Till Forever Falls Apart

*ACTUAL Chapter Fourteen: Into the Dark

*As we can all tell I'm not good at numbers! (The last chapter was meant to be 13. This is actually Chapter 14!)

March 10, 1992

January and February had been so incredibly boring that Val wondered if muggles were more interesting in regular schools. Her homework was piled high on the desks of the library table as she worked diligently, flipping back and forth in a chapter of her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook about the smokescreen spell, revising the information in her head as she watched the pen translate her thoughts into words on the piece of parchment.

Hermione had drilled into her that exams were coming up in the next couple of months, and so Val worked hard to remember every piece of information that was presented to her, adding whenever needed to her several study guide packets she had created. She was determined to get good marks, even in Potions, although that was proving to be more and more difficult lately as Pansy moved past the point of even trying to be courteous, while her professor still took a great dislike to her altogether.

Interrupting her workflow, Harry came speed-walking into the library once again, carelessly marching past Madam Pince who scolded him endlessly about his constant disruptions in her place of work. Ignoring her, he made a beeline for his friend, pulling out the chair in one great huff and sitting down as he glared at Val, waiting for her to ask what was wrong.

Val continued to read about the history of the smokescreen spell, flipping the page once again to make sure the pen wrote down the information for her essay. Harry tapped his foot, hoping the noise would bring her to her senses. Sighing, she let the pen fall and picked up her paper, beginning to read the first line. Harry snatched it from her.

"Hey! I have work to do!" She said crossly.

"And I am..." Harry crossed his arms. "Well-"

"-If I ask you what's wrong, will you leave me be?"

Harry's anger flickered for a moment, settling back into his flushed state.

"I've had enough of Snape's comments about Dad. I'm sick of people asking how I lived, and what Voldemort is like."

"Harry!" She slapped his head. "Don't say his name!"

"He's dead! I can say whatever I bloody well please," Harry said hotly, taking off his glasses to clean the lenses that had tiny water droplets sprinkled across their surface.

"So what that Snape hates our dads? It's never bothered us before."

Val was tired of it from time to time, but she learned to give herself the gift of selective hearing when it came to their Potions professor.

"But Voldemort..."

"If you want to talk to me, you will use the other name."

"Fine! You-Know-Who."

"Thank you," Val said primly, putting her work in her bag and cleaning the table. Walking alongside Harry, they walked down the steps and farther into the hall.

"I just want to make Dad proud, you know?" Harry said quietly. Val stopped at the last step, turning to look Harry in the eyes. He seemed unsure of himself, she noticed, a nervousness hardening his features. She felt a sudden stab of sympathy. She had only been in this same position months ago with her own dilemma, and decided what Harry needed was some insight.

"Harry, I know for a fact that your dad is incredibly proud of you. You should've heard him screaming at your first quidditch match-everyone around us wanted to shut him up."

Harry laughed at this, easing up.

"Take my word for it, okay Harry? If you get too caught up in wanting to please someone, it gets very messy, very quickly." Val told him as she turned the corner.