- Text Size +
Valentine's Day



Valentine's Day around the corner, the halls of Hogwarts were lousy with students attempting to trick one another into drinking love potions from Zonkos. Sirius saw at least one instance of a bewitched garden gnome, dug up from out in Hagrid's pumpkin patch, floating about tressed up like a Cupid as the first year boys dodged through the lovesick mess to the Gryffindor table early, quite annoyed with the hubbub. James unraveled his book bag from 'round his shoulders and chucked it down. "Oi, a right obstacle course that was!"

"Tell me about it," grumbled Peter, who had run down the stairs ahead of the others pellmell as the Cupid gnome had chased after him shooting little arrows at his bottom.

James looked over the table, decided on some eggs and a bit of ham, and sank into his seat beside Remus. "Bilius looks as though he's having a jolly good time," muttered Sirius, nodding at the prefect down the row, who was sitting with his girlfriend.

"I didn't know he was snogging Amelia Bones," said James, eyebrows raised.

"He's been dating her for awhile now," Peter said, without even glancing over.

Sirius looked at Peter, "Why is it you seem to know who all fancies who before any of us do?" he demanded, "Little gossip, you are."

Remus was staring down the table at Bilius and Amelia too now. "Blimey," he said, "Messy, snogging, isn't it?"

"And in the Great Hall, too!" said Sirius, impressed.

"At least somebody is enjoying this stupid holiday," Peter said, whose bottom still smarted from the gnome's arrows, "Valentines isn't even a real holiday, what have we got to celebrate it for?"

"I suppose we'll understand when we're older," answered Remus. "Looks like the fourth years get it alright." He pointed to a pack of fourth years who were paired off like Bilius and Amelia were.

James answered, "I'll be too busy with Quidditch come my fourth year. That's an important one, you know, most captains are picked in their fifth if they're going to be, and I plan on being captain, so it's right important my fourth year be a good one."

"You don't even know if you'll be on the team yet and you're already naming yourself captain!" exclaimed Sirius, "That ego, mate!"

James grinned.

After breakfast, the boys went out onto the grounds to get away from all the Valentines obsessed students filling the castle halls. It was wet and cold, though not as horrible as it might've been for that time of year and they made their way on to the edge of the lake and threw rocks into the thin ice along the edge, trying to make patterns in the broken sheet. When they were finally cold and the sun was setting, they started up toward the castle, laughing and joking all the way. 

They were just coming up the pathway to the stairs when, as they were goofing off, the front doors of the castle burst open and out onto the steps came Severus Snape. Quickly, Sirius motioned for the other three to follow as he dove behind one of the bushes lining the path, just before Snape spotted them. They ducked low to the ground and James clapped his hand over Peter's mouth as he made to ask exactly why they were hiding.

Lily Evans came rushing behind Severus onto the steps of the school, which, by the time she'd come out, he was already halfway down, his fists balled and shoved deep into his robes. “Severus,” Lily scolded, “Stop. You're being ridiculous… nobody gives a damn if we talk to each other.”

“I'm not,” Severus replied. He stopped on the stairs, though, and waited until Lily had caught him up. “They do care, Lily. You don't understand the Slytherins, alright? They do care. They care very much, and it's much easier to just… come out here to talk, alright?” He looked at her with a sour expression on his face.

Lily's face was just as sour in return. “It's just so stupid. What do they care who you're friends with?”

“They do, though.”

“Well, Slytherin house sounds like a load of bullies to me, then,” she said huffily.

Severus took a deep, sharp sounding breath, as though he could scarcely stand to have the patience to put up with Lily and her naivety.

“So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about that you couldn't just say in front of my friends?” Lily demanded. She had her arms crossed over her chest.

Severus hesitated.

“You dragged me out here,” she reminded him, “It had better be for a good reason.”

Severus reached into his bookbag and pulled out a small box – meager, even – of chocolate cauldrons and, staring at the box sheepishly, he looked up at her and held them out. “These are for you,” he said, his face rather red.

Lily stared at the package a moment. “Chocolate cauldrons?”

“They're raspberry filled,” Severus offered.

“I love raspberry,” Lily said. She took the box gently.

“I know you do,” Severus replied, “That's why I got the raspberry ones. I would have got you a box of those raspberry doughnuts you like, from that bakery back home, but… I mean, they're muggles there, at the bakery, so… an owl going 'round to pick up a delivery of doughnuts would've been… quite hard to explain without breaking a couple laws.”

Lily stared at the box, a smile on her face. Then she looked up and it faded a bit. “Thanks, Sev.”

He nodded, “Yeah. It's alright.”

“I really appreciate it,” Lily said, smiling.

“You're welcome,” Severus answered. He smiled back at her, his smile much more eager than hers, “It is Valentine's and all...” he added.

Lily smiled again, rather awkwardly this time, and, as Severus stared at her, she faltered. “Sev...” she stared. He looked up at her. “I um…” She didn't know how to say what she felt. There was an odd sort of squirming feeling filling her up inside. “Never mind,” she finished lamely. They were just friends, that there was no reason for him to give her chocolates on Valentine's Day… He looked so hopeful that she just couldn't remind him of that fact. “Do you want to take a walk?” she suggested.

“Sure,” Severus answered.

“Alright, then.” Lily said and she led the way down the rest of the stairway.

Severus grinned and hurried to keep up with her.

Lily and Severus walked right past the brush where Sirius, James, Peter and Remus were crouching without ever having noticed the Gryffindor boys were there. “Here, have one of the cauldrons,” she suggested, pulling open the box.

“Thanks,” Severus replied, taking the chocolate she offered him.

The Gryffindors stayed hiding and quiet until Lily and Severus were out of sight, further down the pathway.

“Blimey, that was a close one,” muttered James as the four of them crawled out from the brush.

Sirius glanced back at the two, more than halfway along the path, headed toward the lake. “Well there you have it, Peter,” he said, nudging the short boy. “Fodder for your gossip column.” He laughed and turned, leading the way up the stairs of the castle. All but James, that is, who continued to stare off after Lily and Severus. Sirius stopped at the top step, realizing James wasn't following along. “Oi. Potter. You coming or what?”

James tore himself away from staring after them. “What? Sorry.”

Remus laughed, “You alright, mate?”

“Yeah, fine,” James replied, and he quickly jogged up the steps behind the other three. As he passed by Sirius on the top step, Sirius watched him go with a raised eyebrow. “What?” James demanded.

Sirius grinned at him knowingly.

What?” James asked again. The boys were crossing the entrance hall by now.

“You -” Sirius replied, “Watching Lily and Snivelly walk off just now...”

James rolled his eyes, “I don't fancy her if that's what you're thinking!” he said.

“Uh huh,” said Sirius, smirking.

“I don't!” James said. “I just would like to know what the bloody hell she fancies a greasy haired Slytherin, over --”

“Over what?” Sirius prodded, interrupting, “You?”

James flushed. “No, I told you, I don't fancy her.”

Remus put a hand on James's shoulder in an almost consoling way and patted as they walked up the stairs. “It's easier to just let Sirius in on your secrets, mate, he doesn't let up 'til you confess anyway. As his most recent conquest, trust me, I know.” He winked.

James sighed, “You lot are all mental! Why would I fancy Evans?” He rolled his eyes.

But even Peter knew better.