The Chosen One (MattheoRiddle x Ophelia)

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 25

As I gracefully strolled through the grand entrance of the Great Hall, making my way to the end of the impressive table, the jovial atmosphere was quickly broken by the sound of students chattering excitedly. Amidst the commotion, I noticed Hermione, giving me a friendly wave of her hand. In response, I rolled my eyes playfully and reciprocated her gesture.

At that moment, the figure of the old bearded man, none other than Headmaster Dumbledore himself, returned to stand at the headmaster's table. A collective sigh of relief seemed to resonate through the hall that the pinkey ponkey Umbridge left.

With his voice of authority, Dumbledore addressed the gathering, his voice ringing with hoarse and unpleasant at least to me . "Very best of evenings to you all," he began, his words captivating the attention of every individual present. The once-commotion-filled room suddenly fell silent as all eyes turned towards the old wizard.

"First off, let me introduce the newest member of our esteemed staff...Horace Slughorn," Dumbledore announced, his voice carrying across the hushed hall. Rising from his seat with a notable absence of grace, a figure emerged - an astonishingly overweight, bald man. With his diminutive stature being overshadowed by an immense belly threatening to burst the buttons on his waistcoat, Mr. Slughorn elicited a perplexed gaze from me. Nevertheless, I mustered a polite yet insincere round of applause, going through the motions of welcoming him.

Before I could think on this bewilderment for too long, Dumbledore's next declaration seized my attention. "Meanwhile, the important post of Defense Against the Dark Arts... will be taken by Professor Snape." As these words left the Headmaster's lips, a round of applause erupted from the Slytherin table. A broad grin stretched across my face, and I couldn't resist exchanging a thumbs-up with my father, who looked on with pride brimming in his eyes.

However, Dumbledore's words soon turned somber, causing a cloud of confusion to shadow everyone's expression."Once there was a young man, who, like you...sat in this very hall......walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle." As Dumbledore's gaze shifted to Matthew, who stood at a distant corner, I sensed an unnerving connection. The name Tom Riddle carried significant weight and darkness within the confines of my knowledge.

As the attention of everyone present shifted towards Matthew, Dumbledore's voice resonated through the Hall, holding an air of caution and seriousness. "Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight... I am reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps... dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls." Whispers spread throughout the room, eyes widening with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, yet Dumbledore's commanding presence silenced the rumblings.

"But in the end, their greatest weapon is you," Dumbledore continued, his words were nothing but full of fake hopes and fake determination. Nothing could be change. Hogwarts the once safest place was now threatened.

As we all left the Great Hall for our first class, I could not care less about the mundane proceedings. A first-year student bumped into me, and I lashed out, "Watch where you're going, stupid!" The girl clutched my skirt tightly, grinning and displaying her broken teeth. "I'm Florence," she said, looking up at me, but I could not be bothered. I forcefully freed my skirt from her and made my way to Potions.

As I entered the class, the lesson had already begun, and everyone's attention turned towards me as I stepped in. "Ah, Miss Snape," Slughorn greeted me, holding something in his hand. "Please, feel free to join us." he asked as I stood beside a Hufflepuff girl. "You'll find a book over there on the shelf," he instructed when he noticed I was empty-handed. I reached the small chamber of shelves and picked a book.

"Now, who can tell me what Amortentia is?" Slughorn asked, and instantly, Hermione and I raised our hands. "Yes, Miss?" Slughorn prompted, and Hermione began, "Granger, sir. Amortentia is the most powerful Love Potion in the entire world. It causes a powerful infatuation or obsession in the drinker." Her answer earned her a nod of approval from Slughorn.

"Miss Snape, would you do us the honor of demonstrating how Amortentia works?" Slughorn said, and I took a whiff of the liquid in the cauldron. But something strange invaded my sense of smell. "Excuse me, Professor, but would it be strange if I say I can smell blood and something burning, like smoke??" I asked, hesitating before speaking. Slughorn encouraged me to share my thoughts, assuring me that it was perfectly fine.

As I stood there, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air, and my mind raced with thoughts of what could have caused it. Was I going to kill someone? My mind was filled with these irrational thoughts, and I was lost in them until someone nudged me, bringing me back to reality. As I looked around, I noticed that everyone had already started preparing something, but I was still unclear about what I was supposed to do. It was then that Hermione spoke up, informing me that we were to prepare the Draught of Living Death potion. I quickly placed the book on the table and started collecting the ingredients, but something strange caught my attention. Beside the printed notes, someone had scribbled the ways to prepare it. The handwriting seemed so familiar, but I didn't care to recognize it. Instead, I started to follow the instructions provided with ink.

"What are you doing? You're not following the steps in the book?" Hermione asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. I just rolled my eyes at her and replied, "I know what I'm doing, Granger." I continued with my work, ignoring her protests. After finishing, Slughorn came by my side and threw a leaf into the cauldron. Immediately, it changed, and I felt a sense of pride wash over me as Slughorn complimented me. "The best, Miss Snape," he said, and Hermione gave me a confused look before clapping for me.

"As told earlier Miss Snape wins this liquid luck." Slughorn patted my should and gave the small inverted conical bottle to me. "Use it wisely." He said giving a smile. I nodded and joined the rest of the students. After the class, I apprehensively took the bottle of Liquid Luck, a potion that grants the drinker a period of good fortune, and retreated to my dorm. I knew that I needed this potion soon, for my luck had been dwindling.

As I was lost in thought, a small knock on the door jolted me from my reverie. My heart raced as I clutched the bottle tightly, relieved that it did not slip from my grip. With an angry scowl, I strode to the door, prepared to give the unwanted visitor a piece of my mind. But when I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of the same young girl, whose name I could not recall. "Professor Snape called for you," the girl chirped, flashing me a wide, toothy grin. I despised children, but this little creature had latched onto me like a magnet. I nodded curtly and slammed the door shut in her face. A part of me felt guilty, but I could not be bothered with her awkward presence. After safely storing the bottle in my drawer and locking it, I made my way to the dungeons to meet with Professor Snape.

As I pushed open the door to my father's cabin, my eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of him. My heart sank as I realized that he was nowhere to be found. Was the girl playing some sort of cruel trick on me? I thought with a scowl. She better not be, for I knew how to play it better than her, little creature that she was.

Just as I was about to leave the cabin, my father emerged from one of the corners, holding a large book in his hand. I looked at him, confused, and asked, "What is it, dad?" But he did not respond, instead placing the book on his table and dusting it off before opening it up. Something felt off about my father. He looked tired and upset, unlike his usual emotionless self. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew that something was bothering him. "Matthew, could you stand before me," Snape said in his usual monotonous voice, and out from the same corner from where my father had appeared, Matthew emerged.

"Ophelia, take this book and I expect you to master every incantation within it," my father said, motioning for Matthew to hand me the book. I looked at the massive tome, which could contain at least 1500 pages. "Every spell, dad? Are you truly serious?" I asked incredulously. "Yes, and I know you will," he replied sternly. I shot a furious glance at both him and Matthew, feeling like these two men were going to be the death of me. "Follow me," Matthew said, and I reluctantly trailed after the stupid wizard.