Everyone Enjoys a Good Lie

Everyone Enjoys a Good Lie

Prologue: Of Kneazles and Wandless Magic

By Divinity

Ginny laid in the grass under the mid-June sunshine, thoroughly enjoying the last Saturday she would be spending at Hogwarts for a few months. Colin sat nearby under a tree and hummed as Ginny stared at the clouds. Many of the other fifth-years were engaging in similarly lazy activities, everyone thankful that the O.W.L.'s were over.

"That one looks like a kneazle," she told Colin, pointing up. She heard a familiar, light clicking noise, and hoped he was taking pictures of the fluffy white kneazle, and not her.

"This is my favorite part of the year," he responded, crawling over to his friend and lying beside her. A pause as he tried to follow where her finger was pointing. "You're right, it does look like a kneazle."

Ginny turned to her side to look at him, and with her ear to the ground, heard footsteps approaching them rapidly. Propping herself up on her elbows to see who was coming down to the lake, she heard Hermione's happy yell. "Ginny!" she called, waving a letter. Ginny winced.

"She's the energizer bunny," Colin said, taking a picture of Hermione jogging toward them. Ginny lifted an eyebrow at him, and wondered what the energizer bunny was. She pictured Hermione with her old teeth and a bushy tail, and sighed, doubting that was what Colin meant.

"Hello, Colin," Hermione said breathlessly as she skidded to a stop in front of them. "Haven't seen the camera out in a while."

"It's a new one," Colin beamed. "Got it for finishing my O.W.L.'s without breaking down." The two girls grinned proudly at him, and Hermione turned to Ginny, thrusting the letter into her hands.

The redhead lay back again, taking the letter slowly from the yellow envelope. "It's permission for you to come home with me." Ginny scanned the letter, a smile spreading on her face. They had gotten the permission from Ginny's parents earlier that week, and had been worried that Hermione's parents had planned a trip to France or Belgium or something already.

"You're going home with Hermione?" Colin asked, sitting up. He didn't live far from Hermione.

"Yeah, for a muggle studies project," Ginny nodded, tucking the envelope away. Hermione's smile faltered for a moment, but Ginny didn't catch it. "I'm supposed to learn how to use muggle currency, do household chores, and basically get on without magic for a month."

"Sounds cool," he nodded, "it's tough to make the transition, but the muggle world has it's own kind of magic, I suppose."

Ginny looked at him thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought of that before," she said. "Maybe I will find my own magic." Colin grinned impishly and took a picture of her contemplative face before she could turn away. She glared.

"Sorry, it was for the history books... Ginny Weasley thinking." Hermione laughed and gave Ginny a pat on the head.

"I'm off to go pack, guys!" she called out, hurrying away. Ginny tucked the letter away into her trouser pocket.

She closed her eyes. "I'll get you for that one, Creevey."

"I'm trembling in my trainers..." he quipped, lying beside her again.