You can't study the darkness by flooding it with light.

Dariela woke up early this morning.
There is no specific reason, she just wasn't able to sleep. She even considered about studying because, to be honest, she has a lot of things to do.
It's almost summer and school will be over which means they will have a lot of exams now. She has great grades so she can't fail now, it would ruin everything.

But before anything, breakfast. She was really starving.
She sat next to Darian and looked at him.
"In the mood for study group after breakfast?" She looked at him full of hope because that means she wouldn't need to study alone.
But Darian just started laughing.
Of course, he won't study. He will just go on exams and see if his last name could give him some good grades. Dariela, on the other hand, was better than him. She wants grades to be what she really is and how she really knows.
"Whatever, I don't know why I even thought you will study. I will ask Charlotte if I see her" that was a lie, of course.

Don't get her wrong, Charlotte is nice and she would probably be able to help Dariela a lot, but she just wasn't in the mood to hang out with Miss Perfect Waldorf.

After breakfast, she went to take her books and then she came again in the great hall but all sites were taken at Slytherins table so she decided to sit with Gryffindors.

"Hey, move a little bit" she looked at the boy. Once when she sat she looked at him again.
"Do I know you? Or you are new here?" She asked curiously because to be honest, she was sure she didn't see this boy in the past.
But maybe he was just younger, she preferred to be friends who are the same year as her.

Two facts about this time of the year: rather good weather and exams!!! And them two did not to fit with one another. At all. Whoever was the genius that scheduled the exams to this time of the year received an award!

Stephen, however, was not letting himself give in to the nice weather outside the castle: instead he was staying inside protected by the large walls of stone so he could review all that there was to know to the exams that were coming. He was currently at the Great Hall having breakfast with a couple of books on front of him of which one was opened. He held a single toast in one hand as he kept reading and once in a while moved one page forward. The toast still on his hand with only one bite taken ever since he had took it from the plate. In the meantime all the breakfast had vanished and he didn't even notice that chance.

No, he was not so interested in what he was reading. In fact he didn't ever feel any interested in the wars that there were. But even that being, Stephen had to achieve some grade of any kind at History of Magic; why not try a bit harder and have a nice one? It wasn't that he was trying to impress anyone... Or else he was in the beginning of it all, but ever since that never worked, it just started being a personal achievement. And when it came to disappointing people, the worst one you can ever disappoint is yourself.

He was so away from his surroundings that he had not even noticed someone had just came to where he was till he was spoken to. "Oh sorry" he said and brought his things closer to him trying to free the table for whoever this was. He didn't know many people around the school out of the people he saw in class or in the Gryffindor Common Room, so he was rather sure he wouldn't know this girl given the fact that she wore a Slytherin robe and looked definitely older than him for her to be in the third year. He found her some space hastily and almost forgot he had that toast in his hand till it was almost too late. He managed not to let it fall with a very strange move of his hand - probably something he had gathered from Charm class. He grabbed a napkin and set that there before he made a bigger mess out of the buttery thing. With another he started wiping the butter from his fingers.

"New is not exactly the best word" he said. Invisible would certainly be better, but he didn't say this aloud before he lost the chance of a normal conversation with someone that wasn't the family owl that used to come at least twice a year, or a bit more lately since his sister Adriana just thought it would be nice to write to his older brother once in a while. And she was not mistaken. "I'm Stephen" he said instead, saying the name as 'Stefan' instead of 'Steven' ever since this last was not his favourite name in the whole world. In fact, he rather hated it as well as being called 'Steve' or 'Stevie' or something alike. "Meyers, third year" he added. "And you are...?"

(Okay this is short because I wrote it on my phone but I wanted to post so you don't need to wait for a long time)

Dariela was shocked. Truly shocked.
She always used to believe that she is that person that everyone knows about. She was the one who was always starting the party. The one who is in Quidditch team. She was pureblood. She was McLaggen after all.

But yet, there is that one person who doesn't know who she is. She didn't know who he was as well, to be honest, but she heard his last name, he probably wasn't important enough.
And she was sure that she saw him now for the first time. He is new here or he was invisible all these years.
Stephen. She smiled trying to look like the best girl ever even if introducing herself felt like she is in hell.
She didn't even know how to do that. Last time when she had to say her name to someone was during the second year here.

She wanted to believe that she has some kind of popularity in this place.
"I'm Mia McLaggen, of course" she paused and looked at him. She said her nickname because only people who call her by a name were her parents.
"I mean, my name is Dariela Amelia but most of the people call me Mia" she smiled, again. She decided that she won0t show him how shocked she was because he didn't know who she is. Her only hope was the fact that he would probably recognize her surname. McLaggens were important in the wizarding world. They are what muggles call those with loyal blood. They were like queen's close cousins, even if they didn't actually have a queen so that is probably the stupidest thing that ever found its way to her mind.

"What are you studying?" she asked more to start the conversation because, to be honest, she actually didn't care. She has more than enough subjects to learn herself but she was curious about this boy. He was something like the newest toy for her and she decided that, in the end of this day, he would know exactly who is Mia McLaggen.

Thinking that once she had enough space for this girl to settle she would simply focus on her business so that was what he did when it came to his. Now, where was he? Something about trolls... Maybe a bit after this line, a bit more. Yes, exactly. That was the place. Therefore there was where Stephen restarted from once he had his own space neatly displayed. For his likes at least, since every time he studied somewhere that place became complete chaos. Books to a corner, piles of parchments all around the table either beneath the books or randomly spread over them, and with a high chance of having ink spilt as well as anything else. Chaos was indeed the best way to describe his method.

However, his thoughts were far away from the truth. More than introducing herself which was only natural considering he had asked for it (not that he was usually answered but someone who would ever be as very respectful as he was by caring to answer them would answer back), this girl, McLanggen for what it seemed, looked like she was starting a conversation even if by asking what was he doing.

First things first though: Stephen grew up in a wizard family. Both his mother and father were wizards even if his mother descended from a Mugleborn. His father, on the other hand, claimed to come from a very long line of wizards which somehow belonged to a branch of a Pureblood family. Stephen didn't know that for sure and honestly, he didn't care as well as his father didn't care for him. Therefore, Stephen could not be any smug Pureblood but he did know who those families were if not by name. And this McLaggen was not so strange to him. He didn't acquire any different posture about the new received information as he was never taught to sort out people by who their families were.

And look where that had gotten him... He would have sighed if he was not already used to the fact that he was a lonely lion among snakes.

"Nice to meet you, Mia McLaggen" he said politely with a smile of his own, one as polite as the words he had spoken. He wasn't quite sure of what she would like to be called by him, a complete invisible stranger, so he decided not to take part on the pick as he hoped she would do so for him if so was her wish.

In the meantime, Stephen had marked the specific line where he was reading with his thumb so he didn't have to look for it again and after a slight glance at his book he then answered: "History of Magic, that dreadful wonderful thing which classes are to die for... What are you studying?"

((Don't worry about it. Take your time if you must and I don't really mind short replies if that is what it gets to be written down.))

Dariela had no intention to start studying. She should because if she fails this, she would have a lot of trouble with her parents.
It was annoying sometimes, to be honest.
Just because she was McLaggen her parents wanted her to be the best at the school. It was a lot of pressure sometimes. There was too many rules she had to follow and those rules she knew before she was even able to speak.
The rules were simple (or at least her parents think they were simple); she needs to have good grades, be on the Quidditch team and do everything she can so people know who she was; McLaggen, rich and pureblood.

It's not like she had anything against being rich and McLaggen because, to be honest, she learned that money and pure blood can give you everything in the life.
She was popular and almost all her close friends were popular. She was a role model to a lot younger kids, and sometimes even older. Just because she was lucky enough to be McLaggen by blood.
But studying, that wasn't actually her thing.
And there is one boy who doesn't know her, or at least he pretends that he doesn't know her (she was just hoping, but it's better than the thought that she failed at in the third rule).

If Dariela knew that his mother is Muggleborn, she wouldn't try to be close to him. Because, in her opinion, Muggleborns are the worst thing this world can offer. They are nothing, just someone who by chance got the magic, which was totally opposite to those who actually tried to give the best, the purebloods of course. So for now, Mia had a hope that she was speaking to someone who is at least pure halfblood if something like that even exists. But Muggleborns and their family were one big no. After all, people wouldn't think she is special if she has Muggleborns for friends.

He made the good decision when he decided to call her Mia. It was like he was secure in himself enough to call her by a nickname her friends gave to her in the past.
"I hate History of Magic. I think it's the worst subject I ever had." She frowned while thinking how much trouble she had with that. It was just pointless because kids learn about History of Magic at home. Their parents keep telling them everything that was important to know so the subject at school was pointless.

"I'm trying to learn how to make the potion. I think Professor Potter would give me the bad mark if I don't know this. But it's really hard to learn this, they are too many ingredients."

Stephen had never truly sorted out his likes and dislikes when it came to subjects. He just liked to be in Hogwarts so whatever came was fine for him. Well, he had always dreamed of coming as well as he always thought he would be the Captain of the house team of Quidditch as soon as he sat foot through those oak doors. Yet, life had other plans for him. Coming to Gryffindor was nothing but absolute torture when it happens that your father's family was in Slytherin for generations... Why did he had to be different?

For years his father pushed him away for a reason only he knew of and this was simply the last straw. Ever since Stephen couldn't remember a whole conversation without it ending up in a fight. As in last Summer for instance (which was the last time he had been at home; who with a perfect conscious would be there for holidays in this sort of circumstances?): all the second year students had been handed an authorization so their parents or guards to sign so they would allow them to go to Hogsmead and that simply request to Mr. Meyers ended up in a complete negation from him and a very upset Stephen who really really wanted to go. For why he didn't allow him Stephen never knew... And that was the only time he remembered addressing himself to the man the whole Summer. Was this normal?

And so considering that and how upset Stephen was with his father from the start, he never really made friends. And so when he first went to auditions for the Quidditch team he panicked and there was no one there with whom he could talk to so he not only did he left without trying, but also never came up there to try again.

Therefore, all he had left was these subjects and whatever he came up with to spend some time while not studding. So no, he never really thought of what was the worst subject or the best as in what was the point? To sit alone and mentally complain about it?

But if he had to choose, yes, History of Magic was pretty boring considering they only talked of things that had been. How would that made anyone a better wizard? "Yes, it is pretty pointless. It is not like we are learning anything new..." he commented. The word 'history' itself was very informative on that matter.

With Potions he could really relate. He didn't hate it or even disliked it, but when it came to know what happened when you did this or that that was different was completely mind-blowing and Stephen always had a biggest affection to the practical things so either Charms or Transfiguration were fine. "Tell me about it..." he sighed a bit. "But maybe you should try to memorize it by experimenting instead of just reading how to do it" he gave her the same advice he had been given once about the matter.

"Yeah, I don't think that is the good idea" Mia frowned and shook her head.
It was the same advice Charlotte gave to her last year. And it ended really bad.
Dariela recalled that day in her head and almost laughed.
Charlotte thought it would be the really great idea to help Mia with potions. All they had to do is to practice. And it ended with huge explosion because Mia did something wrong.
Professor Selwyn gave to both of them one week of detention but the thing was, she didn't know how bad new Head of Slytherin can be.
She saw Professor Aldon only once when Irina thought it would be the good idea to introduce herself to students. It's now like they cared about her, so that day was the fiasco.

"I tried that once, with my friend" she paused when she realized this was the first time she said that Charlotte was her friend.
She knew that girl only because Darian has that big crush on her. It's not like Mia could see why he likes her.
She is too focused, serious, and she used to hate magic in the past. She was an outsider.

And everything became different once she started dating Zabini boy. She became the completely different person.
And from hater she became popular girl who is everyone's friend.
"Charlotte. We tried to practice and something went wrong so we got detention." She smiled and shook her head.
That was the only time she was in detention.

She probably deserved more than one detention from the first day she came here, but Professor Selwyn was always so nice toward her. So everything she did wrong was forgoten.
"I think I'll just need to memorize all of this without practice" she shrugged and looked ad Stephen.

"But the thing I want to know" she paused and looked at him again "is how I don't know you? I know almost the whole school" and that was the truth. When you are popular, you know people.
She knew who is the outsider, who is popular, who is smart, who is good at sport... she knew everything, but she didn't know Stephen at all.

Stephen shrugged a bit. "That was what I heard anyway" he said. He was not so great at potions and a few days before that one he was trying to get things straight in his head about it and he was doing about everything but succeeding ad his failure was then noticed by an older student. Anyway, he suggested that and so Stephen was doing the same even though he hadn't tried it himself. The only experimenting he had himself was gathered in classes during the year but that seemed not to be enough at times.

Nodding a bit at her explanation about what happened then made Stephen realise he didn't have any more brilliant idea about how to memorise this potion. "Yes, that can happen... Good luck with that then" he said remembering that that was the very same way t o study History. There wasn't such thing as experiences when it came to that matter.

Now, that was a question...

How didn't she, or anyone else really, know him at all? And it didn't mean knowing as knowing his personality, likes and dislikes, no! It was just knowing him as knowing his existence... At all!

"Well, you sai it yourself. You know almost everyone in this school. I'm the other part of the almost" Stephen said. "Besides, I'm in third year. Do you know many students there?"

((So sorry, really really small post...))

When we come to learning, it was something Mia really hates. But finding a student who likes to study is the really big challenge.
But the bright side was the fact that even if she hates studying, in the end, she will still get a good grade.

There was the time when Mia wish she can just give up and stop studying at all but then again, she is McLaggen. She is the great, rich and pureblood witch, she can allow herself to have a bad reputation.

"I don't know" she answered to his question and started thinking how much students she knows who are the same year as him. Few of them, probably.
"I guess I know only those who are important to others" she shrugged and then she realized that she actually said to him that he is not important.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I didn't want to say that you are not important. What I was trying to say is the fact that for some reason, people don't speak about you a lot. If they do, I would know you."

Truth be told. Any person that was told directly not to be important to someone would most surely be upset by it, angry even depending on the person's temper. In a nowadays world which dealt mostly with people living in society people needed to be social and as in anything there were some more than others.

Stephen could be found in the group of them that wasn't all that great at maintaining a steady relationship with someone else - his family involved as well sadly. Or at least he wasn't s o great on starting them. That was what seemed to be the biggest of problems in a retrospective of his whole Hogwarts life.

The hat sorting him to Gryffindor's house was what is seemed to be all the cause since it seemed that to be the trigger of his whole closing up in himself after he started receiving less and less letters from his parents. What has he done wrong? Why was he different? Of course that all those doubts pulled everyone away or so he thought.

That way, was he mad that Mia was implying all she seemed in just one sentence? Had she crossed any line there? No. One should not be mad when he was told nothing but the rough truth.

He couldn't, however, help rising his eyebrows just a little at that statement. "You see, not everyone is noticed at every breath they take" he claimed more in a funny way than anything else. "And apart from that, I am not a so interesting topic for anyone to speak of." Or to. Whatever suited best in any case.