"—LESTRANGE ANDL LONGBOTTOM." Snape said during class.
"I remember this. He almost fainted out of fear from Ophiuchus." Draconian said.
The class all collectively paused.
Neville Longbottom, was frozen, his eyes wide filled with fear.
"What? Why?" Alice asked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Snape had partnered him up with none other than Ophiuchus Lestrange.
Many looks of pity and sorrow were given to him by the Gryffindor's, as some feared for Neville's safety.
"To be fair, you threaten almost everyone. Just last week you tried to kill me." Amelie said, makings Ophiuchus roll his eyes.
"You are exaggerating. I didn't try to kill you. It was Ophiuchus the Second, who tried to eat you." He reminded her.
"Um, who is Ophiuchus the Second?"
"Serpentarius's, albino basilisk he named after himself." Elias answered.
"Which we got illegally off the black market while Ophie was still an egg, for him as his Yule gift." Draconian added.
Everyone else blinked not knowing how to respond to that information.
While the Slytherin's behind their smirking mask, couldn't help but to fell just a bit of pity as well for Longbottom.
"Do we really?"
Just a bit.
The bit being a single grain of rice.
"Half a grain of rice actually." Blaise said.
The color drained from Neville's face as Ophiuchus approached him.
Neville looked as if he was about to faint.
Working with Ophiuchus during potions, a subject that is known for its dangerous consequence if done incorrectly?
Neville is sure he won't make it out alive and everyone else thinks so as well.
"Could you really blame us?" Daphne said.
All eyes were on them.
"Longbottom." Ophiuchus said with his normal bored look and cold monotone tone voice, making Neville flinch.
This is the first time Neville had spoken to Ophiuchus, for he tried his best to avoid him, for obvious reasons.
"What BLOODY REASONS?!"
"L-Lestrange..." Neville stuttered.
"Stop acting as if I will bloody attack you." Ophiuchus rolled his eyes.
"I mean—"
"Draconian continued that sentence and I will double your training." Ophiuchus threatened, making Draconian shut up, with others snickered.
This paring is a recipe for disaster.
After all everyone knows the history of the Lestrange's and Longbottom's.
"History? What history?" Asked Frank.
"The kind where—" Before Ophiuchus can say anything Amelie elbowed him.
"Shhh, I want to see the drama unfold."
"What is going on?" Ophelia whispered to Hermione.
Well almost everyone.
"You don't know?" Ophelia shook her head.
"I don't know alot of things." Ophelia shrugged.
"Neville's parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom were attacked by Death Eaters Bartemius Crouch Jr, and Lestrange's, parents, and uncle, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange." She began.
The hall went silent, as tension thickened.
"This happened shortly after the downfall of You-Know-Who during the First Wizarding War in 1981. It was widely considered to be the most horrendous crime committed in the modern wizarding world by most wizards and witches." Hermione shivered as she remembered what she read.
"W-What did you do—?" Alice looked at the Lestrange's and Barty in fear.
"Frank Longbottom was the first to be captured. He was subjugated and imprisoned at an undisclosed location, before being heavily tortured by all four of the Death Eaters with the Cruciatus Curse. The torture resulted in Frank being so physically and mentally depleted that he spiralled into insanity. Then they hey targeted Alice. She was kidnapped and tortured in the same manner..."
Alice began to shake as Frank held her tightly.
While others were shaken to their core.
"All four of the torturers were captured shortly after the attack and were brought before the Council of Magical Law for trial. Bartemius Crouch, Snr. presided primarily over the hearing, which was short and merciless, Crouch Jr screamed continuously at his father that he was innocent and begged fruitlessly for mercy. Crouch disowned his son, causing his wife to faint..."
Regulus and Evan looked to Barty, who seemed like he wanted to throw up, hearing his future.
"This crime caused a wave of fury upon the wizard community of such ferocity that the Ministry of Magic were critically pressured to find the culprits. When the four were captured, they were tried before the Council of Magical Law. The crime was so heinous that such a crime was rarely heard of in court. The crowd roared with savage pleasure when Crouch announced that he planned to send the Death Eaters to Azkaban for life, and the sentence was given without question."
"...." The only thing that could be heard were the cries of fear and jagged breathing of the past.
"Unlike many other Death Eaters, Lestrange's mother, Bellatrix Lestrange, didn't lie about her loyalty— she proudly claimed that she was loyal to Voldemort and that she would wait for his return..."
Many looked at Bellatrix, who's pureblood mask was completely gone, bearing her emotions for everyone to see.
Yet despite seeing her emotions, they could no decipher what she was feeling.
Ophelia looked horrified.
She turned to Neville who looked as if he was about to pass out from fear at any moment.
Then she looked towards Ophiuchus.
She couldn't help but wonder, if everything she has seen so far was an act?
What if Ophiuchus was just like them?
Ophiuchus scoffed.
The screen had shifted back towards Ophiuchus and Neville.
"Longbottom, I know what you are thinking." Ophiuchus spoke in hush tones getting Neville's attention.
"So stop it. I refuse to be associated with that, dying star. I'd rather die than have to acknowledge Bellatrix as anything other than the women who had given birth to me. As far as I'm concerned that is the only reason she holds the title of mother. Same goes for Rodolphus and Rabastan is nothing more than a person I share blood. As far as I am concerned they aren't my family, just people I share blood with." He said, Neville could not believe what he was hearing.
The Lestrange's looked hurt, but they understood. They wouldn't want to associated with themselves after that.
Since the start Hogwarts when Neville along with the rest of the world got the shocking news that Ophiuchus Lestrange, was alive, Neville made it a point to stay away.
Every time he looked over to Ophiuchus he would see Bellatrix, after all Ophiuchus was practically identical to her.
Ophiuchus scoffed again.
All he would see was his parents's torture.
Neville he wonders if he would suddenly snap and go into a blood thirsty rampaged, and torture him till he befell the same fate as his parents, if they would follow in their parents's footsteps.
Another scoff from Ophiuchus.
Neville didn't see a Death Eater in training.
He didn't see a Lestrange.
He didn't see a Roiser
He didn't see a Black.
He didn't see a Bellatrix.
Instead all he saw was just boy.
He saw Ophiuchus Hesperos.
"Longbottom, stop looking at me like that, and get the ingredients while I prep the station." Ophiuchus said bringing Neville back to reality.
"Alright." Neville smiled softly at him before going to get the ingredients.
Ophiuchus had to pause.
A inquisitive look ok his normal bored face.
'Did Longbottom, just smile at me...?' He thought to himself. After all shouldn't you resent the child of your parents torture?
Ophiuchus frowned.
No matter how hard he tries.
He doesn't understand the Longbottom heir.
Ophiuchus's face then went back to normal, shaking off the odd feeling of warmth.
'Don't smile at me, Lomgbottom. After all I don't deserve it...'
"I-Is this why..?" Bellatrix trailed off.
"One of the many reasons." Ophiuchus said.
"You don't know what it is like. All everyone ever saw was Bellatrix the Second. Future Right Hand of Voldemort, and loyal Death Eater since training. Oddly enough, it was Longbottom, one of the first out side my companions that saw me for me." Ophiuchus avoided her gaze.
"Everyone thinks I'll end up like you. It is already hard enough looking at my own reflection. Because I don't even see myself. I see you looking right back at me. Your eyes. Your hair. Your complexion. Your features. Your face. It is all you." He clenched his jaw tightly.
"That is the whole reason Corvus was created. Corvus is my escape from everything a clean slate. When I'm Corvus they see me, but still not fully. If I could I would rather stay as Corvus Corbeau my whole life, than be Ophiuchus Lestrange." He finished.
Bellatrix felt her heartbreak at her son's words.
"Now can we start again?" Ophiuchus said, not wanting to deal with this any longer.