" When mating, all three heads of one Cerberus must agree that all three heads of the other Cerberus are a suitable mate before anything will happen. Er- maybe you're too young to care about any'o this."

-Rubeus Hagrid

Chapter 28: The Worst That Could Happen Part 1

Tap tap! A perfectly manicured finger of pink polish and floating white hearts tapped page five of Teen Witch Weekly. A model surrounded in bubbles danced, showcasing an elaborate heart shaped top knot. "I could do this for you? It's been real popular this month with the older girls." Daphne arched a blonde brow in my direction. "I think you'd look cute. Don't you Dean?"

Dean shrugged but never looked up from his Charms book. "She looks just fine."

Daphne snorted, "You'd think so."

I resisted the urge to grab the back of my neck. I hadn't talked about that day in Ollivander's wand library. Because of this, I haven't allowed Daphne to do my hair since the holiday. Instead, I told her that I wanted to practice doing it myself. And so every night I made sure I brushed my hair combed out the knots. In some cases, the entire hair came out with the knots. But anything to continue wearing my hair down instead in one of Daphne's up-do's. "Hair in the face is for ugly girls." She'd say. As long as I kept my hair pinned behind my ears, she let it be. "I'm okay, Daphne. Really."

"Well don't you want to be someone's Valentine today?"

My nose involuntarily scrunched up at the idea. "I don't think so. I mean, I've never been anyone's Valentine before. In my old class, we used to give out valentines and candy to everyone in class. But I don't think that counts."

Daphne's brows shot up. "Is that a real muggle custom? Is Valentine's day not for love where you're from?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "When you're in grade school, it is expected. It's so that no one feels left out. As you get older, you only give Valentine's to close friends or people you like." With that, Dean snapped his book closed and shoved it into his sack. "I'm going to meet Seamus and Neville out on the quidditch pitch and watch Gryffindor practice."

I closed my Charms book, rushing to try and catch up. "Oh wait! We'll come with you," I called out as Dean rounded the table.

Dean's hand shot up. "Don't. Just stay here and talk about your hair or whatever." And with that he was gone.

I turned to Daphne, who hadn't budged at all. She casually flipped to the next page of her magazine detailing the rising popularity of love potion specialty products. "Is Dean mad at us?"

Daphne smirked at me. "Now why would Dean be upset with us, Mary?"

I shrugged even while I thought back carefully over the past couple months since our Christmas holiday. I couldn't think of a thing but lately he had been a little short with me. Especially today. "I don't know. Did I say something stupid?"

Daphne barked out a laugh. "No. In fact you don't say much lately."

She's on to me.

The Slytherin motioned for me to follow her to the bathroom because she needed to change her pad. I waited while she spoke to me through the stall. "How's your pen pal? He wrote you today," she asked, interrupting my thought of why the plastic tearing seemed so much louder in the bathroom.

During breakfast that morning, Lovets, Victor's huge beast of an owl, swooped in with a letter. Since we've met, we have exchanged letters. He started taking his English classes again and I couldn't always understand what he was saying, but I tried my best. He would also write in a few phrases in Bulgarian for me to learn. Like Good morning. Good afternoon. Lovets' name meant Hunter in English. This particular letter came with a small box of Banana nut bread. I had never had it before but it was delicious! The letter read Happy Valentine's Day. It was scary how quickly Victor could learn. Soon, he'd know better English than me. It was shameful really. "Victor's good. He's training for the junior-national Quidditch championship."

Daphne came out of the stall, that same smirk on her face. "You two seem really chummy with him sending you food and everything. I can't believe you just ran off with him like that. Very Gryffindor of you." I couldn't tell if that was an insult or not. Daphne was good at that. "It sounds so romantic."

"It isn't like that. He's just a fan of my real dad's. That's all. You read too many romance novels." It was true. If Daphne didn't have a fashion magazine, she was flipping through some book with a shirtless man on the cover.

"It isn't just me. Dean thought so too."

"Did not!" Did he? It was possible. Since Christmas, Dean and Daphne had taken to hanging out together too. Dean and Daphne are both really smart so they have a lot in common I suppose.

"Why does that bother you?"

"Dean doesn't sit around thinking about that sort of stuff. Just you," I moped, swinging open the bathroom door and leading us back to the library table. "I don't have a boyfriend! I don't want a boyfriend! It's sinful. I just want to study and make friends and eat bread."

"You are too simple, Mary."

Now I was grumpy. All anyone wanted to talk about today was like-liking boys and sending Valentines. Such a stupid holiday. "We should go get lunch before all the good food is gone."

"You mean the croissants?"

My stomach growled at the mention of them. "Yes." I lifted my charms book to place in my bag, and nearly dropped it in surprise. Underneath was a small heart shaped piece of gold paper. I picked it up and flipped it over. "Dear Mary, You're the coolest…Animouse-"

"Anonymous, Mary. Anonymous." Daphne swiped the little thing from my hand and examined it closely. "Coward couldn't even leave their name."

I don't know why I was smiling. I couldn't describe why I was happy. Someone thought I was cool. The coolest. "Do you think Dean left it?" I asked. Maybe that was why he was so upset. How long ago had he slipped that under my book and I didn't look. I should have known to look.

"I doubt it," Daphne mumbled. "Dean has far neater handwriting and if he wanted to give you a Valentine, I imagine he'd just give it to you. At the very least he'd leave his name. Wouldn't want to leave you of all people guessing after who it could be from."

Again, I was confused what she meant. She handed the little heart back to me. "It's my first Valentine. I should at least know who left it for me?" I sniffed it, ignoring Daphne's giggle. "Maybe Cedric?"

"No."

She was right. I knew Cedric's handwriting and he wouldn't secretly slip me a note. If he wanted to give me something, he'd slap it in my lap or send it with a letter on what I need to work on. It would say something chapped-lipped like Dear Mary, You could be cooler or something like that. "It smells like cheese."

Daphne picked her magazine and her pack up. "I helped you not get killed by a Cerberus and confront a family of blood-thirsty trolls. You can handle this one on your own."

I watched her walk away in shock, though she wasn't wrong. Well who needed her or Dean for every little thing? I could find the sender of a stupid little Valentine. What's the worst that could happen?

I ignored the cold breeze and passing darkness that floated just beyond my vision.