As the month moved on, my friends began to realize just how much of a monster I really was. They trained in combat three times a week minimum and not once have they ever come close to breaching my defensive spells, without me even dodging yet. But this didn't make them want to give up, they wouldn't be the people I trust and cared for if they gave up so easily. Their fires were lit and they were determined to make me fight them now properly and it helped to push them further and further. They understood that their spells weren't truly mastered through battle. Most people don't realize how shit their aims are until it's too late cause they've only practiced their magic in stable environments. But what happens when both you and your target are moving quickly and spells are being fired at you? Most people become unable to even put up a fight, that's what happens. And this realization made them contemplate just how magic should be used in combat and how to cleverly apply minor charms or jinxes to form deadly combos. I let each of them study and understand the art of combat in their own way, finding the path suited for only themselves.
The rest of the month quickly flew by with my days filled with classes where I helped other students or spent time working on my projects from theoretical points of view, and my nights filled with the Exchange, training with my friends, researching or testing a variety of enchantment or ingredient combinations. And soon enough it was Hallowe'en. (For some reason, wizards write it slightly differently.)
The castle was a very festive place, since every holiday gives way to various decorations present in its halls and nowhere is more decorated than the Great Hall. The enchanted sky was made to look the most spooky as thunderous clouds roared, with usual candle replaced with floating carved pumpkins and with live bats flying around. Great pumpkins from Hagrid's patch were carved and decoration the hall, coupled with the torches and decoration to give off the quintessential Hallowe'en vibe. The food was all themed, with many being made from pumpkin, which I'm not that crazy about but I'll still eat it, cauldrons full of wizard candies and the typical fall harvest fruits everywhere.
It's not usually my type of event in all honesty. I'm the guy who prefers reading at home than go to a party, but I need to be here today in order to make sure nothing unexpected happens.
As the feast was going on, I noticed that even though Hermione interacted with me and my friends quite a bit in the last two months, she was still absent from the feast. I felt bad for the girl but, from an objective viewpoint of typical eleven year olds, it makes sense that they don't want to make friends with someone who always tells them what to do, and it's even harder for boys to accept her because she is better than them at pretty much everything. It doesn't excuse bullying though.
Everyone was having a pleasant evening until Quirrell finally burst in through the doors of the Great Hall, running to the head table and yelling in his fake panic.
"Troll! Troll in the dungeon! ...thought you ought to know." And he fainted for dramatic effect.
The entire hall burst into a panic for some stupid reason. There's more than 400 witches and wizards with literal weapons available. The most powerful wizard alive is at the head table, with very skilled witches and wizards next to him. Although the younger kids can be excused, everyone fifth year and above is able to at least attack with enough strength to hurt or slow down the stupid brute. This is why I hate mob mentalities.
"Silence!" Yelled out Dumbledore as he stood up. This effectively stopped everyone in their tracks.
"Prefects will lead students back to their house dormitories immediately!" He then ordered. And I don't know if he actually forgot that Slytherin dorms are down there in the dungeons, or he doesn't really care, or even that he somehow already knows the troll isn't there, but the decision is still a stupid one and the only reason I can understand for him making it is to let Quirrellmort do has he wishes and Dumbledore tracking him.
As everyone was slowly leaving, I noticed the two kids I was tracking myself finally leave and run for the girls bathroom. I myself then proceed to slow my pace as I make my way to the back of the line and cast a notice-me-not and some glamour before bolting after them quickly enough for no one to notice my disappearance, even with my very eye catching features. Everyone was just too worried about the troll.
I ran towards the bathroom and I could unfortunately smell the horrid creature before I could see it, making it really suck to have superior senses at the moment. As I rounded up the corner, I just caught a glimpse of the two boys unknowingly locking the troll into the girls bathroom, you know the one Hermione is currently crying in. So I kick myself into overdrive as I yell.
"You two numbskulls just locked a fucking troll in a small room with an eleven year old!"
As they hear my yell, they finally realized it, but by then I'd already arrived and could hear the frightened scream of Hermione meeting a troll.
"Fuck this!" I declare as I rip the door of its hinges and point my wand at Hermione and create a shield to protect her as she tries to dodge the trolls club, only to notice that no crashing sound of the impact was heard and opening her eyes in surprise at the shield. I then take the opening left by the trolls confusion to launch a powerful modified Confringo at its hand wielding the club and following with another at the back of its knee, forcing it to let go of its weapon and kneel in pain as its knee and wrist were almost shattered and blood pooled under it. I quickly use wandless magic to bring Hermione to me with her yelping in surprise at suddenly being forced to fly towards me. I grab her and let her go outside the bathroom where Harry and Ron are standing slack jawed.
"You three back away in case it does something i can't predict in blind rage!" I roared as I turned around to face the troll.
I quickly transfigure the ground into titanium chains and tightening them until the brute cannot move its legs, but it then tries to grab its club with its uninjured hand, only for me to blast it too. I then send a concentrated severing charm at its eyes, blinding it completely and finally lifting its club, smashing it in the face with the force of truck (he would know), while letting him free from my chains and sending the thing flying out of the bathroom due to the impact of the blow itself.
I step out the destroyed bathroom slowly as I clean my robes of the bathroom water and troll blood, while repairing minor tears that occurred when I was running.
I finally got a proper look at the troll, or what's left of it, as the adrenaline was leaving my system. It had stood at 12 feet tall, with lumpy grey skin, short but strong legs for its body and I think the head was small for the body, but that thing was almost squashed completely by the club so I'm not sure.
I then turned to face the three kids and give them a look over. Harry and Ron are fine, with some dust and water stains. Hermione clothes were soaked in water and she had a few cuts from broken porcelain and mirrors, a few bruises, but overall nothing actually harmful.
"Are you three ok?" I then ask, just to make sure. But it seemed that they were too shocked by what just happened and were only staring slack-jawed at me, then the troll and then back to me.
"Um, hello? None of you got hit on the head right?" I then say as I wave my hand in front of their faces.
"Huh? Oh yes! I mean no! We didn't get hurt." Finally said Harry, which in turn snapped the others out of it.
"Well that's good, I did hope to not mess up." I say with a grin.
"Is it- is it dead?" Then asked Hermione, still very much shaken by the event. The question getting all three of them looking at me.
"Yes it is very much dead. If anything gets up after its head gets turned into that mess over there, then it just wouldn't be fair. But I can tell you now, it's dead and gone. It will never harm anyone ever again." I declare, trying to reassure the girl. I want her to be clear on the fact that it is dead, because this will certainly traumatize her for a while. I also wave my wand at her to sterilize and heal her cuts and bruises with a few spells.
"Thank you." Was quickly said quietly.
They were about to ask something else when the sound of our dear professors rushing here could finally be heard.
"Now you three, I will do most of the talking. You've done absolutely nothing wrong and no one can blame you for this event. So please try to keep calm while I explain everything to the professors, ok?" I say and ask, to which they hurriedly nodded.
McGonagall was the first to be in sight, which made the kids feel hopeful, but then the sight of Snape right behind her with a slight limp dashed those to the ground, and whimpering Quirrellmort was with them.
As the furious looking McGonagall approached the four of us she finally asked her question.
"What on earth are you thinking off!? You all could have gotten killed! Why aren't you all in your dormitories?!" She asked with cold fury in her voice, while Snape was looking at the troll and a quick look of shock appeared on his face as he looked at me.
"Professor it's all-" Hermione started saying before I raised my hand in front of her and gave her a smile, stopping her in her tracks as she remembered what I had said.
"It's very simple Professor. Hermione has had a very hard time since coming to Hogwarts, trying to fit in with her peers. But due to her excellence and the incorrect way she presents herself to others, she has been suffering from bullying within her own house. Something I'm sure you must be aware of Professor, since I've heard you are very proud of having such a talented and hard working witch in your house. And since Hermione looks up to you as a role model, I'm sure she's brought this up to you before." I then start with my signature calm smile and tone, as I take a few shots at her conscience, which immediately work as she is left looking very guilty.
"Well, as a result she found herself in bathroom trying to comfort herself during the feast. As the announcement of the troll supposedly being in the dungeon, something very far away from this area as it would require a famously imbecilic troll to get up here through the moving stair, something which even those who live here have trouble with at time, and walk down a few hallways to reach this bathroom mind you. With that in mind and knowing Hermione didn't know of the troll, these two young men wanted to warn her and bring her to the dormitories as was ordered, only to find the brute entering the bathroom." I explain the reason as to why the three are here.
"And why are you here then Bones?" Sneered Snape as he was trying to make my life more difficult. I think three time the homework will be good punishment, which means six times for Quirrellmort~.
"That's very simple Professor. I myself was worried about Hermione as I see her closer to a little sister than a junior, since she is the same age as my younger cousin whom I treat as such and has been very actively participating in my Exchange. I saw the two boys going after her and decided to make sure everyone would make it back to their dorms safe and sound." I replied with a smile, just to piss him off more.
"And what happened to the troll?" He then tried to bring up.
"What about it? It's dead." I then stated with a slight tilt of my head.
"Of course I can see it's dead you impudent know-it-all! I want to know how and why it is dead!" He then hissed at me.
"Oh! I thought that was obvious. I killed it." I simply stated in 'realization'.
"You did what!?" The exclaimed McGonagall.
"Oh and I'm also invoking right of conquest." I added with an afterthought. "I'll have some people bring it out of the castle by tomorrow."
"Who would believe a boy defeated a troll?" Snorted Snape.
"Are you trying to stop me, the Heir of the Bones family, from rightfully claiming my spoils as the victor Professor?" I then state with narrowed eyes and no more emotions in my voice as I'm daring him to try it.
The tension that question produced silenced everyone present as we had a stare down and he tried to force me to yield through some legilimency. I scoffed at the insulting attempt and retaliated, making him break first. And as he was about to snap at me, an elderly voice finally resounded.
"Of course not Mr. Bones. You will of course have full rights to the trolls body. I do hope you find many productive uses for it." Said the headmaster with his ever present grandfatherly smile and slightly jovial voice.
"Thank you for clarifying headmaster. I do not want to bring up legal charges against my own teacher, especially against such a skilled potions master, over such a matter." I respond with my smile back on my face.
"That is good, Hogwarts would still be your home for a few years to come and it will be good to not create unneeded strife." He nodded as he accepted my response.
"Then if that is all, I and the kids shall excuse ourselves and return to our dorms as was requested. I hope you all have a pleasant evening." I say as i guide the kids away from the scene.
"That would be for the best. I hope this incident does not affect you all too much. We will figure everything out, so you children can sleep in peace." He then said i a reassuring tone.
"We will do that sir. But there's a few things nagging me about the situation." I say before leaving.
"And what are those dear boy?" He asked with curiosity.
"It's a few minor things about how the crisis was handled, nothing major. My first point of confusion was why everyone was ordered to go to their dorms when the Great Hall had everyone in a safe and defensible position, with all professors present to keep us protected and the Hall itself possessing very powerful defenses on its own when activated? My second is related, it being that even if we ignore the first, why were Slytherin house ordered to go to their dormitories located in the dungeon where the troll was supposed to be and how that was safer than the Hall? And lastly, it is how that symbol of idiocy was able to make it into the supposedly safest place in Britain undetected by the wards, spells, ghosts, paintings, teachers, elves and yourself, until the professor supposedly in charge of teaching us how to defend ourselves from such dangers runs into a hall full of children, screaming his head off about the creature and then fainting, with this resulting in it almost getting the chance to kill three students, one of whom is an heir to a ancient wizard family, another being from a old line as well and the last being the best of her year." I ask everything in a lighthearted manner.
I can see the smile on Dumbledore's face vanish, McGonagall finally gets how badly everything was handled judging from the look of horror on her face and how impossible the situation is and Snape shoots Dumbledore the stink eye as he also realizes his entire house was almost sent to meet the creature face to face. Quirrell just fainted again for no reason, just gonna ignore the idiot.
And with that said I left with the golden trio following behind me as their own gears were turning.