"Potter! I was expecting you at dinner!" Cerberus was very loud when in the presence of his friends. "Come in, come in! You too James!" He ushered them inside with a large smile.
"Wait- is Knowingall part of our family?!" James asked, not yet grasping where he was.
"No. He is a friend of mine." Mr. Potter explained while dragging their luggage behind. "This house is alive, James. So don't burn it down." He added, glancing knowingly at his son.
Once Ophelia saw the car, she ran inside and hid in her room. The paintings upstairs were sleeping and when she passed by she made a lot of noise.
Cerberus laughed and noticed the owner of the house was missing. He walked to the stairs and screamed as loud as he could.
"Our guests are here! Come down and greet them!"
Ophelia hissed in her little tent on the bed. Sometimes she'd wonder if being always in danger wasn't better for the owl man than having such a free life.
"Maybe I should go to dad," she said but she quickly shook her head. "Better not. I want to have fun."
Seeing how Ophelia was not going to show her face, Cerberus turned to young Potter with an evil glint in his eyes.
"Would you mind waking her up? She's been very lazy these days." Cerberus lied easily. Mr. Potter shook his head disapprovingly but let his son choose for himself.
James took the chance and ran up the stairs, his loud steps sending a chill down Ophelia's back. He was approaching rapidly and for some reason it was worse than a snake attacking her.
But for the young Potter, the house was simply odd. It reminded him a lot of Hogwarts and how it seemed sometimes like the castle was messing with the students. But this house was so elegant and wary, it was nothing like the place he imagined he will go.
And there were the portraits upstairs, all very alike which meant they were all part of the same family. None looked liked Cerberus, they looked more like Sirius' family to be sincere- except the eyes, they were all blue eyed people with black hair.
"Hey,"
Since their meetings was unavoidable, Ophelia decided to confront her worry and just go with the flow. Better to surprise him than the other way around.
"Oh, hello badge." Potter shrugged her off and kept his eyes on the most strict woman he has ever seen.
"You do realize you are in my home," she added coming to stand next to him.
It took another few minutes for James to fully comprehend what she said. In that moment of enlightenment, the boy turned to her with eyes so wide that they looked bigger than his glasses.
"Your house?! Then are these your relatives?" He asked in awe.
The first answer came from the portrait- an offended scoff- whose eyes narrowed at Ophelia. It was only a scoff but it hit the young witch in her pride.
"Her name is Melissa Spinnard. We're not relatives." She answered throwing a quick look at the strict woman yet partially understanding her point of view.
"Spinnard...as in former professor Luce Spinnard?"
"Right. She was Luce's grandmother."
"But I thought you said that this is your house," James added, growing confused with how much new information was thrown at him.
"It is. Spinnard left it to me as inheritance."
Now, Ophelia knew what she did and with how perceptive was Potter, it was natural for him to piece the two together and come up with a conclusion.
"What happened to him?"
"He was murdered in cold blood," she answered, avoiding further details. "It seems he has been involved with a very bad wizard."
"There's a lot of them lately," Potter mumbled, "But still, were you two so close? I remember he hated you more than anything."
"He did. But he loved his friend just as much and loyalty forced him to stand by me."
Clearly there was more to the story than she was telling him and it wasn't a surprise since Potter knew Ophelia. She actually opened up quite a lot compared to what he would have expected.
"Um- excuse me?"
Both students turned to the stairs where a clean and nice dressed house elf was blinking its huge glossy eyes at them.
"Miss, master Cerberus said to come downstairs." He informed the two before he popped away.
"You have a house elf?" He asked, following her down the stairs.
"Cerberus is not his master. Dylis is a free elf."
It seemed important for her to mention that detail, especially because she freed him from enslavement.
"Does Knowingall live here too?"
"He's my guardian."
Hearing that particular title, Potter froze mid step and almost lost his balance.
"Your life outside Hogwarts is really not what I expected, Molley."
In the kitchen, Mr. Potter and Cerberus were chatting about their affairs.
"Have you told her about Vernon?" Asked the younger man.
"She was bound to find out sooner or later anyway. He became bold in what he's shown her so I decided it's better if she is aware of his presence." Cerberus explained, having the hard mission of acting like a guardian.
Mr. Potter nodded, admitting to himself that Cerberus was right. After all, there are bigger secrets than Peverell's current situation.
"James told me she is very skilled in the art of dueling but he's growing suspicious. It seems Ophelia has a lot of practice and her dark arts talents are surfacing."
"We cannot stop her from being who she is." Emphasized the owl man.
"But we can help her figure out who she wants to become. You, my son and all the kids from Hogwarts have been more of a family to her than Tom." Mr. Potter said, obviously seeing the whole matter from a different point than the rest.
Cerberus sighed and rubbed his forehead, trying to keep a migraine from stopping him drink. He never thought about it but living with a curious teenager was not easy.
When the youngsters walked in, Mr. Potter smiled warmly at his former duel student. She looked happy, dare to say, and her eyes were bright compared to the last time he saw her. On the other hand, his son was disheartened.
"We're not at a relative's house and this is not like camping, dad." James stated in disappointment as soon as he reached his father. He sat down and stared at Cerberus, finding it weird to see his professor so bright and preppy. "Should we even be here when you are my professor?"
"Not anymore. A vampire made sure I quit." Cerberus mumbled, taking a sip of his drink.
Ophelia, on the other hand, understood what 'family relative' meant and she started to search for a small and cute little pet with blue eyes. She looked everywhere in sight and in the end, under the table. There wasn't any pet nor an animagus for that matter.
"We're here because I need to take care of a few errands and I have to meet an old acquaintance. He cannot be seen in public so-"
"Is it a muggle? Or a celebrity?" James asked curiously.
"Is it a werewolf?" Asked Ophelia which caused James to throw her a swift glare.
"Is it?" The boy trailed suspiciously, already having doubts what his father was doing while he was at school.
"This particular man is a lot worse than a werewolf." Cerberus interfered, "He's part Veela."
"Aren't all Veela women?" Asked James completely confused.
"No. His mother was a Veela and he...he has bigger troubles." Mr. Potter corrected, "He will come tonight, if he does."
"What's dangerous at a Veela?" Asked Ophelia having no idea what that meant.
"Beauty. But with this guy, if he is just as I remember, it's also his personality." The elder man continued with an amused glance at Mr. Potter who was shaking his head, already giving up.
"Why?"
"He's the most insufferable person you will ever meet. Luce was friendly compared to this guy." Cerberus added seeing how both children were immersed into the subject.
"So, it seems this guy that will come to meet my father and professor Knowingall is something." James started later that day in the living room. He was wandering around, looking at everything while remembering most of the furniture was Spinnard's.
"Cerberus retired from the post. It seems one year sucked all the desire he had to train children." She replied chuckling at her guardian's childishness. "How is it going?"
"How what is going?" James asked as he eyed a globe in the library.
"Your plan to become an animagus." She continued seeing him tense but still not ready to admit.
"Why would I want that? It's a lot of hard work."
"Not hard enough if it's to help a good friend. I'm not stupid, James. I know about Remus and his condition."
Potter sighed and turned to the green eyed witch. She was very persistent when she wanted something.
"How did you find out?" He asked coming to sit next to her.
"I followed him. You?"
"I followed him."
They looked at each other in silence until they both started to laugh. It was joyous and it echoed through the hole house, waking up the paintings upstairs. They didn't mind and neither did the house itself; it has been so long since youthful laughter filled the halls.
"We are too curious for our sakes. Did you tell him?" Ophelia asked her eyes sparkling.
"No. Not yet. You?"
"He knows, yes. But I haven't told anyone else."
"Same. It's me, you, Sirius and Peter. We should help him in any way possible."
"Pettigrew tagged along? I expected Black but not him." Ophelia added genuinely impressed by the chubby wizard. "Those who look weak make up in bravery, I guess."
"...what about Spinnard? How come no one told us about his death?"
"It was fast. Cerberus took his place and now I believe this extraordinarily handsome man will be next. Otherwise, why would Dumbledore come too?"
"How do you know he will come?" James asked curiously.
"I don't. I'm only guessing but if he does show up then we're going to meet our new professor earlier than expected." She answered, anticipating the meeting with this half Veela man.
But the mysterious beauty didn't come that night or the next or the next. Four days passed and Potter was growing more interested in the house and its backyard rather than anything else. Ophelia decided she should use the opportunity and train a bit with Mr. Potter, action that didn't go noncommented by his son.
"Have you two met each other before?" Asked the Gryffindor boy with a raised eyebrow from the side.
"Your father taught me the real art of dueling." She admitted moving out of an attack. "A swift move of the wrist and-" she changed the victim and with narrowed eyes she whispered towards Potter, "Wingardium Leviosa,"
Potter's eyes widened as his feet left the ground and he started to levitate, rolling on his face without a stable weight center. Mr. Potter couldn't help but shook his head with a bemused smirk. James' eyes widened for a brief second before he glared at the laughing girl and crossed his arms in front of his chest as she moved him higher. Mr. Potter shook his head again, retreating into the house since the children were going to take a while.
"Do I look amused, badge?" he asked with a tint of annoyance.
"No but I am."
James pouted before he decided to approach the problem in a different way. Thus, trying to at least look dignified, he whispered Accio wand and imagined he's on a broom, balancing himself so he could be standing when catching his wand. Ophelia raised an eyebrow, preparing herself for anything. From the look in his eyes, he was going to pay her back big time.
"Locomotor Weebly!" he screamed but the spell missed without having her move aside. However, out of reflex, she did move a bit to the left. James chuckled and muttered to himself, remembering how she could easily attack him in that position. James pushed the air so he could roll on his back and quickly attacked her, "Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!" she defended herself before she too said, "Aguamenti!"
"Expe-" James' face was hit by a thick jet of water, straight in the face; not even if she would have planned it, the jet wouldn't have hit so well. "Expelli-" he was cut short when he fell over his face with a loud huff.
"Come on, James~ even Severus is faster than you at throwing curses!"
She knew she didn't use the right example but she wanted him to take her seriously not just another classmate. James pushed his hair out of his eyes and cleaned his glasses throughly before he calmed himself down and breathed out slowly. Ophelia tilted her head and blinked sheepishly before she felt weed grow all around her feet. Roots were crawling up her legs, keeping her in place before James attacked again. She stopped it but he was coming closer to her with new found determination. He glanced all around her, using the surroundings in his favor. He noticed some birds a few feet behind her and quickly said "Oppugno!" and the birds flew towards Ophelia's back, drawing her attention. James chuckled and added, "Stupefy!" and she was thrown a few feet backwards. "Ah Ha! Take that Molley!"
Ophelia needed a moment to register what happened but afterwards she started to laugh while laying on her back, having a lot more fun than she expected.
"You're not in your right mind, I assure you." mumbled Potter as soon as he reached her, "What's so funny?"
Her eyes were shining brightly with life compared to her usual, snake-like glow. While at school she was like a hard wall, impossible to cross or penetrate, at home she was more easy going, she could bend and shape like a river. Looking at her laying body, he realized Ophelia grew quite a lot in height from the first time he had met her and she seemed to change continually.
"Oi, James, shouldn't you be more subtle if you're taking in my figure?" she asked boldly while she sat up. The boy blushed and stuttered some incoherent words out his mouth but Ophelia laughed it off, "I'm only messing with you. Don't take it so seriously."
"I'm not but I have to get used to this new playful badge. You're not usually that happy, Molley." he said, helping her on her feet. "Since you're in such a good mood maybe we should try that flying lesson again and- Hey! Don't run! Quidditch and flying are two important skills in life, Molley!" he screamed after her but didn't follow her. Instead, he got this chilling impression that he was being followed. With his wand still in hand, James spun around but nobody was there. He looked at the house and then he turned towards the forest but still nothing; not until he noticed something dark moving as if it was the end of a Dementor's robe swaying in the wind. Keeping his eyes set on the oddity, and wand slightly pointed at it, James retreated into the house.
"What's wrong son?" Mr. Potter asked, coming down the stairs.
"There's a thing outside, lurking around the fence." the boy said, confused what words to best describe what he saw. It really was a thing for all he knew. But Mr. Potter seemed far more understanding as he walked past his son and opened the door. Cerberus and Ophelia walked out of the kitchen as well and the group united on the front lawn, their eyes set on the 'thing'.
"Merlin's beard, he actually came." whispered Cerberus in awe.
The thing took form and it became the most entrancing person both Ophelia and James had ever seen.
"Can I enter or should I be kept here like a dog?" asked the man in a tone that sounded so much like Spinnard's yet this man's voice was so much lower. He was a true bass in matters of vocal ranges.
"Of course, old friend! Ophelia, James, this is Idris. He's the man we have been so eagerly waiting for." Mr. Potter said, smiling at the two children.
"Eagerly is a big word," James mumbled lowly only for Ophelia's ears but the man threw him a quick glare. "Blimey, he heard me."
Ophelia watched carefully as this new character, Idris, stepped on her land and with a hitched breath waited to see if this man was a friend or a villain. The house seemed to ponder on Idris' purpose too but in the end, let him in.
"He's a friend of your father. How bad can he be?" she whispered to her friend, hoping Mr. Potter had the same type of loyal friend as Peverell.
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