Ever since Regulus had seen that darkness in Ophelia's eyes, his will to find all there is about the witch increased. However, for the next weeks Ophelia acted normally.
There was a reason for that: exams. The period of exams was approaching and Gryffindors seemed particularly studious. Lily and Remus were first to enter the library and last to leave it in the last week and their notes were going around the common room like fire.
"So, Monday is Transfiguration? We begin with all that information about animagi?" Frank whined. He was laying on the couch with one leg hanging over the back of it and one hand under his head, looking like he might start reciting from Casanova any minute now. If only he knew about it.
"Potter is ready for it. Has been for a while, am I right?" Cissney asked, raising an eyebrow at the messy haired boy.
"If only I could say the same about Potions and History of Magic," he mumbled, copying down Remus' notes in Care of Magical Creatures. His writing was horrid and his notes were undescyphrable.
"Have you heard?" Arthur Weasley barged inside the common room with Wood. They were both rambling about something.
"We haven't heard anything. Do inform us," Black started from his seat near the chimney.
"Victor the vampire will be involved in the DADA exam for third years and he will also be watching OWLs and NEWTs." Arthur explained with a frown.
"See? He didn't just come to have a chat." Potter screamed from across the room, yet not taking his nose from the notes.
"Have you been informed too? About the vampire, I mean." Ophelia asked Severus later that night, during their spontaneous Occlumency lesson.
"He'll be present during our DADA test, yes. Slytherins believe it's an improvement."
"How so? Cerberus has planned a hard and practical exam anyway."
"But he will also watch over OWLs and NEWTs which are exams that make a difference in the lives of students and their futures." Severus added before he flinched, "That hurt!" He hissed, feeling like a rock dropped on his forehead.
"Sorry. It's been harder to control myself ever since-" she stopped and glanced at Severus with innocent eyes.
"Ever since what? What have you done?" The Slytherin asked with a tinge of expectation.
"I was worried for Sirius' brother since I've seen him being pushed around by everyone and briefly took a peek at his mind. It seems Avery made a deal with him and now he has to keep your dormmates up to date with my life."
Severus frowned but after a long and distressed sighed, he took a break from occlumency.
"That's because of Malfoy and Lestrange. It's too obvious they give you prefferencial treatment whenever you come to the Room." He explained, having heard Mulciber talk about it before.
"But they will leave soon enough. It's Malfoy's last year and Rabastan is a sixth year. What then?"
"You tell me. I'm sure your father has already planned your future for yourself."
For some reason, that statement -although it might have been true- made Ophelia very uncomfortable.
Transfiguration ended up being harsher than students imagined, having to transfigurate other stuff except explaining what an animagus is. During Charms, Cissney might have overdone her partner, which was Lily. Potter had never seen Lily laugh so much in all their academic years. And there was Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, where Ophelia let her partner, Frank, do most of the job while she pitched in here and there. Occlumency was a fun exam but it left Cerberus with no energy at all, or will to continue next year. Actually, Gryffindors seemed prepared for whatever was to come, passing every exam with both flying colours and less than acceptable grades.
And then came Defence against the Dark Arts. Cerberus was incredibly happy with his plan which was not taken as a good sign by his students. Not after he has been mopping around all day Wednsday.
"So, all you have to do is answer correctly and a golden snitch will guide you towards your next question. As you approach the classroom, you will see that questions become harder. Once you reach me, you pass. Simple!"
"And what are the levels exactly?" Asked Frank, growing worried with what he had learned so far.
"You begin with what's easier, at the starting point in the Entrance Hall. Then you go wherever the golden snitch takes you to. I have enough snitches for everyone, don't worry."
"I don't think that consisted a problem. More like, do we really have to run from one place to another?" Cissney asked, feeling tired already.
"Anyway, you can go. Choose whatever snitch you want and never take your eyes off it. It would be troublesome if you suddenly followed someone else's guide. Now, begin!" He exclaimed, happy he'll just have to wait silently in the classroom.
"Last year was that Scavenger Hunt for points and now it's this...why can't we have silent exams?" Cissney complained on her way to the hall.
"Like the one in History of Magic?" Black asked sarcastically but she nodded, "Blimey, when did you become so boring Littlewood?"
"When she fell in love with a stiff fifth year." Lily mumbled to the others, making them chuckle. Cissney blushed but tried to ignore her friends.
Ophelia chose a random snitch, one that looked very old yet it was zooming around like it has never been used before. Unlike Pettigrew's, which was so slow even she could catch it in the air. But they were on the ground and the snitch led Ophelia outside, in front of the willow. A Hinkypunk appeared before her and seemed to direct her towards the willow. She ignored it, having already seen where that was going.
Next was the Quidditch pitch which was full of puddles, some deeper than others. The snitch flied across the field and waited there. Ophelia sighed and looked carefully at the puddles. There was a grindylow somewhere. With no other choice, she just went for it. She was half done when she felt something strong wrap around her waist and pull her into a deep puddle. She wasn't sure where exactly was the grindylow so she screamed Incendio!, a powerful jet of fire going in every puddle thus letting her finish.
"Could have done it differently, badge!" Potter said. He was rather ingenious although the whole point of the puddles was to shrug off a grindylow: Potter flied over the pitch on his broom with a winning attitude.
Ophelia rolled her eyes and followed her snitch to the castle. It led her down in the dungeons, towards an office that looked like it could use some improvement. It might have been used for storing furniture at some point and now there was only a huge dresser. The snitch flied in front of the dresser and the door opened. Unfortunately, someone ran in front of Ophelia and the Boggart took the form of his fear.
"Ridikulous!" Screamed Sirius, his brother's image changing into something else. "Move faster, Molley!" He screamed as he ran out after his bright snitch.
Ophelia turned to the Boggart and met the snake. It was huge with eyes that reminded her of her father's. But that wasn't what scared her; it was the words.
"You can understand me. You're a parsletongue, Miss Gaunt."
Ophelia gulped, pointing her shaky hand at the snake. It swayed closer and almost smiled at her.
"Ridiculous!" She screamed and the snake's mouth sewed shut before he exploded.
The snitch left the dungeons and led Ophelia into the Great Hall where she barely pushed the door open when she heard Potter's loud voice resonate through the walls.
"I was right! You are nothing but a vile creature!"
"I'm afraid I do not understand your point, Mr. Potter." Victor answered elegantly. "Don't you have an exam to finish?"
"I saw you right now! And I have kept an eye on you ever since you arrived. I'm not an idiot, you are not here for us but for something else." Potter explained, pointing his wand at the vampire.
Victor noticed Ophelia at the door and smirked. He turned to Potter and took a few steps towards the wizard.
"Just like your ancestor, aren't you Potter? Protecting your friends even when you know they keep secrets from you. For example, the werewolf."
Both wizards froze in their spots. They both knew who he was referring to so they both knew it was better if the vampire kept his mouth shut.
"I don't know what you mean," replied the wizard, tightening his grip on his wand.
"Then should we wait until night falls and the moon rises? It's a full moon tonight." Victor threatened with an evil glint in his protruding eyes.
Ophelia narrowed her eyes at the vile creature but didn't act just yet. Something small approached her and sat in between her legs, getting a view inside the hall.
Potter raised his wand at the vampire with a glare.
"Don't make me do it,"
"Do what? Curse me?" The vampire started to laugh loudly, annoying both students.
Ophelia's hand was trembling as green fire formed in her palm. The kitten looked up at her before he meowed and ran to ask for reinforcements. But the witch remained and couldn't believe it when the vampire's eyes gleamed as he actually hissed at Potter.
"Don't mess with a demon, Potter. You might get bitten."
Ophelia's eyes darkened as she heard another hiss and the door opened loudly but not by her.
"What's going on here?" Cerberus barged in. He glanced at his student before he turned to Victor. "We had a deal. You do not attack any of my students and I close an eye to whatever else you do."
"But I haven't done anything yet, Knowingall." The vampire explained as if he didn't just throw threats. "On the other hand, this young boy has been troubling me."
"That's not true! Professor, this vampire is a liar and he's been stalking the Gryffindor tower! I heard Wood talk about it!"
Cerberus turned to Victor expectantly but the vampire hissed and launched at Potter. It was so fast that he succeeded in scratching him but the bigger blow was taken by Cerberus. Victor grasped his neck and threw the wand aside.
"Stu-"
"If you dare attack me, I'll bite him."
Ophelia felt her whole body tremble and with a sneer on her face, she stepped inside the hall.
"Finally showing your face, I see."
"Let him go." She said calmly yet her face seemed to change a bit.
"Molley get back or-"
It was odd but with one swift move, she had Potter unconscious on the ground. He was only sleeping, nothing big, but the vampire laughed at her.
"A true Gaunt. A true dark witch, just like your parents. I have been watching you, Ophelia. I have watched you play with your colleague's mind." He said, his grip on Cerberus loosening.
"So?"
The vampire chuckled. Seeing how it was the best moment to attack, Cerberus turned into an owl and started to scratch Victor's face. To his misfortune, the vampire grabbed him by his neck and grasped it before throwing the owl against the wall. Ophelia glared at Victor and hit him with a curse that she never used on someone before.
"Imperio!"
The vampire fell back but that didn't stop Ophelia. She attacked again and again and again until Dumbledore's loud voice echoed through the hall.
"Enough!"
Ophelia had her back turned so Dumbledore couldn't see her face. McGonagall followed closely and gasped at the sight.
"Oh my. Albus..." she started her eyes falling on Ophelia's back. "Albus..."
While Dumbledore dealt with the vampire, Potter and Cerberus were taken to the hospital. Ophelia followed McGonagall silently, still feeling the aftermath of her anger.
"I'm sorry, professor."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Molley. You only protected yourself and your classmate." she said sternly.
"I didn't want him to see me like that. I shouldn't have made him faint but James is so bright and I am...like my father." She added feeling like she might start to cry.
"You're not your father, Molley. You decide who you will become." McGonagall said softly, feeling like she was talking to Lillian.
"I don't think I have a choice anymore."
Again, that answer was the last McGonagall received from her favorite student.
