The Bravest Snake

CHAPTER 8

Harry couldn't say it was entertaining, but it was interesting watching Professor Snape's internal struggle between his extreme dislike for Harry and his extreme bias for Slytherin. He couldn't take much points off from Harry, as he was Head of Slytherin House, but he never missed an opportunity to poke around in Harry's mind. He learned it was called Legillimency, and he hated when he did that. There must be some rule about using it on a non consenting minor.

If there was anyone Snape picked on more than Harry, it was Neville, Draco, and Hermione. Neville was a shy, clumsy boy who lacked self - confidence, so he was easy prey. Draco and Hermione knew the most about Potions in the class, and Snape seemed to hate that they were so knowledgeable.

Now that he thought about it, he had seen Draco and Hermione hang out more often. Personally, Harry didn't really like Hermione, she seemed too much of a rule - follower. Sometimes rules had to be broken.

He knew Ron shared his feelings on Hermione, but he was a lot ruder than Harry. Today in Charms class, they were practicing the levitation spell, and Ron and Hermione had to be partners. ''Wingardium Leviosa!'' Ron yelled as he flailed his arms wildly. Both Harry and Hermione cringed.

''You're saying it wrong,'' Hermione told Ron. ''It's Wing - gar - dium Levi - o - sa, you have to make the gar nice and long. The pronunciation of the incantation is very important, you know.'' 

''You do it, then, if you're so clever,'' Ron snarled. Harry felt that this was a bit harsh, as Hermione was only trying to help, but he stayed silent to see how everything would play out.

Hermione flicked her wand and confidently said, ''Wingardium Leviosa!'' The feather that they were trying to levitate floated gracefully in the air, and Professor Flitwick awarded her five points.

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of class, which troubled Harry. He wanted to read more of his Animagus books before Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Ron couldn't stop ranting long enough for Harry to slip away. ''How can Malfoy stand her? She's a nightmare, honestly.''

Harry felt someone bump into him as they ran past. It was Hermione, her face wet with tears. ''She heard you, you know,'' Harry hissed to Ron, who looked unbothered. Draco wasn't going to be happy that Hermione was crying, but Harry wasn't going to be the one to tell him. He needed Draco on his good side.

When he entered Defense Against the Dark Arts, the smell of garlic was so cloying that Harry wondered once again why he didn't know an air purifying spell, it would work wonders. He sat in his usual spot in the back next to a dark - skinned Slytherin boy he didn't know the name of, and opened his Animagus book under the table.

In case he hadn't made it clear enough, Harry didn't like this class. Professor Quirell stuttered and his eye twitched so much, he could barely get a clear sentence in. His large purple turban smelled strange, like there was something moldy in there, and he seemed afraid of his own shadow. Harry wasn't one to slack off, but he thought it was a more productive use of his time to do his own reading and homework, especially since he finished reading the textbook on the first day they got it. 

After class, when everyone was packing up their things, Quirell looked straight at Harry. In that moment, his scar suddenly surged in pain. ''Ouch!'' he whispered.

The boy who sat next to him looked at him strangely. ''Uh... are you okay?''

''Fine,'' Harry gasped. ''I'm fine. By the way, I haven't been able to get your name. You are...?''

''Blaise Zabini,'' he said proudly. ''I'm in the dorm next to yours.''

''Well, see you around Blaise,'' Harry said as he left. The Zabinis weren't as famous as the Malfoys, but they were in the same rich pureblood class. It wouldn't hurt to have more allies, especially since the suspicion on him was growing. Harry head rumors, and rumors could be vicious.

No one was really paying attention to any of the lessons that afternoon, because of the Halloween Feast. Apparently it was a big deal in Hogwarts, and all the first years were chattering excitedly about it. Harry could see why, the Great Hall was decorated brilliantly with pumpkins and live bats soared overhead.

''Hey,'' said Draco as Harry sat down next to him. ''have you seen Hermione?'' Harry shook his head, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Ron look a little uncomfortable. Draco still looked worried, but nobody decided to bring Hermione up in conversation anymore and everyone ate the special sweets for Halloween.

Then Professor Quirell ran in, his turban askew and his face pale like he had just seen a ghost. All conversation halted at once as he hurried towards the teacher's table, right in front of Dumbledore. ''T - Troll in the d - dungeons,'' he wheezed and collapsed on the floor in a dead faint.

The uproar took nearly five minutes for Dumbledore to calm down. ''Prefects, lead your Houses back to their dormitories immediately!'' As the prefects began gathering the panicked students, Harry had a sickening realization. The troll was in the dungeons. The Slytherin dormitory was in the dungeons. What were they supposed to do, fend for themselves?

Ron grabbed Harry's arm. ''What about Hermione? She doesn't know about the troll.''

Harry sharply inhaled. ''Quick, before anyone sees us. I think I heard some girls saying she was in the girls bathroom.''

''Then we can't go in there, Harry! We're not girls! Do I look like a girl to you?''

''I'm sure emergencies like this constitute as a valid reason to go into the girls bathroom,'' Harry said while rolling his eyes. They both snuck down a deserted side corridor to the girls bathroom, watching out for any teachers. It gave Harry deja vu.

A scent hit his nose even more foul than Quirell's classroom, like a mixture of stinky socks and a public toilet that had gone years without cleaning. It came from the troll, the troll currently standing in front of them. It was a mountain troll, notoriously the most aggressive and  most stupid out of all the trolls. Standing twelve feet tall, with thick gray skin like an elephant, muscular arms and legs that were too long for it's body, and holding a big wooden club, Harry felt like fainting himself.

Harry moved faster than he thought he could, slamming the door and locking it. Just as he and Ron turned to leave, they heard a heart - stopping sound - a high, petrified scream. Coming from Hermione, because of the troll Harry had just accidentally locked in the girls bathroom. Stupid, stupid move, he thought as he ran back, his heart sinking.

As soon as they entered, they saw Hermione pressing herself against the wall, trying in vain to escape the troll now advancing her and leaving a path of destroyed sinks in its wake. Ron sprung into action, grabbing a tap and hurling at the troll. Hermione followed his lead, though her hands were shaking.

Ron and Harry diverted the troll's attention by yelling at it to distract it. As Harry turned to grab a pipe, he saw Hermione jump onto it and shove her wand up its nose. The troll roared and desperately tried to shake her off. She fell, and Harry immediately dove to catch her. Ron pulled out his own wand and said the first spell that came to his mind. ''Wingardium Leviosa!'' The troll's club shot out out it's hand and fell with a sickening crack, onto the troll's head, and it crumpled onto the floor.

They were all out of breath, in awe at what had just happened. Harry broke the deafening silence first. ''Hurry, we have to go before the teachers find us.'' They ran all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room, where everyone was too busy eating to notice where they'd gone. 

''Uh... thanks,'' Hermione said shyly, and hurried off to Draco. There was an unspoken vow between them though, a vow that made them all become friends. Harry was glad for it. He was sure Hermione and Ron were more use to him as allies rather than enemies anyway.