Chapter 22

As I followed Professor Sinistra through the halls of Hogwarts Castle, I had to reflect that this was a lot bigger than what had happened in the original timeline. In that, there had been only one troll. Here there had not only been a second troll, but other Magical Beasts let into the castle to rampage as well. That said bad things about just how cunning my opposition was this time around.

In the Original Timeline, Voldemort had been an irrational mess, giving orders that were seemingly counterproductive to his overall goal of ruling Wizarding Britain. While it seemed like there was some of that here, all the history books claimed Voldemort's War Effort in his War, previously extremely tactical and well-executed, had descended into seeming chaos toward the end as he became less rational.

I had thought that was because of the Phylacteries he had made, I refused to use the dumb made-up word for them in my head, had split his soul into too many pieces. Had dying somehow allowed him to regain some of the tactical logic that he'd initially conducted his war with? After all, if the teachers were spread out across the Castle handling multiple Magical Beasts, as Professors Sinistra, Babbling, and Vector had said, then it was doubtful that anyone would be around to catch Quirrel going for the stone. Snape had come across Quirrel in the Original Timeline and had taken a bite from Fluffy to the leg in the process. This time, it seemed like even that much wouldn't work.

That did bring up the possibility that Snape wouldn't know enough to start counter-cursing Harry's Broom at the first Quidditch Game. After all, in the original timeline, he'd only started that on time to help due to how his suspicions of foul play had already been triggered by Quirrel's attempt on the Stone. Unfortunately, it now seemed even more imperative I be around to deal with the First Quidditch Match of the Year next Weekend.

As we passed through the passage hidden by the portrait of Temeritus Shanks, the darkened spots on the ceiling and mouth of the stone tunnel belied the combat that had occurred here. Those looked suspiciously like the aftermath of a fight against Bundimuns, proving that yes, the Professors hadn't been lying, not that I'd actually expected that from most professors, mind you. Good on Millie for dealing with them.

It was as we made our way down to the Gargoyle Corridor that led up to the Headmaster's Office that something happened, however. It was faint, a slight, muffled, tip-tapping that drew my attention and activated my sight. Suddenly, I was rocketed into a vision of a charging Tebo, the mystical Warthog with its saber-like tusks appearing out of thin air mid-charge to gore Professor Sinistra from behind. I had just enough time to shove Professor Sinistra aside when I came back to myself, practically bull-rushing her to carry us out of the path of the attack.

Even with that, we almost didn't make it. Professor Sinistra let out a squeak of surprise as I grabbed her with my good arm and rushed us against the wall like a linebacker. As it appeared, snorting and squealing in its charge, the Tebo's blade-like tusk cut into my robes and drew a line of blood across my left calf, grazing me as it passed by.

"Merda! Vaffanculo, maledetto porco!" I swore in Italian.

"Mister Zabini! Language!" Hissed Professor Sinistra.

"Sorry professor, it got my leg." I huffed as the Tebo rounded the corner before once more vanishing from sight.

"Is it bad?" Questioned Professor Sinistra.

"It's just a scratch, Professor. We need to use the revealing charm and take down that Tebo. If it's that angry that it'll charge passersby, it needs to be dealt with." I grunted.

"Hominem Revelio only works on beings, Mister Zabini." Pointed out Professor Sinistra.

"The General Revelio works on everything else, beasts and objects." I insisted.

"You know that one?" Queried Professor Sinistra.

"It seemed easier to just learn two revealing charms than a bunch of specialized ones." I admitted.

"The specialized ones are taught for a reason. That's not important right now. If you'll cast the Revelio, I will deal with the Tebo. Its hide is too thick and armor-like for a First Year, even a talented one, to deal with." Insisted Professor Sinistra.

"Wait, do you hear that?" I asked, as my ears picked up more faint tip-tapping.

"Here it comes, get ready." Cautioned Professor Sinistra.

With my wand in my good hand, I prepared to cast the General Revealing Charm. With a point and flick down the hall and an incantation of 'Revelio' I pushed an invisible pulse of magic down the hall and it robbed the Tebo of its invisibility temporarily. True to her word, Professor Sinistra flicked her wand through a series of motions before incanting 'Paratus Hasta' and suddenly, a stout spear was conjured that set itself against the charging Tebo. The Tebo, having picked up too much momentum to stop, impaled itself on the spear with the full might of its charge.

The conjured spear punched into the Tebo's breast, parting the thick, armor-like hide thanks to the conjuration being powered by Professor Sinistra, a fully qualified, adult, witch who was competent enough to receive a professorship at one of the most prestigious Magical Schools in the World. It punched through tough, magically potent, bristly, armor-like hide, passed through the ribcage, and plunged into the Tebo's heart. It shook once, twice, thrice, then let out a huff of breath from its snout before stilling, dead.

"Wicked Spell, Professor!" I grinned.

"Yes, well, when you want to kill a boar, you use a spear." Shrugged Professor Sinistra, a small smile on her face.

I got the sense that she enjoyed showing off. If I had to guess, it was probably because her position as Astronomy Professor didn't actually let her show off more than her knowledge of ritual magic, and ritual magic wasn't flashy and liable to impress kids. Honestly, I thought that made it all the more impressive for how subtle the magic was compared to the effects, but what did I know? It wasn't like I was the average Hogwarts Student, after all.

"Someone is going to have to clean that up, though. Tebo hide and other body parts are too valuable as components for enchantment, alchemy, potions, rituals, and the like to simply vanish the remains. I suppose you'll be wanting part of the kill? You did effectively help me to do it, after all." Mused Professor Sinistra.

Thinking on the various recipes in the Craftsman's Art, there was a whole swathe of them that called for Tebo Parts. The Hide made for excellent armor, on par with Dragonhide to stop kinetic impacts and resist magic, though not quite as flame-retardant. The bones could be used to make charms, rings, and all manner of things, while the blood was a useful ingredient in all sorts of potions of concealment, sound-muffling, shadow-hiding, and other sorts of stealth-aids. The tusks made excellent bases for enchanted blades while the sinews were used in string instruments that could play themselves and even the meat could be cooked into steaks that would increase the eater's constitution.

"I can think of a whole slew of uses for the components." I nodded.

"You can have two components, I'll have them delivered to your dorm along with the Troll Components, provided the Pensieve shows you were telling the truth there. I am laying claim to the lion's share of the corpse. It was my conjuration that killed it, after all." Nodded Professor Sinistra.

"In that case, I'll take the hide and bones." I insisted.

"Not the tusks? Those aren't included with the bones." Pointed out Professor Sinistra.

"I don't need a magical blade right now, Professor, but I can think of any number of uses for the bones." I answered.

"I see. Most boys your age would jump at the chance for a magical blade." Mused Professor Sinistra.

"I'm not most boys, Professor." I responded.

"So you aren't. Well, come along Mister Zabini. Best we not tarry." Remarked Professor Sinistra, an upward quirk of her lips at my matter-of-fact response.

What she didn't know was that I had my sights set on a much bigger prize for making into a magical blade. After all, the Basilisk was coming next year as the Chamber of Secrets opened. Basilisk Fangs were a cut above Tebo Tusks for bases to make enchanted blades out of. At least according to the Craftsman's Art. I could wait till then for something like that, as it wasn't super imperative I have something like that quite yet. Basilisk Fang Blades, though, were known to be powerful enough to destroy Phylacteries, and that would definitely come in handy later.

Regardless, I followed Professor Sinistra, who had levitated the Tebo Corpse and was taking it with her, further down the corridor, finally arriving at the Gargoyle that Guarded the Headmaster's Office five minutes later. Professor Sinistra said the password, Malteasers, and the Gargoyle slipped aside. And just like that, the danger for me had passed, at least for tonight. I'd fought two trolls and a Tebo, killed one of the Trolls and helped kill the other and the Tebo, and would be getting components from the Troll and Tebo for crafting. And of course, all my friends made it out of tonight alive, which was the important part.

Not too shabby, if I said so myself. . .

XXXX

Meanwhile, Professor Vector, Harry, and Ron were in a predicament. They had made it to the moving staircase just in time for it to move while they were making their way up it. It had landed them on the fifth-floor landing adjacent to the Muggle Studies Showroom. Ordinarily, that wouldn't have been a problem, they would simply wait for the staircase to come round again. These were not ordinary times, however.

Trolls, Bundimuns, Mummies, and Tebos were not the only Magical Beasts that had been set loose in Hogwarts Castle. There were plenty of others, most were being taken care of by the professors, such as the Dugbogs squatting in the Hall of Hexes or the Graphorn roaming about the Dungeon Foyer that had been taken care of by Professors McGonagall and Snape respectively. Others had yet to be handled, however.

One of these was looming about down the Fifth Floor Corridor. A massive, eight-foot, three-headed, serpent, a Runespoor sat lording over the corridor. Its scales were tough as armor plates, colored a vibrant red with black bands while its fangs were long as daggers and dripped with venom. Its slitted pupils focused in on the three almost immediately, gleaming with ophidian intelligence.

"Stand Back! Runespoors are too dangerous for a pair of first-years!" Ordered Professor Vector as she placed herself between Harry, Ron, and the Runespoor, wand at the ready.

For Harry, however, this encounter was proving less than traumatic, primarily because he could understand what the three heads were saying. He was a Parselmouth, after all, though it wasn't a talent he enjoyed practicing often. After all, Voldemort had been a Parselmouth as well, and the last thing Harry wanted was to be compared to the man who killed his parents and caused him to be left with the Durseleys.

"Thisss one isss too loud. We ssshould find ssssomewhere elssse to sssleep." Huffed the Left Head.

"It'sss warm here. Warm isss good." Scoffed the Right Head.

"But noisssy. I wonder if thessse onesss would be good eating?" Mused the Middle Head.

"I doubt it. The two sssmaller onesss are ssskin and bonesss and fatty respectively, while the larger one ssseeemsss like too much trouble." Refuted the Right Head.

"For onssse I agree with you. It'sss too much trouble. We will go elsssewhere. The big metal tube in the nearby burrow isss nisse and warm. We will go there." Insisted the Left Head.

"We will." Agreed the Middle Head.

"Fine." Acquiesced the Right Head.

Just as the Runespoor seemed to come to a decision, however, Professor Vector raised her wand. Harry, realizing that if he said nothing, there was going to be an unnecessary fight, decided that speaking up and spilling the secret he was a Parselmouth was worth avoiding even more potential harm. There'd been enough of that already tonight, after all, and if anyone would understand him being a Parselmouth, it was a Professor and his Best Mate.

"Wait, Professor. It's about to leave!" Insisted Harry, tugging on Professor Vector's Robes.

"How can you be sure, Mate?" Demanded Ron.

"I can understand it." Admitted Harry.

"You're a Parselmouth?" Questioned Professor Vector.

"I am." Nodded Harry.

As if to prove his point, Harry stepped forward and began to speak in Parseltongue, wishing the Runespoor a nice nap and telling them that they were just waiting for the staircase to return. It sounded perfectly cogent to him, but to Ron and Professor Vector, it all sounded like a bunch of unintelligible hissing sounds. The Runespoor, though, understood.

"Ssskinny one isss a ssspeaker. We thank Ssspeaker for hisss kindnesses." Responded the Middle Head.

"Yesss. Angry Lady would have been a pain to fight. Ssspeakersss' companionsss not worth the meat on their bonesss to go through with it." Begrudged the Right Head.

"We go now, Ssspeaker. Have nissse night." Nodded the Left Head, bobbing up and down.

Then the Runespoor turned tail and left, literally. It slithered down the Fifth-Floor Corridor and into the Muggle Studies Showroom, where it planned to curl up next to the demonstration of the steam boiler that was usually running in there and sleep the rest of the night. Eventually, Hagrid would be called in to collect it, along with any other Magical Beasts that had managed to throw off whatever was causing them to rampage.

Harry, though, was just relieved that they wouldn't have to fight it. Of course, he'd effectively outed himself as a Parselmouth in the process. Something which, as it turned out, Ron wasn't as understanding of as he'd thought his Best Mate would be, at least initially. Instead, Ron was looking at Harry like he'd just grown an extra head.

"What, Mate?" Queried Harry.

"You're a bloody Parselmouth! You-Know-Who was a Parselmouth!" Accused Ron.

"So was Paracelsus, the man who invented several medical potions still in use today including Skele-Gro. It is a rare talent, but that doesn't make it inherently dark, Mister Weasley. It, like all magical abilities, is a skill. It is all about how you use it, after all, could not potions be used to poison as well as heal? Can not the Incendio Spell immolate a person as easily as it could start a fire for cooking? Things in life are often not as simple as we first think." Chided Professor Vector.

"I guess." Frowned Ron, in thought.

"I'm still me, Mate. Just with extra stuff you didn't know about." Pressed Harry.

"I know, Mate. it's just that particular talent doesn't exactly hold the best reputation, you know?" Admitted Ron.

"I know. That's why I don't like using it unless I have to. Just, don't spread it around that I can, yeah?" Asked Harry.

"Right. You're a Mate, and a Mate's a Mate no matter what. Your secret's safe with me, Harry." Nodded Ron.

"Well done both of you. I suppose I should give you both House Points for tonight. I'm awarding you fifty points to Gryffindor for such courage. Helping your friends in times like this is a noble act, worthy of the best traditions of Hogwarts, after all." Beamed Professor Vector.

Two minutes later, the staircase would move back and Professor Vector would lead Harry and Ron back up them to the Seventh Floor. As they headed for the Fat Lady's Portrait, they passed the Hall of Hexes, where a small pack of Dugbogs were struggling against stone clamps that had been transfigured out of the floor and that pinned them in place. Professor McGonagall's handiwork, Harry assumed. She wasn't the transfiguration professor for nothing, after all.

As they gave the password to the Fat Lady, which tonight was 'Samhain', which wasn't pronounced how it was spelled thanks to being a Celtic Word, Harry and Ron entered into the Gryffindor Common Room and were suddenly mobbed by Housemates demanding to know what had happened and where they had been. As they told the story, the Weasley Twins looked at each other, disappearing for a while before bringing back a case of Butterbeer. As Ron and Harry finished with the award of fifty house points for their actions, the Weasley Twins took two bottles and pressed one into Harry and Ron's hands.

"Drink up! You both deserve it!" Grinned Fred.

"Indeed they do, Brother of Mine. Fifty House Points and the defeat of a troll is something to be celebrated." Concurred George.

As Harry tipped the bottle of sweet, slightly alcoholic, liquid back to his lips, he couldn't help but grin after swallowing the rich, amber liquid. As it fizzed down his gullet and warmed his stomach slightly, Harry couldn't help but think the Butterbeer didn't taste like butterscotch tonight. No, tonight, it tasted like victory.

A well-deserved victory at that. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we have the next part of Halloween. Blaise helps take out a berserk Tebo, while Harry reveals to Ron and Professor Vector that he's a Parselmouth in order to get the Runespoor to leave them be. Ron initially acts like a pratt, but this is Book Ron, and Book Ron is actually a good dude, so he gets over it with a little prompting.

In the meantime, not only will Blaise be getting extra crafting materials from the Tebo Corpse, on top of the materials he gets from the Troll, but Harry and Ron also gain much-needed House Points. Right now, Gryffindor is tied for Third Place in the House Cup with Hufflepuff, behind Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Blaise and Hermione are doing a lot of heavy lifting for Slytherin and Ravenclaw those houses didn't get in Canon, after all. Right now, any big lump sum of house points from anyone would have gotten the Weasley Twins to break out the contraband butterbeer, but this makes it extra special.

At any rate, the next chapter will be the Halloween wrap-up.

Stay tuned. . .