บท 52: Troubles and Stuff
Once inside the Room of Requirement, with her head stinging from Bellatrix' tight grasp and annoyance building up as well as a gram of fear, Ophelia looked up at the people already present in the room. It was rather empty compared to what she believed; there were the third years, dressed in all black then there were a few older students and a few younger students. Severus was there too, thankfully but he didn't move an inch towards her.
"What are you doing here Molley? Are you our practice dummy?" Avery asked, snickering with the others at his own joke.
"That wasn't funny," she mumbled, straightening her back since Bellatrix pushed her so hard she fell on her knees. "I thought you said they won't kill me." The girl said, turning towards the blond.
Lucius raised an eyebrow as he closed the door behind him. Nott went to his friends, scowling at the girl when he passed her and Bellatrix reached out to grab Ophelia but Rabastan interfered.
"She is not to be harmed. I'll protect her if I have to." The younger Lestrange replied coldly, his vicious glare not affecting Bellatrix in the least.
"What would Rodolphus say if he'd see you acting so childishly," she chuckled, tightening her grip instead of loosening it. But Rabastan didn't move and stood there, patiently waiting for the older girl to listen to him. In the end, Bellatrix sighed and threw Ophelia to the side, like she was an actual practice dummy.
"Now that we settled the problem, Rodolphus has matters to dispose of so Bellatrix Black came in his place. I'll stay around just so no one will torture Molley too much. You can go on," Lucius announced before he turned to Bellatrix. The intimidating woman smirked wickedly and turned to the young students.
"Listen to me and listen carefully, the Dark Lord's power is limitless and so will be yours once you will prove your loyalty to him. He has given me a message: each and every one of you are welcome by his side. He'll be watching and those deserving of this title will become Death Eaters, fighting alongside the Lord himself." Bellatrix answered, her eyes glinting. "Rodolphus wants you to start with jinxes, hexes and curses on enchanted armors but I have a better idea. You'll work in pairs and see what happens to those who don't improve rapidly."
Ophelia swallowed nervously, memories from august surfacing. If that was bad then having to inflict pain on school mates was definitely worse. Watching the others, it was quite obvious she was the main target but only one could pair up with her. She was ready to step back when a hand pulled her aside.
"You're really stupid, you know that?" Severus hissed yet not letting her hand go. "Let's just move aside and turn your back on them. You don't want to see how they look at you." The boy added.
"I don't need to. I can see inside their minds," she mumbled yet not glancing back, the image already contouring in her head. "But Sev, what should I do?" Ophelia asked once they found a good spot in the back.
"What do you mean?" The boy asked, eyes narrowing in confusion.
"What if I kill someone?"
Severus' face was really easy to read and he was far from believing that could ever happen.
"I doubt that,"
----------
Besides the usual attack and defense dance between Ophelia and Severus, it seemed that as weeks passed, Slytherins found it funny to hex her 'by coincidence' both outside and during the dark arts lessons. It was more annoying than anything else as Mulciber and Avery seemed to be in a constant contest on who could make Ophelia reach the hospital faster. During Potions was the easiest because she was barely managing to complete her task before one thing or another would be added in her cauldron, again 'by coincidence'.
"You should do something about those dickheads. They might seriously injure you one of these days." Potter started, during dinner on a Friday.
"It's fine," Ophelia muttered, when her dessert during dinner literally exploded all over her face. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, trying her best to calm herself.
"It's worrying. It's been a month and the Hogsmeade trip is this weekend. No professor will be there to help you if Mulciber looks for revenge for what happened at Halloween." Lily added, just as worried as the rest of the Gryffindors.
"No one knows what happened back then. Slytherins tried to mess with us and then bam! Mulciber was out." Frank recollected, his eyes widening in amusement.
"For what's worth, he deserved it." Sirius said getting a glare from each girl standing across him, "He bullied Remus and Ophelia and we all know they hexed the pumpkins and transfigured our shoes into snakes. Poor Bragnam was ready to pass out and the first years were terrified. Who had the interest to do something like that, hm? Slytherins."
"I'm with you mate. He should have seen it coming."Potter said before he turned towards Lily, "I'd be careful if I were you, Evans. Snivelly may not be just like them but that can easily change. I heard rumors that Slytherins are learning dark arts during the weekend." Potter advised Lily which was not necessary or wanted.
"I heard that too," Cissney started, "I heard they do it in the dungeons and Snape is among them, Lily."
The redhead glanced at her friend with worry before she looked down at her plate.
"I'm sure he didn't help them at Halloween. He wouldn't harm anyone." Lily muttered, still not looking up. Ophelia rolled her eyes, still feeling the aftermath of Snape's improved skills on her waist, which she hoped was not swollen. On the other hand, she also had a lot to worry after Halloween.
[Flashback]
It was Tuesday which meant Ophelia had Occlumency with Cerberus. She was quite a good help after the introduction lesson, helping the others by unknowingly entering their minds. Only Slytherins' really. As Cerberus advised her, nothing had to be disrupted, only give them the push so they could have what to combat.
Right after the lesson finished, Mulciber snickered with the others and stared straight at her. She knew what that meant so she moved slightly, coming in between Goldstein and McMillan. Both blonds and both somewhat big shouldered so she could fit really well in the space between. It was a relief to have such nice classmates, compared to her darker extracurricular activity.
However, while walking out of the classroom, everyone scattered, remaining with a few Slytherins following her until they stepped down into the Entrance Hall.
"Will we see you this weekend too, Molley?" Avery asked, the rest chuckling between them.
"Won't miss it," she mumbled, knowing there was more.
"I heard rumors that we'll have to duel from now on, a real one where you can get hurt. Guess who will take turns with all of us? You." The boy continued.
That was also expected, seeing how even during normal dark lessons they'd 'accidentally' direct their curses at her. Sometimes it would be childish, sometimes a bit annoying and lately, Mulciber and Avery were really going at it.
"Well? Are you ready to duel, poxy?"
That was a word Ophelia strongly disliked and not only because Bellatrix made it her nickname but because she finally understood what it meant. Ophelia had to ask Lily and it seems it was an interesting way of saying a complete waste of flesh.
"I wonder just what is she thinking of? She obviously heard you," Nott mumbled, making Mulciber think of something else.
"Why not try and see then?" He asked, already grasping his wand, "Legilimence!"
But the walls around Ophelia's mind were already strong. She felt something like a tickle and turned towards Mulciber with a glare.
"Try again when you'll actually know how to do it!" She screamed before she turned around and left.
Mulciber didn't look mad but he did look forward to dinner. The Halloween feast was the best place for payback.
Now, that might have not been a great idea considering how everyone was there but it didn't matter. Slytherins always have each other's back even if that does have a very thin limit.
"Look at her, smiling with all those losers as if nothing can go wrong. I can't wait to see Molley's face- oh wait, she won't be able to!" Mulciber started, loud enough for his friends but not to reach the victim.
"I don't think it's such a great idea. What if she will repel it on you?" Severus was far more concerned of his friends than Ophelia. She was unpredictable and she could enter Mulciber's mind without him noticing.
"Whose side are you on, Snape? Do you really believe she has the guts to do that? She won't even see what's coming," Mulciber added, everyone gathering so they could watch.
First was Nott, who hexed the decorations above the Gryffindor table so that everyone would look up. Next was Avery, who snickered while using his wand to transfigure their shoes into snakes. That brought a real uproar and many students jumped on their seats. Severus didn't want any part so he only watched, not moving a hand for either part. And there was Mulciber, who glared at the back of Ophelia's head. He smirked and pointed his wand at her.
"Imperio," He whispered.
The curse almost reached Ophelia when she turned around, her eyes glowing and narrowed as if she knew. Mulciber frowned and completely lost his focus. He only saw her move her lips into what was probably a spell before he felt this breeze engulf his body and move him with incredible force against the wall, forcing him to close his eyes.
Everyone stared with wide eyes as Lucas Mulciber, third year, dangerous Slytherin with connections, was just thrown against the wall and fell unconscious. But no one knew who did it because no one really raised his wand.
"Did Mulciber just get stupefied by himself?" Potter asked, still confused.
"I think he probably tried to stupefy one of us and it bounced back." Remus answered in what was the most logical theory.
"Bounced back off what?"
"Um-"
Ophelia was speechless because she didn't expect it. She looked down at her hands in shock before she looked up at Severus. The boy was staring at her with the same amount of shock.
[End of Flashback]
"You shouldn't come to Hogsmeade. Just wait a bit, for example after Christmas. Mulciber is incredibly pissed with you." Severus told his friend while also staying in the corridor towards the hospital wing.
"I know. I felt his wrath in the moment I entered the Room and he tried to curse me over and over again." Ophelia mumbled, sitting on the ground while Severus was across her. "Empty your mind so that you can feel the intrusion. Once you understand how that works you can block me or force me out." She explained.
The boy closed his eyes and felt his head aching but couldn't properly shove her out. He tried again but the headache only intensified and suddenly he found himself in an old memory. He gasped when he saw his father's angry face and opened his eyes.
"I hate how good you are at this." Severus grumbled,going and sitting next to her. "Spinnard must have taught you real well."
"Cerberus did. Spinnard didn't want me to learn legilimency because that way I could enter his mind and search through his memories." She told him so easily as if the said man wasn't dead now.
"And?"
"Spinnard's always been so cold and distant, dislikable to no end but he was a good professor and a good friend, very loyal and naive. Looking back, he only saw me as a responsability that his best friend laid upon him and then it changed into a burden because of my father. He probably wanted nothing to do with me but forced by circumstances, he had no choice. He protected me until the end and he still protects me through his house."
"Wait what? You're living in his house?" The boy hissed, though it was not meant to sound so violent.
"He left it to me as inheritance. I guess he knew my parents will be murdered or maybe he wanted me to abandon them and live with him. Everything because of my father...I don't understand why everyone is afraid I will run away with him or something." Ophelia complained, losing any type of inhibition. Severus was her friend, in the end.
"You said he is a pureblood. Maybe they have what to be afraid of. How is your father, anyway?"
Ophelia needed a moment to think about a proper answer. She never really labeled Tom as good or bad because at the end of the day, he is her father and will always be. Yet, after august she started to think that maybe there was something odd.
"He knows the other pureblooded families. In august, he took me to the Lestrange mansion and told Rodolphus to train me. That's how I got so good at DADA in such a short time...and then there was this second part of training in the woods. Dementors, wizards, armours, it was awful..." She shuddered only remembering how harsh it was.
"Well, your father sounds awful then. Who would let their daughter go through such an intense and dangerous training just to make her stronger?" Severus asked, feeling quite sorry for her.
"Tom Riddle would."
----------
It was Saturday morning and the wind was picking up, informing everyone that winter is coming. Students grabbed their jackets and money and Potter's eyes were sparkling just like the time he got in the team and caught the golden snitch.
"I can't wait to go to Honeydukes! I can feel the sweet sugary taste on my tongue already~" He sung happily.
"You're such a child," Cissney might had not joked but Potter laughed anyway. "He's such a strange kid sometimes."
"I find him endearing." Ophelia defended him while putting on her beanie. "I think without him around, Hogwarts would be boring." She added, smiling at Cissney.
"You are serious...my, when did you and Potter become so friendly?"
That was indeed the question. She wasn't too sure when or how it happened but after so much sorrow and disappointment and loneliness, James Potter was like a deer hopping from place to place with a positive attitude.
"I think I know when," Alice started, "The time you saw him flying. I think that's when you saw his potential as a man."
There was a pause until everyone laughed. Alice looked confused from one to another before she repeated.
"I'm telling you~ we're 13 now so of course we start having this kind of thoughts. You look at a boy and you see if he has potential or not."
Cissney and Lily were still chuckling when Ophelia turned towards a random boy in the hall. Everyone was preparing to go out so most of the castle was there.
"What about that one?" Ophelia asked pointing at a Hufflepuff.
"Not exactly. But it depends on what you fancy too." Alice added trying to be serious.
"What about Goldstein? I'd say his future is bright," Cissney commented, getting a scoff from Alice. "What about Nott then?" Cissney asked pointing at the dark haired boy.
"Besides being a Slytherin, he is not bad looking. He's also tall and I heard he reads a lot." Lily answered, surprising the girls with her sincerity.
"What about Wood?" Ophelia asked since he was walking over with the rest.
"Eh, he's one step out of Hogwarts. But I hear he has a lot and I mean a lot of admirers." Cissney answered before her eyes fell over every Gryffindor boy in their year. "If you ask me, I think our star will be Black. He's growing up well. Maybe Remus too but then again, we'll have to see."
"This discussion is very uncomfortable." Ophelia whispered to Lily but the redhead laughed it off.
They were walking to the village when Ophelia felt her hands hot. She looked down at them and fire was burning in her palms. It wasn't harmful but it was there and she didn't do it; what she believed was gone was returning stronger than before.
To be frank, Potter was right. Honeydukes was the heaven of everything sweet and tasty and Ophelia's eyes widened at the quantity of sugary treats. She licked her lips and went straight for the chocolate cauldrons. She also bought Fizzing Whizzbees and maybe two or three packs of Every Flavour Beans and many, but many liquorice wands.
"Blimey, badge, you bought enough for a small gathering in the common room late at night." Potter commented, one liquorice wand hanging from his mouth.
"I need to be prepared in case I suffer a lack of magnesium." She answered, making Potter frown in confusion. "I need energy and that comes from sweets." She repeated in a simpler way.
"What do you need energy for? You've been improving in dueling quite a lot. And you're doing pretty well in everything, except Potions."
"I didn't know you have your eyes on me, James." Ophelia joked, partially, but Potter nodded.
"Of course I do! I always look out for my friends. I've seen the looks Mulciber gives you and all the stuff Slytherins do to you. I'm not a fool, badge."
"Yeah. You're not." She agreed with a soft smile. "Well, maybe you should show me a few flying tips some time." She added, his eyes brightening at the idea.
"Of course! But you'll have to wake up really early in the morning." He told her but she seemed fine with that, "Can't wait to see you on the broom, Molley!"
"Potential, potential, potential," was Cissney's voice singing from behind with a mischievous expression.
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