Ophelia spent very little time by herself. Severus found her a few minutes after the train left, sat next to her but didn't say anything, not even hello. Ophelia looked up at him several times before she averted her eyes on the passing scenery. Another hour passed before she got the guts to start the conversation.
"I'm sorry you didn't make it into the Death Eater camp." She said, still not looking at him.
"It's not your fault, don't be foolish. You didn't do anything." He answered bitterly. It was true that he failed by himself but the reason he wasn't yet accepted was because she appeared in his test. "It was stupid anyway. I'll still go to the dark arts lessons, the difference is that I can't get any real duties. Nor the Dark Mark." Severus explained sounding just as grim.
"There is a Dark Mark?" She asked, feeling like rolling her eyes at her father. "He has a flair for drama. Dark Lord, Dark Mark, what else?"
"What was your illusion about?" He asked after a moment of silence. He could only imagine it was something about her father or the school or both.
"You." She replied looking deep into his eyes. "I'm scared of losing my friends, especially you." She added. Severus was taken aback by how genuine she was. "I guess my only fear is that my friends will disappoint me and abandon me when I need them the most."
Severus took a few moments to really think about it. Ophelia was not exactly the easiest person to befriend and she seemed to be in a constant battle with herself. She most definitely loved her father but she also loved her life without him involved in it. She was stressed and she had very few people she could really talk with about her feelings. Maybe that was why he was so surprised she appeared in his illusion instead of Lily. They were both in between worlds and they had to choose one side or the other.
"What have you done this summer?" He changed the subject. It was the right time to shift her attention on better things.
Ophelia chuckled to herself at his tactic.
"I've got a boyfriend." She said keeping a dumb smile on her face.
Severus rolled his eyes and crossed his hands in front of his chest.
"What else, I mean."
"I had a training regimen controlled and led by Bellatrix. It was terrifying and I think I lost my will to live a few times but now that I'm not in that bloody house everything is better." She sighed in relief, eyes automatically going to her fading scratches on her arms.
"That woman is mental. I cannot believe she's going to marry Rodolphus next month."
"Do they even like each other?" She asked innocently.
"No. They sleep in separate bedrooms and don't really see each other much, except when they have meetings and stuff. It's really about tying their families together than having a good marriage."
"How do you know all these details?"
"Slytherin gossip. There is a rumour that Rabastan is supposed to marry someone too, although nothing is set yet. The same rumour points to Katie Rosier." Severus said, quite bluntly seeing how Ophelia was the girlfriend of said man.
"Over my dead body." She mumbled angrily.
From that point on, Ophelia's bad feelings for Katie grew infinitely. She didn't just dislike her for being an arsehole at school but she hated her so much she glared at her whenever they passed each other.
When they arrived at Hogwarts, Ophelia just kept close to Severus. Surprisingly, he didn't run off like he used to but actually walked next to her, talked to her, even laughed with her in the carriage. Yes, they did take the same carriage with Frank Longbottom and some other fellow from Ravenclaw.
"I didn't know you two were so close," Frank whispered to Ophelia although everybody heard. Severus rolled his eyes but did not start cursing, something he would have done if it was James instead of nice, polite Frank.
"We're having a good day," answered Ophelia before she looked at the Ravenclaw. "Who is your friend, Frank?"
The boy had the same platinum blond hair as Lucius only he did not look like he was about to become a muggle murderer. He was dressed in his robes but he had a lot of accessories and these weirdly shaped glasses through which Ophelia wondered if he could see.
"This is Xenophilius Lovegood. He's a fourth year so we don't have any classes together but we got to meet last year during the club activities."
"What club activities? Isn't the Dueling Club the only one you signed up for?" Ophelia asked curiously.
"No, of course not. Xen's a great fashionista as you can see but he is an even better journalist."
"I've been trying to convince the school board that it would be in our favour to have a school paper. What if one lost something and can't find it? What if one won a prize abroad? What if there is a band forming in the shadows of our own grounds? Students need to know." Explained Lovegood in a soft and calm voice.
"...right. To be honest, that doesn't sound bad at all. Why don't you talk to Cissney? She is-" As she was speaking she looked at Frank and saw him shook his head with eyes wide and worried.
"Who on Earth would ever consider Littlewood responsible? No, thank you. I prefer to do it by myself." He said, annoyed someone could ever say that to him.
Ophelia had to wait until they arrived at Hogwarts for Frank to explain why Lovegood did not like Cissney.
"They were in the student committee together and it seems most of their opinions were against each other. Xen believes that Cissney is too out there."
"As in she talks a lot but doesn't do much?" Severus asked since he tagged along.
"A bit." Poor Frank didn't want to take anyone's side. Ophelia chuckled and pat her house mate on the head, like she would to a puppy. It was strange how tall she has gotten over the years, she was almost as tall as Frank by now.
Once they got in the Great Hall Snape had to go to his table and the Gryffindors went to theirs. Potter was already there, making space for Ophelia to sit between him and Sirius.
"How was your summer, badge? Any headaches?" He asked with a knowing smirk. She narrowed her eyes at him and punched him playfully.
"Did you get home alright on the broom?" Lily asked still uncertain they did the best back then. "I mean, you don't fly usually and it started to rain as soon as you left."
"No worries, I took care of her. I wouldn't have killed our precious badge." Potter said confidently, wrapping an arm around her. She froze as she didn't quite expect it.
Unfortunately there was no Rabastan at the Slytherin table so, even if she did glance at them, nobody interesting glanced back. All the Slytherins she trusted were now out of the castle so she suddenly realized that except Severus and Regulus, she might be in danger.
"Is Eynon going to teach us DADA this year? I mean, after Spinnard, professors kind of only stay for one year." Alice started looking at the empty spot next to McGonagall.
"Maybe Spinnard cursed it. If it's not him, it's nobody."
"That doesn't sound like him. He hated teaching so he was more than happy to get out of it." Ophelia said knowing him the best.
Potter glanced at her and remembered the room he spent quite a few nights in. It was like a portal back in time, into the life of a very intriguing character. He did snoop around after he was more or less forced to sleep in Spinnard's bed. It was sad how much angst was in one person when he used to be so lively.
On the other side, Ophelia remembered the time her father came to Hogwarts. It was their first meeting after she realized who he was and he told her he had business there. Was it for the post of DADA professor? It was in his character to curse people for even less than that.
"I hope we will get a new Legilimency professor." She added thinking how they didn't do much last year.
As if Dumbledore heard his students talk about the new professor, he rose and silenced everyone.
"I'm glad you're having such a good time but I have news." He looked rather disappointed about what he was about to announce. "Considering the growing number of wizards and witches that choose to return to the old ways, the Ministry of Magic has been on alert. Of course, here at Hogwarts we do not discriminate against blood but the Minister wants to make sure that no muggle born or half blood will suffer any trouble while at school. Therefore, I am obliged to welcome Odessa Selwyn as your new professor of Defense against the Dark Arts." As he finished the introduction, a petite older woman entered the Great Hall from the staff room and sat on the empty seat. McGonagall tried to welcome her with a smile but Odessa Selwyn was not pleased by it.
"Isn't Selwyn a huge name in the pure blood world?" Frank asked since he had heard of that family before.
"If she is such a big deal then why is she here? Did she retire from the Ministry?" Alice asked leaning in so that she won't be heard by everyone.
"If the Minister sent her here then probably not. She looks so different from what we had...she's old and I'm sure she's narrow minded." Potter commented feeling disheartened. "We won't learn anything this year and we have the OWLs to pass."
Ophelia stared at the small professor and couldn't help notice the glare she got from her in exchange. Did the ministry know about her connection to the Dark Lord? Was that the real reason she was sent? Or maybe it was the loud mouth Slytherins that got them concerned...
Next morning, bright and early Ophelia got woken up by a commotion in the Common Room. Everyone heard it because they were all up and about, some complaining about Potter already as if he was at the core of any problem. When she got downstairs, her hair a mess and still in her silk pajamas, the first thing she saw -no, the first thing that was thrown at her- was Arthur Weasley.
"Are you alright?" she asked although she was the one that fell with a seventh year boy on top.
"Yes, sorry. We were having a conversation and suddenly it...wasn't anymore." he said, helping her up. "Something happened during the summer, to all of us." he added.
"Oy, Scraemt, what the heck mate? Aren't you like Weasley's best friend or something? Even my fights with Potter don't go so violently." was Sirius' voice booming through the room. It was very silent, nobody dared speak a word and almost the whole house was there. The little ones were kept upstairs for good reasons.
"Friendships change, they falter just like my safety as a half-blood." Was Scraemt's answer, finally enlightening everyone about his problem.
"You're overreacting. Nobody in this house will ever endanger a half-blood. Especially Weasley, I mean seriously..."Hearing his words, Sirius turned to Arthur, "He's a muggle fanatic and wouldn't even stand a chance against a Quidditch player, no offense Weasley."
Arthur frowned but couldn't fight that theory. As the discussion went on, Molly Prewett came and took Arthur aside while Ophelia took a few steps and ended up next to Lily.
"Do you think the ministry is overreacting, Black? This summer-this summer I witnessed my father die because he dared go against a pure-blood. He was killed with so much ease and the person that did it looked so content with himself. So yes, I am going to be wary of my own best friend." He answered, the fear and sorrow of his loss still so poignant in his brown eyes.
"It's starting," whispered Ophelia, her eyes falling over her ring. "He's really going to turn everyone against each other."
Lily heard her well and shuddered at the thought. That new professor was going to cause a lot of trouble between students.
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