It was dawn on the next day when Maribella finally transformed back. She felt dizzy and her legs cramped, still adjusting to her normal body. She hobbled to the castle with her head spinning. Madam Pomfrey was at the entrance, waiting with a cloak, and together the two made their way up to the Hospital Wing. Upon arrival, Maribella was given a Dreamless Sleep Potion to make sure she'd rest as much as possible. Much like the previous day, she only woke after midday with the help of Hermione.
"I thought you'd be here when you didn't come to our dormitory last night," Hermione explained, sitting by Maribella's bed. "I brought you your homework. And my notes from today's classes."
Trust Hermione to stuff a sick person with homework of all things, Maribella thought.
"You didn't miss much," Hermione continued, not noticing Maribella's languor. "Just werewolf bites today in Defense." The girl eyed Maribella cautiously, but Maribella maintained her expression blank, not giving anything away. At that moment, Madam Pomfrey arrived, providing a necessary diversion.
"Oh, you're awake dear," said Madam Pomfrey, handing Maribella a vial containing a blue liquid. "It's an Invigoration Draught," she explained. "It should give you enough energy to go through the day. Merlin knows you need any possible help." Giving her one lingering look full of pity, she turned to another bed to heal another sick student. Maribella downed the liquid quickly, very aware Hermione's full attention was placed on her.
"Well," she said, wiping her mouth. "That sure did help. Isn't it lunch now, Hermione? I'm starving, so I'll just…" She hopped off the hospital bed and put her shoes on.
"Right," said Hermione. "I'll come with."
Maribella bit her tongue. "Oookay," she said, prolonging the o. Hermione really couldn't take a hint.
The two girls walked in awkward silence, with Hermione frequently sneaking glances at Maribella, being less than discreet. Maribella visibly brightened when they reached the Great Hall and she spotted Harry and Ron. She bounded towards them. When Hermione realized their destination, she huffed.
"On second thought," she said. "I'm going to the library." And turning up her already upturned nose, she stomped away.
"Hi," Maribella said as she sat down opposite the boys.
"Mari!" they exclaimed at the same time.
"Well, you're looking...," Harry hesitated. Unfortunately, the Invigorating Draught hadn't bettered her sunken eyes and haggard countenance. "...hungry."
"It's ok, Harry," Maribella chuckled. "I spent the night in the Hospital Wing, because I was sick, but I'm feeling better now."
"You do look better than you did yesterday."
"Yep," she said, filling her plate with roasted chicken and peas. "All thanks to Madam Pomfrey. Her potions work wonders." More than they would ever know. "So what's new?"
Harry and Ron shared a look.
"Malfoy challenged Harry to a wizard's duel yesterday," Ron said.
Mari's mouth fell open. "What? And you went through with it?"
"We did," Harry said. "But Malfoy never showed up."
"The coward thought he could get us expelled," Ron added. "Filch and Mrs. Norris were there waiting for us."
Mr. Filch was the school's caretaker, and he was a particularly unpleasant man. Together with his cat, Mrs. Norris, the two made an obnoxious duo. 'The bitter old man and his odious cat' did not even have a nice ring to it.
"The little git," Maribella hissed, shuddering at the thought of having such a close encounter with the caretaker. "Bet it was quite a surprise when he realized you were still here."
"Right," Harry grinned. "But that's not even the best part."
"When we were running from Filch, we ended up in the third floor corridor," Ron said excitedly. "There's a three-headed dog in there."
"Was the dog locked in? Did he look distressed?" Maribella asked worriedly. Maybe she'd write to her mum about it.
"He was guarding something," Harry informed.
"We figured it's what was almost stolen at Gringotts," Ron completed.
"Hold on- I'm confused. Why would that be at Hogwarts?"
"Well, you know how I went there with Hagrid on my birthday?" Harry asked. Maribella nodded. "We stopped at a vault after getting to mine, and Hagrid emptied it. And what's the only place safer than Gringotts?"
"Hogwarts," Maribella concluded. "It makes sense." Or maybe she wouldn't write to her mum about it.
"But there's no way of knowing what the dog is guarding," Harry lamented.
"It's got to be really valuable," Ron said.
"Or dangerous," Mari offered.
"Or both," Harry finished.
"There's no point pondering over it," Maribella said. "What we need now is to get back at Malfoy. He's already tried to get you expelled twice."
A chance for that came the following week. It was on a chilly October morning, during breakfast. The owls that delivered the post every morning arrived as per usual, but several of them were carrying together one long package, and Maribella was amazed to see that it dropped right on Harry's bacon.
"It's a broom," he whispered enthusiastically to her.
"Oh." Maribella didn't understand much about those. "What model?"
"A Nimbus Two Thousand?" Ron answered with a screech, reading the note over Harry's shoulder.
"Is that good?" Maribella asked.
"Good? I've never even touched one," Ron moaned enviously.
The three of them scurried out the Hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick before their first lesson, but halfway across the Entrance Hall they found their way upstairs barred by Malfoy and his minions. One of the boys seized the package, and Malfoy palmed it repeatedly, feeling the object.
"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."
"It's not any old broomstick," Ron gloated, delighted to be rubbing it in Malfoy's face. "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."
"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."
"Lay off," Mariana retorted sharply. "Or I'll snap you twig by twig." And before Malfoy could reply, Professor Flitwick appeared to see the commotion.
"Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.
"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.
"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"
"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, and Maribella could see that it was just as difficult for him to keep from laughing as for her and Ron. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.
The three of them headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage.
"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" An angry voice came from just behind them. Hermione was stomping down the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.
"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.
"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."
And they turned to leave.
It turned out that Hermione was somehow involved in the whole third-floor ordeal and wasn't speaking to both Ron and Harry. Unfortunately for Maribella, that just meant the girl spent more time with her. They now ate lunch and dinner together (at least every time Mari didn't manage to avoid her), and were partnered with each other on every lesson.
"We should start our Astronomy assignment," Hermione declared one evening as they did homework together in the common room. Maribella looked over to where Ron and Harry were sitting playing Exploding Snap, and sighed enviously.
Although the project was due a fortnight from that day, Maribella tiredly agreed. She had learned the best way to make Hermione shut up was just mindlessly agreeing with everything the girl said.
"Sure, Hermione," Maribella conceded, "what do you want to chart?"
"I was thinking the moon," Hermione quipped, glancing at Maribella, who eyed her suspiciously.
"Wouldn't you rather chart, I don't know, Mars' patterns? Or some random star? I heard Sirius looks really bright at the end of the month," Maribella affirmed.
"No," Hermione said with incontestable finality. "How's Wednesday night for you?"
Maribella counted quickly in her head. It was a full moon night.
"I can't," she said.
"Right," Hermione said, standing up. "I'm going to bed." And she left. Maribella stared after her, surprised she hadn't suggested an alternative date. She didn't, however, put much thought into it. Seeing that she was finally free from Hermione, Maribella gladly joined Harry and Ron in their game.
It was on Halloween morning that she realized her mistake. Maribella woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced they would finally start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to do ever since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Maribella's partner was Ron, thankfully, because Hermione had been trying to catch her eye ("I need to talk to you," she mouthed). They set to work on the spell, Wingardium Leviosa, which wasn't as simple as Professor Flitwick made it look.
"Swish and flick," Professor Flitwick repeated over and over again. Maribella flicked, swished, and prodded the feather she was meant to be levitating, but it wouldn't budge. Finally, she leaned forward on her desk and blew hard on the feather, making it float. This amused Ron profoundly, and the two doubled over with laughter.
"Honestly," said Hermione, a few tables over, "it's not even that hard. If you'd just take it seriously…"
If you'd just mind your own business… Maribella thought, as Ron shouted:
"Fine. Wingardium Leviosa!" He waved his long arms like a windmill.
"You're saying it wrong," Hermione snapped. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.
Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Her feather rose elegantly off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"
All in all, Ron was in a very horrid mood when they walked out of the class.
"She's a nightmare, honestly," Ron complained just as Hermione came out of the classroom and called for Maribella.
"Good luck," said Ron as she bid him and Harry goodbye.
"Maribella," Hermione said breathlessly as she ran to catch up with her. "I need to talk to you."
"So, talk," Maribella replied, rather snippily. She would never admit it out loud, but Hermione's feat in the Charms classroom had left her quite resentful. Hermione looked a bit taken aback but nevertheless continued:
"I, well, you-" Hermione couldn't seem to say what she wanted to, which was definitely a first. She took a deep breath and started again. "I started our Astronomy project. And-" Deep breath. "And I've noticed… every full moon night you're absent, either from Astronomy class or our dormitories, and the days preceding it you're sick-" All color drained from Maribella's face "-and I did some reading on- on…" Another deep breath. "I saw your neck… scars and… I think I know what you are."
Maribella stared at her, her face white, her heart palpitating wildly, her mouth dry, before replying: "I think I know what you are as well."
"What?" Hermione asked, confusion etched on her face.
"Nosy," Maribella barked. "Goodbye!" And she ran as fast as she could away from the other girl. Hermione had offered no hints that indicated she was close to unraveling Maribella's secret, so her discovery had really come as a surprise. She reached Harry and Ron as a hyperventilating and trembling mess. The boys each took her by an arm, trying to steady her.
"Are you ok?" Harry asked, his concern clear.
"I just- Hermione-" Maribella couldn't talk. She was close to panicking.
"Look what she's done to you," Ron said angrily. "It's no wonder no one can stand her."
Hermione, who had apparently followed Maribella and heard everything, pushed past the trio, her face stricken with sadness.
"I think she heard you," said Harry.
"So?" said Ron, but he looked uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."
"Should we follow her?" Harry, ever the peacemaker, asked.
"No," Maribella said, watching Hermione's retreating figure. She really wasn't ready to face the other girl yet. And for the remainder of that afternoon, she didn't. Hermione didn't turn up for the next class, or the one after that. Mariana felt guilty, even more so when she heard her dormitory mates' bit of gossip for the day:
"I saw Hermione shutting herself up in the girls' bathroom downstairs, but that was hours ago," said Parvati.
"Hasn't the day been so peaceful without her constantly nagging?" sighed Lavender Brown, Parvati's best friend, happily. Maribella's face turned red with embarrassment.
It was only after classes, during the Halloween feast, that thoughts of Hermione really vanished from Maribella's mind. She walked into the Hall with Harry and Ron and was surprised to see it had been decorated for the night. Dozens of floating jack-o-lanterns hovered overhead, and a colony of live bats was swooping over the tables in low black clouds, scaring inattentive students. The feast was much like the start-of-term banquet. Every inch of the table was covered with food, and Mari tried to grab a little of everything.
She was enjoying herself when suddenly the doors whipped open. The noise startled Maribella, and she dropped a spoonful of mashed potatoes on her robes. As she groaned and brought her clothes to her lips, licking them clean, Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and pure terror on his face.
"Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know," he gasped and promptly fainted.
A few seconds of abeyance, and then, chaos. Kids were screaming, crying, some even laughing, probably believing it to be some kind of joke. The teachers were trying, in vain, to calm the students, and even the Prefects didn't know whether to run or try to regain control of the situation. It was only when Dumbledore conjured several exploding purple firecrackers that the Hall quieted down.
"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
And then Percy was on his feet, scrambling to get all the first years in line, and shouting at the older students to get back to the common room as fast as they could.
"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a Prefect! You there, the dormitory's that way."
Truly in his element.
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Don't ask me," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
"Who's Peeves?" Maribella asked.
"You haven't met Peeves? Oh, you lucky-"
Harry suddenly grabbed Maribella's and Ron's arm. "I've just thought- Hermione."
"What about her?" asked Ron.
"She doesn't know about the troll."
Mariana's eyes went wide.
"Let's go!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, alright," Ron caved.
Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them and hid behind a large stone griffin. Slowly, the three peeked around the edges of the statue and were surprised to see Professor Snape hurrying down the corridor and disappearing around the corner.
"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"
"I don't know. Harry, no- we can't-" Maribella said, grabbing Harry as the boy moved to follow Snape. "We have to help Hermione."
"He's heading for the third floor corridor," Harry objected, struggling against her grip.
"Harry, we've got to let him go for now," Maribella said, still holding onto the boy. "Besides, what do you expect to do against a fully grown wizard? Throw sparks at him?" she tried reasoning with him.
"What do you expect we do against a fully grown troll?" Ron asked.
"Right," Maribella said breathlessly, finally letting go of Harry, "right, let's see." She tried to remember everything she knew about trolls. Her mother had brought a baby one home, once upon a time, but it was kept away from her since it was, you know, a flesh-eating beast. "They're very ugly, very stupid," she started. "Prodigious strength- violent, yes, very aggressive- their skin is pretty thick, so I don't think any of our sparks will work on him. I think going physical would be the better option," she concluded, "Let's give it a good hit on the head."
"What?" Ron yelled. "You want us to-"
"Can you smell something?" Harry interrupted.
It was a succession of senses, really. First smell. A foul stench took over the corridor, a mixture of sweaty socks with manure. Then sound. A low grunting and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. At last, the three of them turned and were greeted with the sight of a tall fearsome creature. It was at least twelve feet tall, with a lumpy body and a boulder for a head, granite grey skin covered in dirt, short legs and long arms, dragging a large wooden club behind it. Worst of all, it was coming in their direction. Ron pulled both Harry and Maribella back, the statue shielding the three of them from the troll's view.
They watched, transfixed, as the troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.
"Forget hitting him. I have a better idea," Maribella whispered. "Let's lock it in," she said, pointing to the door, where sure enough, a key was resting in the door's lock.
Sneaking up on a troll seemed like the worst idea ever, but at the moment, it was the only plausible one they had.
"Good idea," said Ron nervously.
The three of them edged closer to the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Ron managed to grab the key, clumsily slam the door shut and lock it.
"Yes!" they shouted together, adrenaline still coursing through their veins. Crisis averted!
"Now we just need to get Herm-" a high petrified scream cut Maribella off. With horror, she realized the chamber they'd just locked up was in fact the girls' bathroom. How had she not realized it?
"Hermione!" Harry shouted in realization. He pulled the door open and ran inside, with Ron and Maribella following close behind. Hermione was shrinking against the wall, as the troll advanced on her, looking as if she was about to pass out.
"Confuse it," Harry said desperately, and seizing a broken tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly. Once it spotted Harry, it grunted, as if annoyed it had yet another person to smash, and went for him instead.
"Come on, Hermione," Maribella shouted at the girl, running round the troll and offering her hand to the girl.
"Oy, pea-brain!" she heard Ron yell, followed by a clang, as he too threw a metal pipe at it.
"Hermione, run!" Maribella yelled, "We can't hold him off for much longer!"
But the girl wouldn't budge. Maribella turned around, thinking of another way she could help. She picked up a bar of soap from a sink nearby and a tap that had been blasted towards them and threw them at the troll, but compared to the mayhem the boys had caused, it was nothing. The troll was now roaring and moving towards Ron, who had no way of escaping.
Harry then did something unbelievably stupid. He took a running jump and latched himself onto the troll's neck, swinging wildly as the troll moved about, confused. Any second now and the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with its club.
Maribella and Hermione screamed and looked on helplessly. It was Ron who took action.
"Wingardium Leviosa," he yelled, a little unsure of himself. The spell, however, worked wonders, and the club flew out of the troll's hand, rose high to the ceiling, and dropped with a sickening crack on to its owner's head. The troll fell with a loud thud.
Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done. Maribella moved slowly towards the troll.
"Is it dead?" Hermione asked from her place on the floor, breaking the silence.
Maribella poked the troll on the arm with her wand, not wanting to touch its skin. "I think it's just passed out."
Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue.
"Urgh- troll bogies," he whined, wiping it off on the diaper-looking garment the troll was sporting.
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Harry, Ron and Maribella. Maribella had never seen her look so angry.
"What on earth were you thinking?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Ron was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"
Maribella looked down, unable to meet any of their eyes. Then a small voice came out of the shadows.
"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me."
"Miss Granger!" Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.
"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."
Maribella's mouth fell open. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?
"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. It was a hard fight, they didn't have time to go and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."
The three of them tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them but failed. Maribella stared at Hermione and wondered what was going on. Hermione was the last person who would break any rules, and here she was, lying to Professor McGonagall of all people, to get them out of trouble.
"Well, in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own? Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left.
Professor McGonagall turned to the trio. "Not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. For sheer dumb luck. You may go."
They hurried out of the chamber. Now that it was all said and done, the adventure had been slightly humorous.
"You know," said Maribella as they walked down the hall, "when I told you to hit it up the head, I didn't mean it literally."
"Yes you did," Ron said with a grin. "You wanted us to have a full-blown fist fight with it." And then, in a higher pitched voice. "'Going physical would be the better option'," he mimicked her, "'Just give it a light kick on the head and hope for the best.'"
Harry laughed, and Maribella playfully shoved Ron.
"Pig snout," they said to the Fat Lady, upon reaching the portrait. The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, they all said 'Thanks' and Ron and Harry ran off to get plates. Maribella and Hermione, however, hung back.
"I- I'm sorry I was so nasty to you today earlier on," Maribella apologized, not meeting the girl's eyes.
"It's ok," Hermione answered softly. A beat passed, and then: "You really are a werewolf, aren't you?" she asked, not unkindly.
"I-" There really was no point in denying it now, "-yes."
"I figured," Hermione said as she wiped the last of the snot from her face.
"And," Maribella asked hesitantly, "you're not scared?"
"Of course not," Hermione said. "You've been my only friend for two months, I've always known you would do me no harm."
And she said it with so much conviction, Maribella didn't have the heart to correct her.
"Besides," Hermione went on with a small smile, "I've seen you fold your socks. Forgive me if I'm not cowering in fear."
Maribella looked at her, surprised.
"Hermione Granger," she said, grinning, "was that a joke?"
Hermione simply shrugged.
"Come on," she said instead. "Let's go join Harry and Ron."
The boys were sitting with Fred and George Weasley as well as their friend, Lee Jordan. The foursome seated together, listening to the older students as they told them some stories from their first year. There were some things you couldn't do without becoming great friends, Maribella realized. Fighting a troll was one of them.
A/N: So, Hermione knows. This was a really fun chapter! Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Reviews are always welcome (they help me grow!)