When I got to the kitchen, both Sirius and Remus were watching the television- our only television. It was a requirement to have a TV, even if we didn't have enough money to pay for extra channels. Which, in fact, we didn't. But there was one channel that was pre-installed. That was the channel with all of the announcements and things like that.

I wondered why it was so important that I watch this. With a glance at the clock, I realized that it was midnight. What was so important?

I learned soon enough.

"...sorry to wake everyone up, but there is a very important announcement to make." the reporter said. I think I was meant to know his name- Every citizen was meant to. But who gives a damn? I just wanted to go back to sleep. "As you know, as soon as each child of the royal family comes of age, there is a Selection. Our great king Lucius Malfoy found the love of his life in his Selection, as did his father before him..."

The next few minutes were the announcer droning on and on about the history of the Selection. Who cared? I wouldn't be impacted by this... Only girls were going to go. Cedric, nor I, had sisters, so couldn't I go back to sleep? When I asked Sirius, he shook his head.

"They said that everyone has to be present for the announcement," Remus answered for him, and Sirius smiled at him. How could they be so lovey all of the time?

"Fine. But as soon as it is done, I'm going to sleep." I muttered and turned my attention to the bright lights of the screen. Finally, the reporter got to the actual announcement.

"We have some changes this year. I believe the prince would like to make it himself, so please welcome His Highness Draco Malfoy, prince of our beautiful country Illéa!" he clapped, and the audience, I could see, rose and clapped out of respect as well. 

Then the prince stepped up. I could admire his features in the privacy of my own mind. He was lithe but built. His eyes... They were grey, as were Cedric's, but... They were a different kind. Cedric's was the color of the sky before a storm. The calm before the storm. Except, with him, there was never really any storm. 

The prince's eyes... They were molten silver. The phrase "silver lining" came into my mind. As if he was a negative situation that needed someone to find a positive outcome in. 

His cheekbones were higher and sharper than what should have been legally allowed, and his hair seemed to shine brighter than the heavens.

I wanted to say that I hated him, but it was instilled into my mind that I couldn't think such a thing, even if it was just in my mind. So I couldn't say that. But I knew that he was a downright prick- Placed in his position, with a silver spoon stuck in his mouth since birth, who wouldn't be? And he was so detached in all of the interviews, and so and such. Maybe he had to be, maybe he was doing it because he had to...

But more likely was that he was spoilt. I felt bad for whoever ended up with him. 

I noticed, even though I didn't want to, that his eyes looked troubled, yet overtly honest and alert, instead of the regular distant and carefree. 

"I have something to say." his voice trembled ever-so-slightly, and I could have been mistaken, but his eyes flickered to his father, and... Were his hands shaking? What the hell was so important? "As you have been informed, the Selection will be different this year." No. I had been hallucinating. His voice was as steady and clipped as usual, and he was looking straight at the camera, eyes once again superficial and hollow. "Instead of inviting the females to the Selection, as has been done for generations, the males are the ones being invited this year."

What did he mean? Was the Selection not for him then? Was there another princess? I didn't understand...

But then the television clicked off on its own. The program was done, and yet I was still staring blankly at the screen. I didn't understand. It was like I was a little kid, and I was watching my mother and father being taken away... I didn't get it then. I was powerless, just another face in the ground...

"What did he mean?" I asked. My voice was louder than usual as if my volume would cover up my confusion. "He isn't the one who's going to have the Selection held for him? There's another princess?"

"Harry..." Sirius' eyebrows were scrunched together. "You really didn't understand it?"

I looked at the twin expressions on their faces. Disappointment, I realized. They were disappointed in me. 

And then I got it.

It wasn't a misconception or a misunderstanding. No. It was still the prince's Selection. But... But it was for guys.

The prince was gay.

"I get it now," I said quietly and walked out of the room. I saw, in the mirror in the hall, Sirius and Remus exchange glances. When I got to my room, I was numb. This... This didn't have to change things, did it? I mean, it was optional... Why was I panicking? It was optional. I didn't have to do it. 

I closed my eyes, yearning for sleep to come. And it did, but not before a pair of grey eyes flashed in my mind. That wasn't unusual. But this time, they were molten silver. 

***

When I awoke at dawn, as usual, I started to do what I did for a living. Carve. It sounded boring, and it was... But it was wood. Nothing too hard, and I made a bit of money off of it. This season wasn't as hard as the winter- That's why we tried to accumulate the most money now, in spring, because people wanted to buy little wood carvings to give to their little ones, or their brothers, sisters, or anyone for Easter. 

Easter. What a stupid holiday. 

But it got us money, so... I was stuck carving billions of bunnies. I wished, for a moment, that I could carve something more... Intellectually stimulating. Something more challenging. But I dared not think that for too long. This brought food to our table, so who was I to complain?

Sirius worked too. Sirius... Quite honestly, I didn't really know what he did. I only knew that he worked hard- Dawn to dusk- at a place quite far away, and brought a decent amount of money home, with paint threaded through his hair, and splattered on his clothes. But... I'd seen him paint. He wasn't very good at it- Not good enough to make money, anyway. But he was doing something with paint. 

Remus worked hard at keeping the house clean, making food, and occasionally sold little things of his, though I tried to reassure him that we had enough money. 

Sometimes, I felt as if he thought he didn't do enough around the house, but I didn't know how to tell him otherwise. 

Finally, when it was around nine, I was called inside to eat. I was glad for what we had- Which was currently some bread, still kind of fresh, and... Well, just that. But it was enough. It had to be. I'd grown accustomed to the rumble of my stomach, and the pain that followed. 

When you ignore something for long enough, it becomes unimportant. 

Afterward, I went to the treehouse. This time, I was early. Cedric was still working. I knew he'd be able to escape for a few minutes at this time, and I was right. Only after a few minutes, Cedric came into view, red-faced and panting. 

"Hi." he smiled and climbed up. I realized I'd forgotten to save some bread, and kicked myself. I was a terrible person.

A terrible person who didn't beat around the bush.

"Did you watch the announcement yesterday- Well, today?" I asked, and he nodded imperceptibly.

"Bit of a shock, eh?" he asked, but I could hear the worry behind those words. 

"Yup. But it won't affect us in any way." I smiled and leaned against his shoulder. To my surprise, he shifted slightly away from me. "What's wrong?" I asked, straightening and looking him in the eye. He never could hide things from me. 

"It is a lot of money, Harry," he whispered, and I tilted my head.

"What do you mean?" I asked, and he stared at me, incredulous.

"Marrying him. It would be a lot of money. Or even being in the running." he whispered, and then I understood. 

"You want to... Run for it?" I whispered, and I saw the doubt in his eyes. The same doubt that was probably written all over my face.

"Don't misunderstand, Harry," he whispered, and for the first time in my life, I got angry at Cedric. As in, enraged. 

I snatched my hand from where it had been casually resting on his, and immediately resented myself for doing so, because of the emptiness it left there. "There's nothing to misunderstand. Pretty damn simple, if you ask me. So this is what two years of dating means to you, Cedric? You should have let me know beforehand, shouldn't you?" my voice came out higher than usual, and the words tumbled out quickly. I'll be the first to admit that I have a temper and that I regret most of what I say afterward. 

"No, Harry... It isn't like that. I'm not saying I want to go." he sounded miserable, but for the first time, I didn't want to care. 

"What are you saying then?" I asked before I had time to think about what my response would be. My voice was loud, too loud. It filled the sudden void that the Selection had created between us. 

"I don't know," he whispered and leaned his head against my shoulder. "Can we just be happy with whatever time we have left?"

"You say that like it's running out. Unless you're having second thoughts, our time shouldn't be running out. And no, I can't be happy with indecisiveness. I'll meet you later." Sudden anger consumed me as I leaped down from the tree, ignoring the shock that traveled up my leg.

"Wait!" I heard him call, and heard the thump of his weight on the ground. He was running after me. I knew I wasn't a match for him, so I slowed down anyway. No use wasting my energy for no reason, was there?

"What?" I turned around, and he ran into me, knocking us both to the ground.

He held out his hand to me, but I got up myself. 

"I didn't mean it like that. Honest." he was hesitating. He never hesitated. He was the surest person I had met. "Look, can we just start today over? The money... The money tempted me. That's it. I wouldn't... I wouldn't ever want to go. You're the one I plan to make my future with. You, and only you." he kissed my forehead, and I didn't resist. It was no use holding on to a stupid grudge, was there?

"Fine. But... You'd tell me... If you wanted to... Go our separate ways?" I asked. The term "break up" seemed too callous, too superficial, for what it would be. 

He nodded but turned away ever-so-slightly, so I couldn't see his eyes. I ignored the fact that his eyes were usually the giveaway whether he was lying or not. It was just easier to pretend that everything was fine. 

Because everything was fine... Right?

When he wrapped his arms around me, I melted into them. Yes. Everything was fine. I'd overreacted, and that was it. 

The Selection was stupid, and there was no way that either of us would get involved.