Kyle remained in the Hufflepuff common room, closely watching the Marauder's Map. About ten minutes later, Quirrell's name finally appeared, and Kyle's eyes lit up. He stood up, left the common room, and began following Quirrell's path.
On the map, he could see that Quirrell hadn't gone to the Great Hall but was making his way around the castle in a large loop. Kyle trailed behind carefully, staying a corridor apart to avoid being noticed. With the Marauder's Map in hand, he wasn't worried about losing him; he could keep tabs on Quirrell's exact location.
After weaving through the castle, Quirrell finally stopped. Kyle quickly ducked into an empty classroom nearby to stay out of sight. A few minutes later, Quirrell's name began moving rapidly in the direction of the Great Hall. Once Kyle was certain he was a safe distance away, he slipped out of the classroom, dashed down an empty side corridor, and headed straight for the spot where Quirrell had stopped earlier.
Rounding a corner, a revolting stench assaulted his nose. It was even worse than any potion Mikel had ever brewed, and even though Kyle had steeled himself for something unpleasant, he was nearly overcome by the foul smell.
Then he heard a low growl and the sound of huge, shuffling footsteps. Not far ahead, a towering twelve-foot creature lumbered into view. Its skin was dull, gray like weathered granite, and its small, walnut-shaped head sat atop a massive, clumsy body. Thick, trunk-like legs supported it, ending in broad, rough feet with calloused soles. The unbearable stench was coming directly from the creature.
Kyle recognized it immediately: a Mountain Troll—the largest kind of troll there was.
"I'm rich!" Kyle murmured excitedly, taking a few steps forward.
The movement caught the troll's attention. It let out a roar and lumbered forward, raising the enormous club in its hand, preparing to smash the tiny figure in front of it.
"Wait, I can take you to eat!" Kyle shouted.
The words seemed to have an effect; the troll paused, lowering its club slightly. It tilted its walnut-sized head, struggling to comprehend what Kyle had said.
"You're hungry, right? I'll take you to eat!" Kyle repeated. "Eat! Meal!"
This time, the troll seemed to understand. It dropped the club and grunted in a strange, guttural way, almost like a chant.
"Yes, eat!" Kyle managed a smile despite the horrible smell, trying to appear friendly. In as firm a voice as he could muster, he said, "Follow me, I'll take you there!"
He took a careful step backward, and the troll immediately followed, much to Kyle's delight.
"Yes!" he thought triumphantly. He quickly took out a suitcase, placed it on the ground, and opened it, positioning it as if preparing for something. Now he just needed to find the right moment to get the troll to step onto it.
Holding his breath against the stench, Kyle took two more steps backward, keeping his eyes on the troll as it moved closer.
...
But then, an unexpected accident occurred.
"Ah!"
A shrill scream pierced the air, causing the troll to freeze, its foot dropping instantly mid-step. It turned clumsily, blinking in confusion as it searched for the source of the sound. It didn't take long to spot a small, trembling figure at the end of the corridor—a brown dot against the dim background.
"Ahhh!" Hermione's scream grew louder when she realized the troll had noticed her.
The troll, seemingly distressed, thumped a massive palm against its head, as if trying to knock sense into itself. In its befuddled gaze, Hermione's terrified form morphed into something that looked, at least in its eyes, like a round, colorful Fwooper bird.
In that moment, any reason the troll had vanished. It completely forgot about Kyle and began lumbering toward Hermione.
"I... ***!" Kyle was dumbfounded. Just one more step—one step, and the troll would have been his. Who would have guessed Hermione would show up and ruin everything?
She was supposed to be in the bathroom... Why now, of all times, did she have to come out? Couldn't she have stayed there just a little longer?
Frustrated, Kyle pounded his fist against the wall, then dashed after the troll, shouting words like "dinner" and "food" in a desperate attempt to catch its attention again. He couldn't just stand by and let Hermione get hurt.
But for some reason, the troll had locked onto Hermione, ignoring Kyle's calls entirely.
To make matters worse, Hermione's legs had buckled under her, and she'd collapsed onto the floor, her back pressed against the wall, pale and paralyzed with fear. She looked as though she might faint at any moment.
The troll, now only a few paces away, raised its massive club, advancing step by thundering step toward the trembling girl.
"What on earth is going on here?" Kyle sighed and lifted his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
The club flew out of the troll's hand, soaring high into the air before arcing back down and thumping onto its owner's head with a resounding crack. The troll wobbled slightly, then crashed face-first onto the floor, the impact reverberating through the corridor.
Hermione stared, stunned. "Is it… dead?"
"Bah, bah, bah, now why would you repay evil with evil like that?" Kyle muttered, hurrying over to check on the troll. Thankfully, he could still feel a faint heartbeat, and he let out a sigh of relief.
If he'd had any other choice, he wouldn't have used such a method. The troll might be dim-witted, but it could understand him well enough. Who knew if that blow had damaged what little intelligence it possessed? That wasn't the outcome Kyle had hoped for.
But there was no time to dwell on it. He summoned his suitcase and prepared to maneuver the troll into it. Then, considering the stench, he paused and took out his wand.
"Tergeo! Scourgify!" he muttered, casting a series of Scouring Charms that left the troll somewhat cleaner, and, thankfully, less foul-smelling. Kyle was about to continue when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Quickly, he shoved the troll into the suitcase.
"Remember," he said to Hermione with a grave expression, "you didn't see anything. There was no troll. You just tripped and fell, understand?"
Hermione nodded numbly, still in shock.
"Good." Kyle picked up the suitcase and helped her to her feet, acting as if nothing had happened.
"Hermione! Thank goodness, there you are!" Harry and Ron came sprinting down the corridor.
"There's a troll in the dungeons!" Harry panted. "Headmaster Dumbledore told everyone to go back to their dormitories. And you—wait, Kyle, you're here too?"
"Yes, I was on my way to the Great Hall and just happened to run into Miss Granger here." Kyle smiled innocently. "Did you say there's a troll in the dungeons? How could that happen? Why would there be a troll at Hogwarts?"
"It's true, I swear," Ron interjected quickly. "Professor Quirrell burst into the Halloween feast and told us. He fainted right after he announced it."
"Really… That sounds dangerous," Kyle replied, feigning concern. "Trolls are not something we can handle ourselves. I'll be off now; you three should get back to your dormitory quickly."
Hermione stayed silent, staring at Kyle in stunned disbelief. His calm expression, his even tone… if she hadn't just witnessed everything herself, she would have believed every word he said.
How was he so skilled? Was this guy really just the top student in their year?