A Pack of Lies

After breakfast, the two of them left the Great Hall together.

On the way to the Room of Requirement, Isobel suddenly asked, "Did you ever peek into Miss Granger's future?"

"Do I look like the sort of person who'd do that?"

Faced with his girlfriend's almost accusatory question, Albert helplessly shrugged, wearing an expression that said, I didn't. Don't slander me.

"I think it sounds exactly like something you'd do."

The two stopped before the tapestry of Troll Bashing Barnabus on the Eighth Floor. Isobel turned to stare into Albert's eyes, raised a hand to poke his chest, and said seriously, "You're quite good to most of your friends, but I feel like you're a little too good to Granger. You probably don't realize that a lot of girls have noticed. Anyone who doesn't know better would think you're planning to court Miss Granger."

"How would they know I wanted to court Miss Granger?" Albert deliberately put on an extremely exaggerated expression.

After Isobel stared at him for a while, Albert had no choice but to drop the act and ask helplessly, "All right, I was just joking. Why would they think that?"

"Jealousy, probably."

"That's what I thought." Albert looked at Isobel with interest, waiting for her to continue.

"You know quite a few pretty girls. Louise, Catherine, and Valeria, whom you met a while ago, are all very beautiful. I don't think you'd be interested in a little girl who has barely grown up yet," Isobel listed.

"You forgot to include yourself," Albert added.

She paid no attention to that and continued, "So the only explanation is that you think highly of Miss Granger's future. Befriending someone when they're young is entirely different from becoming friends with them after they've grown up, come of age, and achieved something.