Moving through the halls with perfected silent footsteps, Valentine stuck to the shadows, a force of habit after she'd done so all night. She was so tired but so relieved. She could hardly believe the outcome. Harry, Ron and Ginny all alive and something seriously wrong with Lockhart! She's been wondering all year if he had been punished for her crimes and now she felt like Christmas had come late.

She still didn't know all the facts. After they had been found alive, Valentine was sent back off to the common room. This time, escorted by Snape himself. She sat in the common room for two hours, managing to sleep for most of it. Then she was up again and it was still about an hour before anyone else would be awake. She crept up to her dorm and dressed for the day before heading out again. She was certain they'd had to have return Dumbledore to his position and he would have all the details. Harry was becoming quite impressive, living after danger after danger. She hoped it wasn't a passing skill.

"Mr Malfoy. Mr Malfoy!"

Valentine froze at the familiar voice.

Arg. What's he doing back here?

Valentine ducked behind a pillar and kept as still as possible.

"I have something of yours," Harry said.

"Mine? I don't know what you're talking about."

Valentine dared a peek around the stone column, far enough away to not be easily spotted. Lucius holding a small leather-bound book that she had seen before in the hands of Ginny Weasley. Harry stood before him, Dobby hovering nervously by his knees.

She ducked back behind the pillar.

What does Harry think he's doing!

"I think you do, sir. I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron that day at Diagon Alley."

Valentine's hand went for her wand. In that moment, she was prepared to expose everything that had happened in the last two years. Lucius was a volatile man with a dangerous temper. Her bruised face was a reminder of her. If he laid a hand on Harry, she would have to step in.

"You do, do you?" Lucius snarled. "Why don't you prove it? Come, Dobby."

There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, growing steadily irate.

"Dobby!" Lucius called again.

"Master has given Dobby a sock." Said a small trembling voice.

What?

"What?" Lucius hissed. "I didn't give-"

"Master has presented Dobby with clothes! Dobby is free."

She was sure what had just happened but Valentine had never heard the house-elf sound so alive. The warmth in his voice was infectious and she found herself smiling. Her uncle would never be able to touch Dobby again. No more beatings and abuse. He could do whatever he wanted with his life as it was now his to live. She was sure Harry must have done something. Lucius would have never freed Dobby.

"You lost me my servant!" Lucius gave a vicious growl.

Valentine heard his cane slice through the air and a click as he yanked his wand from the hilt. That's what made her move. Valentine's wand raised and she stepped out from the pillar ready to change her entire life.

"Avada Ke-!"

She had only taken two steps when she heard;

"You shall not harm Harry Potter."

A bright blue ball of light shot out from Dobby's hand. It struck Lucius in the chest and sent him flying back through the air. He landed on the ground with heavy a thud.

Valentine immediately dropped to the floor herself. She'd just been in full view of Harry but he didn't seem to notice her. She crawled to the nearest pillar, hiding once more.

Forget everything I have ever seen. Forget Snape covered in bright orange slime, forget Lockhart pink-haired and green toothed. Dobby just put Lucius Malfoy on his backside and I thoroughly believe it to be the peak of my existence.

Grinning from ear to ear, she kept a firm grip on her wand. She heard Lucius stand and longed to see that furious and helpless look in his eyes when he knew he had lost.

"Your parents were meddlesome fools too." Lucius spat, she could hear him trying to control his tone forcibly. "Mark my words, Potter. One day soon...you are going to meet the same sticky end."

Not if I have anything to do with it.

She listened to his hurried pace as he stormed away. Valentine couldn't remember ever being as proud of Dobby as she was of anyone else. After a lifetime of servitude, the first thing he did as a free elf was put his former master in his place and Valentine wanted to the applauded him. Maybe bake him a cake and throw him a party.

She hoped someday that Draco would show the same defiance.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby." Dobby beamed gratefully. "How can Dobby ever repay him?"

"Just promise me something."

"Anything, sir."

"Never try to save my life again."

Valentine assumed he must have agreed because Harry was saying;

"Come on, Dobby." Harry Potter said. "I'm starving."

Valentine listened as their footsteps as well as they made their way off to the Great Hall for breakfast.

She stepped out from her hiding place again, tucking her wand into her robes.

You've got guts, Potter. Let's hope they don't end up all over the wall.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

"So, you're telling me that the memory of Voldemort personified attached itself to his own diary, which he, eleven years ago, gave to Lucius with the intent to protect it until it could be used to open the Chamber of Secrets. Which he, Lucius, then used eleven years later to do just that, resulting in the manipulation of a young girl, the petrification of three students, one cat and one ghost. Leading Harry to battle the basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor and ultimately use a fang from the basilisk itself to destroy the memory of Tom Riddle imbued into the diary. Is that what you are saying, sir?"

"Yes." Said Dumbledore.

Valentine sighed loudly and slumped low in her chair. She pulled a hand back through her hair.

"Well. It's not like I had expectations for a quiet year. Can you imagine? A quiet year in this place? Not bloody likely."

"I believe it's quite a satisfactory result."

"Don't misunderstand, I'm freaking thrilled, but well, I think we could have done without all the conspiracy and giant monster attacks."

"I see your point." Dumbledore chuckled. "Now we have only to be grateful that things did not turn out differently."

"I'm as grateful as I'll ever be."

"So, my dear." Dumbledore smiled. "Severus tells me that you have quite the eventful night."

"Yes. Lots of walking. I have a blister the size of Mount Everest."

"I see."

"But I'll live. Harry's the one who almost died last night. If I didn't know any better, I would think that his hardships are expressly designed to turn me grey before the age of twenty."

"And what of that bruise?" Something in Dumbledore's tone changed.

"Compliments of my uncle." Valentine rolled her eyes dismissively. "Though I must say, watching Dobby send him flying heals all that heals all wounds. What I would like to hear about is what happened to Lockhart? All I know is that he was acting strangely."

"Well, as you know," Dumbledore pulled out two glasses from a drawer and stood. "Lockhart was not exactly who he said he was. More precisely, had not done the things he said."

"You don't say?"

"He simply took the triumphs of others, tampered with their memories and wrote as the hero of his own story. When attempting to erase Harry and Ron's memories, after they had found this out, the spell backfired, having been cast from Mr Weasley's wand."

"Ouch."

"Indeed. The spell rebounding and Lockhart's own memory was erased. As it stands, he doesn't know who or where he is." Dumbledore reached for the decanter on the desk and poured the amber liquid into each glass.

"Serves the bastard right, though I suppose ridiculing him would be redundant now seeing he'll have no idea why he's a fraud and a coward."

"One could say that, yes." Dumbledore held out a glass to her. "It's cordial."

She took it from him with a smile and drank half of it in one swing. She figured the sugar would assist her on functioning in her current two hours of sleep and aching feet.

"So, what about Hagrid? He'll be released, of course."

"He shall. I have already sent word and I'm sure he'll arrive as soon as possible."

"He never should have been there in the first place." Valentine huffed. "They expel him, confiscate his wand and even fifty years later, imprison him, all for a crime he had nothing to do with. Heads would roll if that was me."

Dumbledore smiled.

"I'm sure Hagrid would prefer to simply return to the school and be as he was."

"I suppose." Valentine sighed. "Where else could he get away with raising deadly creatures in his backyard..."

Valentine frowned and touched a hand to her cheek. It was hot to the touch but the swelling wasn't any worse than it had been. In fact, the warmth seemed to be numbing the pain that she should have felt when she touched it.

She frowned deeper and gave Dumbledore a knowing look.

"Professor...Did you just spike my drink?"

Dumbledore blinked innocently, though he was smiling in a manner that insinuated he was trying not to.

"Forgive me, my dear. Professor Snape expressed to me that it was likely you would not take care of it. I thought this may be the easiest way to have it treated."

"It's just a bruise," Valentine grumbled. "Have you seen my complexion? I bruise like it's my job."

"Nonetheless, there is no reason for you to walk around like that when it is a very easily managed problem."

"Yes, yes." Valentine rolled her eyes. "I suppose, it would stop the others from fretting as much. Blaze asked if Snape did it. I think he honestly might have gone after Snape if he had. That conflict would be shorter than Blaze's fuse."

"You should treasure their affection for you."

"Oh, I do. Somewhere deep down in the dark recesses of my twisted soul."

Dumbledore laughed at that and Valentine drank the rest of her drink.

"Bloody hell." She leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. "The school years not even over yet. Why do I feel like it's been a decade since last summer?"

"Perhaps it's the lack of sleep?"

"You know what, Professor? I think you're on to something."

-----Pretending To Hate-----

Lockhart's farewell committee consisted of six. Ironically enough they were his least favourite students, not that he knew that anymore. They watched from the walkway overlooking the courtyard as two workers from St Mungo's led him from the castle. Leah had made a banner and hung it over the stone railing. No one had seen her make it and couldn't figure out when she had found the time. It read; PLEASE DON'T COME BACK. Valentine wanted desperately to high five Leah but settled for the one's Leah received from Liam.

Lockhart seemed to notice them but not the implications of Leah's glittery banner because he waved up at them excitedly. He was wearing a smile that Valentine had never seen before. It was almost childlike, wide and innocent.

Hmm. Maybe he'll be a decent person this time around. Maybe.

"Goodbye!" Lockhart shouted to them.

Olivia was the only who waved back and more than a little awkwardly.

"Why couldn't he have obliviated himself months ago?" Said Liam. "Then we might have learnt something other than his favourite type if muffin and that Val can jump over desks really quickly."

"Awe, snap." Said Blaze. "This means we'll probably have a real teacher next year, right? Like, we'll actually have to learn something?"

"News flash, my friend." Liam arched a brow at him. "That's what school is for."

"Doesn't mean I've got to be happy about it."

"Do you think he'll ever get his memories back?" Asked Leah.

"Well, you can reverse the obliviate charm," Olivia replied. "But I'm not sure anyone would want that."

"Yeah, not to mention he used Weasley's faulty wand. Bloody idiot." Draco scoffed. "I doubt the charm worked the way it was supposed to. There probably isn't a way to reverse that kind of screw up."

"Ahhhhh." Leah nodded. "I didn't think about that."

"Anyway, who cares about what happens to him?" Blaze shrugged.

"I was just asking a question." Leah narrowed her eyes and pouted.

"Yeah, and I said it doesn't matter. The guy was a total creep."

"I know that, but I'm allowed to ask questions!"

"Bloody hell, fine. You don't need to bite my damn head off!"

"Oh, I'll bite to your head off!" Leah opened her mouth wide, barring all her teeth as she lunged at him.

"GAH! Leah get off me! I've told you before not to bite!"

The others watched the bizarre struggle for a moment as Leah tried her very best to bite at Blaze's face. Then they turned away. When this happened on a daily basis, it wasn't worth paying attention every time.

Leah and Blaze were the kinds of people that never would have been friends under different circumstances. Blaze was too negative and Leah has her head too far stuck in the clouds. The result was this. Endless arguments and teasing that they never seemed to grow tired of.

Valentine thought that if they had really hated each other that much that they wouldn't talk to each other at all. She knew Leah would certainly avoid him if that was the case. She had her suspicions that they even enjoyed these conflicts. Blaze seemed like that type that loved a good argument.

At the end of that day, they were friends despite their glaring differences and delicate temperaments. Perhaps they liked knowing that there was another equally as ridiculous as they were.

"So, classes are cancelled today because of Potter's crap." Said Liam. "What are we going to do?"

"We could find Longbottom and have some fun," Draco suggested.

"But we did that like two days ago?"

"So? I thought you'd never grow tired of messing with Longbottom."

"Don't get me wrong, he's highly entertaining, but sometimes a man likes a challenge."

"Hmm." Draco hummed. "I know what you mean."

Right. Because there's nothing more manly then harassing someone because you think they're weaker than you. Most definitely a desirable masculine trait.

"You know I heard they're healing everyone who got petrified today." Olivia pipped in. "Apparently the mandrakes are ready."

"Hey, that's an idea." Draco grew and evil smirk. "We could get a snake and the scare the living daylights out of all of them."

"Uh, I think we'll definitely get in trouble for that." Olivia paled slightly.

"Yeah, she's right." Liam agreed. "It's too much effort in comparison to the lecture my grandfather would give me about my 'immature behaviour and inconvenient letters home'. You should have heard his rant after the prank on Lockhart."

"IS NO ONE GOING TO HELP ME?" Blaze almost took Draco out as Leah tackled him.

"Leah." Valentine snapped at her. "Do we need to put you on a damn leash?"

"Oh, yes please!" Blaze wheezed from under Leah's weight. "That would make my life so much easier."

"I'm not an animal!"

"You hissed at me just the other day!"

"You drew on my notebook!"

"Only because you drew on my face!"

"Well, you shouldn't fall asleep in the common room like that! You know what I'm like!"

"What kind of excuse is that!"

"The only one you're going to get! Now hold still!"

"Get off, get off, get off!"

"So, any ideas on what we're going to do today?" Liam asked, unfazed by the screaming.

"I don't mean to be boring..." Olivia spoke up again. "But we still have to study."

"Arg." Draco groaned. "Did you have to remind me?"

"She does have a point man," said Liam.

"Well, I don't need to study." Draco scoffed and passed a look over at the still squabbling Leah and Blaze. "It's those two that need help. In more ways than one."

Leah was perched on Blaze's chest like some kind of long-limbed beast, she had one of his hands trapped in her grip and was repeatedly poking him in the face with it.

"Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself!"

"I WILL END YOU LOVAT! I WILL BURY YOU SO DEEP IT'LL TAKE THEM YEARS TO DIG UP YOUR DAMN BODY!

"Are you going to break them up?" Liam said pointedly.

"We should probably just let them wear themselves out," Olivia suggested.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

That night, with the whole school gathered together, students unpetrified, there was a sense of something special in the air. Valentine could feel it, although she wasn't completely sure what it was. Warm energy buzzed around them, but it felt as though it wasn't quite made for Valentine and her friends. They truly were in their own little messed up bubble. That Valentine hoped one day to pop, but first things would need to be different.

Despite the smiles and happy manners, that their own manners excluded them from, going on around them, they didn't seem to mind. Valentine doubted they even really noticed. Their world was rather small even if they didn't realize that either.

"Olivia?"

"Yes, Leah?"

"Why are bananas yellow?"

"Um...pardon?"

"I mean, yellows a nice color and all, but what about red or pink or purple?"

"Uh, I...I'm not sure..."

"Why are you like this?" Blaze rolled his eyes at her. "Why does it matter what color bananas are?"

"I because I say it does." Leah stuck out her tongue at him.

"Who died and made you Queen of the Bananas?" Blaze shot back. "I mean, you are bananas, but that doesn't make you the queen of them."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes. It. Does!" Leah jumped up and pounded her fist on the tabletop.

"NO. It. Doesn't!" Blaze stood up also, leering across the table.

"Blaze!" Liam snapped, surprising them all as he was never one to raise his voice. "You do realize your arguing with LEAH on the color of BANANAS and whether or not she has power to dictate if the color of the bananas as a while has any importance."

Blaze froze, thinking for a long moment.

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Leah frowned.

Of course you wouldn't.

Then Blaze shrieked loudly and leaned as far away from Leah as he could.

"What am I doing...YOU!" He pointed at her accusingly. "Always getting me mixed up with your bullcrap and making me look like a fool! Knock it off!"

"You started this, Blaze Zambini!" Leah pointed a finger of her own. "I can't be blamed because you can't finish it!"

"Don't give me that! You shouldn't say such weird things!"

"It's my thing! I say the weird and sometimes disturbing things that you guys don't have the soul to say!"

"Well, done Liam." Draco slapped the other boy's arm. "You just made it worse. She's self aware."

"Just sit down, Leah." Olivia tugged on the girls arm and she immediately softened. "Don't you want to save your energy for the food?"

"Oh, wow. You're totally right." Leah turned back to Blaze with a glare. "I will retreat, for now, but remember this well, I am the Banana Queen and all shall fall during my reign of terror."

"Just sit down." Draco groaned.

"How have you even managed to survive this long...?" Blaze slowly sank back into his spot, dropping his face