MEMENTO MORI | DRACO MALFOY

SIXTEEN

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting." Pansy fumed, taking her seat across from Ophelia.

Ophelia cocked an eyebrow. "You think you calling her ugly and that insinuating she used love potions on Krum was really that good of an insult, Parkinson? Truly, you're losing your touch."

Pansy looked offended. "For your information, Rosier, I —"

"Enough chatter." Snape's monotone voice interrupted, silencing the room. "I'd like you all to collect the ingredients for a wit-sharpening potion. Merlin knows several of you could use it."

Ophelia ignored Pansy's glares as she got up from her seat to collect her ingredients. Even though she wasn't keen on coming to potions today, she was going to make the best out of it, or at least she'd try.

As she got to chopping her ingredients, she couldn't help but notice Snape approaching the Gryffindor table slowly. Granger was still chattering on about something under her breath, but Ophelia turned her head in an attempt to eavesdrop.

"As fascinating as I'm sure your social life is, Miss Granger, I must ask you not to discuss it in my classroom. Ten points from Gryffindor."

A few giggles erupted from some Slytherin girls and Draco looked pleased. "Mudblood like her can't have much of a social life, to be quite honest." He sneered, earning a chortle each from Crabbe and Goyle. When Potter turned to sneer back at him, Draco pressed his Potter Stinks badge.

Snape then rounded the other side of the table noticing the magazine on the chair next to Hermione. "Reading under the table as well now, are we?" He picked it up, nose turning upwards. "I suppose Potter needs to keep up with his press."

It was obvious Harry Potter was seething as Snape began to read the article aloud for the entire class, taking time to allow the Slytherins a laugh as if they hadn't already read it, even Ophelia agreed it was much more humorous coming from Snape. By the end of the article, Snape demanded the trio separate. Harry Potter stood up angrily and moved tables, a lot closer to where Ophelia was sitting and definitely within her earshot.

She watched as Snape approached Potter again, who was pretending not to notice him. Ophelia made sure her ear was turned towards them as she pretended to be fully immersed in chopping up beetles. Snape's voice was barely audible, and she could barely make out what he was saying to Potter, but she'd caught the tail end of it.

"—if I catch you breaking into my office one more time—"

"I haven't been anywhere near your office." Harry Potter muttered while still preparing his potion.

"Don't lie to me." Snape hissed, his voice a little louder now. "Boomslang skin. Gillyweed. Both come from my office, Potter."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Potter replied, and Ophelia had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Gillyweed wasn't as popular an herb as Potter may have thought it was. It's extremely hard to acquire, so if Snape had one and now it's missing, he's entirely within his rights to assume it was Potter. He so openly used it for the second task, unless... Her mind returned to Moody. Maybe it was Moody who stole the Gillyweed. But why would he also need boomslang skin? She shook her head in confusion. She was fabricating something that probably didn't even happen. Potter probably stole the Gillyweed, it wouldn't surprise her with his holier-than-thou attitude.