1st November

So much has happened in the last 24 hours. You literally have no idea. But firstly, moment of appreciation, if you may... I've been at Hogwarts for 2 whole months already! I love it here and I (sort of) fit in and I haven't gotten shouted at! YEY!

Anyway... Levitation! I made a feather fly, and I know you're thinking 'big deal!' but it matters to me. Besides, Hermione and I were the only people in the class able to do it! I personally have nicknamed ourselves 'masters of charm'. Works, doesn't it? No connotations whatsoever! Yes, it's a little OTT, but you catch my rift.

Back to what happened in class. We were all told to get into partners, Harry was partnered with Seamus, Hermione was with Ron (which the two of them were so annoyed at, I honestly wish they would simply kiss and make up) and I was partners with no-one other than Neville. Great. I was preparing myself for a trip to the hospital wing...

The incantation for levitation is 'wingardium leviosa'. Professor Flitwick warned us about Wizard Baruffio who said's' instead of 'f' and found himself with a buffalo on his chest. I hope that wasn't true... Now all I could think of was 'Wingardium leviofa' and imagined a giraffe land beside me squishing Neville. I sniggered to myself.

"What's so funny?" Neville asked.

"Let's hope you haven't got a buffalo on top of you when you try the spell!" he looked at me in sheer panic. I couldn't help but laugh even more.

Not before long, Ron and Hermione were having a domestic. Hermione shouted, "Its LeviOsa, not LevioSAR! Honestly, Ron!"

"You do it then, if you're so clever!" Ron responded in retaliation. He was taken aback as Hermione spoke the incantation and the feather flew into the air. The regret could be seen in his bright red cheeks, he wasn't going to try that one any time soon!

"Well done Miss Granger!" Professor Flitwick's voice boomed across the walls of the classroom. For a little man, he had a big voice! Ron turned a shade of beetroot.

I suppose this was my shot, I just thought 'wingardium leviosa', 'wingardium leviosa', 'wingardium leviosa' and then spoke the incantation "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" (swishing and flicking when doing so). Oops, that was a little louder that I had expected... The feather soared in the air and poor Professor Flitwick nearly fell off the pile of books he was standing on.

"Ah! Miss Pink! You and Miss Granger, my wonderful shooting stars!" I looked over to Hermione and smiled in the 'you didn't think I could do it, did you?' look. Neville then poked my hip with his wand as if to get my attention. I let out an almighty yelp. "Miss Pink? Everything alright?"

I turned to face Neville, 'Don't poke that at me ever again." The whole class roared with laughter. I went red, Neville went red, but Ron was still beetroot. (He won!) The bell went for our next class. I think you could literally call it 'saved by the bell'.

Neville came running after me, "I'm so sorry Kathryn! I didn't mean to hurt you!" he was out of breath.

"Stop talking, Neville, its fine, just don't do it again."

I let Neville walk on as I waited for the rest to catch up, Seamus patted my back in appreciation, Harry smiled and Ron whispered 'thanks'. I'm guessing it was for taking the attention of him, or for showing Hermione that I can do it too. Either way, I smiled back. Then he spoke as if continuing a previous conversation with Harry, "It's no wonder no-one can stand her, she's a nightmare, honestly..." Hermione pushed past us, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I think she heard you!" Harry said.

"So?" Ron gave a nervous laugh.

"Rude." I looked at him, raising an eyebrow and he gulped.

"Well, she must have noticed she's got no friends." Ron remarked.

I spoke up, "erm... hello?"

"Honestly, Kathryn, I thought you were cool?"

"She is a nice girl; you've just got to give her a chance!" I said matter-of-factly.

"I'll believe that when I see it." He stated. Hermione didn't turn up to the rest of the day's classes. That just didn't seem right. I looked for her in the common room, dormitory and library but she was nowhere to be found. At dinner I overheard Parvati say that she had been in the bathrooms crying all day. I stood to find her, when I left through the doors to the Great Hall, Professor Quirrell entered in a frenzied state. I ran along the corridor to come to Hermione's aid. To tell her that she had at least one friend.

When I got to the bathroom, I stood at the door and knocked, "Go away!" was the reply I got.

I had no idea what to say, but improvised, "Hermione, look, what Ron said wasn't fair... If you let me, I would gladly be your friend... Come on! We're Flitwick's shooting stars, what more could you want?" I heard a recurring thudding coming from outside.

"What was that?" Hermione sobbed after blowing her nose.

"No idea... just come out, let's get some dinner and..." I had to think quickly, what would Hermione like to do more than anything...? "Go to the library?" The lock from the door slid open. 'Yes!' I thought to myself, making the Ker-ching gesture.

The thudding was getting closer, there was a horrible smell lurking around when suddenly a 12 foot troll entered the bathroom. I froze. The door slammed shut and it sounded like someone had just locked the door. At first I thought this was just some stupid prank by one of the older students, but when the troll took a swing at mine and Hermione's heads, then we knew we were in trouble. Hermione and I screamed and ran in opposite directions. Hermione inside the cubicle and me toward the door, the troll seemed to take an interest in Hermione. I banged the door as hard as I could, "HELP!" I screamed. The troll turned and looked at me, I ran for it. The door swung open- Ron and Harry appeared and ran inside. Hermione looked as if she was about to faint as the troll took a swing at her underneath the taps, sending water spurting everywhere.

"Confuse it!" Harry shouted desperately.

I purposefully screamed in the corner, "HERMIONE, RUN!" distracting the troll long enough for her to make a good attempt at an escape. I had a bead of sweat running down my brow, "Now what?"

"Oy! Pea brain!" Ron shouted, grabbing one of the taps and chucking it at the troll's head and narrowly missing mine. "Sorry!" he shouted. The troll dizzily turned away from me and saw Harry, and took a swipe at him.

"HERMIONE! RUN!" I shouted to her, but she was stuck against the grey walls, her skin tone blending in all too well. The troll had moved on to Ron, trapping him in the corner, I ran toward Hermione, to get her out. Harry took a running jump and held onto the troll's neck from behind. His wand going straight up one of the troll's nostrils, it howled in pain, flailing and hitting the air, Harry barely managed to hold on. When I reached Hermione, she was almost on the floor. Her hands were freezing. "Come on! Get up!" I tried to haul her across the floor with little luck.

"DO SOMETHING!" Harry shouted in desperation.

"WHAT?" Ron replied, the troll scarcely missing Harry's head.

"ANYTHING!"

I let go of Hermione and shouted over to Ron, "Can you see the club?"

"Yes" I got in response.

"Swish and flick, Ron! I know you can do it!" I tried to bring him confidence.

"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" he bellowed, the club flying out of the troll's hand, rising into the air, above it and crash landing straight on the troll's fat head. Harry dived toward Ron whilst the troll fell backwards, right in front of Hermione and me.

I was shaking. Ron was shaking. Harry got up from the dust, shaking. Hermione's voice shook as she asked, "Is it... dead?"

"I don't think so... just knocked out" Harry replied after coming over to us, kicking its arm and retrieving his bogie-covered wand.

I helped Hermione off the floor as Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room. What a sight it must have been for her and the teachers- an unconscious troll on the floor, several damaged cubicles, water spurting from broken pipes, and four first years standing covered in sweat and dust and in my case, tears, looking overjoyed to be alive. Professor McGonagall had never looked so angry, we were in great trouble. "What on earth were you thinking? You four are lucky to be alive! Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

We stood silent, until a quiet voice came from beside me, "Please Professor, they came looking for me, I went looking for the troll, I had read about them and thought I could deal with it on my own... If they hadn't found me, I'd probably be dead. They had no time to get help, it was about to get me when they arrived." She took a very convincing gulp. I couldn't believe that Hermione Granger just lied to a teacher's face. Never in all my days did I see this coming. I nodded as convincingly as I could.

"Well- in that case... Hermione Granger, how could you be so foolish? 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your actions! Now, if you are not hurt, return to your house, the feast will be finished there." McGonagall paused and Hermione left with her head held high. "As for you three," she continued moving be beside Harry and Ron, "You will be awarded 5 points each, for sheer luck, now return to your dormitory. Professor Dumbledore will be informed regarding your actions. Go."

I did not need to be asked twice. We ran to Gryffindor tower, just before the portrait we all stopped and looked at each other. Ron stated, "I recon we should have got more than 15 points, we just fought off a fully-grown mountain troll!" Then he turned to Hermione, "It was very good of you to get us out of trouble like that, thanks! Mind you, we did save you!" I laughed. We ran to the fat lady and said "Pig Snout", climbed though, grabbed a plate and dug in.

There are some things that you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a 12 foot mountain troll is certainly one of them.