Chapter 20- Atop his Cleansweep: Big Requests

Disclaimer: I am not claiming I own this, but really wish I did.

Curran sat watching as everyone began throwing snowballs at one another. It had snowed the night before, and it was the first afternoon since they had been there that the snow wasn't almost all melted by the time their lessons were over. In fact, it was still snowing.

Curran took a snowball to the face. "Come join the fun, Curran," Theresa Whitby yelled. Since she had been asked to the Yule Ball by Brutus Maximus from Durmstrang, Theresa had lost five pounds, even if it looked like more. She also looked naturally happier, which made her look younger and nicer.

"Not this time," Curran yelled, taking another snowball to the face from Stella Kuo. It had been one of the few snowballs Stella had not aimed at Kevin Whitby.

Speaking of which, Kevin was about soaked, constantly getting pelted by Creevey, Grogan, Stella, Theresa, and Dwight Frost along with the occasional snowball from a Slytherin because, in all truthfulness, he deserved a lot. Well, maybe not a lot, considering he had only successfully hit Creevey once, and a tree, but he had started the war.

It was still another three days before the second task, but Dennis had everything figured out, at least that was what he had told everyone. He had assembled a team of ten, consisting of all the Hogwarts students aside from Theresa, and would be in someway 'saving' them, but from what, he didn't know quite yet. That part would be a surprise.

Curran was not a fan of surprises. When he woke one morning during the summer as an eleven-year-old and his mother tried to surprise him with his Hogwarts letter, he became so excited that the oatmeal that was supposed to feed the whole family, including three cousins, two aunts, an uncle, and two grandparents blew up and ended up on the ceiling and walls. On his 14th birthday, he woke up to seven sets of eyes staring down on him. He freaked out and his bed had to be replaced after the damage. And just last year, when he came into the Common Room on his birthday and every Ravenclaw yelled "Surprise!" in unison, Dumbledore had to seriously consider changing the Ravenclaw color from blue to violet to match everyone's face. Luckily, it only took a week to fade.

Usually he was fine, as long as the surprise was directed at someone else. If he had been pulled under the lake water in December instead of Gabrielle, the Durmstrang ship would have had a new permanent home, under water.

After the snowball fight had calmed down and everyone began to shiver from the cold, they all returned to the Hogwarts Express. There, Stella had the sense to conjure up hot chocolate for everyone. Curran allowed his to cool for several minutes as everyone began drinking. They were all also burning their tongues. Finally, he took a sip, and it was just the right temperature.

"I can't wait for the next task," Kevin said in a high voice.

"I can imagine," Baddock said. "Who wouldn't want to be saved by their lover?"

Everyone groaned, knowing what was coming next.

"For the last time, Baddock," Kevin yelled, "I am not queer."

"Would you two just drop that already?" Curran asked. "If I didn't know any better, Baddock, I might think that you're accusing Kevin of what you are."

"But you do know better," Baddock said.

"Think about those that don't," Curran finished.

Baddock sneered, but the shrinking of his ego was almost visible.

When Curran finished his drink, he left to go to his room. He heard someone behind him. He tried to stay calm, but when he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard someone say his name, he jumped and all the doors to the sleeping compartments fell from their place in the frame.

"Glad I'm not Baddock," Creevey said, peering into the Slytherin's mess of a room. Curran was still calming down, so Creevey waved his wand and fixed the doors as best he could.

"You wanted something, I presume," Curran said.

"Oh, yeah," Creevey said. "Could I borrow your broom for the task? We're allowed a broom and wand, and I figure that if we're allowed a broom, it's going to be because they will be very useful."

"Uh…" Curran thought for a moment. "Sure, you can borrow it."

Creevey smiled. "Thanks." He left back to the dining cart.

Curran looked at Creevey's job of fixing the doors. He waved his own wand, straightening them all and making sure they wouldn't fall.