Chapter 2:

Neville awoke to the sound of coals being poured into the fireplace. Usually he did not see or hear house elves. He opened his eyes but remained silent. The elf was dirty and moved quickly. It cocked one ear towards Neville before sticking its own foot into the hot ashes that had burned overnight.

"Don't-," Neville started but the house elf had already disappeared. What a horrible thing, forcefully inflicting pain on oneself. Neville noticed that only Seamus was still in the dormitory and quickly got dressed. He shook Seamus and ran down to breakfast to get his schedule.

Professor McGonagall was looking particularly harassed this morning, so Neville retrieved his schedule without a word. He was delighted to see a free period right after lunch time. More time to be with Helena.

Classes went by with a horribly slow pace. They had to turn in all the work from over the summer and perform the spells they were supposed to have mastered. Neville ruined one shirt and three ink bottles attempting to do so. He also lost Trevor. Again. By the time he got to the empty classroom he and Helena used, he was dragging his feet and his head was pounding.

"Hello Neville. How were classes today?"

"A disaster, just like everyday. I'm as talented as a Squib."

"I don't believe that. If you were accepted into this school then you are exceptionally bright." Helena said kindly.

Helena was being nice to him? One of the founders of Hogwarts, head of the most brainy, was calling him smart?

"The spells are so complicated. It never comes out right when I try it."

" Show me. Pick one spell you don't believe you can do."

"I'm going to embarrass myself," said Neville as he raised his wand.

"Engorgio!"

The pebble in front of him grew to a rock as big as his fist.

"How did that happen?"

"I gave you a small bit of an assist. Now that you know what it feels like to succeed, try without my help. Have confidence and be bold!"

The second attempt made a pebble the size of a cherry tomato.

"Continue to practice. That's a job well done," said Helena. Her silvery hair was blowing behind her and Neville inhaled sharply at this sight. She was so beautiful.

"Thank you Helena. I'm sorry I wasted some of our reading time." He opened the book to page at random and began:

"The hidden halls of marble, grey

Portraits move and speak

Candles move, statues don't stay

I get lost every week."

Neville read several more poems before their time together expired.

"Tomorrow will you come again?"

"Just as soon as I can," promised Neville.

"Remember how it feels to succeed," she whispered as she floated out of the classroom, leaving Neville free to stare.

As the first months of school passed, Neville had less and less time for anything other than homework. It was coming in monstrous amounts and seemed to crawl out of the walls like your worst nightmare. Several times Neville had had to cancel on Helena so he could spend the time reading assignments rather than poetry.

"Helena! I'm sorry I'm late again! Professor Snape made me stay after class to redo the potion." "Neville," she said in acknowledgement, barely looking at him.

"I'm sorry," he said more quietly. He had a substantial urge to hold her hand in his. He reached towards her.

"You know you can't do that." she said quietly, still not looking at him.

" I wish I could. I love being here with you, away from all of them."

"Why?"

"Well you're miles smarter than any of them for starters," he joked. Finally she turned and smiled.

"You are very nice. You don't ever make fun of me, you help me, you don't worry about anything, and you're a great person." Neville continued.

"Not exactly poetic, but thank you. Most people don't care to be nice to ghosts. We're already dead so they don't care what they say and if it offends us."

"I've noticed. Some ghosts are terribly sensitive though."

"You've met Moaning Myrtle," she commented with a grin.

"I have. That's a long story." Neville didn't want to tell her how he had accidentally gone in the 2nd floor girls' lavatory.

"Neville, I don't think we should keep using this room to read in."

"Why not?" He was afraid she didn't want to be friends anymore. It never really made sense anyway, why she had wanted to be in the first place.

"When we were building Hogwarts, we created this room which is to be unplottable. It is called the Come-And-Go Room."

"That's amazing! But what is it?"

"The room takes the form of whatever you need it to be. We just need a private place to read and not be overheard, so it would be perfect."

"But if it's unplottable, how do we find it?" asked Neville.

"Its on the 7th floor in the corridor. You walk past the wall and think about what you need it to be. You must be specific. I must be there with you when you go inside also."

"That sounds great! It's so cool being friends with a ghost. You guys know all the secrets."

Helena laughed. "Neville, you are so young and naïve." Neville blushed.