"I remember someone was going to the library to pursue knowledge, wisdom, and power, weren't they? What are you doing here now?" Pansy said in a strange tone.
"Oh, I know." Draco was about to speak, but was interrupted by Pansy's muttering.
"When you told that story, didn't a supporting character say, 'Every woman is a book'?"
"Looks like you've read that mud—Hermione—all over, haven't you?" Pansy almost used an insulting word, but for some reason, she stopped herself.
"Pansy!"
"Draco, you're disgusting." Pansy ignored him and turned to leave, but her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her feelings. Soon, Pansy disappeared from Draco's sight.
"This time it seems it's not a joke." Draco could not help thinking. "I'll explain it to her after she calms down." While considering what to say to Pansy later, Draco quickened his pace towards the Great Hall.
A few minutes later, Draco stepped into the Great Hall. The sweet smell of roasted pumpkin wafted into his nose.
A thousand bats fluttered on the walls and ceiling, and another thousand swooped above the tables like low, dark clouds, causing the candle flames inside the pumpkins to flicker.
Delicious food suddenly appeared on the golden plates, just like at the opening feast.
"The decorations are quite good." Draco looked around the Great Hall.
Scanning the surroundings, Draco did not see Pansy, but he did see Hermione, Harry, and Ron chatting happily at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry seemed very excited, holding Honeydukes sweets in their hands.
"Hermione, you're brilliant!" Ron said. "My brothers never let me go. I know they always find ways to sneak off, but they just won't take me." He complained again about Fred and George.
Harry echoed him.
Sensing Draco's gaze, Hermione secretly gave him an "okay" sign, indicating that everything had been completely resolved on her end, and smiled smugly.
"Your little boat of friendship has set sail again, but my ship is about to sink." Looking at the three of them chatting happily and Hermione's smile, Draco could not help thinking about his own situation.
"Where has she gone?" Draco felt he had overlooked something. "That little witch shouldn't be able to resist the food, should she?"
Draco picked up a pumpkin pie, ready to fill his stomach, when Professor Quirrell suddenly rushed into the Great Hall, his large turban askew on his head, his face full of terror. Everyone stared at him as he staggered to Professor Dumbledore's chair, leaned against the table, and gasped, "Troll—in the dungeons—thought you ought to know."
With that, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
"Damn it." Draco suddenly realised something, cursed under his breath, and immediately got up and rushed out of the Great Hall.
He finally understood what he had overlooked.
The Great Hall descended into chaos. Professor Dumbledore had to produce several ear-splitting bangs from his wand to restore calm.
"Prefects," he said in a low voice, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
Percy, of course, was in his element.
"Follow me! Stick together, first-years! There's nothing to be afraid of if you follow my instructions! Make way, first-years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Don't ask me. Trolls are supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a bit of fun."
"What's he running off to do?" Only Hermione noticed that Draco's reaction had seemed a little unusual.
"Pansy, where are you? Pansy?" The corridor was silent, only Draco's shouts echoing through it.
Draco clenched his fists tightly, revealing his inner tension. He had thought he was a butterfly flapping its wings to change the course of events, but perhaps he was merely paint poured into the river of time, diluted again and again until it lost its effect.
"Pansy shouldn't be in the girls' bathroom right now, because those two are having a good time in the Great Hall."
"Then it's best to act first. If I find the troll and deal with it quickly, everything will be fine." Draco had complete confidence in his current strength.
"Over here." Draco suddenly caught a foul stench, a mixture of smelly socks and an uncleaned lavatory. He followed the smell.
"Found you." At the end of a passage on the left, a huge figure was moving away from him, the low grunts and the dragging sound of enormous feet making it impossible to ignore.
As Draco breathed a sigh of relief, he caught sight of something from the corner of his eye, and his heart tightened again. He saw two legs sticking out from behind a suit of armour beside the corridor, seemingly trembling.
"Lumos Maxima!" He had to attract the troll's attention first.
The plan succeeded. The troll turned towards the light. The sight was horrifying. It stood twelve feet tall, its dull grey skin like granite. Its huge, clumsy body resembled a heap of boulders, topped with a small,l misshapen head. Its short legs were as thick as tree trunks, with flat, calloused feet. The stench emanating from it was nauseating. It held a massive wooden club that dragged along the ground because its arms were so long.
Draco advanced slowly towards the troll and suddenly raised his wand.
"Reducto!"
A deep red flash shot from Draco's wand towards the troll.
The seemingly lumbering troll possessed surprising reflexes. With a subconscious movement, it raised its wooden club to block the curse. Splinters of wood fell from its hands.
Draco muttered, but his wand did not stop.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Another spell flew towards the troll. This time, it was not so fortunate. It froze instantly, rigid and immobile, with only its nostrils still flaring.
"The rest should be left to the professors." Draco thought, then gradually walked behind the suit of armour.
"Pansy, are you alright?" Draco asked softly, but received no response.
Draco walked closer.
Looking down, Draco was stunned.
The girl in front of him was not Pansy. She looked a year or two older than Draco, with long dark hair draped over her shoulders and delicate features. Frightened by the troll, she appeared pale and shaken.
"I think everything is alright now," Draco said softly.
"The professors will be here soon," Draco continued. Even if it was not Pansy, he could not leave a student who had been frightened by the troll unattended.
"Thank you," the girl said softly. "My name is Penelope Clearwater. You're Draco, a first-year, right? I often hear rumours about you in our House. It seems they are true—you subdued the troll quite easily."
Penelope Clearwater's face was slightly red, probably because she was embarrassed to be saved by a younger student.
"It was nothing," Draco replied calmly.
The two spoke briefly while waiting for the professors to arrive. Draco made a few light remarks to ease the tension, and Penelope covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"You seem much more humorous than the rumours say," Penelope Clearwater said.
Draco gave a faint chuckle, recalling how Pansy often said he was boring.
"Can you help me up?" Penelope Clearwater asked softly.
"Of course." Draco bent down and extended his hand, gently helping Penelope to her feet.
"Ah." Having been seated too long, Penelope swayed slightly and steadied herself against Draco's shoulder before quickly stepping back, her face flushed.
Draco kept his gaze fixed ahead.
"Reparo." Draco cast a brief spell on the torn hem of her robes.
"How do you feel?"
"Much better now." Penelope Clearwater nodded and slowly stepped back. A faint blush still lingered on her face.
At that moment, Draco heard several hurried footsteps echoing through the corridor.
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