Valentine's Day at Hogwarts

A Valentine's Surprise

Sarah's head felt suddenly fuzzy. She became aware that her eyes were out of focus, and tried to fix her gaze on a solid point to readjust  them. Barnaby came into view, looking as dazed as she felt. He was wearing a suit and pink shirt, which seemed odd. She felt like something important was going on, but couldn't figure out what. 

"What just happened?" she asked. 

"I don't know...I can't remember," said Merula. She was dressed in hot pink. Sure, Sarah thought. Because of the dress code. She knew there was a dress code, but wasn't quite sure what it was for. 

"It looks like it's Valentine's Day in here," said Penny, looking around at the decorations in wonder. 

"Valentine's Day...is that today?" asked Talbott. 

"Hmm. Might have overdone it this time". They all became aware of a man dressed in bright pink standing over them. Gilderoy Lockhart. Why was he here again?

Barnaby still looked utterly confused. "Who are you?" 

"Oh my," said Lockhart. "Very well then! Fine party, apprentices. Farewell forever and Happy Valentine's Day!" He vanished with a small pop. 

"Are you ready for tea, my dears?" said Madam Puddifoot, stepping out of the kitchen. "The kettle is boiling!"

They didn't pay her much attention, all staring at the spot where Lockhart had disappeared. 

"Huh? Where'd he go?" said Barnaby,

"My memory is fuzzy...do you think Lockhart cast a memory charm on us?" asked Penny. 

They all recalled the things they could piece together, and the events of the last few days fell clumsily back into place in Sarah's mind. 

"Why do we all remember different bits and pieces? I thought memory charms erased specific memories," said Talbott. 

"Only if their cast properly," said Merula. 

"Do any of you remember if I brought a date?" asked Andre.

"I think I might be here on my own," said Penny. 

The others all expressed similar thoughts. Sarah glanced at Barnaby, who hadn't spoken. She knew that he had been her date, but that it had been a secret. Was he keeping the secret, or had he forgotten her?

"Perhaps, you should all head back to the castle, my dears. If you recall how to get there?" said Madam Puddifoot. 

Sarah agreed, and they all headed to the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore smiled kindly at them as they took it in turns to explain what they remembered about their apprenticeship with Lockhart, how they thought he might have modified their memories, and that he could be up to something. 

"Well, as he's gone now, there's little else we can do, I'm afraid," he said after they'd finished their story. "But I can assure you all that as he appears to be at the least a nuisance and at worst a danger to the students at Hogwarts, we will do all we can to see that he doesn't step foot on these grounds again."

Rowan would be disappointed, Sarah thought, as she trudged back to Gryffindor Tower, exhausted from the day's events. But it was fine by her if Hogwarts never saw Lockhart again. She climbed through the portrait hole, planning to go to bed. This Valentine's Day hadn't at all gone as she hoped. She supposed in a way, she felt glad that none of her friends seemed to remember asking her out, but she'd finally gotten a proper date with Barnaby, and once again, it had been sabotaged. 

She was surprised that Rowan wasn't in her book nest when she arrived in the dormitory. She thought perhaps she'd gone to the library, but then she noticed the bouquet of crumpled roses in a vase on her nightstand. Perhaps she had found a Valentine after all. Good for her, Sarah thought, drawing the curtains of her four poster back to climb in her bed. The problem was, there was already something on it.