The weeks following our first Quidditch match were quite repetitive and everyone was finally getting into the rhythm at Hogwarts, Christmas was just around the corner and snow had filled the castle grounds. Walking around wasn't encouraged unless you had at least 5 layers on. All the Professors except for the less merry, and by that I mean the quite upright ones, such as McGonagall or Snape. Their lessons still stimulated our little alliance of five, of course, Hermione and I didn't have a problem at all, and Ginny did alright too. Harry and Ron, as lazy as always, focused on only the subjects they liked.
The ever-stuttering Quirrel was stuttering even more, very scared, due to some extenuating circumstances, however, these circumstances only seemed to appear heavily around Professor Snape, who I wanted to believe wasn't slightly deranged, I mean a three-meter-long essay on basic potions, the man was demanding.
We spent our free time on the grounds, wrapped up in layers, throwing snowballs, or in the common room, near the heart of the blazing hearth fire, it brought some sense of unity to the house as a whole. We were leading the house cup I was the highest point earner for Gryffindor, and even Snape dished out the occasional five or ten for brilliance in general. Hermione was also quite useful for the house as a whole in this regard, it was easy to earn points when you were as smart as her, me? I'm just a polite and slightly intelligent young man! Hehe.
We sat at dinner the whole school was, Ginny and I sat together, while Hermione, Ron, and Harry occupied the seats in front of us. The food was piled up to the brim and being the ever-hungry kids we were, we didn't hesitate to get started, all types of tender meat, all types of sides, and all types of drinks and desserts.
The pleasantries continued as we told jokes and shared stories and unlike the usual, Albus Dumbledore himself was there too, chatting away with Professor McGonagall, winking at me as I caught his eye. The great hall's ceiling looked especially starry today I thought as I stared up at it, that's when the banging of a door being pushed with force, resonated throughout the hall, and a scared-looking Professor Quirrel entered the room.
"Troll! Troll in the castle!"
And with that, he fainted, and silence engulfed the room for about two seconds before students began shouting and screaming, Albus Dumbledore rose from his seat and silenced the whole hall with a flourish of his wand. The silence began to grow uncomfortably until Dumbledore, stooped and spoke something in Snape's ears and Snape left in a hurry.
He turned to address the prefects, "All prefects are to guide their houses to their dorms and common rooms!"
Percy had already thrust out his chest to receive the orders and now he was running around shouting at the other Gryffindors to get up and follow him, and trust me, follow him we did, it would be a lie to say we weren't scared out of our minds.
We traversed up the stairs and we were about to enter the common room when a deranged and scared-looking Parvati Patil rushed up to me and grabbed my arm, much to Ginny's distaste. "Johan, please, Padma, she's in the toilets, she had a break-up, she doesn't know about the troll!"
"Don't worry Parvati, Harry and I will go, Ron! Get everyone inside the common rooms!"
We rushed down the stairs, recklessly to say the least, we jumped between moving stairs and shifting corridors, needless to say, trolls are immensely dangerous, and if Padma's in danger then there's no way I was going to let a fellow student of mine die, unless it was a shitty one of course like Malfoy. But even still, I would save his sorry ass.
We reached the girls' toilets and Harry and I stood in the corridor, brandishing our wands, I had no idea what to do, I mean, I knew a few spells. I looked at Harry and formed an idea in my head. I pressed myself up against the door to the girls' toilets, the troll, smelling its next meal ran down the corridor and turned to face us, I could hear mine and Harry's hearts beating, It ran directly at us, but just in time, Harry and I jumped separate ways, my ankle grazing the trolls sides as it barged open the Girl's toilets door.
I grabbed the handle, locking the troll inside, making its exit impossible, I relaxed, leaning up against the wall in peace as my heart rate returned to almost normal. That's when I realised our mistake.....
If Padma's in the toilets and the troll is in the toilets then..... Oh Shit!
I wrenched the door back open and my eyes beheld the sight of a ghastly green giant, its wooden club raised over a dark figure in the corner of the room, and a moment of realization gave way to the fact that the dark figure was Padma Patil. There was only one way to do this. Looking at Harry once again I whispered, "I'll distract it, you go around the side and get Padma outside the toilets, okay?"
"But Johan, that thing could ruddy kill you!"
"Just do what I told you to do Harry! Trust me!"
Harry began to creep to the wall of the room and I assumed a slightly relaxed, mocking posture and in a loud, idiotic voice, with a big grin plastered on my face I said, "Hey ugly, Shrek's swamp isn't that way!"
The troll turned to look at the new meat bag that had turned up, I mean in the end that was all about that thing. Grabbing my wand, I pointed it at his club, "Explliarmus!" The club flew a few inches into the air at breakneck speeds and I watched as it burst into tiny splinters, the troll snorted releasing its boogers all over the floor. I raised my wand again, "Flipendo!" this didn't do much but make the thing angrier, pushing it back up against the wall.
Harry had almost reached Padma now and was so close, I needed to get the troll away from the back wall so Harry could get her and get out! I raised my wand once more, the rowan wood exterior still firm under my sweaty grip, "Locomotor Mortis!" The leg locker curse worked its brilliance and I watched as the Giant fell on its face, unable to move, Harry had now reached Padma and had started moving her out.
"Petrificus Totalus!" The Full Body-Bind Curse immobilizes the target completely. While it's more commonly used for non-combative purposes, such as immobilizing opponents or creatures, it can also be used in combat situations to render opponents helpless.
harry had moved Padma out of the toilets and I had left too, locking the door behind the now incapacitated troll, in the space of these events, we were met with the arrival of Professor McGonagall. "If a student is in danger Potter, you should tell me not just rush off, however, the leg locker and body bind curses were executed perfectly and your brother's presence proved immeasurable too, however, Potter and Potter 2 you must see Professor Dumbledore about this!"
Padma was escorted to the Ravenclaw common room and her sister was made aware that due to Harry's and my intervention, her twin had been saved from the clutches of a troll. Now we await the verdict in the office of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the sword of Gryffindor glinting in all its crimson beauty.
Eventually, the headmaster walked in, "Mr. Potter and Mr. Potter, you have caused quite the trouble, when we said go to the common rooms was because Trolls are dangerous Mr. Potter's."
"Sorry Professor, we didn't see any teacher, and forgive me but I won't let anyone die when i can help it and I am able-bodied Professor!"
Harry just waited silently in the corner having whispered a quiet apology. "Such valor, in the face of danger is admirable Mr.Potter, regardless of the risks, you put it all on the line to save your friend. The qualities of a true Gryffindor."
I looked up t this, as it was not what I was expecting. What I was expecting was a good telling-off and the threat of expulsion. But instead here sat Albus Dumbledore, praising My brother and I for disobeying the rules. "I think a feast is in order for your bravery, Johan and you Harry, both of you acted Gallantly, 60 points each for Gryffindor,"
I smiled slightly as I lowered my face and turned to look at Harry, who just looked like he wanted to get out of there, I looked at Dumbledore once more he looked into my eyes, "Mr. Potter, I sense a fiery kind of potential within you, whether you're going to raze the world or raise it, I don't know, but what I do know is that you are a man of your words, scored some pints with Parvati eh?"
"No not at all Professor, I'm dating Ginny Weasley right now, I would never cheat!"
"Mere curiosity, child, just curiosity, off you trot, get to the feast, I'll be there soon!"
Harry and I walked out and trudged through the ever-changing, Historic walls of Hogwarts, wandering its vast corridors of learning until we reached the Great hall where our entrance was regarded with great applause from all except the Slytherin table, I took my seat next to Ginny and laid my head on her shoulders, Harry plopped down in the middle of Hermione and Ron. Ginny looked down at me and spoke, "Is that my knight in shining armor for hire?"
"For hire?!" I said with a look that said I was hurt, "I am only your my fair madam Weasley!" This gained me a giggle as I kissed her under the starry canopy of the Great Hall, leaving myself wondering how awkward it was for our friends to just watch us spontaneously kiss. Oh well, who gives a fuck right?