Dark Lies

Chapter 25

Nico POV

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow."

Herbology Period 2

I walk down the corridor to the green house for Herbology. I don't really have a passion for plants or herb but I can appreciate the passion people have for the subject and to expand their knowledge beyond just plants and herbs. Shut up. Yes I like the cool poisons can you really blame me.

 I don't like opening up. I mean I guess I could try for my father this once...only this time. I mused to myself and I strolled down to the greenhouse with the rest of the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's.

That's another thing I don't understand. Headmaster Dumbles and I guess the traditions of Hogwarts have sorted out the students based on their most obvious traits such as knowledgeable for Ravenclaw, courageous for Gryffindor, cunning for Slytherin and Kind and selfless for Hufflepuffs. That is already alienating the 'different' students against each other, causing rivals, bullying and it effecting those students outside of school all because of prejudice.

I sigh out as I enter the greenhouse, trying to clear my head of all the thoughts about the Wizarding world in itself.

"Good Morning! Students, today we will be paring up with member of the opposite house..." This caused everyone to grumble, including some of the Slytherins making me snort at their behaviour. Only if their parents saw them now, I mused to myself as I thought about the different situations.

"-Miss Parkinson and Miss Granger, and finally Mr Di Angelo and Mr Longbottom." Professor Sprout announced happily and watched us all with mirth in her eyes. Ah so she's amused about this. I'll show her. I quickly scan the greenhouse to find Longbottom which took longer than I thought. Until I saw him already getting started on the Fanged Geranium.

"Ah Longbottom there you are." I stated as I walked over to him. I must have started him because he jumped up and looked at me with fearful eyes making me kinda...uncomfortable. Making me shift on my feet. Is he okay?

"H-hi?" he quickly stampeded out and got back to work. I look at him curiously.

"W-what's wrong?" He questions again in a stutter making me confused. Did I do something?

"I was just wondering if you know anything about the Fanged Geranium or what we are meant to do with it?" I questioned quickly looking between Longbottom and the flower plant with fangs, making sure it didn't try to take a bite out of Longbottom. Longbottom looked confused, happy, surprised and curious. Hmm what is he thinking?

"Well we need to carefully extract the fangs because Professor Snape needs them to restock his shelves for potions like the strength potion," He recited to me in a confident manner losing all of his stuttering. Curious, it looks as if you get him comfortable and he will be confident.

"Okay what do you want me to do?" I question as I pull up my gloves, making a snapping sound as it slapped against my skin.

"Well I need both of us to be very careful and we can take turns if you want, using tweezers to extract the fangs as we stupefy the Fanged Geranium so it doesn't bite us." He finished gracefully grabbing all of the required equipment. Ah, finally someone passionate about a subject.

"Aye, aye, captain." I jokingly salute to him making him snicker under his breath.

"He's not half as bad as Ginny made him out to be." He mumbled to himself but I picked up on it. Who is this 'Ginny' person? Besides that little conversation we didn't talk much during the lesson. I guess we both needed to focus.

~~~TimeSkipbroughttoyoubySnapechasingtheWeasleytwinsaroundthecastleinapinkdress~~~

"Hey, Longbott-," I started but got cut off by him.

"Neville, please call me Neville, Longbottom makes it feel like I am in trouble from Professor Snape," Longbo-Neville told be sincerely.

"Ah well please call me Nico, Di Angelo is a mouth full." I replied shocking him apparently.

"I was wondering if you would like to be my permanent partner in Herbology, you don't have to be I was just thinking that you could be because you understand the basics of each plant so far and I want to get to know you better. I think you would be a really good friend but it's okay if you say no you don't have to be my friend if you don't want to be..." Neville trailed excited but worried. I cracked a smile, him and father would get along great.

"Why thank you Heir Longbottom or as you would like to be addressed Neville I wouldn't mind being permanent partners in Herbology." I must of done something right because his whole face lit up like a lightbulb.

"That's gr-"Neville's sentence was cut off as a banshee's screech reached our ears making us wince. I looked around in alarm. We are in the hallway heading to our next class which happens to be Charms. What creature got loose on school grounds already?

My eyes zeroed in on the red headed girl practically stomping towards us.

"Ah Ginny..." Neville trailed off awkwardly.

"Why!? Why are you hanging out with the enemy?!" This girl, Ginny screeched out to him, ignoring me as if I didn't exist. Tch, rude. 

"Well Ginny, you know that muggle expression about not judging people on the books they read or novel... you know whatever it is. I think we judged before talking to him and getting to know Nico..." Neville said confidently to the red headed bitc- girl.

"FIRST NAME BASIS! You're on First Name basis?! How could you betray Harry and I like that?!" She questioned like his ranted didn't even matter.

I needed to step in. I have already lost too many friends in the past to already loose a friend so soon.

"Listen here you red headed harlot," Gasp. "I don't care who you are, what you think of me, what you gossip about me or how you think it affects me in anyway, I didn't even know you existed until now. I respect others until they don't respect me, I can't stand a 'friend' of Neville's trying to guilt trip him into cutting ties with other friends, I believe Neville is Heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Longbottom and can make decisions for himself. Now if you need me I will be in Charms, trying to learn unlike half of this school." I practically growled out, stepping forward with an intense glare that could deter even the strongest beings in the world.

I left hearing her sputtering, seeing Neville with a shocked but...proud? Look in his eyes.

However, the one thing I didn't see were the smouldering, slate grey eyes of a certain Slytherin, following my every movements.