On the stairs leading from the seventh floor to the eighth floor, Professor McGonagall and her group encountered Headmaster Dumbledore, who had just emerged from the dungeons wearing formal robes.
"Minerva, where are you and these students going? Weren't you searching for the escaped troll?"
"Albus, the troll is dead. These students were the ones who took it down. I believe they need to explain the situation to you."
"Oh? Thank you. Leave the rest to me," Dumbledore said, nodding in acknowledgment.
After Professor McGonagall left, Dumbledore led the four students into an empty classroom on the seventh floor. With a casual wave of his wand, a wooden table and five chairs appeared in the center of the room, and five cups of steaming black tea materialized on the tabletop.
"Alright, have a seat," Dumbledore instructed, settling into his chair before glancing at the students. "Take some tea and relax. Being chased by a troll is certainly not an enjoyable experience."
Once he saw that the four of them had calmed down, Dumbledore began his questioning.
Hermione stood up first. She explained that she had been feeling overwhelmed by academic pressure and had gone to an empty corridor to cry alone. Later, Ryan found her, comforted her, and stayed to study with her for the entire afternoon. Because of this, they missed the Halloween feast and were unaware of the troll's escape.
When they were about to return to the Gryffindor Tower, they ran into Harry and Ron, who were searching for Hermione to warn her about the troll. Unfortunately, on their way back, they encountered the creature.
Hermione described how the four of them worked together to fight the troll, ultimately defeating it—though the victory was mostly an accident.
After she finished, the three boys added details from their perspectives. When all of them had recounted the incident, Dumbledore gave them an approving nod.
"You have demonstrated wisdom, courage, and friendship—qualities highly valued at Hogwarts," he said. "Each of you will be awarded five points for your bravery."
After adding the points, Dumbledore smiled. "I imagine you're still hungry. If none of you are injured, you should head back to Gryffindor Tower. The other students are enjoying the Halloween feast in their common rooms."
The four students bowed slightly to show their respect before leaving. Dumbledore took a slow sip of his tea, his expression one of quiet relief.
Upon reaching the Fat Lady's portrait, they spoke the password.
"Pig nose."
The portrait swung open, and they stepped inside.
The Gryffindor common room was bustling with excitement. Students sat around, chatting animatedly while enjoying the food that had been brought up from the Great Hall. The air was filled with laughter and warmth.
After grabbing plates of food, Harry and Ron spotted Ryan and Hermione already seated at a table, waiting for them.
For a brief moment, an awkward silence hung in the air. Then, all four of them muttered a quick "thank you" before focusing on their meals.
However, Ryan and Hermione exchanged knowing glances. It was clear they both understood the unspoken emotions in the room.
Harry and Ron had risked their own safety to find Hermione despite knowing the troll was on the loose. Their actions reflected not only courage but also genuine friendship.
For Hermione, who had often felt like an outsider, this moment was particularly significant. She had gained two new friends, and for the first time, she no longer felt alone.
Ryan, on the other hand, had initially planned to maintain some distance from the main trio, aiming only to collect some points and avoid unnecessary involvement. However, facing life-threatening danger together had changed everything. The experience of defeating a massive, 12-foot-tall troll had solidified a bond between them.
Friendship forged in the face of peril was something Ryan couldn't ignore. In his heart, he now regarded Harry and Ron as true friends.
As November arrived, the weather grew colder. The mountains surrounding Hogwarts turned gray under a thick layer of snow and ice, and the Black Lake was frozen solid, resembling hardened steel. Each morning, frost blanketed the ground, crunching underfoot.
From the upstairs windows, students could see Hagrid trudging across the Quidditch pitch, wrapped in his enormous moleskin coat, rabbit-fur gloves, and massive beaver-fur boots. He was busy defrosting broomsticks in preparation for the upcoming matches.
The Quidditch season had officially begun.
After weeks of rigorous training, Harry was preparing for the first game of his life: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up to second place in the House Cup standings.
At present, the rankings were as follows:
Ravenclaw – Unsurprisingly in the lead, as their students excelled academically and consistently earned points.
Slytherin – Their magical lineage gave them an edge, making them strong competitors.
Hufflepuff – Though they rarely caused trouble, their large numbers meant that even small point additions accumulated over time.
Gryffindor – Despite earning many points, they lost just as many due to reckless behavior. If deductions were averaged per student, Gryffindor would undoubtedly be at the top.
With the scores so close, every match was crucial.
From Professor McGonagall to the first-year students, everyone in Gryffindor was deeply invested in the upcoming match. Ryan found this school culture fascinating. Compared to his past life, where academics dominated school life, the British wizarding world placed enormous importance on sports.
Gryffindor treated Harry as their secret weapon, carefully avoiding any leaks about his role as Seeker.
However, as Ryan had previously pointed out to Ron, no amount of secrecy could truly conceal team training when it took place in an open-air stadium. Observant students could easily deduce the lineup.
Sure enough, rumors spread. Some people assured Harry that he would perform brilliantly. Others, less confident, joked about holding mattresses beneath him in case he fell.
Ryan found both comments unhelpful. He only hoped that Harry wouldn't crumble under the mounting pressure.
Meanwhile, Hermione had undergone a noticeable transformation. She no longer scolded others for their mistakes and had softened her strict adherence to school rules.
"You're right, Ryan," she admitted one day during a study session. "I think everyone should be responsible for themselves. As long as I don't hurt anyone, I don't need to interfere in their choices."
Though she and Ryan continued to assist their classmates academically, they refused to simply hand over their completed homework.
Harry found himself torn. He wanted to do well in his studies, but attending the after-class discussions required too much time—time he needed for Quidditch training. In the end, he often resorted to copying Ron's homework.
Ron, who had less of a problem with this, reassured Harry. "Honestly, the study group is great. Ryan and Hermione really know their stuff. If they can't answer a question, they just ask Percy."
Of course, there was a downside. Occasionally, Percy would notice Ron's subpar work and lecture him about it. But in Ron's eyes, getting scolded was a small price to pay for finishing his homework quickly.
One day, Ron handed Harry a notebook.
"Ryan asked me to bring this to you," he said.
Harry flipped it open and saw that it was filled with detailed class notes, summaries of key topics, and explanations of difficult concepts. At the bottom of each page, several classmates had written little notes of encouragement.
A warm feeling spread through Harry's chest as he read through them.
This match had to be won. He would make sure of it.
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