Harry Potter : Cael Vale’s journey to Hogwarts

By the time dinner rolled around, the chaos of Valentine's Day had settled into an odd rhythm. Cupid dwarves had mostly run out of breath, Lockhart had taken a victory lap around the staff table (much to Snape's disgust), and most students were too emotionally exhausted to keep swooning.

Cael, however, was unusually calm for someone who had spent the entire day orchestrating mayhem with the twins and Lee Jordan.

He was buttering a roll when a tiny shadow appeared beside him.

Another Cupid dwarf.

Cael blinked. "Oh come on ."

The dwarf cleared his throat theatrically and held up a scroll sealed with a wax heart.

"Delivery for one Cael of Gryffindor," he announced.

"From a secret admirer whose heart burns like a Hungarian Horntail!"

The Great Hall hushed.

Fred and George exchanged looks. Lee Jordan's eyebrows shot up.

Even Cassandra, sitting at the Slytherin table, paused mid-sip of her water.

Cael raised an eyebrow, bemused. "You sure it's not a mistake?"

The dwarf sniffed. "I do not make mistakes, young sir. I sing."

Then, he unrolled the parchment with a flourish and began in a dramatic voice:

⸻

🎵

To the boy with storm in his eyes, and mystery in his silence,

I watch you from shadows, where candlelight cannot reach.

Your magic whispers through the halls like the wind before lightning—

Dangerous, beautiful… and untouchable.

Your voice, rare as snowfall in summer, lingers in my dreams.

I have memorized the way you walk,

The way you flick your wand like it answers only to you.

You do not chase attention—

But you steal it like the stars steal night.

Cael…

When you walk into the Great Hall,

My heart trips on its own shoelaces.

When you speak, I forget the name of every spell I've learned.

If love is a potion, you are the forbidden ingredient.

I wish I were braver. I wish I could stand beside you.

But for now, I leave only this letter.

Yours—heart, soul, and every silly beat in between—

Your Secret Valentine.

🎵

⸻

The hall erupted.

"Awwww!"

"Who is it?"

"I bet it's that Ravenclaw sixth-year with the poetry club!"

"No, it's gotta be someone from Hufflepuff. That was way too wholesome for a Slytherin."

Cael blinked at the scroll in his hands. His mouth opened, closed, and opened again. His face was a complex equation of confusion, suspicion, and something that looked dangerously close to blushing.

"Er… right," he muttered.

Fred leaned in. "Someone's got a secret admirer," he whispered dramatically.

George grinned. "Bit intense, isn't it? I mean, 'forbidden ingredient'? That's almost romantic."

Lee Jordan was shaking with silent laughter.

Cael narrowed his eyes. "Wait a minute…"

Then, Fred cracked first. He burst out laughing, grabbing his ribs. George followed a second later, nearly falling off the bench. Lee slammed his hand on the table and wheezed.

Cael's eyes narrowed further. "You didn't."

Fred wiped a tear. "We did."

George wheezed, "It took us three drafts to make it sound like some tortured romantic was in love with you."

Lee pointed at Cael. "You—you almost believed it! You should've seen your face!"

Fred leaned into a dramatic whisper. "'My heart trips on its own shoelaces'—that was my line, thank you very much."

Cael exhaled through his nose and looked at the scroll again.

Then he grinned.

"Alright," he said. "You got me , you got me here ."

Fred grinned and said . " yep we got you good ."

George paled slightly. "He's going to write one for us, isn't he?"

Lee Jordan, still laughing, leaned back. "Oh, we have awakened the poet."

As the Gryffindor table dissolved into laughter, Cael gently rolled up the scroll and tucked it into his pocket.

He may have been fooled this time—but next time, he'll be ready.

And so, Valentine's Day comes to a close: a day of rejections and heartache, of quiet joy for a few, jealousy for others, and love—if only for a fortunate handful.