Saudade

Chapter 3 Draco's Outlawed Sister Ophelia

The following morning, Ophelia woke bright and early hoping to catch Potter before he headed off to class. She watched the entrance of the Great Hall feeling disappointed each time a student came through the grand doors. Blaise being one of them. Ophelia had forgotten of Blaise, she usually waited for him but she had been so distracted.

"You're up early, didn't even wait for me," Blaise said, taking the empty seat next to her.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry," Ophelia said, not taking her eyes off the entrance.

"Hurry?" Blaise questioned. "To eat? You haven't even touched your food."

Tearing her eyes away, she glanced down at her plate to see it completely untouched. She really needs to stop forgetting things, Ophelia cursed to herself.

"Oh, right," Ophelia said, taking her fork stabbing a sausage and shoving it into her mouth, then returning her eyes back to the entrance.

"Are you all right?" Blaise asked, sounding concerned. "You've been acting strange... is it because you've decided to become a new person?"

Ophelia cracked a smile.

"Perhaps," she said shoving Blaise playfully.

Ophelia's eyes lit up as she spotted Harry Potter and his two friends entering the Great Hall behind a group of Ravenclaws. She observed as the trio settled at the Gryffindor table. Ophelia debated whether to execute her plan swiftly or take a more gradual approach. But there was a reason she wasn't sorted into Hufflepuff; she never had a care for being patient.

"Don't be mad at me," Ophelia said, smiling innocently at Blaise.

"For what?" he asked, but Ophelia was already making her way towards the Gryffindor table. She noticed Draco entering the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle. Draco seemed puzzled as he caught sight of his sister heading towards the Gryffindor table. It was perfect timing, really. Steps two and three might just fall into place here.

"Hullo!" Ophelia said, happily to the trio.

They all whirled around and frowned when they saw Ophelia's unexpected presence.

"What do you want?" Ron Weasley spat.

Ophelia had always despised Ron Weasley with a burning passion. Everything about him, his red hair, his manner of speaking, his stride, and especially his poverty all fueled her disdain. She almost felt secondhand embarrassment by just being in his presence. But she knew better than to let her contempt show. Instead, she plastered on a saccharine smile.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Ophelia asked.

Their faces twisted into harsh expressions, mirroring the disdain Ophelia felt deep inside.

"And why would you want to sit with us?" Potter asked, expecting this to be a joke.

Ophelia let out a nervous chuckle as she took a seat next to him, but he quickly retreated with caution, as if she had just set off a Dungbomb.

"Look," she breathed. "I understand we've had our differences--banters. But I was thinking we could... squash! Our preexisting relationship and make a new one!"

"And why would we do that?" Weasley scoffed, almost laughing.

"Well, I've had a sudden realization over the summer," Ophelia began. "For years my brother has said horrible things to you and I too have said horrible things but I've realized I had only fought with you to defend my brother--which should not be an excuse. So I have been thinking that my fight is not with you three, that's between you and my brother. I am done fighting with all of you and I was hoping we could start anew. Plus, the OWLs are coming up so I really don't want to stress about more things."