DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or locations in this story.

"Expelliarmus!" Rowena sent a bolt of red light towards her boyfriend, Salazar, and waited for his wand to fly out of his hand. However, Rowena wasn't the only intelligent one, and Salazar was too fast.

"PROTEGO!" He roared, just in time. Rowena ducked as her spell rebounded. She could feel the force of the enchantment against the side of her face. She smiled at Salazar.

"Good one, Sal." Salazar grinned and ran his hand over her stunningly pale features, brushing back a strand of her deep brown hair that had fallen from her bun. She swatted his hand away playfully. "You'd better be getting home now, Sal." Though she new he wanted more, Rowena was comfortable with keeping their relationship at an intellectual level – hence the practice duels.

Salazar opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Instead, he swooped in and kissed her on the lips. Rowena narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. "Goodnight, Rowena," he called as he strut out the door.

Sighing, Rowena made to settle down in her chair with the book she'd been reading. Just as she picked it up, however, she remembered that she'd finished it the night before. It wouldn't take long to pick up a new book from Flourish and Blotts, she mused. It would be good for me to get some fresh air.

Having made up her mind, Rowena re-did her bun and wrapped herself in a midnight blue cloak with silver trim. She'd always loved the color blue; for some reason she'd connected it with intelligence at a young age and the connection had stuck. She closed her eyes and thought of Diagon Alley. There was a small POP! and she was gone.

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"Expelliarmus!" Salazar was so busy admiring the silkiness of Rowena's voice and the gracefulness of her movements that he almost forgot to defend himself.

"PROTEGO!" he bellowed. Phew. Salazar caught his breath while Rowena dealt with her rebounding hex. If she beat me with Expelliarmus, I'd never hear the end of it!

"Good one, Sal." Rowena's voice brought Salazar from his thoughts, back to the beautiful woman in front of him. She was smiling. Looking at her, he couldn't help but grin. He placed a hand on her pale cheek, feeling the smoothness of her flawless skin. He brushed back a silky strand of chocolate-brown hair that had fallen from her bun. I wish she'd wear her hair down sometimes, he thought. I bet it would make her even more beautiful. If that's even possible.

"You'd better go home now, Sal." Salazar felt a surge of irritation at her words. He'd thought – he'd hoped – that tonight could be the night they got past the pretend duels and did something… more. Apparently he had been wrong.

He opened his mouth to voice his wishes, but changed his mind. It's not like she'd care, he thought angrily. Instead, he stepped close to her and kissed her on the lips. Then he turned and swept out the door.

"Goodnight, Rowena." Salazar struggled to keep his voice steady. He was outraged. What was it about him that made her so reluctant? He reached her lawn, thought of home, and with a small POP! he was gone.

Salazar arrived in his yard with another POP! and headed for the front door without breaking stride. Once inside, Salazar made straight for the mirror. He looked himself over.

It could be the hair – maybe she doesn't like that it comes all the way to my shoulders. It couldn't be the color though – his hair was black, but black was only a shade darker than Rowena's own dark hair. The skin? I'm almost as pale as her. Maybe I should get a tan. But getting a tan would take away the contrast between his ivory skin and his shocking emerald-green robes.

Salazar had a certain fondness for the color green. Not only did it match his eyes, but he also associated it with superiority. Kind of like snakes – the green animals exerted a sense of fear over so many others, including humans.

These particular robes were lined with silver, showing off his wealth. He didn't like gold – it had always seemed to close to the color yellow. Yellow represents envy, and one should not be envious if they can already afford to own everything they could possibly desire.

Salazar realized he wasn't ready to go to sleep. I could really use a drink, he thought. It wouldn't take but two seconds to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

And so, with yet another small POP! he was gone.