Of Badly Hidden Lies (and figuring out cool magic shit)

Lonely shadows following me/Lonely ghost come calling

"Hello Harry," Luna said from behind the boy. Harry just waved absentmindedly as he reviewed some material for Transfiguration. Neville sat behind him, slightly dozing off as he stared at his half finished Potions essay. "What is plaguing you?"

"Nothing you need to worry yourself about, Luna." Harry said, not unkindly. "I just need some time to get my thoughts together." He rubbed Neville's sleeping head lightly. They had stayed up late the night before going over spells for their test review in Transfiguration. Neville was exhausted, especially from the back-to-back classes they had today.

"Do you mind if I join you then? I've got some studying to do for Herbology."

"Go right ahead. Just don't wake up Nev, he doesn't deserve that." Harry responded to the girl. Her hair, a pretty shade of blonde and white, was in three odd ponytails, all curled in different directions. Harry didn't mind the younger girl, in fact he liked having her around. She was a good friend of Neville's so she was automatically a friend of Harry's.

It was quiet for a little while, Neville eventually rousing from his slumber to complain about his Potions work once more. Harry just stifled a laugh at Neville's complaints while Luna grinned.

"Potter, Longbottom ." Harry heard from his spot in the library. In front of him stood Blaise Zabini, a boy he recognised from defence, and another girl in Slytherin clothing. "May we join you for studying?"

"Why?" Neville questioned. Harry just gave the pair in front of them an odd look. Who was that girl? Harry swore he had heard her name somewhere within the school.

"I'll put it straight to you two." The girl sighed. "You two are the best in both defence and transfiguration. We both need help in those subjects. It's not right for heirs like us to be lacking."

"I uh, I don't really, Harry help me out here." Neville mumbled. Blaise gave Neville a look of disdain, but Harry wasn't paying attention. He was still trying to figure out who this random girl was.

"Potter, I do not appreciate you staring at my friend and housemate." Zabini said. "If that's what you'd rather do then studying, then it seems Draco was right about you."

"Sorry, Zabini and woman I don't know, not to bruise your egos, but I'm not interested. I just swear I've seen you around somewhere before. What's your name?"

"Greengrass. Daphne Greengrass."

"Nope never heard of you. Go ahead and sit down. We're reviewing the spell frequency for proper casting."

"What Harry means is how much power you're supposed to put behind the spell." Neville elaborated on the odd looks of the two Slytherin. "He likes to think of different ways to break down topics into 'bite-sized pieces', as he likes to call them."

"So he doesn't copy the text book?" Greengrass questioned.

"Nope," Harry said, popping the P. "Between you and me, Greengrass, half these textbooks are lacking in a multitude of ways."

"It's Heir Greengrass, actually." The girl said, turning up her nose.

"Okay, and? It's Heir Potter but you didn't have enough respect to call me by my title, so why would I call you yours." A beat of silence.

"Ah, I apologise, Heir Potter."

"All is forgiven, Heir Greengrass." The two Slytherins took their seats. Harry and Neville whispered to each other about spells while Luna studied quietly.

"If you're so good, Heir Potter, please explain this." Greengrass pointed to a page in their Transfiguration book. Harry glanced over at it and promptly pushed his book towards her. The inside was marked with ink and even some cut outs from other books. Greengrass eyed it with disdain, but took the offered book anyway. Her eyes widened. Harry watched as she scanned the page once more. And again. And a third time, okay what was wrong with his book?"