Chapter – 16.1: Dinner Date in girls’ washroom

Chapter - 16.1

While Hermione was enjoying her dinner date with Alex in the girls' washroom, something happened in the Great Hall, and everyone was in a panic.

Professor Quirrell, the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher at the school, came sprinting into the Great Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.

"It's out... It's out..." Professor Quirrell ran towards Professor Dumbledore's chair, bawling his lungs out. On the other hand, everyone watched the Professor in surprise, running towards Professor Dumbledore's chair before he slumped against the table.

"There's a troll... Troll in the dungeons... Thought you ought to know," Professor Quirrell gasped, and sank to the floor, dead faint.

This news was a surprise to everyone. Not just the first years, but even the seniors were left shocked before there was an uproar in the hall.

"What? A troll?" Someone cried out, "Do they really exist?"

"What is a troll doing in the school?"

"How many are there?"

"Let's calm down. I am sure the teachers can take care of it."

"Are you kidding? Look at Professor Quirrell. His pants would have been yellow if he had not passed out."

And various such conversations broke out in the Great Hall. Almost everyone was scared. That is until Professor Dumbledore did not take charge of the situation.

"Silence..." Professor Dumbledore's loud voice resounded in the Great Hall, along with a series of purple firecrackers exploding from the end of the headmaster's wand.

"Prefects," the headmaster rumbled and looked at everyone in front of him, "Lead everyone back to the dormitories. Immediately!"

As soon as the headmaster gave his orders, about half a dozen students from each house stepped out and took the lead. One of them from the Slytherins was Gemma.

Other than her, the one to notice was a tall, lean red hair in Gryffindor. He looked the most enthusiastic one among every one of the prefects.

"Everyone in line," the red hair sternly said, " You are to follow my lead. I don't want any of you missing on my watch."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" The red hair was in full swing with his authority, "GET IN LINE!"

After everyone had gotten into a line, the red hair walked to the front of the queue to the other prefect from Gryffindor and whispered something into his ear. And as soon as they were done, the other guy walked to the back.

"Follow me. Stick together, all you first years. No need to fear the troll when I am here," the guy said and turned his back towards them, "Let's go. Excuse me, coming through. I'm a prefect! Make way." And with that, the red hair guided the first years out of the Great Hall.

Meanwhile,

Unlike the red hair from Gryffindor, Gemma had it pretty easy. Almost everyone was calm about the whole situation, and without much fuss, they made their way to the Slytherin dungeons.

"You know what? My father once bought a couple of trolls," someone among the Slytherins said.

"Eww... why? Trolls are so gross," the girl beside that boy said with a disgusted face.

"He wanted to see them brawl," the guy chuckled, "He made something of an arena and left the two of them there for a month without any food."

"... Man, the trolls are dumb. For that month, both the trolls roamed aimlessly in that arena. They tried to dig up a few holes but couldn't even put a scratch," the guy started telling the story.

"Then what?" Now the girl was also interested.

"After a month, they could not hold it any longer. The hunger had taken over," the guy told the girl, "My father called a few of his friends to watch the showdown."

"... They fought like barbarians. All they used were their fists," the guy continued, "The fight lasted for about three days before one of them lost, and the other ate it."

"Auggh..." the girl almost vomited what she had just eaten, "How can such cannibals exist in this world? So disgusting. One would expect them to act beautifully if they got such hideous bodies. But no! They can't even do that."

"Well, my father was quite happy overall," the guy shrugged.

"Why?" the girl curiously asked.

"He made a killing in that fight," the boy laughed, "Actually, it was more than just a fight..." the boy winked at the girl. And the girl understood what he was talking about. The boy's father and his friends must have gambled on the fight.

But this was nothing new. With limited means for entertainment available, this was one of the few ways for the rich in the wizarding world to squander money.

'Who's the real cannibal, I suppose?' Gemma walking in the front, could not help but shake her head. She was from a wizarding family as well. And maybe because they were not rich enough to experience it, or Gemma really despised it. But hearing the girl and the boy, she felt disgusted towards them instead.

Soon, the group was in front of the Slytherin dormitory. Gemma opened the door for them and stepped aside to let those behind her walk inside first.

As she watched them walk inside, someone walked up to her. It was Daphne.

"What is it, Daphne?" Gemma asked. Being a prefect and one of the most popular ones at that, Gemma was approached by most of the first years during the beginning of the term for one thing or the other. So she knew almost everyone by name now.

"I am not sure if I should say it, but..." Daphne looked hesitant.

"No need to worry. If there is something troubling you, just let me know," Gemma patiently tried to make Daphne comfortable, "Did someone say anything to you?"

"No, that's not the case," Daphne hurriedly shook her head, "It's about Alex."

"Alex... That silent guy who is always on his own?" Gemma asked, "Who threatened Draco?"

Hearing Gemma's description, Daphne nodded.

"What about him?" Gemma asked.

"He left the Great Hall earlier," Daphne started telling Gemma, "I am not sure if he is back to his room or had gone somewhere else. I am a bit worried about him."

"Hmmm..." Gemma looked at Daphne's worried face and nodded, "Don't worry. You first go inside. I will have someone look into it." Gemma assured Daphne and had her go inside.

Gemma then stood there for a while, and when no one was left outside, she walked inside as well. Inside, Gemma then made her way to one of the boys handling the students with her and told him what Daphne had told her.

"What nuisance," the boy grumbled, "He better be in his room or else."

"Wait, don't be rash with him," Gemma stopped the boy.

"Why?" The boy asked. He was already very unhappy with the babysitting job.

"Just do as I say. Believe me," Gemma said. She has always had this feeling that there was something between Professor Snape and that silent boy. There was nothing to pinpoint that exactly, but she had a hunch.

"Then send someone else," the boy shook off Gemma's hand and walked away, "I don't want to do this anymore." The boy grumbled.

But while the school was in turmoil, Alex and Hermione were in their own little world, unaware of everything.

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[A/N: Read my other story: Dual Cultivation: Revenge of Two Souls. The Chapters are free to read, so please let me know your thoughts on the story.]