HALLOWEEN NIGHT:
the mountain troll in the dungeons
--------- "You've got what it takes, but it will take everything you've got." ---------
THE GIRL WHO ENDURED
THE NEXT MORNING, Mattheo couldn't keep his eyes off of Liv and Ronnie when they walked down from their dormitory with Daphne. He listened to the girls as they giggled about little dumb things, almost smiling to himself with knowing what he knew. He could've easily asked Liv and Ronnie what they did last night, knowing that if they said anything other than being in the common room, they were lying. He did, afterall, watch the two walk out of the Great Hall the previous night and didn't come back till very late.
He wouldn't say anything, of course. He couldn't let Liv know.
But when Malfoy walked up next to his friend, watching the girls now as well, but confused, Mattheo just acted like he wasn't staring. He was sure Malfoy didn't notice seeing as how that boy was obsessed with Liv as well. Obsessed with her secret at least.
At breakfast, before heading over to her table, Liv walked over to the Gryffindor table, subtly greeting her new friends like The Twins, Neville Longbottom, etc. But then she nervously poked her head next to Harry's, her smile dropping, "Okay," she whispered. "What do we do?"
"Do about what?" Harry asked.
"Did you have such good sleep last night or did you forget about the—"
"Shush!" Hermione snapped while Harry pulled Liv down next to him.
"We've been talking about it," Harry whispered, "We just can't seem to figure out what that...thing...could be guarding."
"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," Ron spoke up.
"Or both," Peter added.
"Can we all just agree that it's a mysterious object?" Liv asked.
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
And with that, Liv nodded before she rejoined the Slytherins and started eating breakfast, sitting next to Ronnie, "Was that about...?"
"Yep," Liv whispered, the two of them stuffing themselves with food, the adventure from the night before having boost their appetite.
But soon enough the start-of-bell rang and they were all on their way.
♔ ♔ ♔
BEFORE LIV KNEW IT, she'd been at Hogwarts for two months. And although she had been so busy with all her classes, her homework, with Malfoy nonstop bugging her about her secret, Hogwarts had felt like a second home. A home she wished could be her first. The more the time goes by, the more she realizes she'll have to leave soon for Christmas break. She'd love to just stay at the castle, but she couldn't leave Valerie all alone with Grandpa Jack.
Speaking of Valerie, Liv had found herself loving the library, the scent of all the books reminding Liv of Valerie's bedroom. She would go there often with Hermione, Ronnie, and Daphne, all of them spending their extra time there to study or chat. All through that time, Hermione would try her best to do much research on Liv's father the best she could without letting Liv actually know what she was doing.
On Halloween morning, Thursday, Liv was awoken to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the Slytherin Common Room. She was all cozied up under her covers with Winter purred up against her chest. She eventually sat up to find Daphne, Ronnie, Millicent, and Adelaide were all gone, probably having gone downstairs to snack on whatever delicious treats awaited them.
In Professor Flitwick's Charms class, the short teacher had announced that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Adelaide's chameleon zoom around the classroom. He paired everyone up to practice.
Ronnie was with Daphne. Malfoy with Theo. Hermione with Ron. Peter with Harry. And Liv with Mattheo.
As the teacher explained to the class what to do, Liv didn't know, but Mattheo had his eyes on her. If someone were to look in on the two, they'd think that the boy had a little crush on her. Which was far from the truth, "One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is levitation, the ability to make objects fly. Uh, do you all have your feathers?" Professor Flitwick asked, and Liv looked across the way to see Hermione had proudly shown her's, causing the Slytherin to eye her with a smile, "Good. Now, uh, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing, hmm? The swish and flick. Everyone," and everyone swished and flicked their wrists with wands in hand, "Good. And enunciate. Wingardium Leviosa. Off you go then."
"Wingardium Levio-saaa," Liv heard Malfoy mutter, pointing his wand at his feather.
Liv took a deep breath before staring at her feather, pointing her wand at it, flicking and swishing her wrist, "Wingardium Leviosa," and to her delight, the feather floated into the air, causing her to smile. She turned to Mattheo who smiled as well, but before he himself could do the practice—
"Oh, well done!" Professor Flitwick cried, clapping and Liv looked in his direction, "See here, everyone! Miss Gaunt and Miss Granger have done it! Oh, splendid!"
Liv and Hermione beamed at each other, while Ron rolled his eyes, smashing his face against a pile of books, "Well done...Gaunt," Mattheo whispered to her and she looked at him, wondering why he said her last name so oddly. But decided to ignore it.
Especially when they were all distracted by a—
BOOM!
Liv looked across the way to see a boy named Seamus had an exploded feather, with debris covering his entire head, while Harry stared at him shocked but calm, "I think we're going to need another feather over here, Professor," Harry quietly said.
After class ended, Liv ended up walking through the courtyard heading to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Ronnie, and Daphne; Malfoy, Theo, and Mattheo behind the three. The girls were talking about the class while the boys complained about the essay Professor Flitwick assigned them when Liv overheard the conversation from the group in front of them.
Ron, Harry, Seamus, and Peter.
"It's Levisoa, not Leviosar," Ron mimicked, leaving Liv confused, "Honestly, she's a nightmare. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!"
"Who are you guys talking about?" Liv asked, causing the boys to look back at her.
But before they could mutter a word, Hermione busted past them, quietly crying to herself as she bumped into Ron's arm. He stumbled back a bit while Liv, along with Ronnie and Daphne, all figured out who they were talking about, "Liv—"
"Oh, you...she does have friends, Weasley!" Liv snapped before her eyes followed Hermione, her eyebrows twitching up in worry, "Hermione, wait," and she left everyone behind, running after the crying Gryffindor while Ronnie and Daphne sent Ron dirty looks.
Liv unfortunately was unable to catch up with Hermione, and when she even came close, the girl just told Liv to leave her alone. Which Liv wouldn't do, she doesn't leave friends alone when they're hurting. At least, she wouldn't leave Valerie alone when she was hurting seeing as how Valerie was Liv's only friend before Hogwarts.
Liv tried to pull through Professor Quirrell's class, wanting to get to potions since that was her next class with Hermione. But when she showed up to the class, the Gryffindor was still nowhere to be seen. Not even at their flying lesson, which just struck Liv's worry more. Hermione would always find a way to attend her classes.
Liv walked into the Great Hall that night alone, arms crossed in worry, but was still able to admire the Halloween decorations. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the table in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it was at the start-of-term banquet. But she couldn't care about the food or her hungry stomach.
She walked over to the Gryffindor table, hoping to find Hermione, but she didn't. All she did find though was Ron chucking with Harry and Peter as if Hermione's sudden disappearance had nothing to do with him. Has he even noticed she's missing?
"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked, noticing the bushy hair girl was missing.
"She's in the girl's lavatory," Peter spoke up after swallowing from his goblet, "Bell says she refused to come out."
"Hmm," Liv hummed, looking at Ron, who felt her daggering eyes in his head, "I wonder why?"
"Don't—"
"Don't what? This is your fault, Ron Weasley," Liv sternly told him.
But by his silence, him choosing to ignore her, Liv huffed annoyed. She was about to shuffle over to the Slytherin table when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face, "TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" He screamed while the entire hall fell into horrid silence, "Thought you ought to know."
He then dropped to the floor in a dead faint.
The room was silent, up until everyone started screaming in fear. They began to spring up out of their seats, running about. When Harry sprang up, he immediately grabbed Liv, holding her arm protectively, while the girl huffed, not sure what their next move of action was.
"SILENCE!" Professor Dumbledore roared over the frantic students.
Everyone froze, looking back at the Headmaster.
"Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."
Liv took her leave away from Harry to head back over to the Slytherins, but she decided last minute not to join them. She was only thinking of Hermione, who didn't know what was going on. She sneaked off, heading out with the Hufflepuffs at first but then walked out down a deserted corridor. She was about to head into the girl's lavatory when she heard footsteps behind her.
Quickly, she pulled herself behind a large stone griffin and peered around it where she found Professor Snape crossing the corridor they were in, disappearing from view, "What's he doing?" Liv whispered to herself.
After hearing his footsteps echo out from the corridor, Liv looked back at the girl's lavatory. She took a deep breath before entering, and immediately she saw one stall was closed, where she heard soft crying behind it. Liv's eyebrows crinkled up, slowly heading towards the stall, "Mione?" Liv softly asked, standing right outside of the stall. But the girl ignored Liv, "Hermione, we're being evacuated to our dormitories. Come on out."
Not a moment more, Hermione emerged from the stall, wiping her eyes. But she stopped in place, seeing something terrifying past Liv's shoulder. "What?" And the girl turned Liv around to face what she saw just to see—
It was twelve feet tall, its skin was dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horned feet. It held a huge wooden club, which dragged along the lavatory floor because its arms were so long.
The troll.
Shakingly, Liv and Hermione slowly backed up into a single stall, just as the troll rose its club, swinging it right at the girls. The girls shrieked as they ducked down in the stall right before the stall was destroyed, the materials falling right on top of them.
Right then, the doors flung open and Harry and Ron ran in, seeing that Hermione and Liv were there, the two of them about to be smashed to bits, "Liv, Hermione, move!" Harry yelled.
The two girls quickly crawled out from under the stalls as the troll used its club to smash the rest of the stalls. They found themselves hiding under the sinks, but the troll smashed that as well, water spurting out while the girls yelled out for help.
Harry and Ron then started to grab pieces of smash stall material, throwing them at the troll, which did no help, "Seriously?!" Liv snapped.
"Hey, pea-brain!" Ron snapped before throwing a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder.
Harry then did something that was very brave and very stupid: He took out his wand and ran towards the troll's club, which he got caught in and was lifted up into the air, "Whoa!" He exclaimed before he landed himself on the troll's neck. He then shoved the wand right up the troll's nostrils.
"Ew," Liv cringed.
Howling with pain, the troll whipped around and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life, any second the troll going to catch him with a terrible blow with the club, "Do something!" Harry snapped.
"Like what?" Ron asked.
"Anything!" Harry yelled and Ron quickly grabbed his wand from his robes and pointed it at the troll's club.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" He shouted, flicking his wrist.
The club flew out of the troll's hand, rising high, and high up into the air, turning slowly over — and dropped with a sickening crack onto its head. The troll swayed on the spot and fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble, "Cool," Ron smiled.
Hermione and Liv slowly got to their feet, heading over to the boys where the unconscious troll was. They all stared at it stunned, too stunned to speak. Liv helped Harry up to his feet where he trembled and held Liv tight. He wrapped his arms around her, face buried in her neck.
"Is it...dead?" Hermione hesitantly asked.
"I don't think so," said Ron, "Just knocked out."
Harry then recovered, pulling himself away from Liv and bent down, pulling his wand out from the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue.
"Ew. Troll bogies," Liv cringed.
"Ugh. Troll bogies," Harry cringed.
Suddenly, Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, closely followed by Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell. Professor McGonagall gasped as they all looked at the unconscious troll before the woman looked right at Ron, Harry, and Liv, "What on Earth are you thinking?! You're lucky you weren't killed!" she snapped, "Why aren't you in your dormitory? Miss Gaunt, why aren't you in the courtyard with the other Slytherins? Explain yourselves, all three of you!"
Professor Snape sent Liv a swift, piercing look as if he was disappointed rather than angry. But he looked of utter annoyance when she and the others began to stammer out.
"Uh—"
"Well, you see—"
"What happened—"
"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall," Hermione quietly said and they all looked at her, surprised.
"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall questioned.
"I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Harry, Liv, and Ron hadn't come and found me — I'd probably be dead," Hermione explained.
Liv softly smiled at her while Harry and Ron's mouths dropped. Hermione telling a lie to a teacher? Extremely uncharacteristic of her.
"Be that as it may — It was an extremely foolish thing to do," said Professor McGonagall, "I would have expected more rational behavior on your part, Miss Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment. As for you three," She then looked at Liv, Harry, and Ron, who stared at her nervously, "I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a full-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. Five points...will be awarded to each of you. For sheer dumb luck."
The three then smiled to themselves before Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape left the lavatory, "Perhaps you ought to go...M-Might wake up," said Professor Quirrell, and then the four hurried out of the chamber, slightly giggling to themselves.
♔ ♔ ♔
AS THEY ENTERED NOVEMBER, the weather turned very cold, especially in the dungeons – hence all the knitted jumpers with F and G's from the Weasley Twins. Liv and Harry also sported some knitted jumpers from time to time that Valerie sent them. Their initials were on them like the Weasley jumpers. Liv's was dark green with a black L, and Harry's was dark red with a golden H. The mountains around the school became icy grey and lake like chilled steel. Every morning the grounds were covered in frost whenever Liv looked out the windows.
Quidditch season had started, and Liv only knew this because it's all anyone could talk about. All of them were possibly more excited than Americans got for their American Football. The first game of the season, the match everyone was excited about: Slytherin versus Hufflepuff.
Of course, Liv was excited to attend her first Quidditch game, especially since one of the teams was her house, but all she ever heard was bad things about her house team. Specifically the team captain, Marcus Flint. He was ruthless, according to the Weasley Twins, which especially worried Liv since the Slytherin versus Gryffindor game was coming up soon.
At the game, Liv stood in the stands with Ronnie, and Daphne — Mattheo, Theo, and Draco standing behind them, all of them dressed in Slytherin coats and scarfs, holding small Slytherin flags. They all cheered loudly when the Slytherin team zoomed out onto the field, all of them on their broomsticks. Then the Hufflepuff team zoomed out as well, the Hufflepuff tower screaming out in cheers.
The two teams gathered around Madam Hooch, who was referring on the ground. She assumingly told them she wanted a nice and fair game. But the Slytherins in the stands began to aggressively chant, "PUCEY! PUCEY!" when they heard Hufflepuff chanting, "DIGGORY! DIGGORY!"
Liv didn't start chanting at first because she didn't exactly know what was going on, didn't know who Pucey or Diggory was either, but she started chanting for Pucey when both Ronnie and Daphne elbowed her to join in.
Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle, and fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.
"And the Quaffle is snatched immediately by Chaser Adrian Pucey of Slytherin. He's speeding along the length of the Quidditch pitch, excellently dodging and weaving through oncoming Hufflepuffs — passed to fellow Chaser Pierce — back to Pucey — who's quick to slide off his broom and out of the way of a hard Bludger Hufflepuff Beater Maxine O'Flaherty hit — with one hand on the broom Pucey swings out of the way of Chaser Malcolm Preece!"
"Preece comes back to attempt a snatch from him but— Back on his broom, Pucey pelts down the field, ignoring Captain Marcus Flint's calls for the Quaffle — he must know he's not all that good — Pucey passes the Quaffle to Chaser Pierce — Flint, too, yells at him, Merlin does he need anger issues classes — a nice swing by Slytherin Beater Lucian Bole to unsuspecting Hufflepuff Chaser Tamsin Applebee coming up behind the three Slytherin Chasers — Pierce passes to Flint — Flint catches but — Merlin! No wonder Pucey hadn't passed to him just a minute ago! Hufflepuff Chaser Heidi Macovey steals it right out of his grasp!"
"Pucey, who's no doubt pissed, chases after her and brutally but fairly snatches it from Macovey. He speeds down a clear field thanks to Beaters Bole and Peregrine Derrick — he dodges a speeding Bludger sent by Beater O'Flaherty — up ahead are the goalposts — come on, Pucey — HOLY SHIT! PUCEY PROCEEDS TO DEMONSTRATE THE CHELMONDISTON CHARGE — HUFFLEPUFF KEEPER HERBERT FLEET STANDS NO CHANCE AS SLYTHERIN SCORES! DAMN — !"
"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall shouted, but it was drowned out by the cheers of the stadium who supported Slytherin and moans for those who supported Hufflepuff.
When Adrian Pucey had scored, Liv jumped up in glee along with the other girls in the stands. While the boys cheered as well, just not as loud as the girls did. Especially the first years, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"Adrian really is a great player, isn't he?" said Liv, all her girlfriends agreeing with her. But she rolled her eyes when she heard a small scoff behind her.
"He's alright," Malfoy muttered, who now seemed annoyed that Liv liked their house's Chaser.
"He's also so dreamy!" Daphne added, and Mattheo dropped his happy expression.
"I don't find him that exciting," he said, and Malfoy agreed.
Ronnie looked back at the two boys annoyed before she and Theo caught each other's glances, both of them sending the other knowing smirks. The boys were jealous! But of course, they wouldn't ever admit that, nor would the girls ever realize that anytime soon.
"And Pucey snatches up the Quaffle right as it's released — perhaps Flint wasn't lying for once and he actually is the best Chaser they've had since Montague left the school! Maybe he's the best Chaser Slytherin's had of all time! He's definitely the least douchey—"
"JORDAN!"
Malfoy and Mattheo continued to growl and snarl under their breath, the announcer Lee Jordan, not helping their case. It just made the girls like Adrian even more but made Ronnie and Theo giggle to themselves even harder.
"Sorry, Professor! Pucey's stuck in a Body Blow by Chasers Preece and Macovey — but he refuses to give up the Quaffle — there goes a bludger by Beater Bole and the two Hufflepuffs quickly recede as — OUCH! — Pucey's hit face on! But what's that! Pucey braves on and flies down the field with a bloody face — his nose has to be broken! Chaser Applebee pelts to Chaser Pucey — and there goes down a serious case of Blagging — Chaser Pucey almost falls off his broom! Foul to Slytherin!"
Liv, Daphne, and Ronnie all cringed together seeing the events before them while Malfoy and Mattheo were secretly smirking, "Oh, he's so brave!" Daphne exclaimed.
"Seriously?!" Mattheo snapped.
"After a jealous third-year Applebee, a penalty is given to Slytherin, taken by the obvious choice of Pucey, who puts it in the bag, no doubt, and we continue to play, Slytherin still in possession. Pucey stays unstoppable as he twirled out of the way of a Bludger sent by Hufflepuff Beater Anthony Rickett — he soon regains control of his broom and speeds towards the goalposts — and Slytherin scored again!"
The Slytherin stands cheered once again, waving their flags, roaring in delight while Malfoy and Mattheo slowly clapped, smug looks on them. The game continued on and no signs of the Snitch had alerted either Terence Higgs or Hufflepuff's Seeker, Cedric Diggory. Slytherin scored at least eight more times before any mention of the Snitch came up, in the single announcement of a Hufflepuff score.
"And Hufflepuff finally scores! Flint yells at Pucey for no reason at all — I think we all heard him tell him to stay back so he could get at least a bit of glory — and — wait a minute, did I, the most oblivious boy, just spot the Golden Snitch?"
Higgs and Diggory looked around for the Snitch to find it hovering nearby Pucey.
"Higgs and Diggory are neck and neck to get to Pucey! The Golden Snitch flutters around him and with that he's off, hoping to not get run over by the two Seekers! Chaser Pucey snatches the Quaffle out of his own captain's hands and bolts for the goalposts — there he goes, scoring again and — Oh! Terence Higgs catches the Snitch and wins the game for Slytherin! Slytherin wins two hundred and sixty points to ten! That's gotta hurt Hufflepuff's pride!"
Cheers erupt around the stadium, especially from the stands Liv stood in. The three girls screamed in glory, Daphne picking Liv up for a moment, all of them chuckling. And for the next weeks, up until the next Quidditch game, this was what everyone would talk about.
Just a couple of days before the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor, Liv was in the library with Harry, helping each other with their Potions homework. She had her Slytherin uniform on, her skirt cutting off at her thighs, while her legs were crossed. Her hair laid back behind her, a lighter color than Harry's, the both of them doing some things in sync. A thing only Hermione, Ron, Daphne, Ronnie, and Peter noticed.
Like they both scrunched up their face when they were thinking, they both tapped their feet when they were bored, they tapped their fingers onto the table when they were impatient, they always stop what they are doing and sigh heavily when they were frustrated, they also both crinkle up their eyebrows when they were confused. The Slytherin girls were surprised how Malfoy, Mattheo, and Theo still hadn't figured out yet that Liv and Harry were related. They were practically the same person!
But while Hermione helped Ron, Peter, Daphne, and Ronnie with their Charms studies, Harry suddenly placed his quill down, looking at Liv who was hard at work, "Hey, I think you should know something," he awkwardly whispered, and Liv turned to him, "If I had known we were related, I would've approached you much sooner."
But Liv stared at him confused, her eyebrows crinkling up, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, ever since I saw you and Valerie at Muggle school, I always wanted to be your friends. But if I had known our parents were siblings...I would've hung out with you and Valerie every day instead of by myself," Harry explained.
Liv smiled, but a thought strung her, "Well, why didn't you?"
"As you know Dudley has a huge crush on Valerie, I was scared he might twist the situation up and get me in trouble with my aunt and uncle," Harry explained, "Plus Valerie had to be the prettiest girl in school, I wouldn't be able to even look at her without stuttering something...stupid," Liv then quietly chuckled.
"How about now?" Liv asked, "I mean, I know you and Valerie have been exchanging letters."
"Yeah," Harry muttered, remembering all the times he's written and read all the letters between him and Valerie, "Now, I would definitely not be so nervous."
Liv softly smiled at him, before checking the time, realizing it was almost time for her next class, so she quickly gathered her things, "See you at dinner, Harry," she said before she hurried off.
But dark eyes watched from the shadows as she ran off, and the boy with dark hair quietly found himself out of the library.
That Friday morning, Liv was sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, reading a book while she nibbled on some breakfast. She was minding her business, wanting to fuel up for the next Quidditch game though she would just be in the stands. But she was rudely interrupted when a certain someone slid next to her, bothering her like he always did, trying to guess her secret.
His elbows touched her's, and just from that, she knew exactly who it was, but kept her nose in the book. "What do you want?" she asked.
"I know your—"
"My secret?" Liv questioned, leaving him staring at her surprised, "Wow, really? What is it?" But her tone was dull like she was bored of the game. He wasn't ever going to guess it, and she knew it.
"How did you know I was going to—"
"Because you do this every single morning, Malfoy," she said and he rolled his eyes.
"Well, I know it this time," he said and Liv nodded, gesturing for him to go on, "Your parents are dead."
And from this, Liv froze, and she was officially done playing the guessing game. She softly placed her book down, staring down at her plate of food while Malfoy watched her carefully. But his excited and proud smile faded when he saw that Liv didn't act how she usually did. She was quiet, sad.
"No, unfortunately, that's not my secret," she muttered and his eyebrows just crinkled together, wondering why she was quiet, "But you knew that already. So what did you think to accomplish? To hurt me— ?"
"What, no," Malfoy spoke up, his tone confused, "I remember when I was guessing about your parents, you talked about them in the past tense, I just now realized—"
"Are you so caught up with yourself and your gormless quest to figure out my secret that you forgot that I told you on the first day we met that my parents passed away when I was a baby?" Liv questioned, but when Malfoy hesitated to answer, his mouth hanging open, no words able to stammer out — the girl scoffed and stood up from her seat. She headed over to the Gryffindor table, where she found Harry, Hermione and Ron gathered around a broomstick on the table, "Hey, guys," and they all looked back at her, "What'd I miss?"
"Why were you talking to Malfoy?" Harry questioned and Liv stared at him surprised, while behind them at the Slytherin table, Malfoy was barking at his stiff bodyguards.
"Nothing," Liv stammered, "Just bragging about rich pureblood things," she then looked down at the broomstick, "Nice ride."
Before Liv could go on with the day, the trio pulled her down at the table to tell her something important. About Snape's bloody leg, and that he was limping, which Liv stared at the three in utter shock, "Oh, my—" she muttered before remembering the events of the night before, "That's where he was going," and by the Gryffindor's confused looks, she continued on, "I saw him rushing through the corridors, in the opposite direction that everyone else was. He must have tried to get past that dog," And they all agreed.
Liv soon found herself standing in the Slytherin stands at the Quidditch field. She spotted her friends and stood with them as well. Daphne, Ronnie, Theo, and Mattheo all stood together and saw there was only space in front of them, so that's where Liv stood. She stared out onto the field, waiting for the match to start, when suddenly someone walked up next to her, someone who left a minty fragrance behind, "Scared, Gaunt?" Malfoy questioned and Liv rolled her eyes.
"Scared? Why would I be scared?" she asked.
"For Potter," said Malfoy, referring to her cousin, who he didn't know was her cousin.
"No, I am not actually," Liv sternly told him, "I believe in him, unlike others."
But Malfoy laughed, which caused Liv to shoot a glare at him, all while Daphne, Ronnie, Theo, and Mattheo watched the two bicker, "I bet he won't last five seconds."
"I bet you wouldn't either," said Liv, which the group behind them had to hold back their snickers.
"What?" Malfoy questioned.
"But I'll have you know that his father was also a seeker. It's in his blood," Liv continued.
"Of course, you would know about his father—"
"Because he showed me the trophies!" Liv snapped, "And everyone knows who James Potter is! Harry is going to do very well."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"We'll see."
"Yes, we will," said Liv before wrapping her arms across her chest, looking back at the field.
Just then, the Gryffindor team soared onto the field, making everyone erupt into cheers. Harry glanced over at Liv, who was cheering for him, though it was drowned out by the other Slytherins cheering for their own teams. She sent him a smile as well, which he would have smiled back but he saw Malfoy was standing next to her, his smirk as glum as ever.
As the game began, it wasn't long till the teams began to score, Gryffindor already in the lead with twenty to ten. Chaser Adrian Pucey had just made the first score for Slytherin, and the boys around Liv were getting irritated.
"And Chaser Pucey looks like he's about to blow a cauldron as Captain Flint committed a foul against Seeker Potter!"
A free shot at the goalposts was ordered for Gryffindor, and everyone in the stands could see how furious Pucey was, but so was Liv. She was practically fuming watching as Flint blocked Harry on purpose, sending the boy's broom off course.
"So — after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating—"
"Jordan!"
"After Flint nearly kills Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Johnson, who clearly and plainly puts it away, and we continue to play, Gryffindor still in possession. No doubt Chaser Pucey is furious! He seems to be the only Slytherin player to have common decency!"
Irritation consuming him, Mattheo pointed a finger, warning the girls by him, "If you even utter a word—" And they held their comments about the Chaser they seemed to adore. They continued to watch as Adrian intercepted a pass Angelina Johnson sent to Katie Bell, then sped off. With a quirk of a smile, they chased after him as Oliver Wood smirked as Adrian approached.
"And — Gryffindor Oliver Wood just barely clocks Chase Pucey from scoring!"
Liv cheered with the Slytherins, but it was just then that she noticed something. Harry...his broom was starting to buck and turn violently. The girl tried to not show her concern on her face, so Malfoy wouldn't brag in her face, but she was beginning to worry. She didn't know what else to do other than watch what was happening, not sure what to do yet. But her panic rose when she saw Harry knocked down, dangling by one arm off his broom, "Harry!" She called out, eying him in worry as Ronnie ran up next to her, the both of them staring at him concerned.
Liv glanced over to the Gryffindor stands, where she spotted Hermione running off the stands, and that was when the young witch saw the Professor's stands. She had to know something over there was causing Harry's broom to snap out, especially when she felt that chilling feeling in her spine. She began to quickly walk-off, trying to get over to the stands, when, "Where are you going?"
Liv looked back to find Malfoy and Ronnie's confused looks, although it was Malfoy who asked her, "Leave me be, Malfoy," Liv muttered before she ran off.
Soon enough, Liv was hurrying up the tower to where the Professors were when she was met by Hermione, "What are you doing here?"
"That doesn't matter. Harry is—"
"And Professor Snape is jinxing him," Hermione cut in and Liv stared at her shocked, not knowing which Professor was messing with Harry's broom, "Come on."
The two witches quickly appeared underneath the stands, where Professor Snape was sitting on, their wands in hand. They merely tapped the tip of their wands to his long cloak, and whispered, "Lacarnum Inflamarae."
A spark ignited, which caused Professor Snape's cloak to catch fire, and to not be caught, the girls ran off out of the tower, and back into their respected stands. They didn't know that Professor Snape had accidentally knocked down Professor Quirrell in the process of putting out the fire on him.
When Liv got back to the Slytherin stands, just to see Harry had stumbled to the ground, she gasped in fright. He stood up, holding onto his stomach, lurching over, looking as if he might throw up. Suddenly, something golden popped out of his mouth and into his hand.
"He's got the snitch! Harry Potter receives one-hundred-and-fifty points for catching the Snitch!"
Liv cheered, along with everyone else in the stadium, except for some of those sore losers in Slytherin while Madam Hooch whistled, ending the game, "No!" Malfoy whined before he turned to face Liv, who smirked at him.
"You were saying?" she asked and Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"Shut it, Liv," he said, turning away from him, but Liv just couldn't help but smile.
Very soon after the Quidditch game, Hagrid took Liv, Harry, Hermione, and Ron to his hut where Harry made a cup of hot tea. The four first years explained what they saw on the field not long ago, "Nonsense," Hagrid told them, "Why would Snape put a curse on Harry's broom?"
Liv, Harry, Hermione, and Ron glanced at each other, not sure what to tell him until Harry spoke the truth, "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding," he explained, causing Hagrid to stop sipping his tea, and looked at the four taken back.
"Who told you 'bout Fluffy?" He asked.
"Fluffy?" Liv questioned.
"That thing has a name?" Hermione asked.
"Well, of course, he's got a name. He's mine. I bought him off an Irish feller I met down at the pub last year. Then I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the —"
"Yes?" Harry eagerly said.
"Shouldn'ta said that. Don't ask any more questions. That's too secret, that is," Hagrid gruffly said.
"But, Hagrid, whatever Fluffy's guarding, Snape's trying to steal it!" Harry exclaimed.
"Codswallop," said Hagrid, "Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher."
"Hogwarts teacher or not, I know a curse when I see one. I've read all about them. You have to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking," Hermione explained and Liv agreed with her.
Hagrid sighed irritated before eyeing them all down sternly, "Now, listen to me, all four of yeh. Yer meddlin' in things that ought not to be meddled in. It's dangerous. What that dog is guardin' is strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel—"
"Nicholas Flamel?" Liv questioned and Hagrid stared at them all panicked, "Who's Nicholas Flamel?"
"I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. I should not have said that," Hagrid muttered under his breath while the children eyed him curiously.