NO MATTER HOW HARD OPHELIA searched for Colin, she just couldn't find him. She had managed to impress Angelina and the rest of the Gryffindor team with her flying skills, and Angelina was no longer worried what would happen if one of their team members was unable to play, as Ophelia was a decent flier, and could do well in any position.

After Quidditch practice, Ophelia looked everywhere for Colin, but by dinner time, he still hadn't turned up, and the blonde thought that perhaps her best friend did not want to be found.

She ate alone that night.

Much to Ophelia's aghast disappointment, the next issue of the Daily Prophet revealed exactly how important Professor Umbridge was.

She was seated at the Gryffindor table, alone, since she still couldn't find Colin, when her owl dropped the daily issue of the wizarding newspaper at her table. 

After reading through the article, Ophelia couldn't help but glare venomously at the huge photograph of Professor Umbridge on the front page.

Apparently Hogwarts now had a High-Inquisitor, as appointed by the Ministry.

And her name was Dolores Umbridge.

As if having Professor Umbridge twice a week during Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't bad enough, now Ophelia had to endure her during her other classes too, seeing as Professor Umbridge wanted to observe the teaching standard of Hogwarts, and their teachers.

The catch was that nobody knew which of their classes would be observed.

For Ophelia, it so happened to be History of Magic. 

She was seated at the front of the class, so she could take notes, when Professor Umbridge announced her presence by clearing her throat. ("Hem hem.")  

Professor Binns, the only professor of hers who was a ghost, began teaching, droning on and on about the goblin wars in his monotonous voice, while Professor Umbridge sat at the back of the classroom, scribbling and taking notes on her clipboard as if her life depended on it. 

After class, Professor Umbridge asked Professor Binns a series of questions, before retreating back to her office. 

When Ophelia was done with the day's lessons, she entered the library to check out new books, before heading into her secret place behind the restricted section.

Much to her astonishment, she found Colin seated on one of the comfortable chairs, a book in his hand, and a quill between his fingers.

First, she stared.

Second, she couldn't believe her eyes, and her lips parted.

Third, she felt her heart give a fierce jolt on seeing him finally, after practically combing the castle to look for him.

Colin noticed her before she could say anything.

"You found me," Colin replied neutrally.

"You've been avoiding me," Ophelia said crossly, folding her arms across her chest and taking the armchair opposite him.

Colin sighed, leaning back and throwing his fingers outwards, placing his hands in his laps. "I'm sorry."

"That's not an excuse," the blonde stated matter-of-factly.

"Look, I—"

"It's okay. You don't need to tell your best friend why you're avoiding her," Ophelia said, a tone of hurt and betrayal in her voice.

"Ophelia, I can explain," Colin sighed. "Please."

The Gryffindor nodded. "Fine."

"It's just— Sometimes I feel like we shouldn't be friends," Colin confessed. "I mean, you and I, we're completely different. And I feel like I'm just... giving your brother more opportunities to hate you," he said, releasing a deep breath. 

"It's kind of like saying that perhaps he dislikes you even more for befriending someone like—me. Perhaps if we weren't friends, he'd love you a little more?" he explained, stuttering slightly.

Ophelia was suddenly greeted with a feeling of relief. "No," she stated, shaking her head. "No. Oh, Colin, of course not. He would have never started loving me. Even a little bit," she shook her head. 

"He has hated me since birth. The only reason why he hates me more, is because I'm friends with you, and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like that I'm happy."

"You're happy?" Colin asked, his face lighting up. 

"Very," Ophelia gave him a bright smile. "Thank you so much for being my best friend, Colin."

Colin was at a loss for words, and his eyes flitted upwards to look at the blonde, seated opposite him. He could see how much Ophelia had changed. From the emotionless girl he'd met on the train a year ago, to the strong, confident girl, who actually had a very soft and sweet personality on the inside.

"Why are you smiling?" Ophelia suddenly asked, interrupting him from his thoughts.

Colin shook his head. "Just thinking about how lucky I am to know you."

Ophelia smiled widely, showing him all her pearly white teeth. 

Her smile didn't fade for the rest of the day.

Ophelia was trying her hardest to be very patient during Professor Umbridge's classes, in the week that followed.

The professor was intent of making sure that the class was quiet, and they did nothing, but read.

Finally, one evening, Ophelia raised her hand, during Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Yes, Miss Malfoy," Umbridge said sweetly.

"Professor, I've finished reading the book."

"Very well, then you shall be able to tell me what Mr. Slinkhard says on the use of defensive spells."

Ophelia nodded singly. "He says that defensive spells should not be used out of a properly structured duel."

"Very good, Miss Malfoy."

Ophelia sat down, but before she did, Professor Umbridge walked up to her, looking straight into her grey eyes. "See me after class, Miss Malfoy."

Ophelia gulped, but nodded, her thoughts spiraling as to why Professor Umbridge wanted her to stay back.

Colin spoke, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Ophelia," he sighed urgently. "You're wearing a pink ribbon..."

The blonde's eyes widened, and hitch blistered in her throat, slowly shaking with fright. "Oh no," she whispers, "oh no."

Colin grabbed her hand underneath the table, slowly squeezing her fingers. "It's okay, we'll figure it out. Just calm down."

"I'm getting detention," Ophelia blinked back the tears she held in her eyes.

"I won't let that happen. Just— trust me," Colin breathed.

Slowly, the blonde nodded, unable to pay any more attention to the classroom, the back of her left hand prickling as she thought of the pain she'd gone through during her previous detention.

The end of class came too fast for Ophelia's liking. Standing before Professor Umbridge's desk, while Colin waited outside, Ophelia was nearly shaking with an unsettling feeling in her veins.

"Do you know why I asked you to stay back, Miss Malfoy?"

Ophelia slowly nodded. "Because— because of the ribbon in my hair," she murmured, her grey eyes drifting off to stare at the floor.

"Precisely. It seems as if you haven't learnt your lesson yet."

"I forgot," Ophelia mumbled, fidgeting with her fingers behind her back.

"Giving excuses, are we? Perhaps another day of detention ought to teach you your lesson. My office. At five today."

Colin was nowhere to be found when Ophelia exited the Defense classroom, and he didn't even reappear when it was almost time for her to go to detention.

Slowly gulping, the blonde trudged dreadfully slowly to Professor Umbridge's office.

"You've got detention too?"

Ophelia looked up. Standing right opposite her, directly outside Professor Umbridge's office was Harry Potter.

The blonde nodded glumly. "I accidentally wore a pink ribbon."

"I got another week too," Harry showed her the back of his hand.

I must not tell lies, Ophelia read. His scars had just managed to heal, and were still very visible to the eye. They looked painful.

"They look painful," she commented. "What did you do this time?"

"I spoke the truth," he remarked coolly. "Which she refused to believe."

Ophelia gulped as she averted her gaze from his. A thousand unspoken words passed between them. He knew that her father was a Death Eater. He almost wanted to challenge her. He wanted to make her speak, and tell the whole world that Voldemort was back.

But she wouldn't do that, because it would only be she who would get hurt in the process.

She entered Professor Umbridge's office, saying nothing more to Harry, and seating herself on the left of the desk. 

A quill and parchment were already waiting for her, and with trembling fingers, the blonde picked up the quill, and began to write.

I will never wear pink.

Her skin slashed open as the words appeared in her own blood, before sealing shut again.

I will never wear pink.

She was biting her lip to stop herself from making even a single sound, to the point where it was about to bleed. Her eyes were already trying to hold her tears from pouring down her cheeks.

She was crying silently, in pain, by the time she got to the fifth line.

I will never—

The door suddenly slammed open, and Ophelia jumped and accidentally yelped, turning around.

"Get. The. Fuck. Away. From my daughter!" snarled Lucius Malfoy, striding quickly to the scene, his cold grey eyes burning through Professor Umbridge. 

Ophelia was mortified, shocked even. She had never imagined, or even dared to imagine her father suddenly showing up here out of the blue. Slowly, she covered her left hand with her right, obscuring the wound from her father's sight.

Lucius' gaze flitted down to where she sat. "Show me your hand," he ordered.

Ophelia didn't move at all. But Lucius would have none of it. Picking up her left hand, he held it upwards, to see exactly what was written there, examining her pristine skin closely. He noticed the tear-streaks down her cheeks, and the look of horror on his features was completely unimaginable. He looked ready to blow up. Ophelia had never, ever seen her father this livid.

His eyes were dark, and so narrowed that she too, was terrified of what he would do.

Umbridge stood up calmly from her chair, her lips a thin line as she stared up to Lucius Malfoy, who was several feet taller than her. "Mr. Malfoy, I am sure we can—"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO HER?" Lucius roared, picking up the cup of tea from the table and flinging it at Professor Umbridge, soaking her cardigan in tea, as the teacup bounced off her and it the floor, shattering into hundreds of pieces with a loud crash.

Umbridge whimpered in fright, before clearing her throat. "Mr. Malfoy, it is highly inappropriate for—"

"SHUT! UP!" he bellowed, before pointing the silver snakehead of his cane at her. "I will deal with you later," he spat, before scooping up his daughter into his arms, and lifting her over his shoulder, out of the room.

Ophelia had buried her nose in her father's neck the moment his arms touched her. She inhaled his comforting scent, his tied-back hair occasionally brushing against her forehead. His arms held her tightly, both around her waist and shoulders. 

Slowly, without saying a word, Lucius took her to Professor Snape, who patched up her bleeding hand gently. Kissing her forehead, he merely held her next to him, constantly stroking her hair. "I've got you," he muttered. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

Ophelia didn't say anything. She was just content, sitting in her father's arms as he pressed the occasional kiss to her forehead, or telling her how brave she was.

Ophelia's time with Lucius felt shorter than a blink of an eye. "I must go now. my darling," he told her.

The blonde nodded. "Thank you for coming," she whispered, as she gave him a parting hug.

"Thank your friend, Creevey. Thank God he sent me a letter, so I could get to you just in time," Lucius told her quietly. "As much as I despise mudbloods... Creevey seems like a fine lad."

That sounded like music to Ophelia's ears. Her father didn't mind anymore. A bright smile coated her lips, and she looked up at him with a soft gaze. "I love you, Daddy."

"And I you, my daughter," Lucius responded. Within seconds, he dropped another kiss to her forehead, and turned around, in the direction of Professor Umbridge's office.

Ophelia was later informed by one of the Slytherin prefects that Professor Umbridge had returned her belongings, and she was free to wear whatever she wanted.

Ophelia smirked.

She was untouchable.

{ hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as i did writing it :)
we are at 16k guys, this is mindblowing. how fast are we moving? i started writing this only one month ago! thank you so so much luvs. 
so, today's question:
would you rather sleep all day and stay awake at night, or sleep all night and stay awake during the day?
i'd prefer staying awake 24/7, as much as i love sleeping.
anyway, take care of yourselves, drink plenty of water, and stay safe. pms are open in you wanna talk. follow me on spotify dessertoholic and pm me for my other socials :)
love, jasmine. }

{APR 05. 2023}