twelve
━━━❃━━━
THE NEXT DAY, OPHELIA HAD PLANNED EVERYTHING OUT. Lily and James had to do some runs with the other prefects, leaving her to do whatever she wants. They had told her where everyone would be if she needed anyone, but Ophelia had other ideas. She wasn't going to need the other Gryffindor's, she was a big girl with a mission.
She walks through the corridors which only have a couple of people lingering, she keeps her head forward and ignores their glares and whispers. They didn't know her, they were all just quick to judge due to the colour of her tie, she bites her lip and wonders where Professor McGonagall's office was.
Wrapping her arms around herself – shivering when the wind picked up, blowing her brown locks into her face. She stops in her tracks when a familiar big black dog was staring at her from the other end of the hall. A smile appears on her face as he began walking towards her, "hello, Paddy." She says bending down on one of her knees, making it look like he was bigger than her.
She wraps her arms around his neck which makes the dog put it's large head upon her shoulder. She missed him so much, she hadn't seen home in a while, she wondered what he does when he's not visiting her. She pulls away earning a face full of slobber, she scrunched her nose before giving him a playful glare. "You're such a big sook, aren't you?" It earns her a bark, she chuckles shaking her head.
"I'm on my way to Professor McGonagall's office, but I don't know where I'm going." She states standing up. She watches with interest as the dog gave her a bark before walking away, she never expected him to look back to her giving a whine. "Do you know where it is?" That earns her another bark, a grin plasters on her face as she follows him down a few halls.
As they were taking a left turn, Ophelia still couldn't wrap her head around this; was Paddy a known dog? Was he not a stray? No, he couldn't be because Remus also knew him. Perhaps, he was a Hogwarts protector. She let a giggle slip past her lips at the thought, the dog had looked back at her before leading her around another corner.
It was all becoming easier for her now, Professor McGonagall's office room was kind of like Professor Dumbledore's, she had a cat statue while he had a gargoyle. She admired the statue, it was just like the woman's animagus form. But her smile was soon wiped from her face, what was her password?
"Um," she gave the dog a nervous smile, it stares at her dumbfounded. "Do you happen to know the password." She suddenly hits herself hard on the head, "Ophelia....he's a dog."
Padfoot let out a low growl and then a huff, he didn't like when she had hurt herself, but soon found the situation funny as she had asked an animal who couldn't talk something expecting him to answer back. His eyes widen as a familiar looking cat came from around the corner.
Ophelia squeals when the woman turned back into her normal self, "Miss Snape is there something you need?"
"Um, I came to ask for a favour, but I didn't know your password." She told the woman, she felt nervous under the woman's stern stare.
The cat statue soon turns as the older woman pressed the nose of it. A corridor soon appears before them both, and then into a lit room that looked warm and cozy. This made Ophelia feel like an even bigger idiot. "You are welcome to come in." McGonagall states formally leading the way.
The Slytherin looks back to see Paddy once again gone, she takes a deep breath before walking in to see that the Professor was already on her chair, the woman gestures to the red – velveted chair. The brunette quickly took a seat as the secret passageway started to close.
"Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss?"
Ophelia looked up and met the blue eyes of the woman, "I was wondering if – if you could give my points to the Gryffindor's."
"I don't understand?" The elder's eyebrows furrow.
"I mean – when I get points from classes...I want them to go to Gryffindor instead." She explains.
Professor McGonagall stares at her in disbelief, she was confused on why the girl would want to give her house points away to another. She wasn't surprised that she came, she thought it was because of the Transfiguration incident. Minerva McGonagall would not admit it but Ophelia Snape was her favourite Slytherin student. As soon as the girl first walked into her class, she knew she was a special one, and especially after Hugo McCormack told all of the staff about the magic binds that happened between two of her lions and one of Horace's snakes. She knew for sure that it was the small – timid girl sitting in front of her.
"Why would you do that?" She asks seeing the girl squirm before she looks down at her hands.
Ophelia bit down on her lip, "it's the least I can do. They've been so kind to me, they took care of me – look out for me even. Nobody's ever done that for me before, and I feel guilty when I can't give them it back."
Tears rolled down the Slytherin's cheeks, "they told me their love is free, no repayment required. But all my life I've known that it comes with a price, yet, I want to do something for them...so, please give my points to them."
The room was silent. Ophelia felt as if she was about to throw up, McGonagall was staring at her as if she was out of her mind, but a smile appears slowly upon her face. "Take off your coat, Ophelia." She says, "we shall discuss more of this over some tea and biscuits."
This had the small girl stop short, she wipes her stray tears away on her sleeve. She stares in sock at the woman who was waving her wand about, biscuits and teacups were floating over to the desk. She slowly takes her coat off before folding it onto her lap. Her locket sat neatly along her green blouse, her hair was everywhere, she was trying to fix it to the way it was.
Tea was poured, and both woman sat in silence taking quiet sips. Ophelia's eyes were anywhere but the Professor in front of her. While McGonagall's eyes were strained on the familiar looking locket, this causes her to look at the girl with wonder. She grins into her cup as the girl sat there in thought.
"That's a very pretty locket." Ophelia's dark eyes soon met light ones. She looks down at it and smiles shyly.
"I – I found it." She eyes the design patterns once more, "it was too hard to simply walk away and pretend I never seen it. It's like it called out to me in a way." She explains while the woman in front of her smiles.
"I understand. That was the same thing I felt too." This caused the girl in front of her to gasp, she stares wide-eyed at the teacher in front of her. "It seems to do that to a lot of people."
"This was yours?" She asks. Wondering why would she would give such a beautiful thing up.
"Yes, I found it when I was your age, I found it in the Room of Requirements." She mumbles as if she was having a flashback. "It only finds it's way to certain people."
"Certain people?"
"Mhm, it once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw before it was passed down to special witches." This caused the Slytherin to lean in, she wanted to hear more about the history of it. "It only found it's way to Ravenclaw's though."
Ophelia flinches slightly, she stares curiously at Professor McGonagall and began to wonder. "Yes dear. I was supposed to be a Ravenclaw, but the hat let me decide which way I should go."
"Perhaps, that wasn't the first time." She spoke again, "the hat let you choose too, and you chose Slytherin."
"For my brother...." The girl mumbles but the animagus in front of her picked it up. "It picked me because that is my true house.."
"Not necessarily." This made the girl look up, "it picked you because you are an extraordinary young witch, it doesn't matter if you belong to Ravenclaw. It also works for people who have ambitions and desires for something that they know can happen, they just have to believe it." She explains.
"Oh," Ophelia looks up towards the older woman feeling slightly comfortable around her, "I find the historical backstory of the locket very entertaining."
"Yes, it is one of my favourites." The Professor said nodding her head, "now, why don't we discuss what you've told me."
"I want to repay them back for their hospitality." She sighs, "James and Lily have been letting me stay in their head boy and head girl dorms. Remus and Sirius protect me....from my own housemates...and Marlene – she likes to make me laugh. So, I would like to repay them and give them something in return."
"But you don't have to repay anyone." Minerva stops short at the girls determined face.
"I'd feel less guilty."
"Well let's discuss this with Professor Dumbledore and see what he thinks we should do." She says with a soft smile to make the girl less nervous.
━━━❃━━━
McGonagall and Ophelia walked side by side down the corridors, both were being stared at students left and right. She didn't appear to be on edge as she was with a teacher, but she hated being looked as if she were an animal at the zoo. Both of them walked down a corridor down to Dumbledore's office, they both stopped outside the golden gargoyle. "Lemon drops." McGonagall mutters, a staircase appears for the both of them.
Once they were up, Dumbledore's voice could be heard chatting to some students. The older woman and the Slytherin saw the Head boys and girls standing next to their prefects. Black eyes found themselves travelling over to a certain redhead who was standing next to two familiar looking boys.
She shifted nervously into McGonagall's side when the old man's eyes drifted upon their arrival. "Ah, Minerva what can I do for you and Miss Snape."
Heads turned around to them, but Ophelia ignored most of them. Her eyes drifted to the side to see three worried looking Gryffindor's – wondering what was going on.
"Private matter to discuss with you." She answered back firmly watching how her three lions communicated with the girl next to her. But her eyes hardened at how the rest of the snakes glared.
The Headmaster looked between everyone, "ah, prefects make sure to watch your housemates this year, alright?" Everyone of the students nod before leaving, but the three lions seemed hesitant.
Ophelia gestured for them to go, this made them feel slightly better, but the Slytherin knew they were just going to wait for her outside of the gargoyle stairs. Her obsidians slowly met the Headmaster's twinkling ones. "Come sit down. Let's not give any of the portraits listen and start some rumours." He said chuckling slightly when the paintings started to protest.
Dumbledore started to lead them into a private area, he sat down behind his desk which had cushioned seats across from him. The two woman sat themselves down, Ophelia didn't know how to start a conversation with him, so Minerva did instead.
"Albus, Miss Snape would like it if we gave her house points away to Gryffindor." She states, the old man's eyes twinkled, "she wants to repay Potter and his friends for their hospitality."
He turns his head to Ophelia and keeps eye contact, "you don't need to repay anybody."
"I want to." She says very seriously, she wanted to show her gratitude to the Marauders, Lily and the girls.
Albus wanted to argue but with the determination set upon Ophelia's face he stopped and sighed. "I could tell all your teachers, but what about Slughorn?"
The girls face dropped, she had forgotten about him. "Don't tell him anything. I don't want him to think he's done anything wrong...he's a nice man."
Albus and Minerva agreed to that with a nod, "we can do that, are you still sure?"
"Yes, I am." Both Professors sighed in defeat. They both smile at the girl who stares back towards her hands.
"My dear, before you go, how have you been?" Albus asks Ophelia who shrugs.
"I-I've been doing better," she whispers. "Thanks to them."
"That's good," he nods, "come see us whenever you need to, we're also here."
"Thank you." She said standing up giving both Professors a smile before leaving the room. She walked into the main area and gave the Phoenix a small clap as she was passing, she then waved goodbye to the portraits.
Ophelia walked down the steps as the statue moved to let her out, she walks away from the little compartment when she notices the three looking at her with a worried look, they rushed over to her.
"Ophie, are you okay? What happened?" Lily questions grabbing onto her moving her about to check for injuries.
"Did something happen while we were away?" James asks while doing this same thing – sandwiching her between him and Lily, "was it Snivellus?"
The girl sighs looking towards Remus who wasn't moving, but she notices his eyes changing colour. She shakes her head and focuses back onto this situation, "no, I just had to speak to Professor McGonagall about something and she thought it was Dumbledore's matter to deal with."
The Gryffindor's sigh, "well, I'm glad you're alright." Lily hums while giving her a curious glance. "Do you think you can tell us?"
"It's a surprise." She chuckles at the pouts she got, "but I can tell you that this locket once belonged to McGonagall."
The three of them glance towards her in wonder, Ophelia smiles slightly glancing down towards the locket and began to tell them everything about it. She told them the history as they began walking down the corridors, and outside to meet up with everyone else.
━━━❃━━━
all chapters have been edited!
mwuhahahahah
oooooh! minnie had the locket too! also, what did you think of the repayment?
so, im trying to upload a lot, this book will be one of the books that have most of my attention as I'm finding myself fading away from twilight, im not really a fan anymore.
thank you for everything! i couldn't imagine this book going anywhere if it weren't for you guys! i love you all so much! thank you again, I appreciate it! 💕
thanks for reading!
vote, comment & follow!
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top