Through Her Eyes

Chapter 32

"Dad?" He repeated, flinching slightly at the title.

"I mean, Tom. You're Tom." She rectified quickly in case she angered him.

From the looks of it, he didn't seem to bother with names such as 'father' and 'daughter' so she internally decided she should call him by his name, now that she knew what it was.

"You have been studying by yourself so late at night for how long exactly?" Tom asked, walking past her towards the back of the library.

"A while. I might have pissed off a Prefect." Ophelia mumbled guiltily. "A Slytherin Prefect," She added, hearing a faint chuckle from the man in front of her.

"Lucius Malfoy, am I right?"

She looked up at him surprised that he could figure it out so quickly but nodded nonetheless.

"He is still young and inexperienced. He'll learn soon enough." Tom continued nonchalantly, as if he was discussing a distant relative.

"I don't want to be rude or ungrateful but why are you here? And how?" She asked trying to sound as polite as possible.

Tom stopped and glanced at her over his shoulder, scaring her with the way he seemed to be glaring at her. Those eyes, narrowed in such a way that made her remember the first time they met; the intensity was different but they had the same effect on her.

"I am here on matters that little girls should not be curious of." He replied with a tinge of a scolding tone making a shudder go down her spine. He wasn't really intimidating nor did he act in any way that would scare her yet his simple presence was overwhelming.

"Then, how did you know I was here?"

"I heard rumors that you befriended Rabastan Lestrange," He changed the subject completely as he stopped in front of the Restricted area of the library.

"I wouldn't say we are friends. He's tutoring me in Potions." She mumbled, "He became very involved as of late. He actually works alongside and forces me to copy him more or less."

"Good. That means he plays his role well." Tom replied in the same monotonous manner that made her question if he really was interested in her life or not. Then, some tiny detail drew her attention to a particular reasoning.

"His role?" She asked looking up at him, "What do you mean? What is his role?"

The wizard didn't even bother looking at her before he walked inside the Restricted Section with one clear purpose in his mind. Only a few minutes later, lost in between shelves of books did he respond,

"You will get better at Potions." It sounded a lot like an order rather than an encouragement, "I would also like you to stop bowing your head in front of Luce."

"I'm not bowing my head. I just comply in order to survive."

"You shouldn't." He ordered her, this time staring into her eyes. For a moment, she looked just like Lillian but blinking once or twice, it shifted into a mix of both Gaunts. Or, rather than looking like Lillian, Ophelia seemed to grow into a true Slytherin heir with black hair and pale complexion. "You will not bow your head to anyone ever again. Not even in front of death." He ended coldly.

"Because wizards like us have strong and old magic isn't it?"

It might have been naivety from her part but it annoyed the older man. In his ears it sounded very much like she was mocking him which in return should receive a punishment. But not yet, he couldn't. Tom needed her to trust him completely before doing anything that would give out his true personality.