Chapter 35: Halloween Feast

Compared to the chaotic Great Hall, the rest of the castle was much quieter.

In the girls' bathroom, Hermione was huddled in a corner, feeling miserable. She couldn't understand what she had done wrong. She had followed Hogwarts' rules and the professors' instructions, and she had worked hard to earn points for her house.

Yet, reality had hit her hard. Not only were her dorm mates, but nearly all the first-year Gryffindors were subtly ostracizing her. Just today in Charms class, she had merely spoken a few fair words and was mocked and ridiculed by Ron and other boys, even earning a new nickname.

"It's no big deal... and I do have friends," Hermione whispered to herself, as the image of a tall, slender boy surfaced in her mind.

His short dark hair, clear eyes, and always gentle smile were comforting thoughts. It should have made her happy, but for some reason, thinking about him made her tears flow uncontrollably.

After crying silently for a while, Hermione took out a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped her tear-streaked face. She planned to leave the bathroom. After all, tonight was the Halloween Feast, and she didn't want to miss the first festive event of the school year. More importantly, she hoped to catch a glimpse of him in the Great Hall.

However, fate often plays little tricks when least expected. Just as Hermione was about to leave, a massive shadow appeared at the bathroom door, accompanied by an indescribable stench.

The twelve-foot-tall behemoth was impossible to miss. Its bald head and somewhat bewildered eyes made its identity clear at a glance.

"A troll!"

Hermione instantly recognized the creature and instinctively wanted to scream but managed to cover her mouth just in time.

"I hope you won't mind my absence," she thought, remembering her library appointment with Ino tomorrow. Faced with a life-threatening situation, that was all she could think of.

Meanwhile, the troll had lumbered into the bathroom and stopped by a faucet.

"Crash!"

Perhaps it was thirsty, for it smashed the large wooden club it was holding against the water pipe, sending a spray of water everywhere.

Hidden in a stall, Hermione watched the troll drink. In that moment of chaos, she quickly devised an escape plan. The debris from the smashed pipe would be her best ally.

"Wingardium Leviosa~"

She whispered the spell, swishing and flicking her wand. A fist-sized piece of rubble floated in front of the faucet. The falling stone successfully drew the troll's attention.

Seeing the troll's simple-mindedness as described in books, Hermione was confident in her escape plan. It was simple: she would use the rubble to lure the troll away. Even if she was discovered, she would have enough time to escape the bathroom.

As long as she wasn't trapped here, heading to the Great Hall or running up the moving stairs would maximize her safety. Time passed, and as more stones fell, the troll moved farther from Hermione.

Feeling the distance was sufficient, she prepared to dash out of the bathroom. However, at that moment, two figures burst through the door, making a loud noise.

One of them even 'swiftly' shut the door and locked it.

"Hermione! Get out of here, there's a troll in the dungeon!"

Hermione: "..."

---

Unlike the chaotic adventures of the famous trio, things were much more harmonious in the Slytherin common room.

The first-year students were gathered in a corner, listening intently to a story. Around them, several upper-year students, who seemed indifferent but were actually keenly listening, formed an outer circle.

"…Young Simba was exiled by his uncle, forced to leave his familiar kingdom and set foot on unknown land. There, he met two of his best friends and teachers, Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meerkat."

"…Eventually, Simba defeated his uncle, became the new Lion King, and brought the land back to life."

To the soothing tones of a hand-cranked music box, Ino told the tale of *The Lion King*.

As the final note faded, the story concluded.

"Clap! Clap!"

Malfoy and Pansy were the first to applaud, followed by the other captivated young witches and wizards.

"Ino! Another one, this time about snakes."

It was Malfoy who spoke, as a gleaming Galleon appeared on the table. Encouraged, others also began to donate, though mostly Sickles, with only Malfoy, Pansy, and Daphne contributing Galleons.

The rule of paying for stories was something Ino had 'casually' mentioned in the dormitory. With Malfoy acting as a loudspeaker, it quickly became known among the Slytherin first-years.

Looking at the pile of coins, Ino felt a pang of regret. He didn't have any good snake stories at the moment.

'Don't cheat your audience. Your story should match the price they pay. That's the mark of a true bard.'

Hans' words echoed in his mind. Eno gazed at the money and decided it deserved a classic tale, something fitting the payment. However, finding a story centered on a snake was challenging.

After racking his brain, he could only think of *The Legend of the White Snake*, but it required much adaptation to fit the cultural context.

Just the concept of a human-snake romance was enough to confuse these English children.

"It's getting late. Next time, I promise a story about magic, snakes, and love before Christmas."

He had raised their expectations to the maximum. After successfully piquing everyone's interest, he stood and gracefully exited to his dormitory.

---

Back in the dormitory, Ino hadn't been there long when Malfoy barged in, sitting down with a smirk.

"What do you think about the troll? What's Quirrell up to?"

"I don't think much of it! I came to Hogwarts to learn magic, not to be an apprentice Auror," Ino replied seriously. Honestly, he felt Hermione shouldn't have been sorted into Gryffindor. She was a smart girl, but Harry and Ron's influence had led her astray.

Even Malfoy could see something was amiss. After all, Quirrell was an adult wizard, unlikely to faint from a troll encounter.

Yet, the trio hilariously concluded it was Snape's doing. If Quirrell hadn't exposed himself, they would have continued concocting wild theories and adding layers to Snape's actions to fill in the logical gaps.

___