Harry was lazing by the fire in the common room, sipping a mug of hot chocolate that he'd snagged from the kitchen earlier that evening. Hermione and Ron were still eating dinner in the Great Hall- or, more like arguing over Ron's eating habits.

"It's no wonder I don't spend the entire meal with them anymore," Harry muttered under his breath.

Frankly, he much preferred the quiet of the common room now. It was his place of solace from the stares in the hallways.

"Harry!" an out of breath voice called from the doorway excitedly. "Harry!"

Oh. That was the other reason he loved the common room. He could escape to his room in order to avoid Colin.

"Harry, guess what?" Colin demanded.

Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear, Harry thought, suddenly remembering one of Aunt Petunia's favorite sayings.

"Guess what, Harry!" Colin exclaimed again.

"What, Colin?" Harry sighed. Could he not get rid of the boy?

"So- so you know how I went to Hogsmeade today?"

Harry had indeed known- he'd spent the day feeling freed from the boy.

"Yes, Colin, I know…"

"Well guess what?"

"Colin, you've asked me that four times already. I don't know. What?"

The younger boy moved into Harry's line of sight.

"I found a tattoo parlor!" Colin crowed, delight spreading across his face.

"Good for you, Colin," Harry rolled his eyes, not sparing the boy any attention, instead opting to take a large gulp of hot chocolate.

"No, Harry, look! I got a tattoo!"

Harry looked up, and mid-swallow, saw the tattoo. Harry choked, spewing the chocolate-y drink all over the boy standing in front of him. Colin leapt backwards, an amused look on his face. Harry coughed violently.

"What the heck, Colin?" he demanded.

"You like it?"

"I think you're an idiot, Colin. I have half a mind to kick you off the team."

"What? Why?!"

"We don't need two of me in the air."

"But I'm still me!"

"Colin…"

"What?!"

"Please tell me this is a joke and that you can get rid of that thing."

"Nope!"

"Colin….!"

"Now I look just like you!"

Harry could not deny this. With the boy's blond hair dyed black- a shudder ran through Harry as he remembered that encounter- and the tattoo the boy had just shown Harry, it was though Colin was a clone.

"Colin, get rid of it. Please," Harry begged.

"Can't!" Colin sang.

Harry ran up the stairs, leaving Colin and his beloved hot chocolate behind.

Colin shrugged and sat in Harry's vacated seat, grinning. He ran a hand over his new tattoo, tracing the lightening bolt pattern now inked onto his forehead.