20 Chapter 020 How to Kill a Troll 101

"CONFIRMED SEER IN HOGWARTS"

That was the Daily Prophet a few days ago and as is routine for the Hogwarts Rumour Mill goes, Harry's seer abilities was all but forgotten after a few days as new interesting things put it at the back of everyone's minds. He was like that 7th year, Nymphadora Tonks, although she just preferred to be called Tonks. A metamorphmagus was indeed rare, but like she said the novelty will wear out soon enough, which he believed. He did See it after all. Oh, and she was a Black, apparently, from her mother's side. He asked her if he and Sirius could visit sometime, which she enthusiastically agreed to. Her mother, Andromeda Tonks, also agreed when Tonks called her through her M-phone.

He did get additional tutoring in Divinations when the headmaster offered it. He now attended the class with the third years although, to be honest, Professor Trelawney was a complete fraud in his opinion. Whatever this Inner Eye was, she didn't have it. It was funny to witness the students get afraid when she predicts their deaths every five minutes or so.

Harry's tolerance has also increased these past few weeks. He can now control what he only wanted to See and can also look into the future and not get a headache every time, which was a relief.

Now that he could reliably look into the future, Harry had been constantly worried. Dangers lurked at every turn. Potentially catastrophic and even world-ending events, although minuscule in possibility, could still happen. His ability was more of a curse. There was one possibility though that Harry was most dreading and he hoped wouldn't happen. Muggles finding out about wizards.

'Calm Mind.'

Harry breathed deeply and calm rationality returned to him. It wouldn't do to worry about it needlessly. Although muggles finding about the wizarding world had a high chance of happening, what with their growing technology and the wizards' carelessness, all he could do at the moment was to prepare contingencies. That was why he was back at Potter Manor, leaving a Substitute clone in his place in Hogwarts. Every night he has been coming here back in his laboratory secretly trying to finish his project. Harry levitated the last piece of metal he was working on into the furnace and pointed his finger at it.

'Flamethrower'

A ball of intense flame manifested on his finger, its heat could be felt from across the other side of the laboratory.

Fwoosh!

The flames released its heat in a vortex of fiery red directly at the metal and the hard steel quickly melted. Keeping the flamethrower for a few seconds, Harry extinguished it and levitated the red, molten liquid out of the furnace. He carefully manoeuvred it onto a table and manipulated into a large concave, squarish plate. Next, a sharp metal rod floated towards the metal's surface and started carving runes with precision while the steel was still soft from being heated. It was mostly for indestructibility, air resistance, and negation of impact forces, but also runes for extreme temperature resistance, energy absorption, self-repair and a slew of other protective runic arrays Harry had meticulously calculated so all of them would function seamlessly and harmonically.

The metal rod finally finished its job and gently floated down to the table. Harry walked towards the center of the room where a huge structure could be seem standing idly on a metallic platform. It was huge and metallic and had a slightly flat teardrop shape. The structure was twice as large as a huge truck and gleamed silvery in the bright light of the laboratory. An oval glass wrapped the rounded end, like it was meant to have people look from inside it. Yes, that's right. It was indeed a spaceship.

The last piece missing slotted firmly on its side and he manipulated the metal until its seams disappeared and only a smooth metallic surface remained. Satisfied Harry blew an icy cold wind on the metal.

'Icy Wind'

Its once red hot surface solidified into a beautiful smooth silver, the runes on it flashing and disappearing leaving only unblemished surface.

Not yet done, the black-haired boy walked towards a nearby pedestal where a large, spherical object was sitting. It was a piece of Mystic Diamond, three feet in diameter, runes painstakingly carved on its surface. The gem glowed a brilliant pink like it was alive. Harry caressed it lovingly. It was his masterpiece. He had carved the runes himself and gave it his energy every night for the past few months. The goblins have been very helpful in procuring him this a while back way before school started although it cost him a fortune, enough to buy a small island. Harry only shrugged. Being rich had its advantages.

Levitating the sphere, he went up the open ramp and climbed the spacecraft. You'd think it was cramped inside but Wizard Space made it possible to be as twice as large as a Quidditch pitch. It was a veritable mansion inside. The spaceship housed no less than two dozen, tastefully decorated rooms mostly located on the tail end of the ship, a large cafeteria, a modest library that was currently being filled with books, a large common area where people could enjoy and relax in the gardens and view the stars outside from the large glass windows, several storage spaces, a fully-stocked hospital wing, potions lab, and two large greenhouses. With everything so big, mystic portals had been placed Harry ignored all of them and teleported towards the most important room of all: The Command Center.

It was a very large circular room with an expansive 180 degree viewing area in front. The Command Center only has one function and it was for the captain of the ship to take control, that's why the room only has a few chairs; one at the very center and some at the back for guests. In front of the central chair was a short pedestal about a foot high and Harry put the large Mystic Diamond on top of it. Taking out his wand he slashed his palm and laid it on the crystal, the blood being absorbed completely. It was an activation requirement and when it stopped sucking blood he healed his hand and waited. A few seconds passed and the sphere glowed a brilliant pink, letting out a quiet hum. Harry smiled. Finally.

"Greetings, Commander." A young woman's voice came out from the hologram that suddenly appeared on top of the crystal. She had long, bright red hair, and emerald green eyes, just like his own. She wore a white dress which only brought out her ethereal quality. The figure smiled kindly at him.

"I am Harry James Potter, the commander of this ship known as the Tear of Midas, or simply TM-01. From now on, you will be known as Lily."

"As you will Harry, Commander of TM-01." Lily floated down from her pedestal and stood straight beside him.

Lily was a magical artificial intelligence he painstakingly crafted using runes. It…she was his child in a way. He looked at her proudly.

"Excellent. Lily, open the hatch please." Harry sat at the central command chair and Lily nodded her understanding.

Outside he saw the whole house rumble, some of the equipment in the laboratory clinking and clanking. The while wall facing outside split open from the top and inserted into a space just under it. The cold air blew in and light spilled out into the night. Harry heard hurried footsteps coming down the hall, the ship's sensitive runes picking up the sounds.

"Wha…bloody hell!"

It was Sirius and Remus still in their night clothes. Harry snickered and teleported just in front of them. Sirius almost hit him with a stunner but he gracefully dodged to the side, the red curse harmlessly splashing on the ship behind.

"Harry! Merlin…I thought we were being attacked! And what the bloody hell is that!" Sirius pointed at the large metallic…thing in front of him.

"Harry. Is that what I think it is?" Remus muttered and Harry nodded enthusiastically. Sirius glanced confusedly between the two.

"Well? Are you two going to tell me what it is?"

"Siri…can't you tell? It's a spaceship! You know those things Lily used to show us. But this looks completely different, doesn't it." Remus said.

"It's a magical spaceship. Come on, I'll show you. Lily, lower the ramp!"

A hiss quietly sounded and the ramp lowered from the side. Harry dragged both men up and the door seamlessly shut behind them.

"Woah. It's so huge! Entension Charm?" Remus asked fascinatingly.

"Yeah."

All three of them started walking through the wide hallway, magical lights floated above them like will-o'-wisps. At the end of the corridor Sirius and Remus were awed by white marble floors and the huge garden in the center of the Common Area. Tasteful benches and tables were scattered around and bright will-o'-wisps dotted in and out of the hanging branches of a humungous willow tree. The ceiling also showed an illusion of the night sky outside making the whole scene from out of a fairy tale.

"You did all this? It's amazing, Harry!" Sirius turned into Padfoot and ran around the garden sniffing around and swatting the wisps he could reach. Both of them smiled at the dog's antics but Harry eventually called him back.

"We have lots more to see, Padfoot." He led both men to a nearby portal to the side and announced his destination.

They arrived at the Kitchen Area where a fully stocked kitchen would make even Shelley, the matronly elf of the Potter household, nod in approval. Speaking of which he called them their names.

"Shelly, Moppy, Tilly, Loki, Dobby!"

Pop!

"Young master is back! Young master Harry, Master Sirius, and Master Remus should be sleeping." Shelley, the old elf, reprimanded them wagging her finger.

"Ahehe. Sorry, Shelley. I woke them up. Anyway, look around you. This is my spaceship! From now on please assign a few elves to manage the kitchens and the rooms here. Don't worry, the ship is magic and can clean itself but it still needs some help. Dobby I am designating you as the Master Elf of Tear of Midas, or simply TM-01. What do you say, Master Elf Dobby?" Harry grinned at the shocked elf.

"Dobby is Master Elf? Oh, Dobby is honored and will faithfully take care of master's ship!Young master is truly a great master." Dobby tearily sniffed but remembered his manners and bowed gratefully. Shelley smiled proudly at her student. He really has gone a long way from the abused elf he once was.

"You're welcome, Dobby. The kitchen is equipped with large storage spaces for food and also preservation runes. I want you to take stock of all the necessities we'll need for the kitchen and the other rooms, alright?" Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Great! What do you say we tour the rest of the ship?" All the others nodded and so he showed them all the ship's features. Harry didn't pull any stops and all of them were amazed at the modern potions lab, hospital wing, greenhouses, library, a hallway where the rooms for sleeping and resting are, a large docking area where smaller but similar-shaped ships were idly sitting, ready to be used, and back to the Common Area.

"Finally, there's one last place I need to show you. But first…Lily?" Harry called out loud.

"Welcome back, Commander Harry."

Suddenly a person appeared beside Harry dressed in a simple white dress. The others jumped back in shock and Sirius and Remus gasped.

"Everyone, please meet Lily. She is an artificial intelligence who helps operate the ship. Lily meet my family."

"Welcome aboard the TM-01. My name is Lily, it is nice to meet you." Lily curtsied elegantly and smiled softly.

"…Lily? You look so much like her." Sirius's lips trembled as did Remus's. The hologram in front of them looked and sounded just like one of their best friends that it hurt something deep inside them.

"I based her on the picture you gave me, Remus. I thought it appropriate that she be the one to help commandeer the ship."

Both men and the elves smiled appreciatively. For Sirius and Remus, Lily had been one of their dearest friends. For the original Potter elves, she had been a kind and thoughtful mistress. After a few more moments Harry spoke up.

"Lily, bring us to the Command Center, please."

"Certainly."

In a blink all of them arrived at a circular room at the very center of which was a tall high-backed chair. A large glass window encompassing half of the room showed the laboratory outside.

"This is the Control Room or the Command Center. It is where the captain of the ship, which is me, controls the ship through that chair in the middle. It's a special chair that can sense your thoughts and intentions and the large sphere in front of it makes it happen for you. Lily here comes from that Mystic Diamond and calculates everything like oxygen levels, gravity, the warp drive…basically everything. Sirius, Remus. I want you to put some of your blood on that sphere. Go on." Harry urged and both reluctantly cut their palms with their wand and laid them on the smooth surface. After a few moments Lily spoke up.

"Two blood signatures registered." Her soft voice announced.

"Lily, designate Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin as Vice-Commanders." He ordered.

"Confirmed. Vice-Commanders Sirius and Remus are now fully authorised to give orders."

"Excellent!"

"Wait! Hold on a minute, Harry. I don't even know how to ride a bicycle much less fly a bloody spaceship!" Remus said worriedly and Sirius agreed.

"Don't worry. Think of it like a racing broom. It senses your intentions and the ship will follow. It might take a bit of practice though. Don't worry. You've seen the smaller ships in the docking bay. We'll start with those." That calmed them down. It made more sense if they considered it just like flying on a broomstick. Harry clapped his hands once.

"Now it really is late. Sorry for waking you up but I was really excited to show you. Sadly we won't be flying TM-01 yet. I haven't made the space suits yet. Also I want Freddie here as well when we do go on an adventure." They all agreed to postpone it and went back to their rooms to sleep.

"Lily, please close the hatch and turn into standby mode. I'll see you soon."

"Of course. Goodnight and see you soon, Commander." With that said Lily disappeared as soon as the laboratory's wall came back up. Harry closed his lab for the moment and with one last look teleported back to Hogwarts.

——

It was the last day of October and Harry has just finished with Herbology Class with the Gryffindors.

"Freddie. What's your next class?" He approached his best friend who smiled at him.

"Oh, I have Charms next with Professor Flitwick. Why?"

"Freddie, whatever you do don't talk to Longbottom or Weasley today. Actually, don't even be near them. Do you understand?" Harry looked at his friend seriously. Freddie looked confused at first but widened his eyes and nodded in understanding.

"Good. Now go on. You don't want to be late. See you at the Halloween Feast."

The two boys parted ways and Harry walked to his Transfigurations class. Meanwhile Freddie and those who heard him began whispering and taking out their phones, texting everyone. It was a known fact that if Harry said something, it was probably true or might happen. The Hogwarts rumour mill couldn't have been more efficient with the use of M-Phones.

Harry sat at an empty desk and waited for the professor. The Ravenclaws shared the class with Hufflepuffs this time. All around him he could already hear whispers about what he said to Freddie not even minutes ago.

"Harry! Is it true?" Anthony asked and a pin drop could have been heard when the whole room quietened.

"Is what true?"

"That Longbottom and Weasley have the Scrofungulus?"

"What? No! Where did you hear that?"

"Terry! You said…ugh. Well…ahem. Anyway, so why do we have to avoid Longbottom and Weasley today?" Terry had the decency to look sheepish. At that point even McGonagall was actively listening.

"Fine. For everyone's information. Longbottom and Weasley don't have any contagious diseases so you can rest easy but both of them are going to be in big trouble. That's all."

"What? That's so vague!" Someone from the Hufflepuff side complained. A boy named Macmillan.

"That's all you're getting from me." Harry shrugged.

"Sigh. Alright, that's enough. Class has already started. Take out your wands students. We're going to attempt a slightly more complicated spell today. We're going to transfigure mice into snuffboxes. Now, the incantation is…"

Harry easily transfigured his mice into a beautiful snuffbox. It had a very details picture of him, Freddie, Anthony, Terry, and Michael reading their books in the library. McGonagall awarded him ten points for an excellent job as always.

When class was over Harry told the other Ravenclaws that he had something to say to the professor and they agreed to wait for him outside.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" Minerva curiously looked at him.

"Professor, there's going to be an attack tonight during the feast. Mountain Trolls and Acromantulas will be targeting the students. It is important that you only tell the Headmaster about it. We don't want to culprit to be alarmed and act recklessly."

Harry's words shocked her to her core. An attack? By Merlin's beard! This is disastrous.

"Mr. Potter. Are you certain?" She had to make sure.

"It is highly possible, Professor. The future is not set in stone. Even now by telling you this, events have already changed. But if the culprit is notified that someone knows of their plans, then I'm afraid more than one student will die." Harry said gravely. He told her of Hermione Granger being the most vulnerable and how Longbottom and Weasley will try to save her.

"Oh dear." Panic almost consumed her but she took a deep breath and calmed herself. Her years of experience helping her think rationally.

"Do you know who the perpetrator is?"

"That's just it, Professor. I cannot See them clearly. They have somehow protected themselves from my Sight. They have prepared for this thoroughly." Harry was frustrated. He knew that his reckless telling of his Future Sight had consequences. Now, possibly students will be in mortal peril.

"I see. Thank you, Mr. Potter. You shouldn't blame yourself, child. If not now, then in the future someone would have known of your talents eventually. Your parents would have been proud. I know I am. Now, you best go. Your friends are waiting."

Hearing the dismissal, he nodded and left the witch to her thoughts and rejoined his friends. Harry was certain though. Tonight, no one will die. He'll make sure of it.

——

"Tuck in!"

The Headmaster gestured grandly and a veritable feast appeared on the tables. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, butternut squash, chicken pumpkin, and other Halloween themed foods the elves prepared were devoured by hungry students. Even though Harry didn't like pumpkin he had to admit that everything on the table was delicious. The teachers also had gone all out with the decoration. Glowing carved pumpkins floated and laughed eerily just above their heads. Live bats swooped in and out from the rafters. Even the resident poltergeist, Peeves, joined in on the festivities by pranking unsuspecting students, cackling madly all the while. It was just half an hour into the feast that things turned…dangerous.

BANG!

"Huff. Huff. Troll! Troll in the dungeon! Thought you ought to know." Professor Quirrell. Shit. He should've known. Harry narrowed his eyes as the usually stuttering professor fainted dramatically after his announcement. What happened next was pandemonium. Students panicked left and right trying to leave their tables and pushing the others in their way.

BANG!

"SILENCE!"

A deafening sound came from Dumbledore's wand almost rupturing everyone's eardrums. It did the job though and got their attention.

"All students will remain in the Great Hall. No one. I repeat, no one will step even one toe past those doors. Prefects, please take a head count and inform our caretaker, Mr. Filch who will be staying here as well, of any who is missing. Professors, with me."

After the professors shut the double doors tightly, the prefects shouted to be heard over trying to calm everyone down.

"Ravenclaws! Is anyone missing?" A ravenclaw prefect asked them and thankfully everyone was in attendance.

"Oh no, Granger doesn't know! I heard from Parvati that she'd been crying all day in the girls' lavatory." Padma bit her nails worriedly and took out her phone. In fact everyone was texting or calling. Some texted their friends. Others informed their relatives. The Daily Prophet would have a field day tomorrow.

"I don't have her in my contacts. Does anyone know?" Padma said frustratingly. Sadly no one was close with Granger enough for them to know her contact details.

"EVERYONE GET DOWN! GET DOWN NOW!" Harry enhanced his voice with a Sonorus. Fortunately his reputation preceded him and everyone ducked under the tables just in time.

CRASH!

A loud groan was heard followed by an awful stench. It smelled like old moldy socks, vomit, and something dead. Harry cast the bubblehead charm over him and those close to him which they were grateful for but when they peeked over the tables they screamed. It was 12-foot tall, one tonne, fully grown Mountain Troll. Its skin was rough and greyish. Its head was the smallest part the size of a coconut but the its torso, belly, and feet were a sight to behold. It also carried a trunk of a tree. By now everyone was staring horrified at the troll and the professors were not present, only a Filch who was a squib. Some brave upper years attempted to cast incapacitate it but their spells only splashed harmlessly against its thick hide.

"Aim for the eyes!" Someone shouted and a 7th year successfully cast a Conjunctivitis Curse but all it did was anger it. The troll swung its large wooden club, smashing a nearby table. By now the other prefects had acted swiftly and herded the lower years towards the back of the Great Hall. The teachers' table had been overturned to act as a barrier. As if mocking them someone screamed as three spiders as big as cars crawled out of the hole the troll made earlier.

"Incendio!"

"Aqua Eructo!"

"Bombarda!"

Spell after spell, the upper years tried to subdue them however the spiders nimbly dodged and spells only irritated the the troll. One spider nearly bit a student but was thankfully saved by another. The troll kept smashing everything it could see with its one eye that was still functioning. By now the whole Great Hall was a mess. Tables and chairs were upturned, stone floors smashed, tapestries of the Four Great Houses torn. The spiders further added to the chaos by shooting sticky webs at students and dodging high up on the rafters and pillars where the spells couldn't reliably hit them.

A large spider on the right wall jumped and pounced on a struggling first year who was caught in its web. Harry pulled the male student away to safety with telekinesis and banished the enraged spider. The others dragged the boy behind the table and tried to untangle him.

Enraged with all the spells hitting him the troll charged at a group of Slytherins cowering behind a pillar brandishing its huge spiked club. An upper year managed to conjure water at its feet making it slip and crash onto the marble flooring and the Slytherins managed to get away.

Harry looked around. Some of the younger students were crying, some were still talking to their parents over the phone, some were recording the horrible scene in front of them mesmerised. He looked at Freddie, who at some point joined the Ravenclaws in hiding behind the table. They were deathly afraid and rightfully so. They were only first years. Harry sighed. He couldn't let his friends her hurt. Standing up from his crouching position he bravely walked heedless of his friends' calls.

"Harry! No, what are you doing?!"

"You'll get killed!"

"Harry!"

Looking back he saw Freddie grinning and giving him a thumbs up. Harry shook his head in amusement. Donning on a serious expression, he faced the monstrous creatures. This has gone on long enough.

Waving his wand he pushed the remaining upper years out of the way still uselessly trying to subdue the acromantulas. They will only be a hindrance.

"ROAR! SCREECH!"

The troll and the acromantulas roared menacingly at him and charged. Harry stayed calm.

"What are you doing Potter?! Get out of there!" A desperate prefect tried to stand up from where he was suddenly sprawled on the floor. However, he needn't have to.

Everyone was shocked as with just one wave of Harry's wand all four creatures levitated and stopped moving in mid-air. They could see that only their eyes were able to move. He lowered them gently to the floor a few meters in front of him not letting up his hold, the creatures struggling futilely.

He pointed his wand and a powerful jet of water dowsed all four immobile creatures. Harry kept it up until they were all thoroughly soaked to the bone. Another wave and a beam of white erupted, coldness suffusing the entire hall. Quickly the water froze and bit by bit the creatures were engulfed in solid ice. He pointed his wand directly and four consecutive jets of yellow light impacted and blasted the four ice sculptures. Chunks of ice flew and almost hit a group of gawking third years nearby but Harry conjured a shield and the sharp ice chunks bounced harmlessly on it.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A white mist expelled from his wand and formed into a figure just a bit shorter than Harry himself. It has peculiar head-tail that was longer than its body swaying in an invisible wind and stood on its hind legs. Sharp horns and an oval halo adorned its head. Its eyes gleamed with supernatural intelligence. Freddie gasped as he recognised Harry's other form.

"Tell the headmaster that the Great Hall has been attacked. Also look for Madam Pompfrey and inform her that several students have been injured. Go now." Harry commanded and the patronus Mewtwo nodded and flew away.

"There are still trolls and acromantulas in the school. I advise that everyone stay here until a professor or the school nurse comes."

Thankfully no one was hurt too bad, just scratches and bruises.

"That was bloody awesome!" Freddie shouted and as if he pulled the metaphorical trigger everyone cheered and crowded around him patting Harry on the back and looking at him in admiration. He smiled wryly. Maybe he overdid it? Freddie hugged him and shouted in his ear how incredible and awesome he was. He only smiled slightly. The danger has not gone yet. It had not escaped his notice that Longbottom and Weasley sneaked out after everyone had been occupied with the attack.

——

On another part of the castle the adults were trying to make haste.

"Albus! We must hurry! A student is in danger!" Minerva walked as fast as her old bones could carry her.

"Are you certain, Minerva?" Albus asked briskly.

"Yes. Mr. Potter said so himself."

"Why hadn't he warned us sooner?" Pomona asked panting a little bit from the exertion.

"The one responsible is still at large. Mr. Potter only exercised caution to not alert them. Sadly he said that the culprit had protected themself from any possible scrying so he couldn't get a good look at their identity." Minerva scowled and the other professors grimly nodded.

The professors had split up earlier. Albus, Minerva, and Pomona went to where young Harry said a student will be attacked. Filius, Severus, Quirinus, Aurora Sinistra the Astronomy professor, Bathsheda Babbling of Ancient Runes, Septima Vector of Arithmancy, Irma Pince the school librarian, Silvanus Kettleburn of Care of Magical Creatures, Rolanda Hooch the flying instructor, Sybill Trelawney of Divinations, and Rubeus Hagrid the Gamekeeper all split up into different parts of the castle to subdue the threats.

Soon Albus, Minerva, and Pomona arrived at the first-floor girl's bathroom where they witnessed a horrifying scene. A huge Mountain Troll trying to smash Granger, Weasley, and Longbottom into paste while the first years dodged frantically. Granger screamed in agony as shard of porcelain impaled her thigh, making her collapse on the floor. Seeing this the troll raised its club while Ron and Neville tried to drag the girl out of reach.

Having seen enough Albus transfigured the huge wooden club into a huge python and it coiled around the troll's neck depriving it of air. The troll futilely tried to pry it off but the Headmaster swished his wand and the nearby rubble change into long chains that wrapped all over its body.

THUD!

The huge body impacted the ground making it tremble as the chains dragged and immobilised its limbs. The python tightened its coils further and soon enough the troll lost consciousness.

"Ms. Granger!" Minerva approached the girl who by this time had already fainted from shock and tried to look at the injury.

"The shard is too deep. We need to bring her to the hospital wing. As for you two! Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Weasley, of all the reckless things…what could have prompted you to save Ms. Granger by yourselves? You could have died! 20 points each from Gryffindor."

"But…!"

Minerva glared at the two students and they smartly shut up.

"Ahem. Pomona? Why don't you escort Ms. Granger and these two lads to the hospital wing. Minerva, there are still acromantulas on the loose." Pomona nodded at the headmaster and conjured a stretcher where she levitated the unconscious girl on top.

"Come now, boys. The school is still not safe. Stay close to me now." With that all three of them left.

"Come."

Albus and Minerva was just about to help the other professors when a silvery figure appeared before them.

"A patronus! I've never seen such a creature before." Minerva stared at the weird-looking animal.

"Headmaster, the Great Hall has been attacked but thankfully no one was critically injured and the monsters have been eliminated. A huge hole was left through the doors when the troll tried to force its way in. It is not safe anymore. We will try to barricade it but please hurry." With that the silvery animal turned around and flew away.

"Was that Mr. Potter?"

"It indeed sounded like him. That boy never ceases to surprise. Come, let us hurry back to the children."

Both of them changed course and headed for the Great Hall.

——

——

Neville Longbottom scowled as he watched Headmaster Dumbledore hand Harry Potter a Special Award for Services to the School. Everyone acknowledged Potter had been instrumental in warning the professors in advance of what has been dubbed as the 'Monster Attack' and saving the students.

Yesterday, Dumbledore declared that the teachers were successful in subduing the creatures. Madame Pomfrey had also been quick to administer potions together with Professor Snape to the injured and distressed. After fixing the doors with a single swish of his wand, the Headmaster ordered the Prefects to escort the other students to their dormitories and pronounced that the next day would have no classes as several students needed to recuperate.

'Why is it always Potter?' Neville thought bitterly as claps and cheers resounded in the Great Hall. If only he had taken down that damn troll.

"You should have seen him yesterday. He took down a troll and three acromantulas by himself! Can you believe it? He looked like a hero from a fairy tale." Parvati and Lavender sighed dreamily as they stared at the black-haired and green-eyed boy who held his golden trophy and smiled at the crowd, a reporter from the Daily Prophet interviewing him. The girls giggled as they took a picture of Potter and sent it to their friends.

"Sure." Neville and Ron shared bitter looks. The two boys got reprimanded again today for their reckless behaviour and for not following instruction. Their housemates also glared at them for losing Gryffindor house a lot of points, mostly the upper years. Winning the House Cup was a huge honor indeed as come the next school year many privileges were awarded to the winning house such as more Hogsmeade visiting rights, limited passes to the Restricted Section of the Library, homework exemptions, additional credit in the final exams, and many more. Even Ron's older brother Percy told him off for running away to who knows where when they were being attacked yesterday. Both of them were not very welcome right now in the Lions' common room.

Flapping sounds heralded the arrival the messenger owls. One particular barn owl flapped its winged with great effort, obviously it has seen many years. The owl face-planted in Ron's bacon and eggs.

Thud!

"Errol! You dumb bird. Gerroff!"

"Squawk!"

Poor old Errol was shoved away and the bird tried to stand up shaking its feathers.

"Look! Ronniekins has got a howler!" Fred Weasley, one of Ron's older brothers, exclaimed garnering the attention of everyone.

"You better open it Ron. Look, it's already smoking." George looked at the red envelope with trepidation. Their mum's howlers were the worst.

Ron gulped and gingerly opened the letter. The letter shook itself vigorously and floated in front of his face. Everyone watched in anticipation as the red enveloped formed a particularly large mouth.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU ENDANGER YOURSELF AND WORRY ME AND YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT! GALLIVANTING DURING AN ATTACK TO WHO KNOWS WHERE, I AM ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED! TROLLS! ACROMANTULAS! YOU COULD HAVE DIED! Fred, George, Percy. I'm glad that all three of you are fine. Your sister can't wait to see you all for Christmas. AS FOR YOU RONALD! I'D HALF A MIND TO PULL YOU OUT OF THAT SCHOOL. IF YOU STEP ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL DRAG YOU STRAIGHT HOME! Oh and Harry, dear. Thank you for saving the school. Your mother and father would have been so proud."

The envelope gave one last glare and exploded in red confetti right in Ron's face, who was red in embarrassment. Everyone laughed and hooted at the spectacle. Draco Malfoy particularly howled the loudest just to spite him further.

"Ahem. Yes, I think everyone has had enough laughs this morning. Once again, I give my congratulations to Mr. Harry Potter for his services to the school and his trophy will be added to the Trophy Room. I'm sure students who will serve detention tonight with Mr. Filch would get a close up look as they polish it with vigour." Dumbledore said. Harry smirked as he gave his trinket to the school Caretaker, who gleefully grabbed it probably thinking of the students who will have to polish it and all the other trophies.

"You may go and join your friends at the Ravenclaw table, Mr. Potter. Now, let us all be proud for ourselves who have survived and come out relatively unscathed from this…unsavoury event. Sadly, I bring with me grave news. The culprit who let the trolls and the acromantulas in is still at large. The perpetrator shrouded himself from any type of scrying, as Mr. Potter could attest, and so his identity couldn't be reliably identified. I advise everyone to practice caution. Prefects from now on will accompany the lower-year students to and from classes. Professors will also remain vigilant and curfew will be earlier than usual. That is all. Now, enjoy the sun while it's still out! Pip pip!" Dumbledore announced the end of breakfast and the students glanced at each other uncertainly. It was understandable, their fears. Harry knew though that the culprit had been aiming for the Forbidden Corridor on the third floor where a Cerberus protected the Sorcerer's Stone. It wasn't real though. Nicholas Flamel wouldn't really give his legacy just to bait desperate Dark Lords. Hell, he had even probably outlived more than a dozen Dark Lords in his long life.

Harry subtly looked at Quirrel, the bumbling fool, as he joined his friends towards outside. He had his suspicions. Quirrel was the only one he couldn't get a read on with his Future Sight. The…thing…at the back of his head also probably wasn't a usual wizard disease. He suspected Voldemort was piggy-backing…no he was mostly certain of it. Snape blocked Quirrel's way to the third floor last night and so foiled the stone's theft. It was pathetic really. The mighty Voldemort, who had killed hundreds of lives in the last war, reduced to a weak parasite. He wished he could just blast the fool with a full-powered Hyper Beam but that wouldn't go well with the adults. Harry sighed and hurried to catch up with Freddie and the others. No use worrying about it. He would protect those he cared about, even if he had to kill wannabe Dark Lords.

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