After charms class Ron walked ahead with Neville and Seamus whilst Hermione and Ember hung back, chatting away. "Can't believe Seamus blew something else up. That's what, the 6th time?" the curly haired girl remarked.
"10th", Ember corrected.
"You really think he would've learnt by now, don't you?" Hermione comments.
"Nah, not really. As Peter said, every year has a pyromaniac. They by default don't tend to learn when comes to exploding things. Unless it's how to make bigger explosions", the ginger joked, making her friend laugh.
"It's Leviosa not Leviosar", they heard Ron say, pretending to be the curly haired witch "Honestly she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends". The girl's face fell as his teasing.
"Hermione!" Ember called as Hermione walked towards the boys. She watched as the brunette pushed past them, hearing her sniffle. The ginger's eyes hardened at the sniggering Weasley boy. She was so gonna smack the living daylights out of him! "Ronald Weasley!" she growled. The colour drained from Ron's face at the sight of the furious ginger. He let out a girlish scream and quickly scarpered as the hybrid stormed over. Ember chased after the boy, not even caring that she knocked Seamus and Neville in the process. The hybrid managed to catch up Ron and shoved him against the nearest wall.
"How dare you mock her", she snapped, her eyes shifting red-gold in her anger "she was only trying to help you, not that you deserve it. So you had better give her the most sincerest apology when you see her next AND be on your best behaviour or I will drag your sorry arse back to the three headed dog to be its dinner", she threatened. Ember released the shaken up boy, spun on her heel and marched off.
Later…
Ember picked at her dinner, not really in the mood to eat. Heck, she didn't really twig at the fact that it was Halloween and the Great Hall was decorated to the nines, including floating pumpkins. No, she was still too worried about Hermione. The curly haired witch never showed up to class after Ron insulted her. She tried to find her friend between lessons but alas she'd been unsuccessful.
"Ember?" Pavarti said, coming to a stop next to her "Hermione's in the girl's bathroom. Apparently she'd been in there all afternoon, crying".
"Thanks, Pavarti", the ginger said and the black girl nodded, continuing on her way.
"Ow!" Ron cried when kicked his leg from under the table.
"Be lucky that's all I'm going to do at the moment", the 11 year old said, glaring at him as she stood up. She was about to leave when the double doors burst open and a very freaked out Professor Quirrel ran in, shouting.
"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!" he dropped to the floor, passed out. There was a beat of silence before there the room exploded with panic, students running about, screaming.
"SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE!" Dumbledore ordered and everyone stops, calming down "Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons". Ember followed the rest of the students out of the Great Hall and down a corridor before she broke away. She had to get to Hermione!
The ginger skidded to a stop part way down a hall when she heard a loud grunting noise and a shadow appeared. "It's the troll!" Ron exclaimed, having followed her.
"I know", she hissed, dragging him into a nearby doorway. They peered out to see a large, ugly troll thumped past, going into a nearby room. "Hermione", Ember breathed, her hearts pounding in fear for her friend. She took off after the troll, not even slowing down at she approached the door. Ember swiftly phased through it, much to her relief and just in time too. The troll had already destroyed some of the stalls. "Hermione, move!" she shouted, spotting the girl.
The young witch tried to move but the troll smashes the remaining stalls. "Help! Help!" Hermione screamed.
Ember picked up a piece of wood from the floor and threw it at the troll. It struck the terrifying being on the head, temporarily confusing him and allowing Hermione to escape. She huddled under the sink where the Troll unfortunately saw her. He slammed his club down, smashing the sink and barely missing the girl.
"Ahhh! Help!" Hermione screamed. Ember pulled the wand from out of her pocket and ran forward. She grabbed hold of the troll's club and is lifted up as the weapon is raised. The ginger yelped as she landed on top of its head. Hermione pulled a disgust face when Ember jammed her wand up the troll's nose! He snorted and whipped his head around, trying to dislodge it.
"Whoa!" the ginger cried as she tumbled off of the Troll's head. She didn't hit the ground as the large being grabbed hold of one of her legs. "Peter?" she asked, gaping at the third year. She had no idea he'd followed her and Ron. Speaking of Ron…where was he? Probably outside, like the coward he was. How he ended up in Gryffindor she would never…
Ember yelped as the troll swiped his club at her, bring her thoughts back to the situation at hand. She pulled herself up just in time to avoid being hit. "Hold on, Ember!" the Ravenclaw said, pulling out his wand.
"Easy"… the ginger dodged a second blow "for you…" she narrowly avoided a third "to say!" She probably could've phased through the club but she didn't fully trust this power of hers yet. She couldn't risk getting whacked by it because it was very likely to hurt…a lot.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Peter chanted with a simple swish and flick. The club is lifted out of the troll's hand and hovers above its head. He looks up, confused, just as the club comes crashing back down. It hits the troll's head that hard and he wavers, then drops Ember, who crawls away, and slowly comes crashing down, knocking him out. Hermione approaches carefully
"Is it...dead?" she asked tentatively.
Peter shook his head "Nah, just knocked out", he answered.
Ember pulled her wand out of the troll's nose and pulled a face "Ew. Troll bogies", she mumbled, wiping it onto her robes "thanks for the save", she added to the brunet.
"You're welcome", the Ravenclaw said. Suddenly, McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell come rushing in. They all gasp at the knocked out Troll.
"Oh! Oh, my goodness! E-Explain yourselves!" the transfiguration teacher demanded to Ember and Peter. She assumed that it was either of them that had stumbled into this trouble rather than Hermione. Ember being James Potter's daughter and Peter…well he was best friends with Fred and George Weasley…
"I…" the ginger started.
"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall", Hermione piped up and they all looked at her.
"Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked, surprised.
"I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Ember and Peter hadn't come and found me...I'd probably be dead", the curly haired witch lied.
"Be that as it may be...it was an extremely foolish thing to do" Ember smelt blood and then noticed Snape's leg which had a nasty gash in it. The potion's master caught her looking and covered up the wound with his robes. "I would have expected more rational behaviour on your part, Miss Granger. 5 points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment", McGonagall turned to turns to Ember and Peter "As for you two. I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a fully grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. 5 points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck". Snape and McGonagall then left the bathroom.
"You ok?" Ember asked Hermione.
"I'm in one piece, thanks to you two", she replied.
"No offence but you wouldn't have needed saving if it weren't for someone upsetting you", the ginger pointed out "which reminds me…" she walked out of the bathroom, not even glancing at Quirrell as she passed.
"Ow!" the teacher and two students heard a boy cry from outside.
"That's for putting Hermione in danger", Ember said, angrily.
"How is that my fault!" Ron exclaimed "I didn't set the troll loose!"
"But you DID upset Hermione causing her to be in the bathroom when it was roaming around", the hybrid shot back "that is your fault. Now go in and apologise!"
"I'm not going in there!" the Weasley boy proclaimed "there's a troll!" the trio heard Ember growl and Ron yelp. The hybrid came back into the bathroom, dragging the ginger with her by his ear!
"See? Its knocked out", Ember stated "Now…" she shoved him toward Hermione. Ron stumbled, tripping over the troll and ended up sprawled at the curly haired witch's feet "we're waiting", the hybrid said as she, Peter and Hermione stared down at the boy.
"Sorry", Ron mumbled.
"Once more with feeling", Ember ordered, nudging him with her foot.
"I'm really really sorry", Ron said loudly with as much faux sincerity as possible.
"Apology not accepted", Hermione said in a manner that made Ember proud of her. She was happy to see her best friend start to stand up for herself. The ginger looped her arm around the brunette's "come on, let's see if they've haven't cleared the food away in the Great Hall".
"I hope they haven't, I'm starving!" Hermione proclaimed.