Troll Attack

The young wizards from both houses watched Professor McGonagall approach in terror.

If any professor had the most intimidating presence, Professor McGonagall undoubtedly held the top spot.

Unlike Snape, Professor McGonagall was exceptionally upright. As Gryffindor's Head of House, even when students from her own house made mistakes, she punished them without mercy.

She never deducted a single point less than she should.

Professor McGonagall usually wore a stern expression as well, and none of the young wizards dared misbehave in front of her.

Hermione was so panicked that she did not know what to do. What she feared most was hearing Professor McGonagall say she had failed every subject, but breaking school rules was just as terrifying.

Everyone present except Eli inwardly thought things were bad. A punishment was absolutely unavoidable.

"What are you all gathered here for? If I remember correctly, this should be flying lesson time!"

"Professor, Neville got a little hurt, and Madam Hooch took him to the hospital wing. We were practicing here."

Eli was not flustered in the slightest, as steady as a rock.

He knew exactly why Professor McGonagall had come.

She looked suspiciously at the students on either side. Sure enough, none of them seemed injured.

"Until Madam Hooch returns, I expect you all to behave yourselves!"

Professor McGonagall looked at Harry. "Mr. Potter, come with me."

Harry looked at Eli and the others in surprise. He could not make sense of the situation. Why had he suddenly been called out?

"Go on, Harry. If Professor McGonagall wanted to punish you, she would not bother picking a place."

Eli patted Harry, signaling him not to be too nervous.

Harry followed Professor McGonagall, half doubtful and half convinced.

Eli knew that before long, they would hear that Harry had become Gryffindor's Quidditch team Seeker.

The youngest Seeker. In fact, his father—James Potter—had also been a Seeker back then, and an exceptionally good one.

James Potter's medal was displayed in the Hogwarts Trophy Room.

The first flying lesson ended on a sour note. What had happened today had truly exceeded everyone's expectations.

Draco's expression was still ugly.

Eli did not go over to ingratiate himself with him. His patience only went so far.

The fact that he had deliberately tried to be friendly after Draco had provoked him was already out of consideration for them being roommates.

But Draco kept putting on airs like some young master. Eli Hall was not his lackey!

Today had been a lesson for him, to make him understand that before absolute strength, everything else was nothing.

"Eli!"

Ron Weasley and Harry ran over with excited expressions.

Eli swallowed the cake in his mouth in one gulp, but it got stuck in his throat, making him roll his eyes nonstop.

"Oh, Eli, what's wrong with you?"

Harry and Ron hurriedly handed Eli a cup of water and gently patted his back.

It took Eli quite a while to recover. He glared resentfully at the two who had nearly scared him into choking to death.

"What is it?"

"Guess what..."

"Forget it, I'm not guessing. Tell me or don't. I don't care."

Ron stopped keeping them in suspense and leaned in to speak quietly to Eli.

The little snakes beside them were utterly baffled. Why had these two Gryffindors come to their long table?

They even subtly leaned over to listen.

Smack!

"Could you at least be less obvious when you eavesdrop? You're practically lying on top of me!"

Eli slapped the person beside him irritably. That guy had been eavesdropping with absolutely no shame.

The exposed little snakes hurriedly lowered their heads and pretended nothing had happened.

The one who had been slapped flushed red, but he did not say anything.

Eli's fierce reputation had long since spread.

Who would be tired of living enough to provoke that fiend?

Eli shot the guy a glare, then motioned for Ron to continue.

"Harry became Gryffindor's Seeker!"

After saying that, Ron eagerly rubbed his hands together, hoping to see Eli's shocked expression.

Harry was much the same. He looked a little bashful, because he did not really understand what it meant. Being praised by so many people made him feel embarrassed.

Eli looked at Ron strangely.

"That's it?"

"Huh?"

Ron froze. Where was the excitement? The surprise?

"Come on. I'll show you something."

Eli dragged the two stunned boys outside.

"Eli, are we there yet?"

Eli led them to the Trophy Room and pointed at one of the medals.

"Wow! Harry, you never told us your dad was a Seeker too!"

Ron said in astonishment.

Harry stared blankly at the medal, still gleaming brightly, as though he could see his father's youthful figure full of vitality.

"I didn't know."

He spoke dazedly, his voice carrying a trace of sadness.

Eli quietly watched Harry sink into his grief. Living with the burden of his family's deaths for so long... it really had not been easy for him.

Eli patted his shoulder, and Harry felt an unexpected warmth.

"Well? I trust you have the confidence to handle being a Seeker now. Even if I'm not thrilled about it, I still wish you victory in your matches!"

Eli's teasing made both of them laugh. Harry smiled too and said, "In that case, I absolutely have to win! Hahaha!"

Halloween arrived, and the school arranged a lavish feast.

But on this happy day, a rather unpleasant conflict arose.

"There's a Troll! A Troll in the dungeons!"

The Great Hall doors were violently slammed open, and a man wearing a large turban ran inside. It was Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

"I thought you ought to know..."

Before he could finish, he inexplicably fainted and collapsed to the floor.

Boom!

A clap of thunder sounded from the ceiling at the perfect moment.

Instantly, earth-shaking screams erupted from the students in the Great Hall.

Eli had to cover his ears, or they would surely have been damaged by the noise.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Draco beside him, so terrified he looked ready to leap onto the table. Eli yanked him back down into his seat.

"Shut up! Stop screaming!"

That idiot had been screaming louder than anyone just now.

"Quiet!"

A booming voice instantly silenced the Great Hall. It was Dumbledore.

"Prefects, lead your students back to their common rooms in an orderly fashion. Teachers, come with me."

Dumbledore gave the young wizards some sense of security. The prefects finally stepped forward and led the students from each house back to their common rooms.

Eli kept his attention fixed on Harry and Ron.

Sure enough, the two ran toward the dungeons.

Eli immediately followed them.

He knew this part well. Because of Ron's sarcasm, Hermione had gone to cry alone in the bathroom.

Then, somehow, the Troll had wandered over here.

Harry and Ron had come because they were worried about Hermione, only to run into the Troll wreaking havoc in the girls' bathroom.

Sure enough, Hermione's scream came from the bathroom ahead.

"Eli!"

"You stay here. I'll save Hermione!"

Ignoring the two of them, Eli rushed into the girls' bathroom.

The Troll was swinging its club around and smashing everything in sight, while Hermione cowered beneath the sinks in terror.

Diffindo!

The spell struck the Troll in the back. At that strength, it would certainly have blown apart an adult Acromantula in one hit.

But when it landed on the Troll, it was as if it had been weakened countless times.

Roar!

Pain flared in its back, and the Troll furiously turned around, bringing its club down on the little thing holding a tiny stick.

Trolls were incredibly stupid creatures. Their tiny heads perched atop their massive bodies like chocolate beans.

But their magic resistance was extremely high, which was why Eli's spell had not caused much damage.

The Troll's fury was immediately drawn entirely to Eli, at least allowing Hermione, who was trembling in the corner, to catch her breath.

"Eli?"

Hermione had been crying so hard her face was streaked with tears when she suddenly saw Eli.

"Don't make a sound! Reducto!"

Eli signaled for Hermione not to recklessly speak and draw the Troll's attention again, then cast another spell to lock its focus completely onto himself.

Boom!

The huge club smashed a massive crater into the floor.

Eli looked at the state of the floor and sucked in a sharp breath.

Fortunately, the Troll was not very agile. With some slippery footwork, he could still outmaneuver it.

Eli dodged frantically while firing off spells.

Though its magic resistance was high, the Troll still began to bleed under Eli's powerful barrage.

The injured Troll became even more enraged, putting Eli in even greater danger.

Thud.

A stone flew from somewhere and struck the Troll on the head.

That blow left the Troll utterly confused.

"Why the hell are you two here?!"

Seeing the two idiots beside him throwing things at the Troll with all their might, Eli nearly coughed up blood in anger.

Were they not just holding him back?!

The Troll did not care about any of that. Seeing these little things actually dare to throw objects at it, it raised its club and smashed it toward the area with the most people.

The space had already been cramped enough, and it had been difficult enough for Eli to dodge alone.

Now there were two more burdens weighing him down. For a moment, there was nowhere to evade!

Eli used magic to shove Harry and Ron away, then used the recoil to dart behind the Troll.

Boom!

The club crashed violently into the spot where the three had just been standing.

Harry and Ron turned pale.

If not for Eli, they would already have been meat paste!

Reducto!

Another spell drew the Troll back toward Eli, but Hermione was still behind him!

"Damn it!"

Eli grabbed Hermione and desperately dodged the descending club. Forced into a corner, the two were in grave danger.

"Eli!"

Seeing Eli and Hermione in danger, Harry charged forward in a single leap and used the Troll's club to swing himself onto its head.

The Troll panicked and struggled after being attacked on the head, while Harry even shoved his wand into its nostril.

For a moment, the scene was almost too ridiculous to watch.

Harry, empty-handed, was grabbed by the Troll and held upside down. It raised its club to strike.

Wingardium Leviosa!

In his desperation, Ron finally cast the Levitation Charm, freezing the Troll's raised club in midair.

Thud.

The club crashed down onto the Troll's head. The Troll seemed to have been knocked unconscious, its steps turning unsteady.

It was finally over.

Except it was not!

The Troll shook its head hard and instantly became clear-headed again.

Eli's eyes widened at once. That was not right. In the original story, the Troll should have fainted here. How could this be happening?!

Perhaps his presence as an outsider had set off some butterfly effect and changed something, but the Troll had not fainted at all!

Harry was in danger!

The Troll looked at the little thing dangling from its hand, and a strangely humanlike vicious grin flashed across its face.

He raised Harry high, intending to smash him to death!

No one could stop him.

Harry was doomed. Eli's eyes were bloodshot, and he could practically see the horrific sight of Harry's head bursting apart!

Ron Weasley stood frozen in place, utterly pale.

Tears filled Hermione Granger's wide eyes as death loomed.

Killing intent surged wildly, blood vessels filling his pupils.

"Ultimate Death!"

A gray, withered beam collided with the Troll, and it was as though life had been severed from the world.

No—it was the Troll whose life had been cut off!

Boom!

The Troll's corpse crashed heavily to the ground, utterly lifeless.