"You...look suspiciously happy, badge."
It was hard to miss it. Ophelia had never been depressed but she has never smiled and hummed to herself before, at least not in front of people. As soon as they arrived back to Hogwarts, James has been expecting his former sour grape to vomit rainbows because she was that happy.
"Are you that excited to fail exams, Molley?" Black asked feeling very snappy. His brother has been getting on his nerves after the party. He was growing way too close with the older Slytherins, especially with Avery.
"What makes you believe I will fail?" She asked, her mood still not affected.
"Because we learn nothing in DADA. Even Remus agrees with me, right mate?"
"Not specifically."
Hearing his answer, Black narrowed his eyes playfully at his werewolf friend.
"Selwyn seems even worse after the holidays, doesn't she? I think we wrote the same lessons a few times and she doesn't really talk to us about anything." Peter mumbled while searching for more details about transfiguration.
"I don't care what her hobby is or what type of tea she drinks, though." Black said rolling his eyes. "We have less than 4 months to get our shit together and the Ministry is not even bothering to help us, the future of this world." He added growing annoyed by himself.
One little boy, maybe a first year, came rushing to them in the library and stopped right next to Ophelia.
"The headmaster..." he stopped to catch his breath before he continued, "He wants to see you. Right now."
Ophelia blinked, taken aback by the sudden request. The boys stared at her in confusion, maybe except Sirius who had an idea what it was about.
"I'll walk with you, Molley. Come on." He said and didn't even wait for her to gather her books.
They barely made it into the corridor when Sirius started to share his opinions out loud, something that Ophelia has been hearing for the past week.
"Do you think it's about the Christmas party and how you allegedly petrified Katie?" He asked with a light tone.
Ophelia rolled her eyes, not finding that problem serious enough for someone so important to interfere. Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts not the Minister of Magic and even so, nobody cared what a few kids did.
"You know, we are not allowed to use magic outside school. So even if they try to pin it on you, there is no trace that could actually lead them to you." Sirius continued.
"Wait," she stopped and frowned at what he just mentioned, "So the ministry can trace whatever spell we use back to us?" Sirius nodded slowly not understanding what was the problem. "I should be fucked then. I use magic every summer, especially back when I was training with Lestrange."
Sirius frowned and yet he wasn't surprised. Now that he knew of her identity, it was easier to deal with whatever information she threw at him.
"Well...I can only think that somebody interfered. Or they placed a strong enchantment over you so that nobody knows when and where you use it." Sirius said with a shrug, "That's not so bad, though."
Ophelia doubted that. If her father could literally make her invisible, he could do whatever he pleased with her and no one will ever find her. After her conversation with him about immortality she really didn't know what to expect.
"It is bad considering what my father does." She mumbled, already having a headache.
Sirius went on with his theories for the whole way and didn't stop until they reached the entrance to the headmaster's office.
"And now what?" He asked feeling way too excited for no reason.
"Now you leave and I go in." Ophelia replied in a matter of fact tone.
"But you don't know the password." He stated glancing at her with innocence.
At that moment, as if Dumbledore was listening, the statue moved and Ophelia threw a sarcastic smile at her classmate before she went up the stairs. When she got in front of the door, it opened by itself and uncovered not only the headmaster but also her colleague.
"Didn't expect you here, Zabini." She started as she approached him.
"And yet I did expect to see you here." He retorted knowing how she was a magnet for trouble. "I do want to know what caused this misunderstanding."
Dumbledore smiled at the sight and nodded to himself. Enzo Zabini was the perfect candidate to have around Ophelia since he and his family were not power hungry enough to join Voldemort.
"I'm sure you aren't very happy with the arrangement made by the ministry." Dumbledore started watching the two students with a knowing glint. "Professor Selwyn was sent here with well established motives."
"You mean sending in one of theirs and keeping us away from actual magic during DADA?" Zabini asked with a roll of his eyes. "Sorry, sir, but it is an irresponsible move."
"They are afraid, aren't they? Afraid that an attack can come from inside Hogwarts." Ophelia stated crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"That's impossible. Right?" Zabini asked turning from Ophelia to Dumbledore. "Students don't possess enough knowledge and power to attack the ministry."
Dumbledore sighed and leaned closer to the two.
"I do not know what students are capable of anymore, Mr. Zabini. We all know that danger does not come only from those we expect it to come from. These are blurry times."
Ophelia watched and listened to his words of wisdom with irony.
"Why are we here?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to leave. "Are you giving us a lecture about trust? Because honestly, you are the last person I want to hear it from."
She was blunt and bold and a bit stupid for speaking in such a way with the headmaster. And yet Zabini found himself respect her even more than before.
"Considering how unprepared you feel for exams, because that is what is important for students inside Hogwarts, exams," He started underlining the excuse they were to use, "It wouldn't bother me if students decide to have their own special tutoring. And who better if not Hogwarts' best duelists."
"That's...a lot of students, sir." Zabini answered feeling like a huge amount of pressure was being dropped on his shoulders. "As you probably know, many Slytherins are already very busy." He added seeing how the headmaster most definitely knew about the dark arts lessons.
"I'm sure you can handle this responsibility, Mr. Zabini."
Enzo sighed heavily and nodded. He looked at Ophelia who seemed to be watching Dumbledore with a lot more tension than a student should. Sensing how there was more to be discussed between the two, he smiled and excused himself.
"What do you really want from me, headmaster?" she tried to sound as witty as polite.
"Unmistakably, the ministry knows how persuasive your father is and that is the main reason they sent a pure blood to watch the students from inside the castle. I do not agree with the way they are approaching this problem but I do agree that students can be swayed into pledging their loyalty to him."
"I would prefer you to get to the point, sir."
"The mind is a tricky little place, don't you think? It would be best if students know how to keep it safe. If only we knew a talented legilimence that could tutor, secretly of course, a handful of students into Occlumency." He trailed with a glint that made Ophelia quickly realize what he was implying.
"Me? You want me to teach Occlumency to the whole castle?"
"Not the whole castle. Just those you choose to trust."
"Nobody trusts me enough. And there is no reason for me to accept."
"I think it was last night that I had Mr. Filtch come and inform me of a black dog, a rat and a deer roaming the school grounds. I wonder how that happened,"
"I wonder..." she said immediately thinking of the three musketeers that became animagi by themselves. "So what am I supposed to do? Create my own wall of defense against dad?"
Dumbledore seemed quite content with the way she expressed his idea.
As soon as Ophelia walked out, she leaned against the wall and sighed. Her father had his plans, Dumbledore had plans, everyone seemed to make plans but nobody asked her before getting her involved. She rubbed her head and took a few deep breathes in before she looked up and faced a sight that she did not expect.
"I know who you are," she started pointing at the black kitten staring at Ophelia with an annoyed look, "So who are you?" She asked pointing at the black dog that seemed to drool all over. The dog tilted his head to the side and Ophelia raised an eyebrow. He barked once and strutted all the way to her before he raised on two feet as if asked to be petted. "Have you been waiting for me here?" She asked giving in and patting his head for a bit before she grabbed him by his nose and glared at his doggy black eyes. "I'll see you and the rest of the band in the common room. You three have a lot of explaining to do."
Sirius watched her as she walked away, angry for some reason. The kitten rolled his eyes and approached the dog with an attitude.
You've got a long way to go, my friend.
Sirius' ears perked at the male voice he heard and looked around until his eyes fell on the cat.
Are you one of her father's henchmen?
The kitten scoffed both internally and externally, sounding a lot cuter as a baby cat rather than an old man.
I'll excuse you this one time, you're welcome. Besides, I'm not an animagus.
Are you a maledictus then?
Children these days know a lot and yet they don't really know anything.
Sirius frowned and left with a lot of questions. Besides, Ophelia knew who the kitten was so he could just ask her.
By the time he got back in the Gryffindor tower, the only people in the common room were Remus, James and Peter. They were sitting on the couch in front of the chimney with Ophelia staring at them with a scolding look.
"What did I miss?" He asked changing into his human self. Being still a fresh animagus, he was completely naked.
"Go put something on first, you filthy dog." She said turning her head quickly to the other side.
"That doesn't really come as an insult anymore since he is technically a dog and hasn't taken a shower in three days." James decided to comment while his friend rushed up in the dorm. "Just saying," he added under Ophelia's annoyed gaze.
"Why do I feel like I am in detention with McGonagall?" Peter whispered to his friends,making them chuckle although they stopped when they heard Ophelia click her tongue at their silliness.
"Alright, I'm done!"
What Black meant by done was having covered his intimate parts because having a robe on was definitely not 'getting dressed'.
"What got you all bothered, Molley?"
"You." She replied.
"...I am truly flattered but please, we have an audience." He teased her getting a snicker from James and Peter.
"A dog, a deer and a rat." She said pointing at each of them, already knowing who was what. "Really, James, a freaking deer? It's a huge animal that lives in the forest not struts up and down the corridors in search for attention." She added feeling like sighing after every word.
"I'm not the one making noise! Sirius barks even when he is human!" Potter complained pointing at his best friend. "Besides, we did it in order to help Remus and keep him company in the Shrieking Shack."
"Yeah, where were you when we had to transform anyway?" Peter asked although not in the same sassy way as Potter.
Sirius glanced at her and could already see her brain making up a relevant explanation that wouldn't bring her more questions.
"What's the point of this gathering?" He asked helping her change the subject.
"For some reason above my understanding, Dumbledore asked me to create a...little army," she started, "With how dramatic things are going outside, how friends are turning against each other, how the Ministry is trying to keep us under strict watch and to be honest, with how Slytherins are acting nowadays as if they have the upper hand, we are supposed to create a group that can fight against all I just mentioned."
"And why did he ask you to do it?" James asked out of pure curiosity.
"Because I am extremely talented at Legilimency and DADA." She said with no modesty.
"Wait, what? He wants us to learn Legilimency?" He asked sounding way too excited.
"Occlumency, to be exact. He is afraid that To-Voldemort can manipulate students into joining him. It's best to solidify your control and defense of your mind." While answering his questions she definitely understood Dumbledore's point in having her choose their acolytes. She could easily find out if they were interested in Voldemort or not without using torture.
"I'm in." Sirius and James said raising their hands in unison.
"I decide who's in. Well, me and Zabini. He will tutor people in DADA while I will tutor people in Occlumency."
"Zabini? Isn't he a Slytherin? That doesn't sound like he is a reliable source." Peter asked in confusion.
"Zabini has no interest in Voldemort." Sirius replied remembering his little chat at Christmas.
"What about you, then?" Peter asked Ophelia.
Ophelia didn't have a clear answer because, just like she told Nott a while ago, she was never offered a choice. Her father was the one who took the initiative when it came to her training and even her friends or her professors so, in all honesty, Ophelia didn't know what she wanted. But standing there, with people that genuinely cared for their formerly sour grape, in the Gryffindor common room where it was cozy and homey, she felt like it was enough.
"I don't want Hogwarts to become a battlefield. I also believe in fighting for those that cannot fight for themselves."
Remus watched her carefully before he got up and smiled.
"Let's do it, then. Let's create an army of good wizards."
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