^{@.Noah Jupe}

----Vale jumped slightly back in surprise to Avery's outburst. To outsiders, now it just seemed like two kids having a match between who can pop the loudest. Maggie and Avery, were never a thing then. The whole time, Vale convinced herself of a relationship between the two. The rose, it meant nothing. Their vampire fascination, was simply nothing more than friendly conversation.

Oh, how could she be so wrong?

When Avery finally settled down and spoke of Hunter, Vale's head tilted in a surmount of confusion. Slowly but surely, she began to have an idea as to what reason he'd find Hunter's body suitable for disposal.

"Hunter is competition for you? I don't know about disposing his body now." Vale gasped out. She looked rather similar to that of a fish with her mouth agape. The memory of declaring Hunter as her cousin to Avery burned into her mind. But so did Raydon's eyes as he dangled Avery very much like a doll.

"I don't think Hunter would appreciate such an idea anyway. He'd rather write away in that notebook of his." Vale felt a ting of guilt for the way Raydon treated Hunter, even if she didn't have an entire idea as to what was going on. She had heard through a grapevine he was no longer a broom racer, and she hoped he was doing well. She didn't think much about notebooks, but perhaps he'd be interested in having another notebook? He's always writing down something. Eventually notebooks do get filled up. Maybe he'll like one where the pages never end...

Vale quickly shook her head, pulling her mind away from her cousin.

"I've known her for 13 years?!" Vale pulled at one of her dreadlocks, her thoughts now hurrying to find out who'd fit the category created by the boy before her. Why wasn't he just saying a name? Perhaps he didn't know the name? Did he believe Hunter and her have a thing, whoever she is? Oh, who-

Vale stopped her swarm of thinking, her mind feeling ready to blow only to take a much needed break. She stopped pulling at a dreadlock on her head, and took a moment to look longfully at Avery. Her amber eyes scanning away as if in fear of being wrong for her deduction.

"Avery Chen. Are you in love...with me?"
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The surprise on Vale's face was evident as Avery confirmed that he and Maggie had never ever been a thing. But, she seemed to slowly begin to understand, and for that, he was grateful and relieved. There was no way that he could have Vale thinking he liked someone else! All these misunderstandings... would things have been different if Vale hadn't misunderstood him and Maggie? He couldn't help wondering for a moment. Would Vale have seen him in a different light if she didn't think he had feelings for his best quidditch friend?

"Oh, um, no! I was just joking about Hunter's body," he stammered a bit, raising his hands in surrender. Of course, as interested as Vale was in morbidity, surely she wouldn't wish to kill and bury her own teenage cousin. "He's not really competition for me, in that way. I guess, I just used to think so, but now that I've learned more about him, I think we're alright," he explained, in sentences that only half-divulged what he meant. Somehow, he was still a bit nervous about explaining the whole situation and his innermost thoughts and feelings. "Hunter's a bit... mysterious, but he's alright, I guess? I think there's just a little more to him than I know," he said, expressing some uncertainty, especially when it came to the fact that Hunter directed a spell at Colin at the end of moderating their duel. For what reason, he still didn't know.

Yes, Vale had known her for 13 years. And, as soon as Vale asked him that question that he had simultaneously been dreading and wanting to hear, his eyes shifted to the side a little nervously as he tried to find the right words, heart pounding loudly in his chest. "Well, you see," he began slowly, mustering the courage to continue, "I've known you for almost two years now, and really, I've admired you from the start, and actually... I always find myself thinking about you."

A small grin appeared on his face as he tried to lighten the intensity of the moment. "I know this might sound surprising or weird, but I really hope this doesn't change the friendship we have... Yeah, I think I might be in love with you, Vale." He half wanted to look away at this point -- heart racing, heat rising to his cheeks. But, as nervous as he was, he also couldn't avert his gaze, as he wondered and yearned to see how Vale would respond next. The next few moments were so crucial to deciding the next steps of their relationship. Would his worst fears come to fruition? Would Vale feel unable to remain friends with him if her feelings were so different from his, and every interaction just became awkward with no hope of continuing?

He had always admired Vale's adventurous spirit and her ability to be herself, no matter what others might think. The thought of exploring a deeper connection with her both trilled him and scared him. But, was this really the right time to tell her how he felt? His dark brown eyes waited anxiously, unsure what the future held for their relationship.

^{@.Noah Jupe}

----Vale couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was like something in that vampire book her friends seem to like quite so much. But something more, it was real in comparison.

Vale recalled her time with Avery. Adventuring with him for so long. Her strange mourning of him in a potential relationship with Maggie, as if he was lost at sea forever. His willingness to possibly hide bodies with her should the need ever arise. Where could someone find someone like that in the world?

Vale thought about her parents. Of their happiness of being together. Their slow dances under the moonlight's beam. Her mother sitting next to her father, holding hands as they watched the shed Vale unwittingly burned down. Their, eugh, kisses and cuddles. A-And waiting for a baby to appear in front of them! And who knows how many could possibly come over time!

Could Vale imagine such a big scenario happening with her and Avery? Would she be willing to even do mandatory kisses and cuddles with him? Vale wasn't sure of such a big picture. There was so many years before something like suddenly appearing babies would be a concern, at least for Vale. That her mother made most certainly clear to her.

"Avery Chen." Vale finally spoke, her voice soft in comparison to its commonly boisterous self. "You Magbob..." Vale's eyes blinked, and unexpectedly a small onset of giggles. The giggles continued from the young girl as her face flushed from her next words, an unexpected behavior from the young girl.

"I, Vale Ashwood, oncoming potioneer soon to be feared by all," Vale's giggles slowly turned into crackles.

", am very much in love with you." She fluttered her eyes at Avery. Her mother does it to her father often. It has to be one of those couple things, right? "I believe we can't just be friends anymore now. We will have to commit to mandatory kissing and dancing under the moonlight from here on."
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It seemed as if an eternity had elapsed when his dark brown eyes met Vale's. He studied her face intently as he waited for an answer -- a response -- something! It was as if he were waiting for a verdict, handing out his little heart to the girl he had been friends with for the past two years. All the times they had shared, laughing at each others' jokes, getting into mischief, nagging at that stick-in-the-mud Ming, sharing their ups and downs... would all of that change at this moment?

"Avery Chen." Her lips finally moved, and Avery realized he had been holding his breath all this time. "You Magbob..." her eyes crinkled and she blinked, letting out a burst of giggles that he was so familiar with and found so endearing. He let out a breath of relief, and chuckled alongside her infectious laugh, clutching his sides and bending over at the table, knowing that she had accepted him deep down inside.

"I, Vale Ashwood, oncoming potioneer soon to be feared by all, am very much in love with you."

How could he even have doubted her for a second? At those words, Avery truly beamed. A bright, warm smile washed over his boyish face and replaced his initial relief. How could he explain it? It was as if the many possibilities the world had to offer had finally opened themselves up to him at that moment. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Vale, I'm so glad to hear that. You have no idea!" he said in wonder. There was still so much that he could say, and wanted to say, but perhaps those words would have to wait.

"Mandatory kissing and dancing under the moonlight?" he tilted his head to one side, picturing that in his mind. Was Vale going to strap him like a puppet under the moonlight? He almost laughed at the idea. Well, whatever crazy ideas she had in mind, he'd be all for it. "Of course! Let's add some mandatory axe-throwing at pictures of our enemies, too!" Avery tossed the last of his ice cream cone into his mouth (glad that he didn't miss, because, how embarrassing would that have been?), and stood up. "Are you done with your ice cream, by the way?" he asked, eyeing the little puddle in the bowl in front of her. "Want to go terrorize the rest of Diagon Alley and Hogwarts with this future professional quidditch player who's no longer just your friend?" he reached out a hand for hers, and would grab it to run out of the shop to start their adventure if she gave it to him.

^{@.Noah Jupe}

----A hand appeared in front of Vale's amber eyes. The urge to sniff it was, thankfully, overcome in exchange for a quick hand moving to grab it instead. A large smile formed on the witch's face. And just like that, she awaited her next adventure that is sure to be filled with new places to explore and discover. Like, what it would be like to hide a body with another person! Or set something on fire with a set alibi! Oh, the many things to do that will surely rise an Ashwood to becoming a fearful icon for the ages.

"You've read my very mind, Avery Chen! The world shall know our vicious deeds, and cower away in our presence!" Vale let out a hyena-like laugh that probably got a lot of people to look in wonder. The melted ice cream has long since been forgotten, and surprisingly its newly warm liquid form wasn't choked down by the young Ashwood. More important matters were taking place.

"Let's go pick our first target!" And with that, wherever Avery would take her by the hand, Vale would surely go. Perhaps even, she'll go wherever he goes for the rest of her life. Perhaps even, the world should fear for.
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Vale exited the thread.