Chapter 9
Snape knew that a troll could not have got into Hogwarts of its own accord. Trolls were stupid creatures and Hogwarts Castle itself had been warded against such creatures by the founders themselves. And why the dungeons? Snape knew every inch of the castle dungeons, he had hidden in them far too many times in his youth and since he became Slytherin Head he often patrolled them. There was nothing for a troll there. That location had to be a trap, or at least a distraction. Quirrell was terrified of the dungeons, so why would he be there to know a troll was? The more he thought of it, the more absurd the idea became.

Seeing Quirrell be awoken and released by Madam Pomfrey and all the Headmaster address the students, Snape slipped through a side door. He was not a spy for nothing, he thought as he stealthily followed the turbaned professor. When they reached the third floor, Snape heard the unlocking charm being cast. So the troll was a distraction and Quirrell was after the Stone? Wait! That voice wasn't Quirrell's! It was cold, clear and high pitched without a hint of a stutter. As Quirrell entered the room, Snape felt a burning on his left forearm, a sensation he hadn't felt in 10 years. It meant he was near the Dark Lord.

He waited in the shadows, figuring that if Quirrell knew how to calm the Cerberus, then all the barking, snapping and growling would stop. If that happened he would have to inform Albus and the Order immediately. An immortal Dark Lord was a horrifying proposition.

The snapping and growling grew louder and suddenly Quirrell shot back out of the door. He would have run straight into Snape if Snape hadn't moved at precisely the right moment. Quirrell ran for his life, absolute fear all over his features as the Cerberus snapped and growled and barked as it strained to get off its chain.

Snape knew that he had to get the creature back in the room and the door locked again before it did manage to snap its chain. He didn't know the trick on how to calm it so he sent stunning spells and freezing spells at it in quick succession. When this approach didn't work he tried sleep spells which had a partial effect, calming down the growling and making it lethargic, allowing him to approach. Just as he reached the door and began to shut it, Fluffy caught Snape's scent and lurched his left head at the wizard. Snape was a fraction of a second too slow avoiding it, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in his left calf. Another strong sleep spell at that head allowed the door to be shut and locked.

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Down on the first floor, Snape was limping through the corridors to the next staircase. He wanted to get back to his quarters so he could sort out this bite. It was getting more painful by the minute. Coming up to the Charms classroom he heard lots of grunts and scrapes from inside.

"Professor! Professor! You have to help!" Hermione practically ran into him and was almost hysterical.

"Why must I help Miss Granger?" Snape asked icily.

"Ron left early from the feast, because Harry was with... nevermind. The troll is in there and Harry went in to get Ron out!"

Snape paled. "Miss Granger are you telling me there is a troll in the Charms classroom with two first years?"

"Yes sir. Please help them sir." Hermione begged.

"Merlin; and Poppy said the boy was like Lily..." Snape muttered under his breath.

"You shall stay here Miss Granger, you will not move an inch. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir. Help them sir!"

Snape entered the room to a site of chaos. There was a red head just sticking out through a sea of chairs, tables and books and a twelve foot mountain troll slowly advancing with a boy sat on its shoulders, gripping its ears for balance and trying to distract it at all costs.

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!" shouted Snape.

The troll didn't appear to be affected by the spells, but it did turn round and Snape gasped. There stuck up the troll's nostril was a wand, probably Potter's.

"Impedimenta!" he shouted again, this time aiming for the eyes.

The troll lurched and then froze entirely, yet somehow remaining on its feet.

"Accio Potter's wand. Mobilicorpus"

Snape caught Harry's wand in his left hand as his wand floated Harry to the ground.

"Thankyou sir." Harry said as his feet touched down.

"Mr Weasley, come here." was all Snape's reply was. "You will both serve detention with me for thinking you could fight a troll. My office, tomorrow, 7pm sharp. Now mind out."

Snape levitated the troll's club and then sent it flying at the troll's face. It hit with a resounding thud and the troll collapsed backwards onto the floor. Scurrying footsteps were heard shortly after.

"Oh my!" Minerva exclaimed as she took in the scene. "What in Merlin's name happened here? And would you care to explain why you are not in your common rooms with the rest of your house?"

"Please Professor McGonagall. It is my fault. Ron had left the feast early and so Harry and I went looking for him. We found him in here, the troll between him and the door." Hermione had come into the room with her Head of House.

"Why did you not assume he had simply gone back to Gryffindor Tower?"

"I was being a bit of an idiot." Ron said ruefully. "I was angry at Hermione for becoming friends with Harry because I didn't like her and I... I didn't want to share my best friend. She also showed me up in Charms earlier today and I um... I... well, I didn't take it well. Sorry Hermione." Ron ended sheepishly, his face as bright red as his hair.

He didn't want to have to say he was jealous, he didn't like it at all but she had saved him and if he wanted to be friends with Harry he would have to at least tolerate her.

"Apology accepted." Hermione replied with a smile.

Whatever would have been said next was interrupted by more footsteps. The rest of the staff had arrived. One by one they registered the troll and the three first years, Poppy looking for any sign of injury and Flitwick surveying the wreckage of his classroom.

When Quirrell entered, he looked at the stationary troll in disbelief. Anger that wasn't his starting coursing through the professor and suddenly Harry grasped his scar in pain and fainted. Poppy prised her nephew's hand away and saw the blood there.

"I shall take Mr Potter to the Hospital Wing." Poppy stated in her businesslike manner. Not everyone there knew about her relationship to Harry and she intended to keep it that way. "Severus I could use some assistance."

"Of course."

He moved towards the door, but of course it was a limp, the pain from the bite having increased whilst he was fighting the troll and he let out a gasp as he put weight on it.

"Severus, what have you done to your leg?" the medi-witch enquired sharply

"Nothing which I cannot fix."

"Let me see it."

"No it is nothing. You must tend to Potter. He is of the greater concern surely? I can still talk and mainly walk. He has just fought a troll and then fainted. Leave me alone."

"Severus..." Poppy warned.

Severus knew that voice. It was the I'm-going-to-force-you-to-do-what-I-want-soon voice. He should let her see it, but she wouldn't let him leave the Hospital Wing until it was completely healed and all he needed was a blood replenisher and a pain potion. His glare would do the rest of the work with the students.

"No you meddlesome woman. Leave me in peace and attend to the boy."

"Don't say I didn't warn you Severus. Stupefy. Mobilicorpus."

"I shall meet you in the Hospital Wing shortly. When I have finished dealing with these two." Minerva added.

Poppy nodded and headed out, her two patients in front of her.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for disobeying a direct order Miss Granger. However five points will be awarded to both you and Mr Potter for coming to a friend. Now go back to your common room. I shall inform you when Mr Potter is available for visitors."