"A new decree. Bloody brilliant," Damien said with a grimace.

"Teachers can only have class-related conversations, huh?" Amanda said, squinting up at the decree, hanging on the wall.

"That's a load of malarkey," Damien said, shaking his head. They were on their way down to Charms when they noticed to Filch was putting up a new decree. They continued walking as a throng of people began to gather around the wall of decrees.

"Did you hear about the breakout?" Amanda asked absently as they walked down the corridor.

"Yeah. I can't believe ten death eaters got out. Ten!" Damien exclaimed. "I think those dementors aren't shaping up. Letting those death eaters out is like inviting You-Know-Who to your doorstep!"

"Well, it's not like the dementors purposely let them out," Amanda replied skeptically.

"Oh, really?" Damien scoffed. "Haven't you been reading the paper?" he asked. "The dementors are practically on You-Know-Who's side. So they could've "accidentally" let them out so You-Know-Who can return to power."

Amanda smiled. "That was very intellectual, Damien."

"Thank you," Damien said modestly. "But still, Amanda, keep your eyes open. I know John's going to get all excited about this, and try to pop in every now and then to scare us all."

"He rarely ever comes around me," Amanda replied, frowning.

"Yes, but who says he won't come now?"

"Who's John?" a voice said behind them. Damien turned around and frowned as Adam approached them, carrying his books, his face carved into an interested expression. "Who's this John that you lot talk about all the time?"

"What are you talking about?" Amanda asked, playing dumb.

"John. I'm always hearing 'John did this' and 'John did that.' Who's John?" Adam asked, catching up to them.

"Well...he's...my relative," Damien said slowly, oblivious to Amanda's alarmed expression.

"What kind of relative?" Adam pressed.

"A close relative," Damien replied carefully.

"What kind of close relative?" Adam asked, crossing his arms.

"Why do you want to know?"
"Because I keep hearing about it," Adam replied smugly.

"From who?"

"Well, everytime I'm walking through the common room, you and your friends are talking about him. Is there something that I need to know?"
Amanda looked between the boys nervously, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She gritted her teeth. Time to intervene.

"You obviously aren't doing anything right now, so what do I need to know about John?"

"I'm actually on my way to..."

"Sure," Adam said, cutting him off. "I want to know. Now."

Amanda had already made up her mind. She stalked forward, grabbed his hair at the back of his head, and sharply brought his face down to hers. She kissed him slowly.

Adam blinked slowly as he watched Amanda kiss Damien passionately, and raised an eyebrow just as Amanda let go of Damien.

"Well," she panted, "As you can see, we're extremely busy, so if you don't mind..."

She grabbed Damien's hand and he stumbled along after her, dazed. Adam growled and stalked down the other way.

"That boy is an extremely irritating, dim-witted, little...Damien?"

Damien blinked at her slowly, still trying to take in the events that had happened in the last minute.

"Damien?"

"Um...you kissed me," Damien stated blandly, staring down at her.

"Yes, I did. I only did it to save both of our behinds, so don't get any ideas."

"Amanda, you kissed me," Damien repeated.

"Is there something wrong with your brain? Yes, I did." Something suddenly clicked in her mind and she started to flush. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Amanda rubbed her hair slowly, sighing. "I guess I did, didn't I?"

"Yeah. And you do know what that means, right?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, that means that you're my girlfriend, and I have to kiss you again."

"Ah." She looked down at the ground. "That was a split-decision, you know. It's not like I'd been planning to do it all along, you know." She chuckled nervously.

"Well, that's all nice and all, but you kissed me. And that means that I have to kiss you back and...be your boyfriend." Damien blinked his eyes slowly.

"It does?" Amanda pretended to look down at her "watch."

Amanda chuckled nervously as Damien's gray eyes glinted. "It is late, you know, so we might want to get a move on...Damien?"

Damien smiled and stepped forward. Amanda backed up. He stepped forward again, and quickly placed his hands on her waist. He backed Amanda up, and she hit the wall in surprise. She looked up.

"Damien?"

He grinned and bent down to her ear. "We're going to be late to Charms." Then he kissed her.

It was no surprise when Professor Flitwick gave them extra course-work for being late.