21 Another One~

[Hogwarts, Girl's Bathroom, October 31st, 1991]

"There were two!!" Ron whispered in an agitated tone.

"Shut up, my spell can only conceal only a little decibel of your annoying voice, let me think," Wednesday replied to Ron sternly while observing the trolls.

The said trolls were already hitting the disheveled Hermione, however, because of their slow movements, they could barely hit her.

"AHHHHH!" Hermione yelled frantically when suddenly the end of her robe was hit by the thorny club of the bigger troll. With quick thinking, Hermione slid herself out of her robe and hastily passed through both trolls causing her robe to be left unattended hanging on the troll's thorny club.

"I'll get the other one while the two of you will protect Hermione," Wednesday ordered as she canceled her concealment spell on both Harry and Ron, then she went for the bigger troll.

The troll, noticing her approach, swung its thorny club with great vigor. Wednesday, who saw its attack, dodged it by somersaulting, but one of the thorns on the club scratched the back of her legs, injuring them. However, she paid it no mind; she stood up quickly and pointed her wand at the back of the troll.

"Confundo!" She muttered while pointing her wand at the back of head of the troll. She knew that a spell like Confringo, Bombarda, won't be enough to damaged a troll's tough physiology, that's why she went for the most efficient route. Trolls are known for their stupidity and it would only be logical for them to be vulnerable with any spell that concerns the branch of mind magic.

The said troll stopped what it was doing and stared into a daze for a few seconds before swinging its club in the air, hitting nothing while growling. It made its way outside of the chamber, seemingly following someone while swinging its thorny club into thin air.

"Lurch's much better than them in terms of strength, and intelligence, that's good to know," Wednesday muttered, her eyes observing the departing troll.

'Can't take care of two trolls considering that I still need to protect these halfwits' She pondered while looking at the two boys and one girl panicking while avoiding the troll's wooden club. Harry, for some reason, was above, riding the troll with his wand dug inside its disgusting nose.

"GGGRR!" The troll growled in frustration.

"Hey!" Wednesday yelled, trying to get the troll's attention,

The troll who heard her shout turned to face her but was confused by the thing that Wednesday was holding.

"Eat shit." Wednesday quipped as she aimed her crossbow, which had magically appeared from somewhere, toward the troll's head and fired it.

The sound of an arrow's swish was heard as it dug deep into the eye of the troll.

"GGRRHGGG!" The troll groaned in pain, and it fell to the ground, causing it to drop its club down on the ground while holding the arrow punctured in its eyes.

"The arrow didn't penetrate deeply! Quick! Levitate the club above its head!"

"Hermione!" Harry cries out, as far as he knows, Hermione is the only one who's capable and has the possibility of doing it successfully. He turned around and looked at Hermione, but was terrified when he noticed her on the ground shriveling, looking at the troll with a horrified expression.

"I—I can't..." Hermione uttered while clenching her empty hands tightly,

"GGRRHHH!" The troll growled as he forcefully dug out the arrow that had penetrated deep into his skull. But before he could do so, a brave but nervous voice engulfed the chamber.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club levitated from the ground, ascended far into the air, spun slowly around — and fell, sickeningly, onto its owner's skull. The troll trembled on the spot and suddenly fell flat on its face, causing the entire chamber to tremor.

A deafening silence engulfed the area as the four of them looked at the unconscious troll.

"Is it — dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry,

"It's just been knocked out." Wednesday added before saying, "Good job, Ron." causing the three to widen their eyes.

Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh — troll boogers." He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall burst into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat down quickly on a toilet, clutching his heart. Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking rather furious.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice.

"And you, Ms. Addams, I thought you were better than this." She added while looking at Wednesday disapprovingly. In the course of their lessons on transfiguration, Wednesday and Moses are two of the most outstandingly talented students that she's ever had, but that's not all; they're also one of the most upstanding among their peers. So to think that Wednesday's connected to this mess greatly disappointed her.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me." Hermione interrupted,

"Miss Granger!" Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them," Hermione uttered with a frightful tone.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. There were two trolls swinging their clubs at me, Wednesday made the other troll go away by doing some magic of her own, and after that, she shot this troll in the eye with her crossbow, Harry stuck his wand up its nose, and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Before Professor McGonagall could reply to Hermione's detestable claim, Wednesday interjected by saying,

"She's lying, Professor. She was here because she was crying due to my own doing. I said hurtful, abhorrable, and demeaning things to her, causing her to isolate herself in this chamber's confines, which ultimately led her life to be in peril." said Wednesday with a lifeless voice, as she continued,

"So... if you want to punish someone, you can do so to me."

"I believe—that's not an option, Ms. Addams." A grandfatherly voice interrupted them coming from the chamber's entrance.

"You see—punishing someone... who saved their peers is not Hogwarts' way, Ms. Addams. However! Due to your actions of saying, in your own words—abhorrable things to Ms. Granger. Five points will be taken from Ravenclaw."

The others held their head down, while Wednesday wore an emotionless expression; she does not mind any form of punishment, honestly.

"But! As I've said before, in the end, you've managed to defeat a foe by working together and creating a quick-witted plan—befitting of a Ravenclaw..." Dumble uttered these words while looking on Wednesday with his bespectacled eyeglasses.

"And bravery—befitting of a Gryffindor..." He added while looking at the three Gryffindors.

"And for that—I reward each of you with 10 points for your houses!" He finished with an exclamation, causing the three Gryffindors to celebrate with glee and one Ravenclaw to stare into nothingness. To be truthful, Wednesday, she doesn't really care about any points or any House cup for that matter.

While they were celebrating, Dumbledore looked Professor Snape in the eye knowingly, to which the professor replied with a nod. Professor Snape muttered something while pointing his wand at the unconscious troll, causing it to levitate. After that, he made his way out of the chamber—while limping ever so slightly.

A moment later, a confused, weak voice took their attention.

"Wednesday...? What are you—" The voice muttered with confusion; however, before he could finish his sentence, he noticed someone that he thought was already dead.

"Hermione!" He shouted as he dashed quickly towards the said girl.

"Mr. Moses, what are you doing her—" Professor McGonagall questioned, but before she could finish her sentence, Professor Dumbledore stopped her with a shook of his head, motioning for her not to ruin the children's moment.

"Wait—Mos—" Hermione uttered with panic when she saw the approaching boy, however, she was too late. The boy collided against her with a strong hug, but due to her still weak knees from her previous fright, she stumbled quickly on the ground.

"Ahp!" She squeaked,

"I thought you were dead!" Moses exclaimed while digging his head into Hermione's... chest area—innocently, of course.

"Then what do you think I am right now, a ghost? You silly~" Hermione quipped with a playful smile, amused at Moses's antics. They were too into their peaceful atmosphere to the point that they didn't notice their rather...questionable position.

"Hohoho—youth!" Dumbledore exclaimed while looking at the two innocent children. Professor McGonagall just shook her head adorned with a rare smile, amused at this situation.

In the midst of this joyful moment, one pigtailed girl was wearing her usual deadpan face. The only change in her expression was the unknown hidden glint written on her hollow gaze directed at the golden-blonde-haired boy in front of her, her thoughts—unknown.

"Hello~ We were attacked too, y'know?" Ron interjected with annoyance, causing Harry to chuckle.

"Ron!" Moses exclaimed with snot on his nose; he was crying rather comically. He stood up and dashed his way toward Ron for a hug.

"I—I'm just kidding, mate. Stay away from me!"

"You snotted on my shirt?!" Hermione cried out, however just before she could stand up, a floating robe sneakily wore itself into her, Hermione wondered how it came to her, but she just thought of it as a featured enchantment on the robe.

"HAHAHAHA!" Harry's joyful laugh echoed inside the chamber taking Hermione out of her thoughts as she too smiled and looked at her best friends and her saviors.

-----------------------------------

After letting the students go to their respective houses, Headmaster Dumbledore ordered Professor Quirrell to lessen the students' worries by telling the prefects of the houses that everything was already done and settled, leaving Professor McGonagall and him alone inside the obliterated chamber.

"Albus, you're getting soft on them, especially Ms. Addams. She brought an enchanted crossbow for Merlin's sake..."

"I know, Minerva—but I must do so; troubled times are ahead, and sometimes, fighting the dark with something darker can be quite effective... Never mind that— that crossbow. I thought we'd checked all of their suitcases for security. How did that get in?" said Dumbledore, a little puzzled.

"Dinky?" Dumbledore called out from nowhere, and at that moment, an audible pop appeared in front of them, and with it was a small creature with big eyes and bat-like ears. It was wearing a rather extravagant clothing similar to a butler.

Pop!*

"What can I do for you, Albus?"

"Ahh, there you are, my friend. Can I ask you a question? It's pertaining to one of the students."

"You can ask me anything, Albus, you're the Headmaster of Lady Hogwarts for Merlin's sake," Dinky replied while looking at Albus amusedly.

"Hohoho, as you prefer, my old friend. Tell me, does Ms. Addams' suitcase contain a... crossbow?"

"If you're talking about those toys, then yes, she does have one."

"Toys?" Dumbledore asked, to which Dinky answered, "They're as small as a cockroach, Albus. What can they be other than being a toys? Now, if you will excuse me, my friend. I have some matters to visit." Dinky said as he turned around and snapped his fingers, causing him to be sucked into a wormhole, creating an audible—

Pop*

Leaving behind a confused Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore, who appeared to be deep in thought.

"Clever girl... My friend Nicholas has already told me of their eccentricity, but to think that it would be this far..." Dumbledore muttered to himself while looking at his wand.

"Albus, what do you me—" said Professor McGonagall, but before he could finish his sentence, Severus Snape came in the chamber, straddling with his robes flowing along the nonexistent wind. He was wearing a rather grievous look.

"Headmaster, there's something that you should know..." He uttered as he looked at his surroundings, trying to see if the three of them were alone. After making sure they were alone, he said what he wanted to say,

.....

"So...you mean to say that there were two other trolls other than the one that Harry and the others fought?" Dumbledore inquired,

"Yes—One spiked to death, while the other's frozen, its state is the same," Snape replied flatly,

"Oh, Merlin's beard! safest place only second to Gringotts' my foot! Albus, how many trolls did you bring here?!" McGonagall yelled, furious, annoyed, confused, she was experiencing a rather mixed bag of negative emotions right now and wondering what Dumbledore is thinking, or if he was thinking at all...

"Calm down, Minerva—"

"Calm down!? Do you have any id—"

And so—Severus, with his sharp mind and instincts...he escaped...

"Severus...hel—"

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[[A/N: Please give me power stones!]]