Albus Potter and the Cursed Legacy | Scorbus

26. Lost Time

Albus felt as if he'd been violently thrust forward, almost stumbling over his own feet as his vision became clear once more. Immediately, he was overwhelmed with confusion, a dizzying feeling filling his head as he tried to figure out just where he was.

Rubbing his temples trying to rid himself of the sharp pain that had suddenly struck him, he glanced upwards, faced with an up-close view of the Hogwarts castle, towering above him as he walked through the gates, in a river of students streaming onto the grounds.

He'd only just blinked. How did he end up all the way back atop the Hogwarts hill? The last thing Albus remembered seeing was a body sprawled on the ground. He didn't get a good look at the details before his eyes shut for only a second—hardly a blink. But now his surroundings were completely different.

Albus looked around at the other students, everyone wearing a similar lost expression. Their voices grew to a dull roar as everyone asked around, trying to figure out what had happened. Turning around, Albus looked for his friends to question them about what he'd seen but Rose and Scorpius were no longer beside him.

"Everyone, inside! Into the Great Hall immediately. No wandering off!" Neville's voice called above the din of the students, using an amplifying charm to cast his voice out as he ushered the masses inside. The students filed through the doors of the castle and were herded by the professors like sheep into the Great Hall.

The long tables of the Great Hall had vanished, revealing the vast stone floor where the school gathered to stand in front of the podium. The first and seconds years who were too young for Hogsmeade trips, as well as students who didn't leave the castle that day had already gathered in the front of the hall as everyone filled in.

Someone grabbed Albus' arm, rattling him even more than he already was. With a yelp, he turned to see Rose, who looked similarly startled. Behind her, Scorpius face paled with worry as he looked around at the crowd gathering in the Hall.

"Where did you go, Albus?" Rose began to speak at a frantic pace, "All I remember was walking from the Parr's house and then--poof--suddenly we were back at Hogwarts and you were gone. What happened?"

Albus had no clearer of an idea, "I don't know! But there was a body on the ground. Did you see the body?"

Scorpius' eyes grew wider at the mention of a body and he opened his mouth to speak but he was cut off by the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice from the podium.

"Silence!" She called out, casting a hush upon the crowd. Everyone waited on edge for an explanation. No one even knew how much time had passed since they'd blacked out in Hogsmeade and no one knew why. They looked to McGonagall for answers but Albus could tell by the look in her eye, she wasn't so sure herself.

She took a deep breath, the sound echoing off the walls as the students remained in dead silence, staring up at her, "I know..." She started slowly, enunciating every word carefully, "that you all are concerned about what took place down in Hogsmeade village, not long ago. Many of you, I'm sure, may have no recollection of your travels back to the school, and for that, I think you will be grateful."

Grateful? Why would they be grateful for losing their memories of what happened?

"I regret to inform you, that one of our own was killed in Hogsmeade this evening," the Headmistress announced. Gasps rang out through the hall and a chatter arose as everyone began to react, turning to their neighbours to see if they had any more knowledge. A sick feeling washed over Albus. The flash of green light...the person on the ground...it all began to click.

"Silence!" Professor McGonagall called out again as the commotion died down again. "I know this might come as a shock to many of you. And I'm afraid we do not have much information for you at this moment. But I assure you that the Aurors and Department of Magical Law Inforcement will work tirelessly to find the culprit and work out what took place."