AN: By sheer coincidence, the next chapter of this story happened to be set on Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, it's not romantic. (Well, it might be if you really, really read into it.) My most Valentine's Day appropriate Harry Potter story would probably be For Your Consideration, followed by Lessons.

'Morning, Pad.'

Terry poured water into her goblet.

'Thanks, Terry. Good morning to you, and to Anthony as well.'

The blond boy groaned.

'Not a good morning.'

Terry filled the slumped-over boy's goblet with pumpkin juice.

'Mornings are never good for you, Anthony. Though, I'd say this one is particularly bad, judging from the confetti. You should drink your pumpkin juice before too much of it gets in.'

Padma bit into a piece of toast. (Thankfully confetti-free.)

'Am I right in assuming that a certain DADA Professor is behind all of this?'

'You assume correctly.'

Padma put down her toast.

'First utter classroom incompetence, then Potter's arm, then the Duelling Club fiasco, and now this?'

'You have confetti in your hair, Padma. Brace yourself; I believe it will get worse. '

Padma sighed.

'I know logically that's possible, and quite likely, but...'

Terry nodded.

'I've never been very fond of pink either. And confetti isn't an acquired taste.'

She smiled slightly, emptying her bowl of confetti before helping herself to porridge.

'I think Vati may be enjoying this, she has always been fonder of Valentine's Day and romance and pink than I.'

Padma was now ladling porridge into another two bowls, passing one to Anthony.

Terry handed her the cinnamon, and took his own bowl of porridge, while she sprinkled the spice over her own.

'Well, at least you don't go beetroot red and mumble when Lisa and Mandy giggle at you.'

Anthony sat up and glared at Terry.

'Terry-'

'-Good, you're now relatively awake and aware. Here's your banana, and beware of the confetti in your porridge.'

Padma glanced over at the empty spot beside her.

'Where's Michael?'

Anthony ignored her.

He was not a morning person.

Terry swallowed his mouthful of porridge.

'He went off with Mandy and Lisa. I believe they're arranging for the sending of Valentines.'

Padma looked worried.

'Could that be dangerous? I mean, with Professor Lockhart organizing it...you needed a Blood-Replenishing Potion after the Duelling Club, Terry!'

'My nose did stop bleeding eventually, Padma. And I'm afraid it may well be, given that Michael and love, and therefore Valentines, is shaping up to be a dangerous combination.'

'I'm still really sorry about your nose, Terry. I didn't mean to do that.'

'It was not your fault, Anthony.'

Anthony was now beginning to act like his usual self.

Breakfast tended to take him from Morning-Anthony to Normal-Anthony.

Michael approached the Ravenclaw Table with Mandy and Lisa, sporting the grin that they'd first seen a month ago, and now recognized as his lovesick grin.

Anthony's face suddenly matched the confetti falling from the ceiling in colour.

Padma sighed and tipped some Pixie Puffs into a bowl, setting it down at the place beside her.

Michael hugged her.

'Thanks, Padma! You're wonderful! I can't believe you remembered that Pixie Puffs are my favourite breakfast ever!'

'But that's not really very significant, Michael, I've been your friend for over a year. And you sit next to me at breakfast every morning. And you always have Pixie Puffs...'

Terry just sat there, picking confetti out of his porridge.

He's probably one of the very few people I know of who could do that, while sitting opposite a lovesick Michael, with pink heart-shaped confetti in his hair, and indeed over nearly everything, with a completely straight face.

Padma began to fish the confetti out of her own breakfast.

How he does it, I don't know...