Just as Albert reached the bathroom door, he saw Angelina Johnson walking out. He stopped her gently.
"Good evening, Angelina. Have you seen Hermione around?"
"Hermione? You mean the first-year girl from our house?" Albert nodded.
"She was crying in one of the stalls with the door locked. A few of us tried to comfort her, but she refused to come out. Are you a friend of hers?"
"I am. Could you please pass along a message? Just tell her that Albert is waiting for her by the door."
"Sure." Angelina smiled kindly before turning back into the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Angelina emerged, this time with Hermione following behind her. Hermione's hair was messy, her eyes red and swollen, and she was still hiccuping from crying.
"Friends are one of the most important things we have. I hope you two have a good talk," Angelina said as she gave them a little wave and left.
The moment Hermione saw Albert, tears welled up in her eyes once more.
With a quick flick of his wand, Albert conjured a handkerchief from thin air and handed it to her. "It's alright. Don't cry. Let's find a better place to talk. Standing in a hallway like this isn't ideal."
He gently guided her to the nearest empty classroom.
Even though there weren't many people around the bathroom, the hallway was still a public space—far from private. Around the corner, Albert found an unused classroom, opened the door, and let Hermione step inside first. Then he followed and pointed to two dusty chairs.
With a wave of his wand and the incantation Scourgify, the chairs were cleaned in seconds. They sat facing one another.
Albert looked at Hermione's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks, unsure of what to say. Though he had the mind of someone who had lived through another life, he had never had siblings, and his interactions—especially with girls—were practically nonexistent. Since his rebirth, he'd spent most of his time talking to his father. Social experience? Almost none. Persuading girls? Even harder.
They stared at each other for a minute or two. Noticing the awkward silence, Hermione gave a faint, forced smile. That small gesture broke the tension in the room, and Albert found himself chuckling too, though he wasn't sure why.
After a few moments, their laughter faded. Albert finally gathered his thoughts and spoke.
"You don't have to be so upset. It's not your fault. Harry and Ron... they never mean to hurt anyone. But when they get emotional, they act before thinking. Like earlier—their harsh words—they didn't really mean them."
Hermione wiped her tears with the handkerchief and looked up stubbornly.
"Then what did I do to deserve such rejection from them?" she asked. "I speak up in every class, I try my hardest to earn points for Gryffindor, but they never appreciate it. They undo everything I work for with their reckless behavior."
Albert gestured with his hands. "Hermione, I work hard too. I train day and night just to earn us points. Have you ever seen me cry about it? I agree—Ron and Harry can be reckless. But if people see you crying easily, they'll take it as weakness. Trust me, I know how people think."
He said that with deep sincerity, not just as a friend, but as someone who had been in her shoes. In his previous life, Albert had been bullied—an easy target because he'd cry when hurt. That weakness had painted a bullseye on his back. He didn't want Hermione to go through the same thing.
"To be honest," he continued, "most of the points we've lost were in Professor Snape's class. Sometimes, it's not about you or me—just a biased teacher. You know Snape deducts my points without reason too."
Hermione tilted her head slightly, confused. "Then why don't the other Gryffindor students seem to care about the House Cup at all? I've seen so many lose points for misbehavior or poor academics. When I point out their mistakes, they hate me for it."
She sighed. "The Sorting Hat wanted to place me in Ravenclaw, but I chose Gryffindor because the greatest wizard of our time—Professor Dumbledore—came from this house. But now I think... maybe I don't belong here."
"Of course you do. I wanted to be in Hufflepuff, to be honest. But my father—Sirius Black—graduated from Gryffindor, and he always told me, 'If you go to Hogwarts, do your best to be sorted into Gryffindor. It'll be easier, and you'll meet good people.'"
"In the end, the Sorting Hat assigns students based on their core traits—but it also listens to their wishes. If you ended up in Gryffindor, there must be a side of you that truly belongs here."
"For Gryffindors, courage is the defining trait. But honestly, I think it's more about how emotionally driven they are. Harry and Ron—prime examples. So I understand why their words hurt sometimes."
"And yet," Hermione said softly, "I feel like everyone in school looks at me with disdain."
Albert replied gently, "Because while what you say may be true, the way you say it can feel... off-putting. That's something I learned while reading a lot in my past life."
"I also used to think everyone hated me because of my father's reputation. But after I worked hard, helped others, and became a top student, people began to see me differently."
"Harry... he went from a helpless orphan to the center of attention overnight. That kind of change messes with someone. And Ron—he's one of many siblings and often feels invisible. That can make someone act out just to be noticed."
"So when emotional or insecure people lash out, it doesn't mean their words are true. You don't have to carry their mistakes as your burden."
Hermione's expression slowly softened. His words resonated. She began to understand—there was no point in tormenting herself over things out of her control. She could only change herself.
As the sun began to set, she stood up and extended her hand. "Thank you for taking the time to comfort me. I think... you're my first real friend at Hogwarts, aren't you?"
Albert smiled and stood. "We were just acquaintances before. But yes, we're friends now."
Afterward, Albert suggested they go to the library together, but Hermione declined, feeling too self-conscious about her tear-stained face. She didn't want others to see her like this. Instead, she chose to study in the empty classroom.
With no other option, Albert ran up to the dorms to grab his bag, then returned. Hermione had washed her face and cleaned off both desks.
She pulled out the notes Albert had taken from the class she missed earlier that day.
As she copied them down, she muttered, "I can't believe I missed a class like this. The Levitation Charm is so important—it might even show up on the final exam."
Time passed slowly as they studied together. When they finished their homework, Albert glanced out the window. The sky had grown dark.
"Oh no, I think we missed dinner. And today's Halloween! I heard the Hogwarts Halloween feast is amazing—the decorations in the Great Hall are supposed to be spectacular. It's our first real event here. We can't miss it!"
They packed their books quickly and moved to open the door—just as a strange sound echoed from the far end of the hallway.
Footsteps. Heavy, scattered, and fast.
Albert tensed. He reached out and stopped Hermione from touching the door. He cracked it open just slightly... and saw it.
A massive creature, wielding a giant club.
Hermione whispered, "What is that sound?"
Albert pressed a finger to his lips. "Shhh. There's a giant troll outside."
Hermione's face turned pale. Panic set in.
She peeked through the door—and the color drained from her face.
"What do we do now?" she whispered. "That thing looks huge... and fast. We're just first-years. We're doomed!"
"Calm down," Albert said softly. "I have a plan. But I need you to stay calm, okay?"
Hermione nodded nervously. "Okay. What's the plan?"
"The exit is behind the troll. Only one of us can make it out quietly. The creature can hear footsteps. One of us needs to distract it while the other escapes to alert the professors."
Hermione hesitated. She wanted to refuse. But after thinking it through, she realized it might be their only option.
"I'll do it," she said firmly. "I'll distract the troll while you escape."
She didn't know any combat spells. But Albert had helped her through one of the hardest moments of her life. She wanted to repay that.
Albert looked surprised. "I didn't expect you to agree so quickly. But no—you will be the one to escape."
Before she could protest, a loud, thunderous knock shook the door. The troll had found them.
Albert turned to Hermione. "Listen to me. We don't have much time. You have to go now. Use the other door and run as fast as you can to the professors. Got it?"
There was no time for further discussion. Hermione nodded, eyes wide, and bolted toward the adjacent room.
Albert gripped his wand t
ightly, then stepped out... straight toward the troll.
--