Through Her Eyes

Chapter 67

The rest of the week was more or less uneventful. Ophelia kept close to the students she knew, luckily for her some of her former Occlumency colleagues chose to stay back and she enjoyed talking to them. As soon as that was over, she'd go around the castle searching for Peverell. It was odd, yes, and it was even worse when people would actually catch her in the act. Filtch caught her twice on Tuesday and warned her that he will hang her up in his office if he were to find her making weird cat noises again. He probably thought it was a prank for his precious Mrs. Norris but Ophelia couldn't care less for that ugly cat.

Friday, 25th, Christmas Day was one interesting day. Nobody died compared to last year (and she was grateful) but Dumbledore called her into his office. As soon as she got in, she met the grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked glancing from one man to the other.

Dumbledore chuckled bemusedly and shook his hand dismissively.

"Not more than usually. But this young man came here today to ask permission to invite you to enjoy the rest of the holidays with him and his family." He said slowly as if to register again what Lucius asked and if he was fine with it, "What say you, Ophelia? It is your choice."

It was visible to anybody that she was meddling in her father's affairs more if she was by herself rather than being with a lesser evil, like Malfoy or Lestrange. Dumbledore saw her eyes sparkle at the invitation and at the way he made it seem like it was alright.

"Can I really go? I'd love to if I am invited."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Lucius asked rolling his eyes.

Ophelia smiled, having missed his sassy attitude. He might have been a jerk before -he still was if she were to be sincere- but he was a person she trusted, one that she could rely on.

And so it happened. In matter of hours, Ophelia was in the Malfoy Manor, house elves helping her unpack in the room she used last year. It was thrilling to be there now that she knew who her father was but there were also little every day things that she was looking forward to. Like house elves bringing her tea or coming to bring her laundry out of nowhere.

"I wouldn't have invited you if I knew it would make you so happy," Lucius commented from the door. "You always let your door open."

"And you never knock. You and house elves..." she replied thinking of Dobby.

"They are supposed to work in utter silence. They are disciplined to be slaves, not friends." He explained in a cold voice, as if the subject was not worthy of mentioning. "Anyway, have you got it? Are all your questions answered?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, finally placing her last shirt into the drawer.

"The article. I had to search long through my family's library in order to find any mention of an obscurus at Hogwarts."

Her eyes widened and she finally realized why Dobby was so familiar to begin with.

"Blimey, you exploit the little creatures to no end! Poor Dobby!" She exclaimed, before she remembered another detail. Her eyes narrowed at the blond and she added in a hiss, "You ordered him to keep me busy so that I won't get involved into the Peverell hunt. You told him to be creative." She pointed out, her expression growing angry.

But Lucius couldn't bother with her issues. Whenever he did, it would usually place him in an awkward position and he hated the fact that he couldn't even stay mad at her.

"That's in the past. Dobby shouldn't have told you so much, I will take care of him later when you're gone." He said as if that was no big deal, "You're here because your father allows it."