With the other two school set to arrive, Hogwarts seemed to be an uproar as students were eager to meet the other students from around the world and the professors seemed more than anxious about the upcoming events.  Remus, Nixie and Sirius appeared to be a bit more settled as Henry and Hope agreed that they were not going to enter their names in the tournament as they made a promise to Fergus. However, it was pretty obvious that the two were highly disappointed with the idea of not being able to join in on the fun. To cheer them up, Remus took his granddaughter and Henry  and treated them to a fun day in Hogsmeade along with Teddy.

Hope was distracted from the tournament by her family, but Henry had other matters on his mind. A problem that he couldn't confide in Hope because it involved her and he felt it would be weird to confront her about it. Instead, he decided to speak with his other best friend.

"You're coming to me for advice?" Fergus raised a questionable brow. "Are you sure about this?"

"You're a better person to go to than Teddy." Henry shrugged. "Besides, I was going to talk to Elliot, but he tends to get weird about these things...he gets all embarrassed and stuff. I just need some solid advice, that's all."

"Wait a second, if Elliot gets embarrassed about this topic, what exactly are we about to discuss?" The boy's eyes were wide as they sat down in Herbology, waiting on Hope to arrive. They had arrived early while Hope decided to share lunch with Stella, who she claimed had been acting strange as of late.

Professor Longbottom had yet to show up to the greenhouses, leaving the two alone along with a couple of other students.

Henry gave Fergus a look. "What are you getting at?" he asked.

"I don't know, you tell me what we're talking about!"

"Alright, alright, calm down Fergie and keep your voice down. This is private."

"So why are we discussing it in Herbology?"

'Are you going to listen or not?" Henry sighed.

"Okay, okay, what is it? I'm listening."

Henry scooted closer to him. "Okay, so you know how Hope and I have been...technically dating for a couple of weeks now, right?"

"Right, I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother knows that Henry.  At least the whole school and Hope's family...heck even my dads know." The boy laughed in amusement.

"Yeah..."

"So what's wrong?" Fergus suddenly looked at him with a worried look. "Everything is okay between you two right? I mean, I saw you two this morning and everything was great at breakfast. Did something happen!?"

"Fergie, calm down!" Henry whispered harshly at him. "Everything is fine!"

"Oh...right...go on. You were saying?"

Henry rubbed his face before dropping his hands onto the table.

"It's just that...do you think Hope likes me the same way I like her?"

"What?"

"I mean, do you think she actually sees us as more than a friendship?" Henry questioned.

Fergus stared at him blankly. "Were you not there when you two were confessing everything to each other? She said she liked you in those respects, why are you questioning it?"

'Because...I don't know how to explain it, Fergs, but I don't think much has changed between Hope and I since I told her, you know? We still act the same around each other."

"I'm lost." Fergus said. "Do you want her to act differently towards you?"

"Not in a bad way." Henry said. "I just thought things would be different once I told her how I felt. I felt like she was closer with McGregor than she is with me."

"Well, I'm going to stop you right there, because that's far from true." Fergus said. "Hope is closer to you than anyone else here in the castle. You two have been around each other since birth...and that's not even an exaggeration. I think...I think this is just new to the both of you, that's all. You two have been friends for so long and then all these feelings came to light and now you have to readjust things. That's all. For all you know, Hope is probably feeling the same way, you should probably talk to Hope about."

"About what?"

The two boys screamed as Hope appeared behind them. She gave them a bewildered look before cracking a grin. 

"What was that all about? You two seem...." She hopped in between them. "Nervous!"

"That's what happens when you sneak up on people!" Fergus said in a scolding tone.

"Keep your knickers on, Fergie." Hope said patting him on the head. "Now, what do you guys have to talk to me about?"

"I don't have anything to say, he does." Fergus pointed directly at Henry, earning him a glare from the boy.

"What's up, buttercup?" She turned to Henry. He suddenly felt his face growing warm as he pushed his hair out of his face.

"I...I was...I was just going to ask if you...umm...you see...I..." Henry stammered all over his words.

"Whoa, slow down, Henry." Hope scooted Fergus out of his seat to sit in front of Henry. "You know when you get flustered like this, all your words go right out the window. Just relax, and tell me what you wanted to say...slowly."

"I...do you..."

Hope's eyes widened.

"Wait, no!" Henry waved his hands while Fergus clapped his hands over his face. He groaned and dropped his head to the table, leaving Hope even more confused than before. She turned to Fergus for help, but he seemed just as useless in the situation as Henry.

"Well, I'm glad we had this talk, gentlemen."

Nixie was sitting in her office, reading to herself when she heard a knock at the door of her office. Without bothering to look up, she welcomed the person in only to have the book knocked out of her hands.

"What in the-"

"Mum!" Suddenly, she found her son in her arms, hugging her. 

"Merlin, Henry, what's wrong?" Normally, Henry was not one to receive affection during his time at school as he didn't want to be embarrassed.

"I just need a hug, that's all." He whispered. Nixie gave a slight frown before wrapping her arms around him.

"Alright."

"Boys are weird." Hope told her grandfather as she sat with him outside in the courtyard. Remus glanced down at her with an amused smile.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"I don't know, they just are." She sighed. "Or maybe I'm weird...well of course I am, I already knew that..."

She hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. 

They suddenly watched as Teddy passed through the courtyard not even making note that his father and niece were there as he walked by mumbling to himself and shaking his head.

"But boys are definitely weirder." Hope said quickly as Teddy left inside the castle.

"That they are, Hope." He patted her head. "Perhaps something is going around the castle."

"Well, everyone needs to get it together!" Hope said clapping her hands together and standing up. "We have guests coming!"