Friend or Foe

"Oi, Molley! Wait-what's with this crowd? Molley!"

Sirius was trying to get to his house mate on a late Saturday morning, having quite the schedule for the weekend. Detentions were over and he heard the girls talk about how Ophelia had a lot more free time and could only guess she had nothing better to do.

"Molley! What's with the rush?" He asked finally getting a hand on her robes.

Actually, for the past month and a half, she's been rushing from class to class and even in the common room she'd hide behind books. If he ever thought she was spending an awful time in the library, he was proven wrong.

"I have to finish my Transfiguration homework." She mumbled grumpily, as she has been for the exact same amount of time.

Sirius frowned but shrugged that off and pulled her aside.

"I need you to help me with another letter. This one has to be worse than the last one."

"Why do I have to write it for you? Go ask someone else. Remus has neat handwriting too." She answered, shaking his hand off her.

"Well, I didn't make a deal with him, Miss Attitude." He responded just as annoyed, "You grabbed me aside and asked to keep James out of your school life. He managed to do so by himself but we still shook hands over this deal."

"No, we didn't."

"Not literally, but we did. Anyway, let's meet in the Astronomy Tower tonight. I've got a good idea what will make my mother screech."

"Why do you hate her so much, anyway? She's thinking about you in her own way." She replied though her tone was softer.

Sirius scoffed and plunged his hands inside his robe's pockets.

"That is none of your business. But if you want to know, having a different mentality than your family can bite you in the arse at times." He answered though he knew she won't ask further.

Ophelia was ready to give her own piece of mind when she caught sight of Rabastan with the same Ravenclaw muggle born. She bit her lip, annoyed that he was spending time with a girl instead of tutoring her in Potions. She needed someone to connect her to the Slytherins and he was the best candidate at the moment.

Sirius caught the change in her expressions faster than he could blink.

"Sorry to tell you, Molley, but Rab there has started dating Helena a few weeks ago. Left old Rodolphus speechless at the time." Sirius explained, still amused by the memory. "He was ready to curse his younger brother, that's for sure. I hope Reg won't end up in that house next year."

"Who's Reg?" She asked, her eyes moving on the second year.

"My brother. He's as loyal as a son can get. Unlike me, the rebel to the cause."

"And what's the cause exactly?"

"Dark arts, destroying every muggle there is, chaos and loyalty to that Dark Lord my mother has been talking about."

"There is a Dark Lord?" She asked, curiosity bubbling inside her. "Who is he?"

"You are very interested in the dark arts aren't you?" He asked leaning forward. Ophelia nodded without the slightest regret, "It may sound great but it isn't. Dark magic is all about power and pride. Nothing good comes out of it."

"You seem to know a lot."

"I do. My family has been grooming dark wizards for generations."

Ophelia nodded acknowledging Sirius Black as probably more than a pest. But still, he wasn't of help at the moment.

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That Saturday seemed to be very full as the Gryffindor Quidditch team went out on the field and the rest either chose to stay in the common room or go and watch. Ophelia decided she might as well take a breath of fresh air and tagged along. Remus was there, reading yet somehow still watching the game while Pettigrew was cheering on. It was just a game between Gryffindors but James was not participating.

"Potter, I thought you were going to fly around at least!" She yelled over the fence. The brown haired boy turned to her with a pout and sighed.

"Go tell Wood! He won't let me train today!"

Ophelia bit her lip and glanced at the people around. Maybe three or four were watching and not even that well so a bit of foul play won't be noticed. Thus, Ophelia turned to Gideon Prewett who was flying around, enjoying his Seeker position and felt a little tingling sensation go through her hands. She didn't have to murmur the curse in order to make the broom move in all directions. She kept visual contact until she was sure Gideon had one good ride.

Unfortunately, once she broke visual contact, the broom jolted one last time and threw the boy off a good distance.

"Gideon, are you alright?" Fabian Prewett was the first to lose height and go to his brother's side. Their sister, Molly, ran on the field as well. "What happened?"

"Maybe a Slytherin sneaked in...agh, my leg hurts."

He seemed very brave compared to how much pain he must have felt, especially with his brother and sister helping him to the castle.

"Great. Just what the team needed! Amazing, bloody amazing!" Wood was annoyed. "The match is in a week! And it's against Slytherins! If we don't win, we won't get to play in the finals. Good job, Gideon!" He added, his face reddening in anger.

"What about me? Am I really so small and invisible?" Potter picthed in, running to his captain.

Wood's face was expressionless but seeing how there was no other choice, he sighed and gave in.

"Get on your broom and better be good, Potter!"

That was enough for the second year to get excited.

Later at dinner, the whole castle was well informed of what happened on the Quidditch pitch. Unfortunately, a lot of people were curious how Gideon's broom was cursed and by who. Slytherins were the first to come in mind and they were very unhappy to be accused for nothing. Fortunately, Potter was happy and no one would ever think Ophelia gave him what he wanted.

No one but one person.

"You did it." Remus cornered her before they entered the common room.

"What are you talking about?" She asked innocently.

"I was there, behind you. You were staring at Prewett from the moment his broom went crazy and until he fell."

"I'm a second year, Remus. Besides, I didn't have my wand with me." She replied, perfect reasoning, "Aren't you happy for your friend? He finally gets to play."

"But Gideon's in the hospital wing with a broken leg."

"One's misfortune can be another's luck. That's how life goes." She replied, showing no remorse or regret.

Remus frowned, never imagining that Ophelia had that kind of mentality.

"You should be happy, Remus. James is your friend." She added, highlightening the most important factor.

"Not only mine. It seems he has been crawling under your skin." The boy said, cracking a sly smile, "I can't understand why but I guess you did have good intentions."

He wanted to catch her into her own reasoning but the girl wasn't stupid. She mirrored his smile before she noticed scratches on his neck.

"Remus, are you sure you are alright? Has Mulciber started to bully you again? Your neck is-" She reached out towards his neck but he caught her hand.

She didn't intend to look into his mind but it felt like someone pushed her in for a moment. Her eyes widened as she saw a monster howling at the moon through a very small crack inside what looked to be a shack. It was messy and she swore she saw blood on the floor but the worst of every image was the eyes of the furry monster.

"I'm alright."

That's what he said but Ophelia already saw it. Remus had a secret.

Right after her little discussion with Remus, Ophelia remembered Sirius. He decided by himself that they should meet in the Astronomy Tower for whatever plan he schemed, again by himself.

"I'm here so let's get this done with so I can go finish my Herbology paper." She stated as soon as she arrived.

Sirius was not there. No one was or at least, no one walking on two feet. The same hiss she heard in her nightmare back in Spinnard's cottage seemed to come from everywhere. Out of the darkness creeped a large, scary snake with its eyes set on Ophelia. She blinked a few times, confused how she should react. Up the stairs heavy steps were signaling that someone was coming but that sound was drowned out as the only thing she could hear was the snake.

"Everything you want to know isss in hissstory booksss. The Ressstricted Sssection." The snake hissed at her, forming words just like a human.

Speechless and yet amazed, Ophelia took a step closer to the vile creature and leaned forward, staring into its eyes at her reflection. She could see the ruby on her ring shining brightly as her whole face seemed to morph. Her long eyes became rounder and her hair was slowly reddening as if it was on fire. It was the same face, more or less, but the features that were making her herself were changing into one young face that had long suffered and paid for her mistakes.

Seeing the reflection of her mother's face, she realized there were many details that she chose to ignore until then, growing more curious about circumstances than the person itself. Peverell appeared in every single explanation and bestowed shadow over Lillian's persona but that was going to end.

"Ophelia!"

A cold lanky hand wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her back, interrupting both the visual and mental connection.

She looked back at the perpetrator and saw the pale face of Lucius Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, looking up into his grey-blue eyes.

Malfoy's eyes shifted to the snake, drawing her attention on it as well. The hissing cold blooded creature retreated into the darkness, its eyes glowing until he vanished behind the walls.

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Those eyes that have stared down at her from the first moment they met in front of Gringotts were now looking down at his feet, thoughtful and worried.

"So that's what he meant." He mumbled, sighing at his foolishness. "I suppose that explains everything, especially the bravery in front of Rodolphus."

"What are you mumbling about? And how did you know I was here?" She asked, watching him with suspicion. "Where's Black?"

"Snape saw you come up here after dinner. He insisted that I come and make sure you haven't fallen off." He scoffed at the memory but once his eyes rose on her figure, he didn't feel like sneering at her anymore. "I understand now why Rabastan has been so docile. He even entered a relationship with a mud-blood, just to spite his father and brother."

"How does that connect to me? Do I look like I'm happy he abandoned our lessons for a girl?" She scowled.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, surprised to see she was acting so childishly just because she lost her tutor.

"I'll take care of you from now on. That's the best I can do for now after-" He's already done quite enough just to make her miserable, starting with last year's bullying. He had some repenting to do now that he knew a short second year girl had his life in her hands.

"You said Rabastan became docile because of me. How does that make sense?"

"Your father would do anything to keep you safe. Rabastan became closer to you and so if anything were to happen to him, it would also affect you."

"So what, am I a safety zone now? Everyone that comes in contact with me becomes precious to my father too?" She asked, glaring at the blond. "Are you also trying to get into my father's favour?"

"I am not the first nor the last person that will try to gain your trust and favouritism."

"Is my father such an important man? Isn't he just a wizard?"

Malfoy's eyes widened and he gasped at her.

"Just a-just a wizard?! No, he is not just a wizard! He is the-"

"I believe that's enough, Lucius." Spinnard interfered before the student could give out Tom's latest name. "I am pleased that you have finally understood your role but you shouldn't talk gibberish." He added, his cold blue eyes looking far more intimidating than any Slytherin.

"But professor-" Malfoy was reduced to silence when Spinnard raised his hand. The blond rolled his eyes and walked out, knowing he had established and seen enough.

When he arrived in front of the moving stairs, he saw Severus guarding a petrified Sirius Black. The pale boy noticed his prefect too and nodded before he muttered a counter curse thus letting Sirius free.

"I swear you'll pay for this Snivelly!" Black yelled in anger but that threat was far from the real deal that Malfoy has just entered.

Once he got into the dungeon, the same pale boy ran up to him with his hair sticking to his face.

"Is she alright? Did something really happen?"

"What made you believe I should see her listening to a snake? And how did you know it will happen tonight?" Asked the prefect but Snape didn't seem intimidated by the person he was so scared of only last year.

"She told me about her father, that his name is Tom. Then, I witnessed her losing control, learning Legilimency and then she visited that man in the hospital. Her father's name and past have all resulted into one answer that had to be right." Snape explained, starting to walk by Malfoy's side towards the common room.

"She won't know who's a friend or foe anymore. We'll have to watch her and those she comes in contact with." The blond started, his superior demeanour returning now that he fully registered what happened in the Astronomy Tower.

"Not many know who she is. Maybe if we hide it then-"

"The daughter of the Dark Lord is here, moreover sorted in Gryffindor. I assure you, we won't be able to hide her for long. If Rodolphus finds out, he will have the whole house up and about."

Snape sighed, admitting that Rodolphus Lestrange was a man of action and would probably cause great distress to Hogwarts as a whole not just Slytherins. It was up to him, Malfoy and Rabastan to keep the secret for as long as possible.

"You are rather loyal to her, aren't you Severus? I thought you two were not friends anymore yet you knew exactly where she was going to be tonight." Malfoy asked with an eyebrow raising elegantly.

"I prefer to be her friend rather than her foe."