CHAPTER TEN
“If they hadn’t found me, I’d be dead now. Harry stuck his wand
up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn’t
have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off
when they arrived.”
Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn’t new to
them.
“Well — in that case . . .” said Professor McGonagall, staring at
the three of them, “Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you
think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?”
Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was
the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was,
pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape
had started handing out sweets.
“Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for
this,” said Professor McGonagall. “I’m very disappointed in you. If
you’re not hurt at all, you’d better get off to Gryffindor Tower. Stu-
dents are finishing the feast in their Houses.”
Hermione left.
Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.
“Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could
have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win
Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of
this. You may go.”
They hurried out of the chamber and didn’t speak at all until
they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the
smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.
“We should have gotten more than ten points,” Ron grumbled.
“Five, you mean, once she’s taken off Hermione’s.”
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