I was sitting in the Great Hall alone – well not exactly alone. I was with all the other Griffindor first years, but no one was talking to me, and I wasn't exactly sure how to strike up a conversation. I kept looking up at the others, listening to what they talked about, but I never found a point to jump in. Or anything I said would sound too stupid and they'd just laugh. It was the Halloween feast, I was afraid that if I didn't have friends by now… Harry wasn't at the feast – but that wasn't surprising, I'm not sure he understands the concept of mealtimes. And conversations with him were difficult. Not because he didn't make sense, but because his shifts in voices always threw me. It always took me a little time to adjust to the new voice issuing from the same voice. Ms. Granger was also missing, which was a little odd. Granger, well she's very punctual, very schedule-oriented, so it was a bit surprising not to see her, though I did overhear someone saying that she was crying her eyes out in the girl's bathroom because of something Ron Weasly said. But she always seems so strong, more than me at least. I thought she would still come to the feast.
I finished eating in about half an hour and sat there picking at the food left on my plate. I wondered if I should leave. I wondered if Harry had eaten. I wondered if Granger was ok. Perhaps I should go and find her and see if she was alright. But before I could leave Professor Quirrell ran into the Great Hall panting and panicking. Automatically I pushed my plate away and grabbed my things. Having Professor Quirrell stutter in nervousness was one thing, but actually panicking a defense professor was quite another. Any pronouncement would be bad. And I was right.
"Troll! In the Dungeons!" He trailed off but Quirrell was surprisingly clear and to-the-point. There was an initial moment of panic, and a lot of shrill screams before Dumbledore had the teachers organize the prefects. The prefects had us gather in neat orderly rows- which I suppose is good since I'd only get crushed in the mad rush. We were on the third floor when I remembered that Harry and Granger weren't there to hear about the troll. I looked around for a prefect and found none.
"Bugger" I said surprising myself. Gran was going to wash out my mouth for saying that. It didn't matter if I didn't tell her, she always somehow knew. I turned to the nearest person and said "Harry and Granger weren't at the feast, tell a prefect." I then realized that the person I grabbed was Dean and it was a good thing too. He immediately began fighting his way to the front. I guess rugby, or football (whatever 'West Ham' played) was good for getting through crowds. I peeled off and headed to the closest girls bathroom hoping Granger would conveniently be there. I was definitely not going to go down any stairs, if I didn't find her there, I'd check the other bathroom I knew about, but that was it for me. I ran down the creepily empty hall only to see Harry down a corridor. He saw me as well, and ran toward me. I slowed down a little so he could catch up – not that it was all that hard – and I panted out "Seen Granger?" he shrugged "There's a troll in the dungeon. Everyone's to go to their dorms."
"Then what, pray tell, are you doing here Neville?" I swear he nearly gave me a heart attack. Using Snape's voice at a time like this was a horrible thing to do. He only used Snape's voice to convey how stupid someone was being. Honestly, I didn't need the reminder.
"Granger's been missing since Ron…" I didn't need to finish, Harry nodded and looked around a bit harder thinking, I guess, about where to go. I was about to tell him that I heard she was in a girl's bathroom but as soon as we turned a corner we stopped dead in our tracks because there was the troll peering in through a doorway ahead.
"Bugger." I breathed before I thought about what I said. Before I even remembered that drawing the troll's attention was Not a Good Thing. Merlin must have smiled on us, the troll went in the door. I let out a breath in relief and turned to go but Harry gripped my sleeve.
"Someone's in there." He sounded like Dean. We heard a scream.
"Oh no" That doorway was the entrance to the girl's bathroom. And it was great that Granger was in the closest bathroom, but did the troll have to come up to this floor? Harry started forward, head cocked. The Troll was smashing up the bathroom, thankfully too slowly to hit the person scurrying around. I followed Harry edgily, I wanted to run and get someone, I'd even settle for Snape at this moment, but I didn't want Harry to face the troll alone. We made it to the door and I saw Granger running around in the debris of the bathroom nimbly dodging the troll's club even though she looked scared out of her mind. That was exactly the reason I was surprised to hear about her crying in the bathroom. She didn't seem the type to give in to something like a crying fit over some hurt feelings. Especially since crying wouldn't solve anything. The girls I overheard were laughing at her.
"Granger?" I yelped and everyone – including the troll – turned to look at me. But before I could say anything Harry roared. As the roar continued, punctuated with grunts and grumbles, the troll ducked his head and shuffled backward making a whining grunting noise.
"Granger," I hissed motioning with my hand "walk here slowly and confidently." Now either she is a marvelous actress or she follows direction very well, but she looked calm when she joined me in standing behind Harry.
"That really is amazing," she said looking at Harry awe shining in her eyes, "I think he's speaking troll."
I turned to look at her, and it was only then that I saw our professors standing behind us. They were watching the interaction between Harry and the troll as well. While the troll was whining some response I tapped Harry and told him that quietly that the professors were here. He nodded and when I stepped back he swung an arm in obvious gesticulation toward the adults and grunted out more syllables. The troll peered at them then grunted. Harry huffed and then grunted pointing out the door. The troll shuffled forward dragging its club and looking oddly small. Dumbledore motioned for most of the professors to follow the troll while he and Professor McGonagall stayed behind.
"What do you have to say for yourselves?" McGonagall asked, obviously expecting an answer. Both Granger and I shuffled our feet, though Granger seemed to be squaring her shoulders to say something. Before she could speak, Harry using Granger's voice (though it was raspy from shouting) said "An adult let the troll in."
There was no further discussion. McGonagall sent us to the Griffindor dorms and she and Dumbledore dragged Harry away for further discussion. They kept him for a long time. I tried to stay awake until Harry came back but the excitement must have been too much for me. I fell asleep sitting up with the curtains open.
I woke up tucked into bed, the curtains drawn and Harry curled up at the foot of my bed – neat and tidy like a cat. He should have climbed under the covers, or taken a blanket because he had a cold for a week after that. Madam Pomfrey did what she could, but Harry refused to take pepper-up potion. Even after I explained and demonstrated that there was nothing wrong with it. He told me privately afterward in a shrill woman's voice "I need to smell nothing for a while, that troll was horrible."