Rowan Haywood

Book 1: Chapter 11 - The Troll

Perhaps it was because I was now very busy, with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all my homework, but I could hardly believe it when I realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt like home to me now and my lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that I had mastered the basics.

On Halloween morning Edith, Hermione, and every other students in the castle woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, had to work with Hermione. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day the broomsticks had arrived(although because I know that she loves me very deeply in her heart, she forgave me(It's just a joke)).

My partner was Edith(thank Merlin) and we both paid attention to the teacher without too much arguing.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too -- never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest ."
　　
It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it -- Harry had to put it out with his hat.
　　
Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.
　　
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
　　
"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"Hermione, chill." I tried to calm her down.

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.
　　
Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
　　
Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.
　　
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"
　　
Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "
　
I coughed.

"Oh come on. She's just plain annoying."

Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. I caught a glimpse of her face -- and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"Hermione!" I chased after her.

"I think she heard you."
　　
"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."
　
Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. Neither did I. I went to the girls' bathroom and tried to comfort her, but....

"GET OUT!" She screamed while sobbing.

I had no choice but to leave, thinking that she may need time alone.

On my way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, I overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out of their minds, which made me angry but Edith tried to calm me down.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.