The Clockwork Locket || SIRIUS BLACK

The Deadly Valentine

"How...to...kill...a...vampire...by...James...Potter."

Next to Sirius, Remus gave James a judgmental look when the other boy glanced up, seeking their approval. "What? It's a brilliant essay title!"

"For a first-year," Remus said drily. "Are you really going to write something like that on your O.W.L.?"

"They're not going to care about the title," James said defensively. "It's what's in the essay that they're going to be grading. As long as I have all the information, it's practically 'Outstanding' quality already!"

Remus still looked dubious, and James sighed. "Fine. I'll change it, but just for you, Moony."

"I knew I was wrong to think I was the only one special to you, James," Cassie teased. In response, James wadded up his parchment and tossed it at her. Cassie stuck out her tongue at him.

"Behave, you two," Remus warned, nudging the inkpot he shared with Cassie away from her as she eyed it deviously. "We're in the library; Pince could see anything and throw us out."

"So?" the dark-haired witch said. Sirius flicked his eyes up briefly from where he was writing to see her grinning at Remus, and something twinged in his chest at the sight. "Let her toss us out; I hate being cooped up in here as it is."

Peter snorted, taking his quill out of his mouth and halting his nervous chewing. "I'm not going back to the common room until all those girls have gone to bed. It's a bloody nightmare in there!"

Cassie laughed. "It's the night before Valentine's, Pete! They're just doing a bit of decorating."

The mousy boy made a face. "There's pink everywhere! And don't forget those stupid little Cupids they've put up!"

"Well, I think they're cute," she said matter-of-factly, as if her opinion was the end of the conversation. Peter made another face at her back.

"I thought you hated Valentine's?" James asked her.

"Where do you get off on that idea?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I've seen you with Lily all these years; you never seemed to like it much."

"I don't like the craze behind it," she said, "or all the cheesy gifts and terrible poems. But I love the chocolate." They all shared a grin, and she scratched her arm awkwardly. "It's just hard to get into it when you've never had a Valentine."

James gaped at her. "You what?"

She frowned when all the boys stared at her. "Er, I've never had a Valentine." Her frown deepened when no one said anything. "What? Is it really that surprising?"

"Honestly? A little bit," Remus said. "I always figured since you ran with Lily and Marlene..."

"You figured that since I ran with two of the prettiest girls in Hogwarts that I would get a Valentine by default?" She shook her head, though Sirius noticed that she wasn't troubled by the assumption. "It doesn't really work like that."

"Sure it does," James said. "It's how Wormtail's gotten one every year."

Peter looked indignant. "Oi!"

Cassie laughed again. "Don't look so bothered on my behalf! I'm quite used to it by now."

"You shouldn't be," Sirius said, speaking up for the first time since they had sat down to write their essays a half-hour ago. He didn't know why this conversation annoyed him so much, but watching Cassie laugh it off just made him more irritable. "You're just as pretty as Evans or Marlene, and you're funny, and smart..."

He trailed off when everyone's eyes turned to him, their expressions ranging from incredulous to embarrassed, the latter on Cassie's part.

"Er, thanks, Sirius," she said, her face pink, and they stared at each other for a long moment until Remus cleared his throat.