A/N: This is seriously short. I'm sorry. I keep trying to make scenes fit after the explanation of who they have become with the time skip but it did not want to cooperate so that's unfortunately not going to happen. However, it does mean I have an idea where I'm going next, which is always helpful. And I kinda end on a cliffie but after the first foreshadowing, that's not really a cliffie.

Disclaimer: Not mine. I is not J. K. Rowling so yeah. I do not own the characters. Cept Kate. She's mine. And Kieran. Sexy boy-child is mine. Also, new teachers are mine. They just popped in my head randomly. I also do not own the myriad of songs that I will be using throughout this. They belong to their respective artists.

Follow

Dancing. Walking.

Clock keeps on tocking,
They sing, they sing ...

Gentlemen and Ladies,
Animals and Babies,
We sing, we sing ...
Na-na-nana-na

-Follow Me Down by 3OH!3

Time passed, as it unfortunately must, and my friendship with Albus Severus Potter strengthened. We were pretty much joined at the hip and it was rare for one of us to be seen without the other. It was strange for us (or for me, at least) to be separate. It felt as if I had an arm or leg missing. He wasn't just my best friend; he was an appendage that seemed more vital than any arm or leg could ever be.

We had grown, of course. We were fifteen, Al almost 16 with his February birthday, and had come out the other side of our growth spurt to be more than a bit on the tall side. Al was 6'3'' and I was 6 foot, dead on. We towered over Kate (poor girl, still 5 foot), who had grown in her own way. The personal spotlight that had shown on her as a child grew as she did. Boys now found her beyond desirable but she didn't date. We (Al and I) found ourselves immune to her "charms" but enjoyed watching her torment the other boys. Kieran had grown as well to the good height of 5'11" and, unfortunately for her, tended to avoid the now-voluptuous Kate (whose crush on him had grown worse with age)when he could. Apparently for good reason. We had once happened upon the two in a more-than-compromising situation. They had sprung apart and Kate ran off like the Hounds of Hades were after her, pushing her skirt down and straightening her shirt at the same time. Kieran buttoned the top two of his shirt composedly, looked at us, then put his hands over his face, sighed, and collapsed against the wall.

"Don't get in pureblood-Mudblood relationship," he advised us from the floor. "It only causes pain and heartache." I nodded understandingly but sheltered Al looked confused.

"Why? What does her blood status have to do with anything?" We both looked at Al as if he had sprouted a second head.

"I can't ever marry her and she knows it, so there'd be no point in having a relationship at all. She also knows that if we ever… you know…. have relations….. there is an even smaller chance that I'll be able to marry her."

"But why?!"

"Because every pureblood parent wants their perfect pureblood son to marry a perfect pureblood virgin," I answered.

"Is that what your parents want for you?" Al asked, turning to me. Mutely, I nodded. I didn't like thinking about marriage, especially when I thought about spending my life without Al. It scared me. Matter of f act, it still does.

Al looked troubled but said nothing. Kieran got up, ran his hand through his hair and turned and walked away without a word. Al and I walked the opposite direction, talking of other things.

13

Al and I were even more inseparable as we grew up except when it came to our schedules. Al, whose performance on a broom (and sturdy build) had earned him a place as a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team, was almost constantly busy because of it. Kieran was a Chaser and captain on top of it. Kate (of course, bratty little…) was our all-star Seeker. Since she'd been on the team, Slytherin had always caught the Snitch. We didn't always win; especially when we played Gryffindor, whose Chasers had insane scoring skills. However, mostly we won. Not that that's a bad thing, but Kate's ego was. Anyway. Whenever Al had practice and I really didn't feel like watching, I'd find an empty classroom or use the Room of Requirement and sing. It seems totally random, I know, but I'd always loved to sing. Al still teases me about singing at extremely random intervals but I love to do it. I hate people (besides Al and Kate) hearing me sing though. It's awkward, even though everyone who has heard me sing assures me I sound fine. I'm a lirico-leggero tenor, which is really kinda cool. But it doesn't really make a difference. I sing with Kate sometimes. She's in the choir (I have no idea where she finds the time but somehow she does) and is a perfect match for my voice, being a coloratura mezzo-soprano. She has also been the most caring, helpful person in some of the darkest times in my life. But I guess she understands what I went through, what with Kieran being who and what he is and Al for being… Unfortunately (or fortunately, I guess), that's for later.

A/N: Sorry it's so short! I had to do it! Sorry! Definitely longer chapter next time. Please be patient with me and my crazy schedule. I have to read three books before April 19th and one of them is 836 pages and I'm only on page 87! Meaning I won't update until April 21st at the earliest. Again, SORRY! Please review and tell me how cranky you are at me.