Chapter 21: Hullabaloo

"I've got something to do," I protested. Celeste and Lauran were trying to get me to help them learn a new spell for Transfiguration. I was going to meet Wood and they still didn't know that we'd been seeing each other again for two weeks now.

"Please, you can do whatever you want afterwards. It won't take long!" Celeste would not give up.

"I'll help you," Colby offered coming up behind Celeste and wrapping his arm around her affectionately, "Potter's got somewhere to go."

We were busted, somehow Colby had found out about Wood and me. I only hoped he had the sense not to tell anyone.

"Fine, go," Celeste waved me away and I hurried out of the Common Room and to an empty classroom right down the hall.

"You're late," Wood commented pretending to be angry until I kissed him hello, "but that makes up for any lack of punctuality."

"Did you tell Colby?" I asked looking sternly at him.

"Tell him what?" Wood asked playing it cool; I just hit him with another look.

"Did you or did you not?" I asked.

"Well, I thought it might be good to have an accomplice, so I told him and I told Dean," Wood tried to shrug it off but he looked too guilty.

"I have to tell them or they're going to find out the wrong way," I replied sighing. Celeste and Lauran would either be overjoyed that I was back with Wood or extremely mad about it. It was hard to tell.

"I guess you'd better tell them then," Wood said pulling me closer.

"I'd better," I replied, stretching up to kiss him. The door flew open mid-kiss.

"I knew it!" Celeste shouted as Wood and I flew apart, "You two are dating again!"

"Well, yes," I stammered, it was an awkward situation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Celeste had planted herself between me and the door, cutting off all hope of escape.

"So you wouldn't do this," I replied.

"You should have told her sooner," Wood said, "I figured it would probably blow up in our faces."

"This is not about you!" Celeste yelled at Wood making absolutely no sense whatsoever.

"That made no sense," I commented dryly.

"Yeah, it did sound a little smarter in my head," by now Celeste was looking slightly guilty for being so tough on me. Just then Colby, Dean, and Lauran walked in.

"What's happening?" Lauran asked looking around.

"I just had a small realization, nothing big," Celeste was covering for me.

"No, Lauran, Wood and I are going out again," I said sinking down into a chair. Wood sat next to me looking concerned.

"I'm sorry I made such a hullabaloo," Celeste said as my statement sunk in with Lauran, "Wait, did I just say 'hullabaloo'?"

"Yes you did," Colby said taking Celeste by the hand and leading her out of the room, "And we're leaving now. Potter and Wood have some issues to work out."

Dean and Lauran left the room and closed the door behind them. I sat for a second not saying anything, then I felt Spencer's arms close around me and I was crying into his shoulder, not because of Celeste but because for the first time in my life I was genuinely scared.

"What's wrong?" Wood asked gently after I had composed myself. He tilted my chin up so I was looking him in the eye instead of at the floor.

"This tournament," I replied quietly, "It scares the crap out of me because there's no way I can compete with these people."

"You're going to be fine. Nothing's going to kill you and nobody's going to look at you any different for not winning," He sounded so calm and soothing that I suddenly didn't feel as afraid anymore.

"Yeah, okay. I bet my family, well Lily and Mum anyways, wouldn't mind if I keeled over and died," I was already getting back to my normal witty self.

He pulled me up so that I was standing in front of him and then he kissed me, ever so softly, so that, for the rest of my life, I would always feel the love and the softness behind that kiss.

"Let's go back to the Common Room, we've got some explaining to do," He took my hand and I just couldn't resist making some kind of witty banter.

"Mother of Macaroni and all things cheesy, did you see the look on Celeste's face when she saw us kissing? It was like she had just found out they'd canceled Christmas and had that classic moment of shock before utter chaos prevailed!" I imitated the face and Spencer laughed, once again smiling that grin that just about drove me crazy; yet, I think it was growing on me.

Chapter 22: Moresby the Escape Artist

"WHAT!" I cried in disbelief at breakfast one morning as Celeste read an article from the Prophet.

"It says right here, Moresby escapes from Azkaban. He's only the second person in history to do that!" Celeste looked down the table at all of the people who cared more what color dress robes they had worn to the Yule Ball then they did that Moresby had escaped from Azkaban.

"Mother of Macaroni and all things Cheesy, how do you think he managed that?" I asked as Wood sat down beside me.

"Who did what?" Wood asked immediately picking up on my upset tone.

"Moresby got out of Azkaban," I filled him in on the recent events as Celeste scanned the article.

"It says they're doing everything possible to find him yadda, yadda, yadda," Celeste summed the article up, "Oh, it also mentions that Hogwarts could be a target but not to worry because they've got the best people looking for him."

I shook my head, "It doesn't much matter how good of people they've got looking for him because they're not going to find him."

"Yes, they will," Celeste looked at me disbelievingly.

"No, they won't. If he doesn't want to be found then they won't find him. He hid from them for between fifteen and twenty years without them finding him," I replied.

"Whatever, you've got the second task on Friday, right?" Celeste changed the subject knowing I wouldn't give in.

"Yes, I'm not looking forward to that," I rolled my eyes.

"Any idea what it might be?" Lauran asked attentively.

"No idea whatsoever. And I honestly don't care right now. Come on, let's go. It almost time for Charms," I replied standing up and walking off. Spencer caught up to me and took my hand as we walked to class.

"Miss Potter, may I talk to you for a moment?" Professor Delacour asked as I started to leave Transfiguration.

"Okay, see you later," I said to Spencer as he went out the door.

"Miss Potter, I wanted to let you know that Hogwarts will be perfectly safe and not to worry about any escaped convicts for the time being. I know you had a run-in with Moresby last year and I wanted to assure you that everything will run as normal,"

"Thanks Professor, but I'm not worried about Moresby. I'm more worried about the Tournament. The second task is on Friday," I replied hoping I could go soon.

"Oh, yes I quite forget that you are not an average student. You may go now," Professor Delacour waved me out of the room and I quickly complied with her wishes.

Spencer waited for me just outside the door and we walked off to the Common Room. I pulled some parchment out of my bag and sat on the floor, leaning up against the couch to do my homework.

"So what was that about?" Celeste asked from her seat next to Colby on one of the couches.

"Delacour wanted to make sure I wasn't scared," I replied shrugging, "Nothing big. I wasn't framed for pulling some prank or anything."

"You've been quiet lately, no big schemes or anything. I'm getting worried," Celeste said jokingly.

"Yeah, I'm worried too, worried that I'm going to snuff it during the next task," I exclaimed.

"You're going to be fine! I wonder what the task is though. It would certainly help if you knew," Lauran pondered for a second, "I've got no ideas."

"I've got ideas all right, I just hope that none of them prove accurate," I gulped at the thought of a facing a Manticore or something equally as frightening.

"You'll be fine; this Tournament will be a breeze for you!" Lauran said supportively.

Little did I know how wrong that statement would prove to be.