ch 58 Halloween 2

6:14 pm Great Hall

-Marshall's POV-

"So you just forgave her?" asked Susan.

I sighed and nodded, "Yeah… No use being angry about small stuff. All of us are still trying to adapt to our new life in school. She's probably in a lot of stress, and just can't keep her emotions in check..."

Truth be told, I was thinking of just letting Hermione experience life and death with the troll. But remembering that I'm the mature one, and she's just a kid with plenty of insecurities, I just let it slide and just focus on keeping everyone safe for tonight's scenario.

I requested, "So, can you guys give her a chance as well. The Gryffindors already agreed to be more understanding with her.. Well..sort of."

"Well, I guess she does not fit well with the lions, from what I can tell…" said Hannah.

Naomi points out, "Yeah, and not like in our group where we have Marshall keeping an eye on everyone. They don't have a 'MOM' in their group."

I cringed, "Gee.. Thanks for the compliment. Can you use 'Big Brother' instead?"

Everyone gave a chuckle seeing me cringe.

Adeline changes the topic by saying, "Marshall, I can't believe the school let you plan tonight's menu." She was savoring her pumpkin risotto.

"Yah, there are still some kinks, but the elves and I just need to plan it out properly. You can expect more varied dishes in the coming weeks," I was happy with our progress with introducing new dishes.

I'm thinking of having an order menu that changes every day or week or per season..etc. All this is still in the planning stage.

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At the faculty table...

"Hmm... This taste nice. What does Marshal called it?" asked Flitwick while wiping the whipped cream on his lips.

Sprout answered, "He called it pumpkin spice latte. It only used simple ingredients, but the end product really fits perfectly with autumn and the Halloween theme." She then called the Headmaster's attention, "Headmaster, did Marshall told you about his plan about the vegetable patch?"

Dumbledore stoked his beard and replied, "Yes, but I asked him to do it next year after winter. Hagrid, do check the forest for some trees that can be used for lumber."

Hagrid, who has a mouth full of meat, was caught off guard by the sudden question and just nodded.

"Oh? What's young Witcherly going to do now?" McGonagall asked.

Sprout smiled and said, "He wants to build a proper greenhouse solely for vegetables."

All those who heard it were puzzled by the idea. They all are familiar with the vegetable patch at the back of the greenhouse. Its not much? What can Witcherly do with so little space?

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-Marshall's POV-

I enhanced my hearing and listening in on everyone's remark regarding the food. All of them are mostly positive, except for some earlier complaints because there were just so many pumpkin dishes. Well, it is Halloween, so I'm just keeping up with the theme.

'Oh! Quirrell's back!' I finally sense him making his way back to the castle.

At first, I got concerned as I lost track of him earlier. But looking at the direction he went to, which was far from where the unicorns were, I figured that the trolls were just at a different part of the forest.

At the speed he is going, I'm guessing he'll reach the castle in 10 minutes. 'Is he using a broom to get around?'

Scanning the whole school, all students, and faculties are in the Great Hall. I'm crossing my finger that no one goes to the bathroom before Quirrell comes screaming in.

After Quirrell arrived in the castle, he quickly made his way toward the...Gryffindor tower?!

'What the heck is this guy doing?!'

In the room near the entrance to Gryffindors' common room, I sense a new signature appeared next to Quirrell. Then he left and approached the entrance of the common room for the Ravenclaws.

In an empty room, another soul signature appeared. He then went down toward the dungeon and another signature appeared.

'F*ck! He changed his plan!!'

Quirrell moved toward the kitchen area and released another creature at the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.

He made his way in front of the Great Hall and stopped for a bit.

A moment later, Quirrell burst in screaming, "T.trolls!! Tr..trolls!! — in the castle..." He was running, and his clothes had dirt all over and a sleeve was torn off.

He reached the front of the Great Hall and in front pf the faculty he stutters, "Tr.. tr.. Trolls... in d..d.the castle. th.. Thought you ought to k..know" Then he fainted on the floor.

Silence~

The hall became quiet and there were inaudible murmurs around. Then...

""""Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!""""

Everyone panicked and scrambled like headless chickens.

Unlike everyone, I was silent as I monitor the four trolls that started moving from their spot.

The nearest to us was the one in the kitchen area and is quickly making its way to the Great Hall. It was probably attracted by all the screams.

"SILENCE!!

Dumbledore yelled out. His voice echoed throughout the hall and everyone quieted down, but there were some who were still panicking.

My fellow Puffs are obviously fidgety and stressed out. I looked over at the Gryffindors table and saw Harry and his friends panicking as well. Ron is making that weird stupid face of his 😫😫😫.

Dumbledore continues, "Prefects to lead students back----"

*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*

The Headmaster's instructions were interrupted by the sound of large footsteps. By now, the troll in the kitchen area was nearing the door, and we can all see its looming shadow.

A large hand gripped the jamb of the door and a huge ugly head peeked in. A strong stench spread quickly.

"""""Aaaaahhh!!!"""""

Those who were near the door regained their wits and quickly ran toward where the faculties were.

And like a tide, every student follows, and they huddled together at the front of the Great Hall.

I sensed Quirrell crawling his way out to the side door.

The faculty wanted to come forward, but were met with the wave of panicked students.

"GRaaaAhhh!!"

The troll let out an angry roar as it enters the hall.

As Harry was running toward the front, he saw Snape sneaking out at the side door. He frowned and decided to follow him. Out of habit, Ron went with him.

Hermione saw them sneaking to the side and decided to follow the two.

All this happened in a matter of seconds and I sighed, 'Com'on people!!! Did JK Rowling forgot to add common sense when she created her characters!'

The troll had a dumb face looking at all the students running. It probably can't decide which one to chase.

"""Marshall!!""" My fellow Puffs who were running toward the teachers calling out to me.

I didn't reply to them and instead addressed my pets, "Tania, blind it! Bunta, drenched it with water and Naji, fly toward the back of its head and electrocute it."

My pets quickly flew towards the troll.

🔔"Tiiinnnnggg!!!"🔔Tania blasted a stream of bright light toward the troll's eye, and it became disoriented.

"CROOAKK!!!" Bunta floated up high and shot a thick water gun that drenched the troll.

"HOOOOoo!!"Naji flew quickly and sinks his talons at the troll's head and immediately electrocute the monster.

*Zzappppp!* There was a bit of smoke coming out of the troll's head.

When Naji lets go, the troll falls down face first.

*BAMM*💫💫💫

I look at the body and check with Siri…

Me:Is it still alive?

Siri:Yes.

Trolls really have a strong vitality. Even after receiving a direct bolt of electricity to the head, it was still alive.

I sighed and took out a green pouch that sucked the troll in.

Silence ~

""""Yeah!""" """"Woah!""""

*clap!*👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

The students rejoiced and screamed.

I frowned and yelled, "QUIET!!!!!"

The students got startled, and the teachers stopped when they were making their way towards me.

"It is not the only one. Quirrell said, 'TROLLS' with an 's', " I explained in a loud voice.

There were gasps and the students were going to start screaming again. Thankfully, Dumbledore said, "Silence! Mr. Witcherly is right, there are---"

"GrAaaaaaahhh!!"

The headmaster was cut off again by the scream of a troll outside. The sound indicates that it came from a distance, but it was definitely another troll.

My eyes popped when I 'sensed' that Harry, Ron, and Hermione encountered the troll that came from the dungeon and was now at the grand staircase.

In front of everyone, I ran out of the Great Hall. My pets followed me out.

"Marshall!" "Mr. Witcherly!" I could hear the teachers calling out to me, but I didn't look back and ran toward where the golden trio were.

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A bit earlier in the Great Hall,

- Harry's POV-

"GRaaaAhhh!!"

The troll let out an angry roar as it enters the hall.

"Run!!" We are not sure who yelled, but everyone scramble and started running toward where the teachers were.

As I look at the direction of the teachers' table, I saw Snape walked briskly toward the side door.

While all the teachers are struggling to make their way toward the troll, I found it suspicious that he was sneaking out.

'He's up to something…' I try to push my way toward the side door to follow the guy.

"Harry! Where are you going?" Ron asked as he followed behind me.

Reaching the side door, I saw Snape running toward the direction back to the castle. Ron grabbed my shoulder, trying to stop me. I whispered,"Snape is acting suspicious. Let's follow him."

Not waiting for a reply, I started running in the direction where Snape went to. Ron wants to protest, but just reluctantly followed me.

Half-way through the corridor, someone yelled, "Where are you two going?!"

Ron and I turned around to find the annoying Hermione. Marshall already said she apologized to him, but I can't easily forgive her for all her blunders.

Ron frown but still answered, "We're following Snape. He's acting suspicious..."

"But there are still trolls---"

I got frustrated as Snape was getting away so I yelled at her, "Not now Hermione! Ron, let's go!"

As the two of us ran, we heard Hermione following from behind. 'Ah, whatever...'

We found ourselves at the Grand staircase and hear footsteps from above. 'Snape was going up?....!!!.... He's going toward the room in the third floor!!'

Not wasting any more time, I ran up the stairs with Ron. We just climbed the first flight of stairs when a strong stench assaulted us.

"Ah!" Hermione yelled.

"Groo?...!!....grooAah!"

We looked over to see another troll with a club walking groggily towards her.

'Oh no!' Not thinking much, I just jumped down and hugged the troll's head.

"Groooaah!!" The troll became disoriented and let go of its club.

Hugging the head of the troll, I just tried to grab anything I can grip my hands, its nose, ears and poking its eye. I yelled to Ron, "Ron, cast a spell!"

"WHAT SPELL?" Ron yelled back.

Hermione regained her composure and saw the club on the floor and yelled to Ron, "Levitate the club and hit its head. I'll distract it with fire spells."

She didn't forget to remind Ron, "Remember, its wing-GAR-dee-um levi-O-sa..."

Ron frown and said, "Is it the time to corr---"

"Just do it!" I cut him off as I started to lose my grip.

"Ugh, Fine.." Ron point his wand to the club and yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The club started to float and started to sneak its way behind the troll.

"Harry, let go!" Hermione yelled. She already had her wand aimed at the troll's head.

I just let go and fell butt first to the floor. 'Ouch!'

Before I could stand up, Hermione yelled, "Why are you just sitting there! Get away!"

'Ugh! So bossy!' I quickly scramble away.

Hermione yelled, "INCENDIO! INCENDIO! INCENDIO!" She kept shooting steam of flames that disorient the troll.

Ron's concentrate and waved his wand. The club made a wide swing, and it hit the back of the troll's head.

*BOINK!!* 💫🥴💫💫💫

*BAM!!* The troll fell to the floor.

Silence ~

Ron's face was ecstatic and show a dumb smile while Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

I can't believe we were able to take down a troll. Ron and I looked at each other, and we raised our hand to give each other a high five, but---

"HARRY POTTER! RONALD WEASLEY! HERMIONE GRANGER! ARE YOU THREE OUT OF YOUR MIND!!!"💢💢💢💢💢

The three of us felt chills run down our spine.

Ron and I looked at each other we're already sweating. We recognize the voice and looked over to see Marshall with a frown and a vein showing from his forehead.

His pets were flying/floating near him, but they are keeping their distance from their owner. Even they were afraid when Marshall was mad.

'Sh*t! He is full-on MOM mode!!' This was a side of Marshall that Ron warned me about. He told me the story when Marshall caught the twins tricking him on making an unbreakable vow. Marshall went ballistic on the twins and beat them up.

"GRaaaAhhh!!!!" *Bam! ... Bam! ... Bam!"

Before Marshall started scolding us, sounds of a fight can be heard from above. Then I remember that we're following Snape. I was going to run toward the stairs, but Marshall stopped me.

Behind him, I saw the teachers running toward us.

"Agh!!" Then a shout came from above and we saw Snape falling.

"Bunta, catch him!" Marshall command his toad.

"Croak!" The red-golden toad floated and attached itself to the following Snape.

Snape and the toad slowly floated down, and I noticed a gash wound that looks like a claw mark on Snape's leg. 'He really did go toward that three-headed dog's room. He is aiming what's the dog is guarding!!!'

"Serverus!!" The teachers came, and the Headmaster called out Snape.

Marshall approached Snape and asked, "Professor, what happened upstairs?"

"Ugh.. Two trolls around the third floor." Snape said while grimacing in pain.

'But the wound he had is from a claw?! He's lying!' I thought.

Marshall said, "Bunta, heal him."

"Croaak!" The toad's body glow bright and envelopes Snape. The bleeding wounds in his leg healed.

"Oh my!" "Amazing!".... The teachers exclaimed seeing the toad's healing magic.

I'm already familiar with Bunta's healing ability as it was it that healed some of my injuries when I stayed at the Witcherly residence.

""GrAaaaaaahhh!!""

We heard the sound of two trolls coming from above and all of us, including the teachers, looked up.

Two trolls were looking down at us with dumb expression trying to figure out how to get down.

"Tania, blind them." Marshall commands his fairy.

🔔"Ting!Ting!Ting!"🔔

I saw the small fairy with red wings flew up and glowed bright. Even I was blinded.

""GRaaaAhhh!!""

The two trolls closed their eyes and were disoriented.

Marshall pointed his wand at the troll and yelled, "Carpe Retractum!"

A rope made of light came out of his wand and shoot towards one of the trolls. The light rope caught the troll's arm and Marshall grunted, "Come over here!"

With a pull, the troll fell off the ledge and slammed down to the ground.

*BAAAMMMMM!!!*💫💫💫

""""Carpe Retractum!!"""" Sprout, Snape, Flitwick and McGonagall copied what Marshall did and four ropes of light twined around the arms of the other troll.

*BAAAMMMMM!!*💫💫💫

The same thing happened, and the troll fell down hard beside its companion.

I can see that the trolls were still alive and trying to get up.

"Bunta, Naji, drench them and electrocute those two," Marshall said.

"Croak!" The toad shoot a thick water jet and the two trolls were drenched.

"HOOO!!""CROAK!!" *ZZAPPP*

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""GRYAAHHhh!!"" The two trolls flailed around. Smokes started to came out. It was only then that the owl and toad stopped their attack.

Marshall took out a green pouch that sucked one of the electrocuted troll.

"Thank you Mr. Witcherly for saving the students and Serverus. Ehem... If I may asks, what do you plan to do to those trolls?" The headmaster asked.

"I'm going to harvest their blood then dispose of them?" Marshall said it without batting an eye.

I can't deny that I find his nonchalant way of admission to be a little scary.

The headmaster said, "Maybe you should set them fr---"

"What?! Set them free? Is that really the wise choice for trolls that were able to enter the castle and will probably hold a grudge against humans, Headmaster?" Marshall looked straight at the Headmaster with a smirked. It was like he heard a ridiculous joke.

"Mr. Witcherly!" Professor McGonagall called him out for being disrespectful.

Marshall just shrugged and said, "Then I leave the other two trolls for you to set free. If they attack the castle and harm a student, then that's on you guys."

I'm not familiar with trolls but what Marshall said made sense. But still...

There was tension between the two.

Marshall sighed, looked away and turned to us, "You three! What where you thinking confronting a troll?!"

""""WHAT!!!""""

All the teachers were shocked by what he said.

'Uhm...' My head was blank with any proper reply.

Surprisingly, Hermione said, "Sorry Professor, It was my idea to go around the troll in the Great Hall and attack it from behind. I didn't think there was another one here. Harry and Ron just followed and saved me..."

Marshall and the teachers all looked at Hermione. Professor McGonagall said,"Well, I'm very disappointed, Ms. Granger. 5 pts from Gryffindor."

McGonagall looked at me and Ron, then at the troll on the floor. She said, "5 pts for each of you… for… sheer dumb luck!"

Ron and I looked at each other and were elated. We both looked at Hermione and she just gave a nod. 'She's not so bad after all.'

But then we saw Marshall staring at the three of us with an angry look. 'He really is scary when he's mad.'

Marshall just sighed, turned around and looked at the Headmaster. He frowned, shakes his head and let out another sigh. There was a trace of disapproval and disappointment on his face as he walked back towards the Great Hall.

Ron reacted, "Wait, don't Marshall get points for what he did? He helped take down two trolls..."

Silence~

Marshall didn't look back, even after hearing Ron's plea for him. He just walked away with his pets on his shoulders and head.

'Did he not care about the points?'

Flitwick broke the silence, "Ehem... Actually, Three trolls. Don't worry, he doesn't like being rewarded for such actions. Though I guess the school owes him another favor…"

"Filius!" The Headmaster called Flitwick, stopping him from saying anymore.

'What?! Another favor...?? Does that mean he saved the school before?' Thoughts run through my mind.

"Ah!" Hermione reacted, "He saved Malfoy and his friends! Right!"

'Right! That's how he got them to agree to the barbecue party.'

Silence ~

The teachers' silence confirms Hermione guess.

There was a frown on Dumbledore's face like he was in deep thought. Then he immediately said, "Students, go back to the Great Hall to finish up. Serverus...Hagrid , take care of the trolls. "

McGonagall waved at us. Ron, Hermione and I walked side by side as we return to the hall.

I looked back at the trolls we left behind. I pondered, 'What will they do to those guys? Kill them or set them free? Which is the right thing to do?'.

~end chapter ~ .