Chapter 2: The Mountain Troll
Most students enjoyed class with their head of house, but Harry wasn’t sure about Potions with Professor Snape. The subject, much like the man who taught it, was intimidating. Harry had struggled since the first day in class, and was glad to have Draco as his partner. Harry quickly grew used to Draco’s muttered corrections, which often saved Harry from disaster.
Not that anything could have been truly disastrous. Only the worst of efforts of a Slytherin could earn Snape’s ire, while the smallest of mistakes by a Gryffindor would draw a sharp comment. The Gryffindors wilted under the pressure – Neville Longbottom and his partner, a redhead named Ron Weasley, were constantly having potions vanished before the end of the class period.
It was obvious that Snape had a hierarchy of favourite houses. Slytherin, clearly, was treated most leniently, while Gryffindor was treated most severely. Snape’s lack of patience with Hufflepuffs was legendary in the school, but Snape didn’t set them up for failure in the same way that he did the Gryffindors. Ravenclaw’s treatment was slightly better than neutral – the studious Ravenclaws earned Snape’s favour by performing well in class.
Harry was perplexed by the way Snape treated him as an individual. When Snape spoke to Pansy or Draco for example, they received praise for good work. Crabbe and Goyle received subtle hints from Snape when they were struggling (which was frequently for Crabbe and very frequently for Goyle). With Harry, however, Snape was carefully neutral.
Harry had vast amounts of experience with favouritism from his childhood with the Dursleys. Harry’s aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon often forced Harry to do a disproportionate amount of chores, deprived Harry of toys and television, and regularly blamed Harry for accidents caused by Dudley. Harry would tread carefully around his aunt and uncle, knowing that the slightest mistake, real or imagined, would lead to severe punishment.
Snape’s behaviour was different, though. Harry was treated like a Ravenclaw, receiving neither undeserved praise nor criticism. Harry quickly grew jealous of the attention that Pansy, Draco and the other Slytherins received. He was just as much a Slytherin as they were. With Vernon and Petunia, Harry knew what was wrong: he wasn’t Dudley. With Snape, Harry knew of no reason for his treatment.
It was incredibly frustrating. Harry found himself desperate for Snape’s approval.
As term moved forward, Harry discovered that, as poorly as Longbottom performed in Potions, he was even more inept at flying. Within five minutes of the start of their first flying lesson, Longbottom had managed to fall of his broom and break his wrist. The class came to a complete halt as Madam Hooch left to take Longbottom to the hospital wing. Harry was disappointed – he had been eager to learn to fly a broom.
As soon as Madam Hooch was out of sight, Draco began antagonizing the Gryffindors. This, Harry had quickly realised, was one of Draco’s favourite pastimes. The animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin had been obvious since Harry’s first day at school, when each house’s table had booed at the first years sorted into the other house.
Personally, Harry tried not to join in with Draco. Taunting the Gryffindors was uncomfortably close to what Dudley had done to him for the past ten years, and Harry didn’t want to be that sort of person. Then again, the Gryffindors gave back as good as they got, which was a big difference. Harry had ultimately decided that he wouldn’t participate in the antagonism, but he also wouldn’t criticise or undermine Draco – Slytherin unity and all.
–Longbottom’s forgotten his Remembrall,†Draco was saying. –Maybe he should get a Remembrall for his Remembrall!†Draco tossed the small trinket from hand to hand.
It wasn’t clever, but it didn’t take much to set the Gryffindors off; they would rise to any challenge. Ron Weasley stepped forward, followed almost immediately by a shorter boy with freckles. Finnigan, of Harry remembered correctly.
–Give it over,†Weasley demanded.
–Hardly, Weasley. It’s a nice keepsake to remember Longbottom’s failure. But if I had a keepsake for every time Longbottom failed, they’d fill up our common room.â€
Crabbe and Goyle laughed, as always. Harry shook his head – Draco was definitely acting like Dudley this time. Harry kept quiet and subtly tried to move away from the bickering.
–Give it over, Malfoy,†Weasley said again.
Draco hopped on a broom and rose up into the air. –Come and get it, Weasley.â€
Weasley jumped on his own broom and took off after Draco. As the boys zipped through the air, it was clear that they had both flown before. Draco clutched the Remembrall in his hand, but that left only one hand to steer the broom. Weasley, flying with both hands, was steadily catching up.
As the Gryffindor closed in, Draco threw the Remembrall. –Potter, catch!â€
The small ball flew directly at Harry, who snatched it neatly out of the air.
Weasley turned his broom and came barrelling toward Harry. Harry hopped out of the way, and Weasley swooped through the space that Harry had occupied only a moment before.
–Watch it, Weasley,†Harry yelled.
–Give it back,†said a small voice from next to Harry. Harry found himself standing next to the bushy-haired girl from the train. Granger was her name.
Harry’s first thought was to give her the ball. He had caught it on instinct, and dodged Weasley so that he wouldn’t be clobbered, and really, Draco was acting like a bit of a prat. Harry had no desire to play a game of keep away; he had been the victim of too many such games as a child.
On the other hand, if he gave her the ball, he’d make his best friend angry and undermine Slytherin solidarity. He couldn’t allow his house to lose face, especially not in front of the Gryffindors. Better to not get involved. Let Draco and Weasley settle things.
–It’s not my fight,†Harry said. He pulled his arm back to throw the ball to Draco.
–It’s not your Remembrall, either,†said Granger.
Harry paused. In the distance, Weasley had turned around his broom and was again charging toward Harry.
–I don’t want to deal with this,†said Harry. He shook his head and threw the ball back to Draco. Harry drifted away from Granger and back to the rest of the Slytherins.
Weasley turned to chase Draco again. Realizing that he couldn’t outmanoeuvre the Gryffindor with only one hand, Draco pulled his arm back, aiming to break the Remembrall against the ground.
Draco’s arm stayed raised, as if he were frozen in space. Which, in fact, he was. A dozen feet away, Weasley was similarly frozen. Below them stood Professor McGonagall, wand out and arms in the air.
–This disgusting display will cease at once. 10 points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin. Come out of the sky immediately.â€
After both boys were on the ground, Draco sidled up to Weasley. –This isn’t over,†he whispered. –A wizard duel, you and me. Third floor corridor, tonight at midnight. Bring a second with you, because I’m bringing Potter.â€
As soon as class was over, Harry pulled Draco aside. –What is a wizard duel? Why am I your second? Do you realize how little magic I actually know? Why did you bring me into this?â€
Relax, Harry.†Draco smiled easily. –You won’t have to do a thing. A wizard duel is a formalised spell exchange. The victor is determined when a specific condition is met. Usually, it’s whoever is left standing. Sometimes it’s a fight to disarm only.â€
–Like, knocking a wand away?â€
–Or cutting an arm off. The term is used rather loosely.†Draco waved a hand in the air. –Anyway, a second is named in case I can’t continue the fight. Then you step in for me.â€
–Again, do you realise how little magic I actually know?†Harry could feel the blood draining from his face. –I’m pretty sure wingardium leviosa won’t strike fear in the hearts of Gryffindors.â€
–Again, relax. I’m not planning on going. I figured I’d rat out Weasley and Finnigan to Filch. They’ll wind up with detention, and there won’t be any risk to your delicate self.â€
The plan seemed nasty to Harry, and a little underhanded… but they were Slytherins, after all. If Harry and Draco showed up for the duel, the point would be to hurt and embarrass the Gryffindors. Draco’s plan accomplished the goal with almost no risk. It didn’t make sense, Harry realized, to engage in a fight you might lose. It was much more logical to step back, minimize your risk and insure victory.
–Fine,†Harry said. –But next time you want me to be your second in a wizard duel, please ask.â€
–Sure,†said Draco. –Harry, if I’m ever in a wizard duel, can I name you my second?â€
–I didn’t mean now!â€
Draco smiled expectantly.
–Okay, okay,†said Harry. –I’ll be your second in all future wizard duels.â€
Draco clapped Harry on the back. –That’s the spirit.â€
Harry walked next to Draco on the way to the Halloween feast. As they left the Slytherin common room, a cluster of Gryffindor first years passed by: Weasley, Granger and Longbottom, who had again managed to lose his toad.
Weasley glared at Draco as he passed. Draco and Harry had reported the Gryffindors to Filch after dinner, but Harry hadn’t heard about any detentions being issued. The Gryffindors would never have chickened out of a duel, which meant that, despite Draco’s efforts, the Gryffindors had managed to escape Filch.
Harry and Draco fell into step behind the Gryffindors. Granger was going on about the history of the Hogwarts Halloween feast, and the complicated enchantments used to decorate the Great Hall. Neither Longbottom nor Weasley seemed particularly interested, but Granger didn’t notice.
–How is Granger so smart?†Harry asked Draco. –We were both raised by Muggles, but somehow she knows everything about magic.â€
Draco rolled his eyes. His reply was loud, clearly meant for Granger to hear. –Her nose is always so deep in a book she has ink stains on her face. She couldn’t talk to a real person if it meant saving her life.â€
Granger spun around. –Shut it, Malfoy.†There were already tears at the corner of her eyes.
Draco sneered. –Grow a thicker skin, Granger. If you grow enough, it will match your huge teeth and wretched hair.â€
Granger burst into tears and went running into the nearest girl’s bathroom. Weasley stepped forward with his wand drawn, and Harry and Draco drew their wands in response. Longbottom, eyes wide and scared, didn’t move.
–Back off, Weasley,†said Harry. Harry tried to sound more threatening than he felt – he still had no idea which spells to use in a duel.
Weasley seemed to consider starting the fight anyway, but ultimately conceded that he was outnumbered. –Sod off, Potter. You and Malfoy both.†Weasley lowered his wand walked to the girl’s bathroom door, where he began trying to coax Granger out.
Harry and Draco continued onto the feast. Harry wasn’t happy with what Draco had said… but Granger was rather annoying in class, and the older Weasley twin brothers had been playing pranks on Slytherin first years since the beginning of the term. Somebody had to fight back against the Gryffindors.
Halfway through the feast, Professor Quirrell burst into the Great Hall. He was gasping for breath.
–Troll! In the dungeons. Thought you’d like to know.â€* His eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed.
Dumbledore stood and, in a perfectly calm voice, began issuing instructions. –Prefects, please escort your students back to your dormitories. Teachers, please follow me to the dungeons."*
As Harry and Draco left the Great Hall, following a sixth-year Prefect, a thought crossed Harry’s mind like a bolt.
–Granger doesn’t know about the troll,†Harry said to Draco.
–What about it? The troll is in the dungeon.â€
–Who says it will stay there? If Granger gets killed, Weasley is going to tell Dumbledore and McGonagall why she wasn’t in the Great Hall. We could be expelled, Draco.†Expulsion was almost the worst thing imaginable for Harry – it would mean being taken away from Hogwarts and returned to a meaningless life among Muggles.
–We won’t get expelled,†Draco said. His voice was less certain than his words. –Besides, Weasley and Longbottom will tell her. Probably.â€
–You’re really going to trust Weasley and Longbottom in remembering something important?â€
Draco frowned and said nothing.
–I’m going to tell her,†Harry said. With a quick glance to make sure no Prefects were watching, Harry dropped out of line and headed toward the girl’s bathroom.
–Harry,†Draco whispered. – Come back here.â€
Harry continued walking away, ignoring Draco. Draco muttered several curse words, and dropped out of line to follow Harry.
As Draco and Harry approached the girl’s bathroom, a stench like rotting vegetables filled the air. An enormous shadow was slouching through the hall ahead of them, dragging a club behind it. As the shadow lumbered closer, Harry saw that the club was simply a small tree trunk stripped of its branches.
Harry and Draco ducked behind a suit of armour to hide.
–Troll?†Harry whispered.
Draco nodded. –If we’re lucky it will turn down another hallway.â€
They were not lucky. The troll sniffed the air, making an enormous chuffing sound. Horrified, the boys watched as the troll turned and entered the girl’s bathroom.
–She’s probably gone, right?†Draco said. –There’s no way she’s still in there.â€
A shrill scream from the bathroom answered Draco’s question.
Harry bolted forward. Draco, again cursing, followed. Bursting into the bathroom, they found Granger cowering in the corner. The troll had raised the club above its head, and was preparing to crush Granger.
Harry’s only thought was to distract the troll. He shot red sparks out of his wand and began shouting. –Hey! You there!â€
The troll paused, then slowly turned. Its club was still raised above its head.
–What now?†Draco asked.
–I don’t know,†Harry said.
–I thought you had a plan!†said Draco.
–I did. It ended at ‘stop Granger from being crushed’.â€
The troll took a lumbering step toward the Slytherins.
–New plan,†said Draco, raising his wand. –Locomotor Mortis!†The troll’s legs froze, and Draco flashed a quick smile. Then, the troll shook itself, and again began walking toward the boys. Draco’s smile vanished.
–Locomotor Mortis! Locomotor Mortis!†Draco yelled the spell again and again. The troll froze each time, but quickly resumed its movement. As the troll moved closer, it began to swing its club left and right, crushing sinks and toilets. With the length of the club, the troll would reach the boys very quickly.
–Wingardium Leviosa!†Harry gave his wand a swish and flick, and a sink rose into the air. Harry levitated the sink over the troll’s head, then ended the spell. The sink dropped from the air and landed on the troll’s head with a hollow ‘bonk’.
The troll stopped moving and raised his free hand in the air. It waved his hand around as if shooing away a fly.
–Wingardium Leviosa!†This time Harry lifted a pile of rubble, again dropping the items on the troll’s head. The troll looked upward at the new annoyance, waving its hand more and more frantically, squinting to see through the plaster dust.
Draco fired a cutting curse at the troll. The curse bounced off the troll’s hide and impacted on the wall, leaving a light scratch. The troll turned its eyes forward and again, as if seeing the boys for the first time, it took a step forward.
–Nice one,†Harry said. He tried dropping more rubble on the troll, but it was no longer distracted by the small impacts.
The troll took a final step, and the boys were within range of the club. The troll swung the club at the boys’ heads, and Harry and Draco ducked to avoid it. The club crashed against the wall, sending debris flying. Harry, standing in the centre of the bathroom, escaped without harm. Draco was nearer the wall, though, and was struck in the head with a large piece of tile. The blond boy fell to the floor, unconscious.
The troll turned to Harry, who was still on the ground. Harry began crawling backward, away from the troll, but he couldn’t move fast enough. The troll raised its club…
–Wingardium Leviosa!†The troll was struck in the head by a flying toilet. Harry looked to the entrance of the bathroom and saw Ron Weasley, wand extended.
Significantly more solid, the toilet did what rubble could not – the troll stumbled, dazed, and shifted its attention away from Harry. It slowly began to turn toward Weasley.
Harry stood dashed behind the troll, nearer to Granger. Harry began to levitate bathroom fixtures as well, smashing the troll’s heads with toilets and sinks. The troll became confused as it was attacked from both sides. It began to spin in slow circles, unable to focus. Finally, the troll dropped its club and covered his head, desperate to stop the relentless assault.
The club was nearer to Weasley than it was to Harry. –Weasley, use the club!†Harry shouted.
–It’s too heavy!†said Weasley.
–No, you idiot. With the charm!â€
Weasley’s eyes widened in understanding. He cast the levitation charm again, lifting the giant club into the air and raising it above the troll’s head.
Harry quickly cast a tickling charm on the troll’s armpit. The troll chuckled deeply and instinctively clamped its arms down, trying to stop the tickling.
As soon as the troll’s head was exposed, Weasley released the charm and dropped the club. An enormous, hollow clunk echoed from the troll’s skull. Its eyes rolled backward and it fell to the ground, unconscious.
Weasley sank to the floor and Harry put a hand against the wall to steady himself. After a moment, Harry staggered toward Granger, who was still curled in the corner, crying.
–Are you okay?†Harry asked. Granger looked up, then leapt at Harry. Before he could do anything, Harry found himself wrapped into a hug by the Gryffindor, who was crying into his robes.
Harry awkwardly held his hands out to his sides. He didn’t know what to do. It was the first time he had been hugged by a crying girl who had almost been crushed by a troll.
It was the first time he had been hugged by a crying girl.
Or any girl.
Or hugged at all.
After a moment, Harry moved a hand around and patted the back of her hair.
A moment later, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick dashed into the room. The three teachers pulled up short when they saw the unconscious mountain troll, surrounded by first year students in an obliterated restroom. Flitwick immediately began tending to Draco.
–What happened here?†McGonagall demanded. Behind her, Professor Snape limped into the restroom.
Harry and Weasley looked at each other. Before they could say anything, a teary-eyed Granger began to speak.
–It was my fault, Professors. When I heard there was a troll, I wanted to see it, so I came down to look. I thought maybe I could fight it. Harry and Draco saw me leave and told me it was a bad idea, but I didn’t listen. They kept trying to get me to my common room, but before we knew it, the troll had us trapped in here.â€
–I came after Hermione when I noticed she wasn’t in the common room,†Ron said. –I followed the yelling and smashing. Potter was dropping things on the troll’s head, and I just joined in.â€
Professor Snape sneered. –Two Gryffindors who believe they can complete an impossible task, and two Slytherins who know better, but manage to complete the task anyway.†Snape glanced at McGonagall. –Perhaps the oldest story ever told.â€
McGonagall’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t respond to Snape’s words. –Fifty points from Gryffindor, Ms Granger, for your poor judgement. Mr Weasley, take ten points for your courage in defending a fellow classmate. Ten points each for Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy for cleverness in defeating the troll, as well as for exercising slightly better judgement.â€
–I am glad that nobody was hurt this evening,†said Dumbledore, speaking for the first time. –With all points assigned, perhaps our heads of house can escort their students back to their common rooms?â€
Flitwick shook his head. –Mr Malfoy is still unconscious. He would recover faster in the hospital wing.†With a wave of his wand, Flitwick raised Draco from the floor.
–Thank you, Filius,†said Dumbledore. –Ms Granger, do you wish to spend the evening in the hospital wing, as well? You have suffered quite a scare.â€
Hermione shook her head. –No, Professor. I’ll be fine.â€
Dumbledore smiled kindly. –The vaunted Gryffindor courage. Very well, then.â€
Flitwick directed Draco’s hovering body out of the bathroom and into the hallway. As McGonagall ushered Granger and Weasley toward the Gryffindor dormitories, Snape limped over to Dumbledore and pulled him aside for a hushed conversation. Harry wasn’t the only one to notice Snape’s limp – Weasley noticed as well, and stared rather conspicuously at Snape’s leg as he passed.
Harry moved to get a better look. Blood was soaking through a fresh tear in Snape’s robes. Harry heard his head of house whispering the words –third floor†to Dumbledore.
–Thank you, Severus,†said Dumbledore. –I will make certain of it.†Dumbledore nodded to Harry, then left the room.
–Follow me, Potter,†said Snape. His voice was more clipped than usual, although Harry would not have thought it possible. Snape led Harry through the halls at a swift pace, finally stopping outside the Slytherin common room. Students had not yet been released, so the hall was completely empty.
–Listen closely, Potter. Slytherin is an avenue to glory, that is true, but it is not the fleeting glory of a hero. Your actions tonight are reckless, and you were nearly killed because of it.â€
–But Granger – –
–Do you think me a fool, Potter?†Snape’s voice had become quiet and severe. –Make no mistake. I can tell when I’m being lied to by a first year student.â€
–I’m sorry, sir.†Harry looked down at the ground. –I don’t think you are a fool.â€
–Do not forget it. A Slytherin must never let glory or adventure take precedence over pragmatism. The risk must always be worth the reward. Slytherin is not a house for irresponsible braggarts with delusions of grandeur. If you prove to be such a person, I will not be surprised, but I will be sorely disappointed.â€
Harry looked his head of house in the eye. –I am a Slytherin, sir. I won’t disappoint you.â€
Snape sneered. –We will see, Potter. Detention with me, in the Potions laboratory, one week from today.â€
AN: Thank you for reading! If you would be so kind to leave a review, it would make my day.
*Quotes are taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, chapter 10, page 128, by J.K. Rowling.