Constellations

Chapter 21

I was still unsure about using the Time-Turner. I wanted a few days to think about it since I had heard so many bad things and stories of when things had gone awry. I didn't want anything to happen to Albus on account of me. I knew it wouldn't take long for my parents to figure out who Turned me since there shouldn't be many with connections to werewolves. I didn't really want to think about it, either. It wouldn't change the fact that I was already a werewolf. I didn't feel the need for justice as Albus did. In all the books that I've read about werewolves, many never find out who Turned them and I don't find the need to be the exception.

Quidditch practice had just ended and Albus and I were walking back towards the castle. It was freezing so we were huddling close to keep warm.

"Al!"

We turned around and I saw a girl with long, blond hair approaching us. Albus smiled and pulled away to accept the girl's hug.

"Hey, Cath. How was your break?" He asked.

"It was great but I'm happy to be back." She turned and smiled at me. "We haven't formally met. I'm Catharine."

"Scorpius," I said, smiling back.

"You two did really well at practice today. I like to watch from time to time because I've got a lot of friends that are on the team."

"Cool."

"Well, I'll see you two in class tomorrow!" She waved as she walked towards a group of girls coming out of the girls' dressing room.

"I didn't know you knew Catharine," I said as we continued on our way.

"You know her?"

"I'm Prefect. I know a lot of people."

"Fair enough. I met her on break. She's the one I was telling you about who said that she was supporting us."

I nodded. "Oh, okay."

"So, have you thought more about using the Time-Turner?"

"I have. I'm probably going to regret this—"

"Yes!" Al grabbed my hand and smiled. 

"But if we do this then we've got to have rules. Like, we can't interfere with anything, which means that all we do is wait for whoever did this and get a look at their face, that's it. No funny business or playing the hero. I've accepted the fact that I'm a werewolf now."

He nodded. "Deal. No funny business." He kissed me. "Let's do this tonight."

****

I don't know how Al convinced me but here we were, on the outskirts of the castle with the Time-Turner between us.

"Are we really doing this?" I asked for the twelfth time.

"It'll be a quick trip and we'll finally find out who attacked you and we can put this behind us." He leaned in and kissed me. "I love you."

"I love you too. Let's hurry and get this over with," I said.

Albus wrapped the necklace around our necks and started turning it. The world around us shifted until we were two months in the past.

"Alright, this is about 12:45 am. We have less than ten minutes until you get attacked so let's get into position." Al said.

We jogged toward the forest, keeping close to the right to avoid being seen. It wasn't long until I heard myself scream. Al and I sped up until we were on the outskirts of the forest looking in on the werewolf attacking me. I felt Al squeeze my hand. It was weird, watching myself go through something that I had already gone through. I didn't want to watch. Watching felt like reliving it all over again but I couldn't look away. The wolf tore at my skin before I saw a flash of a spell soar through the air and hit the wolf. Past Al stepped through the clearing and started throwing spells at the wolf. The wolf caught fire and dashed into the Black Lake. We made sure our past selves had made it far enough away before we ran over to the lake.

"There," Al pointed about twenty yards away where the wolf was sloshing out of the lake.

It shook the water off its fur before walking toward the Whomping Willow. We followed, giving it a safe distance in front of us. Then it started running, passing the Whomping Willow and heading straight into the forest. We were sprinting to keep up with the wolf. I could tell right away that whoever this was had drunk Wolfsbane before their change. Their movements were too deliberate. They no doubt would have smelled us if they had not been too focused on getting where they needed to go.

The further we got into the Forest, the more disoriented I got. Everything was starting to look the same and if not for the wolf's loud footsteps, we would have lost them. Finally, they stopped in front of a cave and slipped inside. Al and I stopped about ten yards away and caught out breaths.

"Now all we have to do is wait it out," Albus said.

I nodded and we settled on the ground.

"How are you doing?" Al asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm doing okay, just anxious is all."

"About finally meeting who did this?"

I nodded. "Maybe I'll find out why as well. I think that it's odd that they chose to go after me if it's my parents' enemy, you know?"

"It's not fair but they chose an easier and more precious target." He shrugged and grabbed my hands. "It'll be over soon."

I kissed his cheek. "And then we can just worry about us and let that rumor die away."

Albus laid his head on my shoulder and we waited. Then a spell hit me from behind and I fell face-down on the ground. I rolled to the side and caught a glimpse of someone in Slytherin robes with their hood up before I passed out.