To Harry's regret, he never managed to find where the Ravenclaws were gathering afterward.
A gathering of so many people should have been easy to find, but Harry could not let it show that he was deliberately looking. He did not want his friends to know about this.
At least, not under the present circumstances.
Since he could not search every suitable gathering place one by one, failing to find it was not particularly hard to understand. At most, Harry found it a little hard to accept.
Still, Gryffindor courage seemed to have failed to do its job this time. Harry did not dare confess his feelings to the older student Cho Chang. Even last Valentine's Day, when Lockhart had made such a huge fuss, he had not dared send a love letter.
So this wretched situation could only continue for a while longer.
Well, if there was another event like last year's, Harry thought that perhaps, probably, possibly, maybe he would choose to send a love letter?
Yes, an anonymous one...
Harry Potter, why are you such a coward?
Harry mocked himself.
As luck would have it, they actually ran into Fudge again on their way back. But Fudge still did not notice them.
Fudge looked rather grave as he spoke to Professor Slughorn outside the Three Broomsticks.
They were a little far away this time, and Harry and the others could not quite make out what they were saying. Still, Harry vaguely heard Fudge say that he would come again on the twelfth of next month.
Professor Slughorn showed little reaction, but Madam Rosmerta said that next time, she would only reserve the upper floor for them. She could not close the place for him again...
It seemed Fudge had not obtained what he wanted from Professor Slughorn.