Thursday night after dinner approached quite suddenly and the two first year students found themselves in the trophy room, Professor Baines showing them the sponges and bucket of soapy water.
"I'll check on you in a little while. You may leave once you are done all the trophies in these two display cases." He turned to leave, closing the door behind him. Ophelia sighed, sitting down with three trophies and a sponge, depressed as she began to scrub. Olivia watched her with her arms folded across her chest, a single blonde eyebrow raised.
"Merlin, this is so tedious." She groaned, sitting down across from Ophelia. "Look what you got us into."
"Me?" Ophelia looked at her defensively. "It was you and your big fat American egotistical way of thinking you are greater than everyone else. Didn't your mother teach you any manners?" Ophelia bit her lip, knowing she shouldn't have said that as she began to scrub harder. Olivia looked at her with disbelief, her eyebrows furrowed, her face softened. She took a deep breath.
"I've never met my mother." She said honestly. "She and my dad got a divorce when I was a baby."
"Oh." Ophelia squeezed her eyes shut and mentally kicked herself. Why did I have to say that?
"Looks like I'm not the one who thinks so highly of themselves." Olivia said under her breath.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you just think you know everything about everyone but you obviously don't. My dad says that's a weakness in people, people who are too smart for their own good. That's why I don't go sticking my nose in places it doesn't belong."
They stayed silent for a while as Ophelia scrubbed the trophy, the bronze metal underneath the dirt and grime finally beginning to shine through.
"I never met my dad either." Ophelia finally spoke up, her eyes gazing over to Olivia. "He and Mother got a divorce when I was a baby too." She swallowed. Olivia picked up a sponge and soaked it in the soapy water before grabbing a trophy and beginning to scrub as well.
"Really? What happened?"
"I don't know. Mother's never told me about it but Aunt Ginny told me they were only married for a year before he left. Wouldn't tell me where though." Olivia could see that Ophelia was trying really hard not to cry.
"My dad left my mom too. They used to live here but after the divorce, Dad couldn't stand being in Britain so he took me to the States. I guess Mom didn't care enough about me to look for me." Olivia shrugged. "My uncle says I look like her, because she used to have bushy hair and brown eyes but I totally have my Dad's Malfoy nose. Grandpa has it too." Olivia explained.
They sat in silence, each other's words just sinking in.
"Do you...do you ever wonder, about your mum?" Ophelia asked. "I mean, do you ever think about where she is, or who she might be or what she looks like? Do you think she thinks about you?"
Olivia wasn't sure what to say. Those were concerns that crossed her mind often and she hated the feeling of tensity she got when she thought about those things.
"Do you?" Olivia asked, making eye contact with Ophelia. Ophelia's face was tear streaked and puffy. She nodded hastily.
"Why doesn't he just call? Or send a birthday card? Don't I mean anything to him? Doesn't he want to know me? Doesn't he want to know who his daughter is? Is he ashamed of me and Mum? What did I do?" Ophelia was shaking, her voice coming out unevenly. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm so silly." She smiled, her voice cracking. Olivia began chewing on her broken fingernails again.
"No, you're not. Because that's exactly how I feel about my mom."
The girls didn't exchange any words after that, each working silently to clean the trophies in the two trophy cases. Their conversation had left a thick cloud in the air, both wanting to know more answers to more questions, questions mostly about each other, but couldn't bring themselves too. Finally, Baines arrived, saying that it was late and they could leave. The exited the trophy room, each turning in different directions to head back to their dormitories.
"Ophelia." Olivia called, turning around. Ophelia stopped in her tracks, not turning around to look at Olivia.
"Yes?"
"I just wanted you to know. I'm sorry." It was so quiet it was barely there but Ophelia heard it. She closed her eyes, knowing her and Olivia had reached some sort of unspoken understanding.
"It's okay. Good night." They both returned to walking their respectable ways.
"Dearest Ophelia. Relax, darling. One detention will not do anything to damage your career opportunities. Just have fun and study. I miss you! The house is so lonely without you. Even Crookshanks the Second knows you're gone and misses you. He's taken to sleeping on your bed at night. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are thinking of buying a house in Hogsmeade, so that could be good for you. Uncle Ron is just trying to get on with things after a mini earthquake hit his home a week ago. Don't worry. He's fine. Anyway, I hope you're making friends. Just be the sweet girl I know you are and you'll be fine! Love you loads - Mother."
"Olive. Hogwarts does not suck and even though I want you to come home too, I can't just pull you out of school like that. You'll get used to it, I promise. I hate the flat [they call the apartment a flat in the United Kingdom, just some more terminology for you without you. It's lonely and bare and depressing as I come home everyday to find Greg eating ice cream out of the tub on our sofa! Just calm down. You'll be able to fly soon. Making any friends? Slytherins are your allies. Everyone else is just a joke. Muhaha! Grandpa and Grandma had me over for dinner the other night. They wanted me to send you your birthday present through the mail but I think I'll just save it for when you come home for Christmas. Wow, this has gotten longer than I thought. Anyway, have to get back to work. Miss my little witch very much- Dad. PS My middle name is not Xavier..."