The Other Potter

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: In A Girl's Bathroom

"Why can't people like me? Is there something wrong with me?" Sobbed the 11 year old Hermione Granger.

Percy could just stare at her, trying to find the words to say.

On one hand, he knew he had to talk to her, because the girl in front of him was suffering for something that wasn't true and could really ruin her.

On the other hand, he couldn't seem to form the words to say; because, just from watching her, he saw all the times he had been in the same situation, all alone, back in the days when he wasn't at Hogwarts.

But she wasn't alone. So maybe he could start from that.

"Do you really believe that? I mean, just look around. There are four boys in a girl's bathroom, worrying about you and missing their dinner, even if they don't know how to deal with a girl crying" he said "I don't know about you, but I think that there are, in fact, people who like you enough to worry".

The other boys, upon hearing that, approached her. She still had tears running down her cheeks, but at least Percy's comment made her smile a little.

"That's right! If no one cared about you, you'd be here all alone" exclaimed Lee "but you have us, the best company you could have!"

"Yeah! And we are all mad here; so, if there's really something wrong with you..." Started Gred.

"You'll just fit right in!" Finished Feorge. This made Hermione smile more.

"Plus, Hermione, you may have some problems with others, but, talking from experience, its always better to remain true to yourself than change who you are. After all, they should learn to appreciate the things that make you Hermione Granger, because those are the ones with value" said Percy "And, of course, at first some people won't like you, but i'm sure that if they get to know you they will... And, if they don't, it's really their loss" he finished.

While they talked, the girl could only stare in awe: Percy Jackson, the guy everyone in the first and second years started looking up to, was there giving her all his support; Fred and George Weasley, the ones people always admired for their pranks but never dared to get close to, had told her she was welcomed in their group, and Lee Jordan, someone she didn't even know before that, was willing to acompany her.

Maybe she wasn't as bad as she had thought.

The truth was, when she first realised she was a witch, she thought her life would definetely change at Hogwarts: she'd meet people like her, make new friends and enjoy learning from a new world. She'd finally be in a place where she fitted in, unlike all his life in normal schools, where she didn't have friends.

So, when everything repeated itself after entering Hogwarts, the initial joy she'd felt started to disappear. It seemed that, no matter where she was, people wouldn't like her. She didn't seem to fit, even in a totally new world.

But that wasn't totally true. After all, as Percy said, she had now four boys willing to accept her as she was. Willing to be her friends.

And just like that, Hogwarts got a new meaning for her.

****

So, before this beautiful scene, where were we?

Ah, right.

There was a troll in the dungeons, and we had these five ignorants talking about feelings in the girl's bathroom, while everyone else was panicking. Great.

So, after this awful announcement, the prefects made everyone form a line and head to their common room, until the staff sorted out what had happened. Of course, all the students were afraid, so it wasn't easy to control them.

While these happened, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were having a heated argument.

"We should just tell the teachers! What could we do against a troll?" Said Ron, afraid of what his friend was suggesting.

"They're too busy! And what if they don't go immediately, and something happens to them before they arrive? We don't have to fight a troll, just alert the others about it" Said Harry.

Ron couldn't completely understand why Harry wanted to go there so much. After all, they could just tell the teachers, and they'd surely do something, right? Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest place, so students wouldn't be put in danger, even in situations like these.

Besides... He really didn't want to encounter the troll.

But it wasn't like Ron understood the deep relationship of Harry and Percy. More than being brothers, they were there for each other. They'd grown up in an abusive household, so they treated the other like a treasure; after all, Percy was Harry's only family, and the only one who wouldn't be bad to him.

So, would Harry fight a troll, if it was to save his brother?

Yeah, he would.

He wasn't going to stand there while Percy could be in danger.

With this in mind, he escaped the line of students they were following towards the common room, and headed to the girl's bathroom, dragging a reluctant Ron with him.

He didn't realise that he would be too late.

***

"Sooo, you better?" Asked Percy.

"Yeah, I think so" answered Hermione. She had stopped crying, and, although her face was still a little red, she had calmed down enough to return to the Great Hall.

After the little motivational speech, the five of them spent some time bonding. The twins doing their usual jokes and telling Hermione stories about the pranks, while Lee and Percy listened, commenting when the redheads exaggerated the events too much.

But, as everything that involves the presence of our dear demi-wizard, the good time didn't last long.

Why?

Well, because every monster that manages to get past the Hogwart's barrier is immediately inclined to Percy's smell.

Another perk of being a demigod. Yey.

So, just as the group of five was finishing their conversation, some really loud footsteps could be heard.

A deep growl sounded, approaching the girl's bathroom. The young wizards could hear the creature beforehand, but they weren't able to react in time.

A big, fat monster was closing the only door to exit the girl's bathroom.

"What the fuck is that thing!?" Yelled Lee Jordan.

And just like that, the moster charged at the group of friends.