5.9 - Bombarda

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Ophelia, Regulus, and Barty were in their Herbology class together. The class was comprised of mostly Gryffindor students, but three or four students from each of the other houses.Β 

"Does anyone know what this plant is?" Professor Beery asked as he pointed to the purple flower in front of every student at the table.

Thomas and Ophelia both immediately raised their hand to answer. They looked at each other, then realised they were the first two students to raise their hands and laughed softly as if reacting to an inside joke.

Professor Beery called on Thomas, who proudly gave the right answer.

"It's belladonna. It means 'beautiful woman'." He said, looking at Ophelia.Β 

Ophelia bit her tongue to keep herself from smiling. Regulus rolled his eyes from across the table, annoyed at Thomas.

He always thought Thomas was a suck-up, and Regulus thought this proved his point even more.Β 

Thomas turned back to the Professor and continued his answer. "It's highly poisonous and can be used in potions."

"Very good, Mr. Thomas." The professor said, turning to the class. "Now, as Mr. Thomas said, it's highly poisonous, so just as any other plant in this class, do not touch it unless instructed. We will be discussing its magical properties first."

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Throughout the lesson, Ophelia had noticed Regulus and Barty rolling their eyes or snickering every time Thomas spoke. Though it was almost impossible to ignore them making fun of her friend, she pretended she didn't notice.Β 

After class ended, Ophelia said goodbye to Thomas, then met up with Barty and Regulus outside the Herbology tent.Β 

"Hey, sorry I ditched you guys for Thomas in class." Ophelia said when she caught up to them.Β 

"Oh, it's no problem." Regulus said with a smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Oh, alright. Well, what are you guys doing now?"Β 

"We're just heading back to the school, but we can't tell you what we're doing after that" Regulus told her.Β 

"Why not?"

Barty seemed annoyed that Regulus had told her anything at all, and clearly was not looking to tell her anything else.

"Because you'll rat us out." Barty told her.

Ophelia's jaw dropped in offence.

"I'm not going to rat you out, that's ridiculous." She said. "Let me come with you."

Barty and Regulus eyed each other. Regulus wanted Ophelia to come along but Barty clearly did not. Though they disagreed, Regulus spoke up first, so his way goes.

"Sure." Regulus said. "But we've got to go quickly and lay low."

"Easy. Let's go." She smiled.

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When they arrived in the Hogwarts building, they rushed through the halls, while still trying not to attract any attention.

When they reached a hallway without any other students around, Ophelia felt the need to ask what the boys were planning.

Neither of them wanted to answer, and Regulus stuttered trying to avoid responding to her question.

"Go on, Reg, spit it out." Barty nudged his friend. "You wanted her to come, so you've got to tell her."

Ophelia's levels of anxiety rose as both boys danced around telling her anything.

"We're using a Bombarda charm on the Gryffindor common room." Regulus told Ophelia.

"What?" Ophelia asked.

"Y'know, Bombarda? From last year in Charms class? Boom?" Barty clarified, not realising why Ophelia asked 'what?'.

"No, I know exactly what it is." Ophelia said. "You're not doing that."

"Says who?" Barty asked.

"Says me. You're going to get yourself expelled, or you could hurt someone, or yourselves. It's a ridiculous idea."

Barty rolled his eyes, and turned to Regulus.

"Mate, you deal with her. I'll meet you at the Gryffindor common room."

Barty ran off and left Ophelia and Regulus alone in the empty hallway.

"Please tell me you're not actually doing this." Ophelia asked him.

"Barty and I are doing this." Regulus said. "It's a prank, what's so wrong with it?"

"'What's wrong with it'?" Ophelia asked. "That's not a prank! You're planning to blow up the Gryffindor common room and you don't see a single issue with it?!"

"It's fun and we're already on our way." Regulus explained.

"You're going to get yourself expelled. Or worse. It could go wrong and you could be killed."

Ophelia couldn't even believe the words she just said. Picturing something bad happening to Regulus just sent her into an even more panicked state. She couldn't let Regulus and Barty go through with this 'prank' of theirs.

"Nothing is going to happen to me." Regulus said. "Now, I'm going to the Gryffindor common room."

He walked past Ophelia towards the Gryffindor common room, and Ophelia had to stop him before he could do anything to get himself or others hurt.

"Regulus Black, if you take one more step, I'll tell a professor what you're doing." She blurted.

She wasn't sure if she meant it or not, and neither was Regulus. But he didn't want to take that risk in case she was being serious. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to face her.

"Barty was right. You are a snitch." He said angrily.

"I'm not a snitch, I'm helping you." She said firmly.

"Why do you always do this? You hold me back from everything I want to do!"

Ophelia rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner. "I'm looking out for you because Merlin knows you're not doing it yourself!"

"Well, stop it! You're not my mother!"

She felt offended to be compared to Walburga Black, but she knew Regulus was only saying it in the heat of the moment. She trusted that he didn't mean it. "No, I'm not trying to beβ€”"

"And you're not my wife either!"

Her heart sank to the floor. She felt a lump in her throat and tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't even make eye contact with Regulus anymore.

Regulus knew that what he said was wrong as soon as he said it. He knew he messed up, and though he couldn't quite understand it all, he could see on Ophelia's face how much it hurt her.

Before he could say anything, Ophelia spoke up with an angry tone.

"Fine. Fine, you know what? You and Barty can go do whatever you please. I don't care." She told him.

She turned around and started storming down the hall away from Regulus and far away from the Gryffindor common room.

"Ophelia, I'm sorry." Regulus said.

He tried to reach for Ophelia's hand but she swatted him away.

"I don't want to hear your apology. 'Sorry' isn't going to cut it this time." She huffed. "Go meet up with Barty, I don't care. Just leave me alone."

Ophelia walked down the hall, wiping the tears from her eyes. Regulus couldn't even stop her. He couldn't think of anything to say that would make this better, and even if he could, he felt like his legs were glued to the ground.

He couldn't move, or speak. All he could do was watch his best friend run away from him and hope she would come back.


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