Before Harley could say anything more to Hermione, a series of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor outside the girls' bathroom.
A moment later, Professor Snape burst into the bathroom, clutching his wand tightly. Ron followed close behind.
"Harley!" Professor Snape shouted before he had even come to a stop, his voice full of unmistakable urgency.
"Professor, I'm over here!" Harley called back, dispelling the frost and Black Flame around her feet.
Hermione immediately struggled to her feet from Harley's arms and quickly brushed the dust off herself.
Professor Snape finally took in the scene inside the bathroom.
His gaze swept over Harley twice.
Seeing that Harley was only dusty and had soiled her clothes, with no obvious injuries, Professor Snape finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then Professor Snape noticed the Troll on the floor and couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath.
Ron, meanwhile, tried desperately to make himself less noticeable, as though he wanted to shrink into the shadows.
"What happened? Harley, why are you here? Do you know how dangerous this place is?" Professor Snape fired off a rapid string of questions.
"Professor." After a brief pause, Harley answered, "I came to find Hermione. She was crying in the bathroom over something, so I came to comfort her.
"Then we happened to run into the Troll, but luckily, I managed to defeat it."
After hearing that, Professor Snape seemed to want to say something, but after opening his mouth, he apparently couldn't find the words.
In the end, Professor Snape simply crouched down to examine the Troll's body.
Harley had just been about to comfort the still-shaken Hermione when new sounds echoed from the corridor.
A moment later, Professor McGonagall rushed into the bathroom, followed by Professor Quirrell and Professor Flitwick.
When Professor McGonagall saw the fallen Troll, her face went deathly pale.
Professor Quirrell only glanced at the Troll before letting out a weak sob. He swayed slightly, then collapsed against a toilet, clutching his chest tightly.
Harley gave him a puzzled look. Hermione hadn't reacted that strongly when she saw the Troll. All she could say was that Professor Quirrell wasn't a very good actor.
As for Professor Flitwick, he joined Professor Snape, pointing his wand at the Troll and muttering under his breath.
"What happened here?" Professor McGonagall's icy voice carried barely restrained anger.
"Miss Potter, Miss Granger, I need an explanation.
"Why weren't you safely staying in your dormitory? Why were you here with a Troll?"
Just then, Professor McGonagall noticed Ron in the shadows and added,
"And Mr. Weasley, I believe you should also explain why you're here."
Ron's face instantly turned as pale as Professor McGonagall's, though perhaps for a very different reason.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end said nothing.
Harley was just about to speak when Hermione cut in. "Professor McGonagall, this was my fault."
"Miss Granger?"
"It's like this, Professor McGonagall. I was upset because I'm always falling behind Harley in my magic studies, and my grades in every subject are worse than hers.
"So I was so sad that I came here... to cry, and missed the Halloween Feast," Hermione said softly.
"Then Harley heard about it from some other students and came to comfort me.
"When we were about to leave the bathroom, we ran into the Troll. But Harley managed to... kill it.
"Right afterward, Professor Snape came in with Ron. They seemed to have heard the commotion."
Harley immediately understood that Hermione was covering for Ron.
Ron seemed to realize it, too. Gratitude showed on his face, and he quickly added,
"Professor McGonagall, I didn't see Harley or Hermione at the Halloween Feast, so I realized they might not know there was a Troll in the castle.
"So I left the Gryffindor group to look for them, and ran into Professor Snape on the way."
As he spoke, Ron silently congratulated himself for not telling Professor Snape what had really happened, and for Hermione covering up the truth for him.
After hearing them out, Professor McGonagall's expression softened a little.
"Oh—if that's the case..." Professor McGonagall gazed at them, murmuring thoughtfully.
"Miss Granger, you silly girl. How could you come here to cry over such a small thing?
"You need to have more confidence in yourself. Your grades are excellent, too, and you're hardly behind Miss Potter!"
As she spoke, Professor McGonagall took out a handkerchief, walked over to Hermione, and gently wiped the dust and tear tracks from her face.
"Hermione," Professor McGonagall said softly as she wiped her face, "remember, you're no worse than anyone else.
"Among all the students I've taught, you're one of the very best. Don't put so much pressure on yourself, all right?
"If you ever feel emotionally overwhelmed, you're welcome to come talk to me. My office door is always open to you."
Hermione's face turned red despite herself.
Once she had finished, Professor McGonagall stood up and looked at Harley. "Harley, well done.
"Not many first-years could take on a fully grown Troll.
"Now hurry back to Gryffindor Tower! The students are enjoying the Halloween Feast in their respective common rooms.
"You too, Ron."
After speaking, Professor McGonagall considered it for a moment, then added, "Harley defeated the Troll alone and protected her fellow students. Fifteen points to Gryffindor.
"Ron thought of his fellow students in a dangerous situation and came to warn them. Five more points to Gryffindor."
Ron's face went from deathly pale to scarlet in an instant, the same color as his hair. He hurried out of the bathroom.
Harley and Hermione also apologized to Professor McGonagall. Then Harley helped Hermione, whose legs were a little shaky, and the two of them left the bathroom.
After watching the three of them go, Professor McGonagall turned to Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick.
"Severus, Filius, did you find anything?"
After leaving the bathroom, Ron waited for the two of them at the end of the corridor.
When he saw Hermione and Harley, his face flushed as he quietly thanked them. "Thank you for not telling Professor McGonagall what really happened."
"It's nothing," Hermione said softly. "You thought we might be in danger, too, and came to look for us, didn't you?"
"That's not the same." Ron's face grew even redder. "I was the one who made a mistake this afternoon, and I'm the reason you were so upset.
"If I hadn't said something so awful, you wouldn't have ended up in danger tonight.
"So... so I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry!"
Ron seemed to put all his strength into shouting those words. Then he charged up the stairs without looking back.
Before you continue