Chapter 11
Albus was getting frustrated. There was no sign of Voldemort even being in Britain. How was he supposed to get Harrison and Harlequin to protect the fake Stone now?
Well, if the real Voldemort wasn't going to go after the fake Stone, then a fake Voldemort would.
The troll in the antechamber did owe him a favor....
"You're pronouncing it wrong," Hermione told Ron patiently. "It's Levi-O-sah, not Levio-SAH."
"Thanks," Ron said in a strained tone.
Hermione knew that, being from a large family, Ron would hate being corrected. She was glad he didn't snap at her for trying to help him.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron chanted, pointing his wand at the feather. It floated about a foot into the air before falling back down.
"Good job," Hermione praised.
"It didn't go very high," Ron said tiredly.
"It doesn't need to," Hermione pointed out. "You got the spell right, so-"
"Why are you trying to help the slimy snake?" Anthony Goldstein asked snidely. Harrison went still, and his friends either scowled or ignored the boy.
"Because I'm his friend," Hermione said calmly. "Ron, if you want it to go higher, you can try again."
"Why are you friends with a slimy snake? They hate Mudbloods."
"What did you just call my friend?" Harrison asked in a very soft voice. Blaise's eyes widened a little.
"You can't tell me you've never called Granger that," Goldstein sneered.
"Because I would call my mother that, Mr. Goldstein?" Harrison asked very calmly.
Goldstein blanched and muttered something under his breath.
"What's a Mudblood?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"It's a foul term for a wixen with Muggle parents," Ron said sourly. "And we never called her that, Goldstein, you did. Looks like you're the anti-Muggle racist you just accused the Slytherins of being."
"Shut up, blood-traitor," Goldstein snapped. "At least I have a family. Yours won't want anything to do with you after being sorted with the snakes."
"What's going on here?" Flitwick asked sternly, pausing in front of Hermione's desk.
"Goldstein called Hermione a Mudblood," Lisa said angrily.
"Detention and ten points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Goldstein," Flitwick said sharply. Goldstein scowled. "Are you all right, Miss Granger?"
"I'm fine, professor, I wouldn't know to be insulted by it," Hermione admitted. "I only just heard the term now."
"Good," Flitwick said, smiling. He headed back to his desk.
"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione asked him worriedly, seeing the pain and anger on his face.
"Fine," Ron said flatly. "Thanks for your help."
"Anytime."
"Thank you, Miss Turpin," Harrison spoke, ignoring Goldstein. Lisa nodded, looking a little nervous. "I don't bite."
Lisa laughed a little. "I know, Mr. Potter-Black."
"What?" Harley asked, looking up from his feather.
Giggling, Lisa said, "Not you, your brother."
"Aw. Am I not pretty enough?"
Hermione ignored this exchange, because Ron was still looking upset. Draco had noticed as well, and was watching him with worry.
When class ended, Ron said blankly, "I need to use the loo. I'll meet you at Transfiguration."
"You can't go on your own," Blaise reminded him. "Slytherins have to stick together."
"I don't-" Ron sucked in a breath. "Fine. One of you can come with me."
"I'll go," Draco offered.
"I'll walk with you, too," Hermione volunteered. "I won't come in," she added, earning snickers and an eye-roll from Blaise. "People will be less likely to target you if you're with me."
"I'll see you in Defense," Lisa told her, nodding goodbye to the Slytherins and walking away.
Ron muttered something under his breath, and Blaise looked alarmed. As Draco and Hermione walked Ron to the bathroom, she spotted Blaise whispering to Harrison.
Draco pouted. "Are they keeping secrets from m- us?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Everyone has secrets, D-Malfoy." She still couldn't call him 'Draco' in public. "I'm sure they'll tell you sooner or later. Don't worry about it."
"I don't want to know," Ron admitted. "Harrison's scary with a mask on."
"Yeah," Draco agreed. "Are you okay, Ron?" he added in a softer tone.
"I'm fine," Ron snapped.
"Goldstein's a dick," Draco said strongly, making Ron start in surprise. "Your mum's the only family member that doesn't care about you. And even if your family abandoned you, you have a new family with us."
"Your dad would be okay with that?" Hermione asked.
"If only to get one over on Arthur Weasley," Draco said, and Ron snorted. "But my point still stands."
"I didn't realize Draco Malfoy was a sap," Ron said dryly.
"If you tell anyone, I will hex you," Draco said mock-seriously, and Hermione and Ron laughed.
"I don't really want to go to class," Ron admitted quietly.
"I can take you back to the common room," Draco offered, looking concerned.
"I was just planning on hiding in the loo all day," Ron muttered.
"That's not going to help," Draco pointed out.
"I don't really care."
Hermione hugged him, causing Ron to sputter in protest. Draco smirked.
A group of Slytherin seventh-years approached them when they reached the third-floor bathroom, and Draco and Ron straightened when he saw Primus Avery among them. Hermione had no idea why the other Slytherins respected Avery so much, but clearly, he was well-liked in his House.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy," Avery greeted. "What are you doing out of class?"
Hermione knew he was asking 'why aren''t you with Harrison, Harley, and Blaise?'
"I needed to use the loo, Mr. Avery," Ron said quietly.
Avery studied him carefully. "We can walk Mr. Malfoy to Transfiguration, then," he said. "Miss Granger, would you like us to escort you to class as well?"
"Thanks, but I'm fine, Mr. Avery," Hermione said respectfully. "I'll see you at lunch," she said to Ron and Draco.
"Bye, Hermione."
"Granger."
Draco didn't see Ron at lunch, or the rest of the day. He was hoping to see him at the Halloween feast, knowing Ron's appetite, but apparently the boy was still too upset to even be eating.
"Is Ron still in the loo?" Hermione asked in concern when she and Neville joined them.
"Thomas said he was," Blaise replied.
"I could cheer him up!" Harley volunteered.
"As funny as you are, I think he needs something else," Harrison said calmly.
Fred and George appeared at Draco's shoulder, and he jumped. "Where's our baby brother?" Fred asked Harrison.
"Goldstein made a comment about family," Harrison said shortly.
"Did he now?" George asked calmly, exchanging looks with his twin.
"He hasn't been to class since, and he missed lunch."
"We'll be right back," said Fred.
A moment later, Goldstein's mashed potatoes exploded all over him. He shrieked in alarm and fell off of his chair. The Great Hall burst into laughter. Harley cackled.
Fred and George reappeared behind Draco, and he jumped again. "Really?" he complained.
"Which bathroom is Ronnie in?" Fred asked Harrison as if nothing had happened.
"Third floor."
The twins were about to leave when Percy Weasley ran into the hall, screaming.
"Troll!" he panicked. "In the dungeons!"
The Hall exploded. Dumbledore had to shoot several firecrackers out of his wand to shut them up. Draco noticed that Harley looked more panicked at the firecrackers than Weasley's announcement.
"Prefects," Dumbledore said sharply, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
"But our common room is in the dungeons!" Harley exclaimed in outrage.
"Wouldn't it be safer to keep everyone here, with teachers at every entrance, headmaster?" Harrison called.
"I can take care of the troll, headmaster," Quirell offered. "Trolls are my expertise."
"A very good idea, Mr. Potter-Black," Dumbledore agreed, but Draco spotted the slight irritation in the headmaster's blue eyes. "Severus, Quirinus, follow me. Mr. Weasley, where exactly did you see the troll?"
"Ron!" Draco suddenly exclaimed. "Ron doesn't know about the troll!"
"And he's in the third-floor bathroom," Hermione said in alarm. Fred and George paled.
The Slytherin King immediately leapt out of his seat and went over to Severus, Dumbledore, and Quirinus, whispering something urgently. The three teachers ran off.
"I hope Ron's all right," Hermione fretted. Neville squeezed her arm.
Professor McGonagall hurried over to them. "Mr.s Weasley, please return to your table," she said. "Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom-"
"They're our friends, professor," Harley said.
"Don't interrupt, Harley," Harrison said. "He's right, though, ma'am."
"Percy's probably worrying about us," Fred agreed.
"Especially since Ron's in the third-floor bathroom," George added.
McGonagall blanched.
"I just told Professor Snape that, professor," Avery promised as he passed her to sit with his friends.
"Good," she muttered. "I'll escort you to your seats, Mr.s Weasley."
Ron's hunger was starting to war with his emotional distress. He'd been smelling pumpkin pie all day, and he wanted to eat.
He didn't smell pumpkin pie now, though. He smelled something foul.
A low growl sounded from the hallway outside. Ron pulled out his wand instantly, cursing himself for waiting so long.
The door to the loo opened very slowly. The odor assaulted Ron's nose, and he gagged. A low thumping noise, followed by the sound of wood scraping the floor, reached his ears. Ron kept very quiet, holding very still.
And then an eye the size of Ron's head looked over the top of the stall door.
It took all of Ron's strength not to jump in terror. He didn't move, keeping his eyes on the creature's.
The stall door opened, the latch doing nothing to keep the door closed. This revealed a troll in all its glory, twelve feet tall, dull gray skin, lumpy body, bald head, and short, thick legs. The wooden club it carried was crude and about twice as big as Ron was.
It rumbled in curiosity, reaching towards Ron. And he used the first spell that came to his head.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he cried.
The wooden club shot upward, and the troll followed it with his eyes. In shock, Ron lost control of the spell, and it landed square in the middle of the troll's forehead. It clattered to the floor, narrowly missing a sink. The troll, meanwhile, swayed a bit before falling backwards with a loud crash.
The door slammed open again, and Ron jumped, pointing his wand at the three people who had just entered.
It was Snape, Dumbledore, and Quirrell. Shakily, Ron lowered his wand.
"Are you all right, Weasley?" Snape asked in alarm as Quirrell strode over to the troll and checked for a pulse.
"I didn't kill it, did I?" Ron whispered hoarsely.
"No, just knocked it out, Mr. Weasley," Quirrell said gently, standing up. "Albus, I think he's harmless now. I can take him back to the Forbidden Forest if you like."
"Thank you, Quirinus," Albus agreed. "And I think it would be best if you escort Mr. Weasley to his common room now. I believe he is not well enough to eat."
Ron's stomach rumbled so loudly he though the earth would shake.
Severus snorted. "I am taking him to the hospital wing and having dinner delivered to him. Come here, Mr. Weasley."
Ron shakily headed over to his head of House, keeping an eye on the downed troll as he went. He didn't put his wand away until they were far away from the bathroom.
Percy was sitting up in his bed, not moving. He couldn't get the image of the troll out of his mind.
Instead of facing the troll and saving his little brother, he had fled like a coward. He was supposed to be a prefect!
"Perce?"
Oliver's soft voice broke his thoughts, and he blinked and looked at his friend.
"No one expected you to fight a troll, Perce," Ollie said gently. His hand moved towards Percy's, but stopped and moved back to his side. "You did what you could."
Percy opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
"Oh, Percy." Oliver pulled him into a hug, and Percy buried his face in Oliver's shoulder, shaking with sobs. "It's okay, you're safe. Ron's safe. It's okay."
After a while, Percy was able to stop crying. He lifted his head and paused when he saw the soft expression on Oliver's face.
"Ollie?" he whispered.
Oliver blushed. "I, uh..." He let go of Percy. "Sorry."
Percy blinked at him. "Oliver, you..."
"It's fine, I don't expect you to do anything," Oliver said quickly. "I-"
Percy kissed him.
Oliver froze for a second, but then he pulled Percy back into his arms and kissed back fervently. After Percy pulled back, Oliver whispered, "I've wanted to do that for a long time."
Putting his face back into Oliver's shoulder, Percy said in a muffled tone, "We won't be able to tell my mum. She doesn't like..."
"I'm sorry," Oliver said sincerely, trying to sound concerned but sounding incredibly happy and dazed instead. "What about your dad?"
"He won't mind. I think he might be bisexual."
"Hmm."
"I think I'm bisexual, too," Percy admitted.
"Penelope Clearwater?" Oliver guessed dryly.
"Shut up."
Oliver snickered. "Well, guess she can't have you anymore."
"I didn't know you were so possessive."
"Only with you."