The results of the first task flipped the entire school on its back and sent students of all houses and schools into follies of chatter.

No one had expected Potter to do as well as he did.

No one really took into account the danger the champions had gotten into either.

And everyone loved an underdog, and Harry Potter was just that.

An Underdog.

I was walking alongside Giselle and Jasper after Thursday classes had ended, in search of the library. Giselle wanted a place to study away from the hyper energy the rest of our friends produced following the first task. And Jasper had gone out of his way to look for me after classes.

His reasoning, other than to talk about the first task, was to talk about Sam.

"She really seems to be mellowing out. Ginny said that Sam seemed impressed by how you handled Pansy Parkinson at some point. Care to explain?" He asked with a quipped brow. Gisele, who was listening in polite silence, showed an ever-growing smile to me, prompting me to explain the past two weeks of bashing Parkinson for fun. I was unapologetic about it.

While Jasper was a kinder soul, he didn't seem fazed by the detailed bullying I had implemented on Pansy Parkinson. This fact alone, made me like Jasper that much more.

He ruffled through his shaggy blonde hair and smiled at me when I had finished, before stating that he was not surprised.

"Well, I personally think Sam could care less about what I've done to Parkinson. Tell me, how is she fairing now that my brother isn't around to give her attention?"

I watched Jasper's caramel-colored eyes flatten, before returning to look my way, analyzing me as usual.

"If something is happening on that front, I wouldn't know about it. She doesn't mention him much. Best to ask one of the girls-"

"For some reason, I find it hard to believe Sam would take part in girl gossip," I said as we turned into the library. A group of Slytherins from my year were sitting at a nearby table, gossiping, and glanced up at my arrival. "It's not really her thing..."

"I have to find a book, I'll be right back," Giselle said to my ear before walking off with that same smile of hers plastered on her face. What was she on about?

I didn't pause to think about it, as Jasper had placed his stuff on the table to join me.

"The year is almost half over and you two still haven't made up. I'd say it's best if you pull off all the stops."

"And play kiss ass?" I retorted bluntly, causing Jasper to blink, unfazed.

"If you must."

"Not going to happen. She's the one who needs to apologize. I already have."

Jasper gave me a disastrous look before sighing deeply and turning to his textbook.

"Don't give me that look. I'll still do something," I said slowly, watching Jasper pull at his rope bracelet on his right wrist. "I was thinking about sending a five-pound bag of chocolate frogs to her. What do you think?"

That did it. Jasper broke into a grin as he nodded his head over his book in soft laughter, only further emphasizing his symmetrical dimples and golden hair.

If I hadn't been staring myself, I would have bet money other girls had turned to watch. Jasper was still that beach-boy façade, but with a brain and every girl noticed him.

Even me.

"I think it's brilliant. But where will you get such an order? Honey Dukes?" I shrugged, unfazed. If there's a will, then there is a way.

The chair beside me was pulled back and Theo sat down and rose his legs onto the table, dangerously close to Jasper's books. Jasper, ever the cautious one when it comes to his possessions, quickly withdrew his book from the table and shot a glance up at my brother, now lounging with an impish grin on his features.

"Who are you?" he asked Jasper in a tendentious voice that sent me glaring Theo's way.

Really? He has to play the big brother act now?

"Theo, what are you doing? We're trying to study."

"Really? That's not what I saw."

Jasper sensed where this was going, and quickly dropped his book into his bag while I turned on my brother mortified.

"What are you doing?" I hissed in French which my brother promptly ignored. He was rocking on the back two legs of his chair, looking ominously at Jasper who looked ready to flee.

"You're a friend of Sam's, aren't you? I recognize your face." If Jasper was fazed at this question, he did not show it.

"Yeah. I am. What's that to you?" Theo rose his brows but I cut him off before he even had a chance to open his stupid mouth.

"Hey Jasper, why don't I catch you up later on my plan for Sam. My brother wants a word with me and I doubt you'll be able to focus with all his chatter."

Seeing this as his way out, Jasper gave my brother a final look before nodding my way as he stood and left the table without another word. The moment he left, I turned to my brother and kicked his chair off balance, letting him fall backward and slam to the ground loudly.

Madam Pince was there in an instant and threatened to kick us both out if we didn't behave ourselves. We both gave our words, though Theo gave his while fuming.

The moment she left, he turned back to his chair and for one brief moment, there was silence.

And then it ended with him flicking me repeatedly in the head and neck until I consequently fell out of my chair, regaining the presence of Madam Pince who promptly kicked the pair of us out.

Now fuming, I rounded on my brother, who was looking rather pleased with himself.

"What the hell was that about?"

"Nothing. I was just bored."

"Bored enough to cause a scene? I was trying to study!"

"Right. Because that's exactly how you looked with that other guy friend of yours," He toyed, walking around me and toward the courtyard. I stomped after him, my heels making a satisfying racket.

"So what? You never seemed to care about who I surrounded myself with before. Or was that just because you knew Xander."

"Xander's different," Theo said turning back to face me. A group of Gryffindors walked past and one glanced at Theo casually before turning away, shyly.

Unbelievable.

"How is he different?"

"You guys just messed around. Nothing serious."

"We dated, you moron." Theo scoffed before shaking his head, as if the news was clear as day.

"That's not what it looked like. You were just obsessed with him."

"Was not!"

"Was too. And it was my fault for letting it get too far. So now I'm here to stop it from happening again. You're welcome."

If it hadn't been for the Astronomy professor walking past us, I would have let Theo have it with my fists. But alas, teachers.

"I don't need you playing gatekeeper. You're too much of a hypocrite from what I've seen." His brows shot across his forehead as he straightened up.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I've seen all the girls you flirt with!" I spat in French as a few Ravenclaws walked past, some of their gazes turning to us at the exchange of raised voices. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you are a step down from becoming a man whore if I ever saw one."

The look of utter disgust raced across my brother's face followed by his usual dramatics whenever he was entertaining a dramatic conversation.

"Man whore? I would NEVER."

"What is going on here?" We both turned to see Gisele walking hastily to us from the library, a checked out book in one arm, her bag across the other. Having understood the French from the doorway, Gisele was looking deeply perplexed at the conversation subject.

"Uh, nothing," I said, cutting the conversation dead. "Theo's just being Theo." My brother feigned hurt my way before returning to look at Gisele curiously.

"Were you around when Ava chatted up that Ravenclaw?"

"For the last time, his name is Jasper, and I was not flirting with him!" I snapped, turning on him, but Theo kept his gaze on Gisele who was slowly gaining back a smile on her face as she placed her book in her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"They were just talking about making amends with Sam. Nothing more." I regained some of my composure as my brother looked from Gisele to me suspiciously before shrugging it off.

"I'm not convinced, but okay." He then pulled out an open letter from his robes and waved it in front of my, dauntingly.

"Guess what I got?" I barely managed a shrug, I was so done with my brother's bull-. Theo was not impressed by my lack of enthusiasm, but continued all the same.

"A letter from Mamen. Supposedly Damion is dating someone and she's pissed."

"And?" I said, unfazed. "Going to go cock block Damion now too?"

"No."

"Then what? Damion dates lots of girls. And Mamen hasn't liked anyone any of us have dated anyway."

"You haven't dated anyone so I don't understand what this "us" is about, but okay," Theo said, mockingly. I had to bite down on another retort as a group of Beauxbatons girls walked by, talking rapidly in French. Two of which even turned to wave at my brother, who waved back suavely. The moment the girls rounded the corner, I made sure to deck my brother over the head with my book bag, before being separated physically by Gisele.

"Are you two always this detrimental, or is it just today?"

"Always," the pair of us said in unison, as I shrugged Gisele's arm off my shoulder.

"Though you didn't have to hit me with your bag," Theo said ruefully, as his rubbed the sore spot on his head gently. "I thought you wanted to know about Damion's possible engagement."

"Engagement? I thought you said he was dating another girl?" I exclaimed, now forgetting the past vendetta.

"Well, they're not engaged yet, but you have to admit it's very odd that Mamen would be this upset about the girl that she would write to me about it," He explained thoughtfully. I paused, thinking it through before nodding slowly. What if the girl Damion was with wasn't one of the names on his supposed list my parents and grand'mère had cooked up? That would explain it.

"Did she say anything else on the matter? Like if they're serious or not?" Theo shrugged, gazing back at the letter.

"No, but I would assume so. I mean, think about it. How old is Damion now? He hasn't kept a girlfriend around long enough to be considered serious up until now. This is the first one."

"Your dating world sounds very stressful," Gisele admitted, glancing between my brother and me with concern. The pair of us broke into knowing smiles before Theo produced another statement worthy of another hit to the head.

By the time Gisele had pushed me away from my brother, more students were coming our way. One of which was Sam, alongside her sister Tati and the Hufflepuff, Ella. Anyone would be able to tell that Theo and I had just had a fight but only someone like Sam would know just how funny said fights could be. Her curious expression said it all.

"Trouble in paradise?" She asked as Gisele pushed me along.

She had been avoiding me for these past two weeks and this is the first thing she decides to ask me?

I only responded with a sarcastic laugh before walking on with Gisele beside me, back to the carriage, leaving Sam to stare back as us. 

-

Hello there,

There are two things I am good at writing on in my stories:

Stubborn main characters and obnoxious older brothers. 

If I didn't know any better, I would think that these two stereotypes are found in almost every book I've written so far on this website. 

Funny how things tend to follow you in your writing habits. 

See you soon,

-WG-