A Snake's Crutch Book 1

Part 15: Quidditch Match

As the troll slumped closer to them, y/n could tell it hadn't noticed them. It gave her an idea.

"No one move," y/n whispered sharply. "Don't make a sound."

The girls' crying stopped and everyone froze, terrified that the troll would see them. As the troll slumped closer and closer, the stench got more and more terrible. The troll was holding a giant club which was dragging across the floor because his arms were to long. As it walked, the wood made an awful scraping sound against the stone brick of the castle floor.

It took about ten minutes for the beast to get within ten feet of them and no one dared make a sound. Everyone had huddled together and was holding on to each other as if they were each others shield. Even the boys had joined hands and, though y/n didn't realize immediately, she was gripping Draco's hand, a grip so tight she doubted he could still feel his fingers. 

As the group stood there as still and silent as possible, y/n had an idea. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it sooner. She let go of Draco's hand, making him break his focus of the troll to see what she was doing. Reaching into her cloak as slowly as possible, she pulled out her wand. Even with their group against the wall, the troll was only a mere three feet away, the smell of him horrendous. Y/N was about to cast her spell when Pansy gagged, making the whole group jump.

"Cave Inimicum!" 

The troll spun around and the group ducked, narrowly missing a beating from the trolls club. Pansy started to scream behind y/n, but her mouth was quickly covered by Sarah. Everyone went silent again to watch as the troll searched around him for the source of the noise. Y/N grabbed Draco's hand again and they met eyes briefly before staring again at the troll. 

When the troll gave up and continued down the hall, y/n slowly stood up, her friends copying her. Slowly, Pansy on her left, Draco on her right, y/n led her friends down the corridor and around the corner. When they cleared the corner, the group broke into a dead sprint for the dungeons.

"Where have you twelve been?! We have been looking everywhere for you!" McGonagall looked furious.

"I'm so sorry Professor. It was my idea. I thought that if the troll was in the dungeon, we were headed straight to it, and my friends were already scared, so we left the group," y/n said, looking guiltily at her feet. 

"You could have been hurt! As the staff still haven't located the troll, you must return to your dormitories immediately!" Just then, Professor Snape limped up the corridor, Professor Quirrell behind him. "Ah, Severus, may I ask that you escort these Slytherins back to their dormitories immediately. The troll still hasn't been found--"

"But we did run into the troll Professor! It left the dungeon! You're looking in the wrong place!" Draco was getting impatient and angry. He wasn't used to being ignored and talked down at. 

McGonagall's face went bone white. "You ran into the troll? Where? How do you escape it?"

"It was y/n, Professor," said Sarah. "She was brilliant. She cast a spell that kept the troll from seeing us until we ran away! It was amazing!" While her friends nodded along, y/n blushed, not used to the praise. 

"Well then," McGonagall said, straightening her robes. "Professor Snape, Professor Quirrell, you will come with me to find the troll. While you lot better get to your common room. I expect the prefects have been looking for you. Off you go!"

Professor McGonagall waved them away and they all headed of to the common room. When they got there, they were greeted by the smell of food, and they all hurried over to it, anxious to finish their meal. 

Everyone asked them questions when they got back. 'Where have you been' from the prefects and 'did you see the troll' from the younger students. None of them answered anyone's questions though, to tired to do anything but eat, their adrenaline leaving their systems, making way for exhaustion.