Serendipity [Book 1]

Lockhart's BIG Move [Pt. 2]

The morning came swiftly as Ariella grinned wildly. Severus frowned as she sat next to him at breakfast.

“Why are you so happy?” He asked sullenly as Ariella turned to him.

“Today is Valentine’s Day! I can have chocolate without feeling guilty about it,” she replied with a smile. Severus felt heat rise to his cheeks as he turned away from her. Tiny little hearts hung in the air and the students seemed to be just as excited as the blonde professors. Lockhart was practically bouncing in his seat as he looked down the table to Ariella.

“Ariella,” Albus came up behind the woman and she smiled at him.

“Albus!” She exclaimed as he produced a small bag of Honeyduke’s chocolates.

“Ah, thank you!” Ariella smiled brightly as Severus watched the two hug. She turned to him with a smile.

“See? I always get chocolates!” She spoke happily as she popped one of the small confections into her mouth. Severus shook his head as he turned back to his breakfast. And then just like Albus had done, several other teachers stopped to give the blonde sweet confections. Severus had never seen them give one another anything on Valentine’s Day. Christmas was another story all together, but they seemed to line up to give Ariella chocolates. He suddenly felt stupid. However his stupidity melted away as Ariella turned to him with a smile and offered him an unwrapped chocolate frog. He shook his head and she shrugged. She bit the sweet in two just as the bell for class rung.

“So, Snape, did you, you know, finish that love potion before you gave to Lockhart?” Ariella asked as they walked out of the Great Hall.  Severus shook his head curtly.

“No, I left it for him to do the rest,” He answered as Ariella frowned.

“He wouldn’t happen to tell you who the potion’s for would he?” She questioned as Snape paused to look at her.

“No,” he responded before realization spread across his features.

“Has he given you any chocolates?” He remarked as Ariella shook her head.

“Nope. I got some from Minerva, Filius, Albus, Pomona, Poppy, and Hagrid. None from Lockhart, or you.” She muttered. Severus chuckled as they came upon the staircase where they would separate.

“So I shouldn’t eat anything from Lockhart, then?” She asked as Severus turned to walk away. He chuckled as he turned back to her. He noticed Lockhart coming up the stairs and he did something that he would hate himself for later. He pulled Ariella against him and kissed her tenderly on her forehead. Ariella stared at him in surprise as they parted.

“Severus,” She gasped as he turned to leave.

“Lockhart’s coming,” he answered curtly as Ariella turned just in time to catch the blonde man staring in jealousy.

“Gilderoy,” she exclaimed in surprise as the blonde man grinned wildly.

“Ariella, my dearest, do you know what today is?” He asked as she frowned before nodding.

“Yes, it’s the 14th. Valentine’s Day. It’s also the day that Godric Gryffindor first began to forge the Blade of Gryffindor,” she informed him as Lockhart paused before nodding.

“It is indeed the day of love, and this my darling is for the greatest love,” He remarked as he pushed a neatly wrapped present into her hands, complete with floating hearts and singing, little cupids. Ariella quirked her eyebrow at the gift.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” She asked as Gilderoy frowned.

“No, wait, ah yes! Flowers!” The blonde easily conjured a large bouquet of flowers before snapping his fingers and a small troll dressed as a cupid appeared in between them.