"She didn't even tell you guys. No wonder…" Ron said to a group of girls as they pushed through the crowded corridor.
"If you lived with her, you'd know she's a total nightmare," a blonde Gryffindor girl snapped, clearly annoyed.
Someone bumped into Harry and hurried past. It was Hermione.
Harry caught a glimpse of her face—she was crying.
"I think she heard you," Harry said, feeling uneasy after the girls' harsh words.
Even Ron looked stunned.
"So what?" the girls said, though they seemed a bit unsettled. "She must've noticed by now—she doesn't have any friends!"
…
Halloween was always a blast, especially since Ron, Harry, and Hermione rarely clashed.
Sean entered the Great Hall, greeted by vibrant Halloween decorations: a thousand bats fluttered across the walls and ceiling, while another thousand swirled like low, dark clouds above the tables, making the candles in the jack-o'-lanterns flicker.
Golden plates were piled high with desserts, just like the start-of-term feast.
Sean sat at a quiet corner of the Ravenclaw table, waiting for Hermione, Justin, and Neville. He noticed Professor Quirrell hurrying out of the hall, trembling as usual, probably off to deal with some forgotten task.
Professor Snape watched Quirrell's exit with a cold stare from the staff table. Another pair of eyes from the student tables did the same.
Neville had already sat down, and Sean knew Justin was busy in the kitchens, but where was Hermione? He scanned the table—she wasn't there.
A group of ghosts floated up through the floor, chatting about their "delicious" lunch: maggots, rotten fish, burnt cake, and moldy cheese. In the wizarding world, the dead could become ghosts, but they lost many human pleasures, like eating. Ghosts could only taste food when it was so rotten it'd make the living gag, which explained their gatherings beneath the Great Hall.
Behind the ghosts were two unexpected figures.
"Sean, we're here because…" Ron started, rushing over but trailing off, unsure how to continue.
"Hermione's upset. When Ron asked some Gryffindor girls about notes, they said some nasty things," Harry said plainly, not sugarcoating it.
"We're sorry. We've been looking for her. We heard she's close with Parvati Patil, but…" Ron hesitated.
"Parvati won't talk to us or tell us where Hermione is," Harry finished.
"Got it," Sean said with a nod. "This isn't your fault, Harry, Ron. Thanks for letting me know. I'll find her."
Harry and Ron, who'd been on edge, visibly relaxed at Sean's words. It was as if, the moment he said he'd handle it, Hermione was already back in the hall.
But Sean knew it wouldn't be that simple. Whether it was some strange twist of fate or something else, Hermione hadn't shown up for the feast. Worse, what if she wasn't in the usual bathroom but hiding somewhere else? How would things unfold then?
Finding Parvati Patil became his only goal.
At the Gryffindor table, Sean quickly spotted a surprised Parvati. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask—"
Before he could finish, Parvati gasped, covering her mouth, drawing the attention of nearby students.
"Of course, I know what you're asking, Mr. Green," she said. "Hermione's in the girls' bathroom, crying her eyes out… and she won't let anyone comfort her." She emphasized "anyone" pointedly.
"Can you tell me exactly where?" Sean asked, his tone calm but firm, a slight relief washing over him.
"Gladly. Fourth-floor bathroom," Parvati said eagerly.
Neville wanted to come along, but Sean stopped him with a single sentence. "If we both go, who's going to tell Justin when he starts looking for us?"
So, Sean left the hall alone.
Neville stood frozen, unsure what to do—until Professor Quirrell burst into the hall, his turban askew, his face pale with terror.
Everyone stared as he stumbled to Dumbledore's chair, leaned on the table, and gasped, "Troll—in the dungeons—thought you ought to know."
He collapsed onto the floor, unconscious. The hall erupted into chaos.
Dumbledore had to shoot purple fireworks from his wand to quiet everyone down. "Prefects," he said in a low voice, "lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
Neville was petrified. The feast hadn't even started properly, and Justin had just returned from the kitchens when he heard the shocking news.
"A troll… Merlin's beard, they're supposed to be twelve feet tall and weigh a ton!" Justin said, trying to stay calm. "Neville, we've got to get out of here! Where's Sean? And Hermione?"
"Hermione's on the fourth floor… Sean went to find her…" Neville's voice grew quieter, his eyes reddening. "I… I'm not leaving."
His body trembled, but his resolve shone through.
"What are we waiting for, then?" Justin said without hesitation. Neville jumped, seeing the same fire in Justin's trembling gaze.
At the Gryffindor table, Percy was shouting, "Follow me! Don't get separated, first-years! Stick with me, and you won't have to worry about any troll! Stay close behind—excuse me, I'm a prefect!"
"Are they insane?!" Ron's lips quivered, trying to joke despite his fear.
"Sean and Hermione… they don't know about the troll," Harry said suddenly.
"Then let's go," Ron said after a tense pause, meeting Harry's surprised look. "What, Harry, you think I'm a coward?"