Troll

In the girls' bathroom, Hermione was immersed in her sorrow when she heard two soft knocks on the stall door.

"Hermione, is that you?"

"Who are you?" Hermione said through a sob. "Are you here to laugh at me too?"

"I'm Padma Patil." Padma said gently, "The Halloween Feast should have started by now, Hermione. Wade and Michael are waiting outside—they're worried about you."

"You—you should go to the feast. Don't mind me! Let me be alone for a while." Hermione wiped at her increasingly abundant tears and said stubbornly.

She had cried for so long that her tears should have run dry long ago. She was only hiding here because she felt miserable and did not want to face other people's stares. But now, hearing her friends' concern and being comforted so gently, her tears suddenly poured out again.

Padma pressed a hand against the stall door and said softly, "Hermione, I know what Bastards Weasley said. But I don't understand why you'd be hurt by the unfair judgment of a stupid boy while ignoring the friends who truly care about you. Everyone says you're the smartest Female Witch in the entire year. Can't you tell what really matters?"

Hermione's sobbing stopped, and she did not speak for a long time.

"Let me tell you a Secret—people who slander you behind your back are often driven by inferiority and jealousy. You're smarter, better, stronger than them in every way, so they want to hurt you by saying bad things. If you really let it break your heart and push all your friends away, then the bad people will have won." Padma said, "The best way is to ignore those who malign you. Shine your light and don't pay attention to the shadows in the corners—if that doesn't feel satisfying enough, punch him in the face! After all, you're a Gryffindor Lion, aren't you?"

"Creak—"

A moment later, the stall door was pushed open.

Hermione emerged with red-rimmed eyes, her voice still thick with tears. "I'm not the smartest Female Witch—Padma, you're the truly smart one."

Padma smiled and gave her a hug.

Wade and Michael had been waiting in the corridor for a long time before they finally saw the two girls emerge from the bathroom. They had actually heard what Padma said to Hermione, but neither of them mentioned it.

Michael spread his arms and joked with a grin, "Need a warm hug, Hermione?"

The brown-haired girl wiped her eyes, hugged Michael with enough force to break his Ribs, then released him while he was still stunned and turned to give Wade another fierce hug.

"Thank you—sorry," Hermione said quietly.

Wade casually ruffled her hair without saying anything.

"No need to apologize, but I can't wait to enjoy the Halloween Feast. I hope they haven't finished all the desserts yet!" Michael said, rubbing his stomach. "Otherwise, we'll have to sneak into the kitchens and steal some food."

Padma asked curiously, "Where are the Hogwarts kitchens? How come I've never seen them?"

Michael instantly perked up. "The kitchens are very well hidden. If it weren't for Theo and the others—"

Wade suddenly stopped, stretched out one arm to block the others, and swiftly drew his Wand with the other.

"—What is it?" Michael paused and asked in a lowered voice.

Wade asked, "Didn't you hear that sound?"

Michael did not answer, because they had all seen it—a huge grayish-green hand gripped the wall around the corner, while Snoring sound came from somewhere out of sight.

Everyone's faces went white in an instant. Padma moaned, "Merlin—what kind of monster—"

A gigantic creature stepped out from around the corner.

It stood a full twelve feet tall, its head nearly touching the ceiling. It looked as though it weighed at least two tons, and its skin was as revolting as a toad's. Its massive body had a bloated belly, with a bald head perched atop its short neck, barely covered by any hair. The thing reeked of a nauseating stench. Its long arms nearly hung to its knees, and it carried a tree-trunk-like club in one hand.

"Impossible. How could there be a troll in the castle?" Padma's face turned Ghastly White, and her legs went limp. Only Hermione's support kept her standing.

The troll lowered its head and spotted them. Cruel excitement filled its tiny eyes. It raised its heavy feet and strode toward them while lifting its club.

Hermione's hand trembled constantly as she pointed her Wand at the troll, but she had no idea what Spell to use.

Michael fired off Spell after Spell. "Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!"

He had not yet mastered the Spell. The spells striking the troll were like raindrops hitting a rhinoceros hide—completely useless. Wade raised his Wand as every Spell he knew flashed through his mind.

He knew many spells, but trolls had extremely high magical resistance and powerful bodies. Even an adult wizard's spells would find it difficult to affect one—this was a creature whose danger rating still reached XXXX despite having no brains and little Magic Power, on the same level as a Thunderbird and a Sphinx.

When Wade had first read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, he had thought there was definitely something wrong with that rating system. But now, facing a monster taller than a house in person, he still felt a suffocating pressure.

Bang!

A bucket suddenly smashed into the troll's head. Harry came out of nowhere and shouted at them, "What are you standing around for? Run!"

Michael snapped out of it, turned, and dragged the two girls away. But Wade stepped forward and pointed his Wand. "Avis!"

A flock of chirping Little Birds flew from the tip of his Wand and swooped at the troll's face. The simple-minded troll was immediately distracted. It made Snoring sound in its throat and clumsily swatted at the birds with hands as large as fans.

Seeing that it worked, Michael and the others also shouted, "Avis!"

But their spells did nothing. Their wand tips merely spat out sparks, briefly drawing the troll's attention.

The dozen or so Little Birds Wade had conjured surrounded the troll. The enormous creature roared, letting out terrifying bellows as it smashed the surrounding decorations to pieces with its club, yet it could do nothing against the nimble birds. But as time passed, the birds were rapidly dwindling.

Michael shouted, "This Spell can hold it for ten seconds at most!"

Wade swung his Wand sharply. "Slippery Slope!"

The floor beneath the troll's feet suddenly became extremely slick. Caught off guard, it fell, its massive body crashing heavily onto the ground. The entire floor seemed to shake, and its club flew from its hand.

Hermione, who looked as though she might faint at any moment, gathered her courage and raised her Wand. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew high into the air and came crashing down onto the troll's forehead with a clang. The troll shook its head and struggled to rise with a roar. Gritting her teeth, Hermione controlled the club and brought it down a second time, a third time, a fourth time...

The troll finally passed out happily.

Hermione stopped, panting heavily, then turned to find them all staring at her in shock and awe.

"What?" The Girl's face reddened slightly. Pretending to be nonchalant, she looked at Padma and said, "Well, you were right—giving it a punch really does feel good."

Padma stood dumbfounded and speechless—Th-this was what I taught her?

She was a little too embarrassed to look Wade and Michael in the eye.

"Harry—Troll! A troll got into the castle—get back to the Dormitory! Trol—"

Ron came charging over, shouting at the top of his lungs. Then his voice abruptly cut off. He sucked in a sharp breath at the sight before him and asked blankly, "What happened?"