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The Boys Who Lived

Chapter 5: The Plan

"You must be joking!"

The voice echoed through the Great Hall, easily piercing the low murmurs of ordinary dinner conversation. Irritably, Harry waved away the few heads that turned in their direction and glared at Neville.

"Sorry," the boy mumbled, then continued in a lower tone. "Seeker for our House? That's bloody fantastic."

"I know," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.

Ron shoveled a second helping of kidney pie onto his plate and speared it with his fork. "So McGonagall wasn't mad?"

"I think she was at first, but then all she did was run me straight to Wood. Erm, Oliver Wood, he's the team captain," he explained

"Man, the things you miss when you're in the hospital," Neville said mournfully. "First years almost never get a crack at tryouts! You must be the youngest seeker in years!"

"A century. Wood told me." Harry suddenly blinked and reached for the inside pocket of his robes. "That reminds me. Here you go," he said as he dropped Neville's Remembrall in front of him.

Neville simply stared at the object beside his plate.

"I've got you to thank for all this," Harry beamed. "I couldn't have done it without you. Oh, by the way, you and Ron...try to keep quiet about this, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

As they nodded in agreement a pair of hands clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Well done, Harry," George said in a low voice.

"Wood told us," said Fred.

"We're beaters," the two chorused.

Ron groaned and held his head in his hands.

"Don't worry, ickle Ronnikins," George said lightly. "You'll get a shot later, most of the team will be gone after a few years."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred.

"We haven't won it since Charlie left - "

"But this year's team is going to be brilliant - "

"You must be good, Harry - "

"Wood was almost skipping - "

" - Dancing - "

"Ugly sight I have to say - "

" - when he told us about you."

By now Harry's neck was sore as he tried to follow each Weasley twin as they spoke. They clapped his shoulder again and moved on, "Anyway, we've got to go."

"Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week..."

Rubbing his sore muscles, Harry turned back to the table. Ron's expression was a trifle more cheerful, while Neville looked just as lost as he did.

"I guess it's a fair trade," Ron said. "Seeker your first year, but now you have to deal with my brothers."

"Who knows?" Neville said. "Maybe he'll hear some really good stories about 'ickle Ronnikins'."

Harry laughed and craned his head around, scanning the length of the table. After a few moments he lost his smile and looked at the other two. "Have either of you seen Hermione?"

Neville simply shrugged, but Ron's reaction caught Harry's attention.

"Ron?"

"What? I don't know where she is," came the snapped reply.

Harry frowned at him. "Ron?" he repeated, his voice rising slightly in warning.

Ron didn't meet his eyes as he fidgeted on the bench nervously.

"Ron........"

"Okay, okay..." Ron said. He quickly told them the events that had occurred after McGonagall had dragged Harry off to meet Wood. He spoke so rapidly that it was a few moments for the others to process what he'd just said.

"Wow..." Neville finally said in an astonished voice.

Harry looked murderous.

* * *

The next day began in eerie silence.

In the morning, Harry woke up early, dressed and went down to have breakfast. Though he'd carefully picked a time when most of the early diners were finishing and the general crowds had yet to arrive, he failed to find a familiar bushel of brown hair amongst the small crowds.

As he was finishing, Ron and Neville slid into the benches opposite his and also made a show of scanning the room.

"She's not here," Harry said, somehow managing to glare at Ron while his eyes were still focused on his plate.

"Look, Harry, I said I was sorry," Ron began.

"I still can't get over the fact that you said that to her," Neville said.

"I SAID, I was sorry," Ron repeated. He spooned his breakfast onto his plate. "Even though what I said was true," he mumbled.

Harry shot out of his seat but Neville simply reached over and tugged him back down onto the bench.

"Merlin's Beard, what I can't see is why she didn't hex you on the spot!" Neville exclaimed. He turned to give Harry a sympathetic look. "But you know, Harry, she was probably right about us too."

"It's not that we're looking for trouble," Harry grumbled. "It's just that Malfoy-"

"-is a git and a prat, we know." Neville sighed. "Don't you remember those stories your Dad told us about his school year? All that fighting he did with the Slytherins, it didn't help his image at all!"

"What my Dad said," Harry began. He suddenly paused.

Neville waited.

"What my Dad said..." Harry repeated thoughtfully.

Ron sat a bit straighter as he noticed a strange glint in Harry's eyes. "Harry?"

Neville recognized that look, "Oh no...Harry- no- I didn't mean to-"

Harry grinned and stood up again. "I'll show her she can't brush us off so easily."

"No! Harry, weren't you listening?"

"C'mon Neville, where did your sense of adventure run off to?" Harry quickly set off for the common room. "It'll just be like old times!"

Ron was thoroughly confused at this point, "What's he talking about?" he asked Neville.

Neville dropped his head into his hands. "We're doomed."

* * *

Harry's plan, as it turned out, was not the nightmarish series of pranks Neville had imagined, thankfully. However, what he did have in mind was almost as scary, especially as he outlined the details to his friends.

Once he was finished speaking, Neville became convinced that Harry had finally accomplished what he'd been threatening to do since their trip to Diagon Alley. He'd gone completely nutters.

Over the rest of the week, they paid careful attention in Transfigurations and Charms, trying to absorb the lessons in both and applying them to their preparations their little task would require.

Even though Ron was still wary of the reasoning behind Harry's actions, the plan itself was interesting enough that he decided to help out as well. Though Ron didn't quite have the knack with spells the other two did in their respective specialties, he did have the benefit of being a Weasley and growing up with his brothers. Even Harry was impressed as Ron told him stories of the twins' accomplishments, both at the school and at their home.

Harry didn't see much of Hermione during this week, since she was suddenly very quiet during their classes, and was often the first to leave when they were over. He saw her once in the Library, as the trio searched through spellbooks to find the incantations they needed for some of their ideas to work. As they walked past, however, she had started packing up her books and had left soon after.

* * *

The days turned to weeks, and before they knew it their first school holiday had crept on them. Despite the heightened mood the rest of the school was enjoying, they were still sorting through the details of Harry's idea as they dragged themselves into the common room.

As 'The Plan', as they referred to it, was slowly taking shape, and they soon found their ideas becoming more complex, the necessary spells increasing in difficulty. Because of the research they were pouring into, they noticed the welcome side affect of improved schoolwork, at least during practical applications.

"I'll admit, Harry," Ron said, "This is loads more interesting than what the professors are giving us at the moment, but its bloody difficult!" He stumbled over and collapsed into a chair close to the fire.

"Well, we've never tried anything like this before," Harry said as he followed suit. "Especially since Neville and I weren't allowed to use magic back then."

"I think we're going to need help," Neville commented. "At least with the final phase of it."

"Not any of the other students," Ron warned him. "They might just turn us into the teachers for it."

"And none of the teachers for that reason either," Harry added. He leaned back and stretched his arms. "I do agree we might need help, but we have something of a short list of candidates..."

"Hey what about Hagrid?" Neville said. "He's not a teacher, definitely not a student, and I'd imagine he'd be willing to help us."

"That's not a bad idea," Harry murmured. He glanced over at the clock sitting on the wall next to him. "We still have a while until the Halloween Feast, why don't we go now?"

"I'll pass," Ron said. "I'm too hungry to move right now."

"I think I need a break from anything related to The Plan," said Neville. "At least for the night."

Harry nodded and shrugged his robes back on. "See you later, then." He tossed them a wave as he stepped through the portrait hole.

The weather was growing chilly as the winter season approached, so Harry had his robes wrapped tightly around him as he made his way down towards the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid's hut was only a few meters away from the forest's edge, a short enough distance that Harry was slightly uneasy with its proximity.

Warm lighting poured out from the window of the hut, however, and as Harry approached he heard a booming laughter which could only mean that Hogwarts' groundkeeper was in good spirits. He smiled as he raised a hand to the door.

Before he could knock, however, the door opened on its own and his smile faltered. A familiar figure stood in the doorway with their back to him as they addressed the occupants inside.

"Thank you for the tea, Hagrid," he heard Hermione say.

"No problem at all 'Ermione," came the reply. "If yeh need to talk to somebody again, yeh know yer always welcome here!"

There was another short exchange and then Hermione turned to leave, stopping when she noticed Harry standing just outside. He felt his throat constrict as he saw the smile on her face slowly disappear.

She gave him a curt nod, "Potter."

"Hermione, wait," Harry said as she moved past him. "About what Ron said, he's really so-"

"I assure you, Potter," she said coldly, not breaking her stride, "I haven't given it a moment's thought. You needn't concern yourself with someone such as myself."

Harry winced and made to follow her when a hand the size of his head clapped him on the shoulder. "Let her be, 'Arry," Hagrid rumbled softly. "Yeh came here for a reason? I'd be happy to listen if yeh wanted to talk."

Harry followed him into the hut, anything concerning The Plan wiped clear from his thoughts. "Hagrid," he began. "Did she - did Hermione..."

"She's strong, she is," Hagrid assured him. "S'not my place to say but she's been feeling a bit lonely." He looked at Harry through half-closed eyes. "You wouldn't know anything about it, would ya?"

"Sort of..." Harry mumbled.

"Well she just comes down once in a while, she tells me how she's been doin' in her classes." Hagrid set a steaming mug on the table in front of him. "Why don'tcha sit down, have a some tea?"

"Thanks," Harry said as he took a chair. "She comes down often?" he asked as he warmed his hands against the ceramic.

"Yep, I used to be a wizard too, y'know!" Hagrid said. "'Course I got expelled an' all, they snapped me wand an' everythin'. She likes telling me what yer all learnin up there."

"I see."

"She likes my stories too," Hagrid said happily. "It's nice, y'know. Ain't been a witch or wizard in years who'd listen to me, y'know. Reckon they still don't like...well...people like me, I guess. Even after You-Know-Who left...old hates don't go away easily."

"'Like you'?"

"Ah...well I guess you wouldn't mind, 'Arry, you bein' James' son an' all. But I'm a half-breed, wizard and...well y'know. Yeh might have, er, noticed...what with me bein' so..." Hagrid gestured towards himself and waved at the oversized furniture of the hut.

"I don't mind," Harry said honestly. He suddenly found himself gasping for breath as Hagrid reached over and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"You've a heart as big as your mother's," sobbed the half-giant.

"Hagrid...air..breath...air....."

"Oh, sorry 'bout that." Hagrid quickly released Harry and leaned back into his chair, brushing tears from his eyes. "Well anyways, I was just telling Hermione about ol' Fluffy."

"Fluffy," Harry repeated.

"Yeah, he's just the cutest little dog, I had a handful raising him, mind yeh."

Harry looked around and spotted a large canine snoozing in the corner. "He doesn't look that bad," he commented.

"Wha', him?" Hagrid glanced over his shoulder. "Naw, that's just Fang. Fluffy's up in the castle, doubt you'd see him much, being in the restricted sections and what not."

Harry's mind recalled Dumbledore's warning at the start of the term, concerning a certain corridor on a certain level. "Restricted section? Why would your dog be up there?"

"Eh," Hagrid blanched. "Shouldn't a told ya that. Do me a favor and forget I said anything, I accidentally told 'Ermione too, so remind her if yeh see her."

"Um...right." Thinking about the times he hadn't seen her over the weeks, Harry suddenly remembered why he'd come down. "Oh, Hagrid-"

"Blimey!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Look at the time! Yeh better get back up to the castle, 'Arry. Yeh don't wanna miss the feast!"

Hagrid all but pulled Harry to his feet and ushered him out the door. "Gowan, 'Arry! Yeh wouldn't want to miss good food would yeh?"

* * *

As befitting a school dedicated to magic, the decorations for the Hogwarts Halloween Feast were simply awe inspiring. The ceiling was currently showing dark clouds against a full moon. The usual arrangement of candles floating through the air had been replaced with thousands of jack 'o lanterns. A cave's worth of live bats fluttered through the air, the rustle of their wings barely heard over the noise of the students.

"You're late," Ron said as Harry slid into the seat he'd saved.

"Sorry, I ended up staying longer than I expected."

Neville looked over a huge pumpkin pie. "So did he agree?"

Harry frowned. "Agree?"

"Hagrid!" Neville looked exasperated. "Did you ask him about helping us with The Plan?"

"Oh, sorry." Harry looked down at the food on his plate. "It sort of slipped my mind." He glanced along the tables again, masking his attentions by reaching over and snagging a dish from a platter barely in his reach.

"She's not here," Neville said, seeing through his actions.

"We heard Parvati Patil telling Lavender Brown that she's been in the crying in the bathroom," Ron informed him. "She was saying she wanted to be left alone."

Harry took some comfort that Ron looked rather uncomfortable for his part in this. He was about to point it out when a shrill scream cut through the celebrations.

Everybody in the Great Hall snapped their heads to watch as the doors were thrown open, a distraught Professor Quirrell tearing down the aisle, shouting something incomprehensible.

"Troll!" he repeated as he stumbled towards the head table. He was gasping for breath, his turban and robes askew. "Troll...in...the dungeon..." he wheezed...and fainted dead away.

* * *

"Hermione!" Harry gasped.

They were walking down the corridors with the rest of the Gryffindors, Dumbledore having ordered the students back to their common rooms. Ron and Neville, walking beside him, could barely hear him over the frightened babble coming from most of the students.

"You, are, obsessed," Neville sighed.

"No!" Harry turned and grabbed his friend by the shoulders. "She doesn't know about the troll!"

"What do you want us to do about it?" Ron asked.

Since they had stopped, most of the students had passed them already, and soon they were alone in the corridor.

"We've got to find her," Harry insisted.

"Harry," Ron began, but he froze as they heard footsteps clicking sharply against the stone floor. "Hide, Percy's come back to find us!"

The trio dashed into an alcove set into the wall, hiding behind a stone griffin.

From their new vantage point they could see, not Percy, but Professor Snape walking rapidly down the hall. As they watched, he turned down a side corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Neville whispered after the coast was clear. "All of the teachers were supposed to be heading to the dungeon."

"Beats me," Ron said.

Harry was quietly moving down the hallway. He peeked around the wall to look where Snape had gone and moved back to the group. "He's headed for the third floor."

"Isn't that...?" Ron began, when he was shushed by Neville's hand.

"What's that smell?"

A heavy grunt answered his question as they spun around. At the far end of the corridor a lumbering figure stepped into view. They all dashed back into their hiding spot as the troll stepped out, its ears and nose wiggling slightly. Turning towards an open doorway, the troll slowly shuffled in, dragging its massive club behind it.

"Look," Harry pointed. "That door still has its key in the lock. We can trap it in there."

"Don't just stand there talking, let's just do it!" Ron said as he dashed across the hallway.

Harry and Neville followed Ron as they charged towards the door. They kicked the doorstop out from under it and quickly swung the door around, Neville locked it with a satisfying click.

"Alright," panted Harry, pulling out the key. "Neville, go down and find the teachers, tell them we've got the troll here. Ron and I will make sure it doesn't escape."

Neville nodded and ran for all he was worth.

It was a few moments of nervously looking around, when Ron spoke up.

"Say," he said, pointing at a sign. "This is a girl's bathroom."

Harry was about to ask him how that piece of information was important, when a high pitched scream floated through the closed door. Both of them looked at each other, then at the door.

"Oh sh-"

"Get the door open!" Harry shouted, his hands fumbling to get the key back into the lock.

"Unlock it first!"

"Trying!"

Finally he was able to twist the key around and Ron threw the bolt as they pulled on the door. They raced inside to find Hermione huddled in the far corner as the troll stalked towards her, smashing the sinks as it passed them.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted.

"Calling it names won't make it stop!" Ron said as he charged past him.

Harry glared at Ron as the other boy picked up a broken pipe.

"Distract it somehow!"

Harry reached over and picked up the remains of a faucet, banging it against an exposed pipe. The sound of metal striking metal echoed harshly in the relatively small room.

The troll paused at the sound, looking around in confusion. Finally it's eyes settled on Harry and began lumbering towards him.

"Oy!" Ron shouted, drawing its attention to him now. He was down at the other side of the bathroom now, his pipe in hand. "Over here, you pea-brain!" he said as he threw the pipe directly at the troll's head.

The troll stalked off towards its new target, the other two children completely forgotten. Harry quickly ran over to Hermione and latched onto her arm. "Come on, run!" He tugged again when she refused to budge. "Run!"

Suddenly she gasped and Harry spun around in time to see Ron diving to the side, avoiding the troll's club by mere centimeters.

"What are you two idiots doing?!" he bellowed as he scrambled back to his feet. "Get her out of here!"

Harry jumped to his feet and pulled out his wand. "STUPEFY!" he roared, sending a red stream towards the troll. He watched in horror as the spell merely bounced off the troll's back and smashed into the ceiling.

"Already tried that!" Ron's voice echoed. Harry belatedly noticed Ron's wand in his hand as he ducked to avoid another swing. He noticed the resigned expression on his friend's face as he ran out of room to maneuver, no way to escape the next blow

Lacking options, Harry acted on the first thought that crossed his mind. He ran as fast as he could, down the length of the bathroom, and jumped onto the troll's back. Even the impact of his body wasn't enough for the troll to notice. Bashing its head with his fists didn't work very well either. Harry settled for poking the troll in the eye, but as its head snapped around to track Ron, his wand ended up in its nostril.

Irritably, the troll raised its club to knock away this unwelcome intruder, but Harry dropped to the floor as it swung, clocking itself on the head. Dazed and irritated now, the troll lifted its club again as it swiveled around to look for a Harry that was less than a foot away.

As it held its club high, Ron brandished his own wand and said the first spell that came to his mind. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The troll blinked in confusion as it noted its empty hand. Still blinking, the troll craned its head back to stare at the floating club. It raised a hand to pluck it out of the air, when Ron waved his wand to remove the charm from it.

Harry held back a wince as the troll's club smashed its head. It wavered on its feet for a moment as the club bounced to the ground, then it keeled over and fell down on its face. He struggled to his feet as Ron looked at his wand in awe.

"Is it...dead?"

The two of them glanced over at Hermione, who was still curled up in the corner.

"I doubt it," Harry said nonchalantly as he walked over to the troll. He reached down and pulled out his wand, grimacing at the mucus connecting it the troll's nose. "Urgh..."

Ron made a face. "Troll boogers."

They all jumped as the door slammed open, looking over in time to see Professor McGonagall charge into the room, followed by Snape and Quirrell. Last through the door was a worried looking Neville, whose face relaxed as he saw them all standing. Quirrell took one look at the troll on the ground and fainted, Snape giving him a dark look before stepping over to the monster.

"What on earth were you THINKING?!" McGonagall said coldly. She looked from Hermione, supporting herself against the wall, to Harry, a goopy wand in his hand, to Ron, still frozen in the same position he'd been since he'd cast the Flying Charm. "You're lucky you weren't killed!"

She stepped away so she could face Neville with the rest of them. "Why aren't you all in your dormitories?" she demanded.

Harry and Neville began to make random blubbering statements, Snape sneering coldly at them as he rejoined the professors.

"Please, Professor McGonagall...they were looking for me." Hermione slowly got to her feet, her legs shaking slightly. "I went looking for the troll because I...I thought I could deal with it on my own...you know, because I've read all about them."

They stared at her in shock, the sound of Ron's wand dropping and rolling along the floor filling the silence. This was Hermione? Bossy, know-it-all, teacher's pet, bookworm Hermione? Who was this imposter that was lying to a teacher in order to cover up for them? And with a straight face!

"If they hadn't found me," she continued, "I'd probably be dead now." She gestured in Harry and Ron's direction. "They distracted it before it could kill me...and knocked it out with its own club."

The two in question schooled their expressions as McGonagall turned her frown on them. Her eyes flicked back to Neville.

"We sent Neville to find you when we discovered where the tr...where Hermione was," Harry said.

There was another tense silence as the two conscious professors stared at the four of them. In the silence, Ron bent down to retrieve his wand.

"Well," McGonagall sighed as he stood up again, "in that case..." She focused her eyes on Hermione. "Miss Granger, you were very foolish tonight. How could you even think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Harry was silent, but not speechless. Hermione was the last person imaginable who'd break the rules, yet here she was taking the blame, just so they wouldn't get in trouble. He had a hard time keeping his mouth closed lest he spoil everything. It wasn't her fault! We locked her in here with it!

Right, THAT sounded so much better...

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your poor judgement. I'm very disappointed in you."

Hermione looked as if she'd prefer to have a half-dozen trolls beating her up rather than have that sentence directed at her.

McGonagall turned towards the boys. "Understand that you two were very lucky, not many first years could have accomplished what you did. Is anybody injured?"

Harry and Ron glanced at each other before they shook their heads.

"Five points to each of you for this task, another five for Mister Longbottom. I will inform the Headmaster of this, but you may all go now."

Solemnly, the four of them walked out of the room and set down the hallways. They walked in silence for several minutes as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Why?"

Hermione peeked out of the corner of her eyes to find Harry staring at her. "Why, what?"

"Why did you cover for us? Why did you take all the blame on yourself?"

She gave him a rueful grin, "You idiot, it's called being grateful. You did save my life..."

"Oh."

She saw Neville elbow Harry, and the two glared at each other for a moment before exchanging harsh whispers that she couldn't overhear.

"Hermione?" that was Ron.

She sighed quietly and waited a heartbeat before she looked at him.

"About earlier...about what I said..."

She waited.

Ron sighed, "I'm sorry for being such a prat, okay?"

She laughed, the clear sound startling them all. "Don't apologize now, Ron, I'm sure you'll need it for sometime in the future as well."

"Hey!" he said angrily, as the other two boys joined her laughter. It was another few moments before the color faded from Ron's face and he began laughing as well.

They stood there, chasing away the realization that any one of them could have been killed. They laughed until they cried, and they laughed some more. Finally, they relaxed, finally they allowed themselves to feel exhaustion.

They gave the Fat Lady the password to the common room, but not before she had given a short lecture about staying out so late and was it true there was a troll on the school grounds she hadn't seen the students that scared since the time that-

Neville slammed the portrait shut, cutting her off, and walked over to the other three.

"I guess we'll be going off to bed now," he said as he headed towards the stairs to the boy's dormitory. The other two turned to follow him.

"Wait," Hermione said.

They paused at the foot of the stairs, waiting.

Harry watched as she chewed on her bottom lip, trying to find the right words. She looked at them, in turn, and he liked to think her eyes had stayed on his face a fraction of a second longer than the others.

"Thanks," she said at last.

"No problem," Harry said as the other two grunted acknowledgements. "You'd do the same for us, right?"

Her nervous smile was answer enough and they each headed up to their respective dormitories after exchanging "good night"s.

"So, Harry," stated The Boy Who Lived. "Now that she appears to hate us no longer, are we still going to be working on The Plan?"

The Other Boy Who Lived blinked behind his glasses. "After all that work we put into planning it?" He grinned, "Of course we are!"

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