"Students, I urge you not to worry. Sandy Stone will be found promptly. The tournament will continue as planned, due to the sensitive schedule of our guests, and I assure you that our security has doubled. The best defenses have been put in place to keep all of you safe and secure the integrity of Hogwarts. If you have any questions, or require counseling, please do not hesitate too entrust yourself with any teacher present. All will be perfectly willing and capable of assisting you in any fashion required. Please, do not be alarmed. Continue through your day as normal." The headmistress stepped down from the podium sand joined the rest of the teachers. By the look on her face, Albus could tell that she knew her words had issued no effect on any of the students. The frightened looks and frantic whispers plainly visible throughout the hall made that evident.
"Where's Katrina?" Scorpius pointed this question at Albus. Albus hoped desperately that he was not blushing. "I mean, I know that there are thirty or so kids missing from breakfast because they're hungover from last night, but I know she's not among those and usually she's pretty punctual to breakfast." Albus suddenly became very interested in his eggs.
"I dunno. Why are you asking me?"
"Because you spend most of your time with her."
"Do not!"
"Wow. You just lied to my face."
"What? No-Scorp- I do note spend all of my time with her!"
"If you aren't holed up in the common room, doing Merlin knows what, you're with her. If I need to find you, literally it takes looking in the common room, or asking Bella where Kat is, and I've found you." Albus opened his mouth to speak, but Scorpius held up his hand to silence him.
"Albus, I'm too tired to put any effort into winning this argument against you right now. Rare, I know, but seriously, just drop it, you know I'm always right, so there is no use." He turned to Bella. "Bella, do you know where Kat is?"
"Oui, she is spending the morning in her room. She told me to tell Albus she'd see him at lunch." Scorpius smirked.
"See, even when you aren't together you're planning on seeing each other. When are you going to admit that Katbus is totally a thing?"
"When you admit that Scorose is a thing."
"What's Scorose?" Rose intervened over Albus' shoulder, scaring him out of his skin.
"Nothing," Scorpius and Albus said in unison. Rose raised an eyebrow but didn't question further.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to practice Quidditch with me later," she said addressing Scorpius. "You have the game against Ravenclaw soon and our game against Hufflepuff is coming up, so I thought we could get in some unofficial practice."
"Sounds good," Scorpius agreed a little nervously. Albus realized Rose seemed a little nervous too. What was going on?
"Great. See you during free period."
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Katrina wasn't at lunch. She wasn't at dinner either. In fact, Albus didn't see Katrina for the rest of that day. She was never at meals. She always managed to escape her classes just in time to miss Albus, and she was nowhere to be found during free time.
Albus became worried that she was avoiding him. Maybe she regretted kissing him and didn't want to have to face him. Or maybe she had found someone else.
Whatever the case, she was not present the evening following the Yule Ball when Professor McGonagall confirmed that the task clue had indeed already been released, and that the task must be completed by February 21st. In six days.
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It was fairly early the next morning. Albus hadn't been able to sleep once he woke up. He was puzzling over the second task. He hardly knew where to begin. The other boys in his year bustled in and out of their room, preparing to head down to breakfast. Albus drew the curtains shut on his bed and looked at the piece of paper with clue written on it.
When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades
And the crowds don't remember my name
When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm
I know you will still love me the same.
"What does this even mean?" He exclaimed out loud to the empty room. The two words "Memory fades" stood out to him for some reason.
" Albus!" Albus parted the curtain to acknowledge Reed, his fellow Slytherin 6th year, who was leaning in through the doorway. "There are a bunch of Slytherin girls waiting at the bottom of the stairs asking for your signature." Albus groaned.
"Who do they think I am, Gilderoy Lockhart? Tell them I'm sleeping." Reed nodded, grabbed his scarf off his bed and left, closing the door behind him.
"Gilderoy Lockhart... Gilderoy Lockhart... Memory Fades..."
"Gilderoy Lockhart!" He cried out. He searched the slip of paper again. "His memory is like, gone! And he can't do his memory charms anymore! That's probably what it means!" He threw his curtains aside, dashing down the stairs and plowing through the third year girls who squealed and waved photos of him in his face as he flew past.
Creepy...
He tore through the halls, knocking into numerous people as he went. He arrived at the eagle in front of the professor's door and stopped short.
I really didn't think this through...
"Albus? Do you need something?" Professor McGonagall approached the boy. She had obviously just been coming back to her office.
"Professor!" He managed between gasps for breath. "I need a travel release form!"