Slytherin Tales: The Divine Seven

Chapter 14: Valentine's Day

"Well, who's it for?" Val asked, doing the most obnoxious thing he could think of by sitting down right in front of me.

"That's none of your business either!" I said, sticking my tongue out at him. Suddenly, Lucy slipped his hand beneath my arm, which was covering the card, and swiped it. I immediately jumped up. "Hey! Give that back!"

"Dear Albert, thank you for all the help you've given me, I am truly grateful. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Thinking of you, Sachie. Aww, with a little heart at the end too," he finished, my cheeks red with embarrassment that he read it out loud. "Who's Albert?"

"N-nobody!" I reached over and snatched the card back.

"Doesn't sound like any love letter I've ever heard." Val commented. "Except for the heart at the end," he teased. Mathias cleared his throat, his emotions hard to read.

"Tomorrow is the Valentine's Day Ball, y'know," he said, changing the subject. "This is also the first time they're letting first years attend too."

"What of it?" I asked.

"Well, are you going with anybody?" he asked, and me, being oblivious to what he was asking, didn't catch onto what he was trying to suggest.

"Albert perhaps?" Val teased. I blushed even more.

"Actually I was planning to go with Elliot since the person he asked had to cancel," I answered. Elliot had originally asked Ozzie to go with him, but unfortunately another class-gone-wrong incident happened and he won't be out of the Hospital Wing until Sunday. So, to cheer him up, I asked Elliot if I could accompany him.

"Oh, okay. Cool," Mathias said awkwardly. Val giggled a bit and was subsequently elbowed by Mathias.

"Valentine and I plan to go as well, so if we see you there we should sit together in a group," said Lucian as he smoothed out his long blonde ponytail.

"Sounds good to me!" I smiled and they left, though Mathias' spirits seemed a little low. I wonder what's got his wand in a knot? No matter, I still had to go deliver the letter to Albert tomorrow morning. I went to bed early, wanting the night to be over and for the day to come.

The next day, classes went by quickly, though I was so distracted I nearly botched my Transfiguration spell. During lunch, I spotted Albert sitting with some friends in his year, mostly girls, and so I, feeling extremely anxious, went up to him. I tapped his shoulder and he turned around. Seeing me, he smiled which made me all the more nervous and excited.

"Hello Sachie, what brings you here?" he asked, his curious green eyes stared up at me through locks of his chestnut hair.

"I just wanted to give you this," I said, handing him the card and a small box of chocolates. I noticed the girls around him began whispering. "Just something to thank you for all the help you've given me this year."

"Thank you Sachie, this was very thoughtful of you! Funny enough, I got my best pupil a little something as well," he said. My heart fluttered as he reached into his robe and pulled out a small box of salt water taffy with a note taped to the front. He handed it to me and as I looked at the note, it read:

To my best pupil,

Keep being you! You're one of the smartest and most talented witches I've ever met (beautiful as well) and I know you'll go far. Happy Valentine's Day!

-Albert ♡

I smiled so wide after I read it that my cheeks hurt. I thanked him and went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table with Elliot, feeling lightheaded from joy.