Fame With a Side of Warning

The day after my defeat of the troll, I get cheers from everyone at the Slytherin table, and they only get louder when word somehow gets around that doing it netted our House eighty points. It's the single largest points appointment of the entire year, maybe even ever! At least that's what everyone is saying. First year, don't know much about the school's history.

But apparently it's so impressive that even the other Houses are talking about it! Not only did Clarity and Susan come over to congratulate me (Clarity with admonishment not to do anything so dangerous ever again while demanding I at least make sure I have a plan next time), but also random students who want to get the story from me! For the first time since school has started, I'm more famous than Harry!

And by the crowd surrounding Hermione at the Gryffindor table, I can tell that I'm not the only one. Sure, she's not the one who defeated it, but she was there to see me fight. Apparently that's making her just as much of a hot commodity as me.

I can see her sending glances my way occasionally through gaps in both of our crowds, but it isn't easy considering how big they both are. Of course, there's always someone who goes against the crowd.

"Ugh, I don't get what you're all so excited about. It was a troll. They aren't really the smartest of things. And if she was able to beat it, then I doubt that it was even a decent one of its species."

The crowd pulls back, and I see the person who's voiced their dissent from the masses. Pansy Parkinson. Seeing that she's the one who spoke, I simply roll my eyes and turn to Draco, who's sitting to my left.

"So yeah, I dragged the troll's club all the way down the Grand Staircase before I remembered that I could use a spell to shrink the thing. But at that point I wasn't about to admit defeat, so I just kept dragging-"

I'm interrupted by Pansy's lackey, Millicent. "Didn't you hear her? She's talking to you!"

Sighing, I look at her with a raised eyebrow. "And? I was talking to other people. If she wants to talk to me, she should wait her turn. Especially if she's going to be rude."

Flipping my hair dismissively, I tap my chin in thought. "Now, where was I?"

Tracy, sitting on my right, speaks up. "You were about to explain to both of us how you managed to get that bloody thing into the dormitory. One of its ends is wider than the hidden door!"

I nod. "Oh yeah. Apparently the door is capable of changing size. Surprised me too. But it let me drag it in, and I only knocked over a few things bringing it to the girls' dorm, so I call that a win. Now it's resting next to my bed until I think of what to do with it."

I get a deadpan stare from Daphne across from me. "You aren't even aware of what you plan to do with it? Should you not have made a plan for that before claiming it? It takes up quite a bit of space in the room you know."

I shrug. "I'll shrink it later. But yeah, I don't have a plan for it. It's not like I set out looking to fight the troll after all."

This prompts the crowd to break out into hushed discussion while my friends and I finish our breakfast. At some point while I was talking, Millicent and Pansy apparently decided to cut their petty losses and left.

Another few days of classes goes by, and my days of fame become replaced by talk of the first Quidditch match of the season. Of course, it doesn't die down entirely, with people still looking at me in awe, but the general excitement has died down.

Which is probably why it's so easy for Hemrione to drag me into an empty classroom while I'm making my way to the Quidditch field. Not that I'm surprised though, since we haven't really had time to talk since the troll incident. But she definitely could have chosen a better time given we both have somewhere to be…

After checking outside to make sure we weren't seen, she turns to me with a serious look on her face. "There's something we need to talk about."

I scratch my cheek as I respond. "While I appreciate the sentiment, shouldn't we get to the field? Both of our Houses are playing today, and it would be irritating if we had to put idiots in their place because we 'didn't show enough House spirit'."

She blink at me for a moment before she seems to realize what I'm talking about and a light blush crosses her cheeks. "Oh, well, um. I would like to thank you for protecting me from the troll, I don't think I did at the time."

I nod as she fidgets with her hands. "It was really nothing. It also helped me realize a few things about how magic works."

She loses the uncharacteristically shy look on her face as her thirst for knowledge is peeked. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"Spells can't affect someone from inside their own body. At least, yours can't affect someone else's unless you hit them with it beforehand."

It was the most surprising part of the fight, to suddenly realize that I couldn't just cause an explosion in its head to kill it. If I had to guess, I would say it has to do with the magical aura every living thing has. From muggles, to wizards, to goblins and the troll. Even plants and animals have a magical aura. I don't know why, but now that I know it stops someone else's magic from starting in their body, I'm hoping that I'll learn why as I advance through the years.

"That is interesting…" Hermione looks like she's about to get lost in thought before she shakes her head. "But that wasn't the reason I wanted to talk to you. It's about your brother, Ron… and Professor Snape."

That has me raising an eyebrow. The only time I expect to hear those three people in a sentence together is when he's picking on them. I don't approve of it of course, but it's not like I can influence his opinion about Harry.

Seeing my questioning look, she continues. "You remember the cerberus we found the night of the duel?" I nod. "Well, apparently Professor Snape tried to get past it the night the troll got loose. Harry overheard him complaining about its heads while getting bandages from Filch."

I blink. "Well that's… surprising. I wonder why?"

She sighs. "The two of them seem to think that he wants to steal whatever it's guarding and let the troll in as a diversion."

That has me rolling my eyes. "That's stupid." I frown. "Actually, it's really stupid. I'd even say it's nonsensical."

She nods. "Of course it is, he's a teacher and Professor Dumbledore trusts him!"

I pat her on the head gently. "Oh Hermione, dear naive little Hermione. That's not what I mean. People will do horrible things if given the right incentive. A lot of the time they don't even need that." I shake my head.

"No, what I mean is that it's idiotic to think he would have let the troll in. He was with the other teachers in the Great Hall when Quirrell came bursting in…" I trail off as my mind catches on that thought.

'Quirrell was the only teacher not in the Hall when the troll 'escaped'. Now why could that be…?'

I put my newfound suspicions aside for the moment to continue explaining to Hermione. "If Professor Snape really wanted to get past the dog, then he easily could have put together a potion to put it asleep. No, he wasn't planning to go to that room, which is how he got injured. The question is what he wanted to do." My eyes narrow. "Or who he wanted to stop."

I shake my head at her questioning look. "Later. But I'm surprised that the two of them told you all that. I didn't think the three of you were friends."

She flushes slightly and looks away. "We… aren't. I simply… overheard them talking about it."

That has me smirking. "Is little Miss Rules saying she eavesdropped on her Housemates? I suppose you aren't as naive as I thought." Hearing the cheers of the crowd, I grab her hands and pull her out the door. "Come on, the game is starting."