Chapter 129: "Troll Attack Part - 1"

In the dimly lit corridor outside the Great Hall, a group of students were stealthily making their way to the Hogwarts moving staircases. The mood among them was tense.

Reggy broke the silence with a worried tone, "Do we really need to find Harry to tell him about the troll? I don't think he'll appreciate us risking our lives for this. Plus, I have a bad feeling about what we're doing."

Elvinia, trying to inject some lightness into the situation, replied, "Don't be too serious, brother. Nothing's going to happen. We find Harry and then head straight to our dorms for a good night's sleep. Besides, the last sighting of the troll was in the dungeons. Going to the Slytherin dorms would likely have been more dangerous."

Arabella added, nodding in agreement, "Elvinia is right. It would have been safer if the professors had kept us in the Great Hall like they did during our first year. I can't understand why they changed the protocol this year."

"The professors must have their reasons," Cedric, always the good student, added. "Did you tell Professor Flitwick about Harry? What did he say?"

Roger responded, "He mentioned that he knew where Harry was and assured us he was probably safe. He advised us not to worry about Harry and to head to our dorms. Apparently, Harry can handle himself."

Angelina, unconvinced and a bit frustrated, retorted, "What a half-hearted response. Since the professors aren't taking action, let's find Harry ourselves. Does anyone know where he might be?"

Reggy suggested, "I never asked him where he hangs out during the Halloween feast. Let's try the Hogwarts library. That's where he spends most of his time. Plus, it's a safer place from the troll—more spots to hide and dodge."

Alicia, trying to boost the group's morale, exclaimed, "Exactly, no need to be scared. Us versus a single troll. We can handle that."

With no further discussion, the group hastened their steps toward the Hogwarts Library. As they ascended to the first floor, a loud crash and screams pierced the air.

"Did you hear that?" Cedric whispered, his eyes wide with concern.

"Yeah, something's definitely wrong," Reggy replied. "We should check it out."

The group followed the noise, their hearts pounding. As they neared the corridor by the girls' bathroom, they smelled a foul odor and heard the grunts of the troll along with the sounds of destruction.

Realizing the danger, they knew lives were at stake. They had to act quickly if they wanted to save the students trapped inside the bathroom with the troll.

Cedric assessed the situation swiftly, "The troll is in there. We need to save those trapped inside, but some of us should try to get the professors. Our spells won't do much against its tough skin and magic resistance—we need the professors to knock it out."

Reggy gave instructions, "Arabella and Elvinia, go in opposite directions and call loudly for the professors. The rest of us will try to draw the troll's attention and get it out of the bathroom to save those inside."

Elvinia, acknowledging the risk, replied hurriedly, "It's dangerous, but it's the best plan we have. Prioritize your safety and run if you can't handle the troll. We'll be back with the professors."

She and Arabella split up, their cries for help echoing down the corridors as they ran to find assistance. They hoped a professor would hear their calls and come to deal with the troll.

Angelina, determined, said, "This is it. Alicia and I will sneak a peek inside and try to lead the troll out. Once it's out, we'll have to stall it until the professors arrive."

Cedric, taking charge, affirmed, "I'll back you two up. Reggy and Roger, stay alert out here and be ready to intervene. Everyone should attack at the same spot. Aim for the legs. That might penetrate its tough skin. Even if our spells are ineffective, they might slow it down."

The trio approached the bathroom door cautiously and peered inside. The scene was chaotic: every stall was destroyed, pipes were burst, and broken sinks littered the floor.

They arrived just in time to see Charles frantically using his wand to hurl the broken sinks at the troll, which roared in anger and swung its massive club. Ron was in the corner, frantically repeating the incantation of the Levitation Charm, hoping the spell would work. Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

When the two first years saw other people entering the bathroom, they lost their focus. At that moment, with a devastating swing, both Charles and Ron were thrown into the rubble.

Cedric, seeing Charles being sent flying, reacted instantly, grabbing a piece of broken pipe and hurling it at the troll. The beast, seeing new prey, charged towards them. The trio, seeing that the troll's attention had been attracted, fled outside, leading the enraged troll into the corridor.

Outside the girls' bathroom, Roger and Reggy were positioned and waiting anxiously. When they saw Cedric, Angelina, and Alicia sprinting out with the troll in hot pursuit, the reality of the situation struck them. The sheer size of the troll left them momentarily frozen in awe. However, they quickly snapped out of their shock and prepared for action, casting the Knockback Jinx at the troll's legs. Although the beast wasn't toppled by their spells, it began to stumble and showed difficulty in maintaining its balance.

Back together in the corridor, the group of five friends regrouped and prepared to intensify their attack. Cedric, taking charge, directed everyone, "Everyone attack at the same spot. Aim for the left leg."

With renewed focus, they bombarded the troll with every spell they could muster—Flipendo, Diffindo, and Petrificus Totalus. Their continuous onslaught gradually started to wear down the troll's rugged defenses. After several relentless rounds of spells, they managed to create a visible wound on the beast's leg.

The troll, clearly pained and infuriated by the injury, began to swing its massive club more aggressively, advancing towards the group with renewed fury. The students knew all too well that if they stopped their barrage of spells, even for a moment, the troll would quickly close the distance between them.

As fatigue set in, their spell-casting became less precise, and the intensity of their attacks began to wane. They had never before had to sustain such a relentless pace of magical attacks. The adrenaline and the sheer fear for their lives were the only things keeping them from collapsing from exhaustion.

In the heat of the battle, a few spells began to miss their intended mark. Seizing the opportunity, the troll suddenly leaped forward with unexpected speed, causing even more spells to miss. Now dangerously close, the troll raised its massive club, poised to strike a devastating blow. The group's hearts pounded fiercely as they prepared for the worst.

"Get ready to dodge!" Cedric shouted, pulling Angelina back as the troll's club descended in a sweeping arc.

But just as the club was about to crush them, a clear, confident voice pierced the tense air, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

In an instant, the troll's club froze mid-swing, suspended mysteriously in the air. The sudden stop caused the troll to lose its balance, throwing it off guard and effectively disarming it. Confused and weaponless, the troll staggered, struggling to understand what had just happened.