A week and several attempts at speaking to Harry later Colin was sat in the common room, working at one of the small tables. His homework books were scattered around him as well as several pieces of parchment, a few quills and an ink well. Colin's mind was far from his homework though. His transfiguration work only had one line printed in the right hand corner of the parchment;

'Colin Michael Creevey'

He was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment which was much fuller than his Transfiguration work. After a few minutes of silence except for the scratching of his quill on the parchment he sat back and admired his handiwork, grinning.

"Finished!" he said quietly, but proudly, to himself.

"What's finished Col?" asked small Dennis Creevey who was passing with a group of his slightly taller friends.

"My petition! Look."

Colin passed the piece of parchment over to his little brother who read it slowly before breaking out in a huge smile.

"Wow! Colin, you're a genius!" he said in an awed tone. "Can I sign?"

As Dennis's friends all glanced at the parchment before them they all clambered for use of the quill too. Colin beamed at them as the parchment was passed around.

"Do you want us to help collect signatures?" asked Toby, one of Dennis's friends.

"It's OK. I was going to make a copy of this one and hang it on the notice board and then keep this one with me." Colin explained.

"That's a great idea!" the second years chimed as one.

Later that evening Colin's ecstatic mood had diminished a great deal as his attempts at a duplication charm had not gone well. He'd even rushed to the library and borrowed a dozen books but he just wasn't developed enough magically to master any spell which sounded hopeful. On his forty-fifth try he ended up poking the parchment in frustration causing the corner to ignite. Colin, panicking, slammed his fist down on the table to quench it. The flame vanished.

"Is everything alright?" asked a kind, female voice.

Colin glanced up to see a certain Hermione Granger standing beside his seat. She looked down at him worriedly but he managed to place a smile on his face once more, although a feeble one.

"Yes. The parchment caught fire." Colin squeaked, rubbing the charred edge of the parchment.

"What were you trying to do?" she asked.

"Make a copy of it. I've tried everything."

"Well, I could help you I suppose. It's quite a simple spell really but I've read past my Standard Book of Spells: Grade 4 so I have learnt a few more spells than the average fourth year." she explained serenely, perching herself on the armchair across from the third year and hovering her wand over the parchment.

"Geminio."

The parchment suddenly became blurred as a puff of smoke emitted above it. A second later a new piece of parchment, identical to the original, appeared in mid-air and floated to rest by it's side.

"Wow!" Colin said, clearly awed. "That was brilliant."

"It was nothing." Hermione said quietly, trying to hide her pride. "What was it anyway?"

Hermione brought one of the parchments up to reading level and spluttered as her eyes scanned the writing.

"Good idea, eh?" Colin began, beaming. "Will you sign? You will won't you?"

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at the smaller boy. She was speechless. Suddenly Ron Weasley called over to her from the fireplace.

"Hermione! Will you come see that I've given the right meaning for the wolfsbane potion? Snape said I was wrong last time. Git."

Hermione just shook her head. Colin was not sure if she was saying no to Ron or no to his request. He looked at her, confused.

"Hermione? What is it?" Ron called again, this time getting up lazily and trudging over. Harry was nowhere in sight.

Ron, suddenly looking alarmed, grabbed the parchment from Hermione's grasp and read it, thinking it to be dangerous or disgusting news, but instead of taking the same reaction as Hermione he started laughing uncontrollably. It took him minutes to calm down. By the time he had collapsed on the sofa next to a bewildered Colin Hermione was glaring at him.

"Ronald. It isn't funny!" Hermione hissed, before glancing sympathetically at Colin. "No offence Colin."

"No, I agree! This is serious! I was going to hang this one on the common room noticeboard and then take this one around with me all day and ask people to sign it."

"Colin…I-why don't y-…how-" Hermonie stuttered, trying to find the right words.

"Look Colin, why don't I take this and hang it up for you. You look tired why don't you go to bed?" Ron intervened, taking the parchment in hand.

"Thanks Ron!" Colin beamed. "Yeah, I am tired. I've been working on that petition all night."

At that Colin packed up his things, beamed at an amused Ron and a tired Hermione and rushed up the staircase to his dormitory.

"Ron! Why did you say that? You know you can't do that! Not to Harry! And anyway, it's very dangerous and it'd never be allowed. Even if Harry was all for it, I couldn't allow it. People die in this tournament Ron!" Hermione said shrilly, blasting off all she was thinking.

"Hermione, calm down. 'course I'm not gonna hang it up. Harry'd kill me!" Ron retaliated before chuckling again. "Poor kid."

"I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." Hermione said,standing up. "And please, get rid of that thing."

As she stalked away Ron got up and wandered over to the fireplace. He looked down at the parchment and chuckled again before tossing it into the dying embers of the fire. As he walked up to the dormitory, wandering where Harry had gotten to, the fire ate away at the parchment, the words slowly fading but still visible for a few minutes.

'Come on, fellow Hogwartians and support HARRY POTTER: THE BOY WHO LIVED. We all know he would make the most amazing Hogwarts champion for the Triwizard Tournament and with your signature we can override the age limit! Harry Potter, fourth year Gryffindor for Hogwarts Champion!"