"Pierce! Hold on! Hold on, just a second!" John ran down the corridor after the boy stormed out of the classroom.

Pierce waited but didn't bother turning around as he wiped at his eyes trying to cover up the fact that he had actually allowed himself to cry. He hadn't cried since his grandparents passed leaving him to feel shameful that he would waste emotions on such terrible people.

John finally made his way to stand in front of the boy, to see Pierce's eyes red along with his blotchy face. He pressed his lips together before Pierce's eyes met his.

"I'm so sorry, Pierce." John told him. "Had I known it was going to turn out that way, I would have thought about leaving your father at home. But by your letter, I figured you wanted him here."

"I did. In the beginning." Pierce admitted. "I thought he could help. I didn't know my mother was going to be here.. I didn't know it was going to turn into all this. Had I known this would happen, I would have gladly faced it alone."

"You don't have to face this alone, Pierce." John told him resting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Your parents...as dysfunctional as they are, they could be helpful if they choose to put their differences aside. They are both incredibly intelligent people...it's where you get it from-"

"Please do not compare me to them in any way or form." Pierce said turning away from him.

"That was not what I was trying to do. What I'm saying is, between all the brilliant minds in this castle, we can figure out how your name and Harry's were placed in the Goblet and who did it. Do not worry about your parents, I will handle them. I have before under different circumstances, but it should be no different. Right now, you need to focus on yourself, keep yourself ready and prepared for whatever may occur during this tournament. Have you figured out the first task yet?" 

"No. Not yet."

"Well, we have time. Leave it to us, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Pierce nodded.

"From this point on, I will be the contact between you and your parents, to keep the interaction between you all to a minimum."

"Thank you." Pierce said before walking over to the man and hugging him. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"No need to thank me, Pierce. This is what family is supposed to do for each other."

"Well, you might want to run that by my parents." Pierce said pulling away from him. "I don't think they got the memo on that one."

John smiled for a moment before looking back in the direction of the classroom they had both left from.

"You really did call in your uncle...I can't believe it."

Pierce shrugged. "I wasn't sure if anyone was going to respond."

"Well, I can deal with Mycroft. Just as long as you didn't really contact the unmentionable." John said resting his hands on hips. 

Suddenly, he took in the noted silence on Pierce's behalf. 

"Pierce?"

The boy scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Oh Pierce! Come on!"

"Okay, so maybe it was poor judgement call on my behalf."

"Maybe?!"

Before the Wand Weighing Ceremony,  Pierce found himself sitting in a window seat, curled up, leaning against the glass with his eyes closed. He quietly banged his head against it after a few moments after the silence began to bore him.

Suddenly, he felt someone sit across from him in the seat. He looked over and saw Hermione bringing an instant relief to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Well, Harry is up for his interview and Ron is off somewhere ranting. I saw you sitting here..and you really look like you could use a listening ear...or just some silent company."

"I'm not up for much talking about myself at the moment, but I wouldn't mind listening to you. "

"Oh," she blushed. "I don't know if I have much to say right now. I'm not the one involved in the drama of all of this."

"In a way you are." He said. "Your friend Harry is caught up in this mess, which has placed a strain on the friendship between him and Ron. I would only assume that has placed some strain on your friendship between the two having to go back and forth. But I'm sure you don't want to talk about that either, that doesn't sound fun at all."

He leaned his head back and looked at her.

"You've been crying." she said looking at his puffy eyes.

"How's S.P.E.W going?" He asked her steering the conversation in a different direction.

"I..oh well..between you, Harry, Ron, and Neville...there's four members." she said. " There were others but once they found out there was a membership fee..."

"What fee? You never mentioned a membership fee to me."

Her cheeks darkened. "I must have forgotten."

He smirked. "Really?"

"Yes, but it's okay, I-"

"How much is the membership fee?"

"It doesn't matter-"

"How much is the membership fee?" he asked once more.

"Two sickles."

"Well, since I neglected to pay the membership in the beginning, I'll have the fee for you shortly as well as added interest."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know."