Noticed?

Waking up with a groggy feeling Loki opened his eyes as they came to a rest on the white curtain and the white ceiling that surrounded him.

'Am I in a hospital?'

Loki looked beside himself and spotted two get-well-soon cards and what could only be Hagrid's rock cake along with his satchel that was filled with textbooks.

"How long have I been out for?" Loki mumbled but someone from behind the curtains unexpectedly answered him.

"A night. You had your lights knocked out when Dominic brought you in here. Terrible this school has become, allowing trolls into its walls, was supposed to be the safest school in all of the world and yet look at it. 'He' would be so disappointed."

*Sheeeeshhh*

The curtains were pulled open and Loki spotted someone who he had only seen in the darkness earlier.

"Madam Pomfrey." Loki recognised.

"Yes, it is me. Now tell me why did you go fight that Troll on your own?" she asked with hands on her hips.

"Wasn't my intention Mam, I was running away from the 'troll' that was attacking me while I was on my way to the Slytherin Common Room. Just happened to meet the real one on my way out."

"Hmpf. I stand by what I said what you did was still foolish."

"I agree mam, if I'd known that I'd have such a killer headache I wouldn't have even attempted to fight it for a thousand galleons."

"Good. That headache is there to remind you that not all fights happen without a consequence, so be wise and choose to avoid hurting yourself."

"I will mam." Loki nodded as he held the flask that Madam Pomfrey thrust into his hand.

"Gulp that down will you?"

"What is this?" Loki asked since he didn't recognise the blue potion in the flask.

"A rejuvenation potion, it will reduce the body ache one has after depleting their spirituality."

"I see." Loki closed his nose to keep out the smell and finished the entire contents of the flask in three large gulps. It felt like any other potion, thick and rubbery as it slid down his throat.

"Now leave!"

"Can't I stay for longer mam?"

"No, the hospital is a place for the sick, not the healthy." Madam Pomfrey scolded with a strict tone.

"Yes, mam." Loki nodded formally and then stepped out of the bed as he flexed his arms and limbs a little to get used to the sluggish feeling that was slowly leaving after drinking the rejuvenation potion that Madam Pomfrey had just fed him.

Just as Loki was about to exit the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey reminded from behind, "Remember to ask a professor for help next time!" she shouted.

"Understood Mam! I will call you if something goes wrong!"

Loki walked through the corridors brightened by the sunlight since it was afternoon and pulled out his pocket watch.

'Twelve Thirty.'

'That means Potions class is probably done already.'

Loki was confused about where he had to go but the soft *growl* from his stomach reminded him just how hungry he was so he left to go to the Great Hall where everyone was probably eating.

As soon as Loki stepped into the Great Hall he found people pointing at him and speaking in hushed whispers.

"What's wrong with them?" Loki mumbled as he searched for Dominic and sat down beside him.

"You've become famous." Dominic responded cryptically.

"Famous? Why? What did I do to become famous?"

"Fighting a troll what else? You saved that Gryffindor girl everyone's been talking about you trying to figure out how you defeated the darn troll."

"Do they have nothing better to do?"

"Cheer up mate, you don't have to be so grumpy as soon as you wake up." Dominic said patting Loki's shoulder.

"Thanks for taking me to Hospital Wing though.", Loki said as he pulled food onto his plate.

"No problem. I figured something like that would happen so I was prepared."

"How did you figure it out?" Loki asked surprised.

"It wasn't hard, and after asking who attacked you several half-blood and muggle students explained the situation and pointed fingers at Marcus Flint, Professor Snape sent him to Filch for detention."

"Oooh~ That's gonna suck."

"Yeah, very much but that's not the worst, Professor Snape was pretty angry with him since Marcus is a repeater and was only allowed to remain at Hogwarts because Professor Snape vouched for him.", Dominic explained, causing Loki's mouth to hang a little loose.

"I guess he really is as stupid as he looks then?" Loki asked and Dominic just nodded and continued eating his own food after he said, "I doubt he'll be allowed to graduate."

Loki ate in silence and once he was done, he carried his satchel out to the Great Lake where he sat down and spent time staring at the surface of the black lake, throwing stones into it which the Giant Squid threw back.

After a while when the Giant Squid vanished, Loki cracked open his Ancient Runes book and began to read it, except he was lost in his dream world, wondering about the various things from the incident that stood out to him.

'Why was the key left in that door?'

'Was there someone else there who guided me and Hermione into that bathroom?'

'Is there someone using an artifact like 0-08 the Quill of Alzuhod to arrange such coincidences?'

Meanwhile in another part of the castle, Vice Headmistress Minerva McGonagall spoke the word "Cockroach clusters" and caused the gargyole protecting the pathway to the Headmaster's office spin open.

She climbed the spiraling staircase and before she could knock on the door, she heard an aged voice come out from the inside. "Come in." it said.

Professor McGonagall stepped into the room that was filled with magical instruments of all sorts, with bookcases mounting walls to reach the ceiling along with the portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses who governed Hogwarts.

Yet her eyes remained on the enigmatic individual waiting for her from behind a desk, observing her with a mysterious expression as if detached from the world.

"Care for a Lemon Drop Minerva?" the old man, Professor Dumbledore, asked calmly.

"As always Headmaster, I will have to decline, I am not a fan of sweets."

"As always Minerva, as always."

There was a slight pause which McGonagall broke by asking Dumbledore a question, "Why have you summoned me to the office Albus? I have to take care of the fallout from angry parents complaining about the troll in the castle, I'm currently rather swamped."

"Ah! Yes, you must be, I won't keep you for long then, could you tell me about a student."

"Which student Albus?"

"I believe his name was, erm…Loki?"