A/n: an update, still don't own HP or Glee or anything else.

Kurt stepped up to him and pounded his fists on his chest, "'Was it dusty on the train'?"

"So, you got the letter," a smirk, "and you read my note, I was beginning to wonder."

"I did read it," Kurt huffed, "It took me a moment to respond because I didn't get that reference."

"I thought you loved Bette Midler," he shrugged.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "I do love her, she is gem undeserved by those who receive her. Too precious for this world!"

"You seem to be part of the hoards who are undervalueing her," he fixed a lopsided grin on his face, a challenge.

"I have been a little busy living without television for the last five years," Kurt groaned, "You know, when I'm not doing that, I'm travelling the globe learning magic that's saving the world."

"And so?"

"I haven't watched that movie," Kurt huffed.

"You're not a loyal fan."

"You don't get to call into question my dedication to Bette Midler," Kurt cocked out his hip, "unless you want to wandlessly manipulate your own fire to ensure you survive the wizard apocalypse."

"You didn't teach me that one," he complained.

Kurt smirked, "but I did teach you about Bette Midler, and everything else you know about pop culture."

"Fighting the good fight is keeping you away from your love of pop culture," he shook his head.

"It's not going to fight itself," Kurt rolled his eyes, "someone has to take charge, take names and get things done."

"And here you are."

"Here I am," Kurt chewed his lip, "did you know what it meant or did you screw up the message?"

"I know what the question means," he nodded.

Kurt nodded, "do you-"

"I love you," he countered, "I feel something immense for you." He took a deep breath, "I couldn't keep it to myself."

Kurt pursed his lips, "Do we even know each other that way?"

"I want to get to know you that way," he admitted, stepping closer to Kurt, "My next letter was going to ask you to set the night to music with me."

Kurt shook his head, "Slow your roll there, we're definitely not there."

"I don't want to miss out on my opportunity," he ran his thumb over Kurt's lips, licking his own, "just in case tomorrow never comes."

"Tomorrow will definitely come for me," Kurt nodded to himself, "I have to think about this." He took a deep breath, he was rewarded with the fresh smell of Swiss Pine, "I will contact you when I'm ready for… whatever."

~0~

"Mr Hummel," Professor Snape had his standard deadpan stare in place, "thank you for coming."

"Of course," Kurt nodded, "it is my duty as a prefect."

"You weren't asked here as a prefect," Professor Snape gestured to an opal necklace sitting between him and Professor McGonagall, "we asked you here in your capacity as the top dark arts student at this school."

"I would think Professor Snape-"

"I know only that Katie Bell is lucky to be alive," the man shook his head, "the curse itself is foreign to me." The man looked into Kurt's eyes, "seeing as you have been able to identify magic that has failed me in the past, you were the one to better identify the curse in the necklace."

"Mr Potter claims that this is a product of Borgin and Burks," Professor McGonagall explained, "this is but one of his hypothesise."

Kurt quirked a curious brow, "you asked Harry?"

"He, Ms Granger and Mr Weasley were witnesses to the atrocities that befell Ms Bell following her contact with the necklace," Professor McGonagall spoke with shock, "because it is always those three."

"I leave you alone for one afternoon," Kurt shook his head.

Hermione gaped at him, "these were circumstances beyond even your control."

"Hermione is right," Ron agreed, "We couldn't do anything to stop this or to stop ourselves being there."

Kurt pursed his lips, he turned to Harry, "what happened?"

"She had the necklace when she left the Three Broomsticks," Harry told the story, "she said-"

"Don't tell me what you think or what you've heard," Kurt lifted a silencing finger, "I want to know what you saw, Hermione?"

"She touched the necklace through a hole in her glove," Hermione eyed Harry nervously, "she appeared to be… be crucified and she levitated." She chewed her lip, "she wasn't breathing fully, and what little breathing she was doing came out in croaks… almost a rattle."

"Ronald?" Kurt turned to his red headed friend.

"What Hermione said was all we saw," he swallowed loudly, "we were just walking back and they were ahead of us."

"I know Katie," Harry spoke solemnly, "off the quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly."

"This is true," Professor McGonagall nodded to herself.

"If she was delivering that thing to anyone, she wasn't doing so knowingly," Harry continued.

"Do we know for whom the package was intended?" Kurt countered, "the recipient might be telling of the sender's intentions."

"It was Draco," Harry snapped.

"The necklace was for Draco?" Kurt furrowed his brow, "that's unexpected."

"Don't be daft," Harry spat back, "he gave her that necklace to give to Dumbledore."

"And you saw this exchange?" Kurt quirked a curious brow. He crossed his arms, "or are you basing this on your assumption that he's become a death eater?"

"I just know," Harry insisted.

Kurt took a deep breath and raised a silencing hand before either of the teachers present could speak, "Harry, when everybody thought that you and I were responsible for the attacks linked to the Chamber of Secrets, were we not afforded the rights of innocent until proven guilty?"

"This isn't the same," Harry groaned.

"Because Draco's father is a Death Eater?" Kurt tilted his head, "like mine, Tracey has Death Eaters in her bloodline, Ron's grandmother is family with Crabbe's family." Kurt put his hands together and squared up with Harry, "Your own grandmother has family who are death eaters."

"It's different," Harry shook his head.

Kurt shut his eyes, "in this country we have laws, and the law says that you are innocent until proven guilty." Kurt rolled his eyes, "do you have any evidence that it was Draco?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Because I have evidence to the contrary," Kurt let out a frustrated breath, "he had detention today, with Professor McGonagall."

"And he served the full session under my supervision," Professor McGonagall crossed her arms, "So, this accusation is baseless."

"So," Kurt crossed his arms, "I might be more selective of whom, why and how I accuse people." He glared at his friend, "don't let certainty and confidence turn you careless and venturesome, least of all at the expense of a peer."

"Mr Hummel is correct," Professor McGonagall echoed, "baseless accusations are quite dangerous."

"It seems that your new found prowess in potions has installed an arrogance in you," the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor glared at Harry, "Or are we failing to see the grandiose of the Chosen One?"

"Thank you," Kurt spoke to his friends, "that'll be all." He whispered the long-distance summoning charm and donned his dragonhide gloves and picked the necklace up, "Do I have to take care of this here or may I take my leave to analyse the artefact in my own time?"

"You may go," Professor Snape nodded.

Kurt gave a shallow curtsey, wrapped the necklace and put it in his bag, "I'll get back to you as soon as possible, juggling this and my school work."

"Very well," Professor McGonagall smiled softly at him, "thank you Kurt."

He exited the deputy headmistresses' office and crossed the quad, descended the stairs and entered the Slytherin dungeon, "Tracey, could we have a word in my room?"

"Now?" she looked at him through hooded lids that expressed her displeasure.

"Unfortunately so," he smiled invitingly, "won't you be a doll?"

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, collecting her books, "I'll do it but I won't enjoy it."

"Thank you," Kurt walked to his room and held the door open for Tracey as she made her way down the boy's corridor."

Harry removed the invisibility cloak from over himself, Ron and Neville. Hermione and the remaining members of management adjacent were waiting, "Tell me why we couldn't have this meeting in the room of requirement?"

"Because that was where we last conspired as a group," Kurt explained with an eye roll.

"You have a lovely room," Lisa exclaimed in awe, "I love the use of silver."

"Thank you," Kurt smiled, "We enjoy nice things here in Slytherin."

"Nice indeed," Mandy nodded as she ran her hands over his linens, "what is the thread count on these sheets?"

"Let's not touch the Egyptian cotton," Tracey smacked her hand away, "I don't believe I was called here to admire the sheets." She scoffed, "they are only an eight hundred thread count after all."

"I know," Kurt shook his head, "I chaffed the first night at Hogwarts."

Hermione snapped her fingers, "now you two are the ones getting distracted."

"Right," Kurt nodded to himself, he pulled out the necklace and held it up for all to see, "This is the Dark Lord's next move, this cursed necklace was intended for the Headmaster."

"Katie Bell was bewitched to deliver it from Hogsmead," Ron extrapolated, "in the girls bathroom of The Three Broomsticks Inn."

"Do we know who did it?" Neville furrowed his brow, "Or why they picked Katie?"

"We don't have anything definitive," Kurt shook his head, "But Harry has a theory that he'll share with anyone with ears."

"Is his theory Draco?" Neville deadpanned, "because that seems a little too familiar to me."

Kurt smirked, "Even Neville sees it."

"I don't appreciate your tone," Mandy snapped, "what is 'even Neville' supposed to mean?"

"It means that we have reason to believe that a pattern has developed because Neville, someone with no affiliation with Slytherin or Draco, can see that Harry likes to go for the easy solutions," she narrowed her gaze, "Who is evil? A Slytherin. Who is the Half-blood Prince? His father."

"The Princes were a pureblood family," Tracey scoffed, "they didn't have half-bloods."

"I knew it wasn't a title," Hermione giggled to herself, rubbing her hands together conspiratorially, "why are titles never that in the wizarding world?"

"You're preaching to the choir," Lisa, Kurt and Tracey chorused.

"But," Tracey fiddled with her fingers, "on the train here at the beginning of the year Draco told Pansy that this would be his last year at Hogwarts."

"You see," Kurt nodded, "Reason to suspect him, did you know this?"

"Yes," Harry let out an exasperated groan, "I did know this, I was eavesdropping in their compartment at the time."

"Oh," Kurt shrugged, "You never mentioned it to me."

"You usually know everything," Harry shrugged, "even private and intimate things that no one should ever know."

"It's my talent," Kurt shrugged. His face turned stony, "we know that the necklace is from Borgin & Burkes."

"How do we know that?" Ron narrowed his gaze.

"The wrapping is monogramed," Kurt smirked, "classic gay mistake, good brand recognition."

"Draco was at Borgin & Burkes during the summer," Harry exclaimed.

"But his bag would have been searched by an Auror when he arrived," Neville shook his head.

"No, it wasn't," Luna spoke up, "Harry and I saw Professor Snape vouch for him, his bag wasn't searched."

"So, it's him," Harry nodded to himself, "it must be him."

Ron scratched the back of his neck nervously, a habit he must have picked up from Finn, "well… the thing is… my bag wasn't searched either, none of the prefects bags were searched."

"Slughorn also vouched for me," Lisa admitted, "and the top five students of every senior year."

"So?" Harry shook his head, "Draco has been acting strange all year!"

"Draco's father was outed as a Death Eater," Hermione explained, "he might have known that his father had those beliefs but we don't know if he knew about his father's status as a Death Eater."

"Even if he'd known," Kurt chewed his lips, "their family's wealth has been frozen and they've become social pariahs, they were living with Druella during the summer."

Hermione nodded to herself, "What do we know?"

"That we're dealing with an amateur," Kurt rolled his eyes, "I could counter the curse on this necklace, it would only serve as a warning to someone like Professor Dumbledore."

"How do you mean?" Luna furrowed her brow.

"I thought you said Katie was lucky to be alive," Hermione probed him, "but now, it's mostly harmless?"

"Katie is an average student," Kurt explained, "it would take some knowledge and creativity to overcome the curse but most of the people in this room could manage it."

"That is uncalled for!" Ron protested, "Harry can hear you."

Kurt burst into a wild guffaw, "good one Ronald."

"Thank you," Ron bowed, "I'll be here all week."

"My point being," Kurt continued, regaining his composure, "the person who did this didn't do too well in Dark Arts, that can help us narrow down numbers."

"Where do we start?" Lisa shook her head as she thought it over.

"Who wants to go to the Hall of Records?" Hermione and Kurt chorused.

~0~

Kurt hooked his arm into Finn's, "I just saw Dean Thomas in his Quidditch uniform and he looks… delicious." Kurt moaned the last word, "Do you think he'd go out with me?"

"Salutations to you too," Finn grumbled.

"You don't want to play polite with me."

"I don't?" Finn looked afraid.

"You didn't respond to my last summons," Kurt admonished him.

Finn shook his head, "you haven't updated your mailing list, Padma isn't in Management Adjacent."

"And so you're boycotting our meetings?"

"All partners matter," he countered.

"Fine," he nodded, "I will rectify the oversight, even though your girlfriend doesn't like me."

"Now that that's out of the way," Finn grinned broadly, "why are you checking out Dean Thomas when you have Dusty Trains Guy?"

"Is that a thing now?"

"It is totally a thing!" Finn chuckled, "everyone wants to know who he is, everyone who is anyone has a theory and since the departure of Fred and George, I am taking bets."

"Well," Kurt looked down at his hands, "did you ever consider that Dean could be Dusty Trains Guy?"

"He's quite low on the ladder," Finn shook his head, "you hate Seamus and by extension those who call him friend, you've been burned by Goyle's loyalties." He smirked, impressed with himself, "same way you avoid people who try too hard to impress you, Cedric's attempt with the Goblet of Fire left you marked. That's why only idiots are betting on Harry Potter."

"I'm not comfortable with being analysed like this," Kurt shook his head.

"Pine, Citrus and tobacco," Finn grinned, "it could have just been you admitting that you're in love with yourself but you don't smoke enough to smell like it." Finn snuggled up to him, "who will you be loving till you're seventy?"

Kurt was silent for a moment as they climbed down to the lively quidditch pitch. Kurt started to speak but couldn't form the words, he took a deep breath and tried again, "Finn, you know me."

"Better than anyone," he said proudly, "nobody can tell me differently."

"And I've always eaten attention, right?"

"At every meal, snack and binge," Finn snickered.

Kurt took a deep breath, "my thing right now is… this worked better when it wasn't a thing." He buried his head in his hands, "I liked it better when I had feelings for him and it was my thing, he didn't even know."

"How does that work?"

"I was going to tell him when I had defeated the Dark Lord," Kurt let out a defeated sigh, "I was saving us as a reward but because Tracey is Precocious, he knows I feel the same way."

"Go for it," Finn smiled broadly, "these are not the times for delayed gratification." He stopped walking and held Kurt by both hands, "If you feel anything that could grow to be love for him, don't let him slip between your fingers."

"Have I ever told you that you are literally the world's greatest brother?" Kurt smiled broadly and hugged his brother, "where others might tell me to diminish my light or hate me for who I love, you encourage me. Everyone who departs from the norm deserves a brother like you, I love you."

"Don't make me blush," Finn smiled bashfully, "I love you too."

"I'll never mention it if you promise not to mention it," Kurt wagged his brow expectantly.

"I have one question," Finn grinned malevolently, "maybe a follow up."

"What is it?"

"Is it Neville Longbottom?" he took a deep breath, "are you breaking him and Mandy up?"

"No," Kurt shook his head, "what would make you think such a thing?"

"Because you love him like you raised him," Finn shrugged.

"And when he calls me mother," Kurt shook his head in disappointment, "I call him baby. That, we can comfortably call platonic."

"And you're still strictly same-sex oriented?" Kurt nodded, "And it isn't Harry Potter?"

"Only in Harry Potter's dreams could he make a Bette Middle reference so obscure I would miss it," Kurt scoffed, "So don't you even dare ask me about him!"

"You're quite clearly melting for him," Finn grinned, "he must be hot."

"I'm not falling for that," Kurt smirked, "I'm top of our year."

"He burns for you?" Finn smiled shyly, "at least tell me that much."

"I thought you had a question and a follow up," Kurt smirked, "It's starting to feel more like the Spanish Inquisition."

"Well," Finn shrugged, "that's as close as you'll ever get to religion."

Kurt gasped, "Denis and his disciples worship me as their living god. They're playing around with names right now, what do you think of Life Pukers?"

"Are they the anti-Death Eaters?"

"Yes," Kurt bowed his head in shame, "not the wittiest bunch."

"Tell them to try something less literal…" Finn thought the matter over for a moment, "Kurt's Kool Kids, you can spell 'cool' with a K and call yourselves-"

"The KKK?" Kurt shook his head, "miss me with that, we are not reclaiming that term, that's America's problem."

"Okay," the tall boy thought the matter over once more, "let's go with something unrelated and untelling, the Sunshine Gang."

"You don't have to convince me," Kurt shrugged, "tell Denis."

They watched the quidditch match for a solid five minutes before Finn peered at him out the corner of his eye, "You must think you are so slick, don't you?"

"I do, and I am," Kurt grinned mischievously, "why do you ask?"

"Getting me all distracted with cute names for your legion of followers."

"I don't follow," he shook his head.

Finn mirrored the action, "don't play dumb with me, you're top of our year."

"For now," Padma interjected.

"Not now baby," Finn called over his shoulder, "we were in the middle of a conversation."

"No, we weren't."

"We totally were," Finn countered, "I was asking you about Dusty Trains Guy."

"WE finished that conversation," Kurt nodded, "I'm certain."

"Is that so?" Finn smirked, "and how did it end?"

"You had a last question and a follow up," Kurt explained, "You asked me if Neville was Dusty Trains Guy, and then you asked if I was still strictly same-sex oriented." He pursed his lips, "both of which I answered to my fullest ability."

Finn cursed under his breath, "Please."

"Please what?"

"Just tell me," Finn roared, "I need to know, you're going to tell Hermione but not me? I'm your brother!"

"I'm not telling Hermione," Kurt shook his head.

"Fine, Tracey," Finn rolled his eyes, "Mandy, whoever the flavour of the month is."

Kurt smiled, "three people know; myself, the gentleman in question and-"

"And who?" Finn groaned.

"That would make it too easy for you," Kurt smirked, "wouldn't it?"

Finn buried his face in his hands in exacerbation, "this is punishment, this is secret punishment just like Burt does it!"

~0~

Kurt was startled to find Hermione Granger in the restricted section of the library, they had not made plans to meet each other there but here they were none the less. He dropped into the seat beside her and smiled broadly.

She eyed him suspiciously, "What?"

"Nothing," he beamed at her.

She narrowed her gaze and sniffed at him suspiciously, "doesn't seem like nothing to me."

"You're my friend, right?" Kurt twiddled his thumbs as he spoke, "my good friend."

"Really," she chortled, "I would go as far as to say that you're my best friend."

"And our friendship was built to last?"

"Me and you will be together in paradise," she grinned, "or we'll haunt the same library."

"Could we survive anything?"

"We will survive everything," she assured him.

"What if I slept with Viktor Krum?"

"Why would you sleep with Viktor?" Hermione furrowed her brow suspiciously.

Kurt shrugged, "it's a hypothetical."

"Do you have a valid reason in this hypothetical?"

"You hyped him up too much and had to have a taste," Kurt shrugged, "or something like that."

She shrugged, "I'd be upset at Viktor for sure, he can't bang my friends…" she chewed her lip for a moment, "I'd be over it in a month max with you."

"Could you forgive me if I left?"

"Left what?"

"All of this," Kurt shrugged, "if I left Hogwarts and started a fresh somewhere else."

"What?" Hermione shut her book and shook her head, "You cannot leave me here with this mess!" she crossed her arms, "Can you imagine the havoc that Harry and Ron would create without you there to hold their hands at every stop."

"Neville and Mandy would be there to help," he tried to reassure her.

"It wouldn't be the same," she shook her head, "they would both want to be in charge and we both know that they are sorely lacking in leadership capabilities." She took Kurt's hand, "Harry thinks knowing your desired outcome is the same as having a plan."

"You could take charge," Kurt breathed heavily, "manipulate them into believing everything is their idea like we did with Dumbledore's Army."

"Do you remember how much brain power and energy we wasted satiating them?" she shook her head, "Why are you even asking me all these questions?"

"I'm a pureblood and so is… Dusty Trains Guy," Kurt shrugged, "Maybe we should take our moment to be together as one."

"Kurt-"

"Everyone keeps saying I should be with him," he shrugged, "I could transfer to a different school and pretend not to know anything about Lord Voldemort."

"First they came for the centaurs, and I did not speak out—because I was not a centaur," Hermione countered, "Then they came for the Muggle-borns, and I did not speak out— because I was not a Muggle-born."

Kurt let out a defeated sigh, "Then they came for the wizards of colour, and I did not speak out—because I was not a wizard of colour." He hugged himself, "Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

"I don't think people are telling you to run from this fight," she threw her arm over his shoulder, "if anything, they want you to fight harder because you have someone special."

"To break every rule like I did when I had Cedric," Kurt sobbed, his head in his hands.

"Well," Hermione rubbed gentle circles into his back, "yes, to some degree."

Kurt sobbed loudly, "I can't, I don't have Rowena Ravenclaw guiding me from the beyond anymore… it keeps me up at night, I had come to depend on her."

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel depends on nobody," she countered in a voice cold as ice, "you had the echo of a memory whispering nonsensical garbage to you but it was only as valuable as you made it."

"You're just saying that," Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes.

Hermione shook her head, "you had a dream about a children's story and were able to deduce that it was connected to a muggle book and based in fact." She shook her head, "with anyone else, that would have been grasping at straws but ninety percent of what we know is your work, not hers."

"But I'm the one who was selfish enough to lose her," Kurt crossed his arms indignantly, "and her wisdom. I need her to know where to go next."

"I think that if you still needed her, she would have come back," Hermione smiled, "You should look forward, or at least look for a Phoenician translator."

"I've delegated the task," Kurt rolled his eyes as he recomposed himself, "Hipster Weasley is on it."

"That does not inspire confidence," Hermione shook her head.

Kurt shrugged, "Not at all but he's all I have since my parents left me and he hasn't let me down yet."

"You're not serious though," Hermione broached cautiously, "about running off into the sunrise with Dusty Trains Guy."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Kurt shrugged.

"Because you fucked us all," Hermione's face hardened, "You want to play ball? You fucked us!"

"I don't und-"

"You contaminated the prophecy," she explained, "remember that?"

"Oh, shit."

"Yes," she nodded, "You might have made Voldemort immortal, so you don't get to run off with your biceped, poetic lover."

"Thank you," Kurt grinned at his best friend.

She smiled back at him, "you were never going anywhere, you did this for attention."

"That's what I'm thanking you for," Kurt smirked, "I never realised how much attention Ron's jealousy and my desire of suitors provided."

"Your batteries were running on empty?"

"Girl," he shook his head, "I can't even handle the prolonged silences I am now forced to endure."

"At least you have someone who loves you," she smiled shyly.

"I don't want to love someone new," Kurt groaned, "I want to wake up in Cedric's arms tomorrow, I want to be loved by him for the rest of my life." He hugged himself once more, "I don't want to start a whole new fire."

"Baby," Hermione shook her head, "the fire is burning, try as you might to ignore it." She took his hand again, "Do you remember when you first suspected that you might love him?"

"It was just after I sent my parents away," Kurt smiled unconsciously, "he came to see me, hugged me and said that he thought he heard me crying."

"Wow," Hermione grinned bashfully.

Kurt nodded, "he made me feel like I mattered for more than my encyclopaedic knowledge for the first time since Cedric."

"What's standing between you and him?"

"You're the first person to ask me that," Kurt bowed his head in profound contemplation, "I don't know, nothing of substance."

"As Celine Dion says, 'He will see you can give him, everything he need, let you be the one to love him more'!"

"Solid Celine Dion reference," Kurt smiled at his friend, "I have raised you well."

"Am I ready to take the world on alone?"

Kurt shook his head, "not even close."

"What Hermione furrowed her brow, "why?"

"If you were ready to be on your own, you would have brought Neville so I don't have to repeat this conversation later."

"Good one Devil," Hermione nodded to him in congratulations.

Hope you like it, Reviews are love!