I Went to Do This

Breakfast in the Great Hall had just ended on Monday morning.

There was still half an hour before their first Transfiguration class.

"Have you seen Gavin these past few days?"

Cordelia stopped Hermione as she was about to leave the Great Hall. She held a piece of parchment folded several times, and her gaze swept over the High Table for the third time.

The professors were finishing breakfast and leaving one after another—

Professor McGonagall happened to walk out through the side door just then.

At the sight, Cordelia's fingers tightened around the parchment.

Hermione shook her head.

"I saw him in the Great Hall on Thursday night, but not since."

Harry and Ron had stopped beside them too. When Cordelia looked their way, they shook their heads.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked curiously. "Aren't you two together all the time? Why ask us? You should know better than anyone."

Cordelia shook her head anxiously. She was in no mood to work out whether Ron was teasing her.

"I haven't seen him in three days."

"He didn't go to class on Friday?" Ron sounded surprised.

Cordelia unfolded the parchment. It held only three lines.

[Please ask Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape to excuse me from class.]

[Practice the Disillusionment Charm.]

[I'll be back in a couple of days.]

"I asked to have him excused from Friday morning's Charms class and afternoon Potions Class," Cordelia said, folding the paper again. "I told them he wasn't feeling well."

Harry looked up at once. "Snape believed you?"

"He stared at me for a long time."

Cordelia paused, trying to imitate Professor Snape's tone.

"Then he told me to tell Gavin, 'I hope he never wastes Potions ingredients again.'"

"That sounds like approval," Ron said with a sigh of relief. Then he looked puzzled. "So