Ophelia woke up on a hospital bed. There were a few people who had surrounded her as she woke up.
"Oi, mate. Look, she's waking up." A boy named Theo had commented.
"Is she going to be okay?" Draco chimed in.
"I sure hope so." Blaise sighed as Ophelia groaned and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times to get used to the light. When her eyes registered, Ophelia looked at the first person she saw.
"Draco?" Ophelia's voice was groggy. Draco sighed and put his head down in his hands.
"We thought we lost you, Ophelia." Draco sounded beyond relieved. Ophelia looked at her brother and smiled.
"Hi, Blaise." She gave him a weak smile as Blaise gave her a hug.
"Don't scare me like that again." Ophelia let out a breathy laugh.
"You think I wanted this to happen? One minute I was eating dinner, then the next Death Eaters were trying to kill us." Her eyes started to water remembering the attack.
"Oh, were they looking for something?"
"Yes." She gave them a grim look before she answered.
"Me." Everyone around her looked astonished.
"What? Why did they want you?" Pansy questioned. She was still jealous and angry that Ophelia was getting Draco's attention. Pansy felt that she should be getting his affection, not Ophelia. Ophelia hasn't done anything to deserve it.
"I don't know. Something about how the Dark Lord wants me alive. I'm really worried." Ophelia shed a tear and sniffled. Draco had the urge to wipe away her tears himself, however, Blaise beat him to it. Blaise also sat next to his sister on the bed and held her close and she cried. Draco sighed and Pansy was becoming annoyed. They heard the door open and Snape and McGonagall walked inside.
"Miss Zabini. How are you feeling?" Professor McGonagall asks her.
"I'm better, thank you."
"Miss Zabini, you said that Death Eater's attacked Beauxbattons Academy?" Professor Snape had asked.
"Yes, they were looking for me as the Dark Lord wanted me alive." Ophelia could barely keep her composure. She had trained herself to do so as she received strict criticism at Beauxbattons, and it helped shape her as a woman. However, the event with the Death Eaters has broken her, and she will not know if she will be able to heal as quickly as she would prefer.
"Miss Zabini, may I ask why the Dark Lord wanted you alive?" Professor McGonagall had asked. Minerva was very worried about the girl; mentally and physically. She doesn't understand why Ophelia hadn't broken down worse than what she already was.
"Miss, I truly don't know." Ophelia felt horrible that she didn't know their names. She wished she could address them properly, as it was the lady-like thing to do when speaking to your professors or elders.
"My apologies, Miss Zabini. My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall. And the man next to me is Professor Severus Snape." Ophelia smiled lightly towards her before she spoke.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. And thank you, Professor Snape, for saving my life." Snape just nodded in return. McGonagall simply smiled towards her.
"What are we going to do Professors? Will Ophelia begin to attend Hogwarts now, or will she be sent back home?" Blaise had spoken up after their conversation.
"I personally think she would be safer here than anywhere else. It will be more difficult for Death Eaters to penetrate the castle than anywhere else." Draco had spoken. He very much so desired Ophelia to stay with him at Hogwarts, so that he could protect her from more harm and show her the love that he's been dying to give her for many years now. Pansy huffed at the thought of Ophelia staying at Hogwarts. She has been trying for years now to try and get Draco to be with her, even though she knows he has feelings for Ophelia. That's why she was so ecstatic to find out that Ophelia was going to be attending Beauxbattons instead of Hogwarts.
"That sounds like a great idea Draco. We will bring out the sorting hat and have her sorted. She will begin classes on Monday morning. Minerva, would you mind gathering one student from the other three houses and have them meet me in my office?" Severus spoke and Minerva nodded.
"Yes, Severus I will. I will be in your office in twenty minutes." Minerva walked away to go grab Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Susan Bones. She knew that if she was accepted into any of the other three houses, they would be perfect first impressions to the house. Minerva first made her way to the Hufflepuff common room. She muttered the password and walked in. She scanned the room before her eyes landed on Susan.
"Miss Bones? May I have a bit of your time?" Susan looked up from her potions book, startled that someone had broken the light silence.
"Of course, Professor." Susan made her way with Minerva to Ravenclaws common room. She muttered the password to the tapestry and walked in, seeing Luna right away.
"Miss Lovegood? If it is alright with you, I would like to borrow you for about twenty minutes." Luna gave her a dreamy smile and replied.
"Of course Professor. Is this about that girl from Beauxbattons Academy, and you need her sorted into a house?" Minera gave her a slight smile.
"Why, yes. You always were quick to catch onto things." The three of them then made their way to the Gryffindor common room and she muttered another password. When she entered, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting on the couch talking and laughing.
"Mister Potter? Can I borrow you for a little while? It will not take long."
"Of course, Professor. But, might I ask what I've done wrong?" Minerva chuckled slightly.
"You aren't in trouble this time Mister Potter. This is house sorting business." Harry gave her a very confused look and was about to ask her what she meant, but she was already out the door. The four of them then made their way towards Snape's new office, as he had taken over Albus Dumbledore's position as headmaster. Already in Snape's office were the three Slytherins as well as Ophelia. Also, there was Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick. The sorting hat was already there in Severus' hand, awaiting the arrival of everyone else.
"How much longer? This is boring." Pansy groaned in annoyance.
"If it's that boring Parkinson then leave," Draco stated angrily. He hated Pansy's presence now. It always bugged him, as she kept trying to get with him. He practically hated her at this point. Pansy groaned and left the room as Minerva, Harry, Susan, and Luna had arrived. Ophelia was already sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. She sat tall in the chair, never slouching. It wasn't ladylike to do so. It also wasn't good for your posture. The students joined their head of house and waited for Minerva to place the hat on Ophelia's head.
"Alright, Miss Zabini. I will place the sorting hat on top of your head. It will then tell us which house you will be sorted into. That house will be like your family. Whichever house you get sorted into, you will be escorted by that head of house and student or students to the common room for that house. Is that clear?" Minerva had stated, trying to make sure Ophelia understood everything.
"Yes, Professor. I understand." Ophelia smiled slightly and sat still as she started to lower the hat onto her head. Ophelia prepared herself to feel the weight of the hat, but it never came. As soon as the sorting hat had touched a single hair on Ophelia's head it screamed her house.
"SLYTHERIN." Everyone was shocked except for Severus, Blaise, and Draco. Draco chuckled and smirked. The exact same thing had happened to him.
"Professor McGonagall, is that a good thing?" Ophelia asked as she had gotten up.
"That my dear is a very good question. I do not know Miss Zabini." Ophelia looked worried but looked at Draco for reassurance. He only smiled and nodded his head. Ophelia felt calm once again and walked towards her brother and the love of her life.
"Well, where to boys?" Ophelia was curious as to where their common room would be.
"Our's isn't the prettiest on the outside, but the inside is wonderful. Potter would know, wouldn't you?" Draco had looked over Ophelia's shoulder and Harry was rubbing the back of his neck.
"Mister Potter, is there something we should know?" Severus looked accusingly at the boy.
"No Professor Snape. I have no idea what Malfoy is talking about actually." Harry looked at Malfoy and gave him a warning stare.
"Never mind that, let's show you your new common room, Ophelia," Blaise said before escorting her out of the room. As she left she said into the open, "Nice to meet you, Potter." She gave him a smile and a wave before Draco leaned into her protectively. He didn't want her talking to Harry at all. He despised him and didn't want her ending up being their friend. Besides, they can't now because she's in Slytherin, right?
When they had gotten back to the common room, everyone was excited about the new Slytherin. However, most of the guys were trying to flirt with her and were whistling and catcalling. Draco didn't like this one bit, and neither did Blaise. However, both had different reasons.
"Well, what now?" Ophelia asked Blaise, but then looked at Draco. She couldn't be happier with the fact that she would be able to see Draco every day for the rest of the year. They have so much to catch up on.
"Well, we go to sleep for the night," Blaise said as he yawned and explained where the girls' dormitories were. However, after Blaise went to bed, Draco grabbed her arm gently.
"Ophelia, would you like to hang out with me in my room?" Ophelia gave him a warm smile.
"Of course Draco. I would love to." Draco grabbed her hand and led her up to his room where they laughed and ate Berty Botts every flavor bean, and talked about how life was going up until the point when Ophelia arrived at Hogwarts.
Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common room, Harry was still surprised at what he had just witnessed. He wasn't expecting that to ever happen again. When Harry entered Ron and Hermione were still waiting on his return.
"Hey, what did McGonagall want you for?" Ron was curious and needed to know.
"They wanted to sort that new girl into a house. Ophelia Zabini I think her full name was." Ron nodded and Hermione looked up.
"I heard about her! She grew up with the Malfoy's, Parkinson's, and was adopted by the Zabini family when she was just a baby. She's only a year younger than us. Obviously, she didn't come back with you, so which house was she sorted into? No doubt it was Slytherin, it would make perfectly good sense as her brother is in Slytherin."
"She did get in Slytherin. But that isn't was worries me." Harry was grim while recalling the events. He was really worried, he practically had a female Malfoy on his hands. He knew Malfoy was up to no good, he didn't need her causing trouble as well.
"Like what, mate?" Ron had started to get more into the conversation. He was really curious now as he just learned about this new Ophelia character.
"You know what happened to Malfoy first year when we were getting sorted? It didn't even touch his head and the sorting hat screamed Slytherin?" Harry started to explain.
"Yeah, what about it? Did the same thing happen to Ophelia?" Hermione had closed her book. Harry looked up and sighed.
"Yes. That's why I'm so worried." Harry stared at the fire, longing to be able to talk to Sirius about this. But Sirius was dead. Hermione and Ron looked at each other with worried expressions. They were just as worried as Harry was.
"Don't worry. Maybe she is nothing like Malfoy? After all, she did attend Beauxbattons Academy. That's a very prestigious and strict school. I heard that they trained you to be the perfect lady or gentleman. So if she attended there, she has to be kind." After Ron had stated this, Harry remembered what she said to him before being dragged away by Malfoy.
"She did say it was nice to meet me, and she was worried when the sorting hat was so sudden. I don't know. She seemed nothing like a Slytherin. I was sure she'd at least get Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." Harry was confused at this point. How could someone so kind be in a house full of stuck-up, rude snobs?
"Maybe she has a bloodline that was involved with Slytherin? Like Malfoy and everyone else? Maybe she had like a father or grandfather in Slytherin." Ron had laid down on the couch at this point with his head on Hermione's lap. She sighed but smiled slightly. She thought Ronald was adorable and really liked him.
"I don't know. But I want to figure it out." Harry stated before going upstairs to sleep.