The moon hung high in the sky above Hogwarts that night and while Valentine's schools mates laughed, played cards and did homework she occupied herself with following Harry Potter.

They'd passed her outside the library, not noticing her without her loud and constant companions. They'd been too busy locked in conversation.

Dinner was near finished and she supposed they'd be going to their common room. This, she had thought, would be an excellent opportunity to check in on Harry Potter. Make sure he was staying out of trouble and living his life as carefree as could be possible in his position. And it was a better alternative than seeking out her loud, almost constant companions and listening to them whine about blood status and Harry Potter for hours.

Dumbledore had been asking after Harry as he usually did when she met with them. Perhaps this time she would actually have something to remark other than 'he seemed fine when Draco called him an attention-seeking priss this morning at breakfast'.

Draco, so far, had been the only one to question her sudden habit of being absent during meals or at night. When he had confronted her she had quickly shut up his questioning altogether. Her business was not his to dig around in. A well-placed glare made saw of that.

Draco accepted her answer with a grain of salt and let it lie. What could he have done otherwise? His cousin was a terrifying being and she was right, his father wasn't here to watch his every move. Now it was just her.

Valentine knew all this and it made her chest ache in a way she didn't fully understand. It reminded of how she felt whenever she watched Draco punished by his father for his misdeeds. That horrid clenching in between her lungs. She ignored it and pushed it away. She didn't need to be distracted by her own guilt. This task of hers wasn't purposeless.

They were in Gryffindor tower now and Valentine kept herself at a safe distance and unseen. Ron seemed like he could have been danced around, but Harry and Hermione were much sharper than that.

"I'm telling you, it's spooky." Ron insisted. "She knows more about you than you do."

"Who doesn't?" Harry replied.

Valentine knew they would need to watch the staircases closely, knowing their penchant for changing whenever they wanted.

"Ah!" There was a shout.

"What's happening?" Asked Harry.

Valentine peeked around the doorway as the very staircase the three Gryffindor's were on shifted and connected to another platform, cutting Valentine off them following them.

"The staircases change, remember?" Hermione answered.

"Let's go this way." Said, Harry.

"Before the staircase moves again," Ron added.

Well. I guess my road ends here. It's not as though they've done anything suspicious or strange. They'll probably just find another way around.

As Valentine stepped out from hiding place, the three were opening a door and disappearing inside it.

Is that...? That bloody better not be.

Valentine bit her lip in annoyance. She had yet to ask Dumbledore why exactly the third floor was forbidden and now she was cursing herself for it. Was it something dangerous? Could she take that chance?

Another staircase connected with the platform she now stood on. She followed it with her keen eyes. It would take her to the three Gryffindor's but she would have to be quick before the path was altered.

Valentine stepped out onto the ledge and hurried up the steps after them, keeping her eyes fixed on the door.

It only took moments of scurrying to reach them and now she was more cautious than ever, the three stood so close and she realised her mistake. If they decided to turn around, they'd see her. She could play it off like it was nothing, of course, but she would have rather not been caught at all. Luckily for her, they did not turn and only took tentative steps further into the darkness.

"Does anyone feel like we shouldn't be here?" Harry spoke out, voice echoing through the dark and dusty corridor.

"We're not supposed to be here." Hermione reminded him tersely. "This is the third floor. It's forbidden."

As they moved in further still, Valentine saw an opening. She would have to be quick and silent as a corpse.

So, she held her breath and slipped in through the doorway, immediately pressing her back against the wall. She could feel the spider webs clinging to her hair and clothes, dust swirling in her lungs with every breath.

It was so strange to be standing so close to other people and yet them having no clue that she was there. Even a heavy breath could give her away.

She was suddenly regretting following them in.

I should have just spoken up or something. Started a fight and gotten them to stay away. But, no. I just have to do things the hard way.

A torch bloomed with firelight on the other side of the room. Then another and another, illuminating the space.

Valentine pressed herself back further and as the three Gryffindor's stared at the torches for a moment, she flicked the hood of her robe up over her head, completely covering herself in black.

A sudden cats meow echoed down the hall and Valentine, hidden in the shadows froze as the three jumped and turned to stare at the animal.

It sat in the doorway, watching with blood-red eyes, just feet from where Valentine stood.

"That's Flich's cat!" Ron exclaimed, voice quaking with panic.

"Let's go," Harry said immediately. "Run!"

The three took off down the corridor, leaving Valentine and the cat.

Mr's Norris didn't seem to realise that she was there at all and it took fighting her instincts not to move just yet because where Mr's Norris was, her owner was not far behind.

"Anyone here, my sweet?" Flich appeared as if on cue.

Valentine closed her eyes and for a moment she pretended she was Leah pretending she was a wall.

Leah had done that for six hours straight once when they had been five. She'd been quite convincing until she opened her mouth.

Flich glanced up and down the hall, seeing nothing. He then looked back down at his cat with a lecherous smile.

"Come on."

Flich moved back at the door, cat on his heels, shutting the door behind him.

Valentine immediately let out a great heave of a sigh.

Too close. Way too close.

She stepped out into the middle of the hall, pulling her hood back off her face but not her head.

It's too late to walk away now. They're here in an area that's forbidden for whatever mysterious reason. I can't just leave.

So, Valentine headed off after them, staying near the walls should she need to hide again.

As she came closer to the end of the hall, she could hear frantic shuffling and hissed words that slowly made themselves clearer.

"...we're done for!" Ron exclaimed in despair.

"Oh, move over!" Hermione groaned in frustration and more shuffling was heard. "Alohomora! Get in!"

Valentine listened to a door swing open and the three stumble quickly inside. She arrived just in time to witness the door closing behind them.

Valentine kept still for a moment, wanting to be sure that she was completely in the clear.

Silence.

She dared to step forward and press her ear to the door's surface. She could hear muffled voices but nothing else.

She frowned and took her head away from the door, contemplating her next move.

"AHHHHH!"

Valentine immediately jumped back against the wall in shock just as the three Gryffindors came bursting through the door.

She stared eyes wide as she watched the three struggle to close the door against what looked like the head of a huge dog.

Her heart thumped against her rib cage. She could hear what sounded like multiple dogs growling and snapping their jowls at the door.

What the hell? Is this the reason why this place is off-limits? Why the hell is something like that in a school! Whatever! That doesn't matter right now. I need to do something.

If any of them had turned even a fraction to where she stood, there was no possible way she wouldn't have been spotted and it was certainly too early in the game for her risking the secret. Not if she could help without doing so.

Valentine pulled her wand from her robes and gripped it tightly.

"Colloportus," Valentine whispered as she gently flicked her wand at her side and begged God that the three Gryffindors hadn't heard her.

The door abruptly slammed shut against the dogs huge head and the Gryffindors didn't stick around to see if the door would hold.

Their thundering footsteps echoed down the hall as the three abandoned the third floor without a second thought.

Valentine held her breath and counting to ten before gasping for air and stepping back out into the corridor.

That had been the very definition of a close call. If she followed the three again, she would need to be much, much more careful then she had been tonight, but that wasn't the thought that occupied her mind.

"It worked..." Valentine mumbled in disbelief before it gave way to genuine and unbridled happiness.

It worked on my first try...the door shut on my first try! Bloody hell, I'm brilliant!

Giddiness bubbled up in her chest like fireworks. She couldn't recall another time when she had been so absolutely proud of herself. Even if she had gotten herself mired in a less then favourable situation, she'd pulled through. And boosted her ego a little while she was at it.

Loud growling rumbled out behind her and Valentine's head snapped back around to the door, wand at the ready.

Well, then. Dumbledore has a lot to bloody answer for.

The growling only grew louder and it sounded as though the dog had head-butted the door with a loud thump that echoed down the hall with the tail end of a whimper.

At this rate, someone is going to hear it. How has it never been discovered before? And again. What the hell is it doing here?

There was another thump and the door rattled on its hinges. The spell was holding but that didn't stop the growls and shuffling.

It seems my options are leave and hope that if someone hears it'll be after I'm gone, or deal with it myself. I suppose I am involved in a way. I did have the chance to stop them, after all. Goddamnit. What can I even do about a giant dog?

Valentine glanced down at her wand.

I could always try. I already know I can lock the door again and I'm going straight to Dumbledore after this anyway.

Valentine raised her wand and cast;

"Alohomora."

The lock on the door lifted and her ears were filled with the sound of feral snarling as the door creaked open.

From where she stood and could see that the dog hadn't been a singular one. In fact, it almost was. What she was was one massive, three-headed beast.

Saliva dripped from its terrifying jaws as it barred all three sets of fangs at her.

She saw it lunge for the doorway and her wand was slashing through the air again.

"Lumos Maxima!"

The creature immediately cowered from the burst of white light, completely obscuring it from Valentine's view. If there was one thing Valentine knew about magical beasts with tangible intelligence, it was that they knew to be wary of witches and wizards.

Valentine bit her lip and willed herself to move forward while keeping the spell steady.

She passed through the doorway and now could only hear whimpers.

She dropped her wand hand, the tip going dark.

The ginormous animal had huddled itself against the back wall, timidly, eyeing her with an air of nervous.

Valentine felt a stab of guilt at its fear but figured it was better it be afraid of her then letting it turn her into a snack.

"It's okay..." She told the creature calmly. "It's okay...those noisy kids are gone now."

She glanced around the nondescript room. Other then the three-headed dog, there was a golden harp standing off to the side and a trap door in the centre of the floor.

It is guarding something? Is that the reason the floor is forbidden?

She shut the door behind her with her boot and then eased forward slowly, step by tiny step.

It was clearly still wary of her but if it decided to attack, that would be it.

She glanced at it and then at the harp and then back at it again.

Something tells me that wasn't a random decorating decision.

She took only the smallest of steps, her arms held out in front of her, wand held tightly.

"It's okay, boy...or girl...or both...it's okay." She couldn't tell if her words calm it at all, the centre heads ears perking up slightly as if listening.

"I'm going to play some music, alright?" She gestured to the harp with her free hand. "Would you like that?"

It gave a low growl, showing large, menacing teeth.

It's like it knows I can barely play.

"No, no. It's alright." She shushed it. "It's fine. You're alright."

She slowly eased over to the instrument, not breaking eye contact with the heads.

Her aunt had suggested she and Draco learn instruments in their spare time. She played it off as a fun hobby although Valentine suspected that it had more to do with having things to brag about.

After Valentine had failed miserably at the flute, her aunt had moved her on to the harp, which she hasn't been much better at. The only instrument she'd ever had the taste or talent for was the violin, but that didn't seem to be something that would help at this point. There was no violin in the room, just a harp.

She let out a breath and placed her fingers on the strings lightly, earning another growl from the beast.

"No, it's okay...it's alright...I'm going to play you a little something and hope you don't try and eat me because of it, alright?" Valentine swallowed, prepared for this to go very bad as she pocketed her wand. "Now, don't judge me too harshly. Animal taming through the art of the harp isn't exactly my speciality."

She ran her fingers across the strings again and animals three pairs ears perked up instantly, a look of interest shining in its eyes now that it saw she was going to play.

At least it's not a bloody flute.

She began to play a simple lullaby that she had learned, restarting whenever she messed up, which was often.

Harp had truly not been meant for her. Draco had been lucky and found his particular instrument on his first try. He'd picked up the piano almost as quickly as Valentine had picked by the violin.

Despite her lacking natural talent, soon she was able to play the few notes repeatedly without making the same mistakes over and over again.

Her fingertips were starting to sting a little and her brow twitched at this. The harp she had once practised on had been pushed down Malfoy Manors main staircase.

Her eyes flicked over at the animal, that had been largely silent given its three heads. For a while it watched with rapt interest before, eventually, the animal began to blink its eyes tiredly.

It's...falling asleep?

Yes. It was doing just that, she realized as it organized its many limbs into a comfortable order.

It then rested it three heads on its three pairs of paws and steadily fell into a peaceful sleep.

Valentine played for a few more minutes before finally deciding it was safe for her to leave.

She slipped out her wand once more just incase and crept over to the door, opening it as quietly as possible and locking it once again.

Valentine let a great sigh leave her body as if she'd been holding it in all day.

That was...interesting? I have so many freaking questions.

With those questions fresh in her mind, Valentine took off down the dusty corridor, torches lighting her way with each step.

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

Slytherin common room, half an hour ago-

"Oi, Draco, I'm sure she's fine," Blaze assured his friend who sat on the leather couch in front of the fire, a grim look on his face.

"Yeah, this is Val we're talking about," Liam asked, plopping down beside the worried boy. "What could happen to her?"

"Exactly. So, stop worrying. You're going to give yourself wrinkles, you know." Laughed Blaze.

"I know she can handle herself, but my father made me promise to keep her out of trouble. He said as a Malfoy it's my job to protect my family." Draco answered seriously.

"Look, I understand that comes first. My grandfather says the same kind of thing all the time, but I think you're overreacting." Liam chose his words carefully.

"Awe, come on you two! Don't be so serious." Blaze scoffed. "Like anyone going to mess with Valentine Lestrange."

"Yeah," Crabbe grunted as he and Goyle finished off a pile of snacks they'd stolen from the kitchen.

The two seldom came too close when Valentine was actually around. It was clear she found them to be an utter nuisance and by now they knew who people she didn't like were treated.

"I know that," Draco growled under his breath.

"Anyways, when was the last time you saw her?" Liam added, plucking a cookie from Crabbe's grasp before he could take a bite out of it.

"Before dinner, I saw her walk off to the girl's bathroom with Leah and Olivia, but she didn't come back with them. She didn't even eat." Draco said with a sigh.

"Well, here's your chance to ask them, because there walking right towards us." Liam nodded over his shoulder.

"Yeah, and brace yourself because Leah looks freaked!" Blaze said, whole-body going rigid in preparation for the incoming storm.

"DRACO! DRACO!" The girl screamed, her caramel coloured hair flying around madly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Her words escaping her mouth so rapidly that they seemed to fly together. "DRACO!-DO-YOU-KNOW-WHERE-VAL-IS?-SHE-CAME-WITH-US-TO-THE-BATHROOM-AND-TOLD-US-TO-GO-AHEAD-AND-WE-HAVEN'T-SEEN-HER-SINCE!-THAT-WAS-AGES-AGO!-WE-HAVE-TO-FIND-HER!"

"Did anyone understand any of that?" Goyle said as he crunched down on something in his mouth.

"I've known Leah my entire life and I've never understood a single word out of her mouth." Draco rolled his eyes.

Leah tried to speak again but was so completely out of air that only a mere squeak escaped her.

"Think she said that dragons are attacking Hogwarts and that we must make a contract with an ancient tribe of fairy's to destroy them?" Said Liam, cocking his head to one side in confusion. "That's what I heard anyway."

"Knowing her, that's our best bet," Draco grumbles.

"Fairy's seem like they's be too normal for her." Said Blaze. "Demons perhaps?"

"Um, excuse me?" Olivia spoke up meekly. They all looked to her and she cleared her voice. "She said that Valentine came with us to the bathroom before dinner and told us to go ahead to without her, she said she wouldn't be long, but that a decent amount of time ago."

Everyone blinked at Olivia in shock, save for the hyperventilating Leah.

"You understood that?" Liam was utterly bewildered.

"DON'T-JUST-STAND-THERE!-WE-NEED-TO-FIND-VAL!" Leah burst, catching her breath and wasting it all again.

"Wait, you said she's been gone since before dinner?" Asked Draco, standing from his place on the couch.

"I'm sure she'll be alright though." Olivia nodded in reply, biting her lip,