As soon as they walked into the Great Hall that same morning, the whole atmosphere was very unlike Hogwarts. Friends were still standing together but it wasn't as light and genuine as before. The only happy people were Slytherins, whose lives did not change much.
"This is most definitely not good for our mental health. One, only one tiny woman entered the castle and messed everything up without saying a word." Potter started to complain, plopping on his seat with a loud sound. "Just imagine when she will start talking and sprout all the nonsense from the ministry."
"We shouldn't judge her yet. We did that before and we both know it wasn't what we believed." Ophelia replied although she was sure professor Selwyn did glare at her yesterday.
"We weren't wrong, he just proved himself to be nicer." Potter mumbled before he grabbed a toast. He stuffed his mouth until all his words were muffled by food.
Thankfully professor McGonagall interrupted and gave them all their timetables. Not much changed from last year except one class.
"Where's Legilimency?" Ophelia asked before McGonagall could get the chance to leave.
"I'm afraid the headmaster couldn't find a substitute for that particular class and professor Selwyn is against teaching you the art of invading one's mind." She would have rolled her eyes if she wasn't the head of the house. "You'll take Muggle Studies, like the rest of your friends." She said, deciding by herself where to place her student.
Ophelia was left in her spot, eyes still wide and not believing what she just heard.
"Badge? Are you alright?"
The whole year was there, staring at Ophelia as she only blinked as a sign she wasn't petrified. One sound came out of her mouth, one that sounded like a mix between a scoff and a hiss.
Ophelia was in a sulking mood for the rest of the day. It was only the beginning of their fifth year and students were already complaining about exams and full timetables. Potter knew how much Ophelia liked legilimency but at least she had her own personal professor at home.
"At least we'll be in Muggle Studies together," he tried to cheer her up but she didn't react. "Don't be such a sour grape, Molley. We have other things to bother with this year."
"Like OWLs?" She asked rolling her eyes.
"Oh, even more troublesome than exams." He stopped and looked around before he wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her closer to him. "We'll successfully become animagi this year." He whispered making her eyes go wide.
"What?" She asked, stopping on the moving stairs. "What if I don't want to? Isn't that illegal?"
"Law is a very...bendy little thing." He said, shrugging that issue completely.
"It's not limited to Hogwarts but to the outside world too. Being an animagus is not easy. I can guess why you want to and I can already list the other two fools that will most likely agree with this plan of yours but law is law. And there's also professor Selwyn who is here to keep an eye on us." She said, huffing and puffing like a dragon.
"I know. It's quite the challenge, isn't it?" He said with an excited gleam in his eyes.
Ophelia wondered why she even tried reasoning to Potter when he already made up his mind. It was useless. He was stubborn and way too loyal of a friend, making her automatically think about Peverell and his stupid letters.
"Oh and, if you want to study legilimency so badly, why not do it secretly? Goldstein would love hanging out with you outside classes," Potter added getting a swift kick in the arse from her. He only laughed it off but it actually hurt.
The first class of the year was one Ophelia dreaded: potions. To her bad luck, Gryffindors were paired with Ravenclaws which meant Severus was not her partner and thus she was doomed. Another reason why that was the case was Goldstein. He walked to her calmly and smiled at her showing those perfect white teeth of his and eyes that silently told her he was not the best potioner.
"Oh come on, he is not that bad. He just...can't save your potions like Snape could. That is a talent, by the way." Cissney commented during lunch.
"Besides, it's really obvious he has a crush on you." Sirius added getting hit by Lily. "What? It's obvious. O-B-V-"
"I got it." Ophelia said pushing a bit of bread into his mouth. "It was probably something I did at Grim's Hollow."
"You don't remember that night?" Remus asked in worry. "How much did you drink?"
"Enough," was Potter and Black's answer making her blush.
"I do remember drinking, dancing and then-" she stopped when she felt a chill go down her spine. She looked around but nobody seemed to care about her. Her eyes went to the staff table and saw the intense gaze of Odessa Selwyn. Was she eavesdropping on their conversation?
"It doesn't matter now. See Littlewood, you should have come. Sirius got himself a girlfriend and even Molley got herself a fan. You should get over Zabini." Potter added.
Cissney rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Instead she looked over the Slytherin table where her former crush and three-months ex-boyfriend was staring at the back of Ophelia's head. If in the beginning she was jealous, after the summer she had with her parents she couldn't quite think the same.
"Mom, what are we doing at the Malfoys again? I thought we won't come here ever again." Said Cissney feeling incredibly small in the manor. It was very cold too and almost dead if it wasn't for the house elves.
"We are here on business, dear. Your father and Mr Malfoy are discussing their moves. We need to prepare for what it is to come." Her mother explained not entirely convinced she was doing the right thing. "Your father knows what's best for us." She said trying to believe in her words.
While they were waiting in the living room, Cissney couldn't help but notice the house elf that was hiding behind the half opened door. His big blue eyes widened even more in fear but even so, he beckoned her to come outside. With little steps, she announced her mother she was going to the bathroom and walked out. The house elf led her up the stairs and into the library where, to her surprise, was Rabastan Lestrange.
"Um...this is awkward. I was expecting Lucius not you." She said in her usual confident tone even if she didn't feel so.
"Too bad. But I assure you that we both have the same intention." He said before he waved his hand at the house elf to leave. "Your family doesn't know what they are getting themselves into, Littlewood. The Dark Lord is not a person you can abandon."
"I suppose..." she had no idea what he meant. "I only heard rumours about him. Is-is he that bad?" She asked seeing how her father was dragging his daughter and wife into a questionable group.
"Lord Voldemort is death. He can kill you in a blink with no trace of remorse. What Malfoy doesn't tell the new allies is that once you become a Death Eater, you cannot give it up. It is a life long role."
"And why are you telling me all this?"
Rabastan took a step towards her and sighed. He wouldn't bother with it if it wasn't for his girlfriend's happiness but he couldn't say that.
"Because of Enzo. You two went out for a bit during school. He has no plans of continuing the relationship so you better prepare emotionally for his owl. He is just a boy, though. The safest place for you right now is with your friends." He said and left before Cissney could ask for explanations.
Now that she was at school she couldn't help but connect it to last Christmas and how natural was Ophelia in Malfoy's house. Lucius seemed particularly close to her too. Was that what Rabastan meant through friends? Besides Ophelia, there was also Sirius whose family was pretty much formed of dark wizards.
The reason why Zabini was staring in such an obvious manner was standing across him at the table.
"How do you feel now that you entered the Death Eaters, Evan?" Asked Mulciber although he was incredibly jealous on the inside.
"Powerful. You would have felt the same if you could control your emotions." Rosier replied with a scowl. "You and Nott were disappointing, really. Snape failed too because of his Gryffindor friend."
Mulciber glared at the older and now more relevant Slytherin but Nott only glanced at Snape who was standing only a few seats from them. Then he looked at Ophelia who had her back on them and remembered their little chat.
"Why was Molley there, anyway?" He asked out loud, drawing everyone's attention. "And why is Malfoy so lenient with her? Lestrange too. Her parents were muggles, they died didn't they? And look how happy she chats over there."
"The muggles were not her real parents, haven't you heard? But I agree that something is going on with her. Maybe we should dive deeper into this issue, ay?" Rosier said before he took a quick look at the Gryffindor over his shoulder. Zabini knew what that meant and to be honest, he was worried not just for her but for everyone around her. Rosier was going to dig in all of their souls and friendships and make them ultimately hate each other.
To Ophelia's luck, though, nothing really happened. Rosier got busy during the weekends and the others couldn't find the time to do anything because of school work. It was coming in loads and the library became crowded. However, the allegedly cursed desk was always available for Ophelia and Severus.
"I hope you are not copying the homework too. Just the notes, please." Severus said from the side as he watched her write slowly. He was her only salvation at Potions. "Tomorrow is Friday."
"And?"
"Defence against the Dark Arts. You will have to write down a third of the manual. Better keep the energy in your hand for that."
"I don't care about Selwyn. She sits at her desk and watches us like a hawk as we do nothing but copy useless spells. They are not even for defence."
The truth was even worse. Remembering the first class of DADA, both students felt a sense of dread come over them.
"Badge! Glad you could come in time!" Potter exclaimed having placed her next to Sirius so that they could talk about their upcoming adventure.
Because she was late she had no choice but to sit there or a few desks towards the front next to Nott. She chose the latter which made Potter gasp so loudly that the whole room heard.
"How could you, badge. I am very hurt,"
Ophelia ignored him and turned to Nott as if they were long lost friends. The boy was surprised and flushed but because he was first and foremost a Slytherin, he chose to scowl and glare at her.
"Did I allow you to sit here? Maybe I was saving it for-"
"I arrived first so whoever comes after me should just go sit with the dream team." She said as she took her book out. "Any other complaints?"
Nott stared at her with his tongue tied inside his mouth. He gulped and focused on his side of the desk thinking that he could just pretend she doesn't exist.
"Don't be excited, Molley. This witch will not care if you stay in front or in the back. She won't be teaching us anything anyway." Was Sirius' comment which came at the same time as the first appearance of professor Selwyn.
"Hello students. I am Odessa Selwyn and I will be acting as your professor of Defence against the Dark Arts this year." She spoke as if she was forced to be there. Her eyes traveled over every student and she very obviously scoffed at some of them. Potter raised an eyebrow sensing the hostility in the air.
"Excuse me, professor, but we'll be having our OWLs at the end of this year," Cissney started feeling like she had to say something. "Is there anything in particular we should learn and practice?"
"There will not be any need for practice. Read and copy the pages I tell you to. The ministry has decided you should focus more on theory."
A flood of complains and whines came at her.
"Shush now," she said literally shutting all of them up. "The ministry knows what they require from young students like yourselves. Now, be nice and do as I say."
"Nothing compares to a summer over at the Lestrange Manor. Especially not with your former tutor, Bellatrix." Severus joked getting Ophelia out of her memory.
"That sounds so much better than Selwyn. At least I felt alive rather than having a deja vu every friday evening." She said and put her hands down. She glanced at her friend with a knowing look before she asked, "What about the dark arts lessons? Any news?"
"With Selwyn here? The ministry's watching us carefully so they decided to keep the date and location secret. It becomes more and more real, you know. Some of the sixth and seventh year students are going out late at night and don't even bother with homework. Rosier has become quite an important figure in the common room." Severus explained flinching at the memory of Evan's eyes. "He is the next Bellatrix, I swear."
"Is Mulciber afraid of him?" She asked playfully but Snape didn't laugh. "Is he?"
"No, not really. He scoffs at every Slytherin that became a Death Eater, Avery included. But the way he walks around, the way he talks and just about everything about him is so-"
"Unstable." Zabini surprised them when he sat in front of Ophelia. "Evan has become increasingly unstable and I think this Lord Voldemort is the cause. Every student that recently became a Death Eater is like that and they are particularly harsh on muggle born and half bloods." He said and paused for a moment before adding, "Evan has been planning to make your life particularly difficult, Molley. He didn't have the time yet but he will. He respects his word."
Severus' eyes widened at the news but Ophelia did not seem to take it to the heart. Her expression was hard to read but something about her green eyes definitely darkened.
"We'll see..." she said in a voice that did not sound like hers.
