𝓔𝓓𝓘𝓣𝓔𝓓
A month and a half had passed since the prophecy had happened, but the days leading up to the first event of the prophecy had Starr and Morgandy anxious, in the prophecy they did not see how Ophelia would react.
It was the morning of Friday, October twenty-second, one day before the start of the prophecy. Unaware of what will happen in two days, Ophelia sat at the Slytherin table picking at her food whilst she listened to Tom babble on about something.
The next thing she knew was Headmaster Dippet was standing at the Owl stand, grabbing everyone's attention.
"As some of you know, every year on October thirty-first we hold a Hallowe'en Feast. This will still happen, but it will be for first years up to fifth years only," there was a huge uproar of complaining sixth and seventh-year students whilst the lower years cheered, "settle down, please. The sixth and seventh years will be attending the Hallowe'en Ball, from seven pm to twelve am on Halloween night. Sixth and Seventh-year students will be going on a trip to Hogsmeade next Friday, a permission slip has been sent out via owl. That is all."
Students from the seventh and sixth years cheered whilst the lower years were the ones now complaining.
Half of Tom's gang of Death Eaters all groaned in frustration.
"I don't dance!" Malfoy partially yelled.
"Even if you did, who would dance with you anyways?" Ophelia laughed. Everyone who heard Ophelia's reply to Malfoy laughed, even Tom.
"Aika," Arkin Lestrange called down to the Japanese sixth year. She quickly turned around her long black hair catching her friend in her face, she smiled at him, "want to go to the ball with me?"
Aika's friends giggled while Aika nodded agreeing to go with him.
"Okay," Arkin smiled.
"That gentlemen and Ophelia," Arkin paused and glared at Ophelia for a split second, "is how you get a date," he laughed.
Some of his friends laughed, whilst another's like Tom and Avery didn't react. Ophelia just scoffed in disgust.
"What's your problem, Lockwood? Just because you and Emory do everything together," Arkin spat.
"Don't get lippy with me, Lestrange. You'll ask anyone out now that Dove and Rune are all over each other, you're just jealous that other people are happier than you," Ophelia spat back.
Tom grew amused, she was always commenting on his follower's insecurities, he liked that she knew how exactly get to them and leave them speechless like she just did with Lestrange.
Lestrange tried to answer her back but he was left a stuttering mess.
Breakfast was almost over and Ophelia watched as Dove and Rune walked out of the Great Hall together. She caught Lestrange staring at them envy clear in his eyes. She was about to get up and meet Emory to walk to class together when, he stood up and left with Lyra, talking and smiling. She knew that Emory didn't like her so why was he walking with her?
"Do you want to go to the forbidden forest with me now, just us?" Ophelia asked Tom.
Tom looked at her surprised, "you want to spend time with me, on your own?" Tom asked.
"Yes, so are you coming?" Ophelia asked standing up and grabbing her Monster Book of Monsters.
Tom nodded and stood up also grabbing his book, he waved goodbye to the group of Slytherin boys and caught up to Ophelia as they walked out the great hall.
Morgandy and Starr locked eyes worried for the outcome.
Tom and Ophelia walked along the hallway leading from the Great Hall towards the clock tower.
As they proceed to walk to the clock tower, Tom spoke up, "so why did you want to walk with me?"
"Well Tom, like I said I want to spend time with you, after all, you were the first person I met and knew when coming to this school," Ophelia laughed, Tom let out a low laugh whilst shaking his head.
"Yes, but besides that. You get so disgusted by my actions and hatred towards mudbloods, so why do you stick around?" He questioned.
"Because you're always there for me when I need you and right now I need you," Ophelia piped down and gave Tom a small smile.
"Is it because Emory was with that French girl?"
Ophelia nodded her head, embarrassed over a petty situation.
"There's no need to be embarrassed, and it's not a petty situation," Tom exclaimed.
"How?" Ophelia asked.
"When you're embarrassed you lose focus on controlling you Occlumency. It doesn't happen often but you're really powerful when you use it, it's annoying," Tom laughed.
"It's annoying when you try to read my mind and when you do," Ophelia gently hit him "so tell me, Riddle. What do you like?"
"Cold coffee," he laughed.
"Ew," she hit him again.
Once they reached the clock tower they walked out into the courtyard and towards the Covered Bridge. The pair of them laughed and pushed each other along the bridge as they joked about the first time they met.
Their laughter was stopped when they reached the end of the bridge and there stood Emory and Lyra. Lyra smirked at Ophelia, whilst Emory looked back and forth from Ophelia and Tom in disgust.
"What the hell, Lia?" Emory yelled.
"What?" Ophelia asked, confused about why he was yelling.
"Why are you walking with him of all people?" Emory yelled, yet again, his voice louder this time, she could hear in his voice that he was angry.
"Well, I was to go and meet my boyfriend so we could walk together, but he left the room with someone else he proclaims to hate, laughing and smiling so I left with Tom as we have the same class and we are good friends," Ophelia commented her voice full with sarcasm, she grabbed Tom's hand and dragged him past Emory and Lyra.
She heard Emory whisper something underneath his breath, she ignored it as she knew Tom had picked up on it.
"It's weird when you laugh. You're just this serious person, who only boasts himself and gives low smirks at comebacks," Ophelia lightened up, letting go of Tom's hand.
"I just don't find a lot of things funny, unless it's you hexing or having a go at either Malfoy or Lestrange," Tom shrugged his shoulders.
"What can I say, I am a funny girl," Ophelia laughed flicking her hair back.
Tom stared at her and shook his head.
"Be serious now, Ophelia. Wouldn't want that boyfriend of yours to get jealous even more," Tom smirked.
"See you did it again, you smirked. And at this moment in time I don't care he's been really distant since the first day of term, ever since he got the job opportunity actually," Ophelia said.
Tom didn't say anything, as they reached the edge of the forbidden forest, Tom looked back up where Emory and Lyra were standing a few moments ago. It was just him standing there on his own as he watched both Tom and Ophelia closely whilst other sixth year students walked from the bridge. When Tom turned around their burning gazes locked, and if looks could kill, they'd both be dead. Tom smirked at him as he turned around back to Ophelia and put his arm around her.
Emory became even more disgusted by the second.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Nicole asked.
Emory just nodded his head in the direction of Tom and Ophelia, where Tom's arm was firmly gripped around Ophelia's waist.
"It is your fault that she's walking with him," Nicole said.
"How so?"
"You walked with Lyra, you know how much she dislikes her. So she did the same back to you, walk with Tom, you hate him," Nicole said, "it works both ways, Emory, if you do something to annoy her she'll do something to annoy you in return." Nicole walked away with Dove when she turned up with Rune.
"Come on, mate," Rune said. The two boys walked back onto the bridge, the image of Tom smirking and gripping Ophelia's waist kept replaying in his head. He knew that his relationship with Ophelia was ruined the day he told her about his job after the school year. Emory knew that they would not be together by the end of the weekend as their relationship was going to be over by tonight.