grabbed his arm and hauled him away, and Hermione immediately hugged him.
"Thank you Harry! Guess I'm not as brave as a Gryffindor should be." She sounded a bit disappointed in herself, but Harry patted her back.
"Honestly, Hermione, we haven't learned any spells that would have been useful. I'm just lucky I remembered that one from Uncle. Besides, bravery isn't the only trait of Gryffindors."
"Yeah Hermione, like daring, nerve, and chivalry." Colt did a near-perfect impression of the Sorting Hat, and the trio burst into laughter. Harry gave the password, and the three clambered into the Ravenclaw common room. Hermione liked this room, rather than her own. It had bookshelves lining each wall other than the fireplace, but there were books on the mantle. But mostly, it was because she had friends here, and she was rarely in her own common room. Harry sat on the couch with Hermione, and Colt sat Indian style on the floor in front of them after grabbing a book from the mantle.
"Speaking of nerve," Harry said, sobering up, "What exactly did Ron Weasley say to you?" Hermione's face hardened as her fists clenched.
"He was just being a childish prat because I told him how to perform a spell properly in Transfiguration. He said I was a bossy know-it-all that didn't belong in Gryffindor."
"What?" Colt yelled, attracting the attention of a nearby study group. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Who does he think he is? I'll bet he's just bitter about having to be here with his brothers. I mean, my sister said Bill was Head Boy, and Charlie was Quidditch Captain, and now Percy is a prefect, and everyone likes Fred and George alright. I'll bet he's just trying to raise his self-esteem. Don't let it bother you, Hermione. Besides, he wouldn't dare say anything in front of us, right Harry?"
"That's right, and if he says anything else, you can tell us. Don't worry," he added at her look, "we won't go after him; we're not Slytherins. He's harmless, anyhow, but if it's bad enough, the teachers will step in." Colt nodded his approval as he read, but they could tell he really wasn't paying attention anymore.
"Hey Harry!" the Quidditch captain, Roger Davies, walked over to them with a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice. "Here's some food for you guys, since we got run out of the Great Hall. The teachers dropped it off a couple of minutes ago. Where were you?"
"Uh," Harry cast a sidelong glace at Hermione, "I had to talk to my uncle, and then Hermione joined us. But thanks." He took the tray and pitcher, and Hermione retrieved glasses for them all. Colt accepted his sandwich without taking his eyes from the book, and began eating inadvertently. Harry shook his head as Hermione began talking about classes, and at one point, she jumped up.
"I'm going to get my bag. We can do our homework now." Colt nodded dumbly, but remained glued to the page. Harry chuckled and stood.
"I'll go with you. I'd like to see the Gryffindor common room." They checked the clock, noting it was well before curfew, and made their way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. When they entered, Ron was playing chess with Seamus, who was losing horribly. Hermione raced upstairs to get her bag while Harry looked around. A few of them ogled his scar, but he pointedly ignored them and stared at the back of Ron's head. Finally, the red-head turned around and waved.
"Hiya, Harry. How are things in Ravenclaw?" Harry frowned as he detected a bit of betrayal in the boy's voice, but he beckoned him over anyway. Dean took his place across from Seamus, and Ron followed Harry to a corner of the common room.
"Hermione told me what happened in Transfiguration," Harry began, and noticed that Ron's ears were beginning to turn the shade of his hair. "She'd kill me if she knew I was telling you this, but she was really upset. Please apologize to her, Ron."
"Why does she have to be so bossy?" Ron returned indignantly, crossing his arms.
"Why do you have to be like Malfoy? What you did was bullying, and I don't want to hear of it again. You're better than that, Ron, you proved it to me on the train. Just, apologize and stop behaving like a git." Ron gaped at being compared to Malfoy, but became very interested in his shoes otherwise.
"Fine," he said finally, and returned to his game, taking two moves to put Seamus in checkmate. Hermione bounded down the stairs, and Ron stood quickly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Hermione glared at him as he stepped in front of her, but he cleared his throat and looked at her.
"Look…about earlier. I was just frustrated that I couldn't get it, and well…I'm sorry." He mumbled the last part, but she heard him and sighed.
"Apology accepted, thank you." He nodded and went back to the couch, and Hermione left with Harry. Only two words were said as they walked back to the Ravenclaw dorms, but they made Harry grin.
"Thanks, Harry."