Chapter 541: Who is Quinn?
Chapter 541: Who is Quinn?
Albert's relationship with the Potters could only be described as average, and he didn't have the heart to stay and watch Ron regurgitate slugs. Soon after, he bid farewell to Hagrid's cabin, intending to return to the castle and inquire about Lockhart's exploits with the resident ghosts.
Along the way, Albert encountered a breathless Fred rushing towards him. In his hand, he clutched the Marauder's Map, seemingly having sought him out specifically. Upon spotting Albert, he quickened his pace, panting as he spoke, "Lee Jordan's in trouble!"
"What happened?" Albert was taken aback, furrowing his brows slightly as he regarded the breathless Fred. "Calm down and explain slowly."
"After George and I finished training and were heading back to the dormitory, we noticed that Lee Jordan was acting a bit strange. How should I put it...?" Fred took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. "He seems unwell, and his whole demeanor appears... unusual. You should probably go back and check on him."
"Why didn't you take him directly to Madam Pomfrey for treatment?" Albert believed that unless it was some rare condition, Madam Pomfrey could cure anyone in the blink of an eye.
"Lee Jordan refused to go, so I asked George to keep an eye on him while I came to find you." Fred explained, sounding rather helpless.
"You should have just stunned him with a Stunning Spell and then carried him to the hospital wing." Albert sighed. After all, when someone was sick, the best course of action was to seek medical attention; he wasn't omniscient.
Fred was left speechless.
Indeed, this was the simplest and most straightforward solution, but as Lee Jordan's friends, the Weasley twins felt the need to preserve their friend's dignity.
If Lee Jordan were to be carried out of the dormitory unconscious, the incident would likely spread like wildfire throughout Hogwarts, causing quite a stir.
While they might gain some notoriety, Lee Jordan would become the subject of ridicule.
"Madam Pomfrey is the professional healer." Albert immediately understood Fred's concerns and shook his head in dismay. "Have you forgotten how to cast a Disguise Spell?"
Fred paused, realizing he hadn't even considered using a Disguise Spell. Perhaps, in the twins' minds, simply finding Albert would be enough to resolve the issue.
"How is Lee Jordan doing now?"
As they made their way back to the common room, Fred filled Albert in on Lee Jordan's current state.
"I'm not sure. We'll have to take a look to know for sure."
To be honest, Albert was at a loss for words. He didn't know when Fred had started treating him like a blue mechanical cat, expecting him to solve every problem. When had he, Albert, ever given his roommates the impression that he was all-knowing and all-powerful?
"However, there must be a reason for his behavior." As Albert stepped through the portrait hole, past the fat lady, and into the crowded common room, he made his way up the spiral staircase towards the dormitory.
"There are three possibilities."
"Three?"
"First, Lee Jordan's current appearance is intentional, and he's pretending. Second, he's been given some sort of potion or fell under a spell."
"He doesn't seem to be pretending." Fred didn't think Lee Jordan was playing a prank or fooling around, and the likelihood of him being cursed was also low.
Fred struggled to imagine who would go out of their way to cast a spell on Lee Jordan in their dormitory.
Only someone with a deep-seated grudge would do such a thing.
"Or perhaps someone gave him a love potion?" Fred suggested, though he himself didn't think this was very likely either.
In truth, Fred's mind was still reeling, and he hadn't fully processed what was happening. He didn't have the capacity to consider the three possibilities that Albert had presented.
Let Albert handle these troublesome matters; with his capabilities, he would surely be able to resolve the issue with ease.
When the two of them pushed open the door to the dormitory, George immediately approached them. "You're finally back. Lee Jordan was just rambling about someone named Quinn as if he were bewitched."
"Do you know who Quinn is?" Albert asked.
The Weasley twins shook their heads in unison, indicating that they, too, were unaware of the identity of this 'Quinn.' "Are you alright?" Albert turned to Lee Jordan, who was sitting on the bed with his arms wrapped around his knees. Albert's gaze shifted to the open box of Chocolate Frogs on the bed, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. He was fighting the urge to laugh.
"I'm fine," Lee Jordan replied.
"Just had a Chocolate Frog, didn't you?" Albert picked up the box and asked softly, "Have you eaten anything else?"
"Yeah!" Lee Jordan looked confused.
"Are you thinking about Quinn right now?" Albert continued his inquiry, wanting to confirm his suspicion.
"Quinn... She doesn't seem to know me," Lee Jordan said, his voice carrying a hint of dejection as he mentioned the name.
"What's going on?"
Fred and George were certain that Albert knew what had happened to Lee Jordan.
"He must have been given a love potion."
As soon as Albert finished speaking, a flash of red light filled the room, and Lee Jordan collapsed, knocked out by a Stunning Spell.
"Someone actually gave Lee Jordan a love potion?"
Fred and George exchanged looks of shock and disbelief. "Wait a minute, the package was addressed to you. Now I understand why you always share those snacks with the rest of us."
"Speaking of which, that guy has some terrible luck."
George's laughter was laced with malice. Out of all the people who had enjoyed Albert's snacks, only Lee Jordan had fallen victim to the love potion.
"By the way, who is this Quinn person?" Fred was more concerned about this question. Someone had attempted to use a love potion on Albert.
"If the intention was to woo Albert, then it's most likely one of the students at the school." George's mind was already racing with possibilities.
"I don't know." Albert shook his head. "Was there a sender named Quinn among the letters yesterday?"
"I don't recall. I have no impression of that name."
"What should we do now?" Fred looked at the unconscious Lee Jordan. "Should we just let him rave on until the potion wears off?"
"The longer a love potion sits, the stronger its effects become. It won't wear off quickly." Albert had never brewed a love potion himself, nor did he have a ready antidote, so taking Lee Jordan to the hospital wing was the best option. However, with the common room teeming with people, it would be challenging to discreetly bring Lee Jordan to the hospital wing.
"Do we really need to carry him to the hospital wing?" The twins hesitated, unsure if this was the best course of action.
"Never mind, you two stay here and watch him. I'll go to Madam Pomfrey and get an antidote for the love potion!"
Considering his friend's dignity, Albert decided it would be best to seek Madam Pomfrey's help at the hospital wing.
Of course, there was also the new task that had appeared, which involved helping Lee Jordan recover from the love potion. Thus, Albert's plan to consult Madam Pomfrey for an antidote could be considered part of his efforts to assist Lee Jordan.
(End of Chapter)
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