Notes: I made a mistake in the last chapter Ron was supposed to be cursed on his left shoulder, not his right. I'm sorry. I realized I messed up like a couple of days after.

The world of Harry Potter and its characters belong to JKR. I do not support JKR. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans people are people.

Chapter 14: Celebrations

Ron was asleep, his muscles and shoulder felt really bad and he was incredibly tired. Right on top of him, was Hermione. Her brown golden curls were falling like curtains that surrounded her face. Her beautiful eyes were shining as she gazed at him from below. He wanted to move, to touch her like she deserved to be touched, but for some reason he couldn't move. It was as if he had been petrified and he could only gaze as she began to lower her head towards his. Just when he thought she might've kissed him she lowered her mouth near his ear.

Taking the chance he licked and kissed her neck, it tasted like blood and metal. Weird, but he was tasting Hermione's skin and he wasn't about to complain about that.

"Ron," she whispered. Fuck, it was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard. "Ron," a little louder and he silently begged for more. "Ron," that wasn't as quiet as the others. "Ron!"

Ron's eyes snapped open. He looked around, he was surrounded by most of his friends, as well as some other people from Gryffindor. Hermione was kneeling down her face clearly worried and with marks on the sides of her head where it looked like she clawed with her nails. He unconsciously licked his lips and recognized the taste of metal and blood. Fred and George were also there and although they looked quite worried were snickering silently. Ron sent them a glare, as he couldn't move.

"Ron," he turned to look at Hermione. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to nod his head, but failing. "I just won't be able to move for a while, but other than that I'm pretty good. Where's Gryffindor?"

"I'm here," Gryffindor said, kneeling on Ron's right side. "Drink this," in his hand was a glass bottle with viscous yellowish substance inside.

"No thanks," said Ron, grimacing at the view of whatever the hell Gryffindor was trying to feed him. Gryffindor sighed, then he grabbed Ron's chin forcefully and pried his mouth open. Ron for his part closed his mouth as tight as he could and this time Gryffindor had a hard time opening it. He put the large bottle down and handed it to Hermione.

"When I tell you to," he told her. "Pour it in his mouth. It'll help," Hermione looked quite conflicted with herself, but if it meant helping her friends Ron knew what she was willing to do.

Gryffindor took a hold of Ron's nose cutting off his breathing, Ron held on to the air inside his mouth as long as he could until he had to take in some air. He opened his mouth in a loud gasp and Gryffindor held his jaw.

"Now! Fill his mouth and don't overdo it!" Gryffindor exclaimed. Hermione began pouring the viscous substance into his mouth. It filled Ron's mouth, it was cold and it felt as if a weird slime was pouring inside his mouth. Ron closed his mouth and forced himself to swallow, however the unpleasant feeling inside his stomach or the disgusting taste never came. Instead, he tasted bananas and chocolates along with very cold milk, and his body, which was burning, tired and exhausted, felt cooler and more relaxed.

"Hmmmmm," he moaned, closing his eyes and savouring the taste. "What is that?" He asked.

"It's a banana milkshake," Gryffindor said, his eyebrow arched. "Right now, you're experiencing cramps so intensely your body has stopped moving temporarily. So if you want to walk today instead of staying in bed all day. Drink. The bloody. Milkshake."

Ron squinted his eyes at Gryffindor in a small glare and opened his mouth. Hermione for her part put the bottle to Ron's mouth as he began to drink, he had closed his eyes at the moment and so he didn't notice Hermione staring at his Adam's apple bobbing, her cheeks a light pink. By the time the bottle ended Ron could move again, however his left arm still hurt when he tried to use it. As Ron checked himself he noticed his robes at first, only his pants were actually unscathed, his upper half clothes had been burned and slashed to the point that it was comical how much he was revealing and how much he had uncovered.

The blood that was on his body and clothes was not that much, perhaps half a cup at most. The cut had hurt far worse than it probably should have. He wasn't even that worried about the blood, he was more worried about the pink and bright scars that were on his shoulder now.

He looked around ready to ask Gryffindor what exactly had happened when he was nowhere to be seen.

Gryffindor was walking angrily towards the Headmaster's office. Of course it had to have been one of Salazar's students who would break the rules and against his Champion no less, no one else could be that petty.

'You could,' said a small voice that sounded like Rowena.

'Shut up,' he continued until he was in front of the stone gryphon. He said the password and made his way up the stairs. When he opened the door making his way in, hell resonated in his ears.

"SHE BROKE THE RULES!" The loud voice of Minerva McGonagall bellowed.

"SHE DID NOT!" Replied the voice of professor Snape. "THE RULES STATED LETHAL DARK SPELLS! IS WEASLEY'S GRAVE BEING DUG AS WE SPEAK!"

"Severus!" Admonished several voices at once.

Gryffindor saw the scene as he stepped into the room. Salazar, Rowena and Helga were all on different sides of the room, with the Heads of their Houses beside them.

"Salazar!" Godric exclaimed the moment he completely entered the room. Heads turned in his direction. He walked towards Salazar as he began to speak. "Are you absolutely mad?! What were you thinking teaching a teenager such a dangerous curse?! I can't even imagine what else you've been teaching her!" For his part Salazar only arched his eyebrow, the corner of his eye twitching.

"Believe it or not, Godric," he said, his voice hissing, deep and steady, with an anger that Godric could recognize anywhere. "I did not tell my Champion to use that spell. So I suggest that you step back, before you commit a mistake."

"Oh," said Gryffindor walking a slight bit closer. "I'm the one always making mistakes am I? Well I prefer making them to taking the easy way out. You'd know a thing or two about that wouldn't you, Sal?"

Salazar's nose twitched, he put his hands behind his back and his eyes glowed like shining emeralds. The eyes of snakes were boring into his, very slowly he took his wand out, aiming it right at Gryffindor's chest. There was silence in the Headmaster's office as Gryffindor and Slytherin glared at each other, their wands gripped with such force it was expected they would snap in their grasps.

"This time Salazar," he said, whispering just loud enough for other people to hear. "I'm not the one that made a mistake. Your champion did. And. So. Did. You."

"What the hell do you mean?" he asked, his voice gravelly and low.

"We said no lethal dark spells. And no outside interference," said Gryffindor. "I believe you shouted something during the match, didn't you?"

Gasps resounded amongst the Head of Houses as well as Helga and Rowena. During the match screams, whoops, gasps as well as other sounds had resonated across the stands. A lot of students had put in their input about a Champion dodging, blocking or attacking their opponent at almost every point of all matches. There were few who had actually listened to Salazar's scream of warning.

"You provided your Champion with information that she didn't previously know during her duel with Mr. Weasley," he said low and collected. "Which means that not only did your Champion cheat, but so did you!"

"How is that any different than what others in the stands did, Godric?" He debated. "Are we to also disqualify Ms. Lovegood? After all, I saw Ms. Cho Chang screaming her flying directions during her duel with Mr. Diggory. Or perhaps your own champion Godric, after all Ms. Granger was heard screaming at Mr. Weasley throughout every single one of his tasks. In fact, wasn't your Champion the one that gave up?"

"That was after your Champion nearly maimed Ron's shoulder!"

"Oh but at the end of the day he gave up, didn't he?"

"She could've killed Mr. Weasley!"

"And so could've his own incompetence when he intervened in Ms. Lovegood's duel with Ms. Greengrass."

"I suggest you back down Salazar!" Gryffindor exclaimed, brandishing his wand in front of him.

"Or what Godric!" Slytherin responded by aiming his own right at Gryffindor's face.

"That's enough!" Gryffindor felt something hard as a rock fell on his face, and a moment later he was on the ground rubbing his head. He heard his fellow male founder yelp in pain and when he opened his eyes Slytherin was also on the ground rubbing his own head. They looked behind, seeing both Rowena and Helga, their expression exuding anger.

"Stop it, both of you!" Bellowed Helga. "You two are acting like children!"

"Indeed!" Continued Rowena. "There must be a way to settle this in a civil way and not with black eye!"

In the Great Hall, things were not going any better. The Gryffindors and Slytherins were going all out against one another throwing insults left and right. The other houses were no better, Zacharias Smith was actively making fun of the Ravenclaws and sneakily drawing badgers on the Ravenclaw table. Which made Marietta Edgecombe jinx him, the spell summoning pimples to his face.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, who now thought better about teaching in any school in the world, casted a large ball of light from out of his wand. It flew into the air and exploded like a loud and bright firework in the middle of the ceiling in the Great Hall.

Ron, who was now sporting a sling on his left arm –fortunately for him it wasn't his dominant arm– looked at the Senior Auror who had gathered the attention of every student in the hall. A feat that few had ever managed at Hogwarts.

"The headmaster along with the Heads of Houses and the Founders," he exclaimed in his deep voice. "Have come to a decision regarding who has won the demonstration duels."

There were protests from each house all claiming that their champion was the winner. Ron for his part was completely surprised, when he woke up he had figured he passed out and lost giving Daphne Greengrass the win. Speaking of the devil, the Slytherin champion was sitting on the Slytherin table, people gathered around her like moths to a flame. Blaise Zabini looked like he was telling her about his flying abilities from what his wavering hands were telling Ron. Draco Malfoy looked like a smiling jester as he clearly tried telling her jokes that were clearly not humorous enough for her.

The Slytherin champion, however, looked completely neutral, perhaps a twinge of guilt could be seen in her eyes, but it faded as soon as it came.

The sounds of the door on the back of the Great Hall silenced all other sounds as the professors came back outside. Dumbledore stepped onto the podium, his half-moon glasses hung off his hooked nose and he looked the most neutral Ron had ever seen the old headmaster. His calm upbeat nature and twinkling eyes were nowhere to be seen.

"It seems that the Founders have come to a conclusion," Ron looked around for his master just to not see him anywhere. "Seeing as Daphne Greengrass made use of a dangerous, yet non-lethal curse: the value of her reward shall decrease by ten points, and Ron Weasley's reward shall increase to fifteen points, but shall not be awarded the first place as he voluntarily gave up." There were protests from both the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables that were quickly silenced by their respective Heads glaring at them.

"And so the total of points is Ravenclaw awarded with twenty-five points," people clapped for the Ravenclaws who, although looked disappointed, also wore expressions of pride almost all sent Luna's way. "Hufflepuff is awarded with fifty points," again people clapped, this time for the Hufflepuffs. The keeper of their Quidditch team was clapping Cedric's back as he cheered. "Gryffindor is awarded with ninety points," people around Ron clapped while the Gryffindors cheered. "And finally, being awarded ninety points, as well as twenty-five more for the successful defeat of a type four X magical beast, Slytherin is awarded a total of a hundred and fifteen points."

The Slytherins celebrated the loudest of all Houses, they cheered and clapped for themselves as Crabbe and Goyle lifted Daphne onto their shoulders as they began to whoop. If Ron were to be honest, he'd say they looked like two excited gorillas waving their arms with a girl on their shoulders.

"Now," said Dumbledore. "I must ask the Champions to go to the infirmary for further examination, the rest of you may enjoy the rest of your Saturday."

Students began to rise from their seats and walk out of the Great Hall, only four not going to their own Common Room. As the four arrived at the infirmary Ron noticed someone new, she wore green and white robes reminiscent of St. Mungo's, her hair was weird in a Tonks kind of way where the tips of her long black hair ended with a bright purple. Her lips were black, clearly some type of makeup, Ron thought she looked like the complete opposite to the type of healer that Madame Pomfrey was.

While Cedric and Daphne went to Madame Pomfrey, Ron and Luna went to the new Healer.

"Hello," she said, greeting the two with a smile. "I'm healer Alysnes," Ron tried very hard to hide the grimace that almost came out. "Yes, I know. Odd name isn't it?"

"Sorry, I didn't–" Ron tried apologising, but the healer held up her hand.

"Save your apologies, Mr. Weasley," she said, beginning to take notes on her. "After all, I'm pretty sure you're not going to want to say sorry after this revision."

It was as she said as Alysnes took every possible test that Ron could think of as well as more that he didn't know of. And indeed some did hurt quite a bit like the Dark Magic Residue Test which involved a sharp tool that looked like a turkey dropper. After about fifteen minutes of continuous tests Luna and Ron had finished their session. The only time it became the least bit awkward was only when Ron had been the victim of a Blinding spell so Luna could take off her shirt and be properly examined.

"Well," said Alysnes. "It seems that after being hit with the curse Ms. Greengrass sent your way, you'll have to use a sling on your arm for the next week."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "What do you mean?! I have Quidditch training! And I have to train for the Tournament too!"

"Well unless you want to lose your arm for a whole month," she said looking up from her clipboard. "You better listen to your Healer, Mr. Weasley."

Ron grumbled, but said nothing else. Alysnes signed a parchment paper that he gave to Luna, who smiled at the healer, bowed as she got off from the bed and began to skip her way to who knows where. Ron saw as she began to sign another parchment paper when a familiar voice made him turn his head.

"Ron!" Percy's voice shouted from behind the curtain. A pair of freckled hands grabbed the curtains and pulled them aside. "Audrey have you seen my–"

Percy stopped dead in his tracks as he locked eyes with Ron, the older brother then cleared his throat and straightened up, fixing his tie and glasses as he turned to look at healer Alysnes.

"I hope all is well with my brother, Healer Alysnes?" Percy said in an incredibly more serious tone than before. Ron rolled his eyes, his gaze as far away from Percy as he could. Alysnes's response surprised Ron more than anything else.

"What are you on about, Perce?" She asked with a smile on her lips, Ron turned to look at her as she signed the paper and held it in her hand. "It's only your brother. No need for the whole 'Healer Alysnes' rubbish."

"Audrey," Percy said through his gritted teeth, almost like a warning.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, his eyes travelling between Percy and Audrey. Ron's healer extended her hand as if propping it for a handshake.

"Nice to properly meet you," she said. "I'm Audrey, Percy's girlfriend."

Ron's eyes threatened to bulge out of his skull as he stared at his healer with new eyes. Ron remembers Penelope Clearwater, Percy's first girlfriend, she was a goody two-shoes that stuck up to the most unknown and unheard of rules that even some of the professors hadn't heard of.

"Hi," he said. "Sorry ummm… Percy's never talked about you…" Audrey's smile slightly slid off her face as she looked at a very guilty-looking Percy with her brow slightly furrowed. "In his defence… He doesn't really talk to us at all."

For some reason Ron found himself needing to explain on behalf of his older brother. It seemed that old habits die hard. Ron put his robes back on carefully avoiding any movements that might've hurt his arm even more, he left the very uncomfortable and very much awkward scene in silence while staring at Audrey glaring at Percy.

He began to leave the Hospital Wing, wishing that he could somehow stay for what was to come between the two. When he returned to Gryffindor Tower he was surprised by a rain of red and gold papers in the form of 'W' s and lions. There was also a banner right on the wall that read:

Congratulations on your WIN,WEASLEY!

Ron noticed how 'your WIN' was crossed out and underneath it was written second placein very small letters. He was immediately handed a butterbeer that he almost spilt all over himself as people were patting his back repeatedly and trying to shake his hand. He sat on the couch alongside Harry and Hermione.

"How the bloody hell did you do all that, Ron? You know all the fire and what not. I mean that's some magic I've never seen," Lee Jordan began questioning him as Ron gave very short and unelaborated answers. Similar things went on throughout the party until Ron was finally able to go to his dorm after over an hour of celebrating. He got rid of his dirty tournament robes and put them inside his trunk.

As he did so he saw at the bottom of his truck some of the gifts he had left unopened from his birthday, he had opened most of them: his mother's famous Shepherd's pie, a wand polishing kit from Bill, some rare Chocolate Frog Cards from his dad as well as other things that he had either eaten or unwrapped. Yet, right at the bottom and to the side of his trunk remained Sirius's unopened present.

With his mother's gift also came a very serious warning note about not trusting anything that Sirius gave to him, as she had seen him writing a note congratulating Ron for his sixteenth birthday, and she didn't trust him. Honestly, it couldn't be anything that bad, could it?

Ron opened the wrapped small box and came face to face with a brand of Grey Wizard's Tobacco Cigarettes, his eyes widened as he stared at the pack, if his mother were to see him even staring at one he would be in for the grounding of a lifetime. On the backside of the pack there was a small piece of parchment paper stuck to it that read:

Hello Ron,

Your mother would probably kill me if she found out I gave you these, so don't tell her. I heard it was your birthday so I decided to give you some of the best Grey Wizard cigarettes I could get someone else to buy. Tonks really thought they were for more so don't tell her either. I was your age when I smoked my first cigarette. I thought you might want one to get started on these ones seeing as they are far smoother than others.

Figured you'd need something to make you even cooler, you know, like me. I happened to notice you copying my hairstyle when you were here during Christmas. I guess this is also just a way to thank you for taking care of Harry. Don't think I forgot about that whole "you'll have to kill me to get to Harry" and all that. You reminded me of myself when I was younger, although I'm not sure that's necessarily a good thing.

Hope you have a good birthday,

Padfoot.

Ron looked between the letter and the pack, on one hand it would be wrong and against his duties as a prefect to not hand these to McGonagall. On the other, when else would he have the chance to do something like smoke at the top of the Astronomy Tower. He opened Harry's trunk and grabbed his Invisibility Cloak along with some warming clothes and robes for the chilly air of the evening.

He went down the stairs to the Common Room avoiding and dodging fellow Gryffindors who were still partying. He stood by a corner where Harry was chatting with Neville and Hermione. He tapped his shoulder, and his best friend turned around.

"I'm borrowing the cloak," he whispered. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Harry stared at where he guessed Ron's face was, but was really his chin, and nodded, before returning to his conversation with Hermione and Neville.

And with that he headed to the Astronomy Tower.

When Cedric arrived back to the Hufflepuff Common Room he was faced with a barrage of cheering and clapping from his House. There were mugs filled with butterbeer and fairy cakes across the tables.

He was being almost revered by most of the people inside the common room, and those who were not praising him were handing out food that Cedric could only guess came from the house Elves in the kitchen. It was the second loudest since Hufflepuff had won the Quidditch Cup during his second year.

He sat down among some of his closest friends, listening to every single one of their praises, questions and anecdotes. They told him how Smith had betted a handful of galleons against him and was now very angry with Greengrass and Weasley for beating Cedric. As the celebrations continued he became aware of Tamsin Applebee subtly rubbing her side against his. At first he didn't really know what to do, but after a few seconds considering what to do he rubbed his side against hers as well.

Tamsin was a relatively normal girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, and pink lips. He had come to know her far more as she was in the House Quidditch team with him, but he was sure he had never had a conversation with her one on one. She was one year below him and was an amazing Chaser.

Her brown eyes were staring into his, and her cheeks were a bit pink, presumably from the mug of butterbeer that he was sure had more than just butterbeer.

"Nice work out there, Cedric," she said smiling up at him. "Pretty good job."

"Thanks," he said, taking a sip from his own mug. "It was no big deal, and I didn't technically win."

"Oh rubbish," she said. "If it weren't for you Hufflepuff would still be seen as the House of duffers." Cedric laughed at that.

"I don't know about that," he said. "Who knows? Maybe this will be the year that Tamsin Applebee's amazing Chaser skills bring us to glory."

She openly laughed as if what he'd said was the most unbelievable thing regarding quidditch.

"Yeah, right," she said. "It's you who's the star in the field, Diggory. Honestly, it's like you were born in a broom wearing Quidditch gloves."

The two of them kept talking, Cedric occasionally having to stop their conversation to answer something or accept a drink when he had finished his own. Cedric felt stupid for never thinking he could have so much fun with someone he had barely talked to for a minute during Quidditch practice.

There was something about her, the way she seemed to spew fun out of her every action, word and gesture. It was calming to be beside her. His cheeks began to blush as he cleared his throat.

"Would you like to get out of here?" Tamsin seemed equally surprised and pleased with Cedric's request and she nodded a bit shyly. He gently took her hand in his, asking a silent permission, and when she tightened her grasp just a bit he knew she was alright with it.

Silently the two of them walked out of the common room, nearly knocking down Kevin Whitby, who ended in the lap of Hannah Abbott, his face smeared with icing from Hannah's fairy cake. At the scene both Cedric and Tamsin looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh, and soon enough even Kevin Whitby was laughing.

After making sure that the second year was alright the two finally left the Hufflepuffs to themselves. They walked, hand in hand, talking about quidditch, their interests and families.

They arrived at the seventh floor, Cedric hadn't realised how much he had walked alongside Tamsin. She looked up at him, the sky lighting up her brown eyes. Without noticing the two of them began to lean towards one another, until finally their lips met in a soft kiss. It had been a relatively long time since Cedric had kissed anyone other than Cho. He couldn't help, but notice and compare his experience with Tamsin and Cho.

Cho's lips were a bit fuller, while Tamsin's were longer, the latter's helping her smile bright up a whole room. Cho's eyelashes were longer, and tickled his cheeks and cheekbones. Tamsin's hands were rougher, probably from catching and throwing Quaffles. Cedric would've thought that perhaps he would've enjoyed Cho's kiss far more than Tamsin's, but it was so different there was really no comparison that could be made.

Suddenly, Tamsin's hands, which had been on Cedric's neck, began to drift upwards to his hair where she began to gently grip, pushing his head deeper towards hers. The sudden roughness felt good, and Cedric stopped holding her waist and brought his hands to her neck.

His tongue began to push against her lips and she was compliant enough to open hers as well. Their tongues began to battle each other, and her knees seemed to give out as Cedric found it incredibly easy to lead her against a wall where he pinned her. Soon the kiss turned more passionate as Cedric's kiss began to roam towards her chin, jaw and then a sweet spot right behind her ear. The sounds of her sweet whimpers drove him to desire more, and suddenly he bit her lower lips eliciting a moan from her.

"Cedric," she moaned as he kissed her neck, his tongue taking tiny licks of her skin and his teeth grazing her pale flesh. "Oh Ced."

'I love you,' Cho's voice suddenly rang inside his head.

He suddenly separated himself from Tamsin. She looked dizzy and almost drunk, however she seemed to feel Cedric's absence far more than the pleasurable feeling of his lips on her. She shook her head and looked at him questioningly.

"Cedric?" She said. And he just stood there completely frozen as if someone had petrified him on the spot. He wanted to move, to snog her again and lose himself in sensations that he had buried alongside his relationship with Cho, but he didn't do that.

"Sorry," he said, instead of something like 'I'm fine' or 'Let's continue' . "I think I'm just a bit tired from everything that's happened today."

"Oh," Cedric noticed she tried hard to hide her disappointment. "Very well, then."

And with that she began to walk back to the Hufflepuff common room with her head a bit down, yet Cedric didn't want this to end like it was about to.

"Tamsin," he called. She turned around and looked at Cedric in confusion. "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Her grim expression slowly faded away, a small grin taking place on her lips. She nodded at him and began walking back to the common room, this time a bit more cheerful. He sighed as he watched her figure turn the corner and disappear from his sight completely, as she was gone now he could feel a very small smile that played on his mouth, turning to look at his surroundings he took notice of the fact he was right by the bottom of the Astronomy Tower.

Daphne was being carried around by almost all of Slytherin house, the common room so lively that it would make the Gryffindors feel overwhelmed. Never in her life had Daphne ever seen so many people focused on her, as she looked over the heads of the many people jumping up and down she caught the sight of her younger sister smiling at her, whooping and cheering alongside everyone else.

She was let down, and led to the middle of the common room where she was given a bottle of Ogden's Sparkling Multiple Fruit Liqueur, with just about a bit more alcohol than the average butterbeer, to open with her wand, a tradition of the Slytherin quidditch after a victory. Daphne aimed her wand at the cork, and closed one eye.

"Relashio," she casted, and the cork popped off and landed inside Goyle's goblet, the boy in her year letting out a cheer as the celebrations began. She poured herself and others around her glasses full of liqueur. As she turned she felt a sudden touch on her shoulder and turned to look at her sister who wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her fiercely to her smaller body.

"I knew you could do it! I knew it! I knew it!" Astoria shrieked. Daphne couldn't help the way the corners of her lips lifted into a smile. She was led to the middle of the room where she chatted with people from other years and her own. She was in the spotlight, and it felt good. There came student after student asking her questions and claiming she had made them win lots of galleons.

It was all… a bit too much if she were to be honest. Thankfully, the small amount of alcohol in her glass, which turned out to be mango flavour, made things a bit more tolerable, and she found herself talking to person after person, Malfoy, Zabini, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle who seemed to speak a word between the two. When she felt almost like going to her dorm room and staying there for the rest of the day, reading a book or finishing some homework, she was stopped by one last person.

"Great work today," Daphne turned around and saw Tracey Davis. She was a girl in her year, half-blood, easily missable just like Daphne used to be. She had auburn hair, silver eyes, and was a bit taller than Daphne was. "It seemed to me like it was obvious from the beginning."

"Thanks," she said almost automatically. "Weasley was a bit difficult, but it was only a matter of time before he cave in."

"I don't know," with a sort of weird pensive look on her face. "I'm pretty sure you were in a bit of a pickle there, with all the flames and indestructible skin and such."

"Was not," she indignantly. "I could've had him facing down on the ground, reciting Gamp's Laws of Transfiguration in a minute if I'd wanted to."

"Oh really," she asked, that same pensive look on her face. Almost like she was finding it hard to believe her. "I find that hard to believe."

"How so?" Daphne asked, crossing her arms with a defiant look on her expression.

"Well," Tracey said. She walked incredibly close to Daphne, and she didn't back away. Tracey ended up being so close to Daphne their noses were almost touching, and when Daphne felt the small scent of raspberry from Tracey's breath hit her face, and she was sure that her cheeks were pink from the liqueur. Suddenly, Tracey let out a snort and began laughing like what was happening was the funniest thing in the world.

Daphne tried to feel offended, but for some reason Tracey's laugh seemed to be quite contagious and she laughed alongside her.

"You should've seen the look on your face," said Tracey in between laughter. "You look so angry. Merlin! I thought my head would explode any minute now!"

"It might still," Daphne said, she laughed and found it difficult to talk as well. "Better watch it, Davis."

Tracey wiped her tears, and patted Daphne on the shoulder.

"Congrats," she said and walked back into the multitude of people that were still celebrating. Daphne gazed at her retreating back until she couldn't see Tracey anymore, and when she went to leave her combat robes in her trunk she found herself smiling. She put on her normal school robes, and touched her locket.

'Go on then,' Tom's voice said inside her head. 'Leave, you know you want to.'

"But, the party–"

'Doesn't owe you anything at all,'

"It would be rude," she said. "Mother and father have always said–˝

'Are they here?' Daphne didn't say anything. 'Exactly. And besides, with me on your side. We can do anything we want.'

Daphne nodded and took off the locket whispering a silent thank you to Tom, before leaving her dorm and the Slytherin Common Room.

As she roamed the halls of Hogwarts, she heard something. Cedric Diggory was talking with someone, thinking that maybe it was Helga Hufflepuff, Daphne stuck to the wall, hoping to hear some helpful advice for when the two would inevitably fight.

Instead she found he was talking to someone else, a chaser from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Daphne couldn't really think of her name and just rolled her eyes.

With nothing else to do, she decided to head in the opposite direction. No desire to hear about quidditch statistics or anything else really. She gazed at the paintings, the numerous doors, the walls that were disguised as doors, and the doors that were disguised as walls. It was ridiculous how many charms and enchantments the castle itself had and wondered to herself how she even managed not to arrive to any of her classes late as a first year.

She was brought out of her thoughts as she heard Diggory's voice again.

'Merlin,' she thought. 'How long are the two of them planning to talk?'

Except they weren't talking, instead the two of them were snogging very wildly. It almost looked like the two were vampires or zombies trying to eat each other. Searching for a way out she saw the door that led to the Astronomy Tower. Brandishing her wand she aimed it at Cedric and casted a spell like it was a whisper.

"Distractio," she said very softly. A barely visible wave travelled towards Cedric and hit him, dissipating around him like a cloud of smoke.

He ripped himself away from the chaser, and the two were distracted enough not to notice Daphne slipping inside the Astronomy Tower.

Luna skipped to her common room, when she entered it, most people were talking amongst themselves. Luna noticed there was an abundant amount of drinks and food along the tables, and people talking amongst themselves. It was Cho Chang who seemed to notice Luna's silent entrance, she cleared her throat and two sixth-year boys brandished their wands.

From one of them a liquid like paint that stuck to the ceiling came out of his wand, looking a black sea of dark and purple colours, the other sent out light that stuck to the paint, the ceiling now looking like one of the most beautiful sky nights that Luna had seen, inside a room that is.

The stars formed strange and incredibly complex constellations in the shapes of hippogriffs, eagles and some of herself. In the middle of the ceiling there was a message:

Lovegood Rules

Luna tilted her head and brandished her own wand, waving it around and when she was finished the message read:

Ravenclaw Rules

There was a cheer at her change and Terry Boot went to her side, handing her a glass full of pumpkin juice. She thanked the older boy and skipped over to her dorm, changing into her normal, clean robes. She sat by the wall, the bookcases of the Ravenclaw common room against her back. She simply sipped her glass as she observed several of her housemates talking with each other, some of the first years were observing her from the centre of the room, whispering to one another until one of them walked up to her, nervously, his hands playing behind his back.

"Ummm," he said. "Ms. Lovegood."

"Oh it's fine," said Luna. "You can call me, Luna. Everyone does."

"Oh, ok," said the little first year. "Me and my friends were just wondering if you could tell us what Rowena Ravenclaw is like as a teacher."

Luna seemed to think about her words before properly answering the boy.

"I would say she's as tough as she is beautiful," the boy blushed at Luna's mention of Ravenclaw's beauty. "But she is as caring as she is smart."

"Is it true that she can read minds just by thinking about the person?" Michael Corner asked from behind her.

"I heard she and Gryffindor had a secret affair during their time at Hogwarts," said Roger Davies, appearing with Cho Chang on his side. For some reason she looked surprisingly smitten with his touch.

"That's ridiculous," said Luna, her tone as dreamy as always, but there was some small hostility in her voice. "Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are in a very loving marriage."

"How would you know?" asked Marietta Edgecombe. And it was then that Luna realised just how many people were crowding around her.

"Well, she told me," she said simply. "And the fact that I caught them in a very tender snog also helped me realise it."

It seemed that all hell broke loose at that moment. People were now speculating about more and more secrets, one curious girl in Luna's year asked her if perhaps Slytherin was also married to Hufflepuff or if he was perhaps single. Terry Boot snorted in his cup at that, spilling himself with butterbeer through his nose, as everyone who had gotten wet groaned in annoyance.

Luna herself watched as her housemates were now talking about the founders as if they were mere celebrities. Had Gryffindor and Slytherin ever engaged in more than friendship? Did Ravenclaw initially hate Gryffindor? Was Helga Hufflepuff as kind to her lovers as she was to her students? It was amusing and fascinating somehow.

She walked away from the crowd of people, needing some fresh air herself. She skipped outside the common room immediately running into one of the many ghosts of the castle. It was the Fat Friar, the hood of his cloak put up, his hands behind his hand and stalking around one of the corners as if spying on someone. Luna walked right behind him, bending her neck in curiosity as to why a ghost needed to be sneaking around, she would presume that his ghostliness was enough.

"Fat Friar?" Luna called his name. The Fat Friar let out a loud gasp combined with an almost inaudible shriek at Luna's voice. He turned around, his hood falling and his hands travelling to his chest, holding his robes between his fingers as if he'd just had a heart attack. He looked at Luna and heaved a sigh.

"Oh," he said gulping as well. "Hi," he gave her this sort of awkward smile and Luna decided she would try to give him a smile as well, so that maybe he wouldn't feel as awkward as he looked. It didn't seem to work as a very uncomfortable silence fell between the two.

"I suppose this silence isn't entirely too pleasant," said Luna, looking at one of the paintings staring at the unbearably awkward scene.

"No," said the Fat Friar. "I suppose it isn't." The silver ghost looked incredibly uncomfortable. "I heard you participated in that Match today, congratulations!"

"Oh, thanks! I lost," Luna said this as if the fact that she had lost was something she was unbothered by. In reality, Luna felt incredibly incompetent in comparison to her fellow Tournament competitors, it was just easier not to say this fact out loud.

"Oh right," he said, and if Luna wasn't sure that he was a ghost she would have assumed that he would die of the pure embarrassment he must have been feeling. Trying to steer that conversation into a better one she turned to look around the corner.

"What were you watching, Friar?"

"No! Don't!" He yelled in a whisper, and tried to push her away from the corner of the hallway, as if he wasn't completely intangible.

When Luna turned around the corner she saw the Grey Lady, beautiful as ever her hair black as the night, yet more bright than most jewelz she'd had the chance of seeing. Her eyes shining as they looked up into the night sky, her skin glistening a shimmery silver.

"Oh," said Luna in a tone that indicated she expected more. "It's just the Grey Lady, were you planning on talking to her?"

"No! No! No!" The friar repeated in a hush tone. His cheeks were being coloured a darker silver, almost turning into a dark grey that wouldn't have matched with the rest of his spectral being. He tugged at the front of his dark robes with his hands, his gaze unwilling to lift from his feet and his face turning a darker and darker silver tone. "I was just…"

Luna cocked her head, expecting him to finish the sentence he was clearly having trouble with.

"I was just looking at her…" he said in an almost whisper that sounded more vulnerable than cat. "I-I like looking at her. I've always liked looking at her."

"So you're in love with her," Luna said in a hushed tone of finality and the friar's face blushed even more.

"What?!"

"Well it's quite obvious," Luna continued. "You're very clearly in love with her, even if the Wrackspurts can't sense you for being a ghost, one can't really miss how much you care for her."

"No, it's not… I don't… I mean–"

"Hello?" The fair and almost angelic sad voice of the Grey Lady called out to them. The Fat Friar looked as if he was about to die a second time. The Grey Lady floated around the corner and looked at Luna gracing the fourth year with a smile, she then looked at the Fat Friar and bowed. "Friar," she said in a greeting.

"G-grey Lady," he said bowing as well.

"I'm sorry," said the Grey Lady. "I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation, just wanted to see if you weren't any students sneaking around where they shouldn't."

"Of course not Grey Lady," said Luna. "The friar was just telling me about your comparable beauty to that of a unicorn's grace."

The Fat Friar's eyes were wide, and even for a religious man it seemed as if he had lost all faith. The Grey Lady's cheeks went a shy light silver, her eyes travelling between the friar and Luna.

"Oh," said Luna, looking at her wrists as if something was there. She had seen muggles do this and had assumed they had some way of telling the time with the end of their forearms. "Look at the time, I've got to go. Have a nice time."

And with that she skipped away with a smile on her face.

Luna skipped around the castle, greeting every painting and ghost with a smile as if it was necessary. She stopped to see Daphne Greengrass slip into the Astronomy Tower, her gaze towards something Luna couldn't see, she then saw Cedric Diggory walking inside the Astronomy Tower as well.

Curious as to why two competitors were inside the tower she too entered it moments after.