The Cursed Chronicles: Year 6

Chapter 34

"Hey, Al! Where were you yesterday?" Scorpius dropped onto the bench at the Slytherin table, and eagerly took a bagel, spreading it quickly. 

"Scoping out the clue for the second task, Albus explained. Scorpius raised an eyebrow. 

"Any luck?"

"A little. I don't think I should talk about it now, though."

"That's probably wise." 

"Have you seen-" Albus dropped his question as his eyes fell on their Beauxbatons friends entering the hall. "Nevermind," he said. Scorpius smirked.

"Alright then."

"What?"

"We'll just pretend we both don't know exactly who you were going to ask about."

"I was going to-"

"Sure." Albus' eyes narrowed, and he glared at his friend. 

"I was going to ask about all of them."

"Whatever you need to let yourself believe. None of the rest of us are fooled. You're mad for each other and we all know it." Albus turned his head to hide his red face as he remembered the night of the Yule ball. He lifted his eyes to make sure Katrina wasn't in view to see him. She would never let it go. 

The four Beauxbatons girls lingered in the doorway of the great hall. Parisa and Sabrina's gazes flickered the Slytherin table. Bella frowned. Katrina rubbed her shoulder awkwardly and avoided looking their direction as she spoke with Bella. She gestured to the Ravenclaw table. Bella cast a wary glance at the Slytherin table, before nodding uncertainly. Katrina lead them to sit at the Ravenclaw table with some other Beauxbatons girls Albus didn't recognize. 

Scorpius and Albus exchanged equally bewildered glances. 

"What do you reckon that was about?" Scorpius whispered. Albus shook his head slightly, his brow furrowing in confusion. 

"Haven't the foggiest." He looked down at his eggs, as if concentrating, but he simply stirred them aimlessly. While his friend wasn't looking, Scorpius caught Bella's eye. He conveyed his confusion. Her eyes flitted to Katrina, who was just as absorbed in her breakfast as Albus, before she subtly shrugged and tipped her head in Katrina's direction. Scorpius moved his finger between the two of them slightly with an inquisitorial look. Bella studied Katrina with concern. This time she mouthed,

"I don't know." Scorpius sighed, casting a worried look at his friend, who's enthusiasm had exponentially drained in the last minute. Albus, sensing his friend's sympathy, rallied himself. 

"How was Quidditch practice with Rose?" It was Scorpius' turn to play with this food pointlessly. 

"Um...Okay," he muttered. Albus groaned.

"You're kidding me. Don't tell me you two are dancing around each other again."

"We're not-"

"Merlin's beard, Scorpius! When are you guys just going to get over it!"

"I could say the same to you!" Scorpius retorted defensively.  Yes, it did occur to him briefly that this just may not be the correct time to use this retort. Nevertheless, it was said. Albus' eyes dropped to his plate again.

"I had hoped-" he sighed. "Nevermind," he muttered.

"Albus?" Scorpius inquired. He hadn't seen his friend quite this vulnerble very often. It wasn't easy for him to watch. Albus bit his lip.

"Don't worry about it," Albus said. "It doesn't matter."

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"Why exactly are we sitting at the Ravenclaw table?" Bella asked immediately. Katrina cursed her friend's good common sense. 

"Because."

"I would have thought you would be eager to see Albus again. As far as I've seen you haven't had the chance to see him since the Yule Ball." Katrina didn't respond. Sabrina looked up, her uneasiness evident as she locked eyes with Bella. Parisa nervously avoided the situation. It wasn't at all like Katrina to be this downcast. Or vague. 

"Did something happen between you two?" Bella tried again. This time she noticed a flicker of pain in her face. "Katrina, you can tell us. We're your friends." Katrina shook her head. 

"It's not-" she sighed hopelessly. "It's fine. Just please leave it alone, okay?" The friends again exchanged glances. 

"You can stop doing that," Katrina said without looking up. "I'm fine. Please don't worry about it."

At this point, Scorpius caught Bella's eye. They had a nonverbal conversation before Bella returned to her food, baffled that she had no idea how to help her friend. 

It was just minutes later that everything went wrong.

In a gesture of splendor, Thomas burst into the great hall. All eyes fell on him, if only for a second. Some with fear, others with admiration, most simply with dislike, distrust, or even loathing, in some more extreme cases. But he was impossible to ignore. He strode through the great hall sporting a smirk. His presence was so distracting that her friends did not notice Katrina tenese. She knew that whatever was coming, she wasn't going to like it. 

Bella nearly exploded when Thomas stopped at their part of the table, but the anger dissapated into confusion as Katrina turned and smiled genuinely at him. 

Inside, Katrina wanted to scream. 

"Hey," she said sweetly. Sabrina dropped her fork in surprise. Parina's mouth dropped. All eyes in the hall were glued on them. Thomas grinned. 

"Haven't seen you in a bit," he said. "I missed you." Then he walked away. Katrina quickly finished her breakfast with a renewed vigor that was by no means reflected inwardly. But she needed to sell it. For Albus' sake. 

"I have a few things to finish back at the cairrage before class," she explained to her astonished friends. "Meet you at Transfiguration?" Then she walked out. 

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Albus pushed away his breakfast and stared blankly at it. Scorpius held his breath. They sat there for a solid minute after Katrina left, in the same state. Then, almost as if it was timed, Albus stood deliberately and left. 

Nobody was sure what exactly was going on.