Only A Boy

Thought You Ought To Know

"But, how did the troll get in?"

The Slytherin house had been returned to their common room once it was realized that the troll had, apparently, wandered out of the dungeons. All of the sofas and chairs had been pushed back against the walls, and instead, several tables had been set with the Halloween feast upon them. Merlin and the other first years had snagged a table to themselves and were deep in conversation about the earlier excitement.

Merlin had slipped back down to the first floor and then catching sight of a few green cloaks had followed the crowd back up the stairs. But what had surprised him was that Draco had entered the library after him.

"Where were you?" Merlin had asked him, taking a seat at a table with Blaise and Theodore. Crabbe and Goyle had been pacing, almost panicked behind them until they had seen Draco.

"I got swept up by the crowd," Draco had replied shortly, and any other conversation was drowned out by an announcement by Madam Pince, the librarian. They had taken care of the troll, and it safe for Slytherin to return back to their dormitory. She had led them back down the stairs and into the dungeons. Merlin had caught sight of teachers rushing to the second floor, and after Madam Pince had dropped them off she hurried away as well.

No doubt they had discovered his handy-work.

Merlin didn't feel guilty. He had killed many magical creatures in his time; even led others to kill for him. He had never felt guilty for any of them, and that was because they had threatened to harm the people he cared most about. He had even killed another human being before – and though the memory made him feel cold – he knew he'd do it again. Anything for the safety of his friends and his home.

"Maybe Peeves let it in for a joke," Blaise suggested, loading his plate with roast chicken. "I've heard most of his jokes are dangerous."

The house of Slytherin was thankfully saved from Peeves' torments by the Bloody Baron – the only ghost that he respected and feared. Merlin hadn't even seen Peeves since he'd come to Hogwarts, but he'd heard of how the poltergeist dropped things on students' heads and pelted them with chalk.

"Professor Quirrell might know," Theodore suddenly put in. He was munching on a caramel apple. "Didn't Terrence say he was some sort of troll expert?"

Merlin turned very quickly to Theo. "Wait, really?"

"Some expert, he mumbled, "said thought you ought to know," and fainted right in front of the high table," Blaise said with a dark chuckle.

Merlin glanced beside him to Draco and found that the blond was staring at him. When their eyes met though, he quickly looked away and started poking at his food. "You all right?" Merlin asked, noting how he wasn't actually eating anything. "You look kinda pale."

"Fine." Draco put his fork down. "You know, I'm not very hungry. Think I'm going to turn in," and he grabbed an apple as he got up and hurried up the stairs to the dormitory. Merlin glanced back at Blaise and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, don't worry about him," Blaise said with a shrug. "Probably embarrassed. You should have seen the look of horror on his face when Quirrell said there was a troll."

Merlin nodded and grabbed some more dressing, slopping it all over his meal. He couldn't remember feeling so hungry. Sleeping all the time must have stunted his appetite. "So," he said. "You said Quirrell knew there was troll first?"

Blaise nodded. "Probably saw it on his way to the feast or something."

"Maybe we should ask him," Merlin said, thinking aloud. He might not like Quirrell at all – though if the professor had an affinity for trolls that could explain the strange feeling he got toward him – he might know something.