HALLOWEEN
“Prefects,” he rumbled, “lead your Houses back to the dormito-
ries immediately!”
Percy was in his element.
“Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll
if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first
years coming through! Excuse me, I’m a prefect!”
“How could a troll get in?” Harry asked as they climbed the
stairs.
“Don’t ask me, they’re supposed to be really stupid,” said Ron.
“Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke.”
They passed different groups of people hurrying in different di-
rections. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused
Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron’s arm.
“I’ve just thought — Hermione.”
“What about her?”
“She doesn’t know about the troll.”
Ron bit his lip.
“Oh, all right,” he snapped. “But Percy’d better not see us.”
Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way,
slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the
girls’ bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard
quick footsteps behind them.
“Percy!” hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.
Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He
crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.
“What’s he doing?” Harry whispered. “Why isn’t he down in the
dungeons with the rest of the teachers?”
“Search me.”
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