Fairness

Though he and Catherine were merely ordinary friends, her slightly intimate behavior still gave Albert an uneasy feeling.

"Long time no see. I never expected to run into you here."

Albert secretly glanced at Isobel, then composed his expression and greeted Catherine in the tone one used with a friend.

"That's your girlfriend, isn't it? She's prettier than I imagined."

Catherine scrutinized Isobel and teased with a smile, "But you brought your girlfriend along just to enter a competition. I'm so jealous."

"How did you become the leader for Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Albert tried to change the subject, lest she lead him into a trap and make him answer a fatal question like who was prettier.

"My grandfather is good friends with Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's headmaster, so he persuaded him to let me lead the team. Oh, and I forgot to tell you—I'm now a Potions Assistant Teacher at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Catherine withdrew her gaze from the competition grounds and looked Albert over again. This young man with his distinctive bearing was more confident than before.

"That's quite a surprise. I thought you would..."

"I had to find something to do. Besides, I'm only nominally attached to the school right now," Catherine interrupted. Her accomplishments in Potions were already considerable, and her exquisite looks made her quite popular at school. Most importantly, she was a well-connected person, so certain things naturally posed no difficulty for her.

"You don't mind if I borrow your boyfriend for a moment, do you?"

Catherine smiled kindly at Isobel as she approached, though her tone carried a hint of teasing.

"I don't mind. Albert always has a whole bunch of beautiful female friends around him. I'm used to it by now." Isobel gestured for Catherine