Welcome to the Jungle

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Part Two: Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen: Realise

Homecoming nominations are announced the next day, during an assembly that morning. Harry's voted in, along with Cedric, a couple of Harry's Varsity football teammates, a few other sophomores - Finn, Quinn, Brittany, Puck and Santana included - and a number of upperclassmen Harry isn't overly familiar with. Cedric's the favourite to win - everyone likes him - but despite the smile he wears on stage, he's not thrilled.

"I wasn't planning on going," he says after the assembly, a frown on his face. They've got 10 minutes before they have to scatter for their respective classes, but they loiter near one of the sets of auditorium doors, awaiting their friends. "Now I kind of have to, don't I?"

Harry's rather surprised by the revelation. Cedric's well-liked, respected and popular throughout McKinley High. He's also a Senior, regularly nostalgic for the years spent in a school he'd soon be leaving behind, and Harry had assumed his friend would be all over Homecoming and Prom. To make the most of his last year of high school, and all that.

"I'm surprised I'm nominated at all," Harry admits. He'd heard Santana when she'd mentioned it, of course, but he'd not really believed it, and neither had he thought on the prospect, since. "Isn't it usually seniors?"

"There's usually a Sophomore 'Prince' and 'Princess'," Cedric explains. "I imagine you'll be voted Homecoming Prince."

Harry rolls his eyes. "Delightful. Just what I always wanted."

Despite his own displeasure, Cedric grins, humoured. "You'll live."

"I'll never hear the end of it from Kate, though," Harry counters. He grimaces at the thought, certain she'd been laughing when Principal Figgins had called his name.

"The plight of younger siblings," Cedric smirks.

"I didn't think you had any."

"I don't," Cedric replies, "But I have two older sisters."

"Oh, so you're the younger sibling."

"Exactly," Cedric confirms, grinning unabashedly.

Ethan joins them, accompanied by Fred, George, and Lee. Harry and Cedric are teased good-naturedly, as expected, but conversation quickly turns to Fred, George, and Lee's post-commencement plans with Angelina and Alicia. Ethan has ambitions of California - UC Berkeley, specifically - but Cedric carefully avoids mention of his own hopes and plans, and Ethan makes sure the rest of them don't press him about it. Eventually, though, their brief recess draws to a close, and they, with resignation, disperse to their own classes.

-!- -#-

"Your Highness," Kate greets him, a mocking look on her face, "Do you think it'd be considered identity fraud if you were voted Homecoming Prince?"

Harry pulls a face, gives her the finger, and flops gracelessly into one of the auditorium seats. Kate laughs unapologetically, and pulls out her phone. "God, I have to message Ursa. She'll love this."

"Screw you."

Harry sulks while she messages Ursa, and watches the band set up in the orchestra pit. Daphne Greengrass is there, chatting with the curvy brunette he always sees her with - Tracey Davis, if Harry remembers correctly - and he looks away before anyone can catch him out.

The other Glee Club members file in, and Kurt drops into the seat beside Harry. Artie's on the lower floor - he'd taken the wheelchair accessible entrance, for obvious reasons - and he's in conversation with some of the band members. Mercedes sits beside Kurt, the pair of them engrossed in a magazine, and Finn makes awkward chit-chat with a surprisingly disinterested Rachel.

He points their interaction out to Kate, who smirks.

"The reminder of his actions gave her a bit of a reality check," Kate explains, "I don't think she wants anything to do with him anymore."

"Good for her," Harry acknowledges, "He's an idiot, anyway."

"I'm aware," Kate deadpans. She slips her phone into a back pocket of her jeans, produces her binder from her bag, and starts flicking through the sheet music. "I actually think she's set her sights on someone else."

"Right," Harry acknowledges, nonplused. He can't make sense of how Rachel's feelings could have possibly shifted so quickly.

"I think she wants a boyfriend for the sake of having a boyfriend," Kate clarifies. "I mean, I'm sure there are genuine feelings there, but…"

"Right," Harry repeats. He's not sure of what else to say to that.

Tina finally arrives, stutters out an explanation that she'd been held after her Geometry class to discuss the possibility of testing into Pre-Calculus, and Harry congratulates her sincerely. It's something to be proud of, and beneath all of her stutters and flaming red cheeks, there's a pleased, proud smile on Tina's face.

"Should we get started?" Kate asks once they've all settled down again.

"Vocal warm-ups first," Rachel insists.

"Of course," Kate agrees, "No one wants to live with vocal tension before their time. Do you want to take the lead, Rachel?"

-!- -#-

The band eventually packs up to wander off to the football field. Meanwhile, the Glee Club takes a break from rehearsing 'Born For This', and mess around with their cover of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing'. It's something they've been messing around with around their practises for 'Born For This', and it's a decent enough way to end that day's rehearsal.

It's near the end of their second run-through, when Harry starts gathering his things to leave, that Mr Schuester makes his presence known.

"Good, guys, it's a nine. We need a ten. Rachel, you need to hit the ones and the fives. Finn, if we worked on it, I think you could hit a high B."

"It's not really our main priority, Mr Schuester," Kate informs him, "It's just something we've been messing around with to wind down."

"Why don't you guys show me what your focusing on, then?"

Harry contemplates his phone, a frown on his face. "I actually have to go. Coach Beiste wants us all ready for warm-ups by five. Can we take a rain check on the show and tell?"

"Of course," Schue acquiesces, "But I'll hold you to it."

"So does this mean you're staying?" Finn asks.

Mr Schuester stiles, clasps his hands in front of him, and rocks back and forth on his heels. "It would kill me to see you guys win Nationals without me."