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

Dariela Amelia McLaggen was intrigued.
The truth was, she crossed the line and she was aware of that. Even if someone is outside or whatever makes people stop interacting with others, she is not supposed to say that person isn't important. Her mother would be ashamed of her behavior. It's something that her brother would say. He was the black sheep of the family.
He was the one who is saying stupid things at every step. Not Mia.

But yet, even if she said that this boy found a way to make a joke about that.
He wasn't mad.
Or at least he pretended that he isn't mad.
"You are something special, aren't you?" She said that as the rhetorical question, without waiting for an answer. He wasn't mad and that is the reason why Dariela decided to give him a chance.

True, he was way too much young for her, but she wanted the chance to get to know the person who is not insulted no matter what she says to him.

"okay, let's stop studying for some time. It's not like you can learn anything good from that books. History is boring no matter what." She closed her book and put it in her bag and then she stood up still looking at him.

"Let's go for a walk. I want to get to know you, the mysterious student of Hogwarts."

Stephen had at least to shrug at what it was clear to him to be a rhetorical question. Those usually were not to be answered and so he didn't letting her to believe whatever she wanted.

Even if he would have like to give her a hint on the right answer, he wasn't so sure of what that would be. Special how? As many words that had two different meanings and Stephen never decided which of them was best or at least politically correct. In his opinion, if someone cared to ask, yes, he was rather special: he had the nerve of a horse for what he took others comments against him from anyone and wasn't really hit. Or at least didn't show it that much unless he had no other choice. But for now the only one that could break him that way was not but his father... His lack of caring was just too awful to cope with. He was his father, right? If someone should care it was him. But who was Stephen to judge?

Yet that wasn't much of a special power, was it?

"I was actually trying to do so here, you know?" he stated glancing at the book. But there were so many words and it was such as lovely day outside... However, he really had to, but the calling was just so overwhelming! Basically any student's struggle everyday. Wizard and witches students were just the same. And so was Stephen; believe it or not he was not only a bookworm. Not a common bookworm at least.

He sighed giving in and closed the two tons book. "That sounds good actually" he admitted, "It isn't like something is going to change about the Giants Wars."

Stephen jumped off his sitting spot gathering his things together in his bag before he put them in the bag he had taken them in; everything but that dreadfully heavy thing the professors called study book. Just awful. Why couldn't they be a little more appealing to the sight and the back? If not both then only one being the second something Stephen would appreciate most. He would carry it under his arm in fear he would have his bag tear if he put it in there. And oh! Stephen was ready to go when he remembered the toast he had there on a napkin and took it for the road. Don't waste good food here!

It is really rare to see Mia inviting someone to hang out with her.
It's not because she didn't have friends, but because she always waited for them to invite her.
She was McLaggen, so she was better than all of them. People would something do everything to be in her company or just to be sure she knows their names.
Her closest and only true friend was Darian Levski.
They know each other since forever. And it was how it should be.
They are both pureblood from important families so they should stick together.
And it was really easy to be his friend. He was charismatic, fun and he knows where he belongs.
He was aware of the fact that he is good enough to get all the best, and it was hard to say, but he was the probably bigger snob than Dariela.
At least she wasn't picky as him about her friends. She likes to believe that she likes everyone, even those who are not Slytherins and those who are called the royal families.

Once when she was outside of the castle she put the big smile on her face.
The day was beautiful and that is how it should be since it's almost summer.
"I like this time of year. Weather is such a beautiful" she looked at Stephen and smiled when she saw he brought the toast from the table.
"I can see you are really hungry. Sorry if I interrupted you. If you are hungry we can come back to the castle" even if she really meant that she hoped that he will say that he is not that much hungry because she really wasn't ready to leave him alone.
Not until she learns more about him.

"So, tell me something about yourself." She looked at him again curiously waiting to find out who is that unknown boy. And to find out how it is possible that she doesn't know him.

For starters. Hogwarts and good weather was simply the best combination ever made in the history of combinations. The worst was that exams were exactly this time of the year. Genius! Brilliant! Bravo to the one who remembered that.

"It is one of my favorite times of the year as well" Stephen had to say. Being the other September since he would be leaving that tortuous summer vacation.

Looking at the toast on his hand he shrugged a little. "I had already started it so I figured no one else would eat it if not me" he explained. And food was food. Just to explain this a bit better: this was the boy who kept cookies on his robe pockets every now and then so he could bite something whenever he wanted to - mostly at weekends when he went outside mostly just to stay a while away from studying. So, bringing a toast he had started was but very natural to this Gryffindor. And this body didn't run on air!

Stephen walked along with Mia feeling rather strange for a moment. That was what it felt like not walking alone. Curious. Even if he doubted something good would come from this temporarily escape. Truth bet old: he had already considered the possibility of this being some kind of bet between friends to see if someone could talk to this special boy. If he was talkable or even human. If he wasn't keeping any dark secret. And the list went on.

But then he thought: Mia was what was to be called a popular girl around here. And if so was the case she would not like to be seen with every kind of person so would she really accept a bet when there was the risk of her being seen with him?

Could it be for his family name. The Meyers were not a pureblood family of wizards and witched but it was rather powerful and wealthy. That was widely known. But if so was the case, she would be wasting her time. Stephen had actually been farther from being disowned.

Now that would be an introduction.

But let's see why she was really there. "What would you like to know?" he asked before giving himself out.

This time of the year was really something complicated. It was the good thing because it finally starts to be a bit warmer outside. During this time of the year ground around the castle is beautiful. Flowers can be seen almost on every inch of the ground and you can hear the birds from the Forbidden Forest. Dariela almost smiled because of that. That forest wasn't actually as bad as people can hear around the school.
Professors, almost every second of their life spent telling the students how bad and dangerous that forest really is and trying to scare the hell out of them.
But Mia beat that theory. Hell, she used to organize the parties there while she was younger. Speaking of that, it was a long time since she organized some kind of a party. She should change that soon.

But let's talk about the other side of this time of the year. Professors or headmaster or whoever was responsible for this kind of tragedy thought it would be really funny to put all the exams now. It was probably some kind of their joke; let's put exams now and see how students will struggle to study while it was sunny outside.
It was the terrible decision and Mia decided that once when she gets in power (which will definitely happen since she is the good student, rich, pureblood and McLaggen) she will move exam exams to the other time so people can actually try to enjoy in the summer.

But earth to Mia. She was here with Stephen, or whatever he name was. She looked at him with the bright smile on her face.
"Look, Stephen, I'm sorry if that isn't your name but don't thing I'm here for any other reason except getting to know you." She smiled and on the big shock, that was the truth. Once upon a time, she decided that she wants to know everyone in the school and she wants them to love her. After all, when she gets old enough to be the new Mistress of Magic, those people are the ones who would vote for her.

"I don't know, tell me whatever you think people should know about you" she shrugged and looked at him with expectation.

Alarming at every level that sentence was...

Why couldn't he simply believe someone was actually trying to get to know him? Was it so hard? Did that sound so impossible?

Glancing around at the fields around the castle Stephen knew he could easily get lost in the mere sight of green and students of every ages, as well as him and Mia, simply enjoying the day out for a change. But this was simply a momentarily distraction as he tried to figure what he could really tell her that wouldn't sound too superficial or stupid at the point of having her walk away.

"No, you got it right" he said about his name. She wouldn't be the first on mistaking his name or misspelling it so he was used to it.

At her suggestion he had to shrug. What was there that should be know but it clearly wasn't? What was there that was interesting at any level? What there was that people didn't know could fill twenty inches of parchment in his messy handwriting. If any of that was interesting, not at all.

"Besides my name, you mean? I can't tell you what they should know as I am in no way responsible for their thinking. But I can tell you that I am just a regular guy who came here after the letter had arrived and half of him is still doubting the hat for his sorting, and the other half strangely pleased with it."

Talking with this boy was so hard. He seemed to often get lost in his own mind and Dariela wasn't sure what he was thinking about. Maybe she was bothering him? Maybe she could just leave him alone to enjoy in this day? Maybe she was crossing the line of comfort and making him to completely ignore her? She wasn't sure.
But he didn't tell her that things. Maybe he would just tell her if she was bothering him.

Usually, she would just walk away because she mostly hates to be with people who are so closed and mystery like him but, to be completely honest, she wasn't sure what else to do at the moment. Darian still has a hangover from the last night when he thought it would be really good idea to went with Charlotte at the night club.
SHe still wasn't able to understand that. Charlotte agreed only because she lost the bet and Dariela couldn't but feel a bit of jealousy because Darian chooses her company over Mia. Mia was the party girl, not Charlotte. Mia liked Darian because of what he really is, not Charlotte.
Charlotte saw only his good side, the gentlemen who bring her books and opens doors for her, she wasn't the one who was with him when he was on his worst behavior, Mia was.
But this wasn't about that triangle, it was about Stephen.

"You know, if I bother you, you just need to say and I will leave" she looked at him. The things he said about himself, though made her curious.
"Why you think the sorting hat made a mistake?" She asked before she continued with talking about something connected to her.
"For me, I think sorting hat made the best possible decision. I'm born to be Slytherin" she shrugged.

Now that was something Mia McLaggen would never say. From the little Stephen came to know about her as they were talking just before in the Great Hall, she gave impression of being just one other spoiled kid from a pureblood family as it was. Someone who was given everything and got every attention from everyone she desired of. But Stephen would give her a chance as he was almost supposed to be that way since his family was rich and powerful and his father worked at the Ministry of Magic. (Stephen was never sure of what he did there though, but then again, he barely knew his father. He couldn't even be sure of his eye color.) But despite all he had, Stephen couldn't be considered a spoiled kid. He worked for his grades and whatever he wanted to achieve; he couldn't simply sit around and wait for his grades to tall from the trees.

And so he would give this girl a chance. And this simple sentence seemed to be proof enough that even if she was the way he first thought her to be there would be at lest a little bit of decency in her. He didn't respond at her, at least not verbally, leaving her to decide.

At her second question he had to think. Why wasn't he really satisfied with the sorting hat's choice? What would really be bothering him? At her personal testimony he had to ask. That would seem like a good answer to someone that was indeed pleased with the choice. But he wasn't. Was it because he was expecting to be a Slytherin as all his family and Mia here were? Or was it something else? Something more?

"For starters, I am the first Gryffindor in my whole family which is, as it is, quite upsetting. But then, when I think about it... what would make a Gryffindor out off me?" Stephen dared to ask and this was the very first time he would say this aloud. Just looking at him, he would be most surely better in a house such as Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin. And that wouldn't be as bad he being a Gryffindor since his mother had been a Ravenclaw back in her time in Hogwarts.

Dariela Amelia McLaggen was one of those kids whose spoon fell into the honey at the day she was born. She was born as the second child and she almost always got the most of the attention. She used to get what she wants whenever she wants. She was aware of the fact that she was born as privileged and she always behaves like that. For her the world is simple; there are those with power, who means something, and on the other side, those who are not important at all.
But she knew the better, those who are not important are those who should love you if you want to succeed in the life. That is the reason why she was friendly with everyone and besides that, she simply loves people.
Mia loves to know who are the people, what they think about, what they dream about, what they want to do in the life.

Stephen didn't directly say her to go away and she decided that that is enough. She gave him the chance to escape, but he obviously didn't want to so she stayed where she was.
Mia listened to his explanation or questions about why the sorting hat made mistake and then she looked at him.
"You know, sorting hat is never wrong. There must be the reason why you are Gryffindor, even if you don't know why yet. But you are still young, you will understand once." She smiled. That was probably the best advice she ever gave to anyone and she couldn't but be just a little bit proud of herself.

She frowned and shook her head.
"It's not important if you are the only one in your family. You are unique, just like everybody else, so why do you expect to be similar to others?"

Now, was that right? Was there really a reason the hat had sorted him into Gryffindor and put an end to the world as he knew it. To be fair, he didn't understand it, none of it.

Ever since he came into Gryfinddor everything started falling apart. His family, his self-esteem, even his social life, and so many other things. But he had decided not to blame all that in a brainless piece of cloth made into a hat that spoke. How could it be right about him when Stephen found in himself s little traits a Gryffindor should me made of. But then again, it was just a hat.

"How can you be so sure the hat is never mistaken? Perhaps he misjudged me..." Stephen thought out loud. Among so many people there should be a high chance of doing so as everyone else did. Why would a hat be the only thing to be right about him.

When it came to the second part of her answer Stephen hesitated, really hesitated. When his family was about costumes and legacies as any other old family in the wizarding world it was hard to be a part of it when you weren't as they would like you to, as they were expecting you to be. So yes, that was quite a problem.

"Well, my family isn't really neat on accepting changes, you see. My father..." hesitation again. He had never spoke about him to anyone in school... "Well, I think he was never so happy about me turning out to be a Gryffindor. Not when him and everyone before him went to Slytherin. I couldn't be more of a black sheep, you see?"