𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑠𝘩𝑎𝑑𝑒'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝗁.𝗉. 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝗀𝖾𝗇.

.twelve.

Knocking softly on the door, Ophelia waited with Cas outside the Transfiguration classroom. They had both agreed that it would probably be the best place to start looking for McGonagall, since neither of them really wanted to go hound another teacher for the password to the Headmistress' study. Luckily, they didn't have to search any farther.

"Come in," a familiar voice sounded, slightly muffled through the oak door. Slowly pushing it open, Cas and Ophelia stepped into the classroom. McGonagall looked up from what seemed to be a lot of boring paperwork to smile thinly at them. "Hello, girls. Can I help you?" When Cas nodded, the headmistress motioned to two seats near her desk. The girls took a seat, and Ophelia sucked in a deep breath before taking the plunge.

"So, Headmistress, Cas and I were...wondering, y'know, hypothetically...if one desired to, uh...translate Parseltongue, where would one find books on how to do that? Y'know, hypothetically."

McGonagall's eyebrows arched, and for a second Ophelia wondered if she had blown it, but maybe the earnestness and fear had come through just enough.

"Well, girls, obviously I couldn't ever disclose that to you."

Ophelia felt her face fall. "Of course."

A sudden smile played at the corners of McGonagall's lips. "I also couldn't tell you that any books the school might have on the subject would be in the restricted section, which I definitely couldn't give you permission to check out. However, I couldn't ever tell you that Madam Pince will be out on an out of grounds trip for the school tonight, and that she leaves the keys to that specific section in the bottom left drawer of her desk. I also couldn't leave the library unlocked for you past curfew. I'd never disclose that if anyone ever discovered what you were doing, all of us would be in a great deal in trouble."

Ophelia and Cas sat there, rendered speechless. "Uh, yes, of course." Cas choked out.

"But, of course, I could never tell you any of that." She added pointedly.

Ophelia painted her face with a smile. "Thanks anyway, Headmistress."

The two girls hurriedly got up and left, but not before Ophelia could catch McGonagall's small smile.

Ophelia took a sharp breath in before approaching the Slytherin table at dinner that night. Walking slowly up to the raven-haired boy, she noted quickly that Scorpius was only a few seats away and made sure to speak quietly.

"Albus!" she said quickly, gaining no reply from the boy. "Albus....hey, Albus?" This got his attention. He turned, and seemed to register what was happening. A smile spread over his face, but there was no recognition in his eyes. As he recognized who it was, his eyebrows creased in concern.

"O-Ophelia? What are you..." he paused, looking her up and down. "It is Ophelia, right?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Can we talk?" Albus raised an eyebrow.

"If you have something to say, say it here." There was a bit of edge in his voice, but it was mostly overshadowed by concern. Walking closer, Ophelia crouched a bit as to be closer to Albus' ear. Slowly, carefully, she explained everything that had happened. The forest, the visions, the voices, everything. When she was finished, she stepped back to see an even more concerned, but slightly more serious Albus.

"When did all this happen?"

"A combination of the past couple days." Albus grimaced, suddenly looking a bit angry.

"Why didn't Cas tell me anything? Why didn't she...or you," he added, as if suddenly realizing who he was talking to again. "Say anything?"

Ophelia sighed, suddenly feeling bad that she and Cas had kept him in the dark this long. She barely even knew the guy, but something about him made her want to tell him everything, want him to know. Want him to help. "We thought we were going crazy. We were scared, and we didn't know what it meant, if anything at all. When Scorpius told Cas--"