Disclaimer 1: This is fanfic. That means I do not own any of it. I just borrow it to play with for a little while and let people see the pathetic results if they really want to.

Disclaimer 2: I'm not making any money from it. It's just for fun.

Disclaimer 3: What isn't borrowed is all made up. None of this is real or most likely at all realistic. Please don't trust any of the information in here. Most likely you know more about whatever I'm writing about than I do.

Disclaimer 4: Attitudes, views and opinions expressed by the characters or in the story are not necessarily those of the author. Even when writing Science Fiction or Fantasy I do not tend to attempt to create perfect/better worlds in which everybody gets a happy end ... or whatever is best for them. Please accept that some characters will have a bad ending or be unhappy.

Disclaimer 5: I intend no insult to anyone. If I offend anyone I'm very sorry. Please understand that it was an accident as I tend to be very clumsy in these things.

Notes: Hm ... The troll incident, yes, but this Harry is used to turning to adults for help and this Hermione is already their friend. Let's see what happens ...

Harry No. 5 and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 10: Hallowe'en

Harry soon found out that he enjoyed Quidditch and since both Ron and Draco were quite enthusiastic about the sport it didn't take him all that long to learn the rules either.

At the end of October the wizarding world surprised him with a holiday he'd never heard of before and that Ron's enthusiastic description didn't make any more understandable: Halloween.

"It sounds Satanist to me," Hermione said disapprovingly on the way to Professor Flitwick's class. "But I suppose if the institute keeps it we must participate. And if all they actually do is give us a feast to eat."

"It's one of the best holidays ever!" Ron insisted.

"It celebrates death and the undead," Hermione snapped. "That can't be good."

All Harry understood was that they were to have a lot of delicious food tonight and for some reason his friends were arguing abut whether that was good or bad. He felt relieved when Professor Flitwick announced that they were finally ready to attempt floating their feathers. That distracted Ron and Hermione from the holiday, at least for the moment.

Soon however they were at it again.

"You are saying it wrong!" Harry heard Hermione nag.

"Well, then show me how it's done, if you know so much better," Ron challenged.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione demonstrated and the feather rose into the air.

Harry applauded her which attracted Professor Flitwick's attention.

"Oh excellent, Hermione!" the little wizard exclaimed. "And so quickly. Very well done indeed. A point to Gryffindor."

"I hate her," Ron told Harry on the way out. "She makes us all look bad. I don't want to be friends with her anymore."

"She's smart," Harry tried to explain. "And she's from my primary institute."

"But this is your institute now!" Ron yelled. "Forget your stupid Muggle institute and stupid Muggle friends already. I'm your best friend and not Hermione. Everybody else hates her, so why don't you?"

"But Ron ..."

"I'll stop being your friend, if you don't stop being friends with Hermione!" Ron threatened and walked off.

"But Ron!" Harry called after him.

Ron ignored him.

What was he supposed to do now? He'd never been in such a predicament before. At the primary institute the nurses would have stepped in and taken Ron aside to remind him that his behaviour was not nice and everybody ought to be friends.

Harry cast an apologetic look at Hermione and then ran after Ron to try and explain just like the nurses would have. He caught up with his friend in the great hall, but the amazing and frightening sight of the decorations there confused him and then there was the delicious food and for the moment her forgot all about Hermione.

He only remembered when Lavender walked up to them.

"Hermione is crying in the toilet and doesn't want any of the feast. And it's her very first Halloween, too. Are you proud of yourself, Ron?" she asked.

"It really wasn't nice what you said," Harry added. "You should go and apologise."

Ron looked a little ashamed of himself, but insisted that she hadn't wanted to come to the feast anyway,so it was not his fault.

And then Professor Quirrel stumbled into the Great Hall gasping.

"Troll! In the! Dungeons!" was all he managed to say before he collapsed.

Soon the whole hall was in chaos. Percival the prefect called to them and said he'd lead them out, but this time Harry did not forget.

"Percival!" he called. "Percival! Hermione! She ..."

"Yes, yes," said Percival. "Just follow me. Gryffindor first years, follow me!"

"But Hermione!"

"He's not listening," Ron told Harry. "But we know where she is. We can fetch her."

They ran towards the girls' toilets, but Harry felt uneasy.

"What if Percival leaves before we get back? We'll be lost."

"The headmaster told him to take us to the common room. We know the way there," Ron countered. "Hermione! Hermione!"

Just before they reached the toilets they met somebody else, though.

"Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed in relief, and then again in despair as it seemed that the professor hadn't heard them and was just going to climb on up to the second floor. "Professor Snape!"

"What are you doing here, James?" Snape demanded angrily.

"I'm Harry."

"What are you doing here, Harry?"

"Hermione's in the toilet," Harry pointed. "And there's a troll!"

Snape immediately turned around and headed for the toilet. "And why did you idiots run all the way here instead of telling a prefect, James?"

"I'm Harry."

"And why did you idiots ..."

"Percival wouldn't listen," Ron answered hastily. "Please save Hermione, Professor Snape!"

Snape muttered some words that Harry had never heard before. He wasn't sure whether they were a spell, curses or maybe just Latin.

Then the professor opened the toilet door even though he wasn't a girl and called for Hermione.

"Are you there, Hermione? Come out! There's a troll loose in the school and you are not safe here."

"I'm here. -sniff- Coming," they heard a very small voice call back, but just then something horrid came around a corner of the corridor.

It was tall and ugly and carried a huge club. Harry screamed.

"Get behind me," Snape ordered roughly and stepped between the boys and the troll.

While Harry and Ron huddled together against the wall outside the bathroom he pointed his wand at the troll and made a few fast movements with it. The troll fell over and ropes tied themselves around him.

"Oh wow!" Harry exclaimed.

"We'll learn how to do that in DADA someday," Ron told him excitedly.

Snape sneered at them.

"Some faraway day," he said, then pointed towards the main stairs. "Now get back to your commonroom. It is perfectly safe now and I do believe you ought to know the way by now so you don't need me to babysit you. I have to get to the stone."

Harry still didn't like Professor Snape, but he had to admit that he was very impressive.