Harry looked up from the book he was scanning over to see an annoyed Tonks looking down at him.
"It's interesting." He said with a half-hearted shrug. "I didn't grow up with any books of my own, understand... I like having quiet time to think and read. It's...nice."
Tonks flopped down on the arm of his chair in the corner. "Yeah, but even so. Whenever you aren't in class or doing work, it seems like you're always stuck here in your chair and reading." She said, peering down at the book. "What are you reading, anyway?"
"Something on invisibility charms. After our... uh... little failed tracking attempt, I thought I'd see if there was a better way to keep ourselves concealed. Trouble is, all of these are ridiculously complicated spells. Even with someone showing me how to do them, I doubt I could. Here, look at this one... look at how much is involved with it!" Harry said, flipping the book open and pointing to a lengthy paragraph and accompanying photograph. In it, a wizard was doing all sorts of complicated wand moves.
"I'd rather not have a repeat of what happened, you know... I say we give Leon the benefit of the doubt." Tonks said, scowling at the memory. "I'm not tagging along for anymore late night romps through the castle, that's for sure."
"Spoilsport." Harry murmured.
"We're lucky we didn't get eaten alive!" Tonks hissed into Harry's ear. Harry shivered.
"Yeah, but still... How did he get by that cat, Tonks? Surely she
was there when he walked by...there's no way she couldn't have been."
Harry said after composing himself. "How'd he do that?"
"Dunno, mate." Tonks said, sitting back up properly and shaking her head. "S'one o' life's great mysteries."
"Indeed." Harry replied, dryly. "So, still planning on making yourself look like Malfoy for the party tonight?"
"Yup!" Tonks said, smiling happily. "I've got it all down perfect."
"Can I see?"
"Ah-ah-ah... not until tonight, Mr. Potter." Tonks said, wagging a finger back and forth in front of Harry's face.
"Aww, but why?"
"Call it revenge for the other night." Tonks said, giving Harry the evil eye before grinning.
"Alright, alright, I get it. We shouldn't have done that. Don't bite my head off..." Harry grumbled. "I take it you're bored."
"What makes you think that?"
"You always come hop on the arm of the chair when you're bored. When you aren't, you just lean over." Harry said.
"I do?" Tonks asked, blinking.
"You never noticed?"
"No... but you nailed it in one. I've got my 'disguise' for the party all ready, it's still a few hours away, and I've got nothing at all to do." Tonks said, crossing her arms.
"You could always read." Harry said, cocking an eyebrow and looking up at her. "Here, look at this one."
Harry reached down beside the chair and, from a small stack that was there, pulled a thin book on being stealthy. "It's got some interesting stuff in it." Harry said, holding it out. "Maybe you'll notice something I didn't."
Tonks took the book - So You Want to be a Stalker - and flipped it open, her eyes scanning the contents briefly. "I dunno. Seems like such a waste of free time..."
"It isn't a waste... come on, give it a shot. For me?" Harry looked back up at her and, mimicking something he had seen her do more than once, batted his eyelashes. Tonks snickered and swatted him on the arm.
"Alright, alright, stop that, it's creepy!" Tonks laughed, shaking her head. "Oi, remind me not to do that around you anymore..."
"Noted."
For the next two hours, the two sat and read in relative silence. Relative because every so often, Tonks would murmur something she had just read and how it could help. Harry shot down most of them, saying that he had already thought it over. When Tonks had finished with the first book, Harry had tossed her a second - this one on rare and exotic creatures of the wizarding world. Tonks seemed much more interested in this book than she had with the previous one.
When she realized how late it was getting, Tonks squeaked and hopped
off the chair's arm. "I have to go and get ready! Watch for me,
Harry, alright? And let the twins know what I'm upto so they don't
accidentally hex me into next week, alright?"
"Alright...Good luck, I suppose." Harry said, watching Tonks bounce off through the arched pathway leading out of the Tower. Harry shook his head and lost himself in the book he had been reading most of the afternoon.
It wasn't until someone cleared their throat that he looked up again. An older student - a girl, no less - was smiling at him. He blinked. "Um... h-hello..." He offered, feeling highly annoyed with himself for the return of his stutter.
"Hello..." The girl said, quietly. "The Halloween party's going to be starting any minute... your eyes were a bit glazed over, so I thought I'd come over and...well..."
Harry looked around. The common room had, at some point, been emptied. It was now only himself and the girl there. Though she looked to be at least two years older than him, she still seemed quite shy around him. Fame, Harry thought, was very annoying.
"Uh, sure, thanks..." Harry muttered, marking his place in the book and setting it down on the seat as he stood. "Well, um... I guess I'll be going now..."
"Me too... would you like to walk down together...?" The girl asked, staring down at her feet and blushing brightly.
Harry winced. Why couldn't more girls be like Tonks? Normal and easy to talk to? Why'd ninety percent of the school's female population have to be so shy and giggly? Shaking it off, he opened his mouth, paused a moment, then said, "Ahh... well, I would, but I was supposed to meet a friend of mine. Actually, I should've already left, but I got wrapped up in my book, so..."
"Oh... well, that's alright." The girl said, looking dejected for a split second. "Have fun..."
"You too..." Harry said, watching as the girl walked through the pathway out of the Tower. Harry waited for a minute, then followed.
"Last one out tonight?" Harry asked the portrait of Walter as he left the Tower.
"Indeed you are." Walter said. "I wish I had a portrait down in the Great Hall. If Halloween parties are anything like they were back in my day, I'd say you were in for quite a treat."
"I've been looking forward to it all month." Harry said. "But I'd better be going. I've had my nose in a book all day and I'm afraid I lost track of time..."
"Ahh, the same thing happens to me all the time. Or, should I say, it used to. Have a good time tonight!" Walter said, waving Harry on. Harry nodded and took off in a run.
Conveniently enough, Harry ran into Solieyu just as he had walked into the Entrance Hall. Unsurprisingly, the pale boy was coming downstairs. Harry assumed it was from the Hospital Wing. The two boys talked for a few moments - mostly about where Tonks was - before something from below made them pause.
Near the Great Hall's entrance, Ron Weasley was yelling at a girl with very bushy hair, who seemed to be shaking slightly. Harry couldn't quite make out what Ron was saying, but it seemed to be upsetting the girl a great deal, as she took off running a moment later. She seemed to be crying.
"That wasn't nice." Solieyu said quietly as he and Harry began to make their way across the room.
"You heard them?" Harry asked.
"Mm." Was all his friend replied with.
Ron watched the girl retreating until he caught sight of Harry out of the corner of his eyes. At once, his demeanor seemed to change. While he had been red in the face moments before, he now grinned as he waved the two boys over. Well... he waved Harry over. Ron didn't even bother saying hello to Solieyu.
"Hey, Harry! I was wondering if you were coming..." Ron said.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked, eyeing Ron.
"What? Oh, with her?" Ron said the last word as if it were something despicable.
"Who is she?"
"Hermione Granger. A real know-it-all." Ron said, making a face.
"That doesn't tell me what you said to her to send her off like that!" Harry said. "It isn't nice to make girls cry, you know."
"She hardly qualifies. She'd be a book if she were allowed. She spends
all her time in the library, working on assignments, and reading.
Then she goes and bosses other people around, telling them what to do!" Ron scoffed.
"And what, exactly, is wrong with the library? Or reading alot? I'm late because I've spent the better part of the day with my nose in a book." Harry said, crossing his arms.
"Oh... uh... well, I guess nothing's wrong with it." Ron said, trying to double back. "But you should see how she acts!"
"You told her that she was smarmy, bossy, and would do well with trying to make friends with her books she she would never have any real friends." Solieyu's quiet voice chimed in.
Harry looked at Solieyu strangely for a moment before looking back to Ron and murmuring, "I don't like people who insult others for being themselves."
"Malfoy acts like himself and you hate him." Ron countered.
"I hate Malfoy because he's a ponce, he insulted my friends, and he acted like he was better than everyone else. And you seem to be aiming to try beating him on that last point. Do the rest of you feel the same way?" Harry said, looking around at four other boys standing near Ron. One of them was Neville Longbottom, the boy whose Remembrall Harry had saved from Malfoy. One of the others was Dean Thomas, who he had met on the train.
"Well, she is pretty snitty about homework." Said the boy Harry didn't know yet. "You don't see 'er. She's a right menace when she wants t'be."
"That gives you the right to talk down to her like that? Dean, don't tell me you feel the same way?" And, though he hadn't spoken to Neville aside from a brief moment where he had returned the Remembrall, Harry posed the same question to Neville.
Dean and Neville exchanged a glance, looked at Ron, looked at Harry, then shrugged.
Harry narrowed his eyes. "I suggest apologizing." He said, voice low. "And, for the record, people who make complete arses of themselves could do well to keep away from me. Come on, Leon. Let's get away from this lot before I feel like giving up on this party entirely!"Then, as he and his friend were entering the Great Hall, Harry added, "If this is how all Gryffindors act, I'm glad I asked the Sorting Hat not to place me there."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
The Great Hall looked positively spooky. The staff had gone to great lengths to make the place look appropriate for the occasion. Though hundreds of tiny candles floated overhead, the light they gave off was minimal. The four house tables were pushes to the sides of the room. Despite this, they were lined with various snacks and drinks, all decorated and themed after the holiday in question.
Once they had escaped from the quartet of Gryffindor boys, Solieyu had wheeled Harry over to one of the tables and made him down a few gulps of pumpkin juice to help compose himself.
"Thanks." Harry said, sighing and running a hand back through his messy hair. "I have a thing against people being picked on..."
"So I saw." Solieyu said, leaning back against the table and grabbing an apple in the shape of a skull. He gazed at it for a moment before taking a tentative nibble. "Shouldn't Tonks be here somewhere?"
"If she is, it'd be hard to tell. If we spot two Malfoys, though..." Harry began, then frowned. "Hey, Leon, how'd you hear what Ron said about that girl, anyway? I couldn't make out a thing."
"Exceptionally good hearing." Solieyu said, shrugging.
Harry raised an eyebrow, but said nothing further. Instead, the two wandered the Great Hall, stopping to talk to several people they knew as they did. All the while, they looked for Tonks and Malfoy. They saw neither. But then, eventually, the Slytherin and his muscle squad entered, looking all the world as if they'd rather not even be there. Moments later, Professor Snape strode in, looking similarly put out.
"I wonder if Snape teaches Malfoy how to scowl..." Harry said under his breath. "Oi, where IS she? Oh, there's one of her friends - I think her name's Amelia...come on..."
Walking over to a first year Hufflepuff girl, Harry asked, "Amelia? Um, you haven't seen Tonks, have you? She was supposed to have been here by now..."
Amelia blinked, looking away from a conversation with a few of her friends as Harry spoke. "I saw her talking to Fred and George Weasley over by the entrance to the dungeons before I came in... dunno what happened after that, though..."
"Thanks..." Harry said, moving away and frowning. Solieyu caught up quickly.
"Should we go try and find the school's resident pranksters?" Solieyu asked.
"Couldn't hurt..."
But before they could find the twins, the twins found them. Surprising both Ravenclaw boys by sneaking up on them, Fred and George grinned at the jump they received.
"Don't DO that!" Harry said, a hand on his chest.
"Aww, did we scared you?" Fred asked.
"We didn't mean to." Said George.
"We merely wanted--"
"--to see if you lot--"
"--had seen Miss Tonks."
Harry and Solieyu shook their heads.
"We were going to look for you, actually. One of her friends said that you two were talking with her earlier..." Harry said.
The twins exchanged slightly confused looks. "She hasn't shown up yet? That's odd." Said Fred.
"She was just asking us to waylay Malfoy as long as we could. Couldn't do too much, though. Not with that greasy lump Snape tagging along with them." George said, looking to the staff table and scowling.
"Well where did she say she was going?" Harry asked.
Fred opened his mouth to respond when the doors to the Great Hall once more opened - this time quickly, slamming into the walls from the force used. Stuttering Professor Quirrell came charging into the Great Hall, screaming.
Dumbledore was sweeping across the room in an instant, meeting the
shaking Defense Professor halfway. "Calm yourself, Quirinus. Now,
what is the problem?"
"Troll!" Quirrell said in a high-pitched whimper. "There's a t-troll in the d-d-dungeons! I-I saw it as I w-was coming up!"
The reaction was immediate. Several students shrieked, several dropped what they were eating or drinking, and several just stared at the cowardly professor in shock. Dumbledore reacted just as quickly, however, raising his voice only slightly and saying, "That is enough! Prefects, escort students from your houses back to your common rooms."
The headmaster turned and looked back up to the staff table. "Minerva, Severus, come with me. Quirinus, if you would be so kind as to show us where you saw the troll?"
Quirrell looked completely horrified at the thought, but nodded and led the other professors out of the room. The remaining professors began helping the prefects round up students.
"This isn't good." Said one of the twins suddenly.
Harry looked back at them. "What do you mean?"
"Well... we were heading down into the dungeons." Said Fred.
"We would stop Malfoy long enough for Tonks to change and take his place." Said George.
"But after Snape showed up, we had to abort the plan." Said Fred.
"We tried knowing on the door to the empty classroom she was using..." Said George, frowning. "She just told us that she'd be up in a few minutes...something about her hair getting stuck."
Harry and Solieyu exchanged a glance. "You guys don't think..." Harry began slowly.
"This won't end well." Said Fred. "Right, we're coming with you."
"No!" Said Harry quickly. "It'll be easier if it was just me and Leon that snuck off. Four students rushing off into the dungeons would be a bit too obvious. Especially four from different houses. You two cover us and distract anyone who looks that way, alright?"
The twins looked wary, but nodded as one of the Gryffindor prefects, a boy with hair as red as the twins', called out to them. The twins made a face.
"Our brother the prefect." George said, walking off with Fred and shaking his head. "We'll never hear the end of it. Right, come on, you two."
"Don't go getting yourselves killed." Fred said, smiling pleasantly.
"Yeah, we wouldn't be able to get more advice for Malfoy pranks!" Said George, nodding solemnly.
"Nice to know you care." Harry said in a monotone.
As the students were ushered into the Entrance Hall, Harry and Solieyu locked eyes with the twins. As the Ravenclaws made the rush for the dungeons, a loud explosion echoed from the main stairway, making half the students present jump, half of them scream.
"I'm really going to owe those two." Harry said, panting as he and Solieyu closed the door behind them. "Come on, Leon... she's gotta be down here somewhere."
Solieyu was making a face. "I hate the smell down here..."
Harry sniffed. The dungeons always smelled rather dank and musty. But there was another stink in the air tonight. Something decidedly foul. "I hope it isn't anywhere nearby." Harry said in a whisper.
"We should have asked which empty classroom she was in." Solieyu
said, his voice also low. "I don't hear anything stomping around,
though... nor do I hear the professors..."
For at least five minutes the two boys walked as quickly as they dared to move through the dungeons. Then Harry groaned. "What are we doing? Here, stand still..."
"What? Harry, what are you d--"
Harry had whipped his wand out and went through the motions of casting the silencing charm he had found. "There. Now we can move faster and not have to worry about being heard."
"This isn't the first time you've cast that, is it?" Solieyu said.
"Don't have any idea what you mean. Come on, Tonks could be in trouble." Harry said, rushing off down the dark, stone corridor.
"I'd be more worried about the troll, quite frankly." Solieyu said, taking off after his friend.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"We aren't doing very well at this tonight!" Harry yelled, tearing around a corner. Just behind him, Solieyu came rushing as well. And then, a moment later, a huge, lumbering creature charged around the bend. They had gone searching for Tonks... but wound up finding the troll instead - and it was very, very angry.
For a few seconds, Harry and Solieyu had stood, gaping at the troll, who was slamming itself into a wall and cracking the stones. With a pained howl, the troll turned to face them. When it had, it made the situation quite clear - something had ripped out one of the troll's eyes. Bloody was gushing heavily from the wound and the troll couldn't seem to do anything about it.
Being the only two people in its sight, the troll had charged at them in a half-blind rage.
"At least it isn't as fast as we are!" Solieyu said quickly as he caught up with Harry.
"Maybe not, but we'll tire before IT does!" Harry said back. "It was in that book of magical creatures I checked out of the library! Trolls have a lot of stamina!"
"Wonderful." Solieyu growled. "Harry, look! Just up ahead!"
There was a door halfway down the corridor they were running through. They rushed at it, threw it open, and slipped in quickly, slamming it shut and praying the troll didn't notice where they had gone.
"Oi, what're you two doin' here! This is a girl's toilet!" Came an all-too-familiar voice from across the room.
Harry and Solieyu stared at each other in a moment of horror before they turned their gazes onto one Nymphadora Tonks, who looked all the world like Draco Malfoy at the moment. The voice and her mannerisms were all that told them who she really was.
"SHHH!" The boys hissed in unison, causing Tonks to blink and walk toward them.
"What? Snape chasin' after ya? He won't come in here!" Tonks said, grinning.
A roar from outside the room wiped the grin off the girl's face.
"Damn!" Harry swore. "Leon, Tonks, we have to get out of here! We're sitting ducks in this bathroom!"
"What the bloody hell was that?" Tonks asked, eyes wide.
"Troll. Some twit let one in and apparently sliced out its eye. It caught sight of us and...well..." Harry explained quickly.
"It's at the end of the corridor. If we fling the door open and rush
out right now, we can make a break for the northern end of the hall!"
Solieyu said, leaning forward against the door.
"How do you know where it is...?" Harry asked slowly.
"Never you mind. Come on, we have to go! On three... ready?"
They counted down together, getting in position to burst out of the room when they reached zero. When it was reached, Solieyu yanked the door open hard and Harry rushed from inside, Tonks close behind him. Solieyu ran out last, pausing only long enough to look back down the hallway. The troll was just turning to investigate the loud 'bang' that the door had made.
"It sees us!" Solieyu shouted, hurrying to catch up to his friends.
"What were you doing here?" Harry called to Tonks as the three ran. "Why the hell down here in the dungeons?"
"It was easier than tugging Malfoy up to the owlery, I dunno! It seemed like a good idea at the time!" Tonks scowled. "Besides, who knew a TROLL, of all things, would be let into the school!"
"But still! That was a really dumb thing to do! What if a pack of Slytherin girls had found you!" Harry yelled, skidding around a corner in what he thought was the way back out of the dungeons.
Following his lead, Tonks yelled back, "Then they would have probably tried kissing me, since I looked like the royal ponce! ... What the hell was I doing there?"
"If you two would stop bickering like an old married couple," Solieyu said, a twinge of annoyance in his voice, "We need to take the next right, then a left, then another left. That's the way back to the Entrance Hall!"
"How the hell do you know these things?" Tonks asked, gazing over at Solieyu.
"Forget about that!" Harry said, looking over his shoulder. "Where'd the troll get off to?"
Tonks and Solieyu both looked over their shoulders. Slowly, the trio came to a halt. There was nothing but an eerie silence filling the air around them.
"How do you lose track of a one-eyed troll!" Hissed Tonks, looking back and forth along the corridor.
"By not paying attention. Trolls aren't exactly bright, but they know how to fight. And to survive, they need to at least know basic strategies for catching their prey..." Harry said, quietly.
"You read too much." Tonks growled. "I don't suppose you know of a way to stop a troll, do you?"
"Not a clue."
"Lovely."
"Shh! Damn, it's gone around and blocked our only way out... we can't take that route now..." Solieyu said, narrowing his eyes. "Unless..."
Tonks and Harry exchanged a quick glance. It was quite unlike the normally-collected Solieyu to swear. The two looked back at him and Harry decided to ask.
"Unless what?"
"Unless... we can find a way to trip it up or something while we run by."
"Why don't we blow up its club or something?" Tonks suggested. "Can't crush our heads as easily if it doesn't have that thing!"
"Well if you know explosive spells and you're not informing us, I'd love to know why." Harry said, grumpily.
"Why don't we try levitating it over his head?" Solieyu suggested. "We do know the Wingardium Leviosa spell, do we not?"
"Brilliant idea!" Tonks said, nodding. "But don't think I'm gonna let you off the hook. There's no way you could tell where the troll is from here!"
Solieyu smirked slightly, though he wore a grim expression on the rest of his face. "Not all magic comes from the wand. Now come on, if we're to do this, we need to get moving."
The other two nodded and, as one, they began running again. "It's just
up ahead! Harry, I'll lift its club, you get Tonks to the other side.
I can get out of its way better than either of you could!"
"Works for me!" Tonks said.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Didn't you see how I moved against Malfoy? Trust me, I can take care of myself..." Solieyu said, smiling in a way that almost seemed warm.
Sure enough, when they rounded the corner, they saw the troll again. It was halfway up the corridor, once more slamming itself into the wall. Instead of screaming in pain, it was now pawing at the spot where its other eye had previously occupied.
"That's disgusting." Tonks hissed.
"Ready you lot? Go! WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" Solieyu cried, aiming at the troll's club. As the troll turned itself around to see where the noise had come from, the light from Solieyu's spell had hit the club dead on. As he levitated the troll's weapon over its head, the dumb creature watched in confusion through its remaining eye.
"It's working!" Harry whispered fiercely as they rushed up and past it.
"Tonks, look out!" Solieyu yelled from the far end of the corridor.
Tonks let out a scream as she looked over her shoulder, flinging herself down to the floor as one of the troll's large hands, balled into a fist, soared toward her. It collided with the wall above her instead...though if she had remained standing, it would have no doubt split her head wide open.
Tonks was quickly on her feet again, scrambling over toward Harry, who had his wand out. "Leon, drop the club on its head!" He yelled.
"What? That won't work! Trolls' heads are ridiculously thick!" Solieyu yelled back.
"Just DO IT!" Harry yelled. "It'd be enough to daze it long enough for all of us to get out of here!"
Solieyu made an aggitated face, but complied with the request. The troll wasn't paying attention to its weapon anymore, anyway. It was currently glaring at Tonks and Harry and making pained noises as it clutched the hand that had impacted the wall.
When the club fell and connected, it made a horrifying THUNK noise before falling to one side and down to the ground. The troll stood quite still for a moment, looking quite confused. As it looked back up, Solieyu took his chance and rushed by it. "RUN!" He yelled as he caught up with Harry and Tonks, who had just been standing there and watching him.
Needing no further instruction, the other two took off as well.
Just about then, the troll realized what had just happened, letting out a wall-rattling scream. Tonks squeaked at this and the boys took up position behind and to either side of her. If the troll wanted to get to her, it would have to get through them.
"Left turn!" Solieyu suddenly called out. The others did as they were told. The trolls' loud, uneven footsteps were lumbering from somewhere behind them. None of them decided to look back and see how far ahead they were.
"Another left and then straight for the door!" Solieyu called again as they reached the end of the current hallway.
"Hey, I remember this place...!" Harry said, eyes lighting up at the now-familiar scenary. "How do the Slytherins do this? It's like a maze down here!"
As they rounded the corner and charged ahead for the door to the Entrance Hall, Harry looked ahead at Tonks. "Change back to something normal! If one of the professors see you like that, you're bound to get into trouble!"
"What? Oh!" Tonks said, quickly realizing what Harry meant and changing her appearance. She now had short, spiky blonde hair and sky blue eyes. "There! Hey, look! The door's opening!"
And indeed it was. The door to the Entrance Hall flew open suddenly, revealing Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. For the briefest of moments, surprise crossed the headmaster's face. He then drew and raised his wand, calling out, "Get down!"
The three did so at once. After all, if one of the strongest wizards alive couldn't best a one-eyed troll, then they were in real trouble.
Moments later, a beam of swirling orange light soared past them, connecting with the still-rampaging troll. When it made contact, it froze the troll up. For a moment, it didn't move. Then it slowly tilted forward...forward...forward... finally, it crashed to the ground, its club bouncing a time or two before it came to rest as well.
The three professors rushed over to the Ravenclaw trio, helping them up. "What were you three doing down here?" Professor McGonagall asked in a slightly high-pitched voice.
"Tonks was... was using the bathroom down there..." Harry panted. "She didn't know..."
"So you three decided to go and get her on your own, did you? Didn't think to tell one of the staff?"
"That is enough, Minerva... I believe these three have been through
enough for one night. Are any of you injured?" Asked Dumbledore,
raising a hand to stop the Transfiguration teacher's tirade.
"No, sir..." Harry and Solieyu said together.
"A bit thirsty... and hungry." Tonks said, frowning. "Missed dinner."
"Ahh, indeed... Minerva, Severus, if you would be so kind as to remove this creature from Hogwarts and its grounds...?" Dumbledore began, looking to each professor in turn.
Both nodded, though McGonagall still looked rather tight-lipped.
"And, I believe, you should spread the word to the houses that all should be safe now. Of course, we will need to inspect the dungeons further later on... but for now..." Dumbledore trailed off, motioning for the Ravenclaws to follow him.
Dumbledore led them across the Entrance Hall, heading for the Great Hall. "I will not ask why Miss Tonks was using a bathroom so far away... though I suggest it not happen again." He said, his voice light, yet carrying a stern warning. "After you three have had your fill, head right back to Ravenclaw Tower... I shall inform Filius that you are all safe..."
"Yes, sir." The three said, hanging their heads slightly.
Dumbledore walked them over to one of the tables, which still carried a large amount of food. "I will begin spreading the word that all is now safe. Remember, head straight back to your house after you finish."
The headmaster turned and made to leave the room. Once he reached the doorway, however, he looked over his shoulder at them. "And, I believe, ten points apiece for managing to outrace and outwit a fully grown mountain troll..."
The Ravenclaw trio stared after him as he left the room.
"He's completely mad. Brilliant, but absolutely barking, nonetheless."
Tonks said, wonder in her voice. Her stomach promptly growled,
however, causing her to blush and turn back toward the table. "I hope
you two don't mind if I wolf down food like I was starving."
"We never have in the past." Harry said, dryly.
Tonks smacked him... paused... then hugged him quickly. She then turned and gave Solieyu a hug as well. "...Thanks, you guys."
"What are friends for?" Solieyu said, smiling.
Harry smiled as well, though the thought brought Harry back to earlier in the night, when he and Solieyu had witnessed Ron Weasley insulting someone from his own house. Friends, Harry thought as his eyes glazed over, watch out for one another and don't judge others based on what they like to do.
Perhaps, he thought, it was time to seek this girl out...
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: And there you have it, folks! Halloween, Year 1, is now over with! I hope I made it entertaining enough. A quick little brawl in a bathroom seemed rather... bland. Especially since so many other remakes tend to use the scene as well. I don't think I've ever spotted a fic, however, where our heroes were CHASED by the troll. And what of the eye the troll was missing? What could THAT have been about?
And look, Ron's being an ass! I hope Ron fans don't come after me in a lynch mob. Though I don't like him as a character (not just because I find Ron-Hermione and Harry-Ginny pairings to be way too convenient) I do enjoy writing him as a slightly-obsessed fan of Harry's. And poor Hermione! No one saved HER from a troll... so she's still very alone, isn't she? I must thank my beta, Gabriel Shans, for suggesting Ron and Hermione's little fight. He also sparked the inspiration for a little exchange I'm going to have happen between Harry and Hermione in Chapter 17.
Got this one out quick, huh? I figured it was the least I could do after taking so long with 15. I'm hoping to have 17 done by the end of the weekend, since a majority of what's to happen is already planned out in my head. That always helps drive me in a straight line quicker.
Until next time, folks. Keep the speculation going...