Gone!
The diary was stolen.
Ted rushed to check the scene, but it was already too late—everything had been disturbed beyond recognition.
It was Dean and Seamus who had discovered the mess first. They'd gone back to the dormitory to grab some things, hoping not to wake Neville, only to find the place in shambles. The door had been left open. Pillows, blankets, books, and clothes were tossed all over the floor.
The two had immediately shouted for help, and soon half of Gryffindor Tower had gathered around, adding to the chaos.
After everyone checked their own belongings, it turned out nothing else was missing. Just one item gone—Neville's mysterious diary.
Ted and Neville slipped away quietly, Neville's expression a mix of worry and guilt. As they left, students whispered behind them, throwing suspicious glances their way.
Ted didn't waste time with gossip. "Let's not worry about them," he said, leading Neville down a quiet corridor.
Neville looked pale. "Ted... who do you think it was?"
Ted rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing. "It had to be someone from Gryffindor. Only a housemate would know the password and get into your dorm."
Neville's eyes widened. "But... there are over sixty of us! And girls can get into the boys' dorm. It could be anyone!"
Ted nodded slowly. "That's what worries me."
He had a suspicion. Ginny. Her behavior at the start of the year had been strange—sickly, withdrawn. But recently, she'd seemed fine. Too fine.
He'd casually asked Luna about Ginny a few times and what he heard didn't match up with what he expected. Something had changed. But what? Who had the diary now?
"This is a problem," he muttered.
He turned to Neville. "Don't mention the diary or Hagrid to anyone else for now. Let's wait. Watch. We'll find it."
They waited. Days passed. Then a week. Then ten. Nothing.
Ted secretly watched several Gryffindors, especially Ginny, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. No weird behavior, no hints of dark influence.
But he couldn't dig into their minds without reason—that would be breaking too many rules, magically and morally.
He sighed. Without any leads, it was like chasing smoke.
Then came February 14th.
Valentine's Day.
The castle buzzed from morning. Older students gathered in giggling groups. Eyes sparkled. Secret notes flew around.
Ted blinked. "Wait, it's Valentine's Day already? Ugh."
He'd almost forgotten, until he saw the enchanted decorations and Professor Lockhart strutting around like he owned the place.
Lockhart hadn't had much success in winning over the students with actual teaching, especially after the disaster that was the Dueling Club.
McGonagall and Flitwick had to clean up that mess.
But now, Lockhart was back in his element: charming nonsense. He saw Valentine's Day as his golden moment.
At breakfast, the doors of the Great Hall opened with a dramatic flourish. In marched a dozen dwarves with plastic wings, red robes, and grumpy faces.
They carried golden harps and scrolls. They looked like angry goblins dressed up as cherubs.
Ted's stomach twisted. "Oh, no."
Lockhart bounced onto the stage at the front. "Students! In honor of this lovely day, I've invited these magical messengers to deliver your valentines with style. Let love sing loud and proud!"
Some students clapped politely. Others groaned.
The dwarves wasted no time. They burst into classrooms, barged into dormitories, and even interrupted meals.
One moment you'd be eating toast, the next a dwarf would slam a harp and belt out a love song in your face.
In Transfiguration class, Ted was scribbling down notes when the door burst open.
"Which one's Ted? Ted Epifani? Anyone?"
The class turned toward him in unison.
"Oh, no," Ted muttered.
The dwarf locked eyes with him. "Aha! There you are!"
He marched over, climbed a stool, and began singing at full volume:
"Oh, my beloved boy boy, boy
I like your handsome face face, face"
Ted froze. His hair stood on end. The dwarf's voice was like a dying banshee mixed with a chainsaw.
Ron was twitching, trying not to laugh. Harley—formerly Harry—had slid under the desk, shaking with silent giggles.
Neville stared blankly, his brain clearly broken.
Jerry had curled his oversized mouse ears over his head, trying to block out the sound.
Hermione's face was bright red. She looked like she was about to explode.
Ted muttered through clenched teeth, "Nope. This has to stop."
He almost reached for his wand—an Ice Ray would've done the trick—but caught himself just in time.
At the front of the room, Professor McGonagall was turning purple. Her eye twitched as the dwarf started a second verse.
Although it was a bit awkward to have her lesson interrupted, Professor McGonagall couldn't help being curious.
She wanted to know just how ridiculous the so-called "love letters" to Ted had become.
What she hadn't expected was something borderline horrifying.
"OUT!" she roared like an angry lioness.
With a sharp flick of her wand, a nearby chair twisted and transformed into a growling magical hound.
It leapt toward the dwarf who had dared barge into her classroom.
The poor dwarf let out a terrified squeal, dropping his glittery harp and fake wings before bolting out the door, chased by the snarling hound.
Believe it or not, that was considered a gentle reaction.
Word around school was that earlier, one dwarf had made the mistake of interrupting Professor Snape in his underground Potions lab.
The little guy barely finished his first verse before Snape blasted him with a freezing hex.
The dwarf spent two hours as a decorative ice sculpture, hanging from the ceiling like a bat.
Eventually, the dwarves had enough.
They stormed over to Professor Lockhart to complain, insisting that Hogwarts professors were too rude and demanding danger pay.
By mid-afternoon, even the most hopeless romantics in school had grown sick of the singing dwarves.
Their squeaky, off-key voices weren't helping anyone's love life. If anything, they were destroying it.
Sure, Hogwarts students still dreamed about romance, but come on—this wasn't love.
This was auditory torture.
Some relationships were practically collapsing under the pressure of the dwarves' awful serenades. What could've been cute confessions turned into break-up songs.
At lunch, students whispered viciously about the dwarves. Lockhart didn't escape their wrath either.
Jerry rolled his eyes and offered a sharp observation: "The higher the pixie flies, the more you see its ugly wings."
Safe to say, Lockhart and his band of musical dwarves had officially worn out their welcome.
But like light at the end of a tunnel—or warm Butterbeer on a snowy day—there was hope. A whisper spread among the students like wildfire: Ted might sing tonight.
By the time classes ended, students were stealing glances at Ted in the halls and giggling in anticipation.
Ted noticed the stares and frowned. "What's going on? Why is everyone looking at me like I'm about to drop a new album?"
Someone finally asked, "Ted, are you singing tonight?"
"Yeah! You've been quiet all day," said Harley, a sharp and witty Gryffindor with fiery red hair and a mischievous glint in her eye.
Hermione chimed in with an eager smile. "Please, sing something. We need you to fix our ears."
Jerry clutched his head. "Those dwarves nearly murdered my hearing. My ears are still buzzing!"
"Sing one! Just one!" Neville added, his voice hopeful.
Ted sighed and smirked. "Alright, alright. After dinner then."
Ding!
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
---
New Quest Unlocked: [Valentine's Day Serenade] (Green Rank)
You hadn't planned on showing off tonight, but Lockhart's antics have pushed the students to the edge. They need real music—something heartfelt to save the day.
Objective: Perform a song that lifts the spirits of Hogwarts. Reward: 250 XP, Spell Card: [Heartbeat Fireworks (Green)]
---
Well, that sealed the deal. Ted had been holding back because there hadn't been a quest earlier. No quest meant no reward, and Ted wasn't about to perform for free.
But now? Challenge accepted.
Apparently, all it took was some peer pressure.
By dinner, the Great Hall felt more like a concert venue. Students arrived early, buzzing with anticipation. The house-elves in the kitchens were in a panic, wondering if they needed to speed up the food.
After scarfing down a few bites, Ted stood up and summoned his trusty, well-worn guitar.
He cleared his throat dramatically. "Ahem~ Students of Hogwarts! Since today is Valentine's Day—and because your ears have suffered enough—I've got a little song for you. Hope you enjoy it."
With a smooth wave of his wand, the long tables in the center of the Hall slid aside, creating an open space like a stage.
He raised his wand again. Floating lanterns appeared, spinning into place high above the enchanted ceiling, casting warm glows and colorful lights that shimmered like magic.
"Oooooohhhh!" The crowd of students burst into excited cheers.
Ted had style, that was for sure. Most fifth-years couldn't manage spells like that, especially not while multitasking.
[Celebrity (Green)]
Type: Spell Card
Effect: +2 Charisma for 30 minutes
Cooldown: 12 hours
He activated the card. +2 Charisma. His natural charm rose to 9.
Ted grinned, plucking the strings gently.
"Under the violet moonlight... this one's for you all."
He began to sing:
"I know you're somewhere out there, somewhere far away~
I want you back, I want you back~
My neighbors think I'm crazy, but they don't understand~
You're all I had, you're all I had~
At night, when the stars light up my room~
I sit by myself~
Talking to the moon~Tryna get to you~
In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too~
Or am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon?
Oh~"
As his voice carried through the Great Hall, the magic in the air shimmered.
Lights swirled above the students, and for a moment, Hogwarts forgot all about dwarves, chaos, or embarrassing love letters.
_______________________________
Word count: 1647
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