that would be enough [ophelia]

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

Sorry it's taken so long for me to write. I even have an owl, so I don't have an excuse! As you can probably tell, the school's been a bit busier than usual because of the Triwizard Tournament. The Champion is being announced in two weeks, so I guess I'm looking forward to that, if only because it will mean fewer of the students will be off-task. I was wondering if you'd be able to meet me in Hogsmeade for a weekend visit. Just tea or something - that would be enough. I hope everything is well with you. I miss you loads!

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Hi Imogen,

I read about the Triwizard Tournament, how exciting that it is actually at Hogwarts this year! I wouldn’t blame the students for being rather excited; don’t you remember when all of the seventh years shipped off to Durmstrang our fifth year; how much we lamented that we were not of age to participate! I hope whoever is chosen will do our alma mater proud, and I hope you will be there in full support because Merlin knows how useful Charms can be for a Champion!
How are classes going? What did you decide as your first lessons, I want to hear about it! I’d love to come to Hogsmeade sometime; we simply must go to the Three Broomsticks - a dear friend of mine is one of their bartenders! Send me some dates with your reply and I will let you know which works best for me.

Cheers!
Ophelia

@imogen

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[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

I was worried about other, more important things fifth year. I hardly even remembered that we were in school the last time the Tournament was held. One of my colleagues, Samuil Delov, was the winner of the last Triwizard Tournament. I haven't ever spoken to him, so I don't know what to say other than that. As for being in full support - I'll try, but you know how I am about Gryffindors, and with my luck, it will probably be one of them who gets picked as Champion.

Classes are going alright. I accidentally gave a girl a nosebleed with one of my lessons because a pillow hit her face too hard, but other than that, there were only minor hiccups. I attached the dates with this letter - I hope one of them works for you!

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller
(fifth year was when Imogen was outed, hence her not remembering anything about the Tournament)

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Dear Imogen,

Of course, how silly of me to forget. The Hogsmeade weekend of November would work best for me - I’m hoping that I can get the First Task weekend off because I think it’d be exciting to be in the area! As for Gryffindors...I do hope that it is a Gryffindor because I think it’d be good for you. What Henry did was horrible and unforgivable, but please remember that not all Gryffindors are like him. The Gryffindors you’re teaching now weren’t even school aged when we were there; I doubt they know about what happened. Plus, what if there’s a Gryffindor struggling with their sexuality and what it means? Don’t you want to be able to help everyone regardless of what house they’re in? You want to make a difference - please don’t exclude anyone from that campaign.

I’m excited to read the papers tomorrow with the champion announcement - Andrew Lloyd’s girlfriend Emily is covering the Tournament for the Prophet! He let me know the other week; I’m so excited for her, and I think it helps him keep his mind focused on something happy.

Yours,

Ophelia

@imogen

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

I never said all Gryffindors were like him, but so far, my students have been content to prove that they are all like him. They’re braggarts and they’re downright rude, and I don’t deal well with either of those things. They don’t know what happened, but Phee, a child left the school just last week because they felt like their gender and sexuality wasn’t being appreciated. It’s not just a problem for our generation – it’s a problem for every generation, and if they’re not a part of the solution, then they’re a part of the problem. As for Gryffindors struggling with their sexuality, I’ll have you know that there’s exactly two Gryffindors who are members of the Gay-Straight Alliance. There are more Slytherins who are accepting of LGBTQ+ people than Gryffindors, and you and I both know that Slytherins have a reputation for being the most discriminatory house of them all. I’m not excluding anyone – they’re excluding themselves.

I don’t believe I know the Andrew Lloyd you’re speaking of. Did we go to school with him…? I’m happy that you’re happy, though. I’ll see you at November’s Hogsmeade!

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Imogen,

Forgive me if I sound hard on you, but I wonder if you’ve stopped and taken a look at things from their perspective. You and I both know you don’t like Gryffindors, so perhaps you come off as standoffish to them? If they already feel like you don’t like them, then perhaps they feel there is nothing they can do to change their mind? And two Gryffindors in GSA is a great start! Once you’ve had your first meeting, I imagine more will come; just ensure everyone (including Gryffindors) feel welcome and safe. It’s not an easy time for plenty of people, as you know; perhaps they are just shy.

Are you talking about Taylor Fortescue? Their brother, Chaucer, he was at Saint Mungos’ this past week. You wouldn’t remember him; he was our year in Gryffindor (as was Andrew Lloyd) - he’s a good lad though, I’m hoping things go well with him and my friend Aaron! Anyway, his father is quite ill which is why he returned from his travels; he doesn’t think his father will live much longer. Perhaps that’s why Taylor has returned home? I’m not saying that how they felt wasn’t a part of their decision to leave - just that perhaps you did not get the whole story.

Keep your head up, and remember you are a professor not a student. You get a shot at molding the futures minds; don’t waste it holding onto old prejudices!

Yours,
Ophelia

@imogen[/div]

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

The Gay-Straight Alliance was around before I was a teacher. If they wanted to join it, then I definitely didn’t keep them from joining it in all the other years. Besides, the GSA is led by a Gryffindor girl. Cecelia Rousseau. You probably recognize her name – her sister, Braelynn, was murdered earlier this year. And, to prove to you that I am capable of empathizing with Gryffindors, yes, I feel bad for her. As for being shy, I don’t believe it. It says in the Sorting Hat song every year that Gryffindors are brave and bold. Shy is the exact opposite of that. Anyways, I’ve given plenty of opportunities for them to change my mind, but none of them have. And it’s not like I’m openly hostile or anything. You know that’s not how I work. I still teach them, and that’s all I’m being paid to do.

Yes, I’m talking about Taylor. I wish they had talked to me. I know how it feels to have everyone insist that you’re something that you’re not. I could have helped, or at least I could have tried. And maybe their father dying was part of it, but I’m convinced that being called a boy was a big part, too. I would have left in fifth year if I was allowed to. But I wasn’t.

I know what I am, Ophelia. I’ve always known what I am, and who am I, because unlike you, I’ve actually had to prove to people that I am what I am and I am who I am. So please kindly cease lecturing me.

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Imogen,

I apologize if you think I am lecturing you, however, I am trying to get a point across that you don't seem to want to address. You have a tendency to assume that Gryffindors are all pompous puffed up prats, and you don't let those assumptions die easily.  You're forgetting something else the Sorting Hat called Gryffindors; chivalrous.  And another point, it has been said that people are Sorted too soon.  Sometimes, I am of that belief when it comes to people, and yet there is no way to switch  Houses part of the way through your schooling.  I have heard of Cecelia Rousseau; I hope you are offering her your kindness and your guidance, even though she is a Gryffindor.  I do applaud you for letting one lead the group.

Why don't you do something fun with your Gryffindor classes; you and I both knew you'd have the most anxiety for those classes.  You should change your hair to some fun, outrageous colours - they'd love that!  Also, I think perhaps if you reached out to Taylor, perhaps they'd talk to you - since, as you said, you know what they are going through.

I read that Molly Weasley is the Champion for Hogwarts - I hope if she comes to you for extra Charms work you will not turn her away, just because of the house she was put in at eleven years old.

Yours,
Ophelia

@imogen

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

Like I said, no Gryffindor has ever given me a reason to think of them to the contrary. They’re always ragging on Slytherins and how horrible they are, but then as soon as someone dislikes Gryffindors, they’re a bad person? I’m as entitled to my opinions as anyone else is, and the very nature of opinions is that they can’t be wrong. I’m not hurting anyone. I still teach them. I don’t openly harass them. That’s a lot more than most Gryffindors did for me after I came out of the closet. As for Cecelia, she doesn’t seem to want any kindness or guidance. She keeps to herself, mostly. As far as I’ve seen, her only friends are from the Beauxbatons delegation. Before you say anything, I’ve tried to talk to her, but she just keeps saying that she can’t say anything. I can only do so much.

I don’t want my hair to distract them from their work. I’m going to send Taylor a letter soon – I may have made a statement today with the way I… well, the way I looked. You might hear of it through the grapevine. Just… It was a statement.

She goes by Anna, not Molly. She hasn’t come to me for help yet.

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Imogen,

Given you a reason to think the contrary? Did you really just say that? They’re kids Im, they shouldn’t be judged by what house they’re in. Please take off the rose colored glasses, as my mother would say; they can’t all be terrible little pricks. Cecelia does concern me though; with everything that has happened to her I hope maybe one day she’ll want to open up to someone, and I do hope that can be you or that school counselor, Parvati Patil - she’s Head of Gryffindor yes? Have you spoken with her as well? Perhaps by working with the Head of the house you despise most you can find some friendly happy conclusions to what’s going on at the school.

What statement? You’re really my only friend who is in the school; Koda’s in Quidditch, Aarons the bartender at the Leaky Cauldron but as you can imagine Chaucer has his attention (not that I mind, what a lovely couple they’ll make!) and Freddie works at the orphanage, so he’d only know if one of his wards wrote and told him. I’ve been volunteering there quite a bit; the kids are so much fun to work with, and I feel really good after as well. Freddie’s kind; I think the way he truly loves what he does is simply marvelous.

Tell me more of your statement in your next letter, should I have any reason to worry?

Ophelia

@imogen

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

Well you see, if they didn’t always act like terrible little pricks, maybe I would believe that. You were never hurt by a Gryffindor. You never had your life ripped apart by a Gryffindor. I’m not going to apologize any more for having an opinion (and having evidence to back it up!) just because you happen not to believe that opinion. I’ve spoken to Parvati. She’s fine, but I don’t spend much time with her, or any of the professors, really. They’re all much older than me, and they have their lives figured out, and here I am, barely older than the children, as far as my colleagues are concerned.

I dressed like a boy. Acted like a boy. Looked like a boy. I’m not a boy. You don’t need to worry after me.

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Imogen,

I’m dropping this after I say one thing; don’t you think that you’re being a little too...broad with your opinion? I think you see the Gryffindor students for what you remember them as, and not who they really are. Not all Gryffindors are bad; Andrew and I dated for a year remember and he wasn’t bad!

What happened with your stance? What was the reaction of the students, the staff? Did you announce that anyone who feels the same questions within them as yourself or Taylor can always come talk to you? I hope you used it as a statement to make students feel like they have an adult at the school who truly can sympathize with them.

Ophelia

@imogen

[Deleted]

dear ophelia,

I don’t actually remember that, but whatever.

No one seemed to care, which was perhaps the worst thing that could have happened. I wanted to start a conversation, and that didn’t happen. And it also kind of felt like they…almost expected this? Like they thought that me being a girl was just a phase, and they were just waiting for me to come to my senses and realize it. I think they were more surprised that I came back the next day as a girl than they were to see me as a boy. I didn’t want to make an announcement, but I hoped that I wouldn’t need one. There’s just so much to navigate here. I tried, though.

yours,
imogen

Ophelia Mae Teller