All her life, Ophelia Wood has played third fiddle to her more popular brothers - Duncan and Oliver. Both were always louder, more popular. Gryffindors to boot. And Ophelia had always been in the background. A quiet Hufflepuff content with her small...
Ophelia sat in her office, staring down at her notes, organized in one neat pile. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, willing herself to calm down. She was feeling jumpy and on edge despite the fact that she knew the presentation inside and out.
Last night, she had been barely able to sleep, her mind like a maelstrom, though surprisingly she was up far earlier than normal, worried she would oversleep. While part of it had been the presentation she was due to give in a short time, the other part had been her conversation with Charlie on Saturday.
He hadn't contacted her at all yesterday, though she expected as much. They left things on an uncertain note and if he was feeling anything like she was, everything was a mess in his mind. It would take time to figure out, and it was time she just didn't have at that moment.
There was something bigger at stake than her current mess of a love life.
Though at the same time, Ophelia couldn't help but wish that Charlie would be there. He knew how important today was for her. And even with everything going on, he still had the ability to calm her. And calm was something she desperately needed right now.
Swallowing, she closed her eyes and pushed aside the image of Charlie in her mind and focused on Hebrides. She saw the structures, the tamers.
The dragons.
She opened her eyes, confidence now starting to build up inside her. She could do this. They had been preparing for two weeks, though she, herself, had been preparing for years. All the information was there in her mind - to the point where she almost didn't need her notes. This was for the dragons. For Colonel and Rupert.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and picked up her notes as Leanne and Bletchley walked in. Leanne looked like she was about to vomit, but Bletchley was calm and cool. As usual.
"You ready for this, Wood?" he asked. She smiled at him and nodded.
"More than ready," she said. He cracked a smile at her.
"That's what I like to hear," he said. "Let's go."
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Ophelia stood in the large conference room where they were to give the presentation. They got there early to set up and now she stood still, looking at the plans and photos that were suspended in the air.
"I'm so glad I'm not the one speaking," Leanne said, stepping up to her side. Ophelia glanced at her and back at their audiovisuals. "Just thinking about speaking makes me sick."
"It's no so bad," Ophelia said. Leanne laughed nervously.
"How are you so calm right now?" she asked.
"When ye face down a few dragons, ye find that there are loads of things that are no longer scary," Ophelia said with a sigh. She then smiled at Leanne. "Dinnae fash. It'll be fine. And I couldnae have done any of this without ye."
