Turning back to when Ophelia left her room, she really was on the way to the party when Dylis appeared on the stairs. He smiled at her, a wide teeth smile, and he seemed very happy to see her.
"Miss Ophelia looks like a princess," he said. "There is a present for Miss in the library." He told her and left. That was all.
"Huh," she really couldn't understand how house elves could come and leave so easily after a huge announcement.
But she was curious and she loved presents so she took a turn at the stairs and went straight into the library. She heard when the music was turned on but it was such a faraway sound for her.
Nothing looked different and Dylis didn't tell her anything of help. That was the main reason why she spent so many hours in there -- she really only spent an hour but it felt much more for someone who wasn't enjoying the latest news about Voldemort's plans.
Anyway, after an hour of searching for whatever present she allegedly received, she ended up sitting on the arm chair next to the window. It was night and the moon seemed to glow particularly bright, or maybe it was just very dark outside. The contrast mattered and it made her feel very lonely.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead, trying not to ruin her make-up. Mildred did an excellent job with the hair but Ophelia chose to use what she learned from her adoptive mother in order to beautify herself. It wasn't much but she hoped it was effective. All this trouble just to impress one man...
"What am I doing..." she asked herself, already tired.
One book fell down, scaring her. She looked up and heard movement. Following the noise, she came face to face with a black kitten whose green eyes were staring into her soul. He meowed and patted the book he was sitting on. She could barely bend but she managed to grasp it and look what was so important that Peverell decided to sit on it.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard..." she read the title. The kitten meowed again and approached her. He placed his front paws on her dress and Ophelia put the book aside. She held him up and they stared into each other's eyes. "What is it that you want from me?"
"Meow," was the answer. Ophelia laughed to herself, feeling like an idiot for actually expecting an answer. "Meow," he said again and turned to the book.
While holding him with one hand, she opened the book with the other. She was surprised to find a necklace with sparkling pink diamonds.
"Is this your present or Knowingall's?" She asked him to which the kitten just nodded. Ophelia shook her head and place him down. She took the necklace and put it on, feeling flustered. "Thank you," she mumbled before she looked after the kitten. He was gone, of course. "Why do you care so much, Peverell?"
That was indeed the question.
Now, turning to the present, the pink diamonds shone brightly as she entered the spacious living room. No one turned to look at her in awe, it was not a dramatic story. Rabastan had his back turned to them so he didn't notice Ophelia. Sirius placed his hand on her upper back as an encouragement but Ophelia had other plans. She grabbed a glass of brandy and drank it whole in a few seconds before she took another one and went to Cissney.
"You're here, finally," Cissney hugged Ophelia in relief and then checked out her outfit. "You cleaned up especially well this time."
"Yeah, well, I had to." She didn't really explain much because Cissney didn't know much. "I can't believe we are in the same room with all these murderers. Especially Greyback."
"See? That's exactly what I said." Sirius said turning to Cissney.
"What's so bad about him that makes him the ultimate evil?"
"He's a werewolf." Both Sirius and Ophelia said glaring at him. "He bites children, that's the worst." Ophelia added thinking about Remus.
Snape heard her voice from the other side of the room and couldn't help feel like a proud brother.
"Is that Molley? I almost didn't recognize her. It's incredible what a bit of good taste does, huh?" Avery commented.
"I can't believe she came again. Does she want power so badly?" Katie asked still looking at the Gryffindor.
"There's more to it than she lets on. If she wanted to become a Death Eater she would have been one already." Nott took her side, trying his best to sound mean while doing so.
"I can't believe Mulciber isn't here." Avery changed the subject. "He would have loved to piss her off." Maybe not really.
"What does she want then if not to be a follower?" Katie asked. She truly had very limited knowledge about Ophelia but she also knew very little about Death Eaters in general.
"Maybe she is forced to come, just like Sirius Black and Littlewood." Severus said before he took a sip from his non-alcoholic drink. "Zabini isn't happy to be here either. And we all know Mulciber is abroad with his family. The Dark Lord must have sent them there." He added using logic against his classmates.
"Why would she be forced? Aren't her parents dead?" Avery asked, knowing that much.
"Her birth father is alive." Severus pitched in.
"You know a lot about her, don't you Severus?" Nott remarked with a tinge of jealousy.
"I asked, unlike you." He answered in a matter-of-fact tone making Nott glare and scoff.
"The princess of darkness has arrived," Enzo told his friend in a joking manner. Rabastan turned instantly and he couldn't cover his facial expression. "Close your mouth, Rab. You're drooling." Zabini joked as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"She's gorgeous." Rabastan said. Just that. He was speechless and yet Voldemort's words rung in his ear. "I can't break up with her."
"It doesn't even surprise me," Zabini said in a low tone, "The rumour's that you and Katie will marry after she graduates."
Rabastan turned to his friend with a look that said more than words.
"I guess that won't happen," Enzo laughed before he added, "Knowing Ophelia, she'd rather set Katie on fire than let it happen."
Somehow, Ophelia ended up sitting on the couch between Snape and Cissney, with Sirius leaning only on it behind her.
"Seen you before, haven't I?" Asked Yaxley coming to the young students. His eyes wandered to Sirius too, "You are a Black, aren't you? I recognize those locks anywhere."
"They're the trend right now, thanks for noticing." Sirius replied with more wit than Yaxley expected.
Ophelia couldn't help smile bemusedly at the retort and looked to the side. She noticed Greyback staring at her curiously, probably recognizing her from when she spent summer at the Lestrange house. She moved her gaze and unconsciously looked at her boyfriend. Katie was there, right in front of him, laughing and enjoying their little chat. Rabastan looked up, possibly feeling her stare. Ophelia felt her whole being burn when their eyes met. Maybe because they haven't seen each other in so long, but she felt more intensely than before.
"Stop it or everyone will find out about your relationship." Snape leaned in and whispered to her.
"Maybe that's exactly what I want." She mumbled back, not bothering with the tone of voice. The whole world could hear for all she cared. "The Rosiers, they are like leeches. They attach themselves to a subject and then suck all their life out." She added, thinking about her experience with Evan.
"That's true. That's what they want to do with this marriage too." Cissney pitched in, having that information from her father.
"Alleged marriage," Sirius added quickly.
"I heard that the Dark Lord himself has agreed with it. Just imagine, it would give them more credit and more power. It seems like a good move for both families." Cissney added having no idea what the other two boys were trying to do.
"But it's not official so we shouldn't talk about it as if it is." Sirius said seeing from behind how Ophelia was growing more and more tense.
Rabastan turned to Katie and sighed. Although they were the same age and had the same hair colour, the two girls were miles apart in personalities. Katie was a family girl, she was loyal to them and to their beliefs. Rabastan quite admired that quality, because he was also there for his family. They had a lot in common and would probably have a good marriage together. But there was Ophelia, so close and yet so far. She was interested in dark magic out of pure curiosity, her family was the Dark Lord himself which was a huge problem. She was a Gryffindor, she had all the qualities of one but she had all the flaws of a pure-blood Slytherin.
Besides, she crawled like a snake under his skin. She used and manipulated him and she was like a softer version of her father, both in looks and behaviour. And he loved her, he truly did. She was so different from everything he believed in and treasured and he couldn't help fall in love with her. She most definitely loved him too, it was obvious from the way she was glaring at Katie. He smiled at the thought but she misunderstood it as interest in whatever Katie was saying.
"Excuse me for a moment," he said as he walked to Lucius, hoping he would be of help. "There will be no announcement."
"You don't have to tell me that." Malfoy replied having no desire to interfere unnecessarily. "Don't get me involved, I don't want to die." He added on a colder tone.
"Neither does Katie Rosier." Rabastan hissed.
"Then marry her. You can protect her then."
Rabastan glared at his friend, who seemed incredibly amused at what he just said.
Meanwhile Evan found it particularly interesting that Ophelia was at the party, one where only pure bloods and half bloods came, where only those interested in becoming loyal followers of Voldemort came.
"Nice to see you again, Molley." He said with a sly smile and sat on the coffee table right in front of her. "I see you brought your favourite knights: Snape and Black although I don't know how useful they can be."
Cissney frowned and leaned back at the tension he created.
"And here I was thinking you came to tell me how wonderful I look this evening." Ophelia replied, containing her annoyance.
Evan chuckled and placed one leg over the other, leaning towards her with his glass in hand. He looked like he was about to say something that will fire her up.
"Indeed. You do look rather spectacular tonight, especially that diamond necklace. Probably spent all your money on it." He chuckled and to his surprise, she did too.
"How funny, I thought you must have spent all the money you have left on you and Katie. Your family seems to be struggling lately, hm?" She had a lot of guts to go after what she heard house-elves gossip about.
Evan instantly changed his pose and his fake nice expression fell.
"What do you even know about my family? You, who is nothing but a pity case in this household. Do you really think that anyone here would come to your help if I draw my wand right now?"
"There's no need because you came empty handed." She said, knowing he had no place to hide his wand in that suit.
"Don't force my hand, Molley. I've been incredibly nice to you until now." He said through gritted teeth. Snape looked at the Slytherin's killing aura before he looked at Ophelia's calm posture. She was being too brave for her safety so he quickly placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Let's dance, ok? Let's just...stop this." He started in a low voice, trying not to draw attention to them.
"Listen to your friend, Molley. Snape knows how things are done around here."
Ophelia's eyes sparkled in the light in a way that made Evan see himself in them. She sat there with a poker face and that itself was scary. Cissney gulped and moved away from them while Sirius had one hand on his wand, just in case.
Rabastan glanced for a second, a mere second, and already knew she was about to go all Voldemort on Evan. He had been through that before, it was the calmness before death. He had to act fast so he turned the music louder and went to her.
"Let's dance." He literally approached them and pulled her away.
Narcissa was a perceptive woman so she quickly grabbed Lucius and joined in. Soon enough more people paired for a dance or two.
"You're playing with fire. Calm down." He mumbled seeing how she was a lot taller with heels on and they could look into each other's eyes from the same level.
"I am calm." She said with a glare. "Your future wife is watching us."
"Impossible. She's dancing with me right now." He put it so bluntly that Ophelia's response was a lot more innocent than she wanted.
"What...s-stop with this bullocks." She stuttered and blushed. The tension left her at once and she actually enjoyed the brief minutes of peace.
Across the room was the alleged future wife with a scowl. Bellatrix smirked and decided to add fuel to the fire.
"Don't worry. Rabastan is obliged to do what the Dark Lord commands. This little relationship they have will soon be over. I hope she'll cry."
Those words were full of venom although Bellatrix was aware her lord wouldn't be happy with her words. But then again, he did tell her to aid Ophelia in experiencing real life which she did through her training and now with personal issues.
"Relationship, hm? I'm disappointed in him and in Malfoy. How could they let that mud-blood in here?"
"Do you want me to tell you a secret?" Bellatrix asked sensing how this could turn in her favour. "That rascal is Lord Voldemort's daughter."
Katie dropped her glass in shock. Bellatrix chuckled to herself as she left the student register the information. She was sure Ophelia's life at Hogwarts was going to be a lot more interesting.
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