This one will be a bit wordier. I enjoy getting a bit into magic theory and such and since JK never bothers to add anything to her ideas (werewolves, vampires, and runes being big things she could have expanded on but simply doesn't because she's lazy), I add my own ideas. Hope you all enjoy this though! I started writing this because a friend on Discord wanted more HP stuff to read with creatures and an apprenticeship. I added the runes and legilimency for fun :)

McGonagall's going to kill me. I bit out a curse as I hastily shoved papers aside on my desk in an attempt to find my wand in the chaos. A cage with a screeching owl nearby was covered with an old rag as I ducked under my desk and let out a triumphant cheer at finding my wand… up until I slammed my head on the underside of the desk. Rubbing my aching skull, I moved to a shelf and sorted through some vials before I downed one and pocketed the other. Madam Pomfrey will kill me if I don't.

From there, I pointed at the half-dozing Swooping Evil with a stern order for it to behave before shoving open the door. I was drenched in seconds and groaned, ducking back inside the shed to get my cloak. A quick glance at the time had me rushing back into the downpour as I struggled to get my cloak on, running through the muddy grounds to try and get to the main doors as quickly as possible. I was proud to say I only slipped once, though I undoubtedly didn't look it by the time I got inside.

The main entrance was quiet and I winced, knowing I was late but not how late. I shook off what water and muck I could—Filch would kill me later for that—and shoved my way through the heavy doors of the Great Hall. I had hoped I made it in just late enough that food was on the table, but luck was not on my side as the entirety of the Great Hall turned to stare at me.

McGonagall's stare was the harshest as she stood beside the sorting hat and murmurs started up at the sight of me. Brand new first years were lined up in front, all looking at me with various forms of disgust, confusion, and the occasional snigger at the shape I was in. I flushed bright red in embarrassment given this was the worst time to have tried to walk in; when someone cleared their throat.

I winced as McGonagall gave a sharp nod toward the main table behind her and I muttered a quiet, "Right. Yes. Sitting," before scrambling up to my seat beside Hagrid and Professor Flitwick. Hagrid gave me a hearty pat on the back, nearly sending me head-first into the table, and McGonagall cleared her throat again to silence the lingering giggles and continue calling names.

Being more than unfamiliar with well-known and common wizarding names, I simply waited silently, staring at my empty plate and goblet and wishing the food would appear. My mind soon began to drift back toward what I'd been studying when a name was called out that no wizard could forget.

"Harry Potter."

Murmurs rang up from other students immediately and, by the time my mind launched out of the theories of magical creature emotions and problem-solving, the only view I had of the boy was the back of his head of dark hair. The sorting hat quickly covered it and after a moment of thought it finally announced his house to be Gryffindor.

McGonagall wasn't one to dawdle on the fame of a young boy and went right on to calling up other students, though the room was still abuzz over the famous child who had seemingly killed the greatest Dark Lord since Grindelwald. I was less enthralled with him than others and more… concerned.

Much like myself, this boy would be wanted by You-Know-Who's followers. More fiercely than I, too. Having him here was both a threat and a blessing depending on how dead the Dark Lord was and how aggressive his followers were. Yes, Harry could learn magic to defend himself and potentially perform some other miracle should the villain be alive. However, his attending Hogwarts put a very large target on the school and everyone in it.

Not that it's his fault in any way, but couple Harry Potter's arrival with what Dumbledore has decided to hide on the third floor and my own presence here, and this is just asking for trouble. Food finally appeared on the plates and a sigh of relief escaped me as I heartily dug in. My sigh must have been a bit loud though since McGonagall spoke up from the other side of Professor Flitwick sharply.

"You were late."

I grimaced with a mouthful of mashed potatoes, swallowing quickly and sipping some of the water I had in my goblet. "Sorry," I muttered rather pathetically once I could breathe without choking. "I was—"

"In the middle of some experiment, I'm sure," she drawled. "I told you to set an alarm."

"Yes, well, I-I might have turned it off and… forgotten…"

"It's the first feast of the term!"

"Yes, yes. I know. Again, I'm sorry. Really! I'm honestly lucky I remember to take all those potions Madam Pomfrey gave me."

McGonagall huffed, not pleased but knowing how terrible my sense of time was. She cut off a piece of her pork chop as she spoke.

"I do hope it was good progress, at least."

I perked up immediately, knowing that she was toying with how much I enjoyed my studies but not minding in the least if it meant I got to talk about it. "Yes! Or, well, in a way. Apparently, controlling non-magical creatures is slightly easier than magical ones, and not because of their intelligence level but because the animal's instinct overrides the thought process in more generic creatures than those in our world."

"How so?" Professor Flitwick asked, a little tipsy already judging by the red in his cheeks, but he was another professor eager to hear what I was doing.

And one of the only other trustworthy ones, according to Dumbledore. A small glance at Professor Quirrell down at the other end of the table near Snape reminded me of the warning the Weasley twins gave me the previous year, but I shook off the shiver I felt and turned my attention back to addressing Professor Flitwick.

"So, the thing is, with magical creatures there's more of a thought process…"

Harry Potter had begun to feel a bit tired as the feast went on. He'd stuffed himself full of every dish he could get his hands on and then every desert he could try. He'd never felt this full while living at the Dursley's and with how friendly everyone at the Gryffindor table was, becoming a wizard was proving to be the best decision he'd ever made.

His gaze drifted to the head table as those students around him chatted away about family and classes. He recognized the giant of a man, Hagrid, who'd not only been the one to tell him about becoming a wizard but also the man who'd packed the first years into boats to come across the lake. Beside him was the haggard young man who'd interrupted the sorting, chatting away in excitement with a very short man and Professor McGonagall.

"Who's he?" He asked, gesturing to the young man as he very nearly dropped a fork of cheesecake onto the floor until McGonagall pointed out his frantic hand gestures.

"Who?"

"The professor who came in late."

Before Percy could answer though, the Weasley twins a couple of seats away interrupted.

"Oh, you'll love him."

"Farlan's great."

"If by 'great' you mean an absolute mess?" Percy countered, giving Harry a look. "He's not a professor. He's the apprentice to Professor Kettleburn's Care of Magical Creatures class and he helps the other professors with different things."

"So, he's a lackey," Ron said, nearly choking when his twin brothers smacked him hard on the back as he was biting into his truffle.

"He's much more than that, Ron!"

"Farlan's got all sorts of tricks up his sleeve if you get to know him."

"A bit weird, mind you."

"But he knows his stuff."

"You ever need help with anything."

"You ask Farlan. We'll put in a good word for you."

"He's genius, you know."

"Secretive too."

The twins leaned in acting as though they were sharing secrets though half the table could still hear them.

"He's got this shed right on the edge of the Forbidden Forest."

"Not even magic can open the door."

"And he's got regular appointments with Dumbledore."

"Bit scatterbrained."

"Can't keep time for the life of him."

"But he's great in a pinch."

"Even with the Grim."

"The Grim?" Harry questioned as Ron paled, looking ill as he abandoned his plate of sweets.

"W-What do you mean a Grim?"

Fred pointed at the base of the table where Farlan was as a sliver of black flicked back and forth out from under the tablecloth.

"He's got a Grim that follows him 'round."

"We asked him about it before and even he's confused why it attached itself to him."

"What's a Grim?" Harry asked, making Ron turn to him uneasily.

"They're omens of death. M-My uncle Bilius saw one and he died twenty-four hours later! Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards."

Hermione, who had been listening in, scoffed. "That's highly unlikely. They probably just died of fright."

"No way. A Grim's bad news! I'm tellin' ya."

Fred and George shrugged. "Well, it hasn't killed him yet."

"He's been here since we started."

"Isn't dead yet."

"The Grim likes him too."

"Follows him everywhere like a normal dog."

"Except it's all ghostly and stuff."

Ron shook his head determinedly. "I don't care. I'm staying far away from him."

"Suite yourself," Fred said with a shrug.

"Your loss."

Harry wasn't sure what to think about what he'd heard other than Farlan being a bit strange, so he set his thoughts on the apprentice aside to look at the other professors until his eyes locked with Professor Snape beside Professor Quirrell and a splinter of pain went through his head. It was gone so quickly he thought he imagined it and as the deserts were finished off, his concerns began to ease as Dumbledore stood for some final warnings.

I had a headache again, which was usual for a Friday when my work with Professor Kettleburn was more relaxed and the rest of the staff didn't need me. It meant I spent more time doing my studies and I had, unfortunately, lost track of time again. I was now lying in Hagrid's pumpkin patch staring up at the cloudy sky after attempting to convince the ravens to leave his vegetables alone.

They weren't convinced, given how they were preening their feathers atop the shabby wooden fence as though I and the scarecrow nearby didn't exist. They weren't magical ravens by any means but they were one of the more clever species of bird and with that came the knowledge that if I wanted them to do something, they expected something in return. Trying to force them to budge had ended up with me lying in the dirt annoyed and my head throbbing.

I'll have to ask Hagrid if he has any scraps or something. They're not going to listen otherwise. I'm not skilled enough and the runes can only do so much. I glanced over at the etching on the wooden posts and frowned. It protected the pumpkins from pests but the wording I used was more insects than ravens so the birds were able to get through the runic barrier. I could redo the runes and replace the posts but they were very particular. One couldn't just stack runic spells.

This would mean having to put up multiple fences. One to keep out pests, one to keep out birds, one to keep out whatever else decided to take a nibble. This would limit the space where the pumpkins could be grown too. The wider the area the more runes that would have to be placed and the weaker the spell cast between the posts; unless there was a hell of a lot more posts with less space between them. It would be a waste of resources, time, and effort when it was only in regard to some vegetables.

You couldn't do more than one species on the same runic charm either. There were too many differences between them. The most you could do would be to make a rune on just corvids. They were very different from other birds like sparrows and hawks and owls. Each one would require different wording for the runic spell to function for them. So trying to make a barrier for insects and one specific species of bird was impossible. Or I simply haven't worked it out yet… I wonder if you can do interlinking runic circles? Have a center circle with the barrier requirements with additional circles interlocking but focused on requirements for species and—

"Everythin' alright, Farlan?"

I blinked, having not noticed the massive half-giant who'd leaned over to block the sky from view. "Hello, Hagrid. Apologies. The ravens seemed to have bested me this afternoon. I'm uncertain whether we will get their cooperation without offering something in return." I pushed myself semi-upright and brought a hand to my head as it swam at the motion. "My legilimency isn't anywhere near good enough to force even them to leave."

"That's alright then," he said with a shrug as he eyed me unsteadily getting to my feet. "You look a bit peckish. Are you alright?"

"Migraine is all. It's my own fault for getting frustrated with them." I frowned lightly at the sky and where the sun was tucked away behind the clouds. "And carried away, it seems. How long have I been here?"

"Few hours, I'll guess. Didn't ya take a break when I called to ya?"

I waved a hand at him idly. "If you called while I was fighting the ravens, I wouldn't have heard. It's fine. I can ask the house elves for something as I go get more potions from Madam Pomfrey. I believe I'm out anyway."

"That won't do. Come on. I've got tea anyway for some kids. You can rest for a bit since you're about ta topple."

His heavy hand grabbed my shoulder, showing me that I was a bit tilted and despite knowing how terrible his cooking was, I knew I had no real way to stop him and begrudgingly went along with him. No doubt Madam Pomfrey told him to watch me too. I lose track of how much blood I'm using one time and they've got me on suicide watch. I sighed lightly, knowing they were just worried but also mildly annoyed at the coddling. I never considered the thought. It was just a miscalculation on my part. Not that they believe me.

Hagrid sat me down in his hut at his table as his massive dog whined in the back corner, still slightly uneasy about my Grim. Said beast had been lazily watching my performance in the pumpkin patch and was now twisted around my ankles. It rarely acted protective of me so I'd just let it be but Fang was the biggest chicken of a dog and had very uneasy feelings toward the spectral dog. And all reassurances just bounce off his thick skull. Not the brightest thing, is he?

A cup of muddy tea was set in front of me and begrudgingly I lifted the cup to my lips.

"Not often you invite people to your hut. Who are you having tea with?"

"Just Harry," Hagrid chirped, making me choke on my tea and pound on my chest for a second. "You sure you're alright?"

"F-Fine. Really. You…You're not talking about the Harry, are you?"

"Harry Potter, that is," Hagrid confirmed, looking confused. "I know you like your shed but don't ya know him? After what he did, I thought everyone would know."

"I-I know what he's done," I countered, a bit embarrassed that my reputation for being a shut-in at Hogwarts had gotten to this point. "I just didn't expect you to… well, care?"

"Not care about Harry?" He guffawed as I tried to reword things.

"I simply didn't expect you to invite him for tea. N-Not that it's wrong or anything. I'm just… confused, is all. I assumed most staff would ignore his fame."

"Nah. His fame ain't part of it, see? He's still a kid like everyone else but he's a good one. Not like them snake brats."

Everyone generally didn't care for the Slytherins whether it was back when I had been at Hogwarts or now. Very little had changed in that aspect and it wasn't surprising that Hagrid didn't care for them. Every school had its bullies and the Slytherins were the nastiest of the bunch. It's why I don't mind helping the twins with their pranks. Bit of a laugh for everyone… wish they were around when I was a student, though there was that one group of boys... Fang suddenly perked up then, opening his mouth to bark when someone knocked but whining instead and giving my Grim a glance.

Hagrid got up to answer the door and eyed Fang. "Quietest he's ever been when guests are 'round."

"Sorry. It's the Grim," I explained, waving idly down at the black spectral dog who yawned without care.

Hagrid grunted and opened the door cheerfully, letting in two young boys. One was the obvious Harry Potter, given his scar and easy resemblance to his father James. The other was also a semi-familiar face. A Weasley. The twins did say they come from a large family. I vaguely remember a Bill and Charlie back when I was in school. I should have paid a little more attention to things other than my studies and… and my situation. I frowned lightly, lifting my cup only to taste the sludge Hagrid called tea, and grimaced.

"Make yourselves at home," Hagrid hummed as he gestured over to his dog. "That's Fang. Don't mind 'im. He's a bit spooked 'cause of the Grim."

The Weasley boy froze at that, both his and Harry's gazes shifting to me as I offered a half-hearted wave. The Weasley was less concerned with my appearance and more with the sleeping Grim at my feet, so I felt a slight urge to reassure him.

"I assure you, he's harmless. If he's an omen of death, he's waiting for me. You've nothing to fear from him, Mr. Weasley."

"How do you—"

"Red hair, freckles, and I'm rather well acquainted with your brothers. It's not a hard leap of logic," I replied with a grimace of a smile.

I don't like these sorts of things. Socializing. It's more awkward with Harry Potter here. How am I supposed to act around him? My gaze shifted to Harry briefly as the boy eyed the Grim curiously before seeming to remember his manners and he gestured to the boy beside him.

"This is Ron," he introduced as Hagrid brought out the baked goods.

"I spent half me life chasin' your twin brothers away from the forest."

"And my work shed," I added, not bothering to take one of the misshapen cakes that I knew would crack my teeth as the boys settled down and started talking about their lessons with Hagrid.

I didn't say much of anything, knowing I was intruding on their time with him anyway, and instead kept my mind focused on how best to deal with the ravens in the pumpkin patch. I definitely need to look into the multiple runic circles and interlocking them. Could try it with lines and using the same words while interlocking patterns that way…

"Um, Professor?"

I blinked out of my thoughts at the young boy who spoke to me. "Oh, I'm just an apprentice. No need to call me Professor. Farlan is fine or Mr. Daggrow if you want to be more formal."

"Oh. Okay, um… what do you… do? A-As an apprentice I mean. Not to be rude. I'm just curious, is all. Fred and George said you're secretive but also helpful?"

"Farlan helps Professor Kettleburn with his classes," Hagrid replied. "Carin' for the creatures, doin' marking, helping kids. That sort of thing."

I nodded idly. "Among other things, yes. Generally, I help with the creatures given my past experience with them. I also am supposed to assist students with any questions they may have while at Hogwarts or direct them to professors who could help. I assist professors with their own tasks as well during breaks and as events come up."

"Why do you have some secret work shed then?" Ron cut in, still uneasy about the Grim but doing well to ignore it. "They said not even magic can open it."

"I'm under contract with the Headmaster to do some work for him that he wishes to keep hidden from wandering eyes," I answered honestly. "And technically my shed is able to be opened by magic but not the usual way. I heavily study runic spells which you won't learn for a few years and the twins don't bother to apply themselves to it. Though, I suppose my runic spells are more advanced than usual."

"And the Grim?"

I shrugged, getting up and knowing that I still had things to be done. "He found me and wouldn't leave. I've tried a few things but he's stubborn, as you can see. No harm to anyone, as I said, just a ghostly attachment. Now, if you'll excuse me, Hagrid. I have to meet Madam Pomfrey for my potions and I have some things to ask Dumbledore."

"Course. If ya ever need anything, ya know where to find me."

I nodded. "I'll try to find out what the ravens want and we can work something out this week." I glanced at the two boys then. "And as the twins said, if you need help with anything, feel free to ask. If I'm not with a professor I'm in my shed just down the way. Knock."

I hadn't had anyone bother me for some time after that, which wasn't surprising. Harry Potter or not, most students didn't actively search for me for assistance other than the twins. Some of the upperclassmen would occasionally nod their head in greeting but I usually didn't hear from them until it was time for Newts and Owls. That was when all those studying Ancient Runes came out of the woodwork to ask questions. Until then, I was merely an apprentice who worked with professors.

Since it was just the start of the year though, I had less work than usual from them. More and more of my time was put into studying and the runes were growing ever more complex the longer I could test them. Dumbledore had surprisingly given me a break from legilimency as well, though I suspected Madam Pomfrey put him up to it after my last visit.

The ravens had been appeased after all, refraining from their assault on Hagrid's pumpkins so long as he provided some scraps of meat and a shiny object or two. Hagrid was more than happy to oblige and I was allowed a reprieve from legilimency for the rest of the month. Things were quiet up until there were some… instances that happened.

The first being the rumors surrounding Harry Potter joining the Quidditch team. I wasn't entirely a fan of the sport but McGonagall was thrilled to have a new Seeker and the twins exaggerated the death-defying stunts Harry pulled in order to secure the spot. The rumors simply spread quickly.

The other event was far more concerning for me and it regarded the third floor which was forbidden for the term. I was well in the loop with what Dumbledore had hidden there and the many layers of protection because I had a large part to play in guarding that floor. Mainly, it was my legilimency and runic chains controlling the three-headed dog guarding the hatch down. Though "controlling" wasn't quite the right word for what I was doing.

The chains were simply reinforced using runes in order to be strong enough to handle the beast. The castle stones they were attached to were much the same. The more aggravated the beast, the faster the runes weakened and I was to usually top them up once a month with more magic. Of course, in order to do this the beast needed to be calmed, which is easier said than done. Initially, Hagrid came with me to introduce me and soothe the creature. Not wanting to haul him up to the third floor all the time, I took a chance with legilimency and with a few tips as to what the beast was soothed with, and I had managed to calm it down myself… by mentally singing.

It was thoroughly embarrassing and I refused to admit it to anyone but Dumbledore (begrudgingly because it was required to be in my reports). I still could tell when the beast was agitated or curious though. It kept me on my toes and helped me stay safe while I worked on its chains. That being said, I hadn't expected the reaction I got this last month because it wasn't the usual greeting I received. Or, well, it was but the emotions I felt were different. The dog was excited, eager almost.

It was a guard dog and had no reason to not be cautious except for two reasons. Hagrid was one but Filch had come with me to the third floor and was waiting in the hall for wandering students, as was usual when Hagrid didn't come with me. The other reason was it was expecting praise for a job well done. Meaning someone had gotten in and it had scared them off. Who?

I had been racking my brain trying to figure it out. Filch informed me no one had been out as his patrols were flawless with Mrs. Norris around. Said cat confirmed his sentiments when legilimency was used. He had gotten a late-night tip some students might have been out after hours but he claimed he scared them off. Still, there's a chance. He didn't say he caught them, anyway. They could have easily run into the third floor without meaning.

"What a mess," I muttered, slowly wandering back through the halls after picking up McGonagall's marking since she was on breakfast duty this morning.

The Grim at my side grumbled in agreement—not being a fan of the beast on the third floor—and I lightly sighed before I heard voices up ahead. Students, whom I would usually ignore if it weren't for their tones. As I got closer, I understood why. A trio of Slytherins were harassing two familiar Gryffindors.

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," the blonde Slytherin boy scoffed. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Ron Weasley went to snap back but I spoke up from behind him before he could, not wanting him to land himself and Harry into trouble because of some Slytherins.

"Is there a problem?" I asked idly, making Ron whip around to me as the Slytherin boy seemed to debate whether I had enough authority to stop him.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, sir," he said, finally deciding that I had enough power to potentially scold Harry for his gift.

"Hm. Yeah, McGonagall sent it to him because of his special circumstances or something." I glanced at Harry who looked pleased with the Slytherins' disgruntled expression. "What's your name?"

The blonde seemed surprised before puffing up proudly. "Draco Malfoy."

Like that means anything to me. "Then, Mr. Malfoy, might I suggest you and your friends find something more productive to do than tattle on others over mail?"

He flushed red and was obviously a mix of embarrassed and angry, but given my own authority, there was little he could do.

"Now, head off to lessons or breakfast or whatever it is you need to do," I waved them off, lifting up the parchment in my hands. "I've got grading to deliver."

Harry and Ron took off, nearly bursting with laughter as the Slytherin trio stormed down the hall themselves; my gaze following them slightly. Draco Malfoy, was it? I'm sure the twins will enjoy having someone new to bother given he's picking on their brother. I set the information aside that morning and when I did eventually give it to the twins, they were more than eager to comply. As a reward for helping their brother, I asked them for information.

They hadn't heard who snuck out the night someone broke into the third floor though, which was unfortunate. They were rather displeased themselves that someone had beat them to snooping, but after I informed them I was guarding it they gave up rather quickly. They knew my runes were too powerful for them to mess with. As compensation, I offered to tell them what was hidden there once it was removed and they were fine with that. Dumbledore never said it needed to be kept secret after it's gone.

I still hadn't figured out who had snuck in by the time October was nearing its end. There were no portraits near the door to ask, no ghosts who swung by that time of night, and with Filch having never seen the students who he'd been tipped about, there wasn't much I could do. Consulting with Dumbledore about it hadn't helped either. The headmaster just seemed amused and felt that any students who'd run into the three-headed dog would have learned their lesson. I wasn't so convinced.

Students could be curious. Why have a beast like that in a locked room? Students could be smart and notice the trapdoor it stood upon. Students could be nosy and stubborn and start asking questions. Yet, the headmaster waved it off and asked me about my rune work instead. Begrudgingly, I appeased him if only to get answers to the potential for multi-layered runic spells. He felt the idea had potential and offered me little more to work with, as was his nature. He wanted students to figure things out for themselves, which was more than frustrating.

Progress after that became slower. It was easy to come up with the theory but applying it was much harder. I spent many a night up late searching through dictionaries of various languages to find the right umbrella terms capable of being used for different purposes. Terms that could then be interwoven between other runic lines and circles to create the multi-functional patterns I hoped for. It wasn't as easy as having the runes lightly translate to: Keep out insects and keep out birds. Each word had to relate to one another and have a connection that would allow both "insects" and "birds" to be "kept out."

With root meanings and translation errors and other hidden information tucked behind a word and its intent across multiple languages, it was easier said than done. The word "insect" has a Latin base that means "into" and "to cut" which brought about the word "insectum" for segmented animals. However, "insect" also was defined as an "arthropod animal with six or more legs and generally one or two pairs of wings" which led to the issue of which form of the word would the intent be put behind when creating the rune. To focus on the Latin would mean ruling out unsegmented animals which could negate the layered runes involving birds. Focusing on the definition would mean ruling out wingless insects, insects that have lost limbs, and those with six or more legs but no wings or vice versa.

The same situation occurs with the term "birds," which I will spare an explanation of other than to point out how expansive the term is when the pests I'm attempting to keep out are simply one family of birds. Their inter-species differences only add to the issues involved (Corvids were eternally different from Accipitridae and from Strigidae and so many other species of birds). Couple this with finding the right term to combine them together, with the right result, and it was apparent why the Halloween Feast became the bane of my existence.

I was pulled away from my studies to run around the castle and grounds to get things set up. Decorations needed making and charms needed casting. Pumpkins I had been trying to protect were being carved and moved into the Great Hall between meals while I had to somehow coerce the live bats, who hung out in the forest and eaves of the owl tower, to entertain an entire school of children by sleeping and swooping in their dining area. Then, ensuring sanitary eating spaces without guano ending up on tables and robes, helping professors with extra marking, and clearing up any detentions that would prevent students or professors from attending the feast.

In any case, forgetting where I had been going before the feast and what I'd been doing wasn't surprising. Too many things had occurred at once when I was ten meters deep into my own research and I had apparently blacked out. Not passed out, mind you. I simply stopped being aware of what was occurring until right this moment and had no idea why I might be standing about in the dungeons with an arm full of books.

Had I been assisting Snape with moving texts or retrieving them from the library? Were they books I was borrowing from him for myself or someone else? Did I bring them with me from my shed to return? Or, simply, did I take a wrong turn at some point and the castle (or my own negligence) had led me down this path? Whatever the reasoning was, my mind had cleared slightly; enough to know that I was not well and desperately needed a break from everything all at once.

The whine of the Grim at my feet as I ran a hand down my haggard face only reminded me of the Halloween Feast itself, which should be being held at this very moment. I was undoubtedly late and my already pressured mind didn't feel thrilled at the thought of walking in and having all those eyes on me once more. The noise itself would be enough to send me to an early grave but McGonagall's disapproving glare would haul me back out again so she could scold me for my tardiness once more.

Skipping was also unfortunately out of the question; having far bigger consequences than merely being late. So, with a heavy heart and lightly throbbing skull, I started to make my way back toward the entrance with a million excuses to try and sort through for whichever would give me the least amount of trouble. However, being exhausted as I was meant that my attention to my surroundings was rather poor. Back when I worked with Magnus, being on high alert was mandatory or else the creatures would take advantage and maim or kill you. At Hogwarts, there was no need and I'd unfortunately grown accustomed to being at ease with my surroundings.

This meant that I often ignored the obvious. The Grim at my feet was growling and I shushed it in mild annoyance given we were in the Bloody Baron's territory and neither spectral being were fond of the other. The light stomping I brushed off as my own heartbeat pounding away in my skull at the start of another headache. The echoing rumble of a growl and sudden stench though were infinitely harder to ignore and I turned a second too late to defend myself against the monstrous troll as it swung its club.

I was thrown off my feet for half a second before slamming into the wall with my body aching, ears ringing, and lungs choking for air. I was too stunned to think as my body struggled to register what had happened and return my senses to me. Someone was screaming, I think, and there was a dog barking and snarling somewhere in front of me. My mind couldn't comprehend what had happened fast enough and at this point, the only sense returning to me was pain. For a moment, I thought I was dying on the cold tile floor of the bathroom I'd been tossed into. It would certainly be a less dramatic death than I'd been expecting. Not tortured to death by Death Eaters, not murdered via a killing curse from You-Know-Who, not even eaten by a deadly creature. Just death by not paying attention to the giant troll wandering the dungeons.

My mind idly questioned why it was there in the first place. Trolls aren't native to this area of Scotland. They're further into the mountains and wouldn't wander this far. How did it get past the castle defenses? How did it get this far into the castle unnoticed? Did someone notice? There were hundreds of students having a Halloween Feast above us with no idea. God, McGonagall will kill me if I'm not already gone by the time I'm found. Then, I sucked in a hard gasp, choking on the air that my body had suddenly remembered how to process. The immediate shock was wearing off and the adrenaline was coursing through me as the troll stomped forward, dragging its club along the floor after it. For a brief moment, I considered just lying there. Death by troll couldn't be more painful than my other options. They might not be the brightest beasts but they had the strength to make it quick. There was just one thing that stopped me.

A whimper.

A soft cry that was muffled by hands desperately covering the mouth of a child. There was a student in this bathroom. One who hadn't made it to the feast just yet or one that had not planned on going. My eyes were quick to latch onto the pair of shoes in the bathroom stall and the edge of their long dark robes. There was someone in here with a troll and no child in this school would have the spells to defend themselves against it. Few adults would be able to properly deal with it but the thought of a student having to be attacked by a troll after witnessing an adult be killed had me shoving myself up off the ground.

Everything hurt at the movement telling me the damage from the club was extensive. Internal damage likely… Broken ribs… my right knee is… I stumbled but grit my teeth and dove into the stall as I saw the troll begin to swing its club toward them. My eyes latched onto the frightened brown eyes of a bushy-haired young girl. A first year? I had no time to think before I grabbed her and ducked us down on the ground, covering her as the club slammed through the wooden stalls; shattering them and dropping wooden splinters across my back. She screamed in my ear as the troll swung again and I finally gathered enough common sense to grab my wand from my robe pocket and throw a spell at it from over my shoulder.

It roared in complaint at the bits of wood that I transfigured into finches that flew around its face, and I pulled the girl out of the rubble and fumbled us both toward the doorway. We needed to run away from here. My vision was already spinning and I doubted I would get very far but the first year shouldn't get caught up in this. Yet, the troll bellowed angrily behind us and I cursed, spinning around and conjuring up a hasty shielding spell as it swung its club haphazardly to try and deter the finches. The girl stopped as well, facing me as I shouted back.

"Go! You can't stay here! Run!"

She hesitated, whether in an attempt to try and be brave or because of shock, I wasn't sure but my shield spell was already wavering. It required concentration which was hard with the concussion I undoubtedly had as well as my injuries. The more time went on and the move movement I made, the worse the pain got and finer spellcasting would grow to be impossible. None of which was good when fighting a troll in an enclosed space.

"Hermione!"

I whipped around to see Harry and Ron standing in the doorway and spat a curse under my breath. "What are you doing? Get out of here!"

The two boys, of course, didn't move and my momentary distraction because of them nearly cost me my life as the troll's club slammed into my shield spell and it dissipated. I ducked as it swung overhead and attempted to dive to the side to dodge the troll's grabbing hand. I didn't account for my knee though, crying out in pain as it gave out from under me and thick, pudgy fingers wrapped around my hips. I was hoisted up into the air, fumbling my wand and dropping it thanks to my slippery fingers. I was cut somewhere apparently, my arm dripping in crimson blood that I somehow hadn't noticed until now. I was dangled before the troll which eyed me and attempted to hit me with its club.

"Get out of here!" I bellowed at the three students standing around, fighting through the agony in my body to curl myself up out of the way of the club swings.

"We're not leaving you!" Harry argued and I groaned with a whimper of pain, shooting him a glare.

"Merlin, you lot remind me why I really disliked Gryffindors while in school." I curled up again, dropping faster this time and knowing I couldn't keep it up with the black spots encroaching on my vision and the taste of copper in my mouth. "Being brave won't get you kudos here! It's a bloody troll! Just go!"

They glanced at one another, hesitantly, before Ron drew his wand. I didn't have the energy to try and stop him, and he hardly seemed to realize what he was doing until he swung his wand and flicked it.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

I hung from the troll's grip, exhausted and waiting for the club to swing back around but there was a grunt of confusion and I opened my eyes to see the troll staring at its empty hand. The club it once wielded was hovering overhead and very quickly dropped, knocking it out with a sickening crack. The troll teetered and then fell, dropping me in the process, and I stayed on the ground in my half-conscious state, not wanting to move. The students had other thoughts though, scrambling over and dragging me away from it as Ron stared at his wand in shock.

"Prof—Mr. Daggrow, are you okay?" Harry asked as I cringed in pain, managing to give him a small glare.

"Y-You damn kids," I muttered, closing my eyes as they grew hazy once more. "You should've ran."

Then, the professors finally arrived.