Halloween finally came meaning Christmas is nearby. Your mind drifted away as you recalled your moments with your family during Halloween. The Great Hall was decorated with floating pumpkins and even the food was Halloween theme. You and Harry went together to your table with the other Gryffindors. You were beside Harry while Ron was in front of Harry. The three of you were eating.

"Have you seen Hermione?" Harry asked you. You sighed and shook your head. "I couldn't find her. She ran before I could even talk to her."

Neville, who was beside Ron, spoke. "Parvati Patil said that she wouldn't come out of the girl's bathroom. She said that she'd been in there all afternoon, crying."

You looked at Harry worriedly. "I have to go and get her."

Harry gazed at you as you stood up. "What about your food?"

"I think I ate a lot already. Ron can eat mine! See you two back at the Common Room!"

You ran and passed to a running Quirinus Quirrell. "Troll!" You heard him screamed. You decided to ignore him and his screaming. All you care about was Hermione right now. You went to the bathroom where Hermione was. "Hermione!" You knocked on a stall, wishing she was there.

"Leave me alone!"

You turned your head where the voice came from and noticed that Hermione was on the other stall. You approached the stall and softly knocked. "It's me, (Y/n)." You spoke. 

The door slowly swung open. You saw Hermione getting out and wiping her tear-stained cheeks. You quickly gave her a hug causing the girl to jump in surprise. "Hey, it's alright. I'm here."

Hermione smiled and hugged you back. "Thanks (Y/n). For being here." She slowly looked up and widened her eyes. "Holy cricket..."

You turned around to see a huge troll standing behind you. Hermione quickly hid in the stall she was in while you stayed under the sinks. The troll smashes the stalls. You heard her scream meaning she was still alive.

You stood up and pointed your wand at him. Before you could cast a spell, the troll pushed you away by his weapon and you landed on the floor, bumping the back of your head to the sink. You hissed in pain and noticed a bit of blood dripping.

Harry and Ron came inside and witnessed you and Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ron shrieked.

"(Y/n)!" Harry yelled. Hermione rushed towards you as the troll's eyes followed her. Hermione covered you to keep you safe. "Help us!" Hermione shouted.

Harry brought his wand out and charged towards the troll's weapon. The troll lifted its weapon dragging Harry with it. Harry managed to land on top of the troll and was shook violently as the troll tried to shook him away.

Harry plunged his wand to the troll's nose causing the troll to be annoyed and grabbed Harry's leg, dangling him upside down. "Do something!" Harry told Ron.

Ron looked around. "What?"

"Anything!"

Ron glanced at Hermione and you who mouthed him the levitation spell and motioning the gesture to conjure the spell. "Swish and flick." Hermione mouthed.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron pointed his wand at the troll's weapon and the weapon was lifted. The troll looked up to spot his weapon levitating on top of him. The weapon was dropped on the troll's head. The troll fell unconscious, released Harry, and collapsed on the ground.

Hermione and you slowly got up and approached the unconscious troll and the boys. "Is it dead?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think so," Harry replied. "Just knocked out."

Harry slowly pulled his wand out from the troll's nose and was covered with strings of the troll's snot. Your friends let out a disgusted groan. "Troll bogies," Ron muttered.

Harry wiped his wand with his robe and looked at you and Hermione. "Are you two okay?"

"I think so." You reassured him before wincing and flinching when you felt pain on the back of your head.

Before the four of you could go out, McGonagall along with Quirrell and Snape went inside.

"Oh, my goodness!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Explain yourselves, both of you!" McGonagall glared at the two boys.

The two boys stuttered and tried to explain but Hermione spoke. "It's my fault, Professor McGonagall," Hermione said, taking the blame. "I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and I thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If (Y/n), Harry, and Ron hadn't come and found me, I'd probably be dead."

"Very unlikely of you, Ms. Granger. Be that as it may, it was an extremely foolish thing to do. I would've expected more rational behavior on your part and am very disappointed in you, Ms. Granger." McGonagall sighed. "Five points will be taken from Gryffindor... for your serious lack of judgment." 

McGonagall turned to you, Harry, and Ron. "As for you three, I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first-year students could take on a full-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale." She stared at you three for a moment. "Five points... will be awarded to each of you for sheer dumb luck." 

Hermione smiled in relief for the three of you as Ron and Harry glanced at each other in joy.

"Now off to your houses." McGonagall then stopped and pointed to you. "Ms. Stark?"

"Yes, professor?" You asked.

"You are injured. I suggest you three escort Ms. Stark to the Hospital Wing and check her injury. What happened to you and Ms. Stark?"

"I bumped into the sink while I tried to stop the troll." You answered.

"Very well then. You must hurry or it might get serious. If you must rest in the infirmary then go ahead." McGonagall and Snape left while Quirrell left behind. "Perhaps you four ought to go. It might wake up."

The four of you walked through the hallway side by side as Harry spoke. "Good of you to get us out of trouble like that." He praised.

"Mind you, we did save their lives," Ron replied. "And yes, even (Y/n) because she tried to save Hermione but she also ended up being injured."

"Mind you, they might not have needed saving if you hadn't insulted Hermione."

Ron looked down while Hermione nodded in approval. Ron glanced at Hermione and gave her a small smile. "What are friends for?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other while you slightly nudged Harry's arm. You and your friends continued to walk until you heard footsteps coming towards you. You noticed a boy running.

"Is that...?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing. "Malfoy?"

Harry stood in front of you while Draco stopped just a few feet away. He huffed in irritation. "Step away, Potter. I need to speak to Stark."

You placed a hand on top of Harry's shoulder, reassuring him that it was fine. Harry sighed and stepped away. Draco opened his mouth to talk but he immediately closed it when he noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still there. "I meant alone." He hissed.

Hermione crossed her arms. "Couldn't it wait for tomorrow? We have to take (Y/n) to the Hospital Wing."

Draco's expression softened as he turned to you. "Why? What happened?"

You shook your head. "I'm fine, really." You glanced at your friends and scratched the back of your head. "You guys could, uh, go. I'll catch up."

"But what about--"

"I'll take her to the infirmary." Draco interrupted Ron. Ron lifted an eyebrow before leaving with Hermione and Harry. You hid your hand behind as you played the hem of your sleeves nervously. "Malfoy, you really don't have to--"

"Were you hurt?" Draco asked worriedly. "What happened?"

You sighed. "I went out to look for Hermione. Then we both found the troll was inside. I tried to stop it but I got hit in the sink while avoiding it. What about you?"

"Huh?"

"How did you know where to find us?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "For the record, I was just looking for you, not your friends. Professor Quirrell said the troll was in the dungeon and saw you going out of the Great Hall before you could hear where it was. I looked for you and then heard that the teachers were on their way to the girls' bathroom."

"And how did you know I was in there?"

"I may have overheard you and your friends' conversation a while ago."

You crossed your arms and smiled. "You know, it's bad to eavesdrop."

"I couldn't help it. It's not like I had good conversations with Crabbe and Goyle anyway."

Your look softened as Draco looked away with an annoyed look. "You know, you can always hang out with us."

Draco looked at you incredulously. "Me? With Potter, Weasley, and Ganger? Don't make me laugh."

"But I'm not making you laugh."

Draco stared at you while you tilted your head, waiting for his reply. He sighed heavily and shook his head. "Nevermind. Come on, we have to bring you to Madam Pomfrey."

Before you could talk, Draco grabbed your wrist and pulled you along with him.

°•○●○•°

"Nonsense!" Hagrid exclaimed incredulously. "Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"

Quidditch was finished and Gryffindor won by Harry catching the Golden Snitch. But before he could, his broom was jinxed. Your friends believed that it was Snape who cursed the broom. While you wanted to believe them, you were a bit freaked out that Hermione cast a fire spell just the edge of Snape's robe.

"Who knows?" Harry asked. "Why was he trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?"

Hagrid snapped his head towards Harry. "Who told you about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?" Ron questioned.

"That thing has a name?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

Hagrid nodded. "Of course he's got a name. He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year."

"Fluffy sounds adorable if you ask me." You mumbled, earning looks from your friends. You shrugged. "He sounds and looks adorable when he's not trying to kill us."

"Now, now," Hagrid replied. "Fluffy is gentle and kind. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the..." 

"Yes?" Harry asked Hagrid who quickly shook his head. "Shouldn't have said that. No more questions! Don't ask any more questions. That's top-secret, that is."

"But Hagrid," Harry responded. "Whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it."

Hagrid stopped in his tracks and faced you and your friends. "Codswallop. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher." He defended.

"Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a spell when I see one," Hermione replied. "I've read all about them."

You turned to Hermione in concern. "Did you hear the spell he was casting? Maybe we're jumping to conclusions."

Hermione shook her head. "You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking. He was focused jinxing Harry's broom."

Harry nodded. "Exactly."

Hagrid sighed. "Now, you listen to me, all four of you." You and your friends looked up to Hagrid. "You're meddling in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guarding is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

Your ears perked up. "Nicholas Flamel?"

Hagrid's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. "I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that." He quickly walked away from the four of you. 

"Nicholas Flamel," Harry muttered. "Who's Nicholas Flamel?"