Chapter 13 – Time marches on
Sunday, 15 September 1991
Gryffindor Common Room
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
13:00
Hermione was looking for Harry, but hadn't had any luck. Seeing a group of people watching Ron crushing Dean at chess, she went over and asked if they had seen Harry.
"He went out with his broom about 10 minutes ago. You might check the Quidditch pitch." said Neville.
"Thanks." said Hermione.
Sunday, 15 September 1991
Quidditch Pitch
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
13:07
Hermione found Harry tearing around the field. When he noticed her, he flew over.
"Hello, Hermione. I was getting a feel for the broom. This thing is great! You don't have to fight it listing off to the side!"
"I've been wondering if you could teach me how to do that popping thing."
"Sure. We can start now if you want. I'll just put the broom away."
Sunday, 15 September 1991
Grounds
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
13:30
"I only pop to places I've been before, or am completely sure of the layout. The thought of appearing in a wall doesn't appeal to me. Now, I just concentrate on being in the location I want, and I am there. It took me quite a while to get the hang of it." said Harry.
"Just get a clear picture of where you want to be in your mind."
"How do I know there isn't a person where I want to be?"
"I usually think of the location a bit generally, but I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I really don't know whether the magic prevents that, or if you have to be thinking about avoiding it. I always think about it just in case. Now, why don't you try popping over to that tree by the path."
After a few minutes of nothing happening, Hermione sat down.
"I can't seem to do it."
"You just need to try again, then. Remember, it took me ages."
Sunday, 15 September 1991
Grounds
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
15:17
A loud crack announced Hermione's arrival at the tree. A much quieter pop announced Harry's.
"I did it!" said Hermione, looking like Christmas had come early.
"Great job. Now, let's try popping over to that rock."
Saturday, 21 September 1991
Gryffindor Common Room
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
15:45
Harry flopped down on a chair, looking tired.
He was followed by the rest of the team.
Wood, Harry found out, put the term 'fanatic' to shame when it came to Quidditch. After an hour of explaining diagrams on boards, he had put them through a tiring practise session. After half an hour of flying around, Harry was made the target for the twins' Bludger work, supposedly to improve their aim, and Harry's ability to dodge. Harry's ability to dodge was quickly seen to be more than sufficient, and the twins' aim equally good. This resulted in numerous near misses and bruises from the Bludger clipping Harry's arms and legs once the twins stopped warming up, although they never managed a direct hit.
"How'd practise go?" asked Hermione.
Harry opened an eye and looked at her, before closing it again.
"Long, exhausting, effective." he said. "Wood is a level beyond 'fanatic'."
Tuesday, 23 October 1991
Great Hall
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
12:25
Harry was a bit late getting to lunch, and as he made his way up the table, he noticed an inordinate number of people staring at him.
Reaching Hermione, he sat down across form her.
"So, what's going on? Do I have horns or something?"
"I have no idea. I got it too."
Tuesday, 23 October 1991
Entrance Hall
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
20:50
Harry was making his way back to the common room after dinner when he found his way blocked by two large bodies, and one smaller one.
"What now, Malfoy?"
"I hear you can do powerful dark magic, and have been teaching that mudblood friend of yours as well. Only a powerful wizard would be able to apparate inside Hogwarts. You shouldn't be powerful enough to do it, let alone your pet mudblood."
"I really don't appreciate you calling her that. I suggest you stop. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get to my common room."
When the three didn't move, he sighed, and popped to the other side of them, and continued to the common room.
Thursday, 31 October 1991
4th Floor
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
19:55
Harry was just beginning the descent to the third floor when he had to dodge a bushy haired missile. He recognised that it was Hermione as she turned a corner that lead to the girl's toilets. Looking at where she seemed to have come from, he saw Ron talking to several Gryffindors.
As he moved closer, he found it easy to deduce why she had run off crying.
"Honestly, she's unbearable. It's no wonder she has no friends." said Ron.
Harry, who had moved behind him, spoke up.
"Actually, she does have one. And I think she heard you."
"So? It's true. She's a bossy know-it-all."
"I think you ought to apologise."
"Now?"
"No. When she gets to dinner. She needs some time to compose herself. And she's not unbearable."
"Maybe not to you, but you're as far ahead in class as she is, and she even is bossy to you. I don't know how you stand it."
"You say that like it's a bad thing. I personally don't see how our love of learning is any different than your love of chess. As for her bossiness, she only does that when you do something to warrant it."
"Well, when you put it like that..."
"Ron, she isn't trying to wave her ability and knowledge in your face. She just doesn't know any other way to help. Let's go to dinner. I'm sure you two will get along if you understand that." said Harry, suspecting that this incident was triggered by her attempt at helping Ron in Charms. It hadn't gone well. Ron hadn't been trying his hardest, and even when he did, it took him longer to master a spell. Hermione wasn't good at explaining things to people who didn't quickly understand, and had gotten frustrated. The result had been that both had reached the end of class in a bad mood, and Ron still hadn't mastered the spell. Although Hermione had apparently ignored his jabs at her for the day, he seemed to have finally crossed a line, resulting in the current situation.
When dinner had been going about ten minutes, and Hermione still hadn't turned up, Harry started to worry.
His thoughts were interrupted by Professor Quirrell, who had been absent for dinner, bursting into the hall, looking about to pass out.
"T-Troll! In the Dungeons. Thought you ought to know." he said, before his eyes rolled up and he fell on his face.
In the ensuing chaos, the students were told to move to their common rooms, except for the Slytherins, who were to stay in the hall.
As Harry was carried along by the river of bodies flowing out of the hall and up the stairs, he remembered that Hermione didn't know about the troll.
"Ron! You are going to help me with Hermione. It's your fault she missed dinner, after all."
He and Ron managed to break off of the crowd and made their way to the hall that Hermione had run down earlier. As Harry made his way down the hall, he became aware of a foul smell.
He reached the girls lavatory, he knocked. Receiving no answer he slowly opened the door.
"Hermione?"
"Go away."
"No. You've been in here for ages. You missed dinner, and we need to go to the common room now. There's a troll running amok in the castle." said Harry, entering, and finding Hermione's sobs coming from the far stall.
"So why are you here?"
"You didn't hear about the troll, since you weren't at dinner. I came to get you. I'm supposed to be in the common room. Look, we really need to get moving. There's a foul smell in the hall, and I don't imagine the troll will be far behind. Now, will you come out on your own, or will I have to come in and get you?"
Hermione opened the stall and came out, looking upset.
At this point, Ron spoke.
"Harry, we may have a small problem."
Harry slowly turned his head.
"Oh, bugger."
As Harry debated whether to pop out, or see if the troll would leave the room again, it seemed to give a start before it's eyes unfocussed.
It had seemed somewhat curious, and certainly not violent before, but it gave an inarticulate roar, and swung a club at Harry.
"Duck!" yelled Harry, pulling Hermione to the floor with him. "Bloody hell, I hate this day of the month. Never is good for me. Come on!" said Harry, pulling Hermione, who seemed frozen in fear, off to the side to avoid another swing.
"Ron, distract it while we try to get to the door!" yelled Harry, pulling Hermione, who was still out of it, towards the door.
Ron lobbed a pipe from one of the destroyed sinks at the troll's head. As it turned to look at Ron, Harry and Hermione ran towards the door, only to have to skid to a stop as a club came down in front of them, as the troll apparently decided they were more interesting than Ron.
"Harry, that didn't work! I think we need a new plan!" said Ron, lobbing more debris.
As it raised its club again, Harry grabbed Hermione and dived off to the side.
"Oh, enough of this." said Harry.
Harry sent a wave of force at the troll, causing it to slam into the wall. It slumped down unconscious.
As they looked at the troll, the sounds of footsteps came from the hall. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape entered the room.
"What are you three doing in here?"
"I was here to get Hermione, who missed dinner and didn't hear about the troll. I believe that Hermione would rather not talk about her reason."
"What happened?" asked McGonagall, looking between the students and the unconscious troll slumped against the wall like some sort of huge ugly doll.
"It was odd. It came in here, more curious than anything. It certainly wasn't threatening. After a moment of looking at us like it was trying to figure out what we were, it gave a start, and went into a rage." said Ron. "After ducking a few swings and attempting to get out, Harry blasted it into the wall, knocking it out."
"You 'blasted it against the wall', Potter? Really? I find that hard to believe."
"Would you like a demonstration, Professor? I'd recommend a headache potion for afters." said Harry.
"Severus, he is capable of doing that. He demonstrated it to me at the beginning of term." said Dumbledore.
When the three returned to the common room some minutes later, Ron spoke first.
"Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier."
"Thank you. For the apology and helping me survive in there. My reaction was a bit out of proportion, too. After all, what's a few words to nearly being smashed by a troll?" she said, with a nervous laugh.
"You've got a point there. Puts things in perspective, doesn't it." said Ron.
"Friends?"
"Sure. And I do appreciate your help in class, you just might want to work on your delivery a bit."
"Well, I'm glad you two have come to an understanding. Now, I'm still hungry, and there's food over there, and an empty table near the fire."
A/N: Now that real life isn't interfering so much, I managed to get this finished and up. School starts soon, so expect updates to be farther between.