Adventures of Beatrice the Basilisk

Chapter 24: Valentine's Day 1938

AN: We told you we'd be back. Happy Valentimes Day our sweet little french tarts ! We definitely love you soooooo much; and that's why we're officially back with another Tom chapter because we know you love them just as much as we love you maybe ! We told you we'd be back - hiatus officially over !

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

Tom woke up on the worst possible side of the bed after a restless night of tossing, turning and lying down perfectly still like a plank of wood. Today was Valentine's Day; which just secured the last nail in his coffin. He sat up slowly with his eyes shut tight, reaching to his side for the comfort of his baguette, only finally opening his eyes once his crumb-crusted fingers had closed around it.

The room was still dark, even with the absence of curtains on the windows looking into the frigid abyss of the Black Lake, the mid-February ice and snow still blocked all light the sun attempted to blind him with. At least something was going right today. Tom didn't really understand the purpose of Valentine's Day, to the dread of Onika who had talked for at least three hours yesterday of its importance, so he was seriously dreading leaving the warm solace of his cosy four-poster bed.

Turning his head, Tom looked around the room at his fellow Slytherin first years. Most were still asleep, but he noticed Alphard sitting on his bed, silently and peacefully wrapping a large pile of boxes in pink paper embellished with cutesy love hearts that made Tom's stomach churn. Who would ever want a gift wrapped in such an eyesore?

Alphard noticed Tom watching and smiled excitedly.

"Tom! Got any gifts for the Valen to your Tine?" he gestured to the obnoxious array of boxes on his bed. Tom glared at him.

"Is it someone's birthday or something?" Tom asked, eyeing the boy sitting opposite him with discontent.

"Oh Tom you silly little lad, I suppose in many ways, yes. Valentine's Day is the first day of the rest of our lives..." Alphard's gaze went unfocused and he looked out of the dark window clutching his heart longingly. Toms glare deepened in confusion,

"What are you talking about?" Tom asked, in utter disbelief at the idea that a boy could be this deranged. I mean who was he kidding? Certainly not Tom. No day could have this much importance... except for Tom's birthday which was not on Valentine's.

Alphard shook his head solemnly, "You'll get it when you're older," he said as if they weren't the exact same age. Tom could not stand Alphard's confusing one-liners any longer and decided to maturely leave the dorm to settle down in his favourite armchair in the corner of the Slytherin common room.

The common room was freezing as Tom entered, and worse, his daily beeline to the corner of the room was interrupted by a long sigh from none other than Slytherin Prefect (and love of our life) Orion, who was leaning against the back of a couch dousing himself in cologne. He was clutching an envelope tightly with 'Walburga' written in beautiful calligraphy on the front.

"Finally, someone's up. I can't believe your little friends haven't caused a ruckus in here yet, being Valentine's Day and all. Ah... Tom, I need your opinion." Orion stood up as Tom approached him slowly, looking around the room in suspicion. Tom was rarely asked for his opinion, which is why he almost always spoke his mind.

"Is this going to be another Valentimes... Tines Day thing?"

"You are just so perceptive today, Tom. I need you to read this love letter for me. It's for Wally, but I'm not sure if it accurately conveys my deep, deep love for her," Orion brandished the envelope, pulling out the letter neatly folded inside. It too was written in intricate calligraphy that Tom wasn't sure he could actually read. Orion unfolded it to reveal the letter consisted of three different pieces of parchment, covered on both sides in writing.