Note: Here is a new and improved What Lies Beneath version. This will clear up the many questions of readers that asked about in the original story. Keep in mind this new version is still in process, and I only have four chapters done, so the posting will be lacking. Many things has changed in this story, but I promise it's worth the reading :) I also have Ginny, Draco, and Blaise hate each other in the beginning. I thought it would be a good way to start a story like this.
Summary: When their friend Mandy Brocklehurst died, the Prophecy reversed. After gaining back their memories and the flashbacks went away, Ginny, Draco, and Blaise try to handle the reverse of the Prophecy, and on the way they discover who really murdered Mandy.
Disclaimer: IDO (I don't own) any of the HP characters. It's sad enough to admit this :(
What's Beneath the Truth?
Sequel to What Lies Beneath
1 Reverse the Facts
There were flashbacks from random places that had no intention of being there in the first place; however, Ginny continued to finish her assignment for Professor Snape tomorrow. At that very moment, she still couldn't find a reasonable reason why she waited tonight to do the work when it was due the next day. Her twitching movements affected Harry, who was sitting beside her on the small, square table.
"Are you all right?" He questioned her, a bit annoyed.
"Yeah, sure, why not," Ginny answered rudely.
Still trying to understand the message behind the flashback that constantly repeated in her head, she still couldn't find her answer. Not that it matter, but the irritation has been going on for a month now, and the images is this unfamiliar girl that she never met.
Draco was sitting on the Famous Lounge Chair; it's a black love seat that all the Slytherin students call it, with Pansy. He was making his evening a bit more exciting whenever he and Pansy were alone.
"Draco," Pansy said through Draco's lips. He pulled away from her and sighed heavily.
"Parkinson, what did I tell you about saying my name every time we kiss?" Draco asked. Pansy ignored his question. Before she even took a second thought to think again, someone walked in.
The boy was about Draco's height, and he was dark skinned. He had brown, short curls and has blue eyes. Draco's smirk disappeared when the boy walked in.
"Oh, hello a-whole, who got me kicked out of Transfiguration class." He snapped.
"It's what you deserve," said the boy.
"Uh, that is incorrect." Draco said. "I was doing just fine until you opened your big mouth and telling McGonagall about "saying the wrong spell" as she put it as."
"That was dark magic, Love." Pansy said to him on his lap. He didn't look at her, but continued to stare at one of his Slytherin classmate.
"Ah, yes, that was an exciting thing to watch." Blaise Zabini said. "Please do make another scene like that on Thursday." He laughed loudly and walked up to the boys' dormitory.
"I hate that guy," Draco spat. Pansy rolled her eyes.
Thursday, Advance Potion class arrived and neither Draco nor Blaise were ready to face each other. Not only they had every class together, but they were more likely to work together because today the class was starting a new project. Draco felt the same hate he has with Blaise like he would with Harry Potter and the rest of the Gryffindors'. If Blaise was placed in the Golden Lion pen, then he wouldn't have much guilt about hating his guts.
Ginny wasn't feeling the mood either. She happened to be the smartest girl in her sixth year and got bumped up to Advance Potion this year. Not only she didn't have much support from her brother or his two best friends, she also didn't feel welcome at all with the rest of her classmates. So, three times a week, she would sit next to Harry and be invisible for everyone else. She wasn't sure if today was going to change since she would be working with a partner, but it was too soon to tell.
Professor Snape stood in the middle of his classroom, looking at each of his students. Most of them were embarrassed or nervous if one made eye contact with his or her teacher. "Today," Snape began, "I will be assigning a lab partner to each of you and you shall get started on your midterm assignment." He paused and watched a handful of students taking note on their new project.
"Now, keep in mind midterms end November twenty-sixth. Therefore, no one should be lacking off on the assignment. You will have two days to work on it in class and after tomorrow will be done outside of class. Understood?" He questioned. Nods were going around the room.
"Perfect," He smirked slightly and then began assigning partners. Some had one partner; others had two; he randomly chosen students.
He came across Draco's table and didn't take a second look at Pansy. Snape looked at Blaise instead. "You two and Ms. Weasley," As soon as those words came out of their Professor's mouth, Blaise and Draco dropped their jaws. They couldn't decide if they were shocked about a Gryffindor girl as their partner, or the fact the two boys hated each other, and they were forced to be partners for two months.
When Snape was satisfied with his students' results, he once again stood in the middle of the classroom. "Remember, you will be graded highly on your work. If you are not satisfied with your partner or partners, then think of it as a life changing experience." He held himself from laughing, but managed to let out a snort.
"Move to your assigned partner and for the remaining midterm project you are required to sit with your partner or partners."
It took a few students to gather his or her stuff and move it two inches from where there were sitting. No one was pleased and it was highly noticed in the atmosphere.
"You have to be kidding me," Draco said rudely. He tore his eyes away when Blaise approached to his table.
"Look, I'm not pleased with this either, but I can't afford to fail this class." Blaise said.
"And you think I can afford failing?" Draco asked. "Besides, we have to deal with the redheaded girl, remember."
"So, after class we can ditch her," He paused for a moment, and then said, "and then after I can ditch you."
Ginny had finally made her way to the two Slytherin's table. She stopped at the edge of the table, not really sure what to do next. The boys noticed her sense of nervousness.
"What?" The boys said together, irritated.
"Oh, so you do see me." Ginny said quietly.
"Well obviously," Blaise said. "I mean, you are just standing there and hogging my area space."
Ginny sighed and sat across from Draco and Blaise. She was done playing nice with the three year olds. "Look, I don't like you and you two don't like me. I hate this as much as I hate being invisible. But midterms is in two months and I'm sure we can't afford to fail, so let's get rid of the whole I'm-to-good-for-anything and get the work done."
Draco and Blaise looked at each other before laughing. "Sure," they said together again. Ginny rolled her eyes and opened her Advance Potion book and turned to their subject.
There was ten minutes left in class and not much of a surprise, but they were falling behind. "Can you please put in the apple berry? It's orange." Ginny snapped at Draco.
"Are you color-blind?" Draco snapped back. "It's red, not orange. There's a difference dork."
"Call me "dork" one more time?" Ginny threatened him. He leaned over the sizzling red potion while holding a handful of apple berries in his hand, and said, "Dork."
Ginny kicked his kneecap very hard. Draco instantly dropped the handful of apple berries in the potion and the potion instantly turned pure orange.
"It's solid orange now." Blaise said through Draco's complaining.
"What the hell was that for Weasley?" Draco snapped angrily.
"I told you not to call me dork, didn't I?" She raised her thin eyebrow at him. He continued to stare at her angrily and holding his knee at the same time.
"Since we aren't behind anymore," Blaise said, ignoring the heat of the air. "We still have to decide where we are going to finish the project."
"What about the Head Quarters?" Draco said. "I have full access because I'm Head boy, and awfully quite when Granger isn't around, which is all the time, how about it?"
"That's not an all bad idea, and during the time we are alone, I can kill you and no one will know about it." Blaise spoke brightly.
"Shut it jack-hole." Draco said.
The conversation continued on without Ginny. She wondered at first if it was because they were setting the arrangements, but it was also leading to scheduling. They have forgotten she was part of the assignment as well, and she was back to being invisible. She cleared her throat loud enough for the two boys to hear her. They did.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" She asked, annoyed.
"Uh, no. I don't think so." Draco replied.
"Assuming that you are, I am also your partner, and don't you think I have a say to any of this?"
"Okay, fine, why don't you look up what ingredients we need, hand it over to one of us, and Zabini and I can work on making the potion while you're in bed being invisible." Draco smirked when Ginny dropped her jaw.
"That's not what I had in mind, but thank you for pointing the obvious, Malfoy. But no, I meant the three of us doing the potion together." When she didn't get the remark she was hoping for or even a stupid remark, she continued. "You know work as a team, being team players."
"We are working together," Blaise said. "However, the only part you're not going to do is going into the Head Quarters." He smirked.
"And why not? What's your stupid excuse?" She snapped.
"No," Draco said firmly. The afternoon bell rung loudly and startled Ginny. Draco and Blaise laughed and left her there, feeling rather humiliated.
But, she wasn't going to allow the boys to walk all over her and treat her as though she deserved to be invisible. She caught up with them, Blaise trailing a few feet away from Draco. She stood in front of Draco and startled him.
"Jeez Weasley, get out of my way." Draco snapped.
"No. No, you are going to listen to me. The both of you," She glared at Blaise, who also stopped. "I am the only person that can call me invisible and if you think you are getting rid of me that fast, and then you are wrong. I deserve that A-plus and I deserve to be treated with respect. I'm willing to help—"
"You are. All you have to do is get the ingredients. Stop being so selfish, Weasley." Blaise approached to her with a smile. His smile wasn't an inviting reasoning. It was one of those smiles that didn't deserve an award of being "The Cutest Smile in 1997."
Blaise and Draco laughed loudly in the crowded hallway. Most of the students were avoiding hitting his or her favorite adorable star athlete, Draco Malfoy; instead they walked around him and watched with giggling whispers.
Lunch didn't seem to be great as well. Her sudden mood of hunger washed away after she was humiliated once again to Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Ron, her brother, didn't take notice of his sister's lack of taste, but instead, took her egg rolls and mashed potatoes. Generally, this would irritate Ginny, but today wasn't yell-at-Ron-today.
Out of the trio, one did notice her. "Ginny, you aren't eating. Are you sure you are all right?" Harry asked.
"I'm fine, Harry, you don't need to keep checking on me." She looked at Ron's plate and found two extra egg rolls on his plate. She took back her two egg rolls and left the great hall.
As she was munching on her food, a rush of flashbacks suddenly flashed in front of her eyes. Four students laughing, but no real sound came out—black. The unfamiliar girl hiding behind a tree, fear was read all across her dirty face—black. The face of Voldemort in the darkness, his bright red eyes standing out like never before—black. The fear on the unfamiliar girl ran after a blurry figure—black. The Killing Curse came out from Voldemort, but as before no real sound came out from his thin lips—black. The green strike flashed in front of Ginny and her scream wasn't verbal—black. The unfamiliar girl lied there dead—black.
Ginny found the hard, cold stone-wall and panted loudly. She couldn't understand why she keeps seeing this girl. Every time the flashback repeats it seems like a déjà vu, as though she knew the girl personally.
She didn't realize someone was watching her. Once she had the confidence to look at the person at eyelevel, she gasped. Draco stood there watching her with his eyebrow raised. "I'm not sure if I should ask what's wrong with you because for one thing I don't care, and second, I was just checking to see if you have the ingredients."
"Are you sure that's the reason you've come here or are you here to tease me."
"Depends what you mean by teasing," He laughed.
"I'm not getting into this." Ginny said. "How about I get the books I think we'll need for the potion and I'll mark down the page numbers for you Slytherins' and that will save me some time to deal with my issue."
"Are you compromising your job?" He asked curiously. His sudden tone of voice caught Ginny off guard. She tried to avoid his civil tone.
"Not really," She said softly.
"Well, least I will see less of you. Okay, hand me the page numbers tonight at eight-fifteen near the Head Quarters. Don't be late." He turned away from her.
"And what if I am late? What would happen?" She asked curiously. He looked at her with a devious smile.
"If you are, then it wouldn't be pretty on your side, little dork." He smirked and walked away. Ginny tried with all her strength not to throw anything at Malfoy's head. Once she was alone again in the corridor, she was free to release her tight fists and take a deep breath.
She was struggling with the blurry scenery that is keep popping in her head every few seconds. Gladly, Hermione walked inside the common room and sat next to Ginny.
"Do you need any help?" She asked softly. Ginny shook her head, but then nodded after giving it a thought.
"You know I'm partners with Malfoy and Zabini, don't put in your comment." Ginny snapped when she saw Hermione opening her mouth. "Malfoy wants to do the potion in the Head Quarters, and since I'm not Head girl, I need directions to it. Can you help me?" She asked.
"Course I will," Hermione said with a smile. "I was going to head up there in a bit. I just stopped by to see if Harry and Ron came back from the library."
"Harry and Ron at the library," Ginny didn't believe it.
"Yes, I forced them to go. It's been about two hours since I left them there." She laughed. "I would surprised if they actually have something done, but won't be surprised if they haven't."
"You already have the information, don't you?" Ginny asked.
"Course I do." Hermione said. "I would be stupid if I actually count them to do something that was based on my grade." She laughed again.
"Do you have the time?" Ginny asked, after a while.
"It's eight o'clock."
"Really?" Ginny gathered a handful of parchments, trying to find the correct one she needed. "How long does it take to get there because I'm not even finished and if I'm finished, then would make me late, and I can't be late."
"Gin, chill," Hermione placed her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "It's five minutes from here. You'll be fine. Besides, what time are you supposed to meet Malfoy and Zabini?"
"Just Malfoy and I'm supposed to be there at eight-fifteen, and done."
"Oh, good, let's go." She took Ginny's arm and pulled her away from the mess on the table.
It would have been perfect if Hermione was to stay with her through the whole trip to the Head Quarters, but there was a mid-crisis that needed to be taken care of and it wasn't something she had to walk away from. So, Ginny was left in a corridor that wasn't familiar and the last few directions Hermione given her.
Ginny hoped Draco would be wondering around, like he always does, and hand over the ingredients page numbers with the book alongside. Apparently, life wasn't that easy and it sure doesn't happen with a sudden change of air.
Her mind screamed for help. She continuously walked forward down the corridor and spotted a gold suit of armor. She knew this was a clue she was close because Hermione said once you past the golden suit of armor, make a left. So she did.
Ginny spotted a few feet away from her distance was a tall, blonde boy standing by a large picture frame. When he spotted her, Draco looked down at his watch. "You are one minute late." He looked at her.
"It was your fault for not telling me where the stupid quarters were at!" Ginny shouted.
"It was your fault for not asking, by the way, you got Granger for that." Draco smirked.
"Yeah, well she had to fix a crisis. Something like a Prefect getting locked in the boy's bathroom, something along the lines."
"Weasley, the book," He gestured toward the book in Ginny's arm.
"Oh, right. Everything is there. If you have questions, please don't ask me." She handed him the book with the parchment attracted to it and left before she saw Draco's trademark; the smirk.
"Hey, make sure you put the snake's blood in there." Blaise leaned over the counter and watched Draco slowly pour purple venom inside the beaker.
First, the first five ingredients had to be placed in a beaker or a mix bowl, and stir the mix ingredients until it becomes a solid color before pouring everything into the potion container.
Draco paused in mid-air to glare at Blaise. He was annoyed by Blaise's comments and speaking to him as though he's a two year old. He was sure enough going to slip the snake's blood into Blaise's drink tomorrow if another smack talk comes out from his mouth.
"Poor it slowly," Blaise said quietly.
"Blaise shut the hell up!" Stop distracting me!" Once the thin tube was empty, Draco grabbed a nearby wooden spoon and started mixing the ingredients together.
Once the ingredients were flat surface and back to a solid color, he and Blaise got down to eyelevel with the mixing bowl and stared at it.
"Is it supposed to look like that?" Blaise asked disgustedly.
"I think so." Draco replied.
"Why does it smell?" Blaise covered his nose with his arm and closed his eyes.
"The snake blood is taking the effect. The book says the smell will go away in 24 hours." Draco flickered through the pages for more details.
"So, how bum was Weasley was when she handed you the book?" Blaise helped himself with food that was in the fridge. Draco didn't bother protesting.
"Actually, she wasn't. She didn't seem to care at all." He replayed the fear on Ginny's face earlier today. He wondered why she gasped for oxygen every two seconds. The fear and her horrid face haunted him as well.
He wasn't sure if this should be shared aloud. Not share it with Blaise, but especially with Ginny. However, he wanted to find out what scared her and why she twitched so often. He was soon going to find out, one way or another.
That following Tuesday, in Advance Potions, Ginny sat in her original spot, across from the two Slytherin boys. They stopped talking when she was presence. She took the awkward silence by asking: "Are you guys done putting the ingredients in?"
"Yep, all we need is—" Blaise looked at Draco. "What was it again?"
"We just need the lamb's love thingy." His voice was bored.
"Do you mean Lamb's Heartless Love flower?" Draco stared down at her. "Well, that's what it's called. Don't ask me why." She had seen the look he was giving her.
"What the hell is Lamb's Heartless Love flower?" Blaise's voice made Ginny and Draco tore their eyes apart from each other, and glowered at Blaise.
"It's something you and the lamb have in common; a heartless heart." Ginny laughed, and Draco managed to let out a snort. Blaise didn't find this funny.
"Go down to the valley, past Hogsmeade, and there's a bunch of colored lamb flowers. It's only invisible when you really need it."
"Oh, so it seems as though the lamb has something else in common, being invisible." Blaise replied angrily. Draco laughed at that. Ginny looked at him.
"Apparently, you found a side to go against," Ginny shot at him.
"I'm on no one's side," Draco said. "It's hilarious how you two argue back in fourth. You two are like an old marriage couple."
"That was low, Draco," Blaise snapped.
"You're lying!" Ginny shouted at Draco.
"I am not!" He shouted back.
"So, you just want to go to Draco's dorm!" Blaise shouted at Ginny. She closed her already open mouth and changed her tone.
"Now, why would you think that? He's gross. You are too." She nodded her head toward Blaise's direction. "Therefore, all guys are gross and disgusting."
"Not for Potter, that is." Draco suggested.
"No he isn't!" Ginny shouted in anger. "Wait, yes, he is." She had once again made a fool of herself in front of Draco and Blaise because they laughed loudly. When was she ever going to stop embarrassing herself in front of them? In the meantime, she avoided any eye contact until necessary.
"Anyways, Blaise and I thought about it, and we think it will be fair if you were part of this stupid, useless midterm project. If we have an extra person, then more likely we will get done faster and the sooner for me to ditch you two. And don't think I'm being nice because I'm saying this crap." He watched her slowly lifting her head to stare at him.
It was unbelievable. He had offered her something, even though he insulted her, but it didn't matter much. Well, she never once thought this would come out from his mouth, nevertheless it did.
"You're joking, right?" Ginny asked. She hid her smile.
"No. Don't make me take it back!" Draco shouted.
"It was just unexpected, that's all." She shrugged it off.
"Yeah, and this is coming from the dork that kicked me in the knee," He spat angrily. She giggled lightly, but it wasn't the reason Draco thought it was. She was happy that he was inviting her in.
"Meet us after dinner, outside the great hall, all right?" Blaise said. She nodded.
The rest of the period, Ginny and Blaise watched Draco and Pansy flirt with each other. It was an even trade to watch the two flirt, then actually see the action behind all of it. Every great in a while, Pansy would give Ginny the jealously-look, but she couldn't figure out why. Her and Draco weren't nothing compared to her and Draco.
Draco and Pansy were again on the Famous Lounge Chair kissing. Just as he was going for her shirt, Pansy spoke. "Why do we always kiss in the Slytherin common room? Why can't we kiss and do other stuff in the Head Quarters? I mean, it's more roomy." She giggled lightly. Draco stared at her.
"It's because you always ruin the moment. Can't you shut it for like five minutes?" He snapped.
"Uh, no," She laughed.
"That's too bad because you just lost your chance—again." He pushed her off his lap and made himself comfortable in the lounge chair.
Pansy stared at him with wide-eyes. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked.
"I'm going to take a nap before I meet Blaise and the little Weasley dork at my Head Quarters."
"Oh, so you and Blaise become like B-F-F's or something?" She was annoyed.
"B-F-F?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Best friends, and if I heard correctly, did you say the Weasley girl is going the Head lounge?"
"Yes, it's for the midterm project. Now, close it, I'm trying to sleep."
"Draco, I'm your girlfriend! And I'm not even allowed to go in there and she is?" She stomped her foot on the stone ground. The hard surface pained her feet.
"It's for midterm purposes. Calm down." He explained with his eyes closed.
"You do know I have a reason to be upset with this?" She said.
"That's nice," He said quietly.
"Ugh, I hate you right now!" When she didn't get a reply from Draco, she pouted and stormed out the common room.
"Can you please stop staring at me? I'm starting to get self-conscience." Ginny said at the Gryffindor table in the great hall.
Ron had been staring at her for the past four minutes while chopping down food he randomly picked from the large bowls.
"Then, please do explain the reason why you are going to Malfoy's dark layer to do the midterm project? Can't you do it in the library or something, like where people are your eye-witness?"
"Would you stop worrying about that?" Hermione snapped. "I told you I'm going to be there, so there will be no public interference."
"Actually, Hermione, we also have to do our potion. Step three finished and we have to begin steps four through six." Harry replied.
Hermione glared at Ginny, as well as Ron and Harry. "So now you worry about my life whenever it comes to boys. Nice. What great friends I have." Ginny snapped.
"Gin, it has nothing to do with that?" Hermione tried smoothly out.
"Then please do explain your lack of friendship for the past year and a half!" She stormed out the great hall with a rush of heat.
Once the cold surface of air reached her body, she instantly felt relaxed, but not entirely. She still felt stiff in her back area. She was walking away from the great hall when she felt the familiar rush of flashbacks coming at her. The same scenary as many times before came. She saw the blurry four figures laughing happily—black. She hit her potion book against her head. The unfamiliar girl hiding behind a tree, fear was read all across her dirty face—black. She did it again. The face of Voldemort in the darkness, his bright red eyes standing out like never before—black.
"Ugh, quit it!" She smacked the object against her head again, this hard. The flashbacks stopped, and now, she has a headache. Someone cleared their throat. She looked up and saw not Draco, but Blaise this time glaring at her.
"You Gryffindors' are frigging weird. He commented. Ginny made a face at him.
"Where's Malfoy?" Ginny noticed he wasn't with Blaise.
"He had some business to take care of." He replied.
On the way to the Head Quarters, Ginny would make unacceptable noises that irritated Blaise. He didn't necessary tell her to stop, but she got the hint whenever he glared at her. They have arrived at the picture frame Ginny noticed from a few days ago and studied it.
There were two tigers in the picture frame. One was black and white, and the other was orange and black. The tigers were placed in a jungle, one tiger on the opposite side of the other. They each were staring at each other, ready to prance, instead of killing their prey; the white tiger pranced on the orange tiger playfully.
"Okay, that's enough," Blaise said. "Royal Status, the portrait door opened.
The main lounge was huge. It was larger than her whole house. There was a large fireplace placed in the middle of two large windows that overviewed Hogwarts. Most of the rooms were lit with candles. A glass table was placed around a black couch and two chairs that were similar in the Gryffindor common room. There was a kitchen on the far right of the room and on the other side; far left, was a dimly light hallway, which was probably the Heads' room.
"Nice. Am I right?" Blaise dropped their project from the fridge and started organizing. Ginny was speechless. Everything around her seemed to sparkle in places that were lit. She couldn't find the words to agree with Blaise.
"Are you going to stand there, or are you going to help me figure out what to do with the next few steps for today?" Blaise asked. Ginny walked over to him feeling a bit embarrassed.
She and Blaise were doing well. The arguing stopped and the rude comments Blaise would shoot at her whenever she snapped at him, had also all stopped. Draco walked in after Ginny and Blaise stopped fighting over who was hogging the book. Blaise and Ginny looked up from the book and bowl, and glowered at Draco.
Draco' black pea-coat was hanging loosely off one of his shoulders. His platinum hair was sticking in random directions. His stormy blue-grey eyes showed the lack of laziness, and this pleased Blaise.
"What's with the smirking?" Draco walked inside the bathroom. Ginny got a perfect view of him from where she was sitting. He was fixing his appearance and wasn't aware he was being watched.
"Where have you been?" Blaise asked. "I lost you after potions," He tried to hold in his laughter.
"I was with Pansy, who else you think, dim-hole." Draco replied from the bathroom.
"For three hours?" He asked.
Draco came out from the bathroom and this time he caught Ginny looking at him. She tore her eyes away from him and looked at Blaise instead.
"When you get a girlfriend, you'll understand my friend,"
"Weren't you supposed to dump her today?" Blaise ignored the insult.
"Yeah, but she kept on going on and on about useless crap. I stopped listening after a while."
"That's how guys do it," Blaise managed to laugh. Ginny curiously stared the two boys before judging their action.
"How far have you two gotten done?" Draco asked.
"We're not nearly done." Blaise said miserly. "We're only on step four."
"Hand over the book." Draco stuck out his hand for the book, once it was in his hand he sped read the directions and began guiding Blaise and Ginny what to do.
The rest of the night was strangely familiar to Ginny. She felt as though she has been here before, but couldn't exactly put the time or place together. Ginny tried to hold back her laughter whenever Blaise would say something dense, or whenever Draco make a comeback about Blaise's comment.
The two boys didn't mind her soft laughter, but they each hid that emotion deep, deep down.
Note: So, its not exactly a sequel. There's many scenes from the WLB that transferred into this story. As I said before. It's new and improved WLB version :) Please review and tell me what you think :) bye!
What's Beneath the Truth?