OLD SCARS → Peter Pettigrew | √

6 - Down Memory Lane

Ford Freeman stood like a great buffoon in front of Ophelia in the hallway. He was teasing her about the way her natural beach blonde hair stood out, one of the main reasons why she cut it just above her shoulders in the future. He teased her about how dull her gray eyes were, one of the main reasons why she wanted to change her eye color. He then opened his stupid mouth to tell her how insanity must run in the family, he then spoke of her brother.

That's when Ophelia lost it. She pulled her wand out, and then she remembered the spell her aunt taught her. She told her to use it when she felt threatened. And that's exactly how she felt at the moment. She was angry, shaking like a leaf with anger. All the children looked at them. Ford looked afraid, he didn't expect her to pull her wand out on him. He wanted to pull his own wand out but Ophelia was faster.

"Crucio." She remembered her aunt telling her that she should mean it, that way, the target could feel more pain. That's how it went down. She meant it when she said Crucio and she watched with joy as Ford squirmed in pain at her feet. She could see the trickle of blood from his ears and nose. But she didn't stop. He deserved it. He insulted her. He insulted her family. He insulted her brother. He deserved every ounce of pain he felt.

The next thing she knew was that her wand flew out her hand and Dumbledore caught it. When he asked what happened, Remus was first to defend her, explaining that Ford was the first one to provoke her. James backed him up and Ophelia didn't know why. They weren't friends, Remus was her only friend. Before, her best friends were Remus and her brother. Sirius then backed them up, and Ophelia was sure that's when her crush began. Peter was last to defend her, but she was happy nevertheless.

A girl named Blanche then said that she saw the entire thing go down. She told the Professor that Ford was the one who stopped Ophelia and made fun of her hair, her eyes and her family. She then added that Ophelia's body had shook with anger and before they knew it, Ford was writhing in pain and squirming like a worm on the floor.

Dumbledore said that he needed to see her in his office, and he used Obliviate on Ford and sent him to the hospital wing.

*

Ophelia now stood on the edge of the Astronomy tower and wondered how long would it take for her to hit the ground. If it would take minutes, or seconds. She wondered if it would feel like soaring through the sky on your broom. She wondered if you would feel free, like nothing could harm you.

"Ophelia! Listen to my voice, don't do it." It was Remus and Ophelia almost laughed. Not because she was happy. But because she was angry, it had taken such a stunt to finally get his attention. "You're stronger than this Lia. Please just come to me."

Ophelia shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. Children and a few Professors were at the bottom, yelling at her not to jump. But was she really going to jump? She didn't know. She then heard footsteps and looked back to see Benjamin. He just stood there, not saying a word. But it wasn't enough to save Ophelia this time.

*

"Who taught you that spell Ophelia?" Dumbledore had asked, curiosity laced thickly in his voice. But the blonde Gryffindor was determined not to speak. "You do know I can expell you for that right?"

But she remained quiet. It was as though someone had sewn her mouth shut and Dumbledore sighed. Ophelia noted that he was getting pissed off now.

"Please just answer my question Ophelia, I too want you to return to your house as quick as possible." He hummed and the girl looked at him. Her eyes were red and looked irritated.

She wanted to tell him how Ford deserved every single inch of pain he got. But she didn't. "My aunt."

"And why is that?" She didn't want to reply, she wanted to sleep instead.

"For protection."

*

Benjamin didn't say anything unlike Remus, who begged and begged her to stop. Ophelia wanted to yell at him, yell at him to stop and yell at Benjamin to say something but she didn't. She wanted to die, she wanted to stop the pain. Benjamin moved forward and held her hand. Remus growled at him to let her go, growled at him that he was her best friend, not him. But they didn't listen. Because if he truly was her best friend? Where was he the entire time? If he truly was her best friend, why was he dating the one person Ophelia truly loved?

"Not today Ben." She snatched her hand. "It won't help today." She pushed him back, loosing her footing in the process. She heard Remus' cry and she saw how stoic Benjamin's face was. She told herself that if she did survive the plummet to the earth, she'd name a child after Benjamin.

She landed with her legs first and cried in agony when she felt the bones shatter. The Professor's immediately helped each other to carry her to the hospital wing.

She was crying. Not because of the pain that ripped through her and struck her heart with each heartbeat. No. But because she thought she'd be dead by now. Because she thought the pain she felt would've disappeared by now.

*

"What is she trying to protect you from?" Dumbledore asked and the girl looked at the portraits instead, deeming them more interesting than the conversation she was currently stuck in.

"I never asked." She said after a while. Dumbledore nodded before smiling at her softly. She hated him. She always had. He was one of the many reasons why people remembered her brother as a lunatic looking for a Chamber that might not exist.

"I will have to inform your parents of what had happened today, and I'll have to sort a few things out, but you can retreat back to the Gryffindor common room."

She didn't need to be told twice. She left as quickly as she could and walked as fast as she could to the common room. She found the four who stood up for her and Remus hugged her.

"Thank you for standing up for me." Ophelia smiled at them. "You really didn't have to."

James smiled at her, as well as Sirius and in unison, they said, "Any friend of Moony, is a friend of ours."

*

She was glad Madam Pomfrey shooed everyone who tried to talk to her away. She even shooed Benjamin away, even though all he did was sit there and read in silence. It was the third week since she fell from the tower and Madam Pomfrey assured her that in her fifth week, if she showed signs of improving faster than now, they'd start to train her, to teach her how to walk again.

But Madam Pomfrey wasn't always there. When she would fetch new bandages or if she would go eat lunch, her ex friends would slip in and try apologizing. But all Ophelia did was stare at the ceiling, not even batting an eyelash. But they could see the tears escaping from her gray eyes.

Benjamin just sat there, he sometimes brought his girlfriend along. Maeve Bixby was one loud piece of crap. That's the best way to describe her, in Ophelia's point of view. Not that she disliked her, she just annoyed her a lot. Maeve couldn't keep her mouth shut and she guessed it was true when they say opposites attract.

"This—" Ophelia one day said to the four and they all scrambled closer to her, to get a shot at hearing better. "Is just the beginning." They were confused, and all Ophelia did was stare at the ceiling and urge herself not to cry.