Harry The Hufflepuff

Chapter 7: Troll In The Castle!

Harry's P.O.V.

It's the night of Samhain, or Halloween if you prefer. I find myself actually preferring our culture, the Wizarding culture's holidays more. Though, apparently the Wizarding World still celebrates Christmas in the sense of gift giving during Yule, but otherwise Yule is still a magical holiday.

Susan was helping me with learning our important holidays. Samhain is the day when the world of the dead is closest to the world of the living. In certain areas the dead even become almost life like. And, tragically, is the day I became an orphan.

So, Susan and I, along with Gran, held our own celebration in the old tradition. Which involves dancing and alters. Gran also said something about our own feast.

On the way down, Susan and Hannah were chatting about girl things and the like. I honestly wasn't paying to much attention. Could you blame me? I was on cloud nine just holding Susan's hand. Until I was suddenly knocked down and heard an accompanying oof in front of me.

I looked up and saw a crying Hermione, I mean in near hysterics. Part of me, the older part that's been beat into me just wanted to say sorry and run into a cupboard. But the new part of me, the real part of me that Susan has been helping to ease out made me reach across to Hermione.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" I asked in concern.

"I-i-its n-n-no-thing, Ha-ha-rry," she choked out.

I felt Sue kneel down beside me.

"No, it's not nothing Hermione," Susan said as nice as possible.

"Hermione, tell us what's wrong so we can help you through it," Hannah said kindly, also kneeling next to the sobbing girl.

That's when we heard heaving footsteps as Draco and Neville came running up.

"There you are Hermione," Neville said in relief as Hannah had a light dusting of blush on her cheeks.

"That Weasel git had to insult her and even called her a mudblood as we were leaving Charms. He even had Crabbe and Goyle laughing along with Bulstrode and Parkinson," Draco said with a slight crimson tint in his face, though this was from barely contained anger.

"B-b-but he's r-r-ri-ght, ev-ev-en our fe-llow Gry-ff-indors h-h-hate me," Hermione choked out.

"That's because you come on too strong, back off a bit and let them see what a genuinely sweet person you are," Draco said a bit awkwardly.

"Wait, Draco, didn't you say that the Weasleys were staunch Dumbledore supporters and they detest such bigotry?" I asked as a predatory smirk danced on my face.

"Yes, why?" He asked.

"Neville, you should write to your Gran and tell her about young Ronald's appealing behavior," I told him as he gained a matching grin and Susan giggled a bit beside us, knowing what I was implying. Draco had his mouth open in shock. Hermione calmed down a bit seeing everyone's reaction to what I just said.

"What do you mean?" She asked through small sniffles.

"Ancient, Noble and the Ancient and Noble Houses are, for the most part, in the two main political parties, as we discussed a few weeks ago, Light or Dark with a small group that's referred to as Gray," Draco started.