Harry froze, then spun around slowly, not meeting his professor’s eyes. Maybe he should tell her? He wanted nothing more than an adult on his side and she should care, but the way his concerns had been brushed off last year… He bit his lip and said nothing for probably far too long. “I… I was…”

fingers  grace just before her own rouged lips, a smile. narcissa at her core, adores children. after all, among all of her greatest achievements, becoming a mother was one of the strongest and while that did not define her, the point was she enjoyed social gatherings, but especially in the presence of other mothers, too. 

  “ you have a very  beautiful family. “ 

“thank you, mrs. malfoy.” she cannot say that she agrees with the pairing of Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy. They had never been compatible but she couldn’t say she understood pureblood politics with her being born to muggle parents. the child in her arms stirs once more, grinning towards Narcissa before shyly tucking her head away again. 

“yeah, i mean… i would be looking for someplace to work probably anyway, and i’m sure this would be safer than trying to head back out in the wizarding world just yet. at least it would be of some comfort more than anything.” ophelia replied, shrugging slightly before looking down. 

“right, i’m sorry…” she took a breath, looking out over the bridge at the damage below them. the ruins and rubble of what was her home. “i can go back and help the others. let you be…” 

her hands grip the broken remnants of the bridge as she tries to keep herself from crying in front of one of her former students. she could break down later when she wasn’t in the presence of the other. but right now...she had to keep herself together. 

she follows after her, shifting her bag a bit on her shoulder as she tries to formulate her words properly before she felt like she made a bigger fool of herself. 

“were you… were you like me when you were my age? too worried about school and fitting in and all that and not… not living like the other kids?” 

“i think everyone was like you, Miss. Smith.” she replies quietly. she could understand the fear and the anxiety that the other was facing, especially considering the impeding war they were all facing. 

rolanda titles her head a little studying the other for a moment before a knowing smirk formed on her lips. “i know. i’ve heard.” there is no chance she would have missed hearing about a very gifted player. “and you were good, too. it’s a shame it came to an end …” and it also makes her feel somewhat guilty for being able to pursue her passion. she is convinced minerva could have been a marvelous professional player. “though i believe the students are very fortunate to have you as their teacher. i can say for sure that we are fortunate to have you as a colleague.”

Sirius flinched again as she reached for him, still jumpy from everything that had happened to him. He followed her inside, only realizing how exhausted he was when he fell into the couch.

“She was going to kill me.” It was all he could bring himself to say. It was all too fresh, and he was still in a state of shock trying to process what had happened. “James is on vacation and Peter and Remus don’t know. They don’t know how bad it is. I’m sorry.”

there were few things that could shake the woman. this was not one of them. calm as she could be, she gently wraps the young man into a blanket, wrapping it tightly around his shoulders like she did with her younger brothers when their parents were away. her wife, bless her heart, gently sets down the pot of tea and several cups before taking a seat opposite Sirius, next to Minerva. 

“do you need a place to stay tonight, Mr. Black?” she offers, glancing towards Minerva to ensure that was what the woman intended to ask. With a nod, Minerva reaffirms it. she couldn’t let Sirius on the streets, especially with his mother in such an awful state.