*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧. Valentine Lotus was a rare girl; wickedly smart and constantly sweet. That is, unless, you get on her bad side, which James Potter just so happens to do when he dumps a canister of red paint on the wrong person.
~
In which James Pott...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
(ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 8: ᴘʀᴏғᴇssᴏʀ ʟᴏᴛᴜs)
"No, wait that's- okay good, right there."
"Here?"
"No! Diagonal!"
"I don't get this game."
Valentine snorted as she watched Peter struggle completely with marking the small square with his O.
"Peter, it's not that hard," Sirius said from where he laid on the couch. Then, as a side note, he added, "That's what she said."
Peter, looking stumped, grumbled as Valentine finished the game, wining yet again.
"You're cheating."
"How do you cheat at tic-tac-toe?" Lily questioned from the chair she was seated on.
"You can't," Valentine responded.
It was late evening before dinner, and Lily decided to bring Valentine back to the Gryffindor common room to lounge around. Macey had uncharacteristically declined the offer, claiming she had something important to do.
Remus on the floor next to the table Valentine and Peter were at, only he looked disengaged and a sickly color.
"Hey, you okay?" Valentine asked, and Remus lifted his head, heavy eyes lifting slightly.
"I'm fine," he answered, though he didn't seem to be telling the truth. But Valentine didn't want to push him, figuring he'd tell her when she was ready.
The portrait door swung open, revealing a giddy James Potter. He all but skipped in, running a hand through his already messy curls. He took the spot besides Sirius, kicking his legs off the couch so he could sit. Finally recognizing the Hufflepuff in the room, his eyes lit up in excitement.
"Hey, Valentine, look!" He said, raising his wand and pointing to the candle on the coffee table.
"Avifors," he stated clearly, and the candle on the table turned into a small bird with the blink of an eye. He grinned proudly as the small bird let out a 'cheep', then flew a lap around Valentine's head before dissipating.
Valentine gasped and clapped her hands.
"Nice job, James!" The blonde exclaimed happily.
"I should be saying that to you, Professor Lotus. Your teaching worked like a charm. I bet I'm smarter than Remus now!"
"I bet you aren't," Remus said as a response monotonously, head still slumped against the wall.
"No one can reach the level of intelligence Moony holds, Prongs," Sirius reminded the Potter boy lazily.
"Oh, you're right, how wrong of me to- what're you playing?" James sidetracked, leaning forward to catch a glimpse at the paper-drawn game.
"Tic tac toe. Wanna try?" Valentine asked as Peter scooted back, clearing a spot for James.
