Chapter 172: The Change of Heart of Snape
When Hermione finally came to her senses, Kyle was already gone, leaving Harry and Ron standing there, looking at her with worried expressions.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked. "Did you see the troll just now?"
"What... I mean, of course not," Hermione replied, shaking her head. "Trolls are at least ten feet tall and smell absolutely awful. If I'd seen one, I'd have run for sure."
"True," Harry said, scratching his head, feeling a little silly for asking. If they had actually come across a troll, Hermione and Kyle wouldn't be acting so casually. No matter how talented they were, they couldn't have faced a ten-foot monster without showing some sign of it. It was impossible.
"Good thing you're alright," Harry added, sniffing the air uneasily. "Let's get out of here quickly." He thought he could smell a faint stench lingering, which made him feel unsettled. Maybe the troll was nearby and could come at any moment.
"I think you're overreacting, Harry," Ron said, more relaxed. "Maybe there's no troll at all. This could just be a prank from Professor Quirrell to spice things up. I bet the professors will come around soon and tell us to go back to the Great Hall. Remember, this is Hogwarts... with Dumbledore."
"You're right," Harry said, feeling a bit more reassured at the mention of Dumbledore's name, though a lingering sense of unease remained. "But let's still hurry back," he added. "If the professors find us wandering around here, we'll definitely get demerits."
The three of them quickly made their way toward Gryffindor Tower. Along the way, Harry and Ron talked about what they'd just seen, speculating that Snape was heading toward the restricted area. Hermione, however, stayed silent, following behind, seemingly deep in thought.
As they approached the corridor leading to the common room, she suddenly asked, "Did you two come looking for me on purpose?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "Parvati Patil told us you were locked in the bathroom. You weren't at the feast, so you hadn't heard about the troll. We just wanted to let you know."
"But it seems like it was a false alarm," Ron added with a shrug.