𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 | 𝐡. 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝟐𝟖 - 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬

Ophelia woke up the following morning having a sudden wave of motivation, she wasn't sure why or what for, all she knew was she needed to act on it quickly before it evaporated in the thin air.

Leaping out of bed she startled Binx who had been perched on her pillow not moment's prior and had now thrown himself onto the floor dramatically, paying him no mind she ran into the bathroom to very quickly pull on her uniform while simultaneously brushing her teeth. On her way out, she grabbed her file for Sirius that was tucked under her mattress and put it amongst her other books and belongings, she had a good feeling that it had something to do with this and she wouldn't miss an opportunity to get one of the things she needed to put her plan in motion, she only hoped she could be charismatic enough to get her point across to have him make a statement to the Wizengamot.

Darting out of the dormitory she found the Gryffindor common room to be deserted and void of life, through the curtains she noticed the sun peering over the hills and knew she had to be quick, she made a mad dash through the castle as he headed towards the Great Hall instinctively until she noticed a man hurrying away from it, the hat and shifty eyes gave it all away.

I've got you now, Barty Crouch.

"Mr Crouch!" she called out after him, arm-waving frantically in the air as she flagged him down.

He turned his head to look back at her, saying nothing he continued on his path.

Her speed-walk turned into a jog, and pretty quickly she had stepped in his path and was making direct eye-contact with him.

"Yes girl? What is it?"

Hiding her grimace, she spoke clearly and confidently. "I would like to propose an offer to you."

Barty scoffed humorously, looking the young witch up and down.

"What could you possibly offer me?" he asked her, voice dripping with condescension.

Ophelia made an active effort to not roll her eyes, she said "Redemption from your peers."

Crouch paused for a moment, perhaps intrigued by her offer but nevertheless he snarled at her.

"Redemption from the hands of a first-year is not worthy of my time, good day." he pushed past her and again she ran to catch up with him

Ophelia spoke smoothly, "I'm a fourth-year, but nevertheless, you're an intelligent man. No doubt you'll have heard the rumours around your reputation, and would want to salvage it, perhaps so you could become Minister for Magic?"

Barty stopped his agitated stride and looked down at her, there it was, his ambition and pride, he wouldn't let anyone touch it and most definitely would do anything to repair it, the tells were all there, Ophelia knew this and used it to her advantage, it's so much easier to play poker when you know the cards they hold against their chest.

Barty spoke briskly "What would you know of my reputation? My time was before yours."

Ophelia nodded in understanding, "Yes, but it is a time of legendary turn around, thanks to you you've put away more death-eaters and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named sympathisers, you made that First Wizarding much easier to live in from what I was told as a child, and to you, I am grateful my family even survived at all. But I also know how opinions on you changed so dramatically when your son was named amongst others who supported You-Know-Who, something I imagine blindsided you and sickened you to your very core."

Barty's face was moulding every way she wished it to, she saw every conceivable emotion flash across those black eyes as though she was reading a book, he was playing into her hands and she didn't want to slip up and have this opportunity disappear forever.