Chapter - 17.2

"Huh...?"

While Harry looked shocked, Professor McGonagall continued staring at Hermione, "Miss Granger... Oh, Miss Granger... You foolish girl. How could you even think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?" Professor McGonagall said as she went comparatively easy on Hermoine.

Meanwhile, hearing Professor McGonagall, Hermione's head hung low. She did not dare to reply. On the other hand, Alex was confused. What was the need for her to lie? If she had just said she was using the washroom, what could anyone of the Professors say? Alex was not the only one confused. Nicole, when she heard Hermoine wanted to walk inside and tell the truth, but she held herself back. No point in proving Hermione a liar now.

"Well... In that case, ten points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," finally Professor McGonagall said, "I am very disappointed. I thought even if the whole school were to break the rules, you wouldn't do it. I guess I was misjudged."

"... If you are not hurt, you'd better get off to the Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing their feasts there." Professor McGonagall said. She was done dealing with Hermoine, and now it was time for others.

"Goodnight, Professor," Hermione said softly and made her way out of the washroom. On her way out, she saw Nicole but did not say anything and left. Nicole also did not follow her. She wanted to talk to her brother about not doing the "dangerous" stuff. Such hypocrisy.

After Hermione left, Professor McGonagall turned toward Ron to deal with him. But then she saw Harry still hanging upside down.

"Oh, I am sorry, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said, startled, "Let me help you with that." And with a snap of her finger, harry was back on his feet. Though he felt a bit dizzy.

"Well, I still feel you were all lucky. Not even some senior students could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll by themselves. But even luck is a part of you. So each of you wins ten points for Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said. And as soon as she spoke, Ron turned his head towards Alex and smiled smugly. Just the other day, Alex had taunted them for not being able to earn a single point for Gryffindor. But today, in one fell swoop, they got twenty while Hermoine was the one who lost ten points. It was an indirect slap on Alex's face.

"... But since you broke the direct instructions from the headmaster..." Guess Professor McGonagall was not done, "You will each have five points deducted. And I will also inform the headmaster about this," Professor McGonagall said. And the smile on Ron's face vanished in an instant. In the end, the net points change for Gryffindor was nil.

"You may go now. But before that, I would like you to tell me how Miss Granger and both of you knew that the troll was here," the Professor asked. Even they had to follow a trail of the troll after Professor Quirell told them its whereabouts where he last saw it.

"We..." Ron did not expect such a question from the Professor, and he hesitated. Thinking about how they made their way to the washroom, Ron drifted into his thoughts.

They had just walked out of the Great Hall, following others.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't know," Ron shrugged, "Maybe Peeves let it in. Must be some kind of Halloween joke."

"I doubt it," Harry shook his head. But then suddenly both Harry and Potter heard Nicole. She was talking to this brown girl, Parvati, who was from someplace they didn't even know on the map.

"Do you think Hermione is still in the washroom?" Parvati asked with concern.

"I hope not," Nicole looked troubled, "I will check in the dormitories first. If she is not there. I will let the prefects know." Nicole said. She wanted to go search for Hermione herself. But if she was caught in some trouble and Alex even got the whiff of it, Nicole knew she might lose Alex's trust this time.

Parvati nodded. This was indeed the right thing to do.

"I can't believe someone could be so mean," Parvati said. She was clearly referring to Ron's comments on Hermione.

"Believe me, there is no shortage of assholes in this world," Nicole said, "You wouldn't even know it, and they might be walking in front of you. Waiting for an opportunity to prey upon you with poop in their mouth."

"Ewww... Why would you say that?" Parvati said as she slapped Nicole on her arm and hurriedly climbed the stairs, "The food isn't even digested. Oh my God... I feel like vomiting now..."

Nicole also chased behind Parvati, and as she rushed past Ron and Harry, she had a smirk on her lips. But neither of them could see it.

"We need to do something about it," Harry whispered.

"Why should we?" Ron was not convinced, "I didn't say anything wrong."

"But everyone believes you are the reason for this mess with Hermione," Harry said as he looked at Ron in frustration, "Follow me."

"Where?" Ron asked.

"To the girls' washroom," Harry said.

"But there are so many of them," Ron looked disgruntled.

"And we will search every one of them," Harry said. Then he grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him away in the opposite direction.

Nicole, who witnessed all this from up the staircase, had her lips curled up. It was just too easy to agitate Harry. Nicole wanted to follow Ron and Harry and watch them search for Hermione like a couple of mad boys, but she had to check in the dormitory first.

So without wasting any more time, Nicole also walked faster toward the Gryffindor tower.

But Ron could not tell Professor McGonagall that.

He smiled at Professor McGonagall and said, "We just followed behind Hermione. She was the one leading us." And since Ron put everything on Hermoine, Professor McGonagall could not ask anything else.

"Okay... Both of you leave now," Professor McGonagall decided not to pursue the matter. But when she saw them leaving, her gaze fell on Nicole and Gemma standing by the door.

"Miss Ashbridge? What are you doing here?" The Professor asked.

"Aren't I the one who told you about them?" Nicole said, "I am not the one causing trouble this time. I am just a spectator here," Nicole looked non-bothered. She was not in the mood to argue with Professor McGonagall today.

"So you can leave with them," The Professor said.

"Well, I wanted to talk to my brother..." Nicole said.

"We still have some business with him," this time, it was Professor Snape who spoke. He had been silent all this time, "Gemma, escort her and those two boys to the Gryffindor tower. Make sure they don't cause any more trouble."

"Fine..." Nicole did not put up much of a resistance and walked away with Gemma, giving one last look to her brother.

This even made Professor McGonagall astonished. This was the first time she had handled Nicole so smoothly. It felt like an achievement now. And not just her alone. Even Alex felt something was odd about Nicole today. He couldn't put his finger on it. But he could feel it.

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The_Lonely_Guy

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