Chapter 461: Isabelle's Dilemma
Chapter 461: Isabelle's Dilemma
"Isabelle, have you heard the gossip?"
"What gossip?"
"It's about you and Albert. Everyone's talking about it."
"Me and Albert?"
"Are you two really a couple?"
Isabelle's group of girlfriends could no longer contain their curiosity. They had to ask her directly, longing for confirmation from Isabelle herself.
Albert was a hot topic among the girls.
Not only was he incredibly talented, but he was also handsome and polite, with an air of mystery that made him all the more intriguing.
Rumors about Albert spread throughout Hogwarts Castle, proving irresistible to these young, curious ladies.
"That's not a bad idea," Isabelle replied, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips as she addressed her friends' inquiries. "We are indeed good friends who often discuss academic matters. Perhaps there's some truth to the rumors. I might as well give it a shot and see if I can win Albert over. After all, we do share many common interests."
The girls were momentarily stunned, regretting their impulse to bring up the topic with Isabelle. They realized that the boy most of them deemed the ideal partner was likely to be snatched away by Isabelle.
It was inevitable, given their close friendship, shared genius, and Isabelle's status as the most beautiful girl in Ravenclaw. If she set her mind to it, she might not even need to wait for another day to become the girlfriend Albert was rumored to have.
"So, you're finally considering getting a boyfriend?"
A brown-haired girl passing by paused, drawn by the whispered conversation, and directed a questioning look at Isabelle. "And you're thinking of someone younger than you? I thought you didn't like the idea of a younger boyfriend."
"I just dislike immaturity," Isabelle denied with a shake of her head. She was, by nature, a mature individual.
"I recall numerous suitors pursuing you in the past, all of whom you turned down," one of the girls chimed in.
They were all aware of Isabelle's admirers; the number of people she had rejected thus far was more than they could count on their fingers and toes.
This fact alone incited envy, jealousy, and resentment among countless other girls.
However, Isabelle's genius far outshone them, rendering them insignificant in comparison, and they could only look up to her in awe.
"None of them were suitable," Isabelle replied calmly. "What about you? If I recall correctly, you've found someone a year older, haven't you?"
"We're just friends, and I'm still considering whether to accept his offer," Penelope added, lifting her chin and feigning hesitation.
"Who is it?" The group quickly shifted their attention to the new topic.
"Percy Weasley, right?" Isabelle asked.
Penelope nodded, a hint of embarrassment on her face, as she acknowledged the truth of Isabelle's words.
"Percy Weasley is exceptional. He's likely to become the Head Boy in a couple of years. He's a good choice for a boyfriend," Isabelle commented, her assessment of Percy not entirely negative. "He's ambitious and will probably join the Ministry of Magic after graduation..."
However, there were some things Isabelle chose not to say.
In her opinion, Percy Weasley would select a partner who could aid his political aspirations and further his influence.
Would Penelope Clearwater be a suitable match for him in that regard?
Apparently not.
Nonetheless, most students who dated in school weren't necessarily thinking about marriage.
Now that she thought about it, Albert was indeed a peculiar person! "What about you?"
Penelope, too, was curious about Albert.
Had she not been involved with Percy, she might have taken an interest in Albert herself.
"Albert is a good choice. He's a gentle person," Isabelle remarked, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"You seem to know him well," one of the girls probed.
It was common for young ladies to gossip about boys, sometimes giggling foolishly over a particular gentleman.
"Know him? No, I don't know him that well," Isabelle denied with a shake of her head, not entirely lying. Perhaps she knew Albert better than most, but he still managed to maintain an air of enigmatic charm.
He was impossible to read, even for a natural Legilimens like Isabelle.
"My strongest impression of Albert is that he's an incredibly talented wizard, a true genius in every sense of the word, excelling in numerous fields. I often wonder how he manages it all," Isabelle mused.
"But aren't the two of you always together?"
"We only meet occasionally to discuss academic matters," Isabelle replied softly, a hint of admiration in her voice. "He truly is an exceptional genius."
"We know. We've all read the papers he's published," one of the girls agreed.
"You don't know the half of it," Isabelle said, her voice lowered. "I dare say that by the time he leaves Hogwarts, he'll have accumulated even more accolades than Professor Dumbledore had when he graduated."
"It's hard to imagine you saying something like that," one of the girls remarked, unable to hide their jealousy entirely, yet acknowledging Isabelle's remarkable talent.
Before Albert's arrival at Hogwarts, Isabelle had been the smartest student in the school. Just two weeks after enrolling, she had displayed extraordinary magical abilities and wisdom beyond her years, conducting herself with grace and kindness. She was the female version of Albert, or perhaps he was the male version of her.
When Albert arrived and usurped her position, some had taken pleasure in her supposed downfall, anticipating her furious reaction to losing her title as the school's genius.
However, Isabelle had never shown any resentment. Instead, she had become friends with Albert, which many found inconceivable.
Weren't geniuses supposed to be arrogant and unwilling to accept defeat?
In truth, Albert had put immense pressure on Isabelle, though she never revealed it. The more she got to know him and peeled back the layers of his mystery, the more she felt a sense of defeat unlike anything she had experienced before.
It was then that she understood why her dear sister had insisted on taking every class available. It seemed the pressure she had inadvertently placed on her sister had been too much to bear.
Isabelle had never before placed so much emphasis on the O.W.L.s exams, even aiming to achieve twelve 'Outstandings' despite the minimal impact those grades would have on her future.
After all, she had already planned out her path forward, just as Albert had.
As she listened to her girlfriends chatting about Albert, Isabelle found the situation slightly amusing.
Indeed, Isabelle knew that her girlfriends didn't truly like Albert; they were simply vying to be his girlfriend to satisfy their own possessiveness and to flaunt their 'possession' to their peers, as if to say, 'I am better and more captivating than you.' They would also relish the opportunity to brag about their partner to others, a rather shallow mindset that Isabelle found tiresome.
Isabelle never enjoyed indulging in such conversations, as she could easily see through their intentions and deftly sidestep awkward topics. If necessary, she would casually dismiss the matter with a few words, gently putting them in their place.
Ever since Isabelle had decided to ask Albert out, her girlfriends had been offering unsolicited advice, insisting that the guy should be the one to initiate such matters, lest the girl appear cheap. Isabelle merely humored them with noncommittal responses, letting them ramble on.
However, in the following days, her girlfriends became curious as to whether she had successfully 'caught' Albert. Their inquisitive tone made Isabelle feel somewhat amused and exasperated.
Isabelle brushed them off with an excuse, suggesting that they could discuss it the next time they delved into academic matters.
Who knew when that would be?
This response led her girlfriends to assume that Isabelle had been politely rejected by Albert, and out of sympathy and a desire to spare her further embarrassment, they refrained from pressing the issue further, offering her consolation instead.
Isabelle was quite pleased with their misconception and was happy to let them believe it.
Time marched on toward April, and with the O.W.L.s exams looming closer, she couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency, even with the aid of a time-turner. She felt a certain fatigue despite her diligent efforts.
Isabelle grew increasingly fond of the feeling of dating Albert. Although his kissing skills were rather average, she felt comfortable and relaxed in his company.
Albert always managed to take her to fascinating places, and even when they snuck out for midnight rendezvous within the school grounds, she never worried about being caught by the caretaker.
However, Isabelle soon discovered that her boyfriend seemed to be taking an interest in a first-year Gryffindor named Hermione Granger, and he went out of his way to interact with her.
Isabelle didn't believe that Albert's interest in Hermione stemmed solely from her being Harry Potter's friend. There had to be another reason.
Could it be that Albert was attracted to Hermione's charm?
Isabelle quickly dismissed this notion, wondering if a first-year student could truly possess such allure.
During her spare time, Isabelle observed this Miss Granger and even had a few chance conversations with her. She found Hermione to be a genius comparable to her own sister, and she wondered why such a talent had been sorted into Gryffindor, much like the enigma of Albert's sorting.
It was evident that Hermione also held favorable feelings toward Albert, and when both parties harbored mutual affections, the likelihood of them ending up together was high.
This was similar to how she and Albert had started out.
However, Isabelle wasn't particularly concerned about Hermione. She knew that even if Hermione developed feelings later on, it would be too late.
Sometimes, being a step too late meant missing the opportunity altogether.
No matter how hard one tried, it would be futile.
Moreover, Albert and Hermione hadn't even begun anything yet.
Emotions, like friendships, required time and effort from both sides to carefully nurture and maintain for them to endure.
Albert and Isabelle were quite alike in this regard, as they both consciously tended to this budding relationship. It was like planting a seed and carefully watering and fertilizing it, awaiting the day it would blossom.
As Katrina had said, Isabelle had already won from the start.
As for Hermione and Albert, they would likely become good friends! Isabelle just couldn't quite understand why Albert felt the need to approach Harry Potter. With his intelligence, she believed he should be well aware that someone like Harry Potter would only bring trouble, eventually causing unnecessary problems for himself and those around him.
Yet, Albert had proactively sought out Harry, seemingly with a strong purpose in mind, and this puzzled her.
There was also the matter of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Quirinus Quirrell. The more she observed him, the more she felt that something was amiss.
He seemed unwell, and his stuttering gave Isabelle the impression that he was disguising himself.
Why would someone disguise themselves? It was obvious that it couldn't be for any good reason.
Albert evidently knew something about Quirrell's background, which was why he had advised her to stay away from the professor.
Was he dangerous?
And was he fixated on Harry Potter?
Among those who harbored animosity toward the Boy Who Lived was Voldemort, aka the mysterious Dark Lord. Could it be that Professor Quirrell was a Death Eater or, worse, a servant of the Dark Lord himself? What was his purpose in coming to Hogwarts? Was it to assassinate Harry Potter?
Or... was it something hidden within the school that he sought?
Whether or not Dumbledore was aware of this, Isabelle couldn't be sure, but she knew that Albert seemed to have a good grasp of the situation.
Recently, he had even taken the initiative to question Professor Quirrell, to the point where the stuttering professor actively avoided him.
Why?
What had prompted Albert to act in such a manner?
What exactly did he know?
Isabelle recalled that Albert had an aptitude for Divination. With his extraordinary talents, she wouldn't be surprised if he could indeed foresee the future.
So, what had he seen? These questions plagued her.
If there was danger, the best course of action would be to steer clear of it.
Isabelle began to understand why Albert had been sorted into Gryffindor.
These contemplations arose primarily from her curiosity about Albert.
However, she never probed him about it.
Isabelle wasn't concerned about Albert's safety, especially after witnessing his capabilities during the incident with Gilderoy Lockhart. She had full confidence in his ability to take care of himself.
Her sister Katrina, on the other hand, was a different matter.
Katrina's crush on Albert continued to trouble Isabelle. She could see that her sister had a soft spot for Albert, and in this regard, Isabelle was pleased with Katrina's taste in men.
She knew that without her presence, it was highly likely that the two of them would end up together in a year or two.
But the problem was that one couldn't have it all, and she wouldn't give up Albert, not even for her beloved sister.
So...
What should she do?
Perhaps it was time to let Katrina know about her relationship with Albert.
Maybe now was a good opportunity? Isabelle considered discussing it with Albert.
She reassured herself that Katrina would definitely find someone she loved in the future. After all, her sister was also exceptional.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
