Alice said goodbye to Professor Flitwick and headed out of the Charms classroom.
Flitwick watched her go, shaking his head with a sigh. How did a kid with that much talent end up in Slytherin?
He didn't have anything against Slytherin—he prided himself on treating every Hogwarts kid fairly.
But…
Gifted Slytherins gave him the creeps. He wasn't sure if teaching Alice was the right call.
Power without a good heart? Recipe for disaster.
All he could do was shower her with Hogwarts kindness to balance out whatever crap she got in Slytherin.
That was Dumbledore's request, too. The headmaster had the same worry.
Not surprising—You-Know-Who had been his student, after all.
Still, Flitwick could tell Alice was different. He sensed real kindness in her, and a rock-solid sense of right and wrong.
Alice had no clue she'd been the topic of faculty gossip. She was already face-to-face with Parvati Patil, who looked frantic.
"What's wrong? Something happen to Hermione?" Alice asked.
Parvati spilled it: "Hermione's crying in the girls' bathroom."
Alice's eyes sharpened. Two months in, she'd already claimed Hermione as her people. No way was she letting "Know-It-All Granger" sob alone in a stall.
Parvati shrank back a little—Alice's glare was intense. Did I do the right thing coming to her?
"Talk. What happened to Hermione?"
Parvati jumped to explain.
It was simple, really. During Charms, Hermione corrected Ron's Levitation Charm pronunciation. It bruised his ego. He griped to Harry about her—loud enough for Hermione to overhear.
She'd been crushed.
Alice zeroed in on something else. "Does Hermione even have friends in Gryffindor?"
Parvati hesitated. "Wizard-raised kids don't really get her. And the Muggle-borns… well, Hermione's intense. She tries so hard it stresses people out."
"Honestly? In two months, the only person I've seen her actually try to get close to is you."
Alice nodded, gave Parvati a small smile. "Head to the Great Hall. It's Halloween—place is probably decked out. I've got Hermione. Don't worry."
She walked off, leaving Parvati staring after her, cheeks pink. "Merlin's socks… how can someone be that cool, pretty, scary, and sweet?"
---
Alice stood outside the girls' bathroom, hearing muffled sobs.
"Hermione? It's Alice. I'm coming in."
"No! Wait—just give me a sec!" Hermione's voice cracked.
A shuffle, a sniffle, then the door creaked open. Hermione stood there, eyes puffy and red.
"Tch. You look like a mess," Alice teased gently.
"Alice…" Hermione whispered.
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Spill. I'm listening."
Hermione hugged herself. "How do you survive Slytherin? And still seem… okay?"
"Weasley hurt you?" Alice guessed.
Hermione blinked. "How'd you—oh, right. You wouldn't be here if you didn't know."
Alice flicked her wand at the grimy sink. "Scourgify!"
Clean. She tugged Hermione down to sit on the steps.
Hermione sighed. "I know Ron doesn't hate me. He's just proud. But hearing him say that stuff… I could list a thousand reasons not to care, and I still feel awful."
Alice wrapped an arm around her. "You know what went down with me and Parkinson, right?"
Hermione nodded.
"She explained everything later—family pressure, threats, the works. I should forgive her. But if I do, who comforts me?"
"We all know the big life lessons. Doesn't stop us from feeling hurt. Even from people we care about. That's normal."
"You don't hate Ron. That's why it stings so bad. Cry it out, Hermione. It's okay."
They sat in silence, Alice's arm around her. It would've been poetic—if the bathroom didn't reek.
Hermione noticed Alice's nose wrinkling. "Uh… maybe we should move? It's pretty gross in here."
"Feeling better?"
Hermione nodded. They stood.
Alice opened the door—and slammed it shut again, staring at Hermione.
"What is it?"
"…" Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. Who said Hogwarts was the safest place in magical Britain?
Because there was a troll in the hallway.
Twelve feet tall, dull gray skin like granite, body like a boulder with legs. Tiny coconut-sized head. Legs like tree stumps, flat calloused feet. Smelled like a sewer exploded.
Dragging a massive club that scraped the floor.
Alice spoke fast. "When I open the door, run to the Charms classroom. I'm right behind you."
Hermione nodded—no hesitation. She trusted Alice's strength, brains, and guts.
The troll lumbered past, peering into another room. Alice yanked the door open.
Hermione bolted silently. Alice followed.
Just before the classroom, Alice spun, fired a spell at the bathroom. BOOM.
The blast echoed. Troll spun, club dragging, and stomped toward the noise.
Harry and Ron rounded the corner at the same moment—saw the troll heading for the bathroom.
"Hermione's still in there!" Ron yelled.
They charged inside.
Alice and Hermione didn't even have time to stop them.
Alice slapped her forehead. What is this mess?!