"How did Black even get in the castle?"
"Don't know."
"I bet he has help on the inside."
"Really Stephen?"
"Who in their right mind would help him?"
"Lestrange's parents were pretty close to You-Know-Who."
"Are you suggesting it's Ebony?"
"Always thought there's something off about her."
"Ebony though? Really?"
"She's weird. Probably at least half as loony as her mother."
"That's rich coming from you."
"Fuck off Emma."
"Guys, shut up."
Ebony gave the group of fourth-years a sideways glance, clenching her jaw. They fell silent and looked away, pretending to not have seen her. She had been dealing with shit like that all week. Of course, there were hundreds of rumours floating around about how Sirius Black had gotten into the castle - Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff was convinced that he could turn into a flowering shrub - but unfortunately, a handful of students had taken it upon themselves to place suspicion on her. People saw 'Lestrange' and instantly thought 'Death Eater.' It was frustrating, spending all her time at home trying to persuade her parents she wasn't a complete bloodtraitor and then having to persuade everyone at school that she wasn't a bloody Death Eater. She couldn't win.
She stormed back over to Neville and slammed the book she had found on the table, earning herself a burning stare from Madam Pince. She sat on the chair with a huff, glaring.
"Are you trying to burn a hole through the table with your eyes?" She shifted her gaze to Neville whose small grin vanished. "Seriously Eb, ignore them." She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
"Don't see you getting accused of helping a supposed murderer." She snapped.
"That's because people think I barely know my own way around the castle so what use would I be."
"Are they wrong though?" She said with a smirk.
"Hey!" Neville swatted at her with a roll of parchment and they both fell into fits of giggles, which they quickly tried to smother behind their hands. Madam Pince shoved her head around a bookcase and violently shushed them, which only caused them to laugh more. "Come on, I need a hand with this magical creatures essay. No clue what a damn honky-punk is." Ebony arched her eyebrow.
"I don't think that exists."
"What the hell have I been reading about then?" Neville shoved the open book in front of her. The page was ripped in half and stuck to the one behind it.
"Well, I don't know where the hell you're getting 'honky-punk' from. Half the page is about hippogriffs and the other is so covered in ink I can't tell."
"Yeah. That tends to happen to things in my bag."
"Did you not notice when you were, you know, reading it?" she said exasperated.
"Apparently not." He replied sheepishly.
"You worry me sometimes, you really do." She said rolling her eyes. She watched Neville lift a cracked ink pot out of his bag with a guilty look on his face.
"That explains it." Ebony snorted and shook her head. Merlin, he was useless sometimes. He then preceded to drop the already cracked pot on the floor and just stared at it in defeat.
"Really?" She said, raising her eyebrows. He stuck his tongue out at her and knelt down to clean the mess he had created.
"Have you done that defence essay yet?" Neville asked, wiping ink up with the end of his robes.
"The one Snape set?" Neville nodded. "No. How are we supposed to write an essay on a topic we haven't covered yet?"
"He's a dickhead that's how." He replied, a cold edge to his voice that Ebony rarely heard. "Bet he heard all about the Boggart lesson and is just being petty towards Professor Lupin. He's the best teacher we've ever had and Snape can't stand it, Hell he might have even poisoned him himself."
As much as she despised Snape, Ebony very much doubted the possibility that he had a hand in Lupin's illness. However she thought it better to not voice her opinion, Neville's vendetta against him meant she wouldn't be able to persuade him otherwise and it definitely wasn't worth an argument.
"When's it due?" She asked
"Tomorrow I think."
"Urgh motherfucking shit." She groaned, knocking her head onto the table.
"Where on earth did a nice girl like you learn such foul language?" Neville said, dramatically gasping.
"No idea whatsoever ." She said looking up, an innocent smile on her face.
"It's alright," he said. "How bout we just don't do it. You know, fuck Snape."
"Watch your profanity, Longbottom." She replied, grinning. "We'd get in a lot of trouble."
"I doubt that anyone is going to have done it besides, trouble is my middle name."
"Sure it is."
"Oh shut up and help will you." He held up his inky fingers.
"You could just use a cleaning charm."
"We both know that neither of us is any good at them."
Ebony sighed, "You're an actual idiot." She knelt beside him and ruffled his hair.
"Oi!" Neville wiped his finger down her cheek.
A wicked grin spread across her face. "Oh, you're going to regret that Neville."
Author note: Not a very long chapter but I've been busy with school. However since its now closed due to the current circumstances i suddenly have a bunch of free time so expect more chapters soon !
Stay safe you amazing people :)