Fighting Darkness

1.4

Harry was happy that his horrible day was almost over. The grand Halloween feast or whatever was almost over when he heard Lavender gossiping (like usual) with Pavarti.

"Didn't you hear? Draco said something absolutely horrible to Hermione Granger, she's been hiding in the bathroom on the third floor all day."

On any other day Harry would have immediately gone to see if she was okay, but as it was today, as in, this very day, he didn't even care all that.

Rolling his eyes, he turned back to Ron. Alice had returned to her room, saying that she wasn't up for supper. Harry, who would have followed her, but had been ridiculously hungry and had decided to stay for the feast.

Harry was moodily glancing at the head table when he noticed that someone was missing. Doing a quick 'search' of all of the professors in his head, he realised with a start, that Quirrell and Snape were missing. Before he could make a comment of their absence, one of rhe missing professor burst through the doors of the great hall.

"TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! Quirrel stopped in front of Dumbledores spot at the staff table. "Thoughtful you otta know." He said no more as he dropped to the floor. He had fainted.

There was a defining moment of silence before everyone in the great hall erupted into screams. Finally Dumbledore's yell of "Silence!" Quietened everyone down.

"You will follow your house perfects back to your common room, Slytherin's head to the top floor of the castle to the old transfiguration room. Staff, with me please." Dumbledore commanded, turning sharply on his heel as he did so

It wasn't until they passed a girls lavatory when Harry remembered what Lavender had said. "Ron!"

Ron turned, his eyes full of fear. "Yah?" Harry was wondering if the redhead would follow him to the bathroom to get the girl or not.

"Hermione, she's still in the bathroom, she doesn't know about the troll!" If it was even possible, Ron's face became paler. "C'mon then! We've got to find her!"

Harry couldn't help but smile a bit. Ron would always came through. The two glanced at Ron's brother who was barking commands at everyone like Voldemort himself was in the castle.

They shrugged and slipped off, hoping that no one noticed their absence. Running down then halls and trying to be quiet was a task for Ron. Harry on the other hand moved like a ghost and had no problems moving without making a sound.

Harry skidded around a corner, his eyes widening in fear. In front of him was a troll the size of a large tree. It's pale green and was covered in sores which were oozing yellow gunk. He watched in horror as the troll, and it's club, stumbled into the girls bathroom. Harry was praying that Hermione wasn't in there, was this even the third floor? His prayer apparently went unnoticed as a scream came from the bathroom.

Harry glanced at Ron, their eyes meeting briefly before they both hurried into the bathroom with absolutely no plan.
*
"Everyone okay?" Harry asked quietly, but loud enough for the others to hear. Two yes's came from somewhere behind the dead troll. Blood was spilling onto the floor from where the giants head used to be. Brain matter covered both Harry and the walls.

"I killed it." He heard Ron whimper from behind the corps. "It's head, there's a hole in it's head!"

Harry knew Ron was going to go into shock of he didn't do something. Hermione was still trapped behind the rubble that had fallen from the walls and they needed to get out of there quickly. He didn't fancy facing the professors covered in guts.

"Ron, find a stall door that's still intact. Hold it in front of you like a shield." Harry called, going over his plan in his head. After a few minutes of scrapping he heard Ron's voice again. "Alright I'm good."

Harry bit his lip "I'm going to try something, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. If it does, there's going to be a lot of mess." Harry pointed his wand at the corps and yelled "Reducto!" The beam of blue light hit the corps and in seconds he was covered from head to foot with blood, guts, pieces of wood from the club that had previously been buried in the trolls head and even more brain matter.

Ignoring this, he hurried to where Hermione was still trapped and began to manually move rocks, afraid of dropping the rocks on her if he used the levitation charm.

Soon a still shaken Ron began to help and eventually Hermione's scraped up face came into view. Within ten minutes, they had her out and standing next to them. The girl launched herself towards them and hugged them tight. "Thank you." She sobbed. "Thank you."
*
"Troll slayer eh Weasley?" Seamus asked, grinning as the two, now partially clean, boys walked into their dormitory. The talk with the professors had taken ages. Then they'd been taken to the hospital wing where their minor injuries had been healed.

Ron gave the Irish boy a tired grin before both him and Harry stumbled towards the showers, effectively escaping anymore questions.