Disclaimer: Trolls do not make good pets. They smell, they destroy things, its just not a good idea to try to domesticate them. Invest in a cat or a kneazle before trying a troll. I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own my cat, Kitten. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.
Chapter 9: What Friends Are For
"Remus, don't do anything irrational," Padfoot began with his hands in the universal position of surrender. "This whole thing isn't what it seems."
"This isn't what it seems!" the man Padfoot identified as Remus spat. "Well, then pray tell what is this? Because from where I'm standing, a murderous, traitor is disrespecting the memory of people I loved."
"I'm as good as responsible for their deaths," Padfoot conceded. "But I didn't tell Voldemort where they were. I wasn't the secret keeper, Peter was."
"What a bunch of crap!" Remus roared. "Dumbledore told everyone you were the secret keeper, and why would Lily and James hide the truth from me?"
Sirius looked ashamed as he continued his explanation. "We didn't tell you since Dumbledore told us his suspicions that you were the spy in the Order, due to your long unexplained absences. As for Dumbledore not knowing… Lily and James didn't trust him towards the end. We thought we were brilliant by having a decoy secret keeper. I'd die rather than tell anyone where the Potters were hiding, and if I were captured, they could never force the information out of me."
"That's a lie," Remus said with a confused look on his face. "Dumbledore had me working for the Order undercover with the werewolves. Everything you've just said is a lie."
Remus raised his wand to Sirius's face. Lexi panicked and did the only thing that came to her mind. She picked up a rock and began to sneak around behind Remus. If he was going to try to hurt her Padfoot, she'd injure him first.
"I swear to you, on my magic that what I said was the truth as far as I knew it!" Sirius desperately cried. "I would never harm a Potter; I'd rather kill myself first." After Sirius spoke those words the area around him lit up with a bright, blinding light.
"You made a vow," Remus said with awe in his voice, as his wand lowered towards the ground.
Lexi, however, refused to drop her guard. This Remus had already made a threatening move towards her family, she wasn't about to let him make a sudden attack on Padfoot.
"I'm telling you the truth, Moony," Padfoot reiterated. "Peter was the traitor."
"You killed Peter," Remus flatly stated, "that still makes you a murder."
Sirius barked out a laugh. "I wish I killed that rat bastard! He blew up the street and transformed before I could get a single spell off."
Remus's mouth dropped open with surprise. "What? Eye-witnesses saw you kill him!"
"They saw what Peter wanted them to see," Padfoot said unable to keep the anger out of his voice. "After being sent to Azkaban without a trial, I wish I killed the rat."
"I don't think I can believe you," Remus said. "Your story is such a tall tale."
"I don't expect you to believe me," Sirius said the disappointment evident in his voice. "But just be on the lookout of a rat with a finger missing on his front right paw."
"Padfoot," Remus began, using Sirius's nickname for the first time that evening. "I need to take you in."
Lexi raised the rock, ready to strike the moment Remus raised his wand to perform magic.
"Please," Sirius began, looking straight at Lexi, "there are some things you still don't know about. I promise to tell you one day, but please let me go back to my responsibility."
"Why should I?"
"For the sake of friendship," Sirius simply began. "Not just for myself, but for James and Lily."
"Are you trying to find the rat?" Remus asked curiously.
"No," Sirius bitterly replied. "He's not my top concern."
"Harry?" Remus asked his voice breaking a bit.
Sirius just nodded. "Among other things," was his only audible reply.
"For friendship, Padfoot, but only because you made that vow not to hurt Harry," Remus said putting his wand away. "If you do hurt him in any way, that vow won't kill you, I will," Remus promised before disapparating from the spot.
"Come here, Lexi," Sirius said once he was sure Remus was gone. "We need to get you back to Privet Drive. Then we can discuss exactly what you were planning on doing with that rock."
Lexi put down the rock and walked over to Sirius with her head held high. There was no way Padfoot could cower her into thinking her plan to defend him was in any way wrong.
~*~
Harry jumped at the sound of Hermione's scream. Even though he was several classrooms over from the second floor girl's lavatory, he would know that scream anywhere. Without thinking Harry ran as fast as he could in the direction of the lavatory to help out his friend.
He didn't know what situation he would be walking into but it didn't matter. Hermione was his friend and Harry would fiercely protect her if it was the last thing he did.
As Harry skidded into the girl's loo he came across the most hideous sight. It was twelve-foot-tall, gray creature that looked like it was made out of granite. The thing was lumpy like a potato but it smelled like Uncle Vernon's dirty socks. Looking straight up at the top of the thing, he realized it had a small head on the top of it's large body. Processing all the information Harry had rapidly took in, he realized the thing in front of him was a mountain troll.
This was not a good situation at all. There was no time to run to the Great Hall to get a teacher for help. Hermione was pinned against the wall, her eyes wide with terror as the troll smashed his club in random patterns. The beast seemed to be getting some form of perverse pleasure from Hermione's screams of terror.
Luckily, the troll did not notice Harry's arrival, since it's attention was focused solely on Hermione. This gave Harry the briefest amount of time to formulate a plan. Harry need to get Hermione out of the room without either of them being injured by the troll. A feeling of dread that had begun in Harry's stomach the minute he walked into the room started to spread through his body. He tried his hardest to push it down. He was Hermione's only hope of getting out of there alive.
Harry fingered his wand as he looked around the room. The bathroom stalls had already destroyed by the troll. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage…
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry roared.
The stall door closest to Harry rose off the ground and went crashing into the side of the troll. A deep scream of pain came forth from the troll as Harry ran as fast as he could to Hermione's position. Unfortunately, the minute he reached Hermione the troll focused his attention back on the two of them.
"That… that…" Hermione began to stutter. "Harry, that was completely reckless! Oh my, I can't believe that actually worked."
Hermione screamed once again as the troll swung its club towards them. Harry threw himself onto Hermione to knock the shocked girl to the floor. It wouldn't do for one of them to get injured now. As far as Harry was concerned half of his objectives had already been fulfilled. Step one was reach Hermione. Step two was get both of them out of the room.
The troll continued to roar as he swung his club around wildly. It wasn't aiming at anything in particular. This gave Harry an idea.
"Hermione," Harry whispered, "when I count to three, we both need to perform the levitating charm. We will bombard the troll from two different sides to confuse it so we can sneak by it. I will attack it from the left and you attack from the right. We'll use some of the broken debris as our ammo."
"Harry," Hermione said her panic evident on her face. "I can't do this," Hermione began, "What if the troll attacks us? What happens if it all goes wrong?" It was quite clear to Harry that Hermione was being to hyperventilate.
"Hermione," Harry said grapping his friend's shoulders, trying to bring her back to reality. "You can do this. You are a Gryffindor, the sorting hat believes you have courage and so I do. We can do this together."
A look of calm, resolve crossed Hermione's face. "We can do this," she said from her position on the floor as the troll his club over their heads again. "We can do this."
"Ready," Harry asked knowing that it was either now or never. Hermione nodded her head; her newly found confidence was still shining through. Harry took a deep breath, before pulling himself up into a squatting position. Hermione next to him mirrored his actions.
"One," Harry said while picking out the object he would use, still keeping low to avoid the madly swinging club.
"Two," Harry called out. However, before they were able to do anything, tragedy struck. The troll aimed right at their position.
Harry and Hermione as one rolled towards opposite sides of the room. The club narrowly missed the two of them. Harry immediately shot up in a couching position. He was pleased to see Hermione copy his actions. This may make things more complicated in leaving the room, but perhaps it was the best. Harry would be able to make sure to draw the troll's attention away from Hermione so she could make it out of the room, then he could worry about himself.
"Hermione," Harry called out, only to see the bushy-haired witch's attention was focused on him. "We're changing the plan. I'll attack the troll while you run to the exit."
"No!" Hermione shouted, cutting Harry off. "I'm not leaving you here alone with the troll."
"Good," Harry quickly replied, as the troll was once again swinging his club madly around the room. "I hoped you would feel that way," Harry sent her a reassuring smile, at his failed attempt at humor. "You go to the door, while I distract the troll. Then you distract the troll to the other side of the room while I make it to the door, deal?"
"Deal," Hermione called out.
"Alright," Harry said, "let's try this again. When I say three, run like there is no tomorrow." After seeing Hermione's nod, Harry began his count down.
"One," Harry called out while eyeing his target.
"Two," Harry looked over and Hermione was in a position that would allow her to easily sprint towards the exit.
"Three!" Harry yelled out as their plan went into action.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry called out. Once again a stall door levitated off the floor and went crashing into the troll as Harry's wand directed it to do. The troll cried out in pain as this time the stall door hit him square in the face.
Hermione did exactly as Harry instructed. She ran towards the exit, barely missing being trotted on by the troll as it contorted around, yelling in pain. Harry was able to move a few feet closer to the door while the troll swung his club blindly in his path and his exit route.
Harry for a moment couldn't believe that the people in the Great Hall didn't hear the noise the troll was making, since it was such a high pitched scream. Yet, no one arrived to help them. At least Hermione was now out of the line of fire.
"Harry," she called out. "Are you ready?"
"Yes," Harry readily replied. He looked around for an alternate route from the easiest and clearest way to the door. Since the troll was now blocking the path, Harry needed a back up method just incase Hermione would be unable to clear the way for him. "Count it down, Hermione!"
"One," Hermione yelled, and Harry pulled himself up in a spiriting position he learned in primary school gym class. It was still questionable whether he would be running straight or to the left, but he positioned himself towards the easiest exit anyways.
"Two," Hermione called out, and Harry thought his heart would rip out of his chest because it was beating so fast.
"Three," she cried followed quickly by, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The stall wall Hermione used as her target lifted off the ground and rushed at the troll pushing it towards the side of the room that Hermione had run along. This gave Harry the perfect opportunity to run across the room; the easiest way to the door.
Hermione's spell had so much power, that when Harry reached the exit to the lavatory, the troll was still pinned against the wall. Hermione grabbed Harry's hand, breaking the spell on the troll, and the two children rushed out of the room.
"Colloportus!" Hermione called out once they closed the door behind them. Harry could hear the lock of the door click in place. They had the troll trapped alone in the lavatory; they were free.
"I wasn't sure that would work," Hermione said panting. "I had only read about that spell yesterday. I've never actually had the chance to try the locking spell before."
"Well I think it worked beautifully," Harry replied, panting as well. The adrenalin from their daring escape had yet to leave his system.
"Thank you," Hermione said suddenly latching her self to Harry in a bone crushing hug. "I was so afraid that I panicked. I was so sure that I was going to die in the loo." Harry could feel wet spots forming on his shirt collar where Hermione was crying on his shoulder, her head tucked into towards his neck.
Harry did the only thing he could think to do in that situation he hugged her back.
"I did what any friend would do, Hermione," Harry said still a bit unsure of himself. "Helping one another, that's what friends are for."
Before the two children knew it, they had collapsed on the floor, hugging one another, laughing and crying interchangeably. Hermione kept mumbling into Harry's shoulder her words of thanks, and random comments about how special he was. Harry just kept hugging her, like he would hug Lexi when he was extremely scared or excitedly happy.
The events with the troll in the bathroom had taken less than five minutes to occur. However, it made a lifetime of change in Harry Potter and Hermione Granger's lives. What neither of them knew at that particular moment was that to Harry, Hermione was no longer just a friend. She was to him, what Lexi was: a best friend, a sister. While Harry became the one thing Hermione never had: a best friend, a younger brother.
There are just some things in life a person shares with some one else, where they can't help but become closer to one another. Fighting a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.
~*~
"Lexi, I am shocked by your actions," the stern voice of Sirius Black rang through their clearing in the park off Magnolia Crescent. "I told you to hide and I expected you to stay hidden. What were you thinking?"Her
"You needed my help," Lexi said in an eerily calm and controlled voice. "I was there to provide help for you. Whether or not you really wanted it doesn't matter. I don't leave my family unprotected."
"You were about to attack another living being," Padfoot continued. "Nothing is worth doing something like that."
"No," Lexi simply replied. "You're wrong Padfoot. You are worth hurting someone especially if someone was trying to take you away from me."
Sirius stared at Lexi with a slightly stunned expression on his face. He was obviously not expecting something like that.
"What do you mean, Lexi?" Sirius asked after a few moments of silence.
"Well isn't it obvious?" Lexi replied as if Sirius was missing something very important. "You and Harry are my only family. You two are the only people who care about me, and I would do anything to protect you both. That man," Lexi spat, "was trying to take you away from me, and I wasn't about to let him do so."
Sirius stared at the righteous Potter for a few more minutes, before responding to her last statement. He could definitely understand where the young witch was coming from. As far as he was concerned, the Marauders had the same mentality in his youth; the traitor being the obvious exception.
"Lexi," Sirius began, choosing his words carefully, "you are right. A person should always do what they think is best when it comes to protecting or defending their family. However, violence should always be the last resort. There were several other ways you could have handled that situation. Can you think of any?"
Sirius studied Lexi as she stood there a moment mentally reviewing everything that had occurred at the cemetery with Remus.
"I could have made a loud noise," Lexi began, "by throwing a rock against something to startle him enough to give you a chance to run away."
Sirius mulled over the idea. It did have a slim possibility of success, but he didn't really like that her second plan also had some form of collateral damage involved.
"That could work," Sirius conceded realizing that this may not be the best time to bring up her desire to cause damage with rocks. That should be a conversation and a lesson for another day. "Can you think of another possibility?"
Lexi stood before him with her head tipped to the side for several minutes. After what seemed like forever, she finally shook her head 'no'.
"You could have started walking towards him making a lot of noise," Sirius began watching Lexi carefully to see if she was paying attention. "Since Remus had never met you before, he would have no idea on whether you were a witch or a muggle. This would cause him to either attempt to hide his wand, or drop his guard long enough for me to get away. In this scenario, you could still pretend you are not associated with me, and no one would get hurt."
Lexi nodded her head in agreement with a smile on her face. "Padfoot, can I try to think of a few more scenarios that I could have done as well? That was fun."
"Sure, kiddo," Padfoot replied with a grin of his own. "Just one more thing before we head back to the Dursleys. Did you know what you did with your hair back there in the cemetery?"
Lexi gave him a look of utter confusion, which to Sirius was a good sign. If she was what he thought she was, at least she had no idea that she was one of them. It would be easier for her to learn how to use that power quickly.
"Your hair," Sirius began to explain, "wasn't just the normal shade of black it always is. Some of your hair was so dark it was a shade of red." At that last word Lexi's face began to fall. Sirius knew how proud she was of her 'accidental magic' to change the color of her hair to match Harry's own mop of unruly black. "I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with you or your hair," Sirius continued holding his hands up in a pacifying manner. "I just think there could be more to it than accidental magic."
"What do you mean, Snuffles?" Lexi said with a deliberate jab. She knew he wasn't too fond of that nickname.
"What I mean," Sirius began in a controlled voice, trying not to rise up to the brat's bait, "is that this wasn't the first time I've seen your hair slightly off. The day I saw you in the alley where the 'dumb bully squad' was trying to beat you up, your hair had a purple tint to it. Now today when you were angry it had a red tint. That just made me suspicious as to whether or not you knew you were doing that."
"No," Lexi replied while shaking her head, "I had no idea."
"Next time you get really angry or really sad try to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror to see what I am talking about," Sirius instructed. With luck she would be the first Potter to show metamorphmagus ability. There had always been hope since Dorea Black married Charlus Potter that the trait would appear in the Potter linage as well as the Black. If it did with Lexi Potter, it would go a long way in making his life easier.
~*~
"Mr. Potter, Miss. Granger," the stern voice of Professor McGonagall rang through the corridor. "What in the world are you doing here?"
"Oh, thank goodness, Professor!" Hermione cried, finally loosening her grip on Harry. Both students were still seated on the hallway floor just outside the girl loo where the roars of the troll could still be heard. "There is a troll in the loo," Hermione continued. "It's currently locked in there but it could escape at any moment."
"What are the two of you doing here instead of returning to your common room with the rest of the children from the feast?" Professor Flitwick, whom neither of the children had noticed right away, questioned.
"We weren't at the feast, Professor," Harry politely informed the small wizard, but before Harry could continue he was abruptly cut off.
"And, why wasn't the perfect Harry Potter at this evening's feast?" the snide voice of Professor Snape cut through the conversation.
Harry looked in the direction that his voice had come from only to see Professors Snape, Quirrell and the headmaster Dumbledore, join their group. Perhaps someone had overheard all of the commotion going on in the girls' loo.
"It is Halloween, sir," Hermione answered for Harry.
"What could be so important on Halloween that would cause the great Harry Potter to miss the feast and his adoring fans?" Professor Snape continued on, with no regard to the looks the other professors were sending him.
"My parents died on this day ten years ago, sir," Harry replied this time. If Snape was going to be an ass to him again, he would not let Hermione get in the middle of it. "There really isn't a reason for me to celebrate on this day. Hermione was here with me to keep me company." To Harry's surprise, the pale face of Professor Snape seemed to turn a bit paler at his words.
"That doesn't answer why both of you are in front of the girls' loo with a troll trapped inside of it," the grandfatherly voice of the Headmaster entered the conversation.
"It was all my fault, Headmaster," Hermione replied with a tone of awe reflected clearly in her voice. It seemed his friend was a bit star struck by their headmaster. "I needed to use the loo to clean my blouse. When I was in here the troll entered as well, and Harry heard me scream and came to help me…"
As Hermione began to explain the very complicated series of events that occurred in the girls' lavatory, Harry was besieged by a terrible headache. While Harry had headaches on numerous occasions during his life, this headache was far different than anything else he had ever experienced. It was a sharp, stabbing pain located on his forehead, directly over his right eye.
This pain was located, Harry realized, over exactly where his scar was positioned on his forehead. The strength of the pain Harry was under was completely mindnumbing. It was like a blinding light was concentrating behind his eyes and he could not escape from the pain or the brightness.
Harry crumbled to the ground as he heard the concerned voices of Hermione and Professor McGonagall, call out to him. Hermione was the first of the people assembled to reach Harry's side.
"Quick," Hermione said in a take charge tone, "we need to get Harry to the Hospital Wing!"
Harry knew he would have been laughing if he wasn't in so much pain. To think, Hermione Granger would attempt to tell the professors what to do. Harry allowed Hermione to help him up, but he wasn't about to be ushered off to the Hospital Wing due to a bad headache.
"Really," Harry said in a bit of a stutter, "I'm alright. I just have a headache."
"Well, be as that may," Professor McGonagall began, "why don't the three of us head to my office to assess Mr. Potter's condition, while the rest of the professors here handle the troll." Professor McGonagall said glaring at the rest of the staff members present, as if daring one of them to contradict her.
"That sounds like the best idea possible," Professor Dumbledore replied with a concerned look reflected on his face.
At once Hermione began leading Harry in the direction of Professor McGonagall's office. The bushy-haired witch did not give anyone else the opportunity to weigh in on what may happen to her friend.
~*~
"Where have you been?" the shrill voice of Petunia Dursley ripped through the silence of number four, Privet Drive as soon as Lexi walked in the door.
"I was out," the young witch snappishly replied.
"You ungrateful freak," Aunt Petunia began. "You are to return home immediately after school every day. You have chores you need to do to earn your keep. Who do you think you are?"
Lexi had enough. She heard the same song and dance anytime she was a little late. While she did concede that today she was extremely late, considering it was seven o'clock in the evening, that didn't mean Lexi was going to take this verbal abuse from Aunt Petunia any more. Lexi could feel the anger radiating off of her.
"I think I am Lily Evans Potter's daughter," Lexi said in a very controlled tone. "And that today is Halloween and I was paying my respects to one of the heroes of my world."
Aunt Petunia was gapping like a fish. "But, how?" Aunt Petunia eventually began once she was able to regain control over her motor skills. "How did you…"
"…know?" Lexi finished for her stunned aunt. "Just because I'm not the one at Hogwarts right now doesn't mean I am ignorant of my heritage. There are people out there that would hate to see me, or my famous brother being mistreated, if you know what I mean."
Lexi knew she laid it on a bit thick, but it was true. Harry was in constant contact with her, even if Aunt Petunia was unaware. Also Sirius hated the way the Dursleys treated her and Harry, however, he wasn't in much of a position to do anything about it for them. All Sirius could currently do is be there as a source of comfort and guidance for her.
"What lies did that boy tell them?" Aunt Petunia demanded even though her complexion had turned as white as a ghost.
"Harry didn't tell anyone anything," Lexi replied crossing her fingers behind her back. "Certain people became interested in our home life due to some observations just not making any sense." Swelling with a strange feeling of courage, Lexi plowed along attempting to achieve an objective she had since Harry left for Hogwarts.
"Did you know that most families living in a four-bedroom house don't force two of their occupants to live in a cupboard under the main set of stairs?" Lexi asked the question in a matter-of-fact tone, "especially when two of the bedrooms in the house are being used as a guest room and a second bedroom for one of the members of the family?"
Aunt Petunia seemed scared and Lexi didn't know how she would react to Lexi's implied threat by the wizarding world. When Aunt Petunia was cornered, she was like a wounded animal; she would fight and claw at anything in her path. Lexi knew that but she had pushed Aunt Petunia anyways. There was no use in trying to back down. Lexi was going to have to see this through.
"Go to your cupboard, now," Aunt Petunia said in little more than a whisper.
"Go where?" Lexi said with a raised eyebrow. Like Sirius once told her, 'in for a knut, in for a galleon'.
"To your cupboard," Aunt Petunia said and Lexi began to feel furious again. "I will talk to your uncle about what you said," Aunt Petunia had continued.
At least they were talking about it. When Harry came back from Hogwarts there would be no room in that cupboard for the two of them. They needed to move at least to one of the other bedrooms to share, if the Dursleys would not give them their own rooms.
Lexi didn't follow Aunt Petunia's orders. Instead of heading straight to her bedroom, she instead took a detour to the small downstairs bathroom. Lexi was so angry at her aunt for not immediately giving in to her, and was furious that her future living arrangements all depended on the opinion of Vernon Dursley. Needless to say, Lexi was not pleased.
Lexi washed her face with cool water, before looking up at her reflection in the mirror. Sure enough, Lexi immediately noticed what Sirius had been talking about. Some of her hair seemed to change to a shade of red like fire. As Lexi continued to look at it, her hair suddenly changed back to the black hair she normally had. This was definitely an interesting development.
~*~
After walking for a few minutes, Harry, Hermione and Professor McGonagall made it to the transfiguration professor's office. Hermione proceeded to assist Harry into sitting in the nearest chair, despite his protests. As soon as they had started to walk away from the corridor where the rest of the professors prepared to expel the troll from the school, Harry's headache had suddenly felt better. The farther Harry was away from the other professors, the less pain he had felt until it went away all together.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall began, once everyone was seated. "Why don't you explain the entire situation that occurred earlier?"
As Hermione told the professor about exactly what had occurred in surprisingly detailed accuracy, Harry took the time to reflect upon what may happen if word about the events surrounding the troll became public knowledge. How would the rest of the students treat him? Would they be kinder to him? Or would the other students look at him as more of a freak now than ever?
Harry suddenly noticed the talking had stopped and Professor McGonagall and Hermione were staring at him with very concerned looks on their faces.
"Sorry," Harry sheepishly said, "what did you just say, ma'am?"
"I asked you how you were feeling Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said, never taking her eyes off him. "Is your headache any better?"
"Yes, Professor," Harry replied, only to further elaborate due to Professor McGonagall's skeptical look. "My headache went away as we were traveling to your office."
"If you say so, Mr. Potter," was Professor McGonagall's firm response. "I want to thank you for what you did, Mr. Potter. I believe your actions were the correct choice to make, even though it pains me to admit it. I never want to see one of my students place themselves in harm's way, but if you did not act quickly, I fear Miss Granger would no longer be with us."
Harry glanced at Hermione out of the corner of his eye. She had tears running down her cheeks once again, however, this time she was smiling at him.
"I only did what I had to do," Harry simply replied. "I didn't think there was enough time to try to find a teacher."
Professor McGonagall nodded her head in agreement. "Mr. Potter, I award you and Gryffindor House fifty points for your courage and quick thinking in a life-threatening situation."
Harry and Hermione both let their jaws drop upon the news. Neither of them had ever heard of one student being awarded so many points at one time.
"And Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall continued, "For your heroic actions and bravery, I award you and Gryffindor House, thirty points."
Eighty points, they had gained Gryffindor eighty points by simply being the wrong place at the wrong time. While Hermione seemed extremely excited by earning the points, Harry didn't think they deserved it.
"I'm sorry, professor," Harry began. "That's all too much." At Professor McGonagall's questioning look Harry continued. "We were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. We didn't do anything spectacular to deserve those points. Anyone in my situation would have done the same thing for a friend."
Professor McGonagall stared at Harry for what felt like an eternity before she began to chuckle. "Mr. Potter, you are really a rare type of person. I assure you the points that you have been rewarded are the least of what you deserve for your actions."
Harry, not wanting to argue with a professor, merely nodded his head in agreement instead.
"Now, even though both of you appear fine," Professor McGonagall continued. "I still want Madam Pomfrey to give you both a once over. Is that understood?"
Both students wordlessly nodded their heads.
"Excellent," Professor McGonagall replied. "I shall escort you to the Hospital Wing, and then to the classroom you were both in earlier this evening to collect your belongings. The other staff members should have the troll situation handled by that point in time."
As they were walking down to the Hospital Wing, Harry and Hermione kept sharing the occasional glance. Even facing Madam Pomfrey, the feared Med-witch of Hogwarts was nothing compared to taking on a twelve-foot-mountain troll.
~*~
A/N: Well I hope this clears up some confusion about Harry and Hermione's relationship. This story is strictly Harry/Ginny. They may or may not have other relationships before they get together but they will ultimately be together at the end. Both Harry and Ginny will be different characters by the time they get together due to changes in the plotline this story. My commentary at the end of the fight with the troll was meant to confirm for readers that this is not a H/Hr story, although a lot of people got worried well before this chapter was posted. (I'm approximately four to five chapters a head in writing, so I was dying just to say wait for chapter nine! All will be explained there.)
In cannon I always saw Hermione as a sister to Harry. In creating Lexi I was always afraid she would take away from the Harry and Hermione sibling relationship I believe was there in cannon. It was the one cannon aspect I wanted to keep but was afraid I would lose. Hopefully I was able to believably prevent this due to the changes in the story I created so far. The next big hurdle will be Lexi meeting Hermione, and whether or not they will accept each other, in keeping the Harry and Hermione sibling relationship.
Thank you for all of the reviews. The critiques and kind words have been an excellent source of motivation for me. I need to thank zephy for beta skills, you rock. Sorry for the long author notes. I needed to clear up the ship stuff. Also next update won't be till next Monday since I'm entering a busy phase at work. Which means less writing time and only weekly updates till things slow down again. I'm just as bummed as you guys are. :(
Foria
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