"Where the bloody hell is Malfoy?!" Phineas's voice echoed off the stone walls of the changing room, sharp and filled with frustration.
Ophelia was not exactly pleased to be welcomed by the shouts of her brother upon entering the changing rooms outside the Quidditch pitch. To be fair, she was almost tempted to turn around and go back to where she had come from but she decided against it at the last minute. She had walked all the way over here after all.
"He said he had more important things to do." Vaisey's voice, if she wasn't mistaken, cut through the tension, though it only seemed to make it worse.
"More important things to–?" Phineas's face flushed with anger, and Ophelia saw his jaw tighten as he fought to control himself. Then, with a sharp exhale, he managed to rein in his fury. "Harper!" he barked, turning to a tall, gangly boy who was leaning against one of the benches, his eyes half-lidded. "Prepare to play as a seeker."
The mentioned boy's face lit up while the other, Vaisey's, turned sour. "Harper?" Vaisey spat, his voice thick with disbelief. " I've been busting my arse–"
"You're a chaser, Vaisey," Phineas cut him off smoothly, his voice dangerously calm. "Don't make me say it again if you want to stay on the team." His words were sharp, and Vaisey could do nothing but clench his fists in silence. The room seemed to grow colder.
Well, perhaps, the tense atmosphere is not the right time to–
Ophelia barely had time to move when a voice from behind her made her jump. "Eavesdropping much?" She spun around, her hand instinctively clutching her chest, a rush of embarrassment washing over her. She found herself face to face with another boy, blonde hair and brown eyes but somehow she couldn't remember his name.
"No, I–" She tripped on her words, unable to speak.
He chuckled, amused at seeing her flustered but thankfully didn't spare her more than a glance before walking past her. He was sporting the characteristic dark green and silver of the Slytherin Quidditch team, so she assumed that he must be part of the team, new, most likely.
"It's fine, who are you looking for?" He asked.
"I'm–" she started, but the sound of her brother's voice made her jump again.
"Ophelia, what are you doing here?" Phineas snapped. Her brother had finally stopped yelling at his teammates and seemed to notice her presence just a few steps behind him.
"I came to...wish you luck?" She hadn't intended for it to sound like a question but suddenly she was feeling intimidated by his stare and she feared to say the wrong thing.
"Luck?!" Phineas's voice raised, and Ophelia could practically feel the heat radiating off him. "You don't wish luck before a game," He scolded her. "That is literally the opposite."
"I'm sorry, I–I didn't know."
He didn't look exactly in a forgiving mood. This had been a bad idea.
Her brother had been named captain of the Slytherin team in his fifth year –Ophelia's fourth– and since then she had come to watch him play an exact of...two times —She was being generous with the number too. She actually didn't know why this time she had had the sudden urge to assist– alright she was lying.
Actually, she did know. After hearing of the news about her engagement she figured that the best course of action now, to stay up to date with any changes was to befriend her brother. Which...may sound ridiculous but it was an actual idea that she had come up with. She wasn't particularly friends with him and she never before had any trouble with it, after all, Phineas didn't make an effort either. Still, if she wanted him to trust her enough to start confiding in her, the least she could do is start to be more...supportive of his interests.
YOU ARE READING
Pulling Strings - Theodore Nott
Fanfiction"Do not doubt it, you're the most insufferable," she poked her finger into his chest. "Self-centred," Again. "Shallow and-" He caught her hand before she could continue, looking down at her with a crooked smile. "Aw, darling," he bopped her nose, fo...
