Then I Met You [D.M.]

Year One: Halloween

31st October, 1991, Evening

Violet was sitting on the stairs in the courtyard after her Charms class had finished, studying for a quiz when she was the Gryffindor's heading her way. She shoved her belongings in her bag as she rushed towards them, her hand raised in a wave when she saw the familiar trio, but she pulled up short as she heard Ron talking.

Ron was walking with Harry and two other boys, Hermione right behind them. 

"She's a nightmare, honestly! No wonder she hasn't got any friends." Ron said, just as Hermione pushed past him and rushed away from Violet.

Violet glared at Ron then rushed after Hermione, who was halfway into the castle.

"Hermione! Hermione, wait!" The girl continued on as if she hadn't heard her name being called. Violet huffed, but kept chasing her, all the way into the girls bathroom. Hermione shut herself into a stall and Violet could hear her sobbing.

"Hermione?"

"Go away!" 

"No, I don't think I will. I heard what Ron said, he's a right arse for that."

She started crying harder, "But he's not wrong, you know."

"Yes he is!" Violet urged, moving to lean against the sink across from the stall, "He is wrong. You and I are friends, aren't we?"

"Well..." She paused, thinking it over, "I suppose..."

"He's just jealous that you're smarter than him. He comes from a family of wizards, but you can perform spells far better than he can." It was silent for a moment, and she was worried she'd said the wrong thing. Then she heard the lock click and the stall door opened.

Hermione stepped out, rubbing at her red eyes as she stared at the ground, "You think so?"

"I know so. Don't let him get to you, Hermione. He'll realise soon enough that you're a great friend, then he'll be sorry."

"Thanks, Violet." The girl gave her a weak smile.

"Feeling better? Let's get to dinner, I hear there's a big feast tonight for Halloween!"

The girls linked arms as they turned towards the exit of the bathroom, only to both freeze at the sight of the giant, ugly beast in front of them.

"T-Troll!" Hermione gasped. 

The thing was huge, it was brutish and its head reached halfway to the ceiling. It was a muddy green-grey colour, with warts all over its body. It wore thin scraps of leather as a vest and loincloth, and carried a large wooden club. 

The girls each backed into a bathroom stall, pulling out their wands and shutting the doors, then ducking as the troll swung its club, destroying the wooden walls and doors. The girls screamed as the remnants piled atop them.

"Hermione move!" Someone yelled, and both girls' heads popped up to see Harry and Ron, "Violet?!"

The troll started swinging its club again, so the girls began crawling out from the debris and away from the beast, as well as their wands. The boys were throwing pieces of wood and other debris at the troll, distracting it as the girls crawled around it and tried to hide under the sinks. Unfortunately there wasn't really anywhere to hide, and the troll swung and started destroying the sinks. The girls screamed again as porcelain and water sprayed around them.

"Help!" Hermione yelled at the boys, who were staring dumbly at the troll. 

Harry, the fool, took out his wand and charged at the beast. He grabbed hold of its swinging arm and flew up into the air, landing on the trolls head. The troll started to throw its head around in an attempt to knock Harry off, and in Harry's attempt to grab a hold of something, he stuck his wand up the trolls nostril.