Through Her Eyes

Chapter 89

Tutoring almost 20 students was not as easy as expected. Zabini had the dueling club at his disposal but the number of members didn't change much. He was being completely ignored by most of his classmates but it didn't seem like he was bothered by it; he even seemed content. Occlumency lessons were in the Room of Requirement, every weekend after dinner. The first day was not bad but after a month, Ophelia realized why Cerberus left.

"You shouldn't push yourself too hard. We can just try invading each other's minds and see how that goes," Sirius said one night. He came downstairs because he heard something drop. To his surprise, it was Ophelia.

"I'm fine. I have to do this for your sake." She tried to encourage herself while also gathering herself off the floor.

"So that we can protect our minds against the powers of evil?" Sirius asked sarcastically.

"Occlumency is good for when you get attacked by the imperius curse. It protects you from yourself."

"Then ask the rest of the students who took Occlumency lessons with Knowingall to help you. We're too many for just one person."

That was how they separated into groups, each with its own captain. By the end of March, Zabini was forced to move his own tutoring into the Room and conjoint his leadership with Ophelia's. DADA suddenly became incredibly intense.

"From today on we'll learn how to conjure a patronus." Ophelia started. "Who can do it already, please move to one side." Only Sirius and and Zabini did. "The rest, please think about the happiest moments of your lives."

"So now what?" Asked a Hufflepuff that Ophelia only recently met. He was Scottish and she could barely understand what he was saying at times.

"Raise your wand and with that clear memory in your head, say Expecto Patronum. Come on,"

"Expecto Patronum!"

Some results were better than others however most students did not seem to focus enough to have a distinctive form shape in front of them.

"Finnigan, stop swaying your wand. Concentrate on a particular happy memory. Use what I taught you last week. That's why I said is better to compartmentalize your mind." She said to everyone not just the Hufflepuff.

"This is harder than I expected," she heard many say but particularly Potter who could make something but still not quite a form.

"You need to be extremely gifted to have a full form from the first try. Some people can never conjure a patronus at all."

"Not helpful, badge!" She heard Potter scream from the back. Ophelia chuckled and watched 20 students try their best. It did feel fulfilling, to her surprise.

Some lessons were better and some were very violent. With both Zabini and Ophelia taking turns in teaching DADA, or more like duelling, the rest of the students came to label each of their styles and choose which was their favourite.

"I prefer Zabini, which is saying something," Sirius said during breakfast.

"That's because he is all scheming. Ophelia's style is more proper. But the way she looks at you, as if she knows exactly what spell you're going to use...it's scary." Alice commented shuddering at the memory.

"Both are effective. I feel like they are both quick and I genuinely think they deserved that tie when they duelled." Remus said seeing it from a more logical point of view.

"Doesn't it seem like Ophelia's style is inspired by Spinnard?" Lily asked remembering their former professor.

"A bit. Well, at least we are actively learning something." Potter mumbled glancing at Selwyn.

"She still doesn't know, does she?" Alice asked leaning towards the boys. She was sitting next to Frank and they were very cosy together.

Matthew Lincoln, a muggle born in his sixth year came straight to their table and with a scoff he threw the Daily Prophet at them. Rabastan's face surprised Ophelia.

"10 muggles died in one night in Liverpool. One of them was my father." He said before he looked straight into Ophelia's eyes. "Where do I sign up for the Order?"

Over the next months exams took priority but even so, the number of students that signed up for the Order of Phoenix grew to almost 35. Ophelia and Zabini were not enough so Goldstein and Remus took some of their lessons. Since they had homework piling up, they chose Lily to lead a group of studious students who could deal with that. It was all so well prepared that even McGonagall was surprised. But Potions were still a struggle for Ophelia.

"Molley, you, how have you been?" Slughorn asked her one day after the class was over. "Are you hanging in there?" He asked in such a wary tone that she instantly became suspicious.

"Is there something wrong, professor?"

He sighed and took a quick look around. Seeing how nobody was there he also rushed to close the door and then turned to her.

"It's about Tom, actually. Has he...told you anything? Maybe about something I said?" He asked fidgeting.

"...he says a lot but I try to forget it. He is very stubborn when he wants something."

"Yes, yes he is. Has he ever told you about-" he stopped and thought about what he was doing. He clearly went through a whole rewind before he sighed. "No, nothing. Just, try not to fail your OWLs, Molley."

Too late. Curiosity got the best of her and she took a quick look at what was making her professor so nervous. She dug a bit before she found her answer. Both Slughorn and Ophelia's eyes widened as they both realized what happened.

"You-"

"Don't tell Albus," he interrupted, grabbing her with begging eyes. "I didn't know what he wanted to do, I only believed it to be a curiosity. Don't-don't search for answers, either."

"I don't have to. I know now what my father wants from me." Her eyes darkened as she was reminded that she was as disposable as any other follower of his.

That was how the year ended, actually. With tension in the air and with a lot of students moaning about their grades. And yet when time came to go home, Ophelia was blocked by Dobby the elf.

"Am I going to be kidnapped and taken to the Malfoy Manor?" She asked with a roll of eyes.

"Worse, miss. Lestrange." He said feeling bad for her. "They are all there, plotting."

You cannot disapparate on the grounds of Hogwarts therefore Dobby followed Ophelia to Hogsmeade.

"Why is miss not with her friends?" He asked innocently.

"They left with the carriages. Besides, I don't want them to find out where I'm going." She explained calmly.

"Why is miss so afraid? Miss doesn't seem afraid when she is at Master's house." Dobby made a very good point.

"Hmm,"

Indeed, there was a sense of safety around Lucius. She dragged him along in all her big adventures and he never complained as if he meant it. He was always there for her, which made her consider him an ally.

"He already knows who I am and he accepts me."

"But won't misses friends also accept her? Dobby has seen miss with young Sirius Black." He added. "Isn't this fear that miss feels only in her head?"

"You are quite a chatter box, aren't you Dobby?" She asked jokingly but Dobby stopped with a frown. "Oh, I mean it as a good thing!" She added in order for the elf to relax.

"Miss shouldn't be afraid of anything. Miss is free to do as she wants. Dobby also longs to be free some day."

"You will," she said patting his head fondly. "You are one special little elf."

Dobby smiled and grabbed her hand, disapparating from the best place on Earth to the worst.