Again anything you recognize is from the great JK Rowling! Everything else is mine!

Chapter Five

A Troll of Friendship

It was Saturday again; a week after her talk with Professor Dumbledore, and Taylor was enjoying the view from her dorm window as the rest of the girls slept. The sun was just starting to paint the eastern sky lighter shades of purple. The stars were winking out of sight as the sky grew lighter. She loved the sunrise. This past week had been better. Classes were still challenging but she was learning. She smiled as she remembered the first flying lesson. She'd been able to get the broom off the ground on her first try. The same as Harry, she smiled to herself. What had happened next nearly stopped her heart though. Harry had taken off after Draco Malfoy because he had Neville's ball thingy. Then Malfoy threw the ball and Harry had dived after it, catching it just before it hit the ground! What flying, she'd thought, until Professor McGonagall had come along and taken Harry into the school. She was so relieved to find out later that Harry hadn't been expelled.

Taylor remembered the look on Hermione's face when she had overheard Harry and Ron making plans to meet Malfoy for a duel at midnight. Hermione hadn't let her alone all evening, talking about how irresponsible those two were being. Hermione had only settled down to do some homework when Taylor suggested they wait up for Harry and Ron and stop them from going. That had turned out well, Taylor thought sarcastically. They weren't able to stop Harry and Ron from leaving the common room and then the four of them couldn't get back in because the Fat Lady was gone from her painting. The next thing to happen was they found Neville asleep in the hall; he hadn't been able to get in the common room either because of the Fat Lady. Then when they reached the Trophy Room where Harry was supposed to duel Malfoy, it had been a trap and Filch, the caretaker and his cat Mrs. Norris had shown up instead. "Run," Harry had shouted and they ran! All the way to the corridor on the third floor, that was restricted! And for good reason, there was a three-headed dog in there and it almost had a snack of First Years! Taylor couldn't help but smile though, at what Hermione had said to Harry and Ron when they had finally made it safely back to the common room, "We could have been killed or worse yet… expelled." Taylor chuckled to herself.

The weeks went by fast. Taylor found she had lots to keep her busy. The schoolwork was great. She really enjoyed her classes, except Potions of course. She had received a couple of letters from Mrs. Briggs and had sent her some too. It was nice to receive mail by owl post at breakfast. She had noticed Harry didn't receive any, though, except the broomstick he got one morning so he could play Quidditch. Taylor was trying hard to keep her mind off of Harry but it wasn't working very well. Taylor liked Hermione, but she could be so bossy at times, and Ron and Harry didn't seem to like her very much.

Then again, they don't pay any attention to me, Taylor mused as she sat in the girls' bathroom. She'd been trying to talk Hermione into coming to the Great Hall for the Hallowe'en feast for over an hour. Taylor wasn't making any headway. Hermione was so upset. Ron had said something to her after their Charms class that afternoon, and Hermione had been crying in the girls lavatory ever since. "Come on Hermione, let's just go up to the feast, I'm sure Ron didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Taylor said. Hermione just shook her head again.

Suddenly they heard the door open, and when Taylor and Hermione turned to see who it was. They both let out a scream. Standing just inside the door way was a huge troll, a wooden club in his hand. Taylor looked around but there was nowhere to run, they were trapped! As the troll started to come towards them, Taylor was trying to think of a way out as they backed up into the corner. Then just as the troll came within striking distance with his huge club, Harry and Ron came running in the bathroom door.

"Duck," yelled Harry as the troll's club smashed into the sink beside Hermione.

Taylor felt the floor vibrate as the club hit it. Hermione's hand grabbed hold of Taylor's, and they both dodged towards the cubicles. The troll turned as they ran.

"We've got to distract it," shouted Harry and he grabbed a piece of broken sink and lobbed it at the troll. It turned towards him.

"Oy, dung breath," yelled Ron as he threw something at it too.

The troll roared in frustration as the sounds echoed off the bathroom walls and it raised its club for another swing. "Come on, Hermione," yelled Taylor as she tried to pull Hermione to her feet. She had sunk to the floor in fright, but still had a tight hold on Taylor's hand.

The troll's club came smashing down again but it seemed to be confused as to which target to swing at. It hit the cubicle beside where Taylor and Hermione were. Taylor was still trying to pull Hermione to her feet. "I can't get her up," screamed Taylor, fear really setting in now as the troll looked at her with its beady eyes.

The next second, Taylor saw Harry grab hold of the troll's club as he raised it for another swing. Harry reached out and stuffed his wand up the troll's nose. Harry jumped off and Ron gave his wand a swish and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The troll's club rose up into the air and fell down. There was a sickening thud as it hit the ugly creature on the head.

The troll fell to the bathroom floor, out cold.

That's when Professor McGonagall, came rushing into the bathroom. "What the…" exclaimed McGonagall. "What do you think you are doing Mr. Potter? Mr. Weasley?"

"Please Professor, we went looking for the troll. They were only trying to save…" Hermione's voice quivered and she looked at Taylor, her eyes pleading.

"They were saving us," said Taylor in a small voice

The look on Harry and Ron's face was incredible. They couldn't believe that Hermione and Taylor were willing to lie to a teacher and take the blame for this.

"Well I never would have thought you capable of doing something so foolish Miss Granger, Miss Porter! To go after a troll! Five points each will be taken from Gryffindor. And you Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I give you each ten points… for pure dumb luck," Professor McGonagall said, clearly still very angry but a bit impressed none the less.

The four of them hurried out of there as fast as they could. They went all the way back to the Gryffindor common room not saying a word. Just before they went in through the painting of the Fat Lady, Taylor and Hermione stopped. There was a moment of awkward silence; the girls were staring at the floor. "Thanks," the four of them said all at once. Taylor and Hermione looked up at Harry and Ron, and the four of them laughed as they went in through the porthole.

That was the beginning of a friendship that would carry them through the worst of evil and the darkest of times.

A/N Well there you have it! That is the background of Taylor Porter, from when Hagrid found her and how she became friends with Hermione, Ron and Harry. The next chapter will be the start of their seventh year and the adventures that will come with it! I hope you have enjoyed it so far! Though this story is just really getting started now!

Please leave a review and tell me how you liked my take on how the story of Harry could of started! I would consider it a reward for posting 2 chapters in 1 day! :-)

Thank you to my bata barbc!

Until next time, cytpotter