Next morning, Ophelia woke up in the Hospital Wing under the intense, watchful big brown eyes of a person that she did not meet before. Seeing how she was tucked in the hospital bed so tightly that she could barely move, she shifted a bit in order to get a clear view around her. 962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c0j8UwFEz
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4Sd3WZton
“Madame Pomfrey asked me to watch over for a while and instructed me not to let you move.” The girl explained warmly.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCbI21ggDB
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpsZCw9V5J
Those brown eyes of hers were staring at Ophelia closely, inspecting her face for any kind of wound or slight crease that would be a reason to worry. But Ophelia was completely fine, not a trace of physical abuse –not even emotional abuse. So then, why was Molly asked by Dumbledore to come and check on Madame Pomfrey’s only patient?962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMiym9jjfa
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKG8jY8nA5
“I’m Molly. We’re in the same house but I am one year older.” She finally introduced herself seeing how Ophelia was blankly staring at her, “Would you like some chocolate?” She asked when silence filled the room.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEmyqQvK7p
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52avdH2U6c
Ophelia blinked owlishly as Molly opened her bag and grabbed what was a handful of chocolate frogs before placing them on the table next to her head. The brunette shifted once again, signing to Molly that she couldn’t get up or move her hands.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Eq97wEr6j
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqK9XkK65W8
“Ah right. They tucked you in pretty tightly, haven’t they?” Molly mumbled loosening the covers and helping Ophelia lean against the mattress. “Here,” The ginger gave the patient one chocolate frog before she sat on a nearby chair and smiled.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8VBFnADOG
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUpsaR4iqP
“Thank you. This is very good, actually.” Ophelia mumbled, nodding towards the new acquaintance.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2JZ6gqH0C
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpNa9V5RLw
Molly’s smile widened but she didn’t say anything, just stayed there until the doors opened loudly and an elegant yet firm woman hurried inside.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ytKxGOZ6A
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjiXdpuYo0
“How could he not tell me; one of my students…” She muttered as soon as she entered.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDG0nU5oFP
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4om3PDeLK
Professor McGonagall went straight to Ophelia’s bed and smiled at Molly before she turned to the brunette. “I heard you fell down the stairs last night. How could that be possible?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNpcqhmIzZ
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC08RD1y77
Ophelia had only one answer, that might be working yet had the same fifty percent chances for it not to.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WugGbM1GF
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIWYIZMm7D
“Peeves?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCKGGC9baG
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhM0B2kQ7Ld
McGonagall sighed loudly and held her head in astonishment.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdq6Gif8CA
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZojmqy6hr
“I will have a talk with Albus about that poltergeist.” She started, making Ophelia feel a sudden wave of guilt.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfM34zkxqGW
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ddeVaFxxV
“He didn’t push me, only scared me and I fell. It wasn’t entirely his fault.” Ophelia added, playing nervously with the wrapping of the candy.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENDrllaP6T
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83h2OFOgwT
Professor McGonagall furrowed her eyebrows at the brunette student, having quite a hard time understanding how a perfectly capable young girl could fall down the stairs when there was magic all around her. Besides, even if she wasn’t aware of it, she had her mother’s talent and it should have kicked in unconsciously.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCppSyXC8qf
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcss6vl3Zvm
“Well, it still doesn’t absolve him of scaring you. Are you alright now?” McGonagall asked her voice hoarse since she probably woke up less than an hour before hurrying there.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mH5z5MQ37
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjBywkh9Gy
Ophelia nodded, having no memory of what exactly happened that got her in the hospital wing in the first place. Actually, the last thing she remembered was walking towards the Entrance Hall after a very nasty comment thrown at her by Potter.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOcnlplQOi
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSctQNba7hg
“Do everything Madame Pomfrey instructs you to and I guess I’ll see you in class.” The professor started, taking a long look at Ophelia before she turned to Molly, “You should hurry to your lessons, Prewett. Professor Sprout was looking for you.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujez3jToAf
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jrgM54tSN
Molly’s eye widened as she gasped and nodded before grabbing her bag and running out the door. McGonagall waited for Molly to leave before she glanced at Ophelia worriedly and sighed.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg92MVmgj1v
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTrDg0tls8
As soon as McGonagall left, still muttering about Peeves and what a problem he was for young students, Madame Pomfrey walked in and checked her condition for the second time. Ophelia was fine, as healthy as possible and luckily, she could walk to her next class without giving any explanation to the teacher.
It proved to be a day of utter annoyance and meetings that Ophelia would have preferred to avoid. It was probably one of the days she would have wished she could sleep in her room, eventually read a book about what Professor Spinnard has been rambling about for the last few months.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJn1yulIL1h
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTahCLo1DQ
During the break between Transfiguration and Herbology, a Slytherin of the name Nott threw something at her feet that looked like usual joke-balls, only they were biting. They would move wherever she was going so she arrived in the classroom, her toes bitten by annoying balls.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TzMeNpwyU
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp49VY6ySB
Even though it was obviously not her fault and she had no idea how to get rid of them –because no matter how much she tried or Lily tried, they wouldn’t disappear or leave or drop dead- Professor McGonagall didn’t seem to care. It actually felt like that morning in the hospital didn’t even happen.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpQWawi7f3
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kKG4qBXjW
“No matter how much I would like to see you transfiguring these things, I would like for you to get rid of them, Molley. Now.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtaIxOKZzO
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNs0aBqnQwe
Professor McGonagall was just as strict as ever, even if she showed genuine worry for her student that morning.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtvh8AZdoc
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTFysQNZqB
“Evans! Hey, Evans, I bet you a cauldron of chocolate frogs that I can transfigure Molley’s little friends in butterflies.” Potter whispered not so silently.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9ddasg0Kz
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELpDkf0gta
Lily rolled her eyes but seeing how uncomfortable they were making Ophelia and the people around her, she accepted.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY0RGZqQ9n
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJBcWsYwu1
“Fine.” She said.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfhiJXKbbq
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLT3g1rK5pE
Potter’s eyes widened, probably he wasn’t expecting her to accept so easily. Anyway, he high fived his best friend before drawing his wand and pointing I at the balls jumping all around Ophelia’s feet.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnuK4R2z2O
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB1IwXayRl
“Papilio Efectus.” He whispered, his eyes focusing on the task at hand.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7LCKzIxXY
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsteorQJyOA
Ophelia raised an eyebrow when she looked down and noticed that the jumping stopped. The joke-balls changed into pretty and colorful butterflies and flied towards other students, girls especially enjoying them.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8FgjQIlMr
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqUB7Ev4BO
Professor McGonagall was ready to intervene, a frown on her face as she quickly rose from her desk, until something even worse happened.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92irIOImvd
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwN9wDf1s4
Potter was ready to claim his prize with pride when he noticed Ophelia flinching. Since he was still a beginner, once he pointed his wand at the balls he automatically targeted her feet too thus her feet got affected as well.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7k0eQZXIb7
Ophelia started to raise in the air, drawing everyone’s attention, inclusively a very angry looking McGonagall.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKYZv98lKD
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDfGJsGTye
“Molley, get down this instant! We’re in the middle of a lesson here!” The professor said firmly, her eyes following Ophelia’s flying feet.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlPcxzwbLR
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CQx7J8yLZ
As if it wasn’t bad enough, her feet flied higher and slid to the right, turning Ophelia upside down before sliding to the left. Luckily, she had pants underneath her robes or else it would have been even worse.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQsleYmofe
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHKOtoSD1a
Ophelia’s eyes fell over Potter and glared, even if it looked funny from her position. Sirius Black was laughing so hard that she swore he was going to implode, his face getting flushed as he tried to regain his breath. That only amplified her annoyance and antipathy.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCE2sOYaRhH
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaOLhUmkxb
“You are so dead Potter.”She hissed, those green eyes looking evil.
That was how during dinner, half of the school found out about the butterflies during Transfiguration. Nott was standing with his friends at the Slytherin table, telling everyone that he did it which was absurd. Potter was standing as far as possible from Ophelia but not because he was afraid but because he was annoyed that he got detention.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT1neVqu6m
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwhdwzFVIP
“How could she give me detention after that? It was a success, wasn’t it? She should have given me points not detention!” Potter whined, using the same ever since he walked grumpily out of the classroom a few hours ago.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyALf98aJC
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkePI4p59Q
Next to him, Pettigrew was nodding his head, approving everything Potter said yet Black seemed abnormally impartial.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMppcOSAeWY
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0u4SL1Dj3
“Mate, are you alright? I’m in pain here.” Suddenly, Potter’s eyes widened as he remembered something, “I hope she won’t call me for detention when the team is practicing.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWY9ylW5Yf
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HofauyxEr
“She probably will. She’s evil like that.” Sirius mumbled, leaning his head on his right hand as he was playing with his food.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdGq0iMzMz
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAKuyr6SW0
It wasn’t peculiar to see Black pouting, especially after such a boring class of History of Magic, where he did nothing but sleep with his head turned towards Ophelia, snoring softly and flinching from time to time. It was entertaining when he would frown and mumble incoherent words under his breath but once he’d open his eyes, he’d be silent for the rest of the day. Ophelia wasn’t the only one that witnessed that slight change in his behavior, Potter did too and it was worrying.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLz3XvgUWp3
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTkiiGB5eV
Watching subtly the boys speak a few seats from her, Ophelia realized there were only three of them.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3Aj74K3If
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbttubBr68
“Where is Remus? I haven’t seen him all day.” Ophelia asked turning to Cissney.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3BBWBOBw3
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xpB60zDEu
“Maybe he’s sick. The Halloween feast had the same effect on me last night. I’m surprised you didn’t hear it.” Cissney mumbled, eating dinner without a worry.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukJxuYqm2e
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNknpT5m7Q
But Ophelia was worried. She finished fast and hurried out of the Great Hall, ignoring all the calls from the Slytherin table.
“Excuse me, Madame Pomfrey?” Ophelia asked, sticking her head into the room.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fQhYaPvDK
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5cwhkf9gf
No one was there, the beds were all neatly made and empty except one in the far back. Being extremely curious, Ophelia pushed the door open and took one step in before she felt a cold hand grasp her shoulder.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFYHEn6w5I
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65M2CLfgjU
“You might disturb the patient, Ophelia.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbzpGb6zyu
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69pxUBCCqr
Dumbledore’s voice was soft yet she could hear a tinge of firmness that urged her to stop moving. It has been a very long time since she has heard it but it seemed to have the same safety to it.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnJosviczw
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5DcPl8tPI
“Is that Remus?” She asked before anything else, her eyes moving on the furthest bed.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH7KQ3gtbY
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP79FvhLnC
Dumbledore moved behind her and scrunched his eyes towards the patient.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDlAmRDVmW
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaIMT3w1VD
“Who knows, my vision is not what it used to be.” He muttered lowly before his blue eyes fell over the student, “Anyway, let’s take a walk, shall we?” He added, already walking away from the Hospital Wing.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4bPcIdywT
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixLA033DHH
Ophelia glanced one last time at the mysterious patient before she sighed and gave up, following the headmaster.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKFHyFUXXd
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpUqK1WWZR
“Do you like Hogwarts, Ophelia?” Dumbledore asked suddenly.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRU3bQpcap
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhlxaZtEV6
“Yes, of course. Not everyone is friendly and many have never heard of common sense before but it feels a bit like a home.” She answered, her choice of words amusing the elder man.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmfz5pM16u
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX244kPimvl
“A home?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci1lRkSy9V
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6z0c7GATR
Ophelia nodded, “I can’t really recall how home feels like. The orphanage was comfortable for a while and being adopted felt like a new beginning but never have I felt like I truly belonged in any place.” She admitted. The brunette took a gulp of air, feeling like she should tell Dumbledore what she was hiding but she decided not to.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1TMVd9Jbh
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98zOkzxd8v
Dumbledore noticed her abstention and he only hoped it wasn’t about Tom. As wise and manipulative as the older man knew Tom was, the snake could easily wrap himself around her and squeeze every ounce of good out of her. Trying not to think about the worst but the best, Dumbledore changed the subject.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1If6zmI94X
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlAdPgByMr
“You know, your mother attended Hogwarts too. She was a witch with certain qualities.” Dumbledore said, chuckling at the memory.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYgGMb0p9C
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn5old5aGu
“What do you mean?” She asked, tilting her head to the side.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTNMjwpsJI
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovjodESf82
“Certain qualities for Transfiguration and Charms. She had magic that not many of us have but she never quite discovered the lengths of such a gift.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHhlGKYVDm
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyY5h6BmPdI
Ophelia hummed, registering everything he said. She wasn’t sure if it was an allusion to what happened earlier in Transfiguration or what happened in the Entrance Hall that she couldn’t remember.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehYAsD3NbE
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrk6PC1EWKW
“What about my father? Was he a wizard?”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMYxDCQSAg
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mvzdXInvp
That was a question Dumbledore strongly disliked. If Ophelia was showing interest in her father, it could bring bad news. Thankfully, she didn’t look like a child that could be easily manipulated so Dumbledore could only hope she wouldn’t end like Lillian.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsdw4XSjS6
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz01UUqVB7
“Your father is not a pleasing man to be around, has never been. His interests have always been darker than most.” Dumbledore explained as easily as he could but she seemed to grow even more curious.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76GWreMdGg
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiyAkZGAvb
Thankfully, they were approaching the stairs towards the Entrance Hall and down there, waiting near the entrance towards the dungeons, was Severus Snape. His eyes were following the redhead Gryffindor that Ophelia has befriended, a girl that seemed to promise a lot. Once they started to descend the stairs, Dumbledore smiled at the brunette girl that still looked eager to know more about her parents.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhBU9ZAG7L
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I8Drvn6dj
“Trust only those who trust you more.” He gave her that piece of advice before walking away, into the Great Hall.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbUnDHeNqj
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjbE81VGvL
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ophelia asked, rubbing her elbow with confusion.
Spending every Saturday night with Severus was pleasant and educational. Now, spending every morning getting laughed at by a Slytherin or more was not nice at all. Even worse was Malfoy who was watching everything without saying a word, even when Longbottom got fooled into drinking snake venom instead of his usual juice at dinner. He spent the night in the Hospital Wing, vomiting it out while Nott and Mulciber were sleeping peacefully. It was particularly annoying when Mulciber would take a turn at Ophelia because he’d call her a mud-blood and would constantly remind her that he was a pure-blood. Malfoy was always there, in the back, watching with a poker face, fact that would annoy Ophelia more than the bullying.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWiOAcfUeo
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeKEh1dC47
That was why, three days before the Christmas break, Severus asked Ophelia something very, very unpleasant.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRDr8BL5Mu
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGauGLnYGJv
“You want me to spend Christmas here?!”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC625HaoLWC
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAXrGHgiTn
“We need to enter the forest and that is the perfect time. Everyone will leave the school and we have to give it to Malfoy on the night before Christmas. It’s a perfect plan.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZOJoPT0ky
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8s4SvyBkuc
Severus seemed genuinely pleased with himself. He had thought carefully how to get in the forest without drawing attention and the Christmas break was the opportunity they needed.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ148sKEh472
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzeQwbGkem
“It’s not. I want to see my mum and dad.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcPG7EMJbc
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTqSkMloS7
Severus rolled his eyes and moved his chair closer to the table. She had to cooperate in order for his plan to succeed.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcJxzTm8gx
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H7QUn1aca
“They are not your real parents anyway. You can do more great things here, where you can do magic and be yourself than back in Birmingham where you are just an adopted child.” He said, emphasizing facts that most children would get angry about.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLtcC3hXlW
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDS22pOxJ0
Ophelia actually needed a moment to think about that closely. He was right in some aspects, magic became already a big factor in her life and without it, she was just an orphan at the core but returning to Birmingham meant a chance to meet the stranger and ask him about everything she was curious about.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0B99W037g
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pNMleKLUn
“I’m not so sure of that. What did Malfoy ever do for us? Every time Mulciber bullies me, he keeps his hands clean. That’s exactly what he’s doing with us, forcing us to do his dirty work while he will most certainly take the prize.”962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqMtpErI6C
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4Ly9RYWLQ
Ophelia’s elongated green eyes were staring at Severus so intensely that he couldn’t help but agree with her just so she would avert her gaze. Unfortunately, having Malfoy’s angry face appear in his mind, he’d prefer getting punished for a year than having Malfoy mess with his life for far longer than a year.962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFOK8ZWik6
962Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1UCNp5cnn
Therefore, he had to come up with a plan to keep her there or else they will get in bigger trouble than breaking a few school rules.
