"Just because you can't read doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't be allowed to."

Ashby wanted to snap her neck. Or snog her, anything to get that stupid superior look off her face. Then again, he usually felt that way around her.

“Do you know why people read fiction, Greengass? It is because their lives are too dull and uneventful. Escapism at it’s finest when reality just doesn’t cut it,” he drawled. He understood the need for books for information but he found novels to be dull at best.

"Merlin's Nuts. That'd be real frustrating if I wasn't a witch."

Ashby was quite used to objects flying at his head and he smacked the offending book and it fell to the ground with a thud. His uncle turned to give them both a look, disapproval clearly evident on his face. Ashby looked down at the text of his own book, his jaw tight with his own frustration. All he wanted to do was to get this group project over and done with.

“To offset the frustration of being a bitch?” he retorted, keeping his voice low so as not to be overheard.

"Damn vampires."

Damn prissy girls more like it.

“So...protection around vampires...garlic, holy water…” he started in as his uncle walked by, sitting up a little taller as not to appear slouching. There wasn’t much to this assignment, at least he had that going for him. Even if Tessa didn’t collaborate, he still might get something done. He’d do the assignment and get a high mark. He had never worked harder at DADA before in all of his school career. He had been hoping that his uncle would notice and approve. He was yet to do so.