"I'm sorry, you want to what?" Val asked, her eyes wide as she gaped at her parents. She was still in the infirmary because Pomfrey wanted to make sure she wasn't going to pass out again.

"We want to take you two out for dinner," her mother explained. Val glanced over at James who looked as though he wanted to be literally anywhere else. "After some consideration, we realized that it's clear he cares about you a great deal. We would like a chance to get to know him."

"Oh, you know, he's really busy," she explained. "With NEWTs and everything, there's really no time."

"We insist," she stated and Val looked over at her father who very clearly didn't want to do this. "It's important to us to get to know the man in our daughter's life."

"Maybe not," Val replied and her mother shot her a look. "I appreciate your sudden desire to know about what's going on in my life but it's not necessary."

"We'll be leaving at seven," her father announced and it wasn't a suggestion, it was an order. "We expect you to be ready to go." The pair left a moment later.

Val turned to James immediately, "You don't have to go."

"It didn't really feel like I had the choice of declining," he replied and she grimaced.

"You do," she explained. "He's just very..."

"Intense?" he finished for her and she nodded. "For a Hufflepuff he sure has the demeanor of a Slytherin."

"I know," she responded. "I am so sorry about this."

"It could be worse," he shrugged.

She laughed, "Yeah, okay." She leaned back against the bed, "You don't have to come."

"Food is food," he pointed out. "I might as well."

"You are going to make Lily very happy one day," she informed him and if her eyes had been opened, she would have seen his expression falter.

Pomfrey emerged from her office, "You are free to leave. I don't see that you are at risk of passing out again."

Val smiled at the women, "Thank you." She turned to look at the nightstand where the cup sat, "I am not touching that."

"Yeah, I don't see that ending well," he informed her as he picked it up. "What exactly are you going to do with?"

"Throw it in a food processor," she explained and he rolled his eyes as he held his hand out for her to take. She took it gratefully and she hopped off the bed.

James turned the cup over in his hand, "Does it do anything?"

"I have no idea," she shrugged. "I just know it belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. My father always kept it in a china hutch. I always steered clear of it because it made me uncomfortable."

His nose wrinkled at this, "You felt this way about a cup?"

"Usually it only happens with objects that are loaded with dark magic," she explained. "I have no idea why this bothers me."

"Hmm," he responded in thought, looking it over.

"Do you think you could keep it in your room until you know what to do with it?" she requested and he turned to look at her in surprise. "If I keep it with me, I won't be able to sleep."

"Yeah, of course," he nodded in agreement. They entered the common room, "What exactly should I wear?"

"Um," she began as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "Do you have a suit?"

"A suit?" he inquired and she nodded. "I have one somewhere. I'll find it."

"I meant it when I said you don't have to come."

"And I meant it when I said I would," he replied and she smiled down at him.

"I'll see you in a few hours?" she inquired as she took a step up. He nodded and she leaned down and placed a quick kiss on his lips, "I owe you."

He smiled a little, "I'll hold you to that."

She playfully rolled her eyes before turning away and making her way up the stairs. He watched her go until the door shut and she was gone.

"Man, you are so whipped," Sirius announced and James turned around to face the boy. "You've barely been together for a month yet and you're already going out with the parents?"

James whacked Sirius on the arm before making his way up the stairs to prepare for what would probably be the most terrifying meal of his entire life.

Val made her way downstairs an hour before seven. She figured she'd make sure James was actually going or see if he changed his mind. When she was halfway down the stairs she saw that he was already ready and sitting on the couch.

"You clean up nice," she announced and he jumped. He looked up at her and his jaw dropped.

"You, um," he began, shaking his head. Val grinned at his reaction, "You look amazing."

She felt her face warm up and hoped that the makeup she was wearing covered it all. She held up something in her hand, "Look what I brought."

He perked up upon seeing what she was holding, "You got it?"

She nodded, "I got it a week ago. I just wanted to make you wait."

"You are cruel," he announced as she sat down next to him. He moved his arm so it rested on the back of the couch. "Maybe we can get through a chapter before we have to leave."

He had fallen in love with Alice in Wonderland. She had read it to him three times and he had asked her to read it to him again. When she informed him that there was a second book, he was ecstatic.

"I could just give it to you and you could read it yourself," she reminded him as she flipped through the first few pages of the book and found where it actually started.

"That's not nearly as fun as listening to you read it to me," he pointed out and she rolled her eyes. He moved his arm so it wrapped around her shoulder and she rested her head on his shoulder before she started reading.

They had managed to get through two chapters before they were pulled out of Wonderland and into a far more depressing land that was real life.

"Call me Jeremy," her father suggested and Val raised an eyebrow. To say that the ride to the restaurant had been unbelievably awkward would be an understatement. Her parents being who they were had gotten them a carriage to drive them to the location and they remained silent the entire ride.

James shook his head as he took a seat, "I think I'll stick with Mr. Hufflepuff."

The meal had consisted of normal table conversation such as how school was doing and what they planned to do after school.

"I'm going to the ladies room," Veronica, Val's mother announced. "Val?" The girl looked up at this.

"I'm okay," she replied. "I'll just stay here."

"Go with your mother," Jeremy suggested and Val grew worried. She looked over at James who nodded, squeezing her knee gently to tell her he would be fine. She doubted it.

"What exactly is it that you want?" he asked as soon as the two had walked away and James grew confused. "Is it money? Wealth?"

James shook his head, "I don't want money."

"Everyone wants money."

"Maybe you're right but I don't need your money," he pointed out. James never really talked about the fortune he was to inherit but he knew it was the only way to get the man to shut up. "Do you even know who my dad is?"

"I knew your father in grade school."

"Then you know that he was an excellent Potioneer," he reminded him. "He created the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion?" He cocked his head slightly, "Which, from what I can tell, you're currently using." He shook his head, "So as I was saying, I hardly need your money nor would I want it even if my family was poor."

"So then what is it you're looking for then?"

James was growing agitated and his hands clenched in his lap. "Ever think it's possible that I'm with her because she is a good person at heart? That it has nothing to do with who her family is?"

"Seems unlikely."

"What are you up to?" Val demanded as she turned to face her mother, stopping their walk to the bathroom before they could even reach it. "Tell me he's not drilling James with questions right now." Her mother remained silent and Val scowled, "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Val immediately made her way out into the dining hall and navigated her way back to the table where her father and James sat. James appeared as though he were tempted to punch her father. She couldn't blame him.

"What's going on here?" Val asked immediately and the two looked up at her.

"I don't approve of this relationship," Jeremy informed her and she scoffed.

"That doesn't matter because I wasn't looking for your approval," Val rolled her eyes and she turned to James. "We're leaving."

"We are?" he asked in confusion before he caught her eye. He stood up quickly, "I mean, we are."

"This has been a wonderful visit, please don't come back anytime soon," Val informed her parents. "Better yet, don't return to Hogwarts until I've left for good." She took James's hand, "I'll see you at Christmas."

"Valda Helga Hufflepuff, get back here," Jeremy demanded but Val was already dragging James off and as far away from her parents as she could get him. She entered the carriage and pulled James in as well before ordering them to take them back to Hogwarts.

They both remained silent for the majority of the ride. "They're still here for another day," Val announced as though the thought had just occurred to her.

"Then we can spend it in the come and go room," he suggested. "You don't have to see them."

She paused for a moment before looking over at him, "What exactly did he say to you?"

He hesitated, "He seemed to think I was in it for the money."

"Merlin," she groaned, resting her head against the seat and closing her eyes. "You would think we were engaged."

James watched her for a moment, "Just tell them it's not real."

"What?" she asked, sitting back up.

"Tell them you were just doing me a favor," he suggested. "Then they'll be off your back for dating a no good Gryffindor with a superiority complex."

"He did not say that," she gaped in disbelief. She rested her head in her hands, "Bloody hell. James, I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize," he replied as the carriage came to a stop. "You didn't do anything."

"Then why do I feel like the worst person in the world?" she inquired as he helped her out. The carriage set off and they made their way toward the school.

"Cause you're an empath," he explained. "You feel everyone's emotions before you even think about feeling your own. You really got to work on that, by the way."

"You don't hate me?"

"What? Because your parents are assholes?" he inquired and she laughed. "You do realize my best friend is Sirius Black. Your parents are a cakewalk compared to his."

"So you just take pity on those with shitty parents?" she asked him as she rested her head on his shoulder. "How 'knight and shining armor' of you."

He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his touch. "I think it has to do with the superiority complex. Makes me feel better about how insignificant I am."

"Well I'm glad I can help," she replied and he opened the door to the castle. They entered and were immediately bombarded by Sirius and Remus.

"There you are!" Sirius exclaimed as he grabbed James's arm and pulled him away from Val. She raised an eyebrow at the action and followed after them. "We tried everything but it's stuck."

"What's going on?" James asked in confusion.

"Let's just say someone managed to get rid of the whole floozy thing although I'm pretty sure this is far worse than that."

They stopped outside the Gryffindor common room and Sirius hesitated. He looked over at Val who was growing impatient, "What is it?"

"You may want to wait out here," he suggested and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You seem like you've already had a rough night."

"What's going on?" James asked as he glanced back at Val for a moment before looking back at his friend.

"All we know is that it happened while you were away," Remus explained.

"What happened?" Val inquired and Sirius said the password so the portrait swung open.

Val and James entered the common room and their sight trailed up to the banner. The floozy photo had indeed vanished.

Val's eyes widened at the image. There was a boy - who could only be James but his face was cut off - sat in a chair and kneeling on the ground in front of him was Val. Scrawled along the bottom of the photo in the same red paint as before was 'one galleon = one blow.'

She grew confused as she stared at the photo. She did not remember that happening. And then she realized what it was. She had dropped her quill in the library while they were studying and crouched down to pick it. The angle of the picture made it appear as though something else was going on.

"Well, my parents are going to be thrilled," she announced. "I do have one complaint, I feel like I deserve way more than one galleon. Right, James?" She elbowed him playfully but he didn't appear amused. "I forgot, tough crowd."

"It wasn't me this time," Marlene announced and Val turned to look at the girl. "I mean, I admire the work but I can't take credit."

"Because that's believable," Val scoffed and James hand shot up to her arm. He was just being cautious but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Like I said, it wasn't me," she explained. "I did have help last time. Maybe he decided to delve into the solo work."

Val ran a hand through her hair and shook her head, "I don't understand why you hate me so much."

"I didn't do this," she repeated. "You would think I was speaking another language."

Val turned around to face James, "I'm going to kill her."

"I'm not exactly far behind you," James replied. He nodded his head to the stairs that led to the boys area. "Let's just go to my room," he suggested.

"Do you have to pay a galleon or is there like a girlfriend/boyfriend discount?" Marlene asked and it wasn't Val who reacted to it. James had his wand drawn on the girl within seconds.

"I swear to Merlin, McKinnon, if you don't shut the hell up, I'll hex you," he warned and Val placed her hand on his forearm in an attempt to get him to lower it.

"She's not worth it," Val pointed out. James was still clearly angry but he had relaxed at her touch and dropped his arm, nodding in agreement.