The Rise of Harry Potter

"A Thestral is the exact opposite of a unicorn, or a pegasus. Nobody knows how they breed, or how they're born. They're classified as dark creatures by the Ministry." Adrian smiled and met Theo's surprised and wondering eyes. "Only people who have witnessed death firsthand can see a Thestral. Isn't that right, Nott?"

Theo flinched almost instantly.

"Master!" Adrian stopped and looked past Nott towards the great doors which were propped open. He thought he spotted his dark friend moving quickly over the floor towards the Slytherin table. "Master! You must flee!"

Theo was looking at him too suspiciously to risk speaking to Lutain. Instead Adrian craned his head, peering over and searching for Lutain's approaching form.

"Selwyn? What is it?" Draco asked, looking over in search of what he saw.

Adrian dropped his arm, finally seeing Lutain slithering over the floor in the torchlight. A few murmurs went up and down the table, a few upper years noticing the snake.

"What's that thing want now?" Blaise muttered, meeting Adrian's eye. Blaise knew that Adrian often left the door open just enough for his friend.

"Master, a large creature is in the hallways. A large creature! Bumbling and clumsy like a tree!" Lutain snapped, quickly sliding up Adrian's arm and over his shoulder. Lutain had grown, he was starting to weigh like heavy rope.

"He doesn't normally come here unless there's something wrong," Adrian mused, rubbing Lutain's face.

"A large creature big as tree! Heavy stick. Stench! Masked human pop and it was there! In dark den!"

As large as a tree? Humanoid and with a heavy stick-

Adrian tensed and was instantly confused: how had a troll been snuck into the castle?

"There must be something in the dungeons," Adrian spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Something which is dangerous."

He heard Pansy scoff.

The great doors were swung open even further as a panting James Potter ran into the hall, face serious and not at all pausing for breath.

"Troll!" He shouted, using his wand to amplify his voice. "Troll in the dungeons! Prefects, get your students under control and escort them back to the common rooms!"

Skylar immediately jumped and ran down, he raced up to his dad who had cut the amplification spell.

With a sinking feeling, Adrian scanned the Gryffindor table as the hall erupted in screams. Where was Hermione?

Adrian ducked his head close to Lutain and whispered under the shouts, "Did you smell anyone else in the dungeons?"

"Yes, in a water room. Hard with stench. Scent female."

Hermione was in a toilet in the dungeons? There was an abandoned girls room a few hallways over from the Slytherin common room access; it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to assume she had hidden from the Gryffindors there.

Adrian stood and slid off the bench, the rest of the students followed his lead. Vaisley and Terence jumped at the chance and started to direct everyone through the halls and down the staircases towards the dungeons.

Lutain took his time scenting the air, glancing around and searching for the troll. Adrian heard no words and smoothly stepped out of the way, ducking behind a suit of armor. The rest of the group filed past quickly, leaving him alone in the hallway only moments later.

"Alright Lutain, can you keep your eyes open for the troll? I'll find the girl." Adrian muttered, turning to sharply run down the hallway.

He mentally cursed the loud clicking his shoes made, the sound echoing and distorting surreally. Lutain hissed in surprise when Adrian twisted around one corner, looking frantically for the washroom entrance. The hairs on his arms were standing in the near darkness of the hallway, and the looming threat that a troll was loose anywhere.

He barged through the door, instantly hearing quiet sobs.

"Hermione," Adrian bluntly stated, locking the door behind him and moving to the stalls. The sobbing abruptly cut off.

"Adrian?" Hermione asked, voice uplifting hopefully. She opened one of the stalls, her eyes red and puffy, "What are you-"

"We don't have time," Adrian interrupted, grabbing her arm forcefully. He ignored how Hermione paled once seeing Lutain up close for the first time. "There's a troll loose in the castle, mountain troll I think, although It could be a oak troll. Stick close, I'll get you back to the hallways."

Hermione floundered at the surplus of unexpected information. Both of them froze in sync as the door Adrian had purposefully locked shut, creaked open.

"Master! It stench!" Lutain hissed, pulling a protective stance.

"Back!" Adrian urged, pushing Hermione back against the stall as the two slipped inside. They could hear the heavy footfalls as the troll lumbered into the room, dull echo thumps as it knocked its head against the torch sconces and the ceiling.

Adrian pulled out his wand, ignoring Hermione's frantic hand gestures to do the opposite. He peered around the corner, spotting the dumb looking troll who was poking a mirror in confusion. It was a mountain troll after all.

"Bite? Bite?" Lutain enthused, flexing eagerly in anticipation.

"When I say, run." Adrian whispered, before turning and waltzing out entirely.

The troll noticed him immediately, it grunted and hefted the large wooden club up above its head threateningly. It bellowed angrily and Adrian slowly lifted his wand. Without warning, it brought the club down hard.

"Incendio." Adrian murmured, the club burning instantly, scorching the troll's hands. It stupidly dropped the club, the heavy burning wood glancing off its right shoulder.

The troll cried out loudly, clutching its shoulder and sobbing at the blisters on its palms. Adrian snatched Hermione by the arm, throwing her past the troll.

She screamed, running around the troll and out the busted door, Adrian followed quickly. He had been trained to run fast, normally sharp curses being cast behind him. There was a sort of terrifying adrenaline which pulsated through his blood. He knew instantly that this troll was more dangerous than anything Bella had thrown at him; with Bella he had the assurance of counterspells and healing potions.

"It's coming!" Hermione screamed, tears running down her face.

Adrian pointed his wand over his shoulder without looking. "Avis!"

A small flock of canaries shot out of Adrian's wand. Hermione rounded a corner just ahead. Adrian rounded the same corner, scrambling in surprise when a suit of armor was levitating above his head.

The troll stumbled past, and the suit of armor dropped onto the creature. The collective weight of the metal plates and chainmail weighed heavily and knocked the troll unconscious.

Adrian breathed heavily to catch his breath, Hermione had a breathless smile, looking at Adrian thankfully.

"Get back to your common room, avoid the teachers," Adrian panted, giving a sharp nod before running off to the hallway perpendicular.

Adrian grinned as he slipped into the common room without ever seeing a single teacher.

Such a shame that Snape was halfway through a word, addressing the Slytherin house, when Adrian managed to slide in.

....

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