I sat down in my DADA classroom in a good mood. So good in fact, that it wasn't even soiled by Lockhart's gargantuan ego.

"Is it true?" Lori whispered to me, reaching into her bag and pulling out the newspaper from Saturday.

"Which part?" I snickered, looking over the statement about me. It was frustrating that my relationship with Vincent was already being gossiped about, but I couldn't help but be mildly impressed at how fast Rita managed to print that.

"Did you really have a forbidden workplace romance with Vincent Ford?" Lori looked at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"No, this was our first date." I laughed. "And either way, most of that article is completely horse shit, so don't take it too seriously."

"Oh, well it doesn't change the fact that you and Vincent went on a date." She said dreamily.

"Don't you have Elio?" I asked with a snicker, June also holding in a laugh.

"Oh yes, no of course!" Lori reddened, "I love Elio, and I wouldn't leave him for anyone in the world!"

"Not even for Lockhart?" June snorted, and Lori reddened even further.

~~~~

I kept getting jealous stares from girls throughout the day, and some even came up to me trying to ask questions. I brushed most of them off with quick yes/no answers and mostly took the attention as a compliment. My social status was doing well enough to prevent mean-spirited rumours, and for the most part, people started admiring me more from the article, rather than hating me, which seemed to be the intended purpose.

I walked into potions with a beaming smile that quickly faded when it was met with Oliver's shit-eating grin. My eyes darted to the newspaper that was wide open in front of him.

"What's got your knickers in a twist this fine afternoon Wood?" I grinned sarcastically.

"Nothing much," He snickered as I plopped down next to him. "Just your cruel abandonment of Marky."

"Shut up Wood." I rolled my eyes, suppressing a snicker. "It was tough for the both of us."

"So what happened at Hogsmeade anyway?" Oliver asked, clearly interested.

"Wouldn't you like to know weather boy." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.

"Well either you tell me, or I'll think that you two snogged in an alleyway the entire time." He grinned victoriously, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"About that, " I wheezed, but before I could finish Snape cut me off.

"Are you always such a nuisance Stone? Is one boyfriend not enough for you?" He scowled, and his remark received snickers from the while class, and Oliver and I's cheeks reddened.

"Five points from Ravenclaw."

Suddenly the door to the classroom bursts open and Lockhart's pearly grin was peering into the classroom.

"Yes, Gilderoy?" Snape drawled, his voice riddled with annoyance.

"Can I borrow Miss Stone for a moment?" He said, giving me an exaggerated wink.

"Actually-" Snape tried to protest.

"Great," Lockhart gave me a thumbs up, "Miss Stone come outside with me for a second."I sheepishly stood up, and quickly walked out of the room, feeling Snape's stare bore holes in the back of my head.

The dungeon air was cold and damp and was dimly lit by the torches hanging along its walls. I never liked spending more than five minutes in the dungeons because they were highly unpleasant to be in. Lockhart and I stood outside the large potions classroom door, and Lockhart was grinning like a madman.

"Why did you want to see me, Professor?" I forced a pained smile. "Am I in trouble?"

"No my dear child," He grinned harder, "I just wanted to repent for my sins."

"Excuse me?" I didn't know what else to say.

"I've talked about fame so often in front of you, and the good things it brings, that I have poisoned your mind." He shook his head, tutting.

"I can't say I'm sure of what you're getting at Professor," I said, still nonplussed.

"Miss Stone, desiring greatness is admirable," Lockhart chuckled, "But seducing celebrities isn't a good way to go about that."

"Pardon?" I said, growing furious at Lockhart's deductions.

"Fame by association is a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to romantic interests." He explained, causing me to get even more irritated. "I know I make fame seem easy, but trust me, it's quite difficult to balance with your day to day life-"

"For your information," I fumed, interrupting his train of thought. "I am not chasing fame, because unlike someone, I don't have any desire to boost my ego through social validation."

Lockhart's grin dropped as I continued.

"And it costs nothing to mind your goddamn business. You are a middle-aged man, and if shoving your big nose in a sixteen-year-old girl's personal affairs is how you choose to spend your time, then I feel sorry for you." And with those words, I quickly opened the potions door and stormed back into my seat, apologizing profusely to Snape.

I felt my eyes prick with angry tears and quickly blinked them back. I was not about to cry in potions.

"What was that about?" Oliver whispered.

"Oh nothing," I hissed, wiping my eyes. "Just that that pig Lockhart thinks that I seduced Vincent for fame."

"What an ass." Oliver agreed, much to my surprise. "Don't listen to him, he's projecting his insecurities on you."

I looked up at him, confused to the point that all the anger I felt only moments ago faded. Oliver reached out and put a friendly arm around my shoulder. I felt a weird warmth in the pit of my stomach and bit back a smile.

"Don't cry ok?" He smiled warmly, giving my arm a rub.

"Are you ok?" I asked, and he quickly drew away.

"What do you mean?" He looked at me confused.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's weird."

"What do you mean, I'm always nice?" Oliver stammered.

"No, you're not." I snickered.

"Bloody hell, won't do it again then." Oliver put his arms up in defeat.

I caught June's eyes with my own and she wiggled her eyebrows.

~~~~

June, Lori, Sarah, and I sat in the library after class, since I held a practice earlier that morning I allowed my team to relax and have some free time.

"We need to start stealing supplies," Lori said in a hushed tone.

Sarah nodded, although she wasn't there during the initial hatching of the plan, June let her in on it almost as soon as she got back from prefect duties.

"But how are we going to do that?" June asked. "I mean I know we can just go in and steal it, but I don't think that's very solid and quite risky."

Lori and Sarah looked thoughtful, not saying anything in response.

"I was thinking, and I may have a good idea," I said, grinning ear to ear.

"And what is this brilliant plan?" June asked, taking a swig from her water bottle.

"Well, I was thinking that Sarah could request to monitor around the dungeons/potions classroom area more often for her prefect duties," I said carefully, trying to gauge Sarah's reaction. "This way she can alert us if Snape is coming."

Sarah and June exchanged looks, and Lori nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that's a perfect plan!" She squeaked excitedly.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to, Babe." June fawned over Sarah, brushing back a strand of her hair.

Sarah looked around us, for a moment her face unreadable.

"Alright, I'm down." She broke out into a grin, "I might be a prefect, but I'm not a bore!"

"That's my girl!" June exclaimed, planting a kiss on Sarah's cheek.

"Quiet over there, or you will be asked to leave the library!" Madam Pince yelled from her desk.