Through Her Eyes

Chapter 61

After that lovely chat between the adults, Idris left and so did Dumbledore. A few days later, Mr. Potter announced they will return home as well, which didn't get a reaction from his son. Ophelia had many questions and James had new curiosities but both were asking themselves the same thing: will Idris show up on September 1st or not? That was the main subject for the rest of the summer break and James wrote so many letters to Ophelia, more than any of them would have imagined a few months ago. Most of them were about Idris and his condition but quite a lot were also about dueling and Quidditch and random muggle stuff that James would mail to her. Having Willy deliver her letters in time was an achievement, although he did lose some of them. 

"Are you ready?" Cerberus asked, helping Ophelia pack for another school year. 

"It's my fourth year. I can manage."

"You won't say that in your sixth and seventh years. I assure you about it; I've been there, done that."

"Were you even good in school or was it just Quidditch that you were famous for?" she asked, half joking and half asking seriously.

"I taught you well last year, haven't I? I was quite good but children are so tiresome." the owl man answered, rubbing his temples only at the memory.

"That's because you chose to teach Occlumency too."

"I didn't choose to do it. I was paid to do it. There's a huge difference."

"I hope I won't become someone like you in the future," she mumbled before she took her trunk and walked towards the stairs.

"I hope you do, actually." Cerberus muttered to himself, watching her like an older brother rather than a fatherly figure.

As soon as they arrived at King's Cross, Cerberus gave Ophelia a tight hug and kissed her cheeks as if she was a first year. He was acting up which confused the poor girl. 

"See you soon, darling!" he exclaimed louder than she felt necessary. "I will miss you dearly. Write me all the time but don't send the letters with Willy."  

"Why are you embarrassing me?" 

"Does it work?" He asked which got him a glare in return, "I had always imagined how I'd react when my child left for Hogwarts. I saw a lot of examples but embarrassing your child is the best." 

"You're evil." 

"Oh look, there's Potter!" 

Without a second thought Ophelia turned her head to look for the boy yet there was no one. She sighed, realizing what Cerberus did. He was as old as her father -whatever that age was- and still he acted like a child.

"Ophelia!" her name was called not even five minutes afterwards.

She barely got her trunk and cage on the train when a wide eyed and very excited Severus Snape ran to her. 

"You won't believe what happened this summer!" 

That was going to take a while.

"So, as we were walking down to her house, because I had to be a gentleman and take her home, I saw this shadow, it was definitely a man with a bowler hat on, and he followed us for a while until he vanished for no apparent reason. After I left Lily, I went home and guess who was waiting for me on the doorstep?" He didn't let her guess because he was too excited to have her say the wrong answer, "Rodolphus Lestrange was there with Evan Rosier!" He whispered, trying to limit his excitement to the glint in his eyes.

Ophelia frowned, seeing no real reason to be happy.

"What did they want to talk about?" She asked calmly.