Here's to hoping you're all enjoying this. :) Onward:

"It's pink."

Theo, Harry, and Snape were all peering into the cauldron the day before the second task was to be held and Theo was very right. It was as pink as bubblegum unlike the aquamarine it was supposed to be.

"Only an addition of powdered rat spleen and minced peppermint could have caused it to turn this color." The Potions Master hissed a curse Harry knew teachers shouldn't say in front of students. "Someone's tampered with it. This potion is useless."

Snape's words were like buckets of icy water being dumped on Harry's head.

"What are we going to do?"

"Go to base ingredients." Theo replied. "Gillyweed should suffice if you have any Professor."

"I'm not supposed to give out ingredients to students not using them for a legal potion...especially Triwizard Champions as it's considered assisting."

"You've been assisting us." Theodore argued.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Snape gave a sneer. "I thought you were doing this potion for extra-curricular reasons."

Theo's face contorted, first in amusement and then in disdain. "Gillyweed is rather rare. I mean, I'm sure we could find it in the Black Lake, but..."

"I cannot help." Snape snarled and glanced at the door.

Their eyes followed to find Madam Pomfrey standing there, eyebrow perched high. "I came for potions, Severus."

"Of course."

"Come on." Theodore grabbed Harry. "Need to get to the library and start studying a Bubblehead Charm. It's the only way now."

In the library, finding the book containing the charm took much longer than they had time for and then practicing it took even longer. Harry, who was good at Charms, was having the hardest time with it and he knew it was the mounting stress that had caused it.

"Who could have done that to the potion?" He asked angrily.

"Focus, Harry." Theo insisted.

"Who?"

"I don't know." Theodore snapped. "Whoever is trying to get you killed most likely."

"Theodore!" Draco's voice hissed into their practice.

When they turned to him, Harry realized just how late it was.

"Am busy, Draco." Theo growled in a tone Harry had never heard before. "Shove off."

"Can't." Draco folded his arms, glancing between them. "Theo, Snape wants to see you."

"What's he want?"

"I don't know." Draco shrugged and then turned to Harry. "He asked specifically that Potter not come. Only you, Theo."

Theo gave an annoyed sigh, but stood regardless. "Keep practicing that Charm, Harry. I'll meet you in the Common Room."

"Right." Harry nodded and took the book they'd been studying with him into the dungeons. He continued to practice there, waiting for Theodore, but the other boy never came. He was awoken by Dobby, who had procured him gillyweed, thankfully, and sent him running to the lake, where he arrived nearly late.

"Where's Theo?" He asked Draco as he passed him, but the blond shrugged.

Harry started pulling off his shoes and socks and thrust off his robe before yanking out the clump of gillyweed and shoving it into his mouth. He felt the metamorphosis taking over and gagged as he quickly began to lose his ability to breathe. When the whistle sounded, he dove into the water and, finally breathing again, took off into the lake.

It felt like hours down there in the creepy lake. He was thankful for Myrtle who pointed him in the right direction, but he nearly drowned when he saw that it was Theodore who'd been taken. All the other champions would be retrieving Granger (for Krum), Chang (for Diggory), and Fleur's little sister. Using a slicing spell, he cut the ropes holding Theodore and then waited, like a fool he realized later, to make sure the others were gathered. Both Diggory and Krum arrived, but it didn't look as if Fleur would. Using some threats, he was able to get the Merpeople to leave him alone while he took the little girl with him as well. His gills were gone by the time they surfaced and he was gasping so hard for air that he inhaled water. Theodore, now awake, started to help Harry swim, cursing the boy for being such a Gryffindor.

Ronald came rushing into the water to help Gabrielle out, Fleur close behind. This obvious care for her and her sister earned Ron a kiss.

After Madam Pomfrey had cared for him and the judges had been given sufficient amount of time to negotiate the points, the points had been awarded and Harry, having demonstrated "moral fiber", been tied with Cedric Diggory.

"Nice." Theodore rolled his eyes as they started to walk back up to the castle. "Are encouraging your stupidity." Then he gave an odd look. "How did you get gillyweed? Professor Snape wouldn't hand it out."

"No, I wouldn't." Snape's growl made Harry jump and he spun around to look at the Potions Master. "Stealing into my stores, Potter?"

"N-no."

"There was another break in last night." Snape snarled menacingly. "It didn't strike me until just now who could have broken in...and of course the time before when I'd caught you..."

"I didn't break into your stores then nor last night..."

But Snape cut in. "I found out that the parchment is no longer in the Marauder's possession. Might you have been lying?"

"I'm not lying." Harry argued, glaring at his stubborn teacher. "I didn't have the map. Someone else must have it."

The annoyed tsk of his professor proved how much Snape was furious. The man held up a small bottle and Theodore inhaled sharply at sight of it. "Do you know what this is, Potter?"

Irritated, Harry answered, "Bubblejuice, sir?"

"Veritaserum." Snape hissed. "Three drops and You-Know-Who himself would spill his darkest secrets."

"It's forbidden to use it on students." Theodore reminded the teacher, his eyes cold.

Snape glared pointedly at Harry. "Break into my stores again, Potter, and my hand might just slip over your morning pumpkin juice."

"I didn't steal..."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Spittle sprayed from Snape's mouth. "Boomslang skin. Lacewing flies. You are brewing a Polyjuice Potion and I am going to find out why."

And with that he stormed past Harry up into the castle.

"He really does flip-flop between almost liking you and loathing you." Theodore gaped after their professor; he had never really believed what Harry had said about Snape. Apparently, he did now.

"Come on." Harry started off towards the Quidditch Pitch. "Let's...you know."

"Wait..." Theodore stopped the other. "You've got a water beetle on your head."

He tossed the beetle aside before they set off towards the pitch. Once there, both made sure no one was watching before morphing. This early in the day there was still plenty of light for Harry to fly without relying on Theo and he much appreciated that.

With the second task done with, he was sure things would be looking up...until Rita Skeeter released her article.

It was the laugh of the school, Harry's budding relationship with Theodore. Slytherins scoffed at the both of them for the scene she played out:

And young Harry, tears in his brilliant green eyes, ran after Theodore, screaming for him to not leave him alone. He called him a coward. He called him a fool. Then he pinned him down in the hallway and forced the other to admit his feelings for him. "It's my father's fault." Theodore told Harry through his own tears. "He doesn't like you. He'd be really mad if he found out we were together. I...I don't know what he'd do to me." And Harry, galliant and noble, told him with a soft kiss to his lips, "I'll protect you."

Teachers gave Harry and Theodore dirty looks, but it wasn't for this sickening romance. It was for the more perverse thing Skeeter had inserted later in her writing.

After over an hour of searching for his true love, Harry was able to bring Theodore back to the surface of the lake...they were walking from the lake, back up to the school when Harry, unable to contain his feelings and the raw pain of nearly losing his one true love, diverted their path away from the school. "Come on." He begged his more reluctant love. "Let's...you know." He was too young to say the words, too abashed by his own lust and desire. "Wait." Theodore took Harry's hand and pulled him close so their wet bodies were pressed together. They stared longingly into each other eyes before Theodore bent down and gave Harry a fervent kiss, too passionate to put into words. Then they set off to who knows where to pursue their deepest desires.

The content of the article had forced Harry and Theodore into Snape's office where he, irked beyond measure and thoroughly embarrassed, began explaining to them.

"Normally, this kind of an announcement is given to fifth years, but apparently the youth these days are growing up faster than they used to." He was snarling and gave Harry the cruelest glare he'd ever been given the moment he opened his mouth to interrupt. Needless to say, he clamped his mouth shut again. "Neither of you would be aware, but...certain activities are...well, they're not forbidden, but they are looked down upon for your age or any age under seventeen. These activities, which are, as you clearly are aware, sexual in nature, are more permissable for adults and therefore you, at your young age, should not be participating in them. I have already sent letters to your respective homes informing them of this..."

Harry had to interrupt. "It's a lie, Professor, sir! That Skeeter woman is lying! We've never..."

"I don't care if she is lying or not!" Snape roared, cheeks pink. "If you would like to correct your guardians..."

"You don't realize what you have done!" Harry jumped to his feet. "My guardians are Muggles and they hate magic or anything abnormal! They'll..."

"I know exactly how Petunia thinks of magic." Snape cut in. "And I also know exactly how she would react if I told her that precious Harry Potter was Pueramoris!"

Harry sat down.

"I did not give her the details." Snape hissed. "Merely, let her know the basics as it is my duty as your Head of House to inform that their charge has been partaking in sexual activities."

"I haven't been." Harry snapped.

"Regardless," Snape waved his hand dismissively. "She has been informed that you are at the very least capable at this point to do such things...now, it is also my duty to inform you that being a Pueramoris does not give you the right to sneak into each other's beds at night. If such a thing does begin to occur, I will move one of you into the boys' dorm of the year beneath you. Furthermore, public displays of affection are considered inappropriate at school and should be done in private. This does not mean you have the go ahead to grope or participate in sexual activities, which can wait until you are considered adults."

"Should talk to Draco and Blaise than." Harry grumbled, but stopped talking at the scowl he was given.

"Finally, I make this clear that I do not care what the two of you get up to, but hold at least to the Slytherin motto of NOT GETTING CAUGHT! TWICE you were seen by this Skeeter woman and I do not care how much she twisted your words and actions to fit her tale, DO NOT GIVE HER FUEL TO HER FIRE! You are insulting your Housemates and marring the name of Slytherin with your tear-jerking young romance that only rainbows and butterflies and unicorns could make anymore obscene!"

He was speaking so incredibly fast and with such vehemanence that Harry almost didn't catch what he was saying. Nodding solemnly, both boys exited their headmaster's office and hid in a nook.

"How did she even see that conversation we had?" Harry asked in a whisper. "We were alone in that corridor."

"Apparently not." Theo mumbled. "More curious as to how Snape knew your aunt and uncle's names...have you told him?"

Harry's eyes widened as he hadn't caught that amidst the embarrassing conversation. "No...huh...I wonder how he knew?"

Theodore shrugged and silence fell around them as they each thought about what Rita Skeeter had done.

"Should stop hanging out." Theodore finally muttered. "Have to tell my father the truth...or a rendition of it..."

"But..."

"Can't..." Theodore shook his head firmly, looking at Harry. "Can't do this, Harry. Wouldn't understand."

"Thank explain it to me."

Theo continued to shake his head. "Can't. Is family secret. Can't explain. Wouldn't understand."

And he finally turned, leaving Harry alone in the dark nook. He noticed a beetle crawling on the floor and had a nearly insatiable desire to squash it in his anger. Instead he kicked it, sending it spiraling into another corridor before storming off towards the dormitory, absolutely positive the Fates hated him and were trying to make his life miserable.

Cutting this one short. Work is busy tonight :( Will update more in a bit...