Ana's eleventh birthday came in late July on an unreasonably hot day. The party was to take place on the patio where her father was putting up decorations by hand. Ana was in the kitchen watching the cake get made and licking frosting off spoons. Their mother made a chocolate hedgehog cake every year on Ana's birthday. The center was rich and sweet, the coating double cream mixed with melted chocolate. Onto that went chocolate buttons to make the spines, and two white chocolate buttons for eyes. The nose was a Malteser with a honeycomb center.
Ophelia was in the living room choosing which CD's to play when Ana came out from the kitchen, frosting all over her face. Ophelia laughed slightly before using a simple spell to clean her sister up.
"What do you think of this song?" Ophelia asked and hit play on the stereo.
"It's awfully sad," Ana said.
"It's Fleetwood Mac!"
"So?"
"So, they're geniuses."
"I think we have different opinions on what a genius is," Ana smiled.
Ophelia hummed, "alright, you pick then."
While her sister was busy looking through CD's, Ophelia accio'd her wrapped gift.
"Happy birthday, Ana," she said and handed it to her. Ana squealed, tearing the paper open to reveal the book Ophelia had bought.
"I got a copy for myself, as well," she said, "I thought we could read it together."
"Like a book club?" Ana's eyes lit up.
"Yes," Ophelia smiled, "like a book club."
Ana hugged her tight and thanked her.
"Should we read the first chapter tonight?" She asked.
Ophelia nodded, "sure."
Ana went back to picking the music and Ophelia looked out the large windows to the patio and her father. She studied him as he stood on top of a chair to put up a Happy Birthday sign. She tried to see the murderer in him, tried to see if the four lives he had allegedly taken would show on his features.
The sign fell to the ground and her father scowled. Dark circles under his eyes and hands curled into fists by his side. He was stressed now, and his response was always uncontrolled. He was spiraling again. Ophelia had almost always been the source of his frustrations, and when Peter was still alive he protected her, ending up in the middle of it all.
Her father had ignored her ever since he struck her before dinner, ever since she had let him. Like she always did. She was anxious about his next course of action, and maybe that told her all she needed to know about him. But her father wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Ana's birthday, and so she enjoyed the calm between the storms.
The birthday party was for family and friends, Draco and the Malfoy's were invited, however, Isaiah and Theodore Bentley were noticeably missing from the guest list. But Severus was coming, and Ophelia couldn't help but smile when she thought about him.
It had been two weeks since he had knocked on her window. They had passed each other briefly on the doorstep after he'd had a meeting with her father some days ago, but he hadn't talked to her then. No greeting, not even spared her a look, but Ophelia didn't mind. After kissing her like he had there was very little he could do to push her away.
"I would ask for you, Ophelia," he had said.
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Severus poured himself a second glass of firewhiskey and sat down in his chair in front of the fireplace, his fingers tapping gently on his glass. He tried to convince himself it would all be fine, but he was anxious, a sort of frozen panic with nowhere to go. He was in too deep now, it would be almost impossible to step away.
Severus' fireplace lit up and Lucius Malfoy stepped into his home. It was almost time for Anastasia Delisle's eleventh birthday party, and Severus wanted nothing more than to lock himself in his potions lab.
"Ah, I see you have started the festivities without me," Lucius smirked, pointing his cane to the glass in Severus' hand.
Severus motioned towards the whiskey, looking down into his glass, "help yourself."
"Don't you sound joyous," Lucius said.
Severus scoffed, "I have a lot on my mind."
"I can imagine," Lucius sat down on the couch, "but I need you focused tonight."
"Don't you think I know that?" He snapped.
Lucius sighed, "talk to me, then."
Severus downed his whiskey and looked up at Lucius.
"I didn't mean to bark."
"It's alright."
"I'm exhausted."
"As are we all."
Severus had grown accustomed to loneliness and she was a teenage girl with many responsibilities to come, but Merlin, he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone in his entire life combined. But she had no place in his plans and no matter how she made his heart beat, he had to be strategic.
"I would ask for you, too, Severus," she had said.
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Draco, Lucius and Severus were fashionably late and the party was in full swing when they arrived. Severus and Lucius joined Ophelia's father by the drink table while Draco wished Ana a happy birthday.
Ophelia was standing in the doorway to the patio, watching the whole scene. Ana was opening presents by the table, Draco gushing over every unwrapped gift, her mother whispering and laughing with the other moms, her father with whiskey in his hand and.. Severus. He was wearing a black button up shirt and black slacks. He was listening to the conversation between her father and Lucius, hands in his pockets and sleeves rolled up halfway, looking as stoic as ever. She breathed deeply before taking a sip of her lemonade.
"Delisle!" Draco was smiling at her, "great party."
And her feet were back on the ground again.
"We need to talk."
Ophelia grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house. She dragged him through the living room and into her bedroom, closing the door behind them.
"If you wanted me in your bed you could've just said so," he smirked.
"Shut up!" She sneered, "you need to tell me the truth."
He laughed, "what are you on about?"
"The Order, my father, the attack on muggles.. What can you tell me about it?"
Draco's smile faltered and he breathed deeply.
"Everything the Minister told you is true, Ophelia."
She crossed her arms over her chest, "and how am I supposed to trust you?"
Draco paused, she could practically see the wheels turning in his head.
"My father was a Death Eater in the last war," he said finally, "and I had a difficult time coming to terms with what that actually entailed. I made some poor decisions, decisions I'm now trying to make right. I know you haven't known us for long, and it's challenging to figure out who you can trust, even more challenging when your own family is involved, but don't make the same mistakes I did."
"I don't know," Ophelia shook her head, "I don't know how to navigate any of this, I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do!"
Draco smiled sadly, "you know I can't do that."
"Ophelia!" Her mother called from somewhere in the house, "it's time for cake!"
Ophelia sighed and pointed at Draco's chest, "we're not done talking about this."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he grinned.
He followed her out but almost walked into her as she froze in the living room. Severus was staring at her and suddenly she lost all ability to think straight. But there was something in the way he looked at her, something cold and uninviting.
"Miss Delisle," Severus' voice filled her ears, her whole body.
"Professor Snape," she greeted.
"Ophelia," her mother said from the kitchen, "cake, now!"
Ophelia blinked, "uh.. yeah, coming!"
She brushed past him, arm against arm made her shiver. She didn't dare look back, had she, though, she would've found black orbs following her.
"Light the candles," her mother instructed.
Ophelia took out a lighter from her pocket, lighting one of the eleven candles on the hedgehog cake.
"And no more sneaking boys into your room, it's your sister's birthday," her mother criticized, "you could at least be here for her."
Ophelia grinded her teeth, "I am here."
"No, Ophelia, and picking fights with your father?" She scoffed, "I thought you knew better." Her mother put her hands on her hips, "am I a bad mother? Is it my fault you turned out this way?"
"Please, mom," she closed her eyes tightly and leaned her hands on the counter, "can we not do this right now?"
"Fine," her mother took the cake and walked out of the kitchen.
Ophelia breathed deeply, her head spinning and eyes burning, waiting until the moment everyone started singing Happy Birthday to walk out to the patio.
Ana was smiling as all eyes were on her, the candles lighting up her young face. Her mother was standing next to her, singing loud and proud. Ana was her last hope for the daughter she'd always wanted, but often the stronger the maternal bond the harder the teenage years are. Ana would soon seek to break free, to prove who she is, to be her own person and not some fantasy her mother created. And when the time came, Ophelia would be there for her.
Ana looked at Ophelia and smiled.
Make a wish, Ophelia mouthed.
And then she blew out the candles.