"So, have you talked to Max yet?" Polly Longbottom was playing chess with Olive and she had no checked out, as usual, and was staring into space. This question, however, immediately brought Olive back to earth.

"What?" she asked, somewhat abruptly. "Talk to Max? Why would I do that?"

"Because you still like him and you always think about him," Polly said casually, watching Olive's bishop get beaten up by one of her knights.

Olive scoffed very unconvincingly. "No, I don't! That's ridiculous! Why would you even suggest that?"

"Because it's true."

"I am not having this conversation," Olive said, moving her pawn forward.

"Fine," Polly replied, taking Olive's pawn with one of hers. "I just thought you might want to know that even though Max went to both Sydney and Spain over the summer, he didn't go out with any girls. For the first time in like, a century."

"Why should that interest me?" Olive asked, trying to be nonchalant and failing.

"Alright, you can pretend all you want, Olive. But I know you still like him. I'm not trying to catch you out, I'm just trying to say...just be careful, alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went out with Max, so I know what he's like. So, just be careful, OK?"

"Well, you don't have to worry Polly," Olive said, moving her queen before Polly's king could get her hands on it. "Because I have no intention of going near Max, so I couldn't be more careful."

"Whatever you say Olive," Polly replied, moving her king. "Just remember what I've said."

"OK. Thanks."

"Checkmate," Polly said with a smile.

"OK, so I think it's about time you started doing something about James."

Allison Davies and Gemma Brown were sitting in Charms and they were practising Summoning charms. It was so noisy and bustly, that the two girls could easily get away with having a conversation and avoiding a scolding.

"What?" Allison asked, trying to Summon a dictionary on the table opposite her, but it merely flopped off the table feebly. "Are you joking? Like he'd be interested in the likes of me!"

"In case you haven't noticed Allie, he's been interested in the likes of you since last year!"

"No, he hasn't."

"Yes, he has!" Gemma insisted. "Allie, we're in second year now! We're not little first years anymore!"

"So? There are plenty of pretty girls in his year. Why would he look at me?"

"Allie, you know he likes you, you're just in denial."

"In denial?" Allie asked, trying and again failing, to Summon the dictionary. "Fine then. What about you and Albus?"

"What about me and Albus?" Gemma asked, trying to keep cool but blushing violent scarlet.

"Welll," Allie went on. "He quite clearly likes you. You two have been flirting for a whole year now. When are you going to get a move on?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Gemma lied, Summoning a pen that Terrence Newton had in his hand opposite them.

"Yes, you do! You're going red!"

"It's hot in here."

"Whatever. You're just in denial."

"OK," Gemma said, holding her hands up. "OK. I get your point. I'll stop. But I wasn't just trying to be annoying though. You two clearly like each other. And you would be such a good couple."

"Yeah, so would you and Albus."

"OK, stop!"

"Well, I guess you're right. I do really like James. But there a few problems."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that he's in second year. The fact that a fair few of my friends are related to him. And I'd say his three choices would definitely not incluude me."

"So, who do you think they'd include?"

"Poppy Finnegan, Bridget Cullen and Felicity Matthews."

"OK Allie, two of those girls are his best friend and one of them he doesn't even talk to."

"OK, assuming that the one he doesn't talk to is Bridget, you're wrong. I've been seeing him giving her the eye lately."

"That's because he's a boy! It's only because of her looks! What he feels for you is so much more than that!"

"How do you know?"

"Because my dear, I am not blinded by love."

"Neither am I!"

"So, you keep saying!"

"Let's just get on with the Summoning, alright?"

"So, when are you finally going to admit to everyone that you're just using Bridget to make Poppy jealous?"

Max and Damien were skimming stones at the Lake, having run into each other.

"Errm never," Damien replied, promptly. He turned as he skimmed his last stone. "And you won't either, will you?"

"I just don't get why you're doing it," Max went on, avoiding the question cleverly.

"Well, I like Poppy and Bridget likes James. So, together we thought we'd make them jealous. It works both ways."

"So, what, you just said, 'Bridget, will you go out with me so that we can both make Poppy and James jealous?'?"

"No. I asked her properly at first, then after about a week I was like, 'Bridget, I'm really sorry, but I'm going out with you for the wrong reasons. I'm only doing it to make Poppy jealous.' And then she said, 'Oh no, that's alright. Because I'm doing it to make James jealous.' So, we just left it at that."

"That is so weird," Max replied, finally.

"You won't say anything, will you?"

"James is my best friend. Although, I do like knowing something that he doesn't know. OK then, I won't say anything."

"Wow, you're easily bought Max."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, what about you and Olive?"

"What about me and Olive?"

"Well, forgive me for being behind, but didn't you like her like once upon a time?"

"I still do.."

"But?"

"But, she made it perfectly clear that she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. And also, Poppy threatened to twist my arm until it ripped out of it's socket if I ever went near her little sister again. You sure you want to associate yourself with that, Damien?"

"Positive. But hey, if you need a plan, you can always take a leaf out of my book. Make her jealous somehow. Go out with her sister or something. Actually no don't because her sister is Poppy, and if you go near her I will rip your other arm out of it's socket. And if you go near her Heidi, well, then your arms probably still aren't safe from either Poppy or Olive, and it would make you kind of a pervert. Well, maybe her best friend then."

"Her best friend's Mat, and she's taken."

"Well, she must have other best friends. She's a girl."

Max rolled his eyes at Damien's ridiculous and far-fetched ideas. Or..were they so ridiculous and far-fetched? He sounded a bit like an idiot, but maybe his plan wasn't so stupid. Girls did get jealous easily. Hmmm...maybe there was a way, after all.