Two months had passed now and Rohini felt like it had been years since the Sorting Hat ceremony. They were crawling under assignments, each one harder than the previous one. Rohini and Harry were meeting less and she missed him a lot. Lisa had officially stopped talking to them but neither Rohini nor Padma seemed bothered by that.
Hermione had suggested that Rohini ask Madam Pomfrey for something to help with her sleepwalking problem, which had been a great idea for Rohini had stopped waking up somewhere in the castle in the middle of the night.
She had managed to be one of the top students of her class in Transfiguration, on an equal step with Hermione and Draco. She was also able to properly fly now and, to her biggest surprise, was quite good at Potions which seemed to upset Snape who had no reasons to take off points from Ravenclaw.
They didn't talk about the three headed dogs again, though Rohini sometimes wondered about what it was guarding. She had tried to find books talking about that kind of creatures, in vain. If someone had written about it, it was probably in the forbidden section of the library.
Finally, Halloween came and the First Years were amazed to discover that the Great Hall had been decorated with flying candles, pumpkins and real bats. It was the first time Rohini ate pumpkin pancakes and butterscotch pie for breakfast.
As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by Hedwig.
"Hey, it's for your brother!" Padma pointed out and Rohini turned to look at the Gryffindor table, her cheeks stuffed with pie. Indeed, the mysterious package had been dropped right in front of Harry. Swallowing, Rohini hurried to join him, curious.
"Did you order something?" She asked and Harry shook his head. "Open it, quick!" She said, feeling excited and curious.
"It's a broomstick!" Harry screamed, surprised.
"Thats not just any broomstick, Harry. It's a Nimbus 2000!" Ron said, looking enviously at the beautiful broom. The Gryffindors were all leaning closer, whispering and gasping and trying to touch it.
"But who...?" Harry asked, before turning to look at the teachers table; Professor McGonagall was up at the head table, stroking Hedwig with a knowing smile. Harry smiled back and nodded politely.
"You're so lucky, Harry." Rohini sighed. "It's always to you that exciting things happened."
"You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed broomsticks."
Malfoy was standing behind them, looking both jealous and spiteful.
"Oh, poor Malfoy being jealous because he isn't good enough to make it into the Slytherin team." Rohini said with a sad sigh. "Tragic, really."
Before Draco could say anything, McGonagall was standing behind them.
"Is there a problem?" She asked.
"Potters had been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy, glancing at Harry. "First years aren't allowed one."
"Yes, yes, that's right. However, we can't let our seeker fly on one of Hogwarts' old broomstick." She said and Rohini could swear she seemed amused by Malfoy's look of horror. "Now, hurry to go to your classes or I will take it back, Potter." She said and they all urged towards the doors, Peeves throwing candies at them.
"I'll see you in charms." Rohini said before following Padma who had been waiting for her outside the Great Hall. She glanced at Harry's Nimbus 2000 and seemed quite impressed.
"He couldn't dream of any better broom to play Quidditch." Padma said. "Who gave it to him?"
"McGonagall." Rohini sighed, feeling slightly jealous. "I know she had a good reason for that, but it's a bit frustrating, you know? I feel like everybody look up to Harry and forget that I exist."
"I thought you didn't like attention?" Padma asked and Rohini groaned.
"I don't, which make it even more stupid."
"It's a universal law; one twin always lives in the other's shadow." Padma said, raising a finger as if she was giving her a lecture.
"Do we dare disturb the universe then?" Rohini asked and the two girls exchanged a knowing smile.
Xxx
Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were finally ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Padma paired up with her sister and Rohini thought about pairing with Harry but Ron and Hermione were still upset at each other and so she ended up with Hermione.
"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too—never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest." The story made them all giggle.
It was an extremely difficult exercise; Seamus and Neville both made their feather explode in a red flash, leaving burning marks on the desk. Harry and Ron swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop.
"Wingardium Leviosarrr!" Ron shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
"You're saying it wrong," Hermione snapped, she and Rohini sitting right behind the boys. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, not Leviosar".
"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 off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads. Rohini did the same, and soon their feathers were floating next to each other.
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger and Miss Potter have done it! Five points to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor!"
Rohini couldn't help but smile proudly, glad to do something better than Harry for once. She felt a bit guilty at that thought and helped her brother for the rest of the class, ruffling his messy hair as his feather flew a few inches above the desk. Ron refused to talk to them, brooding.
"It's Leviosa, not Leviosar. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!" he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "She's a nightmare, honestly."
Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face—and was startled to see that she was in tears.
"Well done, Ronald." Rohini spat before going after Hermione. She tried to cheer her up, saying Ron was an idiot and promised to change him into a frog once she would know how to do that, but Hermione didn't listen, locking herself in the girls' bathroom. Sighing, Rohini told her she would see her at dinner and go back to the Great Hall for lunch. She ignored Harry and Ron for the rest of the day and felt even more upset when Parvati told Padma that Hermione was still crying in the toilets at the end of the day.
Rohini was just helping herself to a shepherd pie when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared, puzzled.
"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON! Thought you ought to know." He said before turning pale and fainting.
Silence, a sudden thunder… and then everybody freaked out, screaming and running. Dumbledore stood up.
"SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE!" He shouted and they all froze, looking at him. "Everyone will please, do not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."
"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!" Percy said, guiding the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaw were walking in a line right next to them and Rohini pulled on Harry's sleeve with a horrified expression.
"What?"
"Hermione!" She said and the two boys realised Hermione was still missing. "We need to find her!" The three of them quickly hide behind a statue, waiting for the rest of the students to be gone.
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
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. Ron pulled Harry -who pulled Rohini- behind a large stone griffin as they peered around.
"Snape?" Rohini said with a confused frown as he crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.
"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"
"He's heading for the third floor" said Rohini before grimacing as a nauseous smell floated around. "Yerk, which one of you just fart?"
And then they heard it—a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed a trembling finger: at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.
Twelve feet tall, its skin was a granite grey, its great lumpy body with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut, was a troll. It had short legs thick as tree trunks. Rohini shuddered when she realised it was holding a huge wooden club.
"He's going into the Girl's Bathroom!" Harry said and the three students stared, horrified as the Troll passed the door. "Hermione!" They shouted, following it inside.
Hermione was shrinking against the opposite wall, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing towards her, knocking the stalls as it went. Hermione screamed and Rohini shouted her name while throwing pieces of woods at the troll.
"Hermione, move!" Harry shouted.
"Hey, pea brain!" Ron aimed and hit the troll's head. Hermione escaped under a sink, but the troll saw her and went to smash her. It cracked the sink and the pipe exploded, splashing water everywhere. It had barely missed Hermione's head and Rohini shuddered.
"Ahhh! Help!" Hermione cried out.
Harry ran forward and grabbed the troll's club but was lifted up.
"Harry!" They screamed in unison.
"Whooa! Whoa, whoa!" Harry yelped, landing on the troll's head. He tried to cast a spell, but his wand went up to the troll's nose, making everybody cringe, disgusted. The troll, grunting, took Harry off its head and held him by one leg, upside down.
"Harry!" Rohini shouted, before taking off her own wand, trying to think of a spell.
"Do something!" Harry shouted, swiping to avoid being hit by the club. "Hurry up!"
"Melofors!" Rohini said, pointing her wand at the troll. its tiny head suddenly turned into a huge pumpkin and he dropped Harry who hit the ground with a painful groan. The troll, confused, almost crushed him under his feet and Rohini used the distraction to go help Hermione from under the sink.
"Do something!" She told Ron who grabbed his wand.
"Swish and flick!" Hermione said, flicking her wrist.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron said perfectly and the club was lifted out of the troll's hand and hovered above its head before crashing back down, exploding the pumpkin at the same time. The troll wavered before crashing down in a cloud of dust.
"Is it...dead?" Hermione asked, stepping closer carefully.
"I don't think so. Just knocked out." Harry said before grabbing his wand which was covered in goo. "Ew, troll bogies."
"Melofors?" Ron asked Rohini but before she could tell him that she learned it in a book two days ago, loud footsteps made the three of them look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear.
Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. They all exchanged a worried glance.
"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"
"Please, Professor McGonagall—they were looking for me."
"Miss Granger!" McGonagall said, outraged.
Hermione didn't look at her in the eyes as she lied: "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. If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now."
"Be that as it may...it was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would have expected more rational behaviour on your part, Ms. Granger. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment. As for you two gentlemen and Miss Potter, I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck." They all stared at her in shock; Rohini had expected detention, not a reward.
They hurried out of the bathroom and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up and let go of a loud sigh.
"I'm sorry that you had to lie, Hermione." Rohini said and Hermione gave her a weak smile. "Well, I should hurry up and go back to the Ravenclaw dorm. See you tomorrow!" She said, heading back to the girls dorm were Padma was waiting, worried. Once Rohini had finished telling her the whole story, Padma was looking at her with a new found admiration.
"McGonagall was right; it was dangerous! I'm glad you're alive."
"So am I." Rohini sighed before yawning. "I hope Harry will be able to sleep; it's his first Quidditch match tomorrow."
"I'm sure he will do fine, even if he's playing against Slytherin." Padma assured her but Rohini still went to bed with a weight in her stomach. She dreamed that Harry was flying on his new Nimbus 2000, pursued by a Troll in Slytherin colours and woke up three times, breathing loudly and covered in sweat. Feeling like it was useless to go back to sleep when she woke up at dawn, she got dressed and went to the Great Hall. She was the first one here and waited for everybody to arrive by talking to the Gryffindor's ghost.