The Cursed Chronicles: Year 6

Chapter 40

Scorpius' head felt foggy as he hurried back to the common room. He struggled to process all that he had just discovered. Katrina was being manipulated by Thomas into hurting Albus, and she was only doing it to protect him......

It was hard for him to wrap his head around it, but one thing was for sure. Two of his best friends were hurting and he was not having it. He thought he couldn't be angrier than when Albus told him what happened by the bridge, but he was wrong. Seeing Katrina like that hurt too badly for words. Thomas was going to pay. But for now, he'd have to keep this quiet. For Albus' sake and for Katrina's. 

He was careful as he dashed through the hallways not to create noise and to check for teachers before turning corners. He finally made it to the Slytherin Common room, a little winded. 

"Albus!" he whispered, shaking his friend, who had fallen asleep on a couch in the common room. Albus sat up sleepily. Scorpius watched his expression slip from sleepy to dismal as he remembered the events of the night before. 

"What?" he asked. "Why are you so out of breath?"

"I went to go find out what's going on." Albus' face hardened. 

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did. I found Katrina-"

"I don't care."

"You will! It's not her fault! Thomas put this hex on her and she's only trying to-"

"I don't. Care." Albus said flatly. "I don't want to hear whatever excuse she gave you." Scorpius was taken aback. Of all the possible reactions, he hadn't imagined this.

"Albus, she's trying to protect you! You should have seen her, this is tearing her apart! She can't tell anyone or else Thomas will kill you!"

"Exactly what she'd have you think," Albus said bitterly. "Anything to make her the victim." Scorpius' brow furrowed. Irritation was rising in his chest.

"I can't believe this! She's like, your best friend! She's sacrificing everything for you! You're not even going to give her a chance?"

"I can't believe you're buying this!" Albus retorted. "She's obviously trying to win back everybody after what she did!"

"I found her sobbing in the counselor's office at 3:00 AM! What, do you think she's trying to win back the counselor?"

"It's an act!"

"At 3:00 AM?!?!?"

"I've had enough of this!" Albus rose angrily, and stormed towards the staircase. "I'm going to bed, and I don't want to hear anything about this in the morning!" He turned and fled up the stairs to the sixth year dorm without leaving Scorpius time to respond. 

He was angry. He couldn't believe him. This didn't feel like the Albus he knew at all. This Albus was bitter, unforgiving, and cruel. He didn't like this Albus one bit. 

Worst of all, Katrina would have to find out eventually that Albus didn't believe her, and that would break her heart. 

No matter how angry he was at Albus, he knew that he couldn't stay mad at him. Mostly because he knew Katrina would never stand for this situation hurting their friendship, but also because he knew Albus was hurting and needed his best friend. Maybe with time he would come around. 

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Katrina didn't want to face her friends, so Professor Griff allowed her to stay in his office for as long as she needed. She took a light nap, and Maverick fetched her some breakfast from the great hall. She probably could have gone to her first class that morning before the task, but the thought made her sick to her stomach. The thought of leaving at all made her sick to her stomach.