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Although Albus Potter didn't want to admit it, he was secretly happy for his best friend and brother. It was no secret the mood change that Ivy had gone through as they grew closer. She always had a smile plastered on her face, or a blush coated on her cheeks. So, although Ivy had promised Albus to loathe him for eternity, he didn't mind the relationship as long as the Ravenclaw was happy.

Unfortunately, the girl didn't seem to wear the bright smile she usually did and seemed to take every route his brother didn't.

"You are the most bipolar person I have ever met, Ivy. Well after Scorpius of course." Albus told his best friend as they both sat at the Ravenclaw table alone.

"What makes you think that?" Ivy questioned raising a brow. She began to ponder over the most recent things she had done that would make him think such a thing. "No one can top Scorpius, by the way."

"One minute you are batting your eyelashes towards James, and going on romantic walks during your free time, and the next you're hiding in your room with your cat, avoiding him at all cost!" Albus exclaimed throwing his hands in the air. "Although I'm not the biggest fan of James at times, I can see how happy you are with him. Unless he did something terrible, I don't understand why you're avoiding him."

Ivy tried her best not to make eye contact with Albus, knowing he'd automatically realize something was very wrong, but the other part of Ivy wanted to rant her problems, she was growing tired of keeping it all in. Her whole life had flipped within the last two months, and she hadn't been able to talk to anyone about it.

Albus had been there for her through thick and thin, he was always there when she needed a shoulder to lean on, but she wasn't sure what his reaction would be to the madness that had been occurring to her. The last thing she needed was for her best friend to think she was absolutely mad, well, more than usual.

"It isn't, James. He hasn't done anything wrong, I guess I am being a bit unfair." Ivy replied noticing she hadn't considered his thoughts. "There's just so much going on right now, I don't know what to focus on. The tournament is less than a month away, and I don't know how to feel about it. I've helped James compete all year, but now the last thing I want him to do is to enter that maze."

Albus looked closer towards the emotions she was portraying. He knew she usually kept her feelings bottled up, and rarely came to others for help. Growing up he'd always remind her asking wasn't something harmful, but she refused to say that they had already helped her through so much. "Ivy I'm always here, you know that right? Not as your boyfriend's brother, or as a Hogwarts student. I'm always here as your best friend, and I always will be."

Memories of the two playing together as children flashed before her eyes, she shouldn't have even questioned what Albus would have thought of her. The boy had faced many events as well, even being considered the 'outcast' of his family, if anyone could help her it was him. "This is a lot to take in, so tell me when you get confused," Ivy stated.

"Already am, but I'm all ears." Albus said with a smile.

Ivy took a deep breath before she began her story. "The other day a snake talked to me." Albus suddenly entered a state of shock, he was expecting teen drama, not talking serpents. "It began chanting something about the wise and evil, but it scurried off before I could get answers. At first, I hoped it was a dream, but more snakes started appearing, and then my father dropped by for a surprise visit on my birthday."

"How nice of him, did he bring you a present?" Albus questioned surprised the man even remembered the day she was born.

"No, he showed up demanding I travel back home with him, and he didn't know it was my birthday," Ivy said rolling her eyes.

Albus's mouth formed an O shape as she explained into further detail, as much as he didn't want to admit it, her dad had never really been there for Ivy, so he wasn't very surprised.

"A few weeks after that encounter, more snakes started appearing everywhere I went. The bathroom, potions class, my dorm, and even my bookbag! I couldn't escape them, and then James and I visited the maze. I automatically received a bad feeling from the maze, almost as if death itself was there with us." Ivy explained not wanting to remember the feeling she had experienced at the place.

"Scorpius and I ventured out there as well, it felt... off. There isn't something right going on here, and even my idiot of my brother knows it, he just won't accept it." Albus said with a grumble.

"There isn't," Ivy said in a small whisper. "I was speaking to Myrtle."

Albus let out a groan. "That has to be the craziest part of this story, and a lot is going on, but don't tell me you're off talking to a ghost that whines!" Albus exclaimed.

"This is going to sound completely idiotic, but she said she saw a girl, and I believe her." Ivy finished worried as to what he might say next, she wouldn't have been surprised if he recommended her to the nearest therapist.

"Ivy surely she was just lying to keep a conversation going, she is desperate these days to talk to some. It could have been any girl." Albus said.

"Myrtle said it wasn't a student or even a professor." Ivy explained.

"Ivy it's almost impossible to enter school grounds without permission, there's no way someone could have just appeared," Albus said.

"Albus, this mystery woman makes perfect sense. There has been an increase of snakes throughout the castle, and Myrtle said the lady spoke about revenge and power in the maze. Something terrible is bound to happen, and we can't have James or any champion in that maze." Ivy finished.

Albus rubbed a hand over his face unsure of what to do. He didn't completely trust the ghost's words, but he trusted Ivy's judgment. She had always known what not to do in serious situations, so surely she wouldn't be telling him if she didn't believe someone was roaming the castle grounds. "So, what are you going to do?" Albus questioned.

"Kill the woman who ruined my fifth year." Ivy grumbled not so jokingly.

"Sound tempting, but I believe you need to figure out who she is first." Albus replied.

"I'm sixteen, last time I checked I should be worried about upcoming exams, not a bloody lunatic running around the school, and talking snakes that seem to never leave me alone." Ivy said grumpily.

"Ivy, if anyone can face talking snakes and mystery ladies, it's you. Although I doubt you'll be able to face them alone, I'm always here for you, but I believe my brother deserves an explanation." Albus said. "He's a bit on the stubborn side, but I'm sure you could get him to listen."

"He has to listen, there is a probability of him dying if he steps into that maze. I'm not letting him step foot into that maze." Ivy replied.

"He's head over heels for you Ivy, I wouldn't be surprised if he fought a hundred mystery people for you."

"No one is fighting anyone, I'll make sure of it."

~

albus and ivy 🤝
superior friendship

taylor won album
of the year, and
talked to harry omg!

favorite artist in
honor of writing this
during the grammys