Albus Potter, Friends and Foes

Ch 2 The Capture

This is the second chapter with contributions from Deb, Diane and Francois. Thank you all. We start a several chapter adventure.

*

Albus noticed Cleo and Nancy Weasley sitting at one of the Gryffindor tables with the scent making supplies out. Daniel Tiger was coming to join them, with quite a few couples heading their way as well. Albus and Scorpius strode firmly over to where Cleo and Rose were, Cassie following along behind.

Scorpius held up a dusty old book. "More work on Runes? I think we can make some excellent progress with this."

Rose looked at Scorpius, then at Cassie, then at Scorpius again. Cassie made a face; she knew nothing about what Scorpius and Rose were doing, and when they were engaged in the translating she was pointedly ignored.

Rose wondered if Scorpius was really interested in the Runes assignment, or if he just wanted to get rid of Cassie. Rose saw Percy coming towards her. He was an adequate dance partner, and it was better to have a date for dances, but she did not want to be Percy's steady girlfriend.

"Scorpius and I are going to go to the library and work on Runes."

Rose thought that that Runes would probably get rid of Percy and Cassie. In some ways it would be easier if Scorpius was her boyfriend, but in other ways it would be much more complicated.

As the Scent session was ending Albus reminded Cleo, "We have an appointment tomorrow right after breakfast." He did not want to tell everybody that they were going to see the Merpeople, although Scorpius knew, as did Rose.

*

Saturday morning Albus was worried, not an uncommon emotion for him. Normally he initiated the visits to the Merpeople, but they had contacted the centaurs, and Firenze had told him. Albus had texted his father about seeing the Merpeople. As soon as they could Albus and Cleo hid themselves under the Invisibility Cloak and left for the pond, their Elves – Frerin and Dis – following at a discrete distance. They disrobed at the edge of the pond, in a hidden area, made sure their wands would survive the transformation, and jumped into the pond, leaving the Elves to guard their clothes and other items.

The initial meetings were awkward. Albus could not tell why the Merpeople wanted to meet with them. Mermen were surrounding him, and mermaids were surrounding Cleo. Then, for the first time, some of the mermen started a fight. Albus quickly vanquished them, but Cleo had disappeared. None of the Merpeople would tell him what had happened to Cleo. Albus did not dare to try to get into Cleo's mind while he was transformed into a Merperson, so he swam back onshore and quickly changed back, put on his clothes, and tried to get into Cleo's mind.

"Albus! They've got me! I'm in the ocean Albus! Oh Merlin, please help me!" came the thoughts as Albus attempted to make contact.

"I'm coming," Albus thought back. How? How was he going to follow? "Expecto Patronum!" conjured up a huge lion. "Can you lead me to Cleo?"

The Patronum answered, "Above the sea, follow me. Below the sea, cannot be."

How to follow? Albus summoned his Firebolt. He looked at Frerin and Dis. "Can you come with me?"

Dis replied, "Only two people on a broom. With another broom we could."

The only other Firebolt that Albus knew was at Hogwarts was his brother's. He flew to the Quidditch pitch, where his brother was conferring with some other Magi.

"Cleo has been captured, I need to follow her, and take the Elves Frerin and Dis along. I need your Firebolt, right bloody now! Thank you! Tell Dad."