After Ophelia just told Lucius Malfoy that she missed him, she just didn't really know how to continue. She had many questions but she was worried that someone could eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Are you alright? I heard the number of students who have returned to school is very small." He said, ending the silence.

"Snape is not here," she immediately commented.

Malfoy sighed and rubbed his eyes, knowing exactly what she was thinking of.

"He's a Death Eater now, Ophelia. He has his own problems."

"So, is father purposely making use of my Slytherin friends in order to keep them away from me?" She asked an eyebrow raised as she started to get annoyed.

"He's been more active than ever, the whole atmosphere around him is...intense. But Snape seems keen on becoming one of his best acolytes,"

"Why? What can father give him that is so precious?"

"Are you serious? Snape has always been picked on for having no power and nobody to truly protect him. That is exactly what the dark lord provides to him right now, power to protect himself."

"He has me, Lily and-"

"That's not enough. Besides, he seems to fit very well in this new environment. Even your father took a liking to the way Snape behaves." Lucius said with a scoff, almost as if he disagreed with the idea.

It was quite obvious that Ophelia did not like the news. The friendship between her and Snape has always been intriguing, especially knowing both sides did care for each other but in very odd ways.

"What about you? Did he rush you to go on your honeymoon as far as possible and then send Rabastan to America?"

"No, the wedding was planned in advance as was my honeymoon," Lucius replied with a roll of his eyes. "Not everything is about you. Rabastan was sent to America because he has been acting off lately. He has been missing meetings and would be seen leaving often to places he wasn't sent to. That's why he had to prove his loyalty."

"So what? He was sent to kill someone so far away?"

"Exactly." He said, not going into more details. "Just focus on your studies for now."

"Is that your polite way of telling me to mind my own business? Nott said it too. Apparently, father is so busy that he doesn't care what I do so I might as well create an army." Ophelia said in a rush of anger.

"We both know that when he will call you to him, he will not accept a negative answer. And he will kill anyone who defies him. So live your freedom because when he will turn his attention on you, it will be gone." Lucius said, his eyes narrowing at the young Gryffindor.

"Will I even be able to ever speak to you again while living this so-called freedom? Or is this just a one-time thing?" She asked annoyed and disappointed that Malfoy still sided with Voldemort.

"If everything goes well, Narcissa and I will be able to visit Hogsmeade for a bit. I will contact you then." He said and sighed heavily, "Keep yourself in check, Ophelia."

"...sure," she replied before Lucius' face vanished and was replaced by the same blurry blank.


The rest of the night was horrible. Ophelia tossed and turned in bed and couldn't sleep at all. When morning came, she came down with huge dark circles.

"What happened to you?" James asked seeing how his friend looked half dead.

Ophelia only glared at him. She really didn't want to speak to anyone, she had enough to think about on her own. She didn't even wait for her classmates and went into the Great Hall for breakfast. It was such a shock to see so few students, and even more annoying to see Slytherins eating as if nothing was wrong. Ophelia walked right past them and saw mostly everyone, except Snape.

"What are you staring at, Molley?" Mulciber asked with a raised eyebrow. "Or should I call you Dark Princess," he added, making the whole group laugh while other students were watching Ophelia with interest.

"Put a good word in for me to the Dark Lord, Molley." Another Slytherin said, probably a seventh-year because she had no idea who he was.

They kept saying stuff like that but she didn't react once. She sat away from them and looked at the kids around her. Whenever she made eye contact, they would either scoff or turn their heads. But funny enough, once James Potter entered, loudly professing his undying bore for history of magic, he went straight to Ophelia and sat across her.

"Still grumpy, badge?" He asked before he stuffed his mouth with toast.

Sirius glanced at the Slytherin table while Peter and Remus found that many people were watching Ophelia as if she was about to burst. However, once they sat down, they could feel that she was unbothered.

"I guess people are growing wary of each other," Peter mumbled.

"Or just me. But it's fine. I have you and that's enough," she said with a smile, taking Peter by surprise, making him blush like crazy.

"Oooh, be careful Padfoot, another suitor joins the race," James started laughing.

Sirius didn't mind since he knew that his only real competition was her father. That discussion with Peverell put things in a better perspective.

School went on peacefully, at least that's what everyone thought. But if you were to walk down the wrong hall and the wrong time and meet a bunch of Slytherins, it was pretty bad. A third year Ravenclaw did so once and he needed to be levitated back from the ceiling. Nobody even knew for how long he has been there but he looked spooked. Another victim was a seventh year Gryffindor who stumbked ipon a group of Slytherin girls in the bathroom and needed to spend a few days in the Hospital Wing. And such cases just became more frequent, making everyone scared to go anywhere by themselves.

"I'm just going to the library, you don't have to come with me," Ophelia said to an annoyed Lily.

"We both know it's particulalry dangerous to go out by yourself at night, so let me tag along," The red head emphasized. "If I say one word to the boys, I'm sure Sirius will jump to follow you."

"Is that threat?" Ophelia asked with a bemused chuckle. "I will be fine Lily. If anything happens, I'll scream,"

"That equals to zero. I refuse to let you go by yourself. Besides, I have to study too." She said, not ready to give up.

"I'll come too! I need to brush up on my arithmancy too!" Alice said coming down the stairs.

Ophelia sighed and by the time they left, they were five people: her, Lily, Alice, Remus and a sevond year named Owen who was a muggle born and has been bullied before by Slytherins.

Walking down into the Main Hall, it was sad to see only groups of minimum two or three kids while Slytherins could easily walk by themselves and snicker at the fear they instigated. The library was empty and Ophelia went straight to the cursed desk, where she usually sat. Her friends however decided to sit at the desk next to her.

"That's the cursed desk, remember? Whoever sits there ends up in misfortune during exams." Alice explained.

"But I've always sat here and I never flanked an exam that badly,"

Alice glanced at Ophelia before her eyes went to the desk. She couldn't help but think how Ophelia already had the greatest misfortune of all. The green eyed girl heard her friend's thoughts loud and clear and she agreed.

They spent around three hours in there, until they started to get bored and hungry. The plan was to go into the kitchen and ask for some snacks but while they were in the hall, Ophelia saw something green running to the opposite direction. She looked at her friends who were walking a bit in front and quickly made a run for it.

"Wait, Ophelia!"

She heard Lily scream and could hear them following her but she had her own plans. It felt like this kid went into a labyrinth, there were just so many turns but in the end, she saw him enter a room. Her friends were still hot on her trail so she entered without thinking twice.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked when he saw her.

"Hiding from my friends. You?" She asked sitting next to him. It looked like they entered an old classroom, or at least some sort of Divination storage room.

"Hiding from Mulciber," Regulus admitted.

"Why?"

"He's been going on about how I am too soft. I can't bully someone older and sturdier than me,"

Ophelia felt the corners of her mouth rise with relief. Regulus was a better human being than he wanted to be.

"Have you thought about my proposition?"

"Why would I tell you things that even I don't know? I am not a Death Eater yet. Besides, if the Dark Lord finds out, he is going to kill me and my family, Sirius included."

"Although I do not care for your parents, I do care for you and Sirius." Ophelia commented, making Regulus scoff. "But I believe you misinterpret the information I desire. I don't want to know what my father does, who dies or what missions they go on. I want to make sure that my friends are safe."

"Your friends...?"

"Lucius and Severus, mainly. Of course, you too if you get involved. Rabastan can take care of himself." She mumbled the last part.

But Regulus still wasn't so sure of what he could gain out of this deal.

"By the way...is Snape being bullied?" Ophelia asked out of nowhere.

"Um, yes? Why do you think he jumped to the idea of learning dark arts? He doesn't even use his dark knowledge in school because he is afraid they will kick him out." Regulus replied. "He has always been teased and taunted by Potter and my brother, haven't you seen? They are your friends,"

Ophelia looked down at her hands with a frown. Has she been so dense? Has she focused too much on her pitiful secret and completely ignored facts that were happening around her?

"I remember last year, I was in Hogsmeade and some Gryffindors were asking Snape if he wanted them to buy him shampoo. And then he was silently drinking butterbeer when Potter came in with his usual group. Snape looked like he wanted to ask Evans to seat with him but Potter started to comment that nobody would like to sit with a sleazebag like him."

Regulus continued and there were many more instances of other students picking fights with Snape but the idea that her friends did so too was unnerving.

"I don't think Snape needs protection outside Hogwarts. He probably needs it inside, where he can't use even half of his power." Regulus finished seeing how Ophelia was already disappointed with the information.

"Think about my proposition Regulus. If you help me, then I will also do everything in my power to help you." She said in a cold tone and with eyes dark and set on a fight.