The Tale of a Hogwarts Student

Chapter Eight: The Troll

Meredith woke up the next day determined to avoid trouble. She apologised to Hermione, even though it pained her to do so.
"I forgive you," Hermoine said proudly, "but I won't be talking to Ron and Harry no matter what."
Meredith thought that they'd actually be happy with that decision since Meredith knew Ron especially didn't enjoy Hermione's know it all way of being. That morning at breakfast Hermione made a point of sitting as far away from them as possible, and even Neville wanted nothing to do with them. Meredith was more than pleased with that.
Another thing that pleased her was the look on Malfoy's face when he saw Harry and Ron sat enjoying their toast.
"Surprised to see us here, Malfoy?" asked Ron happily.
Malfoy marched off to the Slytherin table and put his head together with his cronies, obviously plotting a new way of revenge on them all. Meredith made eye contact with Mafalda, who smiled apologetically before leaning in to join Malfoy. Meredith felt the violent urge to run over there and shake some sense into her sister. She knew that Mafalda liked fitting in and being in the thick of things, but to side with Malfoy seemed a push too far.
Whispers of excitement from Ron and Harry caught Meredith's attention. A long package had just been dropped in front of them by several owls.
Meredith made her way over, "what's this then?"
Harry looked up excitedly. "It's a secret but I suppose I can trust you," he said softly, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand broom. McGonagall doesn't want me telling everyone though. I've got a lesson tonight with Wood."
Ron got up and lifted the still wrapped broomstick gently off the table. "Let's take it up to the room before class and have a look."
"I'd hurry if I were you," warned Meredith, "Snape hates tardiness."
They raced from the Great Hall, students turning in their seats to watch them go past.
"What's that all about?" asked Neville curiously.
Meredith feigned ignorance.
"Come on Neville," she said, "let's get to class."

It was no surprise to Meredith how quickly the next two months went by. It was now Halloween and Meredith felt right at home at Hogwarts, although she was still a bit lonely with no close friends and a sister that only spoke to her when they had to write a letter for back home.
All of her classes had finally passed over the basics, and they had now moved onto more complicated spells.
Meredith had been paired with Harry for Flitwick's class- much to Meredith's delight. They were learning a levitating charm and no matter how much Harry and her swished and flicked their wands, they just couldn't get the white feather resting on their desk to lift up. In front of them Ron was having the same problem, except he had it worse since he was paired with Hermione.
"You're saying it wrong, Ron," Hermione said, "it's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' sound nice and long."
Hermione pushed up the sleeves of her robe and confidently said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather lifted gently off the table, lazily drifting back down.
"Well done Miss Granger," Flitwick crowed, "ten points to Gryffindor!"
Ron was still red in the face by the end of class.
"No wonder everyone hates being around her," he said angrily, walking with Harry and Meredith, "she's a nightmare, honestly."
Someone pushed roughly past Meredith, and they saw that it was Hermione, with red cheeks and tears.
"Oh, well done Ron," sighed Meredith as she made her way after Hermione, leaving the boys open mouthed behind her.
Meredith found Hermione crying in one of the lower floor bathrooms.
"Hermione?" Meredith said softly, "Want to talk about it?"
"Why don't you go make fun of me with Ron and Harry!"
Meredith cringed. She really hadn't been a good person to Hermione.
"I'm sorry Hermione, what Ron said was really mean," Meredith said through the door.
"Just go away Meredith!" Hermione sobbed.
"Nope!" Meredith sat on the floor in front of the closed stall. "I'm staying here as long as you are."
Hermione huffed in exasperation but didn't argue. They sat in the cold bathroom in silence for a bit. It must have been an hour of sniffling from Hermione before she finally said anything.
"Am I really so insufferable?"
Meredith took a moment before responding, she wanted to be sure not to say the wrong thing. "I think you mean well," she said slowly, "but maybe sometimes you can make people feel like you think they're stupid-"
"I don't mean to!" Interrupted Hermione.
"I know that!" Meredith continued, "But you can be a little obnoxious about it."
"So you're saying I should hide how smart I am," Hermione said sadly.
"No of course not! Just maybe be a bit gentler with the rest of us, we are only simple idiots, you know."
Hermione let out a little laugh, which was what Meredith wanted. The lock to her stall clicked and she looked down at Meredith sitting on the floor.
"I don't want to go out just yet," Hermione confided.
"Let's sit in the stall then," Meredith said, "that way we're hidden if a prefect comes in."
"You'll be missing class," Hermione said, conflicted.
"Ah well, I wasn't going to learn much without you there giving us all the answers."
They spent the rest of the day sitting in the stall. Hermione would still cry every now and then but both of them were grateful for each other's company. They listened as the last classes headed off to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Meredith's stomach grumbled.
"You can go if you want, I'm still too embarrassed to show my face just yet but I wouldn't blame you for wanting to go," Hermione said, genuinely meaning it.
Although Meredith was desperately hungry and she could only imagine the feast being had for Halloween, she decided then to be a friend to Hermione.
"I'll stay," she said simply.
A lot sooner than expected they heard the rumble of many feet leaving the Hall. Hermione frowned and checked her wrist watch.
"That's much too early," she whispered, more to herself than Meredith.
They sat for a moment longer before they heard an indescribable noise outside the bathroom.
"Did something just... grunt? Like a pig?" asked Meredith with a confused smile.
The door creaked open slowly and slow, thudding steps made their way into the room. The bathroom door clicked.
"We've been locked in," gasped Meredith.
Hermione bent forward and looked under the stall. Her eyes went wide and her mouth flew open.
"What is-"
Hermione let out a terrified scream, an horrendous roar responded from whatever was outside their stall. Hermione grabbed Meredith's hand in a vice grip.
"It's.. it's... a troll!"
Meredith let out a fearful squeak.
The troll roared again and smashed at their stall, the door flying open. They rushed out the door and into the furthest corner. They clutched at each other and screamed for help. Meredith tried to think of a way out of this but couldn't come up with anything. The last people she thought would burst into the bathroom and save them was Harry and Ron but there they were, wands out.
"He-hey troll!" Harry yelled, trying to get the troll's attention, "we need to confuse it!"
The troll turned towards Harry and Meredith felt like she'd faint now that it's beady eyes weren't on her anymore.
"Oi, smelly!" Ron yelled.
The troll lurched towards him, and Harry yelled at the girls to run. Hermione was gaping in fear at the troll and Meredith felt like her legs wouldn't be able to hold her but they managed to help each other rise from the floor. It wasn't quick enough though because the troll had backed Ron against the wall. Meredith screamed a warning as Harry ran and jumped on the trolls back, wrapping his arms around its neck. His wand got jammed up the troll's nose, causing it to flail and swing its club around. Meredith pulled Hermione back down to the floor, just missing a swipe from the club.
Ron raised his wand and yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Meredith groaned, if that was the only spell he was going to use they were doomed. Then she noticed that the troll's club was hovering in the air just above it. The club dropped straight onto the crown of its head, and the troll fell straight on its face with a crash that shook the floor.
They all paused in shock.
"Is... is it dead?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
The troll let out a loud snore.
"Guess not," Meredith said, with a burst of hysterical laughter when Harry pulled his wand out of the beast's nose. It was covered in a disgusting, lumpy grey substance.
"Eurgh, troll bogies!"
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps gave them all a fright. Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, followed by Snape and Quirrell. Quirrell nearly passed out at the sight of the troll.
Snape leaned down in front of the troll and said, "It's out cold."
McGonagall looked at all of them with white lipped rage. Meredith had never seen her in such a temper, she imagined she could see steam coming from her ears.
"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, her voice harsh with anger. Harry looked at Ron who still had his wand out. "You could have been killed. Why weren't you in your dormitory?"
They all looked at each other clueless, hoping for inspiration for a good lie. Then a small voice spoke up.
"Please Professor- they were looking for me."
Everyone turned to Hermione, Professor McGonagall noticing the girls properly for the first time.
"Miss Granger!" McGonagall gasped, "And Miss Prewett!"
Hermione gulped. "I went looking for the troll because I-"
"We thought we could deal with it on our own- since we'd read so much about them," interrupted Meredith, not wanting to leave Hermione to take the fall alone.
"If they hadn't found us, we'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron hit it with its own club. They didn't have time to get anyone else. It was about to finish us off when they arrived."
Meredith was impressed with Hermione's ability to twist the truth into a lie.
"Well- in that case," McGonagall stared at the four of them. "You foolish girls, how could you possibly think you'd be able to take a mountain troll on your own?"
Hermione hung her head and Meredith avoided eye contact with the boys. Meredith knew they were about to get more than just a telling off. Ron shrugged at her sympathetically. Meredith saw Snape smirk at Harry.
"You will both be losing Gryffindor house five points each for this," said McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in the both of you. If you're unhurt, make your way back to Gryffindor Tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."
Meredith and Hermione made their way to the tower.
"I hope they're not in too much trouble," Hermione said.
"Forgiven them, have you?" Meredith said. "Good to know all takes is knocking out a troll to earn your forgiveness."
Hermione shouldered her as they laughed.
When the boys arrived back at the common room, Meredith and Hermione were waiting for them. With an embarrassed pause they made their way over to the food.
From that moment on the four of them had become friends. There is something about knocking out a disgusting mountain troll that really brought people together.