Chapter 71 - Halloween Surprise
As the Halloween feast approached, I sat at the Hufflepuff table and looked around the Great Hall.
The hall looked magnificent. Hundreds of floating candles lit the ceiling. Bats fluttered through the air. Giant pumpkins lined the walls. The golden plates were already filling with food. Students from every house were laughing and talking loudly.
As always, the festive atmosphere of Halloween and the solemn feeling of Samhain was conflicting for me. After four years, I had learned to live with both feelings together and manage them.
Today, however, there was another problem. I knew what was supposed to happen and most probably would happen. Knowing something dangerous was going to happen and waiting for it while also managing the conflicting feeling, was now get on my nerves.
Still, I forced myself to stay calm so that that I don't interfere prematurely and make a mistake.
Soon I spotted Harry and Ron entering the Great Hall. They looked normal, as normal as children should. They looked hungry and excited for today's feast.
They were completely unaware of what was coming and unprepared.
I also noticed something else. Hermione Granger was missing from the Gryffindor table.
I sighed internally. The story was moving exactly where it was supposed to. So I waited for the main character to enter.
A few minutes later, the doors of the Great Hall burst open. There he was, running panicked, the man with the purple turban, Professor Quirrell, plus an additional passenger on his back of the head.
His purple turban was crooked. His face was pale but not sweating. His clothes were dishevelled and he looked as though he had run all the way from France. Or at least he wanted everyone to think so.
"Troll!" he shouted with panic while running through the tables. The entire hall fell silent and watched as Professor Quirrell staggered toward the staff table where the professors were seated.
"Troll in the dungeons!"
As he reached near the tables, he said the final line.
"Thought you ought to know."
Then he collapsed face-first onto the floor abruptly .
'Ouch! That should have hurt.' I thought inwardly.
Professor Quirrell was deeply into his act and totally dedicated. It seemed he could get an Oscar for overacting and his dedication.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then I thought further, 'How could this low-level acting fool Dumbledore, Snape and other professors. Every one of the professors here were a character in themselves, be it Professor Flitwick who is half-goblin and half-human, or Professor McGonagall who is an Animagus, or any other professors. Each of them are an expert in their subject and have most probably gone through too many things in their life. How could this clumsy over-acting fool them?'
Before I could think more, the hall broke out in pandemonium as students started screaming.
Plates crashed and benches scraped across the floor as the students panicked.
It started with the first years, then second-years and third-years followed. And then it went all the way that even sixth and seventh years were screaming in panic.
I watched the scene with disbelief.
Honestly, most of the sixth and seventh years could probably defeat a troll, not if they suffered a surprise attack. But normally, they can easily defeat a Troll two-on-one. Even fourth and fifth years together can defeat one if they had to.
Yet they were screaming almost as loudly as the first-years. Perhaps panic was contagious. Or perhaps it was like a mass-hysteria.
At the staff table, professors were already moving.
Professor McGonagall stood to maintain order.
Professor Snape rose instantly with his eyes fixed on the fallen Quirrell.
Professor Flitwick looked alert.
Professor Sprout was already directing students.
Then Professor Dumbledore stood up.
Even without shouting, his voice filled the entire hall.
"Silence!"
The magical amplification echoed across the Great Hall. The screaming stopped, at once.
"Prefects," said Dumbledore, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
The hall burst into motion again, though this time it was organized.
Prefects began gathering students and forming groups according to their Houses.
Teachers started moving toward the exits.
I kept my eyes on the Gryffindor table.
Not on Quirrell or even on Dumbledore, only on Harry and Ron.
Sure enough, while the Gryffindors were moving toward their dormitory, the two boys exchanged a glance.
A very guilty glance which eventually means dangerous. It was a classic Harry-and-Ron glance before shi* hits the fan.
Then they slipped away from the line.
I rubbed my forehead in despair.
Of course they did.
I turned toward my friends.
"I'll be back soon," I said, my excuse ready. "Just making sure my brothers don't accidentally get themselves killed."
My friends laughed at it thinking it a joke. But unfortunately, I was being completely serious.
As I left, I spotted Dudley among the Gryffindor students.
To my great surprise, he was actually following instructions. He was walking with his friends toward Gryffindor Tower.
No sneaking, running or any heroic stupidity.
I nearly felt proud.
Maybe one of my lectures had finally worked. Or maybe he was simply distracted by food. Either way, it was one less problem.
I followed Harry and Ron from a distance.
Neither of them noticed me. They were too busy rushing through corridors.
I already knew where they were going. The castle corridors became emptier and quieter the farther we went. Soon there were no students around at all. Only the distant echoes of footsteps.
Harry and Ron hurried ahead and I followed. They were heading towards he girls' bathroom where Hermione would be. And the troll too.
The entire sequence was unfolding exactly as I remembered.
Then I smelled it. A horrible smell.
A smell so bad that it seemed to attack me physically.
I stopped for a moment.
Merlin's dirty socks.
The troll smelled even worse than I imagined. It was like rotten vegetables, wet socks, old rubbish and something dead all meshed together. The stench had filled the corridor.
Harry and Ron slowed down as well.
They had clearly smelled it too and were almost gagging.
I drew my wand.
Neither of them noticed.
I was not planning to interfere. Not yet.
This event which solidified friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione was important, very important. Some events needed to happen.
But there was a difference between allowing events to happen and allowing children to die.
If the troll got too close or if someone was truly in danger, I was prepared.
If things went even slightly worse than they had in the original story...then I would step in without hesitation.
Ahead of us, I heard a distant crash. Then another.
The bathroom was nearby.
Harry and Ron exchanged nervous looks and with strong will and reckless bravery, they turned towards it.
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End of Chapter 71 - Halloween Surprise