Chapter 86: I Heard You Got into a Fight
Chapter 86: I Heard You Got into a Fight
On a sunny weekend, a gentle breeze carried a hint of autumn's chill. From the windows of the Gryffindor Tower, students could be seen frolicking on the lawn below.
The door to the common room swung open, and Lee Jordan climbed in from the corridor, immediately scanning the room until his eyes landed on Albert by the fireplace. He hurried over, saying, "Albert, I heard you got into a fight with a Slytherin student."
As soon as he said this, several heads in the common room turned their way, clearly intrigued by the topic.
"Oh?" Albert paused from his task and looked up at Lee Jordan, confusion written on his face. "What do you mean I got into a fight with a Slytherin student?"
"Exactly what I said," Lee replied.
Just then, the common room door opened again, and Fred and George Weasley rushed in from the corridor.
"Heard you got into a scuffle with some Slytherins," they said, sizing Albert up. "Good job. Next time, call us so we can join in the fun."
"What happened?" Albert asked.
"You don't know?" George asked, looking at the others in bewilderment.
"No," Albert shook his head. "I've just been practicing the Severing Charm."
"But everyone's talking about it!" Fred exclaimed, noting his friend's confusion. "Just now, they were saying..."
"Hold on," Albert interrupted. "I don't recall getting into any fights. And look at me—do I look like the brawling type with these scrawny arms and legs?"
To emphasize his point, Albert patted his wrist, clearly indicating that they were teasing him.
Indeed, Albert didn't appear particularly robust; at best, he could be described as not skinny.
"It's a miracle they didn't come after me," Albert huffed, seeing the incredulous looks on their faces.
"Did you jinx them?" George asked, though he, too, found the rumor hard to believe. It was more plausible that Albert had jinxed the Slytherin students, causing them to collapse.
After all, Albert's magical abilities far surpassed those of his peers.
"Be careful, or I'll sue you for defamation," Albert warned, glaring at George. He gestured to the armchairs beside them, inviting the trio to sit as he explained.
"So, what really happened? How did so many people get the idea that you..."
"Shush," Albert cut in irritably. "Do you actually believe rumors? Watch me go spread a rumor that you like to hum and dance while showering."
"Is that true?" Lee Jordan's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Knock it off, or I'll punch you, too," Fred warned, clearly annoyed.
"All right, fine. What happened? Rumors don't spread for no reason," George urged, signaling for the others to be quiet so Albert could explain.
"You know how I often go for walks with my camera after breakfast on weekends?" Albert began, recalling the recent incident. "Well, I was on the second-floor corridor when I encountered a group of Slytherin students walking towards me. I even moved aside to let them pass, but one of them still bumped into my shoulder. I don't know what happened, but he ended up on the floor, clutching his shoulder in pain."
Albert's expression was one of innocence as he continued, "I helped him up, and then he started wailing and clutching his hand. I had no idea what was going on."
"That's it?" The three friends looked perplexed.
"Why are people saying you sent a Slytherin student to the hospital, then?" George asked, his face a picture of confusion.
"How would I know?" Albert thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Maybe I suggested to the other Slytherin students that they take him to the hospital to get checked out."
Especially after hearing Albert's account, in which he portrayed himself as the innocent victim of a baseless accusation.
The three friends exchanged glances, utterly bewildered.
To be honest, if they didn't know Albert, they might have believed it. But when this guy tried to pull the wool over their eyes, his story was often convincing enough to make them question their initial doubts.
Here's what actually happened:
Albert had just finished breakfast and was about to go for a walk with his camera when he ran into a group of Slytherin students from his year. They were walking side by side, taking up the entire corridor.
Albert did step aside to let them pass, but those guys were clearly looking for trouble. They intentionally tried to shoulder him.
Albert hadn't expected to encounter such trouble, but he wasn't one to back down. Whether it was a direct confrontation or a duel with wands, he was ready.
To any onlookers, it would have appeared that the Slytherin student who ended up clutching his shoulder had accidentally bumped into the bewildered Albert.
Obviously, there was no question of who was at fault.
Then, in a show of gentlemanly concern, Albert reached out to help the other student up, asking if he was hurt.
The Slytherin student probably intended to use this opportunity to pull Albert down, but when he grabbed Albert's hand, Albert squeezed hard, causing tears of pain.
To anyone who witnessed this, Albert appeared resigned and innocent. But somehow, the story morphed into one of Albert beating up a Slytherin student.
"That student ended up in the hospital, and Madam Pomfrey treated him," Albert continued.
"Actually, my shoulder is injured, too," Albert added, suddenly serious.
The three friends rolled their eyes in unison.
"Anyway, I'm a victim in this too. Who knew he'd crumble like fine china at the slightest touch?" Albert said.
Hearing Albert describe the Slytherin student as fragile as fine china caused the eavesdroppers to burst into laughter.
There was no love lost between Gryffindor and Slytherin students.
"What are you doing?" Lee Jordan, no longer concerned about the earlier incident, watched as Albert worked on a piece of wood.
"I told you, I'm practicing the Severing Charm," Albert replied, holding up a wooden crucifix with several circular objects beside it.
"Hey, isn't that wood from the Whomping Willow?" George asked suddenly.
"Yeah, I got it from Hagrid a while back. It's perfect for practicing the Severing Charm," Albert agreed.
Fred picked up the crucifix and examined it. "The craftsmanship is pretty rough. Are you planning to give this to someone as a protective amulet?"
"If I were making an amulet, I'd make it more intricate," Albert said, annoyed.
"Are you sure items made from the Whomping Willow can protect against Dark creatures?"
"How would I know?" Albert couldn't be sure if the item in his hand would be effective, but finding out was as simple as asking someone.
(End of Chapter)
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