Warning: Mentions of the 9/11 attack

October 31, 2001

The tension did not clear up tomorrow. As a matter of fact, it lasted for almost 3 months. During the past 3 months, everything was normal. Everyone went to class without a care in the world. Though the tension between Catrin and Emerie did not faultier. Instead, it only grew.

One day in September, just the day after 9/11, Catrin was crying in Potions class. Emerie didn't noticed and calmly answered all of Professor Tamlin's questions. However, after class, Catrin heard Emerie talking to another first year Ravenclaw named Nesryn about the terrorist attack. Catrin didn't say anything at first, but when Emerie said, "I've read about those terrorist at a muggle library.' Catrin growled and gave Emerie and earful about how her late cousin worked at the tower and died on that day. When she finished yelling, all of the students were looking at her with concern, confusion, and a bit of annoyance. She ran away shortly after.

Nesta would see the two of them in class, but they were as far away from each other as possible. Now, it was Halloween, and Nesta and her friends were chowing down on a bunch of treats.

"How're you guys feeling after...the attack?" Nora asked shyly as Nesta elbowed her a bit.

Gwyn and Catrin, who were sitting across from each other, looked down in sadness. "It's been...hard."

"We're fine. Though, I never wanna go back to New York again." Catrin replied, not looking up from the table.

Nesta looked over to where Nesryn sat with the Ravenclaws. "Hey guys, where's Emerie?" she asked as half of her friends shrugged. "Last time I checked, she was in the girls bathroom crying." Bryce clarified, munching on some carrot cake.

Nesta was about to ask where until the two double doors to the Great Hall burst open. Out came Professor Ianthe looking like she ran a marathon. "TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" she cried as all of the students stopped what they were doing. Even the teachers were silent.

Ianthe fainted from exhaustion (probably from all the running) and a thunder sound was heard throughout the Great Hall. Nesta started to hear screaming coming from the students of Hogwarts (mostly first years) while a couple of them went under the table. Nesta covered her ears because the sound was to great.

"SILENCE!" Again, the room was silent. This time, the noise cam from Kallias. "Everyone, please! Do not panic. Perfects, lead your house back tot he dormitories. Teachers, will follow me to the dungeons."

Another thunder sound was heard and the Perfects led their houses away from the Great Hall.

As the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs walked together, Nesta couldn't help but wonder if she'd forgotten something. "How did a troll get in?" she asked as Catrin shrugged. "Who knows? Trolls are pretty stupid."

"Yeah, and wild." Gwyn said as Nesta felt a sudden wave of realization. Nesta, as quietly as she could, slipped away from the Slytherins and went back the way they came. The twins noticed her slip away but didn't say anything and only followed her.

Once the three of them were away from the group, Nesta stopped at a corner where they were hidden. "What is it Nesta?"

"Emerie. She doesn't know."

--------------------------

Nesta and the twins raced up the stairs to the staircase. The staircase knew where they wanted to go and changed the direction to make it easier for them to get to the bathroom.

Once they've made it to the floor, the girls passed the Great Hall and was about to turn the corner when Catrin pulled both her sister and Nesta back. "Catrin-"

"Shh!" Catrin whispered covering their mouths. "Look." Right ahead of them was the troll. It was a lot bigger than Nesta thought it'd be. His kin was a dark gray color. His ears were large and pointy. He also had a club in his hand that he was dragging behind him. He didn't say any words but he did make some distorting noises.

Only when he was out of sight did Catrin and the other relaxed. Catrin uncovered their mouths making Nesta the first one to speak. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Gwyn cried as Nesta stopped. "Did you see that thing?! It's as big as a house. How are we suppose to defeat it?" Gwyn made a good point. They may want to help Emerie but they might do more harm than good. Catrin shook her head. "Even so, we can't just leave her." she said as Nesta nodded. "C'mon twins. Em needs us."

When the girls made it around the corner where the troll went to, they were right in front of the entrance to the girls bathroom. It was completely destroyed. "AHHHH!" A scream came from the right. It was Emerie. The girls rushed inside and saw the troll looking down at her. Nesta and the twins couldn't tell his express, but looking at Emerie made them believe that it wasn't good.

Emerie was on her stomach and was trying to back into a corner. "Help me, please!" Emerie cried as Nesta growled at the troll. "Hey, you! Over here!" It seem to get his attention. The troll used his club to bang it on Nesta's head, but she moved out of the way before he could get the chance. Nesta began to laugh. "You can't catch me! You can't catch me!" she taunted as the troll growled and slammed the club at least 3 centimeters away from Nesta. Nesta gulped and tried to run to the other side of the bathroom, but the troll grabbed her cloak from behind and began to spin her around like a lasso. "GAH! Twins, do something!"

"Catrin, what're we gonna do?" Gwyn asked as Catrin took out her wand. She aimed it at the troll's club. "What did Professor Clotho say again?"

"SWISH AND FLICK!" All 3 girls yelled as Catrin waved her wand and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" the troll's club floated into the air out of it's grip. Forgetting about Nesta, he dropped her and tried to reach for his club. Because Catrin can control the floating object, she waved the wand well enough to bunk it on the troll's own head. He lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

The girls stared at the fallen troll. "Is he...dead?" Gwyn asked as Emerie and Nesta stood up from the ground. Emerie placed her hand in front of the troll's nose. Not touching him but enough to feel his breathing. "No, he's still alive."

"Oh my," the girls turned to see 3 of their Professors. Professor Viviane, Ianthe, and Tamlin. They all looked at the unconscious troll. "What happened?"

"Um well-"

"You see-"

"We uh-"

"It was my fault, Professor." Nesta, the twins, and the teachers turned to Emerie. "I wanted to look for the troll. I read about them and thought I could handle it. If it weren't for my friends, I wouldn't be alive." When Emerie finished, her face was red with embarrassment.

Professor Viviane considered her words. "Be that as it may, I am glad that all of you are safe. However, 5 points will be taken from Ravenclaw. For your serious lack of judgement." Viviane's tone wasn't cruel but it didn't stop Emerie from flinching.

"Wait!" Everyone turned to Catrin this time.

"Emerie actually helped us defeat the troll. I was having some difficulties with my Charms class. If it weren't for her, I never would've been able to defeat him." Catrin explained as Professor Viviane glared at the girls. "Is that true?" she asked as all the girls nodded.

Viviane cleared her throat. "Very well. I shall reconsider deducting your house points, Emerie." Emerie released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "And I shall reward 5 points to each of you." she added and mumbled something under her breath that the girls couldn't make out. Viviane turned to Ianthe. "Ianthe, may you escort the girls back to their houses?"

"Y-Yes m-ma'am." Ianthe stuttered as she and the girls walked out of the bathroom. When Nesta looked back, however, she took a glance at Tamlin's leg. She noticed a scratch on it. She also remembered that he was limping when he walked into the bathroom. 'Strange' she thought but didn't say anything further while she walked back to her house with her friends.