"I hate studying." Said Blaze.

"Hmm," Liam hummed but didn't look up.

"No, like I really hate studying."

"Yeah."

"I don't think you understand just how deeply I loath this particular activity."

"I think I might have an inkling."

"I never want to look at another textbook ever again."

"We live in a school for ten months out of the year, Blaze. I don't like your chances."

"Why have I been cursed to live such a life?"

"Believe me." Liam threw a knowing look across the table at Valentine and Draco. "We're all thinking the same thing."

"Blaze." Valentine lifted her eyes to glare at him over her book.

He froze.

"Yes?"

"Shut the hell up before I shove this textbook down your throat."

"Okay. No problem." Blaze dropped his chin to his chest. "I can do that."

"Hmm." Valentine hummed, unconvinced.

Liam shot her a grateful look that she ignored.

Leah and Olivia were still keeping something of a distance from Valentine at least. Valentine knew however that they had spoken to the others a few times in moments she hadn't been present. Sat in the Great Hall, studying over lunch, it was so quiet without Leah. Even Blaze's chatter couldn't fill in Leah's weird squeaking and tantrums. Valentine ignored that too although it wasn't as easy as she hoped it would be.

"Hello, Draco." Pansy half skipped up to them.

Her cheerful demeanour had Liam and Blaze exchanging tired expressions. None of them were in the mood to be dealing with Parkinson throwing herself at Draco today. Unfortunately for them, Draco seemed almost completely oblivious to this. Valentine knew that wasn't true. Draco wasn't anywhere near as stupid as people thought he was, but he was susceptible to flattery, something that his friends were unlikely to shower him with.

Pansy glanced at Valentine and then sat to the right of Draco. If he had been sitting with Blaze or Liam, she would have probably forced her way in between the two so she could monopolize all of Draco's attention, but God knows she wasn't so stupid as to try something like that. Valentine hadn't broken anyone's bones in many years and it wasn't exactly something she made a habit of but the temptation was definitely there.

"It's so awful what happened." Pansy touched Draco's arm gently. "I was terrified for you. Does it still hurt?"

"It comes and it goes," said Draco. "I consider myself lucky. According to Madam Pomfrey, another second or two and I could have lost my arm."

Seems I'm not the only stone-faced liar in this family. Did he forget I was in the hospital wing the entire time? Madam Pomfrey never said a thing like that.

"Weren't you frightened at all?" Pansy battered her lashes at him.

Valentine saw Blaze pretending to vomit into his hands and then wipe it on Liam.

"Not really." Draco shrugged differently. "What's so scary about an overgrown turkey?"

Valentine snorted at that, loud enough so everyone could hear. Draco sent her an annoyed glare and then tried to let it slip by, turning his attention back to Pansy who was now prattling on and on about how impressed she was with Draco.

By now, all their studying had been abandoned. It was rather hard to focus when there was a pest sitting three feet from you. Valentine let her expression drift into something dark and utterly unamused as she grabbed a bread roll from the table and proceeded to rip it into tiny pieces with more force than necessary. Liam and Blaze noticed this. Draco and Pansy did not.

The conversation had shifted from praising Draco for attributes he didn't have, to complaining about how all the teachers favoured Harry, which wasn't even accurate. Liam and Blaze attempted to start up their own conversation, something about an upcoming Quidditch match, but Pansy would just talk louder so that there wouldn't be a chance that she wouldn't be heard by her dearest Draco.

Bloody hell. She's like a female Draco but so much worse.

Valentine felt for her wand in her pocket and wonder how flammable school robes we're. Not her own in particular, of course.

Pansy laughed loudly at something and Blaze slapped his hands over his ears. It wasn't even an especially bad laugh, but right now anything coming from that girl's mouth was unwelcome. Pansy was then rattling on about how Harry Potter leeched off his fame and Draco was eating up every bit of it like a man starved.

Affairs of the heart we're more than a little unfamiliar to Valentine but it didn't seem to her that Draco liked Pansy in the same manner she clearly liked him. At least Valentine hoped not. Valentine was two seconds away from drowning Pansy in the Black Lake and that would put something of a damper on her and Draco's relationship if he really did like her. Valentine already had enough of those kinds of problems with Leah.

Pansy remained utterly obtuse to the tense atmosphere she had created or that fact that Liam was sending desperate looks Draco's way and receiving nothing in return.

Pansy took a moment to grab an apple from the table and the air filled with blessed silence as she took a bite.

"Thank you," Blaze whispered, face buried in his hands.

Then Pansy swallowed her mouthful and once again disturbed the fleeting peace.

"Oh, for the love of- Make." Bang. Blaze smacked his forehead full force on the edge of the table.

"It." Bang.

"Stop." Bang.

Well, that's a sure-fire way to give yourself a concussion.

"Make!" Bang.

"It!" Bang.

"Stop!" Bang.

"MAKE!" Bang.

"IT!" Bang.

"STOP!" Bang.

"Blaze!" Draco stopped. "What the hell has got into you?"

"You're kidding?" Liam groaned.

"What?" Draco stared back, not catching on.

"What's wrong with him?" Pansy wrinkled her nose at Blaze, his head still pressed to the table.

"You're what's wrong with me," Blaze grumbled.

"Me?" Pansy frowned. "I haven't done a thing."

"And you." Liam still had his eyes on Draco. "I know I'm supposed to be the non-confrontational type but bloody hell, you are testing me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"It appears that stupidity is contagious." Valentine hissed, her voice making everyone pause. She turned to glare at her cousin. "You should probably stop letting that brainless wonder follow you around. If you haven't noticed, it affects all of us."

"Yeah, since when did we let just anyone hang around us?" Said Liam.

"Seriously. What the hell are you all going on about?" Draco asked, genuinely confused.

"That's it." Blaze raised his head weakly. "He's lost to us. We should save ourselves while we have the chance."

"Agreed." Said Liam.

"Screw that." Valentine bit out. Their group was already divided enough as it was. She then picked up a butter knife from the table and looked directly into Pansy's dark, nervous eyes. "Look here you annoying little rat, it may be blunt but I can still carve your pitiful face into a Jack-o-Lantern. I suggest you learn to appreciate a certain level of silence or you'll never make another sound again."

Pansy swallowed, face pale. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She looked to Draco for some kind of defence but his eyes were glued to his lap. Pansy shut her mouth, slowly stood and walked away.

"Val." Blaze looked over at her with large pitiful eyes. "I have mentioned how awesome you are, right?"

"Why do you all have such a problem with her?" Draco grumbled under his breath.

"If you need to ask that then it's not worth explaining." Valentine picked up her book again.

"He's been sighted! He's been sighted!"

Valentine put down her book once more. The others all turned to listen as well.

Seamus rushed over to the Gryffindor table slapping down the latest edition of the Daily Prophet. He was quickly surrounded by other students including Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Who?" Asked Ron.

"Sirius Black!" Said, Seamus.

"Duff town?" Hermione exclaimed the first to get her hands on the newspaper. "That's not far from here."

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts?" Asked Neville. "Do you?'

"With Dementor's at every entrance?" Said Dean.

"Dementor's?" Seamus scoffed. "He's already slipped past them once, hasn't he? Who's to say he won't do it again?"

"That's right. Black could be anywhere." Neville's voice trembled. "It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

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

Olivia's P.O.V-

I caught Val glaring at us from the corner of her eye. It was enough to make me shiver even under my sweater and robes. Leah didn't seem to notice, too busy stumbling through her potions essay.

I don't know what had come over me. Being so bold as to block Val's path when I saw her leaving the library and inviting her to study with us? How stupid am I? I mean, if she's leaving the library then I doubt she had studying to do. Even then she doesn't have to study to get the highest marks in our year! But...well. She had said yes. A yes in this instance being a scoffed and a muttered 'whatever'. Surely if she agreed at all she couldn't still be all that mad?

This was the first we'd spoken to Val in the several days that had passed since that incident in the Great Hall several days ago. It's positively maddening. Val is just being so stubborn about this! Leah apologized. More than once. What else could she possibly want? Regardless, we can't go on like this. I've been able to speak to the boys a few times while Val has been elsewhere and they all agree with me. It's awkward and difficult and Val is practically a ticking time bomb in the centre of it all. At the same time, if she truly, truly hated Leah, then we would know. She wouldn't simply ignore her like this if that had been the case. However Val might deny it, she cares deeply for her friends, Leah and Draco especially. We can all see it even if we can't quite say it aloud. There has to be away for us to go back to normal.

Val must have seen me spot her glare because her gaze hardened before she turned it back to her book. It was large and thick and from across the table, I could see it was some advanced theoretical magic study. I wonder if she ever finds anything she can't tackle in an afternoon. I'd probably need a dictionary and a full week to get through something like that.

"Olivia." Leah let out a long groan. "I don't understand any of this."

"That's probably because you fell asleep in the class the other day." I had to laugh. She'd drooled all over herself. The look on Snape's face had been absolutely hysterical.

"It's not my fault that it was so boring." Leah pouted, playing with the ends of her long hair. "It's not like I'm ever going to need to know the properties and uses of the shrivelfig!"

"Well, that's the assignment I'm afraid." I smiled sympathetically. Leah often had trouble with subjects that didn't catch her entire attention. "Here, show me the part that you're caught on."

Leah shoved the book towards me.

"All of it."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, all of it, it is then."

Val scoffed under her breath and forced myself to ignore it. I know she, and the others for that matter, thought I was too soft on Leah, but she's so sweet, how can I not be?

I read over the text and explained it to Leah the best I could. She was more intelligent than what people gave her credit for, it was simply her attention span that seemed to get in her way.

"Does it make more sense now?" I asked.

"Uh, I think I got it." Leah nodded, clearly a little unsure.

"Well," My eyes flickered over at Val for a fleeting second, "if you're still having trouble then maybe Val can help if she has the time. I'm sure she'd understand it better than me."

Val didn't even react to the mention of her own name. Leah looked over at Val herself, another fleeting glance, even more hesitation then my own.

"Nope, it's fine." Leah pulled the book back towards herself. "I think you did a great job of explaining."

I wonder if that dismissal hurt Val at all. I wonder if this fracture between them made her regret the things she had said or done. If she did, she didn't show it. Not that I believed she was a completely honest person. Of anyone had secrets it was Valentine Lestrange.

This really has been going on for too long. Leah is usually so loud and near uncontrollable, now she hardly even raises her voice! Things between Leah and Val will never be fixed if they won't even talk to each other. But then...what would I be fixing it for? I've got secrets of my own after all...

"I'm finished," Val spoke up suddenly, she stood from the table, holding the heavy book to her chest.

"Already?" I asked.

"What part of 'I'm finished' are you confused about?" She snapped.

"Are you going back to the common room?" I sounded almost panicked and I hated that but had no clue how to sound otherwise.

"What's it to you? I don't recall where I go or what I do to be any of your business."

I tried not to flinch and failed.

"I...I just thought we could go with you."

"I'd rather be alone," Val said stiffly and was walking away before I could even say another word.

She headed straight for the door, a cluster of younger students separating to form a path for her like she carried some deadly disease. Val didn't even seem to notice them.

I hate this.

"I hate this..." Leah dropped her head on the table and my heart leapt in my chest. Had I maybe said that out loud?

"Don't worry," I assured her, knowing so hardly sounded reassuring. "I'm sure she'll come around."

"But Val hasn't been this mad at me in years." Leah sniffled.

"You've fought like this before."

"Not really." Leah shrugged, turning her head to face me. "We used to argue sometimes when we were younger but it never lasted. Draco always stayed mad for longer than she did. But that was then, before, you know, stuff happened. Val hasn't been with mad with me since the violin indecent."

"What's the violin indecent?" I frowned. And here I had thought I knew nearly everything there was to know about Leah's childhood. She spent hours narrating the years she had experienced before Hogwarts. To be completely honest, they made me jealous. It made me wonder about what kind of childhood I could have had if I'd had siblings.

"I think were we seven or eight years old and I was over at the Malfoy's. Val was playing the violin for me. It was beautiful, every note was perfect. And she learned it so fast." Leah laughed, but it was solemn and melancholic. "That's a super genius for you."

"I didn't even know she played."

Somehow the image of Val with a violin seemed to suit her.

"I don't think she has for years now, but she and Draco were amazing, only Draco played the piano and not the violin. Anyway, I begged Val to teach me and she said yes. She was more...well, more nice back then. She even let me use her violin to practice. But...then I lost it. When I told her, she didn't believe me. Nobody did, not even my parents.w They all thought I broke it and hid it or something. Val was so mad that she didn't talk to me for days!

"She could have just gotten a new one, couldn't she?"

"Yes, everyone told her that but she said that didn't matter. Apparently what mattered was that she thought I was lying about breaking it but I really did just lose it!"

"And did you ever find it?"

"Nope." Leah sighed. "I have no clue where it went. Me and Penny looked everywhere and even Draco helped look once but it's like the stupid thing vanished or something."

"Well, how did Val forgive you that time?"

"I dunno really...I think she was just as sick of fighting." Leah sat up, resting her head in her hands.

"Then maybe you just need to give her some more time," I suggested. "Like back then. She might get sick of all of this and forgive you."

"Maybe. But that was before she changed." Leah's eyes were glassy with tears. "She's just so different now, you know? Wait, no, you wouldn't actually know, but trust me. She doesn't laugh like she used to, or smile. I mean, she still laughs and smiles, but they aren't the same anymore. If all that changed, then maybe this won't be like last time."

"Oh, Olivia." I sighed. "What if it is? Val doesn't hate you, I know she doesn't. Time might be all she needs."

Leah pouted.

"I hate waiting."

I smiled lightly.

"Well, I'm afraid that's your new assignment."

"Arggggg." Leah groaned. "More homework?"

Time is good and all but what Val reacts the most too is action. Something has to be done.

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

Liam had been fidgeting all morning and it was a nervous habit not lost on Valentine. Given his usual calm demeanour, it always caught Valentine's eye when he was otherwise. Blaze wasn't much better, in fact, he was worse, avoiding eye contact, walking into things and mumbling under his breath like he had voices in his head. Clearly, something was up. She had planned to snap at them sometime during the trip into Hogsmeade and demand they tell her what was wrong so they could stop annoying her with the constant fiddling and collisions. As it turned out, she didn't need to wait that long.

She watched from the corner of her eye as Liam gestured across the courtyard at Olivia and Leah. He shared a look with Blaze who nodded, jaw clenched.

Ah.

Valentine twisted the serpent ring on her finger.

The girls walked over, not rushing, but not too slow as to seem like they were stalling. Valentine glanced at Draco, he was talking to Crabbe and Goyle and appeared to have no clue of what was happening.

When Olivia and Leah arrived the first thing Valentine noticed was that Leah was smiling and properly too at that. Big and wide and almost demented with excitement. It was sight Valentine hadn't seen in days and it appeared to be infectious as suddenly Liam and Blaze were doing the same.

"Hi." Olivia nodded to the boys.

"We're going to Hogsmeade!" Leah sang, bouncing around happily. "We're going to Hogsmeade!"

"Hello too you to, Leah." Liam laughed.

"Ugh." Draco peered over Blaze's shoulder. "I thought I heard screeching."

"We're going to Hogsmeade! We're going to Hogsmeade!"

"I'm going to hell." Draco sang to the same tune although without the same vigour and cheerful spirit as Leah.

"Ha, ha!" Leah pointed at him triumphantly. "There isn't a thing you can do or say that will ruin my good mood!"

"She's very excited." Olivia giggled.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Blaze rolled his eyes.

"And you!" Leah shifted her finger to him. "Same as Draco! There isn't a thing you can do that will bring me down!"

"Oh, yeah? That a challenge?" Blaze leered at her with a grin.

"I don't know." Leah leered back at him. "Think you can actually be a challenge?"

"Oh, you are going down, Lovat."

"What? To you're height? I'd have to go back about six years in time."

Valentine wanted to laugh and she would have if she could. This felt right. This was what her world was like even if it hadn't been for the longest handful of days in her life. She assumed they had plotted this, Liam, Blaze and Olivia. They probably didn't trust Draco not to blab and Leah not to screw it