A/N: The Harry Potter books, world and characters belong to JKR. I take no credit for any repeated quote or event from the original source.
Bad Faith
Chapter 6
"TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS!" The man shouted as he stopped in the centre of the hall. "Thought you ought to know."
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. The immediate uproar followed until Professor Dumbledore pulled out his own wand, a huge echo sound coming from his wand as the hall immediate silenced.
It couldn't be just her that found the how show fake, could it? She let out a sigh, relived that her presence had at least changed the timeline enough that the bathroom incident wasn't repeated. Since she had been pared with Iris, that had left Dean being paired with Ronald, which hadn't led to the whole insulting after class. Shed even made sure that Hermione was in the great hall when they arrived. Looking up to the great hall... she found that Hermione wasn't there... wait… What?
She quickly looked through the first year section of the Gryffindor table, before looking through the whole table. She wasn't there? But how? She saw her in here less than half an hour ago. She raised her Occlumency shields, making sure not to panic as she checked the now leaving Gryffindor students.
"Nefeli?" Iris asked shakenly.
The poor girl was terrified. Hell, even she was scared, the books may have played it off as an easy feat, but you don't just knock a troll out and say, 'Hey, that was fun spell practicing!'. She had to be quick about this. Looking up at the table, she spotted the teacher that she was looking for. Holding Iris's hand to reassure her, she rushed with the small girl towards Professor Flitwick, who had just reached out for the door.
"Professor Flitwick!" She practically shouted as the diminutive teacher turned around.
"Ms Malfoy? You should be leaving with the rest of you house!" His cheerful persona having disappeared, replaced by a much more serious and scared man.
"I know. I cant see Granger anywhere!" She said in a slightly calmer voice as his eyes widened before he took out his wand and made a Patronus charm.
"Albus, Ms Granger location. NOW!" The professor shouted the last part as the Patronus disappeared out of the hall.
Less than ten seconds past as a silver phoenix appeared. She immediately recognised the headmasters voice through it.
"Girls Bathroom, second floor." It said as the professor sweared. Not that she knew the word, but she heard it enough times from Iruk to know the intention.
"You two follow me." He said as they did so, following him towards the second floor.
As they reached the second floor, Nefeli's stomach fall as she came across a foul smell that she immediately linked towards the troll.
In front of them, the mounting troll was raising it's club, as a small figure in comparison stood frozen before letting out a scream.
"Movere Praesidium!" The diminutive professor shouted as the club came falling down.
Mere centimetres before hitting Hermione, it collided with an invisible force that momentarily became a mystical like blue fog as the troll stepped backwards from the recoil. It slowly and stupidly turned around as it's dozy eyes met the three figures.
"I do apologise about that, I'm afraid that I was not thinking." Professor Flitwick admitted nervously as it started walking towards them, the professor casting all manner of spells silently, only for them to show no effect on the troll.
"Professor? Can you restrain it's movements for some few seconds?" Nefeli asked, glad that her first dozen of plans had been to confront the troll.
"Twenty seconds at most." He stated as he continued throwing spell after spell at the troll. The problem? Professor Flitwick was a duelling master, not a beast slayer.
"Do it, when I tell you to!" She said in a manner not that different from an order. And he did so without question, having reached the point of being absolutely terrified for his student's.
"Hermione! When I shout 'now' run towards us!" Nefeli shouted as all the girl could do is turn at her in shock.
"NOW!" She ordered as the professor immobilised the troll.
She momentarily dived into her occlumency, pulling a specific old memory out before her eyes opened.
Inheling deeply, she cast spell after spell, each one different from it's counterpart as they landed at the Trolls feet.
"Saxi Calcis Pulveris" 65%
"Silica Pulvis" 20%
"Alumen Pulvis" 7%
"Magnes" 3%
"Intentoque Ferrum Cadmiae" 2%
"Calcium Sulfate Intentoque" 0.3%
"Trioxide Sulphuris Umor Concentration" 2%
"Princeps Alkaline" 0.5%
"Movere Praesidium" 0.2%
"Aer Calidus Maxima!" She finished casting, continuing the last charm as the huge concentrated puddle surrounded the troll, reaching it to almost it's waist.
Another fourteen seconds past until Professor Flitwick collapsed, panting for air.
Finishing her spell, she concentrated all her magic into one more. "Nec os illius confringetis!"
The troll roared in victory, as it moved through the liquid. Or at least tried.
It made a movement to the left, but it remained inside. It did the same to the right, but it remained inside.
The formerly dark grey liquid was now completely solid. He tried hitting it with the blub, but it instead made a cracking sound as the impact forced the troll to let it go, the club falling next to the troll, but unreachable for it's now stuck form.
"It worked..." Nefeli whispered as she collapsed, her legs giving out from the combined fear and exhaustion she had been through. Iris immediately grabbed her, helping her lean on the wall as they both sat down.
Nefeli offered the girl a grateful smile before her eyes darted towards the troll. The magic had been basic level, something which most other first years would have been able to cast if they put in the effort of memorizing the spells and rations. Shed invented how to make cement out of magic as a plan B, a contingency plan if Lucius did something that would have caused her to out of the house before she managed to claim her lordship, and such been placed in a position where she was unable to buy a house for herself.
Filius started looking for any possible wounds over Hermione. She hadn't really paid attention on her, having been too occupied with the spell casting, but none the less was glad to see that the girl was alright.
"What was that?" Hermione asked, although it came close to a sob. Not that any of the other three where in a much better state.
"Cement." She answered smiling tiredly as the other two girls stared at her wide eye.
"Excuse me?" The Professor asked not knowing what they where talking about.
"Muggle invention. They use it to build houses." She explained as she slowly stood up, placing a silencing charm on the troll for that they wouldn't hear it's roars.
"You know what cement is?" Hermione asked unbelievingly.
"Granger, you have quite literally never talked to me, only because Draco is completely ignorant, single cell made brain sized, narcissistic spoilt brat doesn't mean I am." She said in a slightly annoyed manner. Her glare soften when Hermione blushed in embarrassment. "Thought Ill let you off since I probably am the only pureblood that does know anything from the muggle world." She said in a more kindly tone. It worked, since the girl immediately stopped tensing up, moving to a much more relaxed posture.
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. Not ten seconds later Professor McGonagall appeared, alongside Professor Babbling and Aurora Sinistra, all three stopping in horror to stare at the mo0untin troll, half way inside what seemed like an incredibly durable stone.
"Is that the...? What did...? Are you four okay?" Professors McGonagall finally managed to ask, staring wearily at the Troll, before looking at her colleague and her three students, only to stare back at the troll.
"I think Ms Malfoy may be exhausted, I dare say the three of us are, but we are alive non the less." Professor Flitwick commented tiredly. Nefeli, however, noted that there had been a small gleam of amusement from Professors McGonagall reaction.
"Ms Malfoy...?" She asked before her eyes widened. "Filius! Surely you not telling me that a first year did... this?" She asked as she motioned towards the troll in shook.
"Ms. Malfoy? Perhaps you should explain what you did? I dare say I am not aware what any of those spells where." Professor Flitwick asked.
And so she did, briefly explaining the spell she cast and what they meant as she, ironically enough, told the professors what spells to use to not to interfere with her own.
"Advance spell crafting! Professor Septima is going to love this. Tell me you taking Ancient Ruins! Please tell me you are!" Professor Babbling practically begged as Professor McGonagall sent her a withering look for her unprofessional behaviour.
She didn't realise that the Ancient Ruins professor would be so... approachable. The teachers featured in the books had always been stiff or difficult to approach, the easiest being Professor Flitwick. Then again, the books where pretty much about disobeying authority figures... She mentally considered.
"None the less." She interrupted as Professor Septima punched the air as Nefeli nodded in amusement. "I would like to personally thank you for saving one of my house members, I don't even want to think what would have happened if..." She trailed of before shivering at the terrifying thought. "None the less, one hounded points for Ravenclaw, and only because it is the best I can do to thank you." She said as Nefeli nodded in understanding.
The four teachers started putting up charms and other spells in the surrounding area for that no student would approach the troll as Nefeli looked at Hermione, before turning to look at Iris. Both of which where trembling.
"Iris, Hermione, are you two okay?" Nefeli asked worryingly, felling guilty from bringing one, and letting the other one be here out of ignorance.
"I-I'm fine, thank you Nefeli," she said in a quiet and shaken voice as Nefeli sighed, pulling the two girls in a tight hug.
She had found the quote Rowling had used about trolls being a bonding experience to be childish, if not straight out stupid. But right now? She agreed wholeheartedly.
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What she would do to have her phone back... Probably more than she was comfortable with, but none the less. Granted, she had invested into the company, but her playlist was gone, replaced by the 90s music that drove her insane. She had the Beetles and Queen, but still! Doing homework without anything to listen to was much more of a chore than what it had been back when she had revised in her previous life.
Suppressing a sigh, she looked out of the library's window at the stormy sky as she wondered what she could do until Iris's and her first potion lesson with Professor Snape. She could probably leave now and get there early, but it wouldn't sit well with her to leave Hermione alone like that.
Iris was actually capable of not hiding behind of Nefeli when speaking to Hermione... more or less... okay, maybe not speaking, since with speaking she meant Hermione talking while Iris gave a week nod, but...progress? Speaking about the non existent golden trio, Hermione was... more at ease with them from what Nefeli remembered of the books. Perhaps it was because they where only girls... mostly at least, but she had the feeling it had to do with the lack of a certain red head. That, and they all greatly valued knowledge. She blinked at the though before she mentally smiled at her idea.
"Hermione?" She asked the girl, who looked up from her book. "Both myself and Iris have potion lessons know with Professor Snape, would you mind joining us?"
Nefeli found both girls reaction priceless.
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"Explain." The cold voice stated as both girls flinched.
However, contrary to what he had hoped, her lips simply twitched in... was that amusement?
"I thought you wouldn't mind a non-dunderhead to join us, don't worry, shell be the last one." Nefeli said as she smiled towards him. He could practically hear a 'for now' after that sentence.
If he had any doubts before, they had been completely destroyed. It seemed that the girl in front of him was a complete copy of his deceased best friend. He nodded in reassignment as he told them to take a seat around the front table. After all, he remembered Lily's temper all to well to dare cross it. That, and he was interested in teaching Ms Granger. The only reason he hadn't was due to how that would affect his position as a spy. The brat knew that, which is why she had brought her here instead. Who would say no to a Malfoy after all.
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Even in her previous life, there had always been something about Snow that Nefeli had adored. Unfortunately, in her new lifetime, Christmas was... a more social related event that had served to lock herself in the library. So of course, she ignored the high quality made letter telling her to return home for Christmas, after all, who would when you had a almost empty magical Christmas castle to explore?
At least that meant she wouldn't be seeing her 'brother' for the next month. Unfortunately, Draco hard taken it personally that Iris didn't like him, deciding to take the place as her 'rival/bully'. Which usually ended up with Nefeli verbally beating him up, yes, that was a thing, followed by Iris being more introverted than she was for the rest of the day.
At least this time Iris wasn't a Quidditch player. While flying was something she seemed to enjoy, Professors McGonagall should have never added Harry to the team. It had been the first thing that had made people believe the boy who lived got special treatment. An added bonus was that there was no mention of Nicholas Flamel after the match either.
With that particular exception, the 'girl who lived' was slowly placed at the back of everyone's head, which was something Iris had been incredibly grateful for.
"Huh?" Iris let out in confusion as Nefeli blinked in surprise, having been lost in thought as she opened her presents.
The cloak of invisibility was nothing which she had imagined, for that matter, it was like nothing she could imagine. It was... mystic. That was the best that could come into mind. Strange, how this was supposed to represent death.
"W-what is this?" She asked in confusion as Nefeli touched the cloak.
"I think it may be an invisibility cloak." Nefeli stated as Iris's eyes widened.
"What?" She let out in an adorable squeak.
"Do you mind if I check?" She asked as she pulled her wand from her sleeve.
Iris nodded as Nefeli started by using a detection charm on it. When nothing came up she started casting more complex and upper level spells. Thank Morgana she had started her Defence Against the Dark arts mastery, since the advanced spell detected a tracking charm. She really didn't need to ask who could have placed it, but none the less she would humour the time line.
"Did it have a letter?" Nefeli asked curiously as Iris nodded.
"It wasn't signed. All it said was that it belonged to my father." She explained, finishing the last sentence in a whisper.
"Dumbledore."
"What?" She asked in confusions.
"The writing, definitely Dumbledore's. The question is why he kept it for a decade, for that matter, why he had a tracing charm on it." Nefeli explained as she reached out for one of the small burnt pieces of wood next to the fireplace.
"Tracing charm?" She asked in alarm as Nefeli nodded.
"We've already started Occlumency, but be careful around him." She said gravely as Iris nodded in understating. "Put this in you trunk." She said as she passed the burnt piece of wood. "I moved the tracing charm on it. It'll make him believe that you simply think its a normal cloak.
Unlike Harry, Iris had taken to Occlumency quite easily. It made her wonder if it was due to the different personality or because the person that her taught her was someone she trusted.
"Now that that's over, let's go down for breakfast." Nefeli said cheerfully.
And then, I'll look for a certain hidden mirror with a certain red stone.