Harry Potter: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me from Studying

In the girls' lavatory, Hermione was immersed in her sadness when she heard a gentle knock on the cubicle door.

"Hermione, is that you?"

"Who is it?" Hermione choked out. "Are you here to mock me too?"

"I'm Padma Patil," Padma said softly. "The Halloween feast should have started already, Hermione. Wade and Michael are waiting for you outside—they're very worried about you."

"You, you all go to the feast, don't mind me! Let me be alone for a bit," Hermione said stubbornly, wiping away more and more tears.

She had cried so much that her tears should have long run dry, and she was still hiding here only because she was sad and didn't want to face others. But at the sound of her friends' concern, comforted by gentle words, tears suddenly welled up again.

Padma placed her hand on the cubicle door and whispered, "Hermione, I know what that awful Weasley said. But I don't understand why you're sad over an unfair evaluation from a foolish boy, yet you're ignoring the friends who truly care about you? Everyone says you're the smartest witch in your year. Can't you tell what's truly important?"

Hermione's sobs ceased. She remained silent for a long moment.

"I'll tell you a secret—people who badmouth you behind your back are often driven by inferiority and jealousy. You're smarter than them, better than them, superior in every way, so they try to hurt you by speaking ill of you. If you really let yourself be heartbroken and push your friends away, then the bad person wins," Padma said. "The best way is to ignore those who slander you. Shine your light, don't focus on the shadows in the corner—if you don't feel satisfied enough, punch him in the face! After all, you're a Gryffindor lion, aren't you?"

"Creak—"

A moment later, the cubicle door was pushed open.

Hermione emerged, her eyes red, her voice still thick with tears: "I'm not the smartest witch—Padma, you're the truly smart one."

Padma smiled and gave her a hug.

Wade and Michael had been waiting in the corridor for a long time, and finally, they saw the two girls emerge from the lavatory. They had actually overheard Padma's words of comfort to Hermione, but no one brought it up.

Michael spread his arms, jokingly saying with a grin, "Do you need a warm hug, Hermione?"

The brown-haired girl wiped her eyes, then hugged Michael with a force that felt like it would break his ribs. She released him while he was still stunned, then turned and gave Wade a firm hug.

"Thank you—and sorry," Hermione whispered.

Wade casually ruffled her hair, saying nothing.

"No need for apologies, but right now I'm desperate to enjoy the Halloween feast. I hope they haven't eaten all the dessert yet!" Michael said, rubbing his stomach. "Otherwise, we'll just have to sneak into the kitchens for some food."

Padma asked curiously, "Where's the Hogwarts kitchen? I've never seen it."

Michael immediately brightened up: "The kitchen is very well hidden; if it weren't for Theo and them—"

Wade stopped in his tracks, extended a hand to block the others, while his other hand quickly drew his wand.

"—What's wrong?" Michael paused, asking in a low voice.

Wade asked, "Didn't you hear that sound?"

Michael didn't answer, because all of them had seen it—a giant, greenish-gray hand gripped the wall around the corner, and a snorting sound came from out of sight.

Their faces instantly went white. Padma moaned, "Merlin—what monster—"

A colossal figure lumbered out from around the corner.

It was a full twelve feet tall, its head nearly touching the ceiling, and it looked to weigh at least two tons. Its skin was as disgusting as a toad's. A massive body, a bloated belly, and a bald head with only a few strands of hair sat atop a short neck. The creature reeked abominably, and its long arms hung almost to its knees, holding a club like a tree trunk.

"Impossible, in the castle—how can there be a troll in the castle?" Padma's face was deathly pale, her legs weak, leaning entirely on Hermione for support.

The troll lowered its head, saw the group, and a cruel excitement gleamed in its small eyes. It lifted its heavy legs and began to stride towards them, raising the wooden club in its hand.

Hermione's hand trembled uncontrollably. She pointed her wand at the troll but didn't know what spell to use.

Michael repeatedly cast spells: "Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!"

He hadn't yet mastered this spell proficiently. The spells hitting the troll were like raindrops on rhinoceros hide, completely useless. Wade raised his wand, quickly reviewing all the spells he knew in his mind.

He knew many spells, but trolls had extremely high "magic resistance" and formidable physical strength; even an adult wizard's spells would have little effect on them. This was a creature that, despite having no brain or much magic, still reached an XXXX danger rating, on par with Thunderbirds and Sphinxes.

Although Wade had felt something was definitely wrong with this rating system the first time he read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, facing this monster, taller than a house, still brought a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Bang!"

A bucket suddenly hit the troll's head. Harry emerged from nowhere, yelling at them, "What are you staring at? Run!"

Michael snapped out of his daze, turned, and pulled the two girls, running. Wade, however, stepped forward, pointing his wand: "Avifors!"

A large flock of chirping birds flew from the tip of his wand,扑 (pounced) onto the troll's face. The simple-minded troll was immediately distracted. It grunted, clumsily batting at the birds with its huge, fan-like hands.

Michael and the others, seeing that it worked, also shouted, "Avifors!"

But their spells had little effect; only a spark shot from their wand tips, briefly catching the troll's attention.

The dozen or so birds Wade had conjured surrounded the troll. The behemoth roared, letting out terrifying bellows, smashing the surrounding decorations to pieces with its club, but it was helpless against the nimble birds. However, as time passed, the birds were rapidly diminishing.

Michael shouted, "That spell can only hold him for ten seconds at most!"

Wade waved his wand forcefully: "Slippery Surface!"

The floor beneath the troll suddenly became extremely smooth. It stumbled unexpectedly, its massive body crashing heavily to the ground. The entire floor seemed to shake, and the club in its hand flew away.

Hermione, looking like she might faint at any moment, mustered her courage, extended her wand, and cried, "Wingardium—Leviosa!"

The club flew high into the air and then fell, striking the troll squarely on the head with a thud. The troll shook its head, struggling and roaring as it tried to get up. Hermione gritted her teeth, manipulating the club to strike a second, third, and fourth time...

The troll finally blissfully passed out.

Hermione stopped, breathing heavily, and turned to see them all staring at her in shock and awe.

"What's wrong?" The girl's face flushed slightly. She feigned nonchalance, looking at Padma. "Well, you were absolutely right—punching it really feels good."

Padma was dumbfounded, utterly speechless—Did I really teach her that?

She felt a little afraid to look into Wade's and Michael's eyes.

"Harry—troll! There's a troll in the castle—get back to the dorms! Tr—"

Ron came rushing over, shouting, then his voice abruptly cut off. He gasped, looking at the scene before him, and asked blankly, "What happened?"