Yay! Thanks for clicking on this! This is dedicated to AngelisIgniRelucent, who I don't really know...yet. XD Story prompt by my sister Patricia Sage, who I am mad at because she never ever ever ever mentions me in her author's notes! Hmph.

Anywho, read on and enjoy! And review!

Kurt Hummel hadn't realized how terrible Hogwarts would be without Professor Dumbledore. His first five years had been amazing. He had been placed in the Ravenclaw house, and had made friends with Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and even a few Slytherins. Hogwarts was by far better than the muggle school he had attended before, and he had had a blast.

His sixth year was very different, however. Firstly, a number of his friends hadn't returned to school at the beginning of the year. Rachel and Brittany from Hufflepuff, Quinn and Santana from Slytherin, as well as Sam and Finn from Gryffindor had all been absent. Luckily Kurt still had his fellow Ravenclaws Mike, Tina and Artie, and his best friend Mercedes from Gryffindoor to rely on.

Also, the house dynamics had changed. Before, first years all wanted to be in Gryffindor, and Slytherins were all thought of as the 'bad house'. Now the teachers and Death Eaters who ran the school favoured the Slytherins in everything. Gryffindors were punished for every little thing they did, and the Carrows watched them like hawks. Kurt had been friends with Puck from Slytherin house in his first years, but now it was too dangerous for the other boy to associate himself with a member of another house. Kurt hadn't taken the same precautions, and in turn had been punished multiple times for meeting with Mercedes and the others.

One afternoon, Kurt had been on his way to Dark Arts class—his least favourite and most feared class—when he heard some whispers among his classmates as they marched to the dungeons. A boy in front of him was muttering to his friend something about the Carrows, and Kurt heard the girl beside him say that they were getting a special lesson from some Death Eaters.

Once they arrived in the class located in the dungeons, Kurt looked around the large, dark room. The sixth-year Ravenclaws were joined by fifth-year Gryffindors and sixth year Slytherins, which Kurt thought was odd. It wasn't uncommon to share classes with other houses in the same year, but not three different houses and different age groups.

Amycus Carrow stood in front of the three groups of students, smirking. He was their regular Dark Arts teacher, but today he was also flanked by his sister, Alectro, and two other unidentified Death Eaters.

"Silence, students, class has begun," he began, and the very quiet whispering ceased altogether. "Today we are going to learn one of the most useful curses known to us: the Cruciatus Curse. It is important that you all get practiced in using this curse, which is why the fifth-years are joining us today."

Kurt looked over to the group of Gryffindors, and caught the eye of a very nervous boy. The boy was rather short, and had curly black hair that almost covered his deep-hazel eyes. His lip was split and his face was bruised and scratched, most likely courtesy of the Carrows. He looked away from Kurt as Amycus began directing the groups of students and the other death eaters dispersed to set up the lesson.

Once everything was organized, the Gryffindors all stood facing the other two houses, and the teachers stood between the two groups.

"Here we are then." Amycus said to get everyone's attention. "You there. Step forward," he commanded, pointing at a Gryffindor girl with his wand. The girl slowly stepped forward and looked up at the Carrow brother calmly. Like the majority of her house, her face was bruised and scraped but she kept the composure of a true Gryffindor: strong, brave, and calm. If Kurt had been singled out by a Carrow and had experienced their punishment before, he would be quaking in his shoes, but he was not a Gryffindor.

Without warning, Amycus raised his wand dramatically and swished it through the air. "Crucio!" he said loudly, and the girl dropped to the ground. Kurt turned away with a flinch as her screams started up, and he could hear Alectro chuckling near to him.

Class continued after the Carrow had finished his demonstration, the Slytherin group requesting to go first, and Kurt was forced to watch as each fifth-year was tortured by a more-than-willing Slytherin. It was nearing the end of the lesson, and almost all of the sixth-years had taken turns practicing the curse. The Ravenclaws were supposed to watch and learn as their lesson, and Kurt was relieved that he wouldn't have to hurt a harmless fifth-year.

Kurt tried not to look as the boy with the hazel eyes stepped forward, and cringed when he heard one of the Slytherins speak the incantation, and the boy cry out in pain. He shut his eyes and tried to block out the sound of the beautiful boy's pain. Sooner than expected, his cries went silent, and Kurt glanced up to see why the Slytherin had ended the Curse.

To the Ravenclaw's surprise, his gaze landed on Amycus, who stood directly in front of him, staring him down. "Well, Mr. Hummel, I see that you have decided not to pay attention in my class. Care to explain why you were not following my directions to absorb the lesson in front of you?"

Kurt shook his head and turned his gaze to the floor. He knew he should have been pretending to be interested in the lesson on torture, to avoid being singled out, but there was something about the curly-haired fifth-year that made it impossible to sit by and watch him be hurt.

"Well then Mr. Hummel. If you have nothing to say for yourself why don't you show us what you got out of this lesson," the death eater suggested. "Go on now," he said, gesturing for him to step up.

Kurt took a hesitant step forwards, and caught the gaze of the younger boy yet again. The boy looked at him sadly before dropping his eyes to his hands that he was supporting himself off the ground with.

"We haven't got all day, boy." Alectro said impatiently.

Kurt looked at his wand held in his shaking hand. He raised it slightly, biting his lip and trying to focus. After a moment's pause, he dropped his arm again, knowing he could never go through with the demonstration. A few of his peers gasped as they realized he was accepting certain punishment by not completing his task, but the Carrows said nothing, merely dismissing the class.

The young Ravenclaw knew better than to try and leave, and remained standing in the middle of the room as the rest of the students flooded out. Soon only he and the Carrow Siblings were left in the dungeon.

-Two Hours Later-

Darkness had fallen over the grounds by the time the Carrows had finished their punishment, and Kurt waited until the siblings had left before stumbling into a standing position.

The Carrows had been more extreme in their punishment than usual, and Kurt guessed that it was because of the rumours about Harry Potter's escape from their capture, and their need to let out their rage. They had used the Cruciatus on him at least five times, and had taken turns hurting him without magic as well.

Before he could go, he had to prove that he had learnt the lesson that he had been taught, and was told to use the Cruciatus on some of the animals in the room, such as owls and ferrets. Of course he had refused, earning him another round of beatings.

Kurt limped to the door to the dungeon and pushed it open. He was disoriented from the Cruciatus, and his balance was thrown off as the door swung open. He stumbled, and would have fallen if a pair of strong arms hadn't caught him and held him upright. Kurt looked up sharply and caught the familiar hazel eyes of the fifth-year Gryffindor.

He quickly corrected his stance and pulled away from the shorter boy, blushing as he realized he had basically fallen on him. "S-Sorry." he muttered, and tried to step past the curly-haired boy. He nearly tripped over the boy again as he tried to pass him, his eyesight not good in the gloomy corridor.

"Here." the boy said, helping him steady himself with a firm but gentle grasp on his biceps, "Maybe I could help you to your common room? I saw some Slytherins lurking by the stairs up ahead. We could go another way."

Kurt regarded the other boy for a second and then decided that his help would actually be really nice considering he was in no shape to navigate Hogwarts to avoid students and death eaters on his own. "Alright. Thanks."

The pair of them travelled through the corridors, managing to sidestep a group of fifth-year Slytherins and Filch on their way to Ravenclaw Tower. Finally they made it to the spiral staircase, and Kurt was extremely grateful for the other boy's help as he hobbled up the stairs.

Normally, Kurt would have been embarrassed by his state and the way he clung to the other boy, but in Hogwarts over the past year people were so used to seeing injured students and helping out that it wasn't unusual to see an injured boy getting help from another boy.

Finally they made it to the entrance to the common room, and Kurt tried to focus on the riddle given. He tried to come up with an answer to it, but couldn't think straight. Luckily for him the boy beside him piped up with the answer and the door opened. Kurt was surprised and glad the other boy was a fast thinker, or else they could have stood there all night.

Once inside the Common Room, the boy beside him got a very nervous look on his face. "Don't worry," Kurt said reassuringly, "They'll know your just helping me out." he said, referring to the other members of his house.

It was now a rule that houses were not to mingle with each other, and even before that it was uncommon to enter another house's common room. Luckily Kurt new that some Ravenclaws had broken this rule before and no one would tell on them.

Kurt collapsed onto the couch, wincing as the newly-forming bruises on his back hit the back of the couch. "Are you alright?" the boy asked, hesitantly sitting on the edge of the couch.

The corner of Kurt's mouth lifted a little in a smirk. "Do I look alright?" he asked with a tired sigh, before realizing that sounded a bit harsh and continuing, "I mean, we all know what the Carrows are like on a bad day, right?"

The Gryffindor nodded solemnly, unconsciously touching the more bruised side of his face with his fingertips. "Yeah…look, I'm sorry about what happened in class today."

Kurt frowned, "You have nothing to be sorry for. It was the Death Eaters and their cruel lessons."

"I know, but I feel like I should have said it was okay for you to perform the curse. Honestly, I've dealt with it before, and I would have much preferred that to you being punished," the boy said honestly, and Kurt smiled slightly. The boy was definitely a Gryffindor; courageous and chivalrous, regretting not being able to take the fall for someone else's mistake if it meant that no one else was hurt.

"I don't believe I know your name." Kurt realized as he smiled down at the honest boy.

"Oh, forgive me," the boy said, extending his hand, "I'm Blaine."

"Kurt."

The two shook hands before sitting back again.

Blaine seemed to have something on his mind, so Kurt waited for him to speak. "I...I still feel kinda guilty and I was wondering if you'd let me make it up to you?" he asked nervously.

Kurt cocked his head to the side, studying the boy. "What do you have in mind?"

Blaine shrugged. "I dunno…maybe someday, if Hogwarts gets back to how it used to be, we could go to Hogsmead for dinner? I-if you wanted to, or not, it doesn't really matter, I-" The Gryffindor boy started to ramble, and Kurt decided to cut him off before he embarrassed himself.

"I would like that, Blaine. Maybe someday I'll be able to take you up on that offer," Kurt said with a smile.

Blaine looked relieved an after a comfortable lull in conversation, Blaine made a move to stand. "Well, now that we got you here safely, I should probably be heading back to my tower," he announced.

Kurt attempted to stand to see him off before deciding that his sore ribs and back couldn't take it and sitting back again. "Thank you, Blaine, for all your help." he said with a smile.

Blaine nodded, "You're welcome. I guess I'll see you around."

Kurt smiled at the other wizard before Blaine made for the door. "Hey, Blaine," Kurt called, and Blaine turned back to him. "Courage," he said in a slightly hushed voice, raising a fist slightly off his lap.

It was a saying that had been circulating in recent days, as news kept coming about the Chosen Boy's efforts to fight You-Know-Who. Gryffindors said it often to each other as a way of encouraging each other to keep fighting for the cause, and Kurt had heard it a few times. It was a way of telling other students that you were still fighting for a different future, and Kurt saw it fitting after their conversation.

"Yeah, courage," Blaine agreed, and proceeded from the Ravenclaw Tower.

Both boys went to bed after nursing their injuries, and thought of each other as they prayed for a better future.

Lame ending. Oh wells. I wish I could have used British-like words in this. Unfortunately I couldn't fit in 'snogging' no matter how hard I tried...or jumpers...or trainers...or 'the Hoover'.

"Kurt limped over in his trainers and fuzzy jumper and began to run the Hoover in the Common Room before going over and snogging Blaine...who was looking quite fit."...yeah. no. Didn't quite work out.

Anywho, review? Please? Maybe? Tea time.