In the heart of the Forbidden Forest, the concept of "time" had ceased to exist for Lee Jordan. Every second was measured not by the ticking of a clock, but by the frantic, hammering rhythm of his own heart. He was pressed against the rough, frozen bark of an ancient oak, his Disillusionment Charm shimmering weakly around him like a dying oil slick.
His breathing was too loud. To his own ears, every gasp sounded like a steam engine, and he was certain that the three-headed monstrosity just a few yards away could hear his blood rushing through his veins. One of Fluffy's heads—the middle one, which seemed particularly ill-tempered—snapped its snout in his general direction. Those rolling, milky eyes seemed to pierce through the magical veil Albert had placed over him.
Where is he? Lee screamed internally. Albert, if you're pulling a prank on us right now, I swear I'll tell everyone you still sleep with a nightlight!
He looked toward the spot where he thought Albert was standing, but there was absolutely nothing. No footprints, no shimmering air, not even the sound of a rustling leaf. It was as if Albert Anderson had simply ceased to exist, leaving his three roommates to face a prehistoric nightmare alone.
Fred and George weren't doing any better. From his vantage point, Lee could see the "static" of their poor charms flickering violently. They were staring up at the beast, their mouths hanging open in a silent, paralyzed scream. The Cerberus was leaning in now, its three noses working in tandem, creating a vacuum of air that smelled of raw meat and wet dog. A glob of thick, translucent drool detached itself from the left head's jowl and hit the snow with a heavy splat just inches from George's boot.
That was the breaking point.
The psychological dam burst. Fred and George didn't coordinate it; it was a simultaneous, primitive reaction. They didn't reach for their wands. They didn't try a clever distraction. They simply opened their mouths and let out a pair of high-pitched, glass-shattering shrieks that would have made a Mandrake proud.
Then, they ran.
They didn't just run; they transcended the limits of human athletics. They scrambled through the snow, arms flailing, legs pumping with the desperation of men who had seen the literal gates of hell opening in the form of three sets of jaws. They sprinted toward the forest exit as if the devil himself were snapping at their heels—which, to be fair, wasn't far from the truth.
Albert, watching from a distance of about ten feet while standing perfectly still, felt a wave of profound secondhand embarrassment. Exposing your back to a predator? Really? he thought, shaking his head. They're lucky Hagrid likes them, or they'd be digested before they hit the treeline.
The Cerberus, for its part, was actually stunned. The sudden wall of sound from the twins had momentarily confused its six ears. It tilted its heads, watching the two blurry shapes vanish into the mist. It was just about to lunge forward, its massive claws digging into the permafrost for a chase it would surely win, when a booming voice echoed through the trees.
"Cerberus! Stay! Heel, you big softy!"
The beast stopped instantly. It let out a frustrated whine—a sound that sounded like a tectonic plate shifting—and looked back.
Hagrid emerged from the shadows of the deeper woods, looking disheveled and slightly out of breath. He was carrying a massive iron chain that looked like it belonged on an anchor. When he saw the monster hesitating, he let out a sigh of relief that fogged up the air like a cloud.
"Good boy. Don't go chasin' the locals now," Hagrid grumbled, though his eyes were sharp as they scanned the clearing. He had heard the screams. He knew those voices. "Was that... the Weasleys? I'd recognize that ginger-flavored panic anywhere."
Lee Jordan, still shivering behind his oak tree, realized the danger of being eaten had passed, but the danger of being caught was very much alive. He tried to stay still, but his legs were like jelly. He shifted his weight, and a dry branch snapped under his foot like a pistol shot.
The Cerberus's middle head instantly whipped toward the sound, a low rumble starting in its chest.
"Who's there?" Hagrid demanded, his hand going to his crossbow. "Show yerself! I know someone's lurkin'!"
Lee Jordan realized he was trapped. If he stayed hidden and the dog lunged, Hagrid might not be able to stop it in time. With a trembling hand, he tapped his chest with his wand, canceling the charm.
"It's... it's just me, Hagrid," Lee squeaked, his voice two octaves higher than usual.
Hagrid lowered the crossbow, his expression shifting from alarm to deep disapproval. "Lee Jordan? What in the name of Merlin's beard are you doin' out here? And why were you invisible? That's some high-level trickery for a second-year."
Lee scrambled for an excuse, his brain firing on all cylinders. He knew Albert was still out there somewhere, watching this play out with a bag of imaginary popcorn. If I'm going down, I'm taking the mastermind with me, Lee decided.
"It was Albert!" Lee blurted out, pointing vaguely at the empty air. "He's the one who put the charm on me. He said it was for... research. We were just following him!"
Hagrid's bushy eyebrows shot up. "Albert? He's here too? Albert! Come on out, ya rascal. I know you're better at hidin' than Lee here, but don't make me come lookin'!"
Silence.
A cold wind blew through the clearing, tossing a few stray flakes of snow. Lee looked around expectantly, waiting for the air to shimmer and reveal his roommate. But nothing happened. There were no footprints leading away, and no rustle of fabric. Albert was gone. He hadn't just hidden; he had pulled a total vanishing act.
"Well?" Hagrid prompted, crossing his massive arms. "Where is he then?"
Lee felt a cold sweat breaking out. "He... he was right there! I swear! He's the one who knew about the dog—I mean, Cerberus. He told us to leave, but Fred and George wanted to see it..."
"He knew about Cerberus, did he?" Hagrid muttered, a strange look crossing his face. He patted the side of the monster's left head, which was currently trying to lick Hagrid's ear with a tongue the size of a surfboard. "Well, that boy always was too smart for his own good. But I don't see 'im. Looks to me like he had the sense to stay out of trouble while you lot walked right into it."
"He tricked me," Lee whispered to himself, a realization dawning on him. Albert hadn't just left; he had positioned himself in a way that left no trace, probably moving the moment Hagrid started shouting.
"Now, listen here, Lee," Hagrid said, his voice turning stern. "This forest ain't a playground. Cerberus is... well, he's a guard dog in trainin'. He's learnin' how to hunt, how to protect. If I hadn't been close by, he might've thought you lot were a snack sent by the centaurs."
Lee looked at the rows of teeth in the three mouths and gulped. "A snack... right. Noted."
"Last time Albert was here," Hagrid said, his tone softening slightly with pride, "he actually reached out and scratched Cerberus right under the chin. Boldest thing I ever saw a student do. Most people just scream and run—like your ginger friends over there."
Lee's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Albert... petted that thing? With his bare hands?"
"Aye. Said he liked the 'tactile feedback' of the fur," Hagrid chuckled. "But don't you go tryin' it. Cerberus took a likin' to him because Albert brought 'im some high-quality jerky. Without that, you're just meat."
Lee made a mental note to never, ever challenge Albert to a game of "dare." The man was clearly insane.
"So, what were you really doin' out here?" Hagrid asked, poking Lee in the chest with a finger that felt like a blunt spear. "And don't give me any of that 'research' rubbish."
"Snow Mushrooms!" Lee said quickly, remembering the cover story they'd agreed on. "We found some last year, and they were amazing. We just wanted to gather a few more for a stew. Honest, Hagrid."
Hagrid grunted. He knew about the mushrooms; he'd even pointed them out to the boys before. "Mushrooms, eh? Well, those mushrooms almost cost you your skin. If I catch you in here again without me, I'm takin' you straight to McGonagall. She'll have you scrubbin' bedpans in the hospital wing until you're seventy. Understand?"
"Crystal clear," Lee promised, nodding so hard he nearly gave himself whiplash. "I'm leaving. Right now. I'm already gone."
"Good. And tell Fred and George to stop screamin' like banshees. They'll wake up the Aragog's lot, and then we'll have a real problem."
Lee didn't wait for a second invitation. He turned and sprinted toward the castle, his heart finally beginning to slow down as the treeline thinned. As he ran, he looked for any sign of Albert, but the snow was pristine. It was as if the boy had flown away.