Halloween - Trick, or Troll?
Harry grinned as he walked into his charms classroom and saw the waistcoat his professor was wearing.
‘Professor.’
‘Lord Potter.’
Harry settled in next to Neville and pulled his books out. ‘Did I see your Gran’s owl this morning?’
‘Oh, hello Harry. Yes, the Goblins sent my parents home.’
‘So you will be going home for the winter break then.’ He nodded at the huge smile on his friends face.
‘They will need more healing and may never be fully recovered but apparently they recognised pictures of me.’
‘I tell you Nev, wizards have no idea of the resources they are ignoring with their elitist ideals.’
Professor Flitwick climbed onto the steps at the front of the room. ‘To your seats please, we have a lot to get though today.’ He set a box floating around the classroom and feathers where floated onto each desk. ‘Today we are making things fly.’
---
Harry looked around the Great Hall and sighed. He’d forgotten it was Halloween. Giant pumpkins decorated the room and live bats flew in lazy circles around the ceiling. He wondered if he should warn Snape about not getting bitten by Fluffy. Looking around he relaxed as he saw Hermione walk in with Ron following their double transfiguration class. At least he didn’t need to rescue his friend from a troll this time. Although, with his luck there was still time.
Harry placed a spoon of mashed potato onto his plate and handed Blaise the bowl before taking the plate of chicken from Theo with a nodded thanks.
‘Did you dress up and beg for sweets from strangers?’
Harry looked up at the question, it was asked by one of the older Slytherin’s that he hadn’t been introduced to so he wasn’t sure what her name was. ‘My muggle aunt and uncle were opposed to anything that might remotely be considered fun for me so I was locked in my cupboard while they took my cousin out.’ He frowned for a moment. ‘Well, only once he was old enough to realise there was the chance of getting free sweets and threw a massive fit.’
‘I’m sorry, I thought I heard you say they locked you in a cupboard.’
Harry nodded and pulled a folded envelope from his pocket and handed it to her as he concentrated on his dinner, trying to remember at what point Quirrell was going to disrupt the meal.
At the high table Dumbledore felt a chill at the edges of his garish purple robes as he watched Harry Potter hand something folded to a third year Slytherin from one of the grey families. He’d spent the last two months trying to put himself in the same space as the dratted child but he was never alone. Or never where he expected to find the boy. And as he sat there debating just summoning the boy to his office time seemed to slow as he watched one of Snape’s snakes unfold what looked like an envelope. She gave an indignant cry and showed the children sitting around her. He didn’t know what it was but the looks he was now getting from the children were uncomfortable. He heard Flitwick speaking off to his side.
‘I say Severus, something has got your lot’s attention.’
Whatever the response was got lost as the doors opened and Quirrell rushed into the room crying about a troll in the dungeon before fainting.
Harry sighed as he looked around at his house mates who were all trying to look unaffected by the defense professor’s announcement and following fainting spell. It was rather tempting to deal with the possessed man now but not in front of the entire school. Placing his knife and fork down he sighed. ‘What’s the bet Dumbles will try and send us to our common room.’
‘Why wouldn’t he?’ Someone asked as they handed back the envelope.
‘Because remind me where our common room is, and where the esteemed defense professor just said the troll was.’ Blaise replied, having worked out what Harry was implying.
‘Really, my father will hear about this.’ Echoed down the table.
They all watched as purple firecrackers exploded and Dumbledore instructed the prefects to lead everyone to their common rooms.
Dumbledore frowned as the entire Slytherin house calmly pick their cutlery up and resumed eating. Soft murmurs bouncing around the table. He strode towards them. ‘Pray, why do you think my announcement didn’t include Slytherin?’
The seventh year female prefect looked him dead in the eye and smiled. ‘Are you actually asking why we didn’t head straight for the dungeon common room when your defense professor, someone who should be able to deal with a troll since that is his job, said that was where the troll is? Are you trying to get arrested for attempted murder?’ She reached for her goblet. ‘Sir.’ She tacked on after an obvious pause.
Across the room the Hufflepuff’s stopped and turned as one with voices raising in pitch and tone.
‘Hang on, our common room is in the dungeons.’
‘Are you barking, why would anyone send us to where the troll is.’
‘Oi, Stephens, why didn’t you say something like the Slytherin lot just did?’
‘How did a troll even get into the castle in the first place?’
‘Yeah, I thought they had wards for that sort of thing.’
Harry looked at Blaise and nodded. ‘I would wager, Malfoy isn’t the only one who will be sending an owl home about this.’ And added more gravy to his plate.
‘You know Lord Potter, some days I think you are the most Slytherin out of all of us.’
‘I have no idea what you mean.’ He replied with a soft little smile.
Dumbledore stood frozen as the coldness of the Slytherin prefects words echoed around his mind. He didn’t even register as Professor Spout directed her house to return to their seats and stay there while Snape simply nodded to his prefects and turned his attention to the fainting professor.
Snape yanked Quirrell to his feet. ‘Come along now. You are the expert, you need to show us where the troll is so we can back you up while you deal with it.’ He dragged the protesting man with him and nodded to Flitwick who joined him with McGonagall.
‘Oooh, www well if if you thth think so.’
‘I quite agree with Severus, you are the expert Quirinus.’ McGonagall nodded with all the finality of a determined Scottish lack of nonsense and desire to get this done so she could check on her Gryffindors. ‘Come along, soonest started soonest ended.’
‘Th thats what worries me.’ Quirrell muttered. Knowing he was going to pay for his failure later.
Pushing Quirrell along in front they smelled the troll before they saw it lumbering along the hallway outside the girls bathroom.
‘I thought it was in the dungeon.’ Flitwick squeaked as they all raised their wands and began casting spells at the twelve foot troll dragging its club along behind it.
Quirrell tried to faint again but was quickly slapped by McGonagall and told to pull himself together before being pointed at the troll once more.
Snape dragged Quirrell back to the Great Hall while Flitwick and McGonagall headed for their towers to check on their students once the troll was confirmed as dead.
‘I must profess to a little, disappointment, Quirrell.’
‘Sss Severus, what do you m m mean?’
‘A troll and you faint? Yes.’ Snape drawled. ‘Very. Disappointing.’ His robe billowed out around him as he stalked towards his students.
‘The troll has been dealt with. I will arrange for desert to be placed in the common room, if you would follow the prefects. And Miss Smyth, 30 points for your clear display of leadership.’
‘Thank you Sir.’ She rose to her feet and was soon followed by the rest of the house. Her opposite number, Gavin Galway, seventh year male prefect, waited until all the students were ahead of him before nodding to his head of house and following at the rear.
Harry sat next to Blaise with his selection of treats from the buffet the house elves had set up. ‘I feel I need to write my lawyer about this. I was told Hogwarts was the safest place other than Gringotts.’
‘Meaning? Lord Potter.’ Blaise opted to play along and follow where Harry was leading.
‘I don’t imagine trolls are blessed with intelligence.’ He looked to the older years who shook their heads and replied that they weren’t that bright.
‘Yet a troll managed to get into the castle, undetected by the wards designed to keep us safe.’ He selected a bite sized chocolate tart from his plate. ‘So who exactly is responsible for the wards? I don’t claim to know a lot about them, are they like, something you have to renew or do they maintain themselves once set in place?’ Nibbling on the tart as he waited for a reply.
‘The headmaster is responsible for maintaining them and they should be checked each year. I believe you know my older brother, I’m Evelyn Smyth.’
Harry smiled. ‘Johnson’s sister? He’s a very good lawyer.’
‘Our father was the original Smyth of Smyth, Tonks and Smith back when it was just Smyth and Smith. Andromeda Tonks is my godmother.’
‘That practically makes us cousins, Miss Smyth. I take it you will be writing your godmother about what happened this evening.’
‘Will you be writing to my brother?’
‘I will.’ He lowered his voice, but not enough to stop anyone listening who wanted to. ‘I am concerned that my letter might get intercepted, my owl is rather distinctive. I can’t imagine tonight’s entertainment is something our headmaster would want to become common knowledge.’
‘Someone as resourceful as you, Lord Potter, must have other ideas of how a letter can be sent.’ She smiled as she rose to her feet and moved to another group of Slytherin’s trying to look like they weren’t effected by what had happened.
Blaise looked at Harry. ‘That is why my mother says the best lawyers are Slytherins. Ravenclaws can’t be beat for research and knowing obscure laws but you want your lawyer to be a Slytherin.’
‘Not Hufflepuff then.’
‘No, but how are you going to get your letter out, you don’t think they would interfere with our mail would they.’
‘I’m going to send two copies of the same letter and see if Hedwig delivers her one.’
‘And the other?’
‘Are you telling me half this lot haven’t tried to summon their personal house elves yet?’ Harry set his empty plate on the low table before them and rose to his feet. ‘Or is that another wager you wont take? But I must retire, I have letters to write. Goodnight.’
Blaise watched him walk away and shook his head. ‘He is going to cause so much chaos.’
Beside him Theo just nodded in agreement.
---
Harry sent the first letter with Hedwig, to see if it would still reach Sirius and called Kreacher.
‘Master called.’
‘Thank you, yes. I have a letter for Lord Black and one for his cousin, Lady Andromeda and her business associates.’
Taking the letters with a bow the surly elf popped out.
Harry walked over to the mantel above his fireplace and lit several candles with a prayer of thanks to Lady Magic. He picked up the framed photo of his parents and their friends and rubbed a thumb along the edge. ‘I sure do wish I could have saved all of you but look after each other.’ Setting the frame back he brushed his fingertips across one of his mother and father holding him as a baby and turned away. In dreams he sat with his parents and told them about his day, even as he knew it was just a dream.
---
Harry smiled as Hermione and Neville joined him at the Slytherin table for breakfast.
‘Morning Nev, Hermione.’ Pouring two more cups of tea. ‘I sent a note to Ron but I don’t expect he will make it down in time.’
Hermione snorted. ‘I can’t imagine that would go over too well with most of your house mates if you have a Gryffindor at the table. It’s bad enough when I sit with you.’ She reached for the toast and accepted the plate of bacon from Neville.
‘Oh if I really want to scare them I’ll ask the twins to join me.’
‘You know, when I first met you I couldn’t see how you could be sorted into Slytherin.’ Neville said as he added two sausages to his full English and picked his knife and fork up. ‘But the longer I know you, the more I see it.’
Harry smiled as if that were the greatest compliment he could be given. ‘Thank you Nev. Did you send your Gran a letter about last night?’
‘Oh yes, I sent it with my elf Daisy, she sent me a reply this morning.’ He passed Harry a folded parchment. ‘She was not happy we were about to be sent to our common room in the dungeon.’
‘I did think that was not the most logical move.’ Hermione added. ‘Oh, and can I borrow Hedwig to send my parents a letter? The school owls are always being used when I need one.’
Harry nodded, taking a whistle on a silver chain from his pocket he handed it to her. ‘Use this to call her and she will find you. Save you climbing the stairs in the owlery if she isn’t there.’
‘Thank you Harry, I will give this back when I’ve sent my letter.’
‘Or you could just keep it, Hedwig wont mind.’ He said as he scanned the letter from the Dowager Lady Longbottom. Handing it back to Neville he smiled.
‘I imagine the headline in the Prophet will be one for the scrapbook.’ Harry nodded to a few of his house mates as they stepped up to the table, only the faintest reaction to the students sitting with him. Maybe he should invite the Gryffindor twins next time.
‘Morning Harry, Hermione and Heir Longbottom.’
‘Blaise.’
‘Blaise.’
‘Heir Zabini. You could call me Neville if you wanted.’
‘I could.’ He nodded as Harry passed him the sugar for his tea.
‘You’ll want to keep that on your side for when Nott turns up.’
‘Thank you, he does seem to like a side of tea with his morning sugar.’
‘That’s not good for his teeth.’
Blaise frowned at Hermione. ‘What?’
Harry shook his head. ‘Her parents are dentists, that’s what they call muggle healers for teeth.’
‘And sugar is bad for teeth?’
‘Be it on your head Zabini.’
‘You are on your own with that one.’ Neville added. He loved Hermione as a friend, one of his first following Harry, but she was a bit odd about sweets and sugar.
‘Ah.’ Harry smiled as his copy of the Daily Prophet was dropped onto the table. He held the slice of bacon up for the owl and reached for the paper. He was soon lost behind moving words and waving pictures as he scanned the front page.
A quick look to the high table showed a vacant golden throne as Harry read the article. The large letters splashed across the page.
Dungeon Troll in Hogwarts!
Dear readers, did you know that last nights Hallowe’en Feast was interrupted by a twelve foot mountain troll? And that the teacher who announced this to the students and professors alike, was the defense against the dark arts teacher, Quinirus Quirrell. So why, dear reader, would the man who holds his mastery in the study of dark arts and creatures, be the first one to faint? And what does it say of the wards and vaulted safety of Hogworts, that a troll was able to breach the castle in the first place. But. Why would the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, command the school prefects to take their house mates to their common rooms, when two of the houses are found in the very dungeons that Quirrell had informed them was where the troll would be.
The article continued and Harry chuckled softly to himself before handing the paper to Blaise. Theo and Neville where reading over Hermione’s shoulder and Dumbledore was still conspicuous in his absence.
‘Well.’ The heir to the Zabini name handed the paper back. ‘Not quite as sensational a title as I might have expected.’
‘Didn’t need to be.’ Theo replied as he looked for sugar for his tea. ‘This one didn’t need anything to grab the eye.’
The doors to the Great Hall opened and a dozen witches and wizards stepped into the room.
‘Nev? Why is your gran here with Malfoy’s father.’
Neville turned in his seat and gulped as the tall figure swooped into the hall in her green skirt and blazer complete with vulture topped hat. ‘I have no idea but that is the board of directors for the school.’
‘Hmm, so it is, and my lawyer.’ Harry added. ‘The one that likes to yell at people.’
‘You have more than one lawyer?’
He shrugged. ‘They have different areas of legal expertise. And Andi is rather good at yelling at stupid people.’
Evelyn Smyth slid in next to Lord Potter. ‘I see you got your letter through then.’
‘Indeed Miss Smyth, although for some reason they didn’t get the one I sent with my owl.’
‘Well that is interesting. And will you introduce me to your friends?’ She smiled at the non house first years. ‘We never used to get visitors from other houses before you got here.’
‘I don’t imagine you did. Miss Hermione Granger and Heir Neville Longbottom this is Miss Evelyn Smyth. Future lawyer, I’d wager and seventh year prefect for Slytherin.’
‘Hello.’ Hermione nodded politely.
‘Miss Smyth.’ Neville also nodded towards the prefect.
‘It almost makes me wonder what the next few years are going to be like around you kids and I wont be here to see it.’ She looked at them. ‘Your Gryffindor isn’t with you.’
‘He prefers to sleep in.’
‘I do think you are the first Slytherin to collect the set Lord Potter. You will be one to watch.’
‘I think most of them are waiting to see me fall flat on my face.’
‘Some of them sure, but someone like you makes them nervous. You, are unpredictable.’
‘He’s an agent of chaos.’ Quipped Blaise.
Harry shook his head. ‘If I am anyone’s, it is Lady Magic.’ His statement was greeted with several hmms and a few looks from other Slytherin’s around them.
The school board reached the high table and Dowager Longbottom spoke first. Her clear voice echoed around the room.
‘Morning Minerva, sounds like you had a little bit of excitement at last night’s feast.’
‘Augusta.’
‘Where is the gaudy old windbag then?’
‘Albus hasn’t been seen this morning.’
‘Probably opened his wardrobe and blinded himself. The board want to ask him some questions.’
Neville frowned. ‘I haven’t heard her speak about the headmaster like that before.’
‘You never had to worry about tripping over a troll on your way back to your common room.’ Harry responded. ‘I imagine that would upset most people.’
The doors to the Great Hall opened again and a stern looking witch lead a group of red robed men and women into the Hall. Harry looked to the witch beside him.
‘Auror’s?’
Evelyn nodded. ‘And Madam Bones, the head of the DMLE.’
‘Her niece is in my house.’
There was no softness to the features of the square jawed witch with her short grey hair as she looked around the room. There was a nod directed at the Hufflepuff table with a hint of a smile before cold eyes turned back to the high table.
‘Where’s Dumbledore?’
‘Amelia, I was just asking Minerva the same thing.’
‘Augusta. I see the board got here before me.’
‘When I got a letter from my grandson I wasn’t going to sit at home and work on my crochet.’
Harry nudged Neville’s foot. ‘Your gran does crochet?’ He watched the boy shrug in reply.
‘I received a most interesting letter from my niece.’ Madam Bones looked at the tall woman next to Augusta Longbottom. ‘And then there was the floo call from Mrs Tonks. Hello Andi.’
‘Amelia, you look well.’
Madam Bones snorted. ‘I look mad as hell and my mood isn’t improving.’ She turned back to the table filled with uncomfortable professors. Some managed to maintain their smiles, the rest just looked nervous.
‘Well? Where is the bearded old fool? I have questions for him to answer.’
‘As do we Madam Bones.’
‘Lord Malfoy.’
Lucius Malfoy nodded his acknowledgement of her greeting.
Dumbledore stepped into the room and froze. Harry had to give him points for reading the room as the headmaster twinkled at them before nodding.
‘Perhaps we should take this to my office.’ He turned and didn’t wait to see if they were following him.
Harry wondered how they were all going to fit into Dumbledore’s office, he didn’t remember it being that large, but it is a magic castle. Although there was a side of him that would rather see this play out in public as the board and Madam Bones and her team of auror’s followed with McGonagall trailing behind. He turned back and saw Quirrell rise from his seat and slip out of the Great Hall. Excusing himself he decided to follow the squirrelly man.