"Happy Valentine's Day!" Harry said as he sat down next to Hermione, giving her a kiss. Pink, red, and white decorated the Great Hall, and couples were exchanging gifts and kisses as they ate breakfast.
Harry scooped pink scrambled eggs and red porridge onto his plate. There was strawberry and raspberry jam, cranberry juice, pink milk, apples and grapefruits, and other foods; everything was either naturally pink, red, or white, or the house elves had food colored it. Several people were rejecting the idea of pink eggs, but most just shrugged and swallowed.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Hermione replied.
Harry pulled something from his pocket. "Here." He smiled and handed a small box to her.
Opening the box, Hermione revealed a pair of little golden heart earrings with an amethyst for February, and a matching heart charm to put on the charm bracelet she had gotten for Christmas. "They're adorable!" Hermione exclaimed. Flashing Harry a grin, she gave him a thank you hug and kiss.
Carefully lifting the earrings out of the box, she removed the little gold hoops from her ears and replaced them with the hearts. "I love them!" Hermione leaned over, giving Harry another kiss.
Harry gulped down his food; the colorful meal had definitely put him into a Valentine mood. And the best part of all was that it was Saturday: no classes and it was a Hogsmeade weekend. He had all day to spend with Hermione.
"Are you ready to go to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.
"I need to get my cloak, but we can go soon," Hermione replied.
Half an hour later Harry and Hermione pushed through Hogwart's huge oak front doors, skipping across the lawn toward the gates, and on to Hogsmeade. Despite being mid February, it was fairly warm out, and there was almost no wind. The sun reflected off the snow, making it sparkle; the thought that the weather was teasing them flashed across Harry's mind. There would still be many snowstorms and fierce winds until the flowers would bloom and the forest turn green; but for the time being they were glad to enjoy the beautiful day.
Interlocking fingers as they strolled down Hogwart's main street, Harry asked, "Where do you want to go first?"
"Let's go to Honeydukes," Hermione suggested.
Bells tinkled as Harry held the door open for Hermione. The store was a favorite destination in Hogsmeade; it already crowded with students stocking up on their favorite candies such as Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Cockroach Clusters, Blood Lollypops, and many other popular treats. The store seemed hardly to have changed since the last time Harry had been there.
Pockets stuffed with chocolate and other forms of sugar, Harry and Hermione left Honeydukes and continued on to Zonko's.
As the couple entered the shop, a growing crowd in the corner immediately caught Harry and Hermione's attention. Curious, they made their way toward the commotion. A large enchanted sign flashed "Canary Creams" in orange, blue, and green. Smaller letters underneath read "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."
"Hermione, look!" Dragging her toward the sign, Harry wondered excitedly when Fred and George had started selling their Canary Creams.
"When do you think they came out?" Hermione asked, mirroring Harry's thoughts.
Overhearing their conversation, one of the workers turned around. "Just last week," he informed them. "Really popular, too."
"Well, if they invent a few more tricks that turn out just as popular, they could make quite a bit of money." Harry was awed at the way the twins had put his prize money to work.
Making their way through the crowd of people by the display, Harry grabbed a few colorfully wrapped desserts. "Some people laughed at Fred and George; said there was no way they could invent jokes. Now we'll be able to say we knew them before they were famous!"
Hermione laughed. "I wonder how Mrs. Weasley's taking this? She never really approved of their mischief." Thinking of the Weasley family reminded Hermione suddenly of Ron. "I wonder how Mrs. Weasley's taking Ron?" she added quietly.
Harry shrugged. "As for the twins, it's money, isn't it? If they have to goof around, and I think it's safe to say they do, at least they're making money."
"I suppose."
"And Ron will get better," Harry said firmly. "We'll be able to work out the countercurse."
Making sure to pick up some Filibuster Fireworks in the process, Harry made his way through the thick crowd to pay. "Can you bring up some more of those Weasley creams?" the witch behind the counter called toward the basement storage room. "Is that all?" she asked, turning to Harry. "Fourteen sickles and six knuts."
Digging through his pocket for some coins, Harry paid, thanked the witch, and left with Hermione. "Now where? The Three Broomsticks?"
"That sounds good," Hermione replied. It was starting to get dark, and a breeze whistled through the trees. Pulling his cloak tighter around himself, Harry opened the door for Hermione.
Harry's cheeks burned as they entered the Three Broomsticks. A huge fire near the wall warmed the cozy but crowded bar. Jam-packed with villagers and Hogwarts students, Harry and Hermione had to squeeze their way between filled chairs to find a tiny table for two in the back corner.
Rosemerta made her way over to their table. "What would you like?" she asked kindly. Hermione thought she seemed very perky.
"We'll have a large butterbeer, to share," Harry replied, gazing lovingly at Hermione.
"One large butterbeer," she muttered as she wrote on her notepad. "Would you like it regular or pink for the occasion?" She smiled at the pair.
Hermione glanced at Harry. "Pink would be fine. It would match our faces," she added jokingly.
"I'll be back in a minute."
Harry scooted his chair a bit closer to Hermione; covering Hermione's hand with his own, he stroked his thumb slowly across. Rosemerta arrived with their butterbeer; it had been dyed pink, and two matching straws were stuck through. "Enjoy," she told them.
An hour later, after a leisurely conversation, a few kisses, and three butterbeers, Harry and Hermione decided to head back to Hogwarts. As Hermione pointed out, it was around dinnertime anyway. Outside, it had definitely gotten colder since they entered the warm bar. Arms around each other's waists, they walked back to Hogwarts together.
* * *
It was the beginning of March, and Harry was giving his usual training pep talk, trying not to sound too much like Oliver Wood. Their next match, against Ravenclaw, was only a week away. Despite tight schedules, Harry tried to fit in as many training sessions as possible.
Studying the team before him, Harry began to worry a bit. Besides himself and Seamus, five new younger players made up the Gryffindor house team. Seamus had already proven his superb Keeper abilities in the previous season. Ginny, playing Chaser, seemed to have inherited the Weasley Quidditch talent; she had proven herself in the previous match against Hufflepuff. The teammates Harry was most worried about were the younger ones.
Celeste Harper and Araidne Lyte were the famous second year troublemakers. While 'the Weasley twins' had gone down in history as Hogwart's most infamous troublemakers since James Potter and Sirius Black, Celeste and Araidne were the best (or maybe worst) female troublemakers ever; no other female duo from Hogwarts' past even came close to their already amazing pranks and schemes. And they were only second years; they were just getting warmed up!
The feisty friends played Beaters; Harry wondered if it was more than just a coincidence that they played the same position Fred and George had. It did not really matter, though, because they were good. It occured to Harry more than once that maybe troublemakers' personalities clicked with carrying clubs and smashing Bludgers.
Third Years Alois Harper and Kieran Kynastone were the other two Chasers. They were also best friends, although considerably quieter than Celeste and Araidne; even Harry, who had grown up with Dudley, had been rather surprised when he found out Alois and Celeste were first cousins. Not only were they related, they had spent quite a bit of time together growing up.
Everyone, a bit puzzled, would have assumed that the cousin's personalities would rub off on each other at least a little; Alois should have turned out more outgoing or Celeste a bit calmer. Harry, however, could understand this part. He was Dudley's complete opposite, even more so than Alois and Celeste.
Not that Harry could complain about his team. For being young and inexperienced, they were excellent. They had beaten Hufflepuff in the first game of the season with a score of 180-60.
* * *
Climbing through the portrait hole nearly two hours later, Harry suddenly recalled something. "Hey, Celeste, Araidne." The young friends paused their conversations and looked at Harry expectantly. "I got those Filibuster Fireworks for you last week in Hogsmeade. Sorry I forgot about them until now."
"No problem," Celeste replied. The girls had given Harry some money to buy them pranks from Zonko's; they were only second years and could not yet visit Hogsmeade.
"Do you want me to get them now?" Harry asked.
"Sure, if you don't mind," Araidne said. Harry could almost see the thoughts of excitement racing through the girls' minds as they wondered how to use their pranks.
Celeste and Araidne were completely different in every aspect except for personality. Araidne was soft spoken, giving the false illusion that she was quiet and studious. She was thin and a bit on the short side, but despite her slight frame she was an excellent Beater. She had waist long black hair, the beautiful waves framing her tan face; a small nose and rosy cheeks completed the perfect doll look. Celeste, on the other hand, had shoulder length hair: perfectly straight and reddish brown. Her outgoing personality made up for her plain features; as for Araidne, once people got to know her better they knew she wasn't quiet and studious.
Harry took the stairs two at a time. On his nightstand were several sets of Filibuster Fireworks. Grabbing them and some change, he went back downstairs. "Here." Handing the fireworks to Celeste and the leftover money to Araidne, he reminded them there was Quidditch practice again the next day. "Goodnight," Harry added. It was only eight, but by the time he finished his Herbology questions and got ready for bed, it would be almost ten.
"See you tomorrow, Harry," the best friends answered in perfect unison.
* * *
A great lion with wings and clawed feet reared, roaring and clawing at the air. Nearby, a giant black lizard with red flecks hissed and spit, its tongue flickering in and out. Spinning on its tail, the lizard ran back and forth, seeming as though it didn't dare to step over an invisible line.
There was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and a crown on each of his heads. The great lion and the giant black lizard fought the dragon, the ancient serpent known as the Devil and Satan. The dragon is filled with rage, because he knows he has only a little time left.
The battle was long and hard. The great lion and the giant black lizard bore many wounds, but they continued their battle. There was a sense of urgency; evil threatened to choke it out, but the urgency was more powerful.
A dove flew through the evil, thicker than the thickest smoke. Circling the dragon's head, it managed to stay just out of harm's way. The seven heads each tried to capture the dove, to trap it in some way, but the dove had intellect far beyond the dragon's. The dove, the peace, flew off suddenly, and the great lion and the giant black lizard were forced to continue their battle.
When they though they would die of exhaustion, only the urgency and the ray of hope from the dove managed to keep them going. Then, all was black.
* * *
Harry woke suddenly, breathing hard. Quickly running over the details of his dream, he hoped he would not forget. The sense of urgency was still with him, and he knew he could not forget. He could not forget.