The Sun, Moon & Stars

51. Valentine's Day, 1994

The thing about Valentine's Day is that unless you're in a relationship, the whole day is generally a large slap in the face. An entire day internationally used to celebrate romance, yet you are still alone - much like every other day of the year, except today it somehow counts more because every couple around you is basking in the joy of the occasion and you are, well, not.

Or that's how it is to most people anyway. But to Ophelia, who didn't care much about any of that, it's about history.

While the importance of the day goes back to date thousands of years ago, and it is largely relevant to church and saints; it was only deemed to be associated with love in the Middle Ages. France, England, and other parts of Europe declared that since around February 14th  is the beginning of the birds mating season - the time should be used to celebrate all sorts of love.

Contrary to popular belief, the holiday was not as centred around Cupid as the average person may have thought. Valentine's Day was derived from a man named St Valentine, a Christian who is recorded to have been heroic - and the sentiment of the day linked to mating seasons.

The link to Greek mythology; like Cupid and Eros, the God of love, was not as prominent until later. Chubby babies with angel wings and cross-bows weren't the beginning of it all, though that certainly would be a more memorable start to the occasion.

The oldest written Valentine known to exist dates back to 1415 however; written by a man named Charles, Duke of Orleans - who addressed it to his wife, and wrote it while he was imprisoned. Whether or not they ever saw each other again is unknown, but so the tradition began.

Regardless, Valentine's Day is mainly centred around mythology and Christianity, but since it dates back so long ago the accuracy of the information has been heavily debated - and some consider it a myth all together. Because unlike Hanukah, Christmas, Easter and other specific holidays - a specific date of when exactly it began is not known, only guessed.

Ophelia read a lot of mythology books in her spare time, okay?

Though she found the subject interesting, the day had never been that important to her family - nor did she care too much about the research and facts while stuffing her face with Cupid-shaped chocolates or eating a slice of heavenly (no pun intended) heart-shaped cake from Ginger.

Valentine's Day had always been the Lupin's excuse to buy each other expensive sweets - because there were sales, and well, who didn't love a Cupid-shaped chocolate bar?

But there were a couple main differences that made this year completely different from any of the other years she had celebrated it. First, Ginger wasn't here. Second, they didn't have access to a muggle chocolate shop.

And third - her and Remus still weren't speaking.

It had been six days. And six days without talking to him might have felt like a lot before - to the Ophelia who never left his side, and was in awe over his every word. But it didn't feel like a lot when she too was furious. And that had never happened before. They bickered sometimes, she yelled at him when he was being stubborn about his injuries, and he got cross when she broke the rules - but it had never been this bad.

She had never screamed at him like that, and he hadn't either.

She was glad to know the truth though. It felt somewhat liberating, even if a part of her still wished he had lied. The part of her that wished he had just forgiven her, even if he didn't mean it.