Valentine's Day

Disclaimer: I'm not Rowling.

'So, how did it go yesterday evening?' asked Vandyll, the next morning at breakfast.

'Okay,' said Kitty, through a mouthful of bacon.

'Oh my goodness, look at this,' said Luna, reading the Daily Prophet.

'What?'

Luna flattened the newspaper, so that they could all read it.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN: MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS 'RALLYING POINT' FOR OLD DEATH EATERS.

Beneath this headline, was a photograph of the Death Eaters who had escaped.

'Kat, did you read the Daily Prophet?' asked Harry joining them. Kitty nodded.

'And get this,' continued Harry, 'After our Occlumency lessons, when I went up to bed, my scar started throbbing again and I heard a strange maniacal laughter. It was Voldemort. This is why he's so happy, because his followers have escaped from Azkaban. Looks like the dementors have joined Voldemort.'

Just then, Hagrid trudged into the Great Hall, looking disgruntled.

'I'm on probation,' he mumbled.

'What?' said Kitty.

'Yeah,' said Hagrid. 'S'no more'n I expected, ter tell yer the truth. Yeh migh' not've picked up on it Harry, bu' that inspection didn' go too well, yeh know ... anyway,' he sighed deeply. 'Bes' go an' rub a bit more chilli powder on them salamanders or their tails'll be hangin' off 'em next. See yeh.'

He walked away, out of the front doors and down the stone steps into the damp grounds. Harry watched him go, wondering how much more bad news he could stand.

'Hey Kitty! Vandyll!' said Dennis, running up to them.

'There's another one of those notices from Umbridge,' he panted.

'What?' said Kitty.

'It says that teachers are banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they teach,' said Dennis, in a low voice.

Kitty and Harry exchanged looks.

'Do you think she knows?' said Kitty.

Harry shrugged.

It seemed to Harry that Umbridge was steadily depriving him of everything that made his life at Hogwarts worth living: visits to Hagrid's house, letters from Sirius, his Firebolt and Quidditch. He took his revenge the only way he could-by redoubling his efforts for the DA.

Harry was pleased to see that all of them, even Zacharias Smith, had been spurred on to work harder than ever by the news that ten more Death Eaters were now on the loose, but in nobody was this improvement more pronounced than in Neville. In fact, Neville barely spoke during the DA meetings any more, but worked relentlessly on every new jinx and counter-curse Harry taught them, his plump face screwed up in concentration, apparently indifferent to injuries or accidents and working harder than anyone else in the room. He was improving so fast it was quite unnerving and when Harry taught them, the Shield Charm-a means of deflecting minor jinxes so that they rebounded upon the attacker-only Hermione mastered the charm faster than Neville.

Harry would have given a great deal to be making as much progress at Occlumency as Neville was making during the DA meetings. Ron, much to the disapproval of Kitty, seemed to be under the impression that Snape was trying to open up Harry's mind so that, Voldemort could access it better. Meanwhile, Harry had told Kitty that he had been having dreams about a corridor towards the entry to the Department of Mysteries.

On the morning of the fourteenth of February, Kitty was rudely woken up by Luna.

'You've got Valentine cards,' she said pointing to two envelopes at the foot of her bed. Kitty thought she could see a twinge of jealousy on her face.

'But who the hell would send me Valentine cards?' said Kitty looking at the heartshaped envelopes as if she was afraid that they would bite her.

Luna snatched the topmost one, and opened it.

'It's from Neville,' Luna said weakly, 'Oh and listen to what he's written!

They say you only fall in love once, but that can't be true,

For I fall in love all over again, every time I look at you.'

'Luna!' said Kitty snatching the card from her and going red, 'Don't read it aloud!' The second year girls in the dormitory were giggling.

Luna had grabbed the second envelope. She held it out of Kitty's reach, and opened it. Kitty was trying to snatch the card from Luna.

'Funny, this one's not signed,' said Luna, disappointed. Kitty grabbed the card from her and read.

Hey Kitten. The spaces between you fingers are meant to be filled with mine. Guess who?

Kitty looked up at Luna.

'Who d'you think it's from?' said Kitty. Luna shrugged.

After breakfast, Kitty, Luna, Vandyll and Dennis spent the rest of the day strolling on the grounds. Kitty kept trying to hide behind Vandyll, every time she saw Neville. Dennis had laughed himself hoarse after Luna had told them about the Valentine cards Kitty had received.

Soon she saw Harry and Cho coming out of the Great Hall. They were followed by a group of Slytherin girls who were jeering at them. Kitty smirked at Harry when he passed them, and resisted the impulse to say something.

Ron had not gone to Hogsmeade. Angelina Johson, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain was holding a full day's training. Umbridge was walking around, separating boys and girls who were sitting quite close to each other. Filch was skulking about, muttering something.

'If you ask me, Filch is trying to pluck up the courage to ask Madam Pince out,' said Vandyll.

'Yeah, I always thought that there was something going on between them,' said Dennis grinning.

'Hey, look there's Malfoy. I'd have thought he would have been in Hogsmeade today with that pug faced girlfriend of his,' said Vandyll frowning.

'And he's not accompanied by his cronies too, isn't that weird,' remarked Luna.

Kitty felt too stuffy all of a sudden. She walked off on her own and sat down under a tree. She opened her bag and took out Remus' diary. Then she began to write.

'Hi Remus!'

The answer came within a few seconds.

'Hi Kitty.'

Kitty leaned against the tree and wrote: 'So, I hope you're not busy right now.'

'No, I'm not.'

'Have you been having any more dreams?'

Kitty replied: 'No. Professor Snape gave me a potion.'

'Good. And speaking of Snape, how are your Occlumency lessons going?'

'Good,' Kitty wrote. 'Listen, Remus, there's something I wanted to talk to you about, but I didn't get the chance at Christmas.'

'Yes?' wrote Remus.

'Well, I sort of got a detention with Malfoy, the other day, and we got talking.'

Kitty waited for Remus' reply. 'So what did he say?'

'Well, I kind of accused him of wanting to be a Death Eater. And he said that after school, he would become a spy for Dumbledore. I know you might think that he was lying to me, but somehow it didn't seem so. I haven't told anyone of course, for I know Harry would not believe me because he hates Malfoy. But he told me things that made me feel that he's not so bad after all. And then a few days later, he made fun of our mother in front of Harry and they got into a fight because of which Harry was banned from playing Quidditch. I mean I just don't understand him. One day he seems nice and the other day, he's a git again.'

Kitty waited for her godfather to reply. A few minutes later, some words materialized on the page.

'Kitty often people are what circumstances make them. I mean I know the kind of family he's grown up in, it's almost like the one Sirius grew up in. Some people turn out to be like Sirius, others like the Malfoy boy. On the whole, I think it's a very good thing if Malfoy is not like his father. I feel he's very lonely.'

Kitty wrote quickly, 'But he doesn't seem so. I've hardly ever seen him alone. I mean he's got loads of friends.'

'Kitty, people can be lonely even if they are surrounded by a crowd. To be alone is not the same as being lonely.'

Kitty wrote, 'Do you think I should tell Harry what he said to me? I mean I don't like it when Harry says something mean about him, and I am supposed to agree with him.'

'No,' came the answer. 'If Malfoy is indeed going to become a spy, I think we should keep this information to ourselves. But try to help Malfoy if you can.'

'How can I help him?' Kitty wrote surprised.

'Just encourage him from time to time. Tell him he's taken the right decision to join Dumbledore. Try to stop Harry from fighting with him.'

'Okay, Remus I will. Thanks. You were most helpful. Bye.

Remus wrote, 'Well, I am glad you chose to confide in me. I am here for you whenever you need me. Goodbye.'