Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 6

Valentine's Day Part 1

"...And that, students, is how you turn a lovebird into a love letter." said Professor McGonagall as the bell rang. "I get that you're all excited for Valentine's Day, but I honestly wish we could go through NEWT material as quickly as we did today.

Dani thought about the SPEED everyone was making gnomes stand still and wear hats that day as she put her books away. She still didn't really know what to do with Barnaby yet, but she was excited for the day, like everyone else was.

"You're delightful and clever!"

All heads turned to the back as Tulip accidentally set off her love letter. "Whoops, sorry, that was for... my toad!"

Everyone laughed, and McGonagall clapped her hands. "Before you go, Professor Flitwick reminded me to warn you all against using obliviate should things go south this Valentine's Day-it can very easily go wrong for an untrained wizard. Chop chop now, you won't want to be late for lunch, we have a special guest speaker coming today."

Soon, the class was filing downstairs and into the great hall. Most of the students were already there, eating and chatting (and sleeping), but there was no guest speaker in sight.

"He's going to be fashionably l-" said a Ravenclaw before she was rudely interrupted by a golden cloak being thrown over her as Gilderoy Lockhart walked into the great hall like a model.

"What an extraordinary moment this is for each and every one of you! Certainly you have all heard the name Gilderoy Lockhart from your esteemed professors..."

Snape scowled even harder than he usually did, and McGonagall simply shook her head behind Lockhart. In fact, the only staff member who seemed enthused was Pince.

"Is this guy for real?" A first-year told his friends next to Dani.

"...I hope my hand doesn't cramp from all the books I'll undoubtedly have to sign..."

"He didn't even take a breath," said another first-year.

"...flash photography is permitted..."

"I'm not even voyaging with vampires and my uniform isn't as wrinkle-free as his," another kid chimed in.

Dani tuned out most of the talk as she thought about the spy mission. Merula said that they had more than enough places to hide, and with Jae under his invisibility cloak and Tonks disguised as a Knockturn denizen, they pretty much had ears planted. She did think it'd be a good idea to plant a co-leader or two at the scene though. She'd probably ask Flitwick if there were charms to do just that.

"...I know you must have questions, but it's rather likely they are questions I've heard before. 'How are you so perfect?' 'How can I be just like you?' 'What is your favourite part about being extraordinary?' It gets repetitive for a perpetual explorer of the unknown. Fear not, all the answers can be found in my best-selling autobiographical accounts of my adventures. But I shall leave you with an announcement more exciting than Valentine's Day itself: I shall be choosing at random a few Hogwarts students to receive tickets to a Gilderoy Lockhart book signing after your classes today! The students whose names are drawn will be notified by their professors, and I shall see the few lucky winners again soon at Flourish and Blotts!"

"Those 'lucky winners' time is better spent playing gobstones than that stupid book signing," grumbled one of the first-years once Lockhart was out of earshot."