(Edited: 18/07/2020)

Chapter 6

Harry's Point of View

The next couple of months flew by, filled with lessons, homework, my latest potions project I was working on and Percy's bi-weekly swims in the lake. It was relatively peaceful. Professor Quirrel, our Defence teacher, (despite the constant stench of garlic and his horrendous stutter) turned out to not be a bad teacher, and soon it was one of my favourite lessons. Our Godfather let us use a spare dungeon room to practice potions in, and Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall gave us extra-credit projects to work on.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as Halloween demonstrated...

When we woke the dorm was silent, all the boys still sleeping peacefully. I groaned and rolled out of bed, casting a tempus charm. It was seven. Percy moaned.

'Why can't you ever wake at a reasonable time, Harry?'

'Because we have school?' I pointed out with a grin. I trudged over to the showers and turned in on, ignoring the icy sheets of water that pelted our body. Percy instantly snapped awake, his mind kicking into overdrive.

'Hey Harry.' Percy sent me a devilish grin. I groaned.

'Oh no, I know that look, what do you have planned?' I said in horror.

Percy smirked. 'Since the boys will need to start their morning beauty routine soon anyway, why don't we wake them up?'

'Percy!'

Too late. Percy had always had an affinity with water. He nudged it, channelling it in four neat streams to gather other the boys' heads. I snarled.

'Percy! Do you want Draco mad at us? Last time he didn't talk to us for a week! And it's always your fault too...'

Percy faltered, guilt flooding from his side of the bond, but too late. His control slipped and screams of rage sounded from the dorm.

'Hehe. Sorry?' Percy tried. I sent him the evil eye then blanked him out.

"Potter!" Draco snarled, charging into the bathroom. I groaned.

"Draco, it wasn't me I swear, I asked Percy not too..." I tried to apologise, receiving a stinging hex to the cheek. "Ow!"

Draco almost looked regretful. Almost. "Why didn't you stop him? Fight him for control or something?"

"It doesn't work like that... We have separate magic cores, right? We don't need to be in control to tap into them." I tried to explain. All the anger left Draco's face, leaving one of awe.

"You mean you don't need wands?"

I frowned, confused. "What do you mean? We've been using our magic for the last six years, why would we need a wand to do magic? I thought they were just to practise our control with, channelling magic down a smaller centre..."

Draco laughed. He threw back his head and laughed. It was the most relaxed I'd ever seen the pureblood heir. "Oh Merlin, Harry. For all your book smarts, I sometimes forget how truly naive you really are. Wands allow normal wizards –those that aren't twin souls – to access their magic."

"Oh. So we could technically just not use them?"

A smirk twisted Draco's lips up. "Underestimation is the best weapon, even better than pure power. Don't tell anybody else of this, Ok?"

"Won't Dumbledore already know, I mean, we pretty much chucked him across the hall and smashed all the windows..." I asked, worried.

"Who? That old coot? Mark my words Harry, that show probably just made him underestimate you more. It was an act of accidental magic in his eyes, making you even less in control of your powers than he had thought." Draco's smirk widened. "Don't you just love the amount of excuses you have when you're a 'child'?"

I grinned.

'Harry...' Percy was whining at me.

I glowered. 'What?'

'Are you mad at me? Please don't be. I didn't mean to drop the water. I just though you could do with some livening up. Especially since James and Lily came by again yesterday...'

My annoyance instantly lifted. 'Never mind me, are you ok after yesterday? Lily and James were right nitwits, especially after our flying lessons.'

'I'm fine Harry.' Percy smiled, the small insecure boy in him appeased. 'But please don't ignore me again. I don't like it.'

'I won't.' I assured Percy, feeling guilty. 'Besides, I'd never abandon you. Who else would yell at you when you end up doing something incredibly stupid?'

As the three of us had made up again we finished getting dressed (and in Draco's case slicking back his hair with ridiculous amounts of hair gel). Theodore, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, who also dormed with us, gave Percy and me a dirty look as we walked past then to go to the hall.

Breakfast was... interesting to say the least. When we reached the doors, fifty students were standing outside them, and a constant din of doors opening and slamming filled the air. Draco and I fought our way to the front.

"What the...?" Draco gasped, staring at the doors that were moving on their own accord. One by students were running through the doors. I rolled my eyes.

"Hasn't anyone heard of a freezing spell?" I asked. An older Ravenclaw glared at me.

"What do you take us for, stupid? We're already tried that. Hell, Dumbledore has even tried it. Those Weasley twins sure do know their spells."

I squinted, and Percy send some of his magic to our eyes to allow us to see the spells. The hinges were glowing a faint silver. No other part of the doors appeared to be charmed. Grinning, I pointed my wand at the hinges.

"Immobulus!" I sent the spell to each of the four hinges on the left door in quick succession. Through some luck, the door ground to a halt wide open. Our head held high, I walked through the door, sending a sneer and the older Ravenclaw, who was staring at us wide-eyed. Percy laughed hysterically in our head.

'Oh Merlin, can you see his expression? Priceless!' Percy chuckled. I agreed. Pure gold.

As we entered the hall Dumbledore sent us an astonished expression, and the Weasley Twins narrowed their eyes at us. I winked at them.

"Nice spell work on the hinges. Discreet. Almost unnoticeable, but not quite."

"But how-"

"Not even the Headmaster noticed!"

Fred and George both started talking at the same time. Draco placed a hand on our shoulder. "Weasleys, this is a Potter we're talking about. When have Potters ever willingly given up their secrets?"

That was true, I mused. We Potters were renowned for our closely kept secrets, even more so than the Malfoys, or even the Blacks. Fred pouted while George chuckled.

"I think life round here just got that bit more interesting, don't you Gred?"

"Sure thing Forge." Fred agreed. "You into pranking Potter?"

I shook my head. "Nah. But James is. Between him and Charles you learn how to check for enchantments in the most unlikely places."

I rubbed my head. 'Such as the shower...'

Percy laughed. 'Harry that was me!'

'What?! Percy!'

Last lesson of the day was Charms. We were charming feathers to fly finally after learning the correct pronunciation and wand movements for the past week. Granger especially looked extremely excited, sending me smug looks. I responded with a bored stare, but she didn't stop. I narrowed our eyes.

'Granger looks like she's up to something.' Percy said.

I nodded, slipping into the seat on her left. She gave me a slightly put off look, but quickly turned her attention back to Professor Flitwick. Feeling a bit guilty, I tuned out Flitwick's squeaky voice, instead doodling on some scrap parchment. I head Percy mutter an animation charm, and the little Quidditch match I had drawn began to move.

"Off you go now. Remember, swish and flick! The incantation is Wingardium Leviosa!"

Granger was about to get started, but then she noticed Weasley on her other side doing it wrong and sighed in exasperation.

"No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong! It's winGARdium LeviOsa. Not Wingardium LevioSAR."

Ron snapped something back, and I groaned.

'Well. Get on with it then!' Percy exclaimed. 'I want a go too!'

'As his majesty commands.' I teased, flicking my wand.

I didn't say anything, having decided to attempt it silently instead. The fluffy white feather floated upwards gentle, swinging from side to side as invisible movements in the air pushed it. I smiled. It was so pretty.

I summoned the feather back, and let Percy have a go. Granger and Weasley were still arguing.

Percy, sensing I was getting a bit annoyed, turned to them. "Do you guys ever stop? Seriously. Half the class has managed to get their feathers in the air by now."

Granger, glanced up. Disappointment filled her eyes as she noticed Percy was right. Disappointment? Then I remembered her smug smile.

'She's been practicing.' I noted. 'My guess is Granger wanted to outdo us today.'

'I kind of feel bad now.' Percy mumbled.

I didn't feel bad, by I could empathise with her desire to be acknowledged as something more than second best all the time. 'She has to rise early if she wants to beat us!'

Percy didn't reply, he just recast the spell instead.

When charms was over we all headed down to the hall for the famous Hogwarts feast. Behind us we could hear Ron sneering something about Granger being a 'stuck up know-it-all' and how it was 'no wonder she didn't have any friends'. Someone pushed past me, sobbing loudly a few minutes later. Percy sighed.

'Stupid Gryffindors.' I muttered. 'You rarely think of the consequences. You're better than most Percy, but you still need to learn to think first.'

'I know.' Percy agreed. I gave him a worried look. Usually Percy would be at least defensive about himself.

'What's wrong? You've been really quiet.' I asked.

Percy sighed. 'I don't like bullies. You used to care too, but now you're acting more like Draco everyday.'

'I -' I shielded myself a bit more than usual, realising Percy was right. 'You're right. I just don't want to lose our friends. And... and I don't want to lose Draco. I'm scared to, Percy. I'm scared they'll leave us to be alone again if we start playing nice to Granger and the other Gryffindors. Then-'

'I understand Harry.' Percy cut in. 'But please don't act like that round me, in the one place that is truly private to us. Because – because if you do then you'll change for good, and I don't want that.'

'No change.' I promised.

'No change.' Percy smiled.

The Great Hall was a glorious sight. Hundreds of bats flew around the rafters just below the enchanted ceiling. A full moon was swimming in and out of the clouds. Pumpkin lanterns lined the various alcoves along the walls, as well as the isles of tables. Gigantic cobwebs filled random corners and decorated the candlesticks on the tables. A large number of Halloween related foods and sweets filled up the tables, and all the ghosts were present. It was the one night of the year that the Ghosts almost looked alive, as the veil between the living and the dead was stretched impossibly thin.

Chatter and laugher filled the air as everyone celebrated. The Slytherin table had a slightly more sullen atmosphere, as they worship Samhain for those that were dead.

But the festive atmosphere came to a rather abrupt stop when Professor Quirrel came running into the hall shouting:

"Troll! Troll! In the Dungeons. Thought you ought to know."

Then the Professor fell forwards in a dead faint. Percy and I narrowed our eyes at this.

'He's faking isn't he?' Percy asked. 'I think his foot just twitched.'

'Obviously.' I snorted. 'Do people even ever faint forwards from standing up? You'd fall backwards.'

Screams split the silence. Dumbledore had to amplify his voice to be heard.

"Everybody stay calm! Perfects, please escort your houses back to your Common Rooms. Do not under any circumstances wander away from your group. The rest of the staff and I shall track down the troll."

Happy to have instructions to be following, the students shut up and filed one by one out of the hall like sheep. The Slytherin's were the last to leave, giving Dumbledore dirty looks. Really, how stupid was that man? The Slytherin Common room was in the Dungeons where, unless we had all misheard Quirrel, the Troll was!

Once out of the hall we slipped away from the main group. Draco spotted me.

"Where in Merlin's name are you off to? Dumbledore said stick together!"

Percy grinned roguishly. "Draco, we're heading towards the Troll. We won't be any less safe away from the group. Besides, Harry's always wanted to see a Troll and I've always wondered if I could fight one and win. Look, we'll see you later, Ok? Please don't tell Sev. He'll skin us alive!"

"Then don't go!" Draco begged.

"Too late!" Percy laughed as he ran off.

'That conversation we had earlier about Gryffindors not thinking?' I reminded Percy.

'Come on Harry, live a little! Think of it as a learning experience. It'll be fun!'

We argued a while as we ran down the dimly lit corridors. A sudden scream from our left brought us to a sudden stop. Horror filled us. It sounded as if somebody else had already found the Troll, and the fight really wasn't going well, judging from the mispronounced spells and curses and loud bangs coming from the girl's bathrooms.

We through open the door and ran it to be met by the sight of our brother and Ron throwing bits of destroyed sinks and wood at the Troll.

The stench was what hit us first. It was almost sickly sweet, a bit like death. Then we actually saw the troll, a massive beast, at least three times our size. It had grey-blue-green skin that had the texture of Elephant hide and its eyes were filled with an intelligent sort of fury as it swung its club.

Curious, I joined Percy for control. 'Do you think we could try and talk to it?'

'What?! Are you mad?'

'No, I started learning how to communicate with Trolls last summer, remember?' I laughed. 'Have some faith in me Percy!'

"'Greetings, Troll of the Mountains.'" We grunted, immediately drawing the attention of everybody in the room.

"'You speak...'" The Troll grunted back. "'You are awfully small, youngling.'"

'Why are we always called small?' Percy asked indignantly, pouting.

'Probably because we're only eleven and not fully grown yet?' I suggested with a laugh.

"'We are Percy and Harry Potter.'" We told the Troll. "Who are you, and how did you get into the castle?'"

"I am Urnard.'" The troll informed us. "'The garlic man let me in. Said it would be fun. I do not like having things thrown at me. It is not fun at all. You smell nice, PercyandHarryPotter. Like food, but then not food.'"

"Harry what in the name of all Magic are you doing?" Charles demanded. "It's trying to kill us and you are just standing their taunting it with stupid imitating grunts!"

We shook our head at Charles. "Charles, please, we're trying to have a conversation here. Urnard, our good Troll here, doesn't appreciate you throwing things at him, so if you could please refrain from doing so, that would be great."

"Talking to... You can't speak Troll. It's not even a language!" Hermione snapped.

"Yes it is." We sighed. "Now, please shut up and get out, you're annoying Urnard."

"'Sorry about them. The one who looks like me, Charles, is my brother. He is rather stupid.'" We apologised to the Troll. Percy couldn't help but ask. "'Do you like wrestling matches? I've always wanted to wrestle with a Noble Troll, such as yourself.'"

"'Wrestling is fun.'" The Troll agreed. '"But not here. You, little one, could get hurt on the sharp rock. Shall we go outside? I know the perfect glade!'"

"'Great!'" We replied, fuelled by Percy's eagerness.

Before we could take more than a few steps, however, the door swung open again and the teachers stormed in. Dumbledore send a strong stunner at the Troll, knocking poor Urnard out. We scowled at Dumbledore.

"What did you do that for, Headmaster? We were just about to go outside and have a friendly wrestling match. Urnard wasn't doing anything wrong! He only destroyed the bathroom because Hermione's screaming scared him, and then Charles and Ron started throwing things at him. I think it's quite understandable that he got a bit mad."

"Mr Potter," Dumbledore let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't tell me you can communicate with Trolls as well as Goblins and Merfolk."

"Of course. Languages are a very useful things to know. Not even a fifth of the knowledge in the world is written in English, so we learned other languages to learn more." We informed him.

Severus rubbed his forehead. "Harry – Percy – Trolls can't write."

"Of course they can't." We look affronted. "They share knowledge orally."

"Of course." Severus sneered. "Come on now, you misbehaving little brats. You can lose ten points each for disobeying Dumbledore's orders."

We were herded out of the toilets and escorted back to the common room. The Slytherins didn't at all look impressed when we got back at all.

"You reckless, stupid Gryffindor!" Blaise snapped at us, cuffing our ear. "I'm blaming you, Percy, for this. Harry is far too sensible..."

"Ow!" We rubbed our ear.

Draco gave us an exasperated look. "Well Percy? Did you get to wrestle the Troll in the end?"

"No." We pouted. "Dumbledore arrived and stunned him before we could. We had been just about to go outside for a match as well!"

"Hold on – WHAT? Did you actually talk to it?"

"Well. Trolls are very intelligent creatures sometimes..."

The whole Common Room started firing questions at us. At some point, Severus slipped out of the room and retreated off to his own rooms, leaving us at the mercy of the half incredulous, half furious Slytherin House.