February 14th.
Early that morning, when the young witches and wizards entered the Great Hall, they almost thought they had walked into the wrong place.
Pink and red flowers and confetti drifted down from nowhere, slowly swirling through the air.
Soft light spilled from the ceiling, casting dappled shadows across the walls and floor.
The entire Great Hall seemed immersed in a warm, sweet atmosphere.
Most eye-catching of all were the "creatures" flying and playing throughout the hall.
More than a dozen blond toddlers with pure white wings either circled beneath the high ceiling, darted between the long tables, or sat on the chandeliers swinging their little legs.
They looked only three or four years old, with chubby faces and bright eyes. The small wings on their backs fluttered gently, scattering tiny specks of light.
Some carried little bows and arrows, some clutched harps, some blew tiny horns, and others beat small drums...
"Wow!"
A little girl couldn't help exclaiming in amazement. She tentatively reached out, wanting to get closer to a little angel hovering in mid-air.
The little angel turned its head, gave her a brilliant smile, then flew over on its own and rubbed its tiny cheek against her palm.
"So soft!" the witch cried. "Its skin really is just like a baby's!"
Soon, more young witches and wizards gathered around.
They quickly discovered that these little angels were not only adorable, but exceptionally friendly as well.
A Cupid dressed in a small white robe pulled a piece of parchment from its satchel, unfurled it, cleared its throat, and recited in a youthful but clear voice:
"Young witches and wizards of Hogwarts, hello. This is our first time meeting you. You may call us 'Cupids'."
"On this special day, do you have feelings too deep for words that you wish to share with someone?"
"If so, you may entrust your letters of affection to us."
"We will be sure to deliver them into the hands of the one you love!"
The Great Hall immediately erupted with excitement.
"This is way too cute!"
"Wait, can they read? I thought they were some kind of magical creature?"
"Who cares if they can read? They're cute, that's enough!"
...
At the staff table, Professor McGonagall picked up her teacup and glanced over the lively scene in the Great Hall.
Her face wore its usual stern expression, but deep in her eyes was a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
She looked toward Snape beside her.
Her colleague looked even gloomier than usual today, or rather, even more exhausted.
The dark circles beneath his eyes were deeper than usual, as though he had stayed up for several nights in a row.
"Severus," McGonagall said with concern, "you look rather tired. Teaching Potions while also covering Defence Against the Dark Arts must be exhausting. If you need any help..."
"No need," Snape interrupted coldly. "Something so trivial has no effect on me at all."
His tone was stiff.
McGonagall did not press the matter.
She knew perfectly well how passionate her colleague was about the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
Even if he was only filling in temporarily, Snape relished the opportunity and had no intention of letting anyone else help even a little.
Snape stared gloomily at the group of students gathered around the Cupids below and suddenly said,
"Minerva, I think another rule should be added to the school regulations."
"What?"
"Students should be forbidden from privately brewing Love Potions." His voice grew even colder. "Last week, while inspecting the Potions practice rooms, I found no fewer than five idiots who had turned themselves into giggling fools clutching their cauldrons because their Love Potions had gone wrong."
McGonagall was slightly taken aback, then nodded seriously.
"Indeed. That is unsafe."
Still, it was understandable for the children to be a little more "active" over the past few days.
McGonagall's gaze swept over the young witches and wizards below.
Although they were still wearing their standard school robes, the little details were noticeably more elaborate today. Some boys had combed their hair with unusual care, using twice as much hair gel as usual. Some girls wore delicate necklaces around their necks, colourful ribbons around their wrists, and rings of unknown origin on their fingers...
McGonagall reached out, intending to catch a few of the falling petals.
They looked completely real, with a faint pink sheen along their edges.
But the moment they touched her palm, they instantly dissolved into illusory specks of light and vanished into the air.
She paused in surprise.
She tried catching some of the falling confetti as well, only for it to disappear the instant it touched her skin.
The petals and confetti looked solid, yet they would never actually land on anyone or fall into the food.
It seemed more like some kind of Alchemy.
McGonagall raised her eyes and looked at the "Cupids" flying above the Great Hall.
She could tell that they were neither living creatures nor products of Transfiguration.
Then she thought of the fountain that had suddenly appeared beside the path to the Quidditch pitch a few days ago, another "gift" created for the school through Alchemy.
McGonagall chuckled softly.
Aside from Dumbledore, there was only one other person at Hogwarts with both the ability and the inclination to create something like this.
She glanced at the empty Headmaster's seat in the centre of the staff table.
Then she looked back toward the long student tables below, specifically in the direction of Ravenclaw.
Lucien was sitting there.
He held a glass of pumpkin juice in one hand, his dark green eyes following the Cupids as they flew around the Great Hall.
There was no curiosity or surprise in his gaze, only calm observation, as though he were simply checking whether everything was functioning properly.
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