A\n: It has been a long time and I shouldn't have left you without a dope beat to step to. This was really lengthy because I'm setting some stuff up; please keep in mind that this is still an AU on both sides so I have taken certain liberties with both plot and content. Like I've stated before I was only born in the mid 90s and have limited idea of fashion, music, culture and such so I may make references that seem out of place.

Kurt woke up feeling like the West End production of Cats had been in his head; he was groggy and didn't recognize where he was, this prompted him to scream under the presumption that he'd been kidnapped and taken to his death.

"Mr Hummel," Madam Pomphry said in her always pleasantly shrill sing song voice, it soothed him with its tone and familiarity, "You've finally woken."

"Oh my gosh," Kurt was suddenly distraught again, "What year is it? Is this the twenty-first century? Did Madonna become old and insignificant?"

"What?" she was taken aback by all the questions, "It's been a couple of hours, you were brought in with a concussion but now I'm starting to suspect that something much more severe."

"This is all Ron Weasley's fault!" Kurt saw red at the memory of the previous day, he now remembered that he had a score to settle, "When can I leave?"

"You were set to go but after that mindless babbling I am obligated to observe you for the rest of the day," She looked at him sternly and her voice went up an octave, "Not negotiable."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Kurt was distraught, not about missing school but about being confined to this room and being checked up on at intervals. He had to get out and live or he might spontaneously combust; he thought to mention this but then thought better of it, his sanity was already under question and he did not need to rock that boat. "The whole day? I have school work to do."

"Oh Mr Hummel," she did not look the least bit pleased, "It seems that despite your supposed great intellect, you fail to grasp the concept of non-negotiable."

"You're on my list lady," he said squaring up with her.

Kurt took this as an opportunity to truly immerse himself in his skin routine and give himself a spa day. He started at the bottom with a simple sea salt pedicure; he felt his feet were getting ashy which is unacceptable for someone of his calibre. He followed this up with a simple manicure with just a subtle polish. He finally cleansed and gave himself an exfoliating mud mask, he reclined and relaxed.

Kurt was disturbed from his relaxation by the subtle sound of breathing, "I can here you breathing. Stop staring, haven't you ever seen a mud mask before?" he opened his eyes to utter surprise; there Finn and Cedric were watching him, Kurt wanted to curl into himself in embarrassment. "Finn," he smiled politely, "you should really warn me when you're going to visit, especially when you're bringing company."

"What?" Finn said with a smug smile, "you would have put your face on?"

Cedric laughed softly, "Oh you've been saving that one for a while," Kurt said staring daggers at the pair.

"How are you?" Cedric asked, "I heard you got a concussion saving Harry, Hermione and Ron from an army of trolls."

"What?" Kurt was confused, that was a big stretch of the truth.

"Well, I heard you lost an arm fighting the trolls," Finn said with a proud smile, "you must be so glad they could reattach it."

"Where is this coming from?" Kurt was baffled, "Why does everyone think there was an army of trolls in the school?"

"Because Ron claimed he defeated a troll," Finn said as though Kurt was an idiot for not knowing this, "saving you, Harry and Hermione but then Hermione was telling everyone that you were the only reason that you guys survived."

"So people came to the conclusion that there was obviously more than one troll," Cedric said with a chuckle, "with Ron beating one whilst you took on the rest."

"And you two believed this," Kurt was so disappointed in the pair, "there was one troll and no one was maimed in any way, I got my concussion when Ron and Harry bumped into me when they entered the bathroom."

"So you didn't save them?" Finn asked sounding quite displeased by the thought of his brother being anything less than a hero.

"Oh, I saved them," Kurt smiled as he saw the light returning to Finn's face, "I went on fighting, concussion and all, destroyed the troll's club and then I shrunk him down and kicked him through the wall."

"You are so cool!" Finn said with stars of admiration in his eyes, "best brother ever! I think that might actually be cooler than the rumours."

"I try," Kurt always tried to be Finn's hero because Finn was always his hero when he needed it, "Now go or you'll be late for study hall and McGonagall will have your head."

"Let's go Ced."

"I'm just going to have a little chat with Kurt first," Cedric smiled down at Kurt, "I'll catch up."

"Sure," Finn said, as soon as Cedric turned toward Kurt he made kissy faces behind the older boy's back, "Bye Kurt."

"Die Finn." Kurt said with a wicked smile on his face.

"What?" Kurt shot Cedric a confused, innocent look, "I just wanted to tell you that you are truly an amazing brother, the way you just made Finn's day. He thinks the world of you and you never exploit that, truly noble."

"Finn and I go back beyond being brothers," Kurt smiled at the distant memory, "we were friends before we were brothers and he was my anchor when my mum died, he means the world to me and I would do everything in my power to never disappoint him."

"That is mighty noble," Cedric said with a gently smile.

"Cedric!" Finn howled in antsy tone, "Come on!"

"Gotta go," he said as he left bumping into Hermione on his way out.

"Someone had a visit from Cedric Diggory!" she squealed excitedly.

"No," Kurt laughed modestly, "it's not like that at all, he was here with Finn."

"Yes but he stayed behind to whisper sweet nothings to you," She said in sing-song voice, "there is no denying that much."

"I feel like you're making something of nothing," he said turning from her.

"I don't think so," she said jabbing him in the ribs.

"You think?" he asked excitedly, "because I do sort of carry a torch for him so I thought I was viewing the situation through rose coloured glasses."

"I'm sorry but the Statue of Liberty sort of carries a torch," she gave him a sideways look through hooded eyes, "you're like Apollo, dragging the bloody sun around."

Kurt was honestly horrified, "Am I that obvious?"

"No," she said in a matter of fact tone, "I just read your diary."

"You did what now?" barked at his friend.

"In my defence," she held her hands up in surrender, "I thought it was a very sad hand written book."

Kurt was breathing fire at this point, "How? It has a concealing charm on it."

"I have a revealer," she smiled, "it was truly a page turner."

"How did you get your grubby paws on it? It's supposed to be in my chest, in my room," Kurt stared daggers at her, "which has a jinx on it."

"Finite incantatem," she said with a giggle, "I learnt it from you."

"Oh, you are good," Kurt guffawed, "But if you touch my stuff again I will stab you!"

"Okay mister, put some panties on because I'm busting you out," she pointed to the bathroom, "we've got less than a week till we leave for the B.A.T!"

"Uh whatever… I am totally ready." She gave him a look that seemed to question the validity of his statement, he suddenly paused thinking about his position as captain, "Okay, the team needs me. Give me a second; I'm over this place, let me put on some decent clothes and let's blow this joint."

Hermione looked excited, "We're going to the Far East! Mahoutokoro School of Magic is said to be the most exclusive natural based school in the world, their curriculum is supposed to be based entirely on the principles of Godai."

"When did you guys find out about the hosting school? Actually, I don't care because you are going to give me a run down," Kurt cleaned off the mask and put on black and white chequered button down shirt, knee length chino shorts with a crimson boyfriend blazer.

As he got dressed Hermione informed him what the official invitation and newsletter had said, "So they invite twelve schools to participate and one is selected to host at random, this year it's that one in Japan. The host school selects the theme and this year they picked Godai which is magic that utilizes only earth, water, fire, wind and void."

"So we have to double up on our herbology," Kurt smiled to himself as he thought about how extreme Mahoutakoro's home turf advantage seemed to be, "they were smart by picking their speciality as the theme."

"I know, there must be some kind of rule against that. The first round is pools of three and both of our competitors are speciality schools; The Bermuda Academy for the Aquatic Magical Arts is underwater, all the students are part mermaid and have been raised practicing water based magic, and then there is Abafileo School of Ancestral Magic from South Africa which performs all natural earth and spiritual magic. There is not a hope in hell of us winning."

"I'm a pyromaniac if that helps in any way." Kurt pause for a moment, he considered their impending demise, "Well, now we have to have some fun with it for sure!"

"What do you mean 'fun'?" Hermione prodded at him in distress, "We're going to lose, dead last! Does that mean nothing to you?"

Kurt smiled devilishly as he thought of a new fresh approach, "I need to get out of here and be seen!"

"Really? Be seen?" She looked at him expectantly, "Did you miss the bit about us losing?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," he pulled up his combat boots, "You're wearing a turtleneck."

"You wore a turtle neck last week!" she protested defensively clutching her knitwear top, "What's the difference?"

"I did wear a turtleneck," Kurt humbly admitted, "But it wasn't fugly."

"Where does his highness wish to be seen?" the smugness dripping in her tone; "To the quad or maybe you'd like to parade our imminent loss in the great hall."

"Great Hall sounds good to me," He led the way through the maze of corridors with Hermione following behind him with a look of confusion riddling her face as she fired question after question at Kurt. He dared not answer a single one of her questions but chose to maintain the air of mystery, "Follow my lead." He readied his wand and walked with precise intention but was stopped short by Hermione's laboured breaths, "What on God's green earth are you doing?"

"I'm following your lead," she straightened her cocked hip, "I don't know how you walk and stand like this, my spine is crying out in protest."

"You poor amateur," Kurt looked at her with disappointed eyes, "It's not about walking like me, it's about the presence and respect you command! Attitude is everything and it's individualistic, so don't try to steal mine!"

"Okay," she smiled shyly, "my own attitude, I can do that."

"Don't do," he shook his head in disappointment, "Own!" He took off once more in a brisk walk, "Send everyone summons that tell them to meet me in the great hall."

"Okay, when?" Hermione asked as her quill quickly scratched the three summons, Kurt merely shot her a look that made her know what he meant, "Right, now."

Kurt entered the now deserted Great Hall; his peers had probably rushed through their daily homework so that they could get a head start on their weekend plans or get their attire for tomorrow's Slytherin vs. Gryffindor quidditch match ready. Kurt, much to his rugby fan father's dismay, had never really cared for any sport in particular and as his father had discovered the hard way; it would take magic he didn't think existed to change his stance on that branch recreational activities. "Time for a little redecorating," Kurt smiled wickedly as he flipped the centre tables onto outer tables before pushing the stack taller than himself off to the side. The noise had been great and he knew it would draw a crowd.

"Kurt! What are you doing?" Neville demanded in a breathless shout, "also, how are you?"

Kurt narrowed his vision, "What did I say to you about being more in control of yourself?"

"Everyone but you," Kurt nodded in agreement, "Hermione! What is Kurt doing?"

"I don't know!" Hermione squealed defensively, "Why would you think he would explain himself to anyone?"

"Well, it is your handwriting on the invitation," Kurt added as he wrote five words on the walls, "Earth, water, fire, wind and void. You are late Padma!"

"I don't even know what's going on," she said quizzically, "I was doing my nails with Parvati when I got Hermione's summons."

"Yeah, Hermione," Finn asked seeming to have appeared out of nowhere, "Why'd you call us- is there something different about this place?"

"The drapes are new," Kurt said as he locked the main entrance, "And it's about to get ugly. You guys heard about the theme, we've had less than a week's notice to work on it and we're going into this with a bit of a disadvantage against some of the schools that practice speciality magic."

"But we're not going to give up," Hermione said through a false smile before shooting Kurt an angry look, "Right Kurt? We need to teach them never to tickle a sleeping dragon."

"Yes, my thought exactly!" Kurt smirked to himself, "if they think we're going to down without a little fight, some school spirit and lot of attitude."

"How exactly are we going to do that?" Padma demanded with a fierce scowl on her face.

"Well," Hermione said with a proud smile, "I suggest we head to the library and-"

"BORING!" Finn screamed in her ear.

"Really bright spark?" she looked thoroughly peeved by his actions, "What do you suggest? Your subject matter is all natural and the rest of us need the time so we don't know four spells like yourself, we're going to be given theoretical and practical situations and we need to be able to think of magic that fits the bill on the spot."

"I think we should find loopholes," Neville mumbled under his breath but nobody took notice as they carried on screaming at and over each other. Neville cleared his throat and took a deep breath before belting out, "I said, I think we should find loopholes in the theme."

"That is brilliant Neville!" Kurt was bouncing up and down in his canvas boots, "We need to stretch this theme as far as possible without getting in trouble."

"Who has their invitation?" Hermione demanded, she was met with looks of confusion, "It'll likely have the rules on it or a reference to where we can find them."

Each of them barring Kurt, who was yet to receive his invitation, were able to furnish an invitation; each having a set of rules printed on the reverse side. They sat silently in a circle on the floor reading through their designated sections of the rules; all that is, aside from Finn who'd taken to slacking due to Kurt sharing his invitation.

"Oh, I've got it!" Padma exclaimed joyfully, she began to read the relevant passage, "The Godai elements are five with each being further divided or specified into a subordinate aspect. The first of these is Do or Earth; this represents all that is hard and static, Do deals primarily in magic that harnesses chi.
The second element is Sui or Water; this represents all that is fluid and dynamic, Sui is associated with magic that is emotive, defensive, magnetic and adaptable.
The third element is Ka or Fire; this element is prevalent in the energy, movement and forces of the world; this magic channels the user's passion.
The fourth element is Fū or Wind; represents that which expands in the world, channelling kinetics.
The Fifth and final element is Kū or Void; represents the things that are outside of this physical plain but are purely energy."

"What does all that mumbo-jumbo even mean?" Finn asked with a look of great confusion on his face; just when Kurt the magical world had turned Finn into an intellectually functional human being, he manages to prove him wrong.

"We know what the broader picture is," Hermione spoke breaking the silence that had crept its way into their conversation, "We know that we can use traditional blocking spells and charms, we're also allowed all kinds of pyro-kinesis, hydro-kinesis, geo-kinesis, aero-kinesis and telekinesis."

"Now we go to the library?" Neville asked cautiously; Kurt took note that he had realised that like everyone, he was subordinate to Kurt.

"Mr Hummel!" Kurt deflated at the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Professor," his voice belittled her authority, "we're just practicing."

McGonagall pursed her lips and gave him an astute look, "Mr Hummel, it seems that your behaviour has spiralled out of control. You are not the young man you were a month or so ago, and it seems you have a negative influence on your peers; I mean you Ms Granger."

"Professor," Hermione was practically hyperventilating, "Kurt's influence on me is merely social, it has neither hindered my academic progress nor been a contributing factor in my behaviour."

"Hasn't it?"

"Kurt," Neville whispered carefully whilst the elder lady had her back turned, "Make a run for it while she's distracted."

"I heard that Mr Longbottom!"

"Look professor," Kurt let out a shaky breath, "If anyone is to blame for whatever misunderstanding we may have, it's me."

"There is no misunderstanding Mr Hummel," she spoke firmly and with authority, "You vandalised the great hall, for which you must be punished."

"If you're punishing Kurt, you'll have to punish me too," Finn said with a serious look that seemed out of place on his normally goofy face.

"No," Kurt was firm, "other than the fact that I was the only one doing the moving of furniture, I am team captain and as such I must take full responsibility."

"Twenty points from Slytherin," Kurt didn't even flinch at the harsh yet elegant words, "follow me to the headmaster's office, the rest of you clean this up."

"Why doesn't he seem fazed by being sent to the headmaster's office?" Padma asked in a cloud of confusion, "that's seems like a big deal, especially for a first year."

Kurt looked over his shoulder to see Finn smile before proclaiming his defence, "Kurt is too badass to be fazed by anything."

Kurt took off at a tremendous speed, leaving Professor McGonagall in his wake. He reached the gilded gargoyle sometime before the elder professor, she did not seem pleased by this as he heard her screaming his name and her reprimanding proclamations.

They entered the now all too familiar office, "Professor Dumbledore," McGonagall exclaimed in breathless sigh of relief, "This student has taken a turn for the worst within the last month and was caught red handed vandalising school grounds."

"Gosh Minerva," Professor Dumbledore exclaimed whilst adjusting his Phrygian cap, "This is the only time I get to do some Sudoku!"

"I'm aware of the importance of your wondrous Sudoku breaks," she let out a tired breath, "I would think you'd make a concession when a model student is spiralling out of control just before they take to the international stage as a representative of this great school."

Professor Dumbledore raised his head reluctantly but smiled at the sight of the small boy, "Kurt, what a pleasure it is to see you!" Kurt noted that his quill carried on working on the Sudoku, "How are you?"

"I'm well professor," Kurt shot McGonagall a condescending smile, "Is that a new hat?"

"Yes, I got it in London," he smiled proudly, "It's Balenciaga! Minerva, you may leave us."

She was flabbergasted, "but Albus-"

"Thank you Minerva." He spoke firmly but without aggression, his voice remained soft but didn't allow for any argument, "When I saw your muggle bag I knew that I must give shopping in the muggle world a chance, best decision I ever made. So, what brings you to my office?"

"Well, I'm in trouble… again," Kurt let the words hang in the air for a moment, "I rearranged the furniture in the great hall so that we could have B.A.T. practice but then McGonagall arrived right in the middle of our practice and lost her mind, I guess that was the straw that broke the horses back."

The elderly man seemed to be giving Kurt's predicament a great deal of thought, "And Minerva is upset about the horse?"

Kurt was horrified by the thought of the most respected wizard not understanding the simple concept of a metaphor, "There horse is no horse!"

"Well, unfortunately she is right to be angry," the man proceeded to stroke his long luxurious beard, "The school by-laws clearly list vandalism as an infraction for which repeat offenders may be suspended."

"Professor, if I may?" the silver haired man ushered him along, "When I was first in your office you encouraged me to behave in a more carefree and youthful manner, I would even go so far as to say you encouraged me to rebel; now I'm in trouble for following the instruction I was given."

"Fair enough," Dumbledore smiled slyly, "I guess we can't punish you for something you were told to do but you do still have to attend your detention with Hagrid tonight."

"Say what now?" Kurt swam through his memory till he came back to Professor Flitwick reprimanding him and Neville yesterday, "Damn it! You're right."

~0~

Kurt stood awkwardly in front of the impossibly tall man; Kurt noted that he needed to stop claiming that things were impossible, especially in the world he now lived in. Neville was trembling nervously next to him as Argus Filch dumped them in the care of the larger man.

"Rubeus Hagrid," the giant man said in a thick West Country accent, "Keeper of Grounds and Keys at this here fine school. Call me Hagrid, everybody calls me Hagrid."

"I'm Kurt Elizabeth Hummel," Kurt smiled sweetly yet nervously at the huge man, "And this is my nervous friend Neville Longbottom."

"Hi," Neville's voice was small and distant.

"So, we'll be heading into that there forest," the hairy man adjusted and loaded his crossbow, "Ready?"

"Entrance into the forest by a student is forbidden," Neville exclaimed fearfully, Kurt couldn't find it in him to call on the boy's bravery.

"I'm with Neville on this one," Kurt said, his voice went a little sharp on the first syllable, "I don't choose to go there!"

Kurt took note that yet another one of his pop culture references had gone unnoticed, Kurt took due diligence avoiding the exposed roots as they navigated between the trees.

Hagrid stopped before a pool of metallic liquid, "Unicorn blood, there's another injured one out there."

"Did you just say unicorn?" Kurt couldn't shake his excitement, "I know they're real but I can't help but get excited."

"This one is hurt," Kurt's face dropped, "but it's not hurt too badly judging by the size of this pool."

"If there's something out here that's hurting unicorns," Neville stuttered through, "How can you assure that we're safe?"

"I didn't assure anything." The words made Kurt nervous, he wasn't a fan of uncertainty and this was the ultimate form of ambiguity, "Let's find this poor beast and help it."

"Are we dealing with magical poachers?" Kurt asked cautiously, "Because in the muggle world poachers are considered extremely dangerous and should be dealt with a certain amount of attentiveness."

"Not with unicorns, it's wicked to slay something as pure as a unicorn," Hagrid let out a staggered breath, "Their recent slayings means that we're dealing with a particularly dark strand of magic."

"Did he?" Neville shivered in fear.

Kurt could feel a chill rising from the base of his spine, "He just said dark magic before leading us into the Dark Forest," Kurt took a deep steadying breath, "A man after my own heart."

Hagrid led them into the forest; down through a thicket of snapped twigs and dishevelled shrubbery that had clearly seen an evidently been site to a severe conflict that had left the unicorn injured, Kurt had to turn away from the splatters of both crimson and metallic liquid that told tale of the savage nature of the encounter. Hagrid then changed directions as he picked up a clear set of hoof prints that were speckled with metallic liquid, the sight of it turned Kurt's stomach and it took all he had not to lose his feeble diner at its sight. Kurt felt something of an odd texture beneath his feet, he stepped back only to be horrified by the sight of a severed trachea and a large metallic stain on the soft loamy soil. Kurt tried to hold his composure but the sound of Neville's blood curdling scream broke the flood gates and started the chain of events that would follow. He puked his dinner behind a tree before taking off in the opposite direction from the screaming because after what he'd seen; no matter how much his heart might have wanted to save his friend from whatever trouble he'd encountered with Hagrid, his feet and instincts told him to run.

Kurt could see the treeline ahead and beyond it, Hagrid's hut. He ran with unyielding gumption; Kurt wasn't sure if the point of this detention was to scare him straight or if tonight's set of events were nothing more than a mere coincidence but he wasn't taking any chances in that forest with the dark magician who had performed the gory tracheotomy on the majestic beast. Kurt fell over one of the mangled bits of undergrowth; he was brought back to reality by the distant pained frail falsetto that hummed an almost familiar tune that he couldn't quite put his figure on. Kurt was on high alert, forgetting about the gruesome atrocities he'd witnessed and choosing to focus on the tune that teased his memories. Kurt listened with precise intent for the origin as he took in his surroundings but could not put finger on the origin of divine song and then suddenly there amongst the remnants of snapped and crushed branches was a small bird.

Kurt cautiously bent closer to the bird but the small creature cowered away, Kurt wasn't sure what kind of bird it was right off the bat but he knew that even magical birds had long migrated to the warmer south. 'Why are you still here?' Kurt asked himself as he reached out to the bird; it did not move other than physically flinching, he noticed it's injured wing and withdrew his finger. 'A nightingale,' he thought which confused him further because . Kurt gave it a moment's thought before approaching the situation as best he could, he held out his hand, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby," Kurt sang in a soft raspy soprano as he tried to urge the bird to come closer to him so he could help it.

As though by some greater force than nature, the small bird turned to him and let out a shrill whistle of the successive lines as it hopped closer to Kurt's extended palm.

"Someday I'll wish upon a star, And wake up where the clouds are far behind me," Kurt urged the small bird that shrilled along with him toward his extended hand, the bird hopped into his hand, "Where troubles melt like lemon drops, Away above the chimney tops, That's where you'll find me."

Kurt examined the wing injury, he noted that it was a clean beak which would make repairing it exponentially easier.

"Kurt!?" he heard a familiar voice call from deeper within the forest, "Kurt, This isn't funny!"

"Neville!" Kurt noted that the delicate creature in his hand cowered at the sound of his full voice, he retrieved his wand from his cloak, "Ossa Fracta Reparo."

The bird screeched in pain, his tail feathers turned a rust colour which startled Kurt into dropping the bird. He saw the bird glide and fly whilst singing happily with the feathers returning to their standard desert sand colour, Kurt had never considered that this was anything but a common nightingale but it seemed that magic was all around him.

"Neville, Hagrid," Kurt called out for them as he exited the forest with the singing bird in tow, "Where are you guys?"

"There you are," Hagrid gave Kurt a firm pat on the back, "You hightailed it out of there so quickly that I didn't have time to see if you were alright."

"I guess I have a bit of a weak stomach," Kurt blushed at the thought of him being flawed in any sphere; he was not only regarded by others as being flawless but by himself, he was held at quite a high esteem for it and the thought of falling short turned Kurt a very bright shade of red. He looked to the taller man, "I didn't know that couldn't stand the sight of blood, it's quite interesting the things you learn about yourself."

"Who's this?" Hagrid asked gesturing to the nightingale that had made itself comfortable on Kurt's shoulder, "Hi there little fella."

The bird chirped a happy response, flying an orbit around the large man's head before poking at Neville who looked quite uncomfortable at that particular, "What is it?"

"He's some kind of nightingale," Kurt watched the bird playing happily with Neville's hair, "a magical subspecies of sorts."

"A Maua Nightingale; noted for their ability to change colour," Hagrid seemed distressed by something, "But it won't survive the winter out here."

"It had a broken wing when I found it," Kurt said realising that he may have saved this birds life, "I fixed it with a spell; he couldn't fly before that."

"Well, I guess you'll be spending the winter with me then?" He spoke to the little bird who chirped a happy response.

"Let's call him Pavarotti," Neville said happily, "like the muggle singer."

"Pavarotti is a tenor," Kurt interjected, "This guy sings in soprano," Kurt saw Neville's face drop, "but it's a smart choice of name."

~0~

"Liz!" Finn screamed across the crowded courtyard, people turned to look at him as he sank deeper into himself out of sheer embarrassment, Hermione nudged him to respond but Kurt pretended not to know the painted boy, "Sup Kurt, Hermione."

"Finn," Kurt looked at the boy's green and silver get up and matching face paint, "Why must this be life?"

"Today's the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin quidditch match!" Finn said excitedly.

"And this is supposed to mean something to me?"

"I think Finn wants you to be excited because it's sport," Hermione smiled sweetly, "Kind of like they do for the soccer in the muggle world."

"Come on your house is playing!" Finn said nudging Kurt for a response before resigning to the reality that Kurt simply wouldn't take any interest in the matter, "Okay, come to the match with me and Cedric today so I can explain the game to you because then you'll have the knowledge you need to watch me play."

"You're playing quidditch?" Hermione seemed to be surprised.

"Finn's always had a natural aptitude for sport," Kurt stated in defence of his brother; she hadn't seemed this shocked when she'd learned Harry was on the team, just because Finn wasn't some magical urban legend didn't make him any less capable, "Finn played rugby, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, polo and water polo at a semi-professional level, quidditch is just like polo but on brooms."

"Yes, in that it's nothing like polo." Finn laughed at him, he was about to tussle Kurt's hair but was stopped short by the glare of death.

"I don't mean their identical," Kurt rolled his eyes in frustration, "You know what? Whatever, I'm still not going to that stupid sports match."

"What stupid sports match?" Cedric asked as he approached with a large group of older Hufflepuff students, "Woah, Finn, when I said people get into the match this is not what I meant."

Finn looked down at his get up with confusion; their family, with the exception of Kurt, always dressed like this for sports matches. Kurt came to his brother's defence, "This is totally the only way of supporting."

"Yeah," One of Cedric's elder friends said with a laugh, "at the world cup, not at a school match."

"I like it," Hermione said with a shy smile, "it's a show of true dedication to one's craft."

"So you guys joining us in the team box or what?" Cedric finally asked, the question was directed at the group but his gaze never left Kurt, "We get free nuts."

"I was just telling Finn that I would rather set myself on fire than go watch that match," Kurt said with a sweet smile that was out of place with the vicious words on his lips.

"Harry's playing today," Hermione said in an obvious attempt to change his mind.

"Oh," Kurt said with false enthusiasm, "Well, that changes nothing."

"What?" Hermione asked, her tone condescendingly sarcastic, "You're telling me that the youngest seeker in a century's debut means nothing to you! I didn't see that one coming."

"Are you insinuating that Kurt has a superiority issue and that he can't stand to see someone else do better than himself?" Finn asked, Kurt's jaw dropped, he wanted to see what Hermione had to say.

"That's not what I said," She didn't sound convincing, Kurt turned to from Kurt to Cedric to the stranger, none would meet his gaze.

"Oh no, we are not doing this again," Kurt spoke firmly and without falter, he smiled to himself, "I see, well guess who's going to the quidditch match? Yes, not me."

"Oh, so that means I was right," Hermione smirked at Finn, "there is no manipulating Kurt Hummel!"

"Oh come on Kurt," Finn pouted like a kicked puppy, "I've tried everything to get you to go to the match; I used Cedric, sibling guilt, free nuts, exclusive access to the Hufflepuff box, emotional manipulation and nothing"

"And yet you never thought to ask me," Kurt packed his books into his Burkin, "Good bye Finn, Hermione."

Hermione got up and followed him toward the school building, "Cedric do something," Finn whined, Cedric hung his hands up in defeat, "Kurt, please come with me to the quidditch match."

"Make it worth my while," Kurt smirked villainously, "I'm still pretty upset about you trying to manipulate me, I'm wounded, I'll need monetary compensation."

"You can have my allowance for the next two months," Finn said with pained expression.

"Deal," Kurt's smirk grew wider, looking almost like the smile of a mad man, "and to think I only wanted one month's allowance."

"Okay now how much do you know about quidditch?" Finn asked as he hooked his arm over his smaller brother's shoulders; Kurt resented Finn for always reminding that physically, he appeared to be much younger than him which juxtaposed the actual three weeks that separated them.

"We might have read a book about a few weeks ago when you mentioned that you might be playing," Kurt could feel the nape of his neck turning scarlet.

"Or was it when we found out Harry was going to be seeker?" Hermione said in a tone that made Kurt uncomfortable, he stared daggers at her, "Or was it when we curios about what bubbled beneath the dark brooding demeanour of Cedric Diggory?"

"Hermione," He scowled at his friend while he waited for the colour to clear from his cheeks, "remind me when you get boobs to punch you in them!"

Finn gave them a rundown of the rules anyway, Kurt's guess was that he like the idea of having academic prowess over the rest of the group for a change. He told them about each of the positions and who out of the throng of taller teens filled that position, he then explained that he wanted to play keeper. When they finally arrive to the Hufflepuff team box there was not a nut in sight!

"What madness is this?" Kurt protested, "You invited us here under the ruse of there being nuts and I don't smell any nuts roasting or otherwise."

"What are you guys playing at?" Hermione demanded, "You don't just promise us nuts and then don't deliver!"

"Where are the curly cashews?" Kurt was practically breathing fire at this point.

"Calm down," Cedric smiled, "Finn and the rest of the juniors will bring out refreshments in a moment."

"Oh," Kurt simmered down and took his seat in the tower box adjacent to the main staff tower. He wondered how many first years could say they'd had the pleasure of viewing the match from such a prime position, "Wait, Finn's waiting on us?"

"No, he's in charge of snacks," Anthony Rickett, a stocky senior, said with a chuckle.

"He's also a junior member of the team," a lean boy Kurt didn't know said as though it was the most obvious thing on the planet, "which means he's paying his dues."

Madam Hooch stepped onto the pitch and started the match, quidditch was much faster than he had expected, Finn had been right this was nothing like the leisurely days spent watching polo out at the country club. He cringed at the contact and horse-play on the pitch, he wasn't sure comfortable with Finn playing such a rough sport thirty feet in the air.

"Are all your junior members allowed to bring guests?" Hermione asked with a knowing smirk, "or is Finn special?"

"Well," one of the three girls present said with a giggle, "Cedric brought a girl last year, Cho Chang me thinks, but he technically wasn't a junior."

One of the other team members nudged her but she just smiled wickedly; Kurt was smiling on the outside and cringing on the inside, or was it the other way around. Kurt was distracted when Finn and company arrived with snacks and one of the players took a bludger to the head, this allowed him a moment to recompose himself.

Harry was yet to do anything other than hover over the field; the youngest seeker in a century didn't seem too interested in seeking. He suddenly took off in pursuit of the barely visible golden snitch, Kurt could feel his inner house pride stirring; he hoped that his acquaintance would fail, did that make him a bad person? He watched as suddenly Harry's broom started to jerk about as though trying to throw it's rider off.

"Something or someone is messing with Harry's broom," Hermione whispered to him as he enjoyed his nuts, "We should do something."

"We should alert the authorities," Kurt said sarcastically, "Everyone can see it! It's happening right in front of the entire staff; if there was anything to be done, someone would have done it by now."

"Look at Snape," she whispered to him, "He's not blinking and his lips are moving, he's obviously cursing the broom."

"Or he's counter cursing," Kurt ran his eyes over the crowd, "Look, Professor McGonagall isn't blinking either."

"Really?" Hermione asked with a queer look on her face, "Professor McGonagall? The nicest old lady ever she can't be against Harry, she isn't evil."

"Oh, and Snape is just because he's head of Slytherin?" Kurt looked her in the eye and saw that she was withholding information from him, "Okay, say it is Snape," Kurt paused for a moment, something in the depths of his gut told him it wasn't, "what are we going to do about it?"

She seemed to give it a moment's thought, Kurt gestured to his wrist to remind her that time was of the essence, "We'll break his concentration."

"How would you do that?" Kurt asked in monotone.

"You're usually much more helpful," Hermione said with a sneer, "Let's go I'll think of it on the way."

They discreetly exited the box with a mumble of 'powder room'. Kurt wasn't sure if there was much they could do against an whichever advanced spell caster they were up against but in the name of camaraderie. They climbed up and down so many flights of stairs it made Kurt grateful that he kept up to date with his cardio routine.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do to 'stop' Professor Snape," Kurt had actually taken to patronising Hermione at some point because he couldn't find it in him to believe that Professor Snape would intentionally put a student in harm's way.

"watch and be amazed," she said with a pleased smile, "Lucarnum Inflamarae."

"You're setting the man on fire?" Kurt was shocked, that was a little extreme when fixing one quidditch match was the worst of your crimes, "Fire! You are on fire!" he screamed in a disguised voice.

There was a sudden commotion above their heads, whilst the adults above them worked to put out the flame, Kurt saw Harry regain his composure and take off after the golden snitch; things didn't seem to be falling in Professor Snape's favour, had he been trying to harm Harry? If so for what reason and to what avail?

Kurt and Hermione ran back to their seats, slipping back in unnoticed as everyone was on the edge of their seat; watching Harry riding his broom like a skate board. Suddenly, he fell over, Kurt and Hermione hurried to the edge to peer at their classmate as he pulled a face that Kurt couldn't bear to look at without feeling like he would lose his breakfast.

"Your friend doesn't look well," one of the girls said with a crooked smile.

She was met by giggles, "Today just isn't the youngest seeker of the century's day." Another giggled.

"there's no need to be cruel," Cedric said commanding the respect of the team.

Kurt pointed at each of them and shook his head, "This isn't what Hufflepuff stands for."

"Harry Potter has caught the golden snitch," Kurt heard the commentator say, Hermione shook her head at the girls with sass that made Kurt proud, "Gryffindor wins."

~0~

"Harry," Hermione ran ahead of Kurt toward the boy who was standing with Hagrid and Ron, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Hermione," He didn't sound convincing, it seemed like there was something he was hiding.

"You're a jolly lot better than I'd be if Snape had tried to kill me." Ron sneered at Kurt.

"Why are you all so convinced that Professor Snape," Kurt asked the group, he was met with silence, "Is it because he isn't part of the Harry Potter fan club? Because then you've got to wake up and smell the roses, not everyone is always going to be fond of you but that doesn't mean they're out to get you."

"Explain why the professor was trying to get past the three headed dog through the trapped door on Halloween?" Ron asked, "He even got himself bitten."

"He let the troll in as a diversion." Harry spoke clearly and without a doubt.

Hermione cringed in discomfort, "Why would anyone go near that monstrosity?"

"Hey," Hagrid boomed, "Don't be talking about my Fluffy that way."

"That thing has a name?" Hermione looked to be turning green.

"That is just so adorbsmable!" Kurt squealed, "What? Adorbs and abominable, adorbsmable."

"You're getting distracted," Harry said firmly, "What's behind that trapped door and why does Snape want it?"

"You guys haven't got any business snooping about this matter," Hagrid boomed putting an abrupt halt to all conversation, "That there is between Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel. I should not have said that."

"Who's Nicolas Flamel?" Hermione asked with confusion written all over her face.

"I should not have said that," Hagrid scolded to himself, "Let's go have some tea."

A\n: Hope you liked it! review it if you did, heck review it even if you didn't.