Albus Potter and the Will of Ignotus Perevell

The Werewolf's Howl

---CHAPTER 10---

The Werewolf’s Howl

Albus sat in the Great Hall, staring at his plate of lasagna. He was shaking. Behind his glasses, his eyes were fogging up.

‘Albus, are you okay?’ Rose asked, sitting opposite him. ‘What happened in class?’

‘Yeah, you really looked pale,’ Dimitri agreed, snatching a plate of salad. Albus closed his eyes and curled his ring held hand into a fist.

‘Albus,’ Scorpius said, hurrying up to the table. Albus got to his feet, grabbed his bag and followed Scorpius out of the hall, ignoring the other’s confused looks.

‘Well?’ Scorpius asked as soon as they were alone. Albus explained in a trembling voice what he’d discovered. Scorpius froze.

‘Hello, Albus,’ a cheery voice said. ‘Hope you’re feeling better.’

Instinctively, Albus and Scorpius shoved their hands into their pocket to hide their rings from Professor Lockwood.

‘Better, sir,’ Albus said. His voice was hoarse. ‘I still feel quite sick. I don’t know if I can make it to Charms.’

‘Oh, I’ll pass on the message,’ Scorpius said. ‘Professor, could you give me signed note so that the other teachers will believe me?’

‘Why of course,’ Professor Lockwood said. ‘I’ll deliver it to you before lunch is over.’

As he turned, Albus whispered a spell, causing a gust of wind. Professor Lockwood’s sleeve blew up and Albus and Scorpius saw the Dark Mark. Professor Lockwood whirled round and Albus and Scorpius quickly pretended to be talking, as if they hadn’t seen a thing.

‘Is there something else, sir?’ Albus asked, his voice still croaking.

‘No,’ Professor Lockwood murmured. ‘No...no, there’s nothing.’

He sharply turned and marched towards the Potions room. Albus breathed out heavily and sat down on a stone seat.

‘I can’t believe it’s him,’ Scorpius said in a small voice. ‘So what do we do?’

Albus stared down at his ring. ‘We finish the other three tasks.’

*

‘Five...what is underneath the Whomping Willow?’

‘The shrieking shack,’ Avery said, folding his arms. ‘What about it?’

‘Check the journal?’ Albus suggested. Rose picked it up and flicked through it. ‘Nothing, nothing, nothing...oh!’

‘What?’ Albus asked. He looked over her shoulder

‘I couldn’t figure out what this means,’ Rose said. ‘It opens upon a werewolf’s howl.’

‘The shrieking shack!’ Avery said, jumping to his feet. ‘Only werewolves go there. There must be somewhere in the shrieking shack that will open upon a werewolf’s howl!’

‘Let’s go look,’ Dimitri said. Rose shook her head. ‘I can’t! Scorpius, Jessica and I all have an introductory to ancient runes!’

‘Avery, Dimitri, you coming?’ Albus asked. The two boys nodded.

‘Give us the journal,’ Avery said. Rose handed it over and everybody went their seperate ways.

*

‘I know this place off the back of my hand,’ Avery said confidently as they stepped inside. ‘Split up and search the whole place. Trapdoors, chests, locked rooms, anything that might be a secret room.’