Dark Magic

Training Thoughts

"I've got a confession to make." I glanced up from my dinner plate that evening, my eyes meeting my brothers as I took a sip of my pumpkin juice. "Draco's fine, thanks for asking." 

My brother's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "O-Okay..." Boys truly were oblivious to everything. Mind you, Draco was making fun of him only minutes before the accident. Did Harry's lack of empathy make up for it? No.

"What's this confession, then?" I glanced at my older brother expectantly, watching as he chewed the side of his lip. "Are you any good with forging signatures?"

I scoffed, glancing towards the paper he held in his hand. "I already know you didn't get Uncle Vernon's permission; and it wouldn't matter because the slip is enchanted for, precisely, that reason." Harry's worried eyes met my own, once again. "I was afraid you might say that. Sorry, sis." 

Hardly unable to contain my smirk, I shook my head towards my brother dismissively, "Who's to say there isn't another way?" I pouted, tilting my head to the side in deliberation, "Maybe a certain artefact in the Gryffindor tower might come in handy?" I bit my bottom lip, hinting at the one thing my brother possessed, which just so happened to make the wearer invisible. 

A wide grin made its way across his lips as the realization occurred, "You really are a Slytherin; cunning and sly." Patting me on the back, I tried to take his statement as a compliment, resuming my dinner....

***

The rest of the week passed with an amount of normality I found oddly discomforting. I could feel myself on edge, waiting for the first attack or announcement that Sirius Black has closed the distance between himself and the school. By the end of the week, however, I had became exhausted. The potion Professor Snape had provided would alleviate the severe headaches, to an extent. But the worry did not subside.

The only problem was, that they allowed more thoughts to filter through; again, only the odd word here and there. And I didn't want to try and explore this gift, due to the thought of invading other people's privacy, along with the idea of it never having an off switch. Even at night, sleep was growing nearly impossible; as further thoughts would filter through when I would feel tired. 

Most nights, I found, I would wander down to the common room and sit by the fire with the Bloody Baron. He would tell me many tales about the life he had prior to his death; many battles and the affection he shared for Helena Ravenclaw; Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter. The one thing he would not discuss, however, was his death; and how he came to be a ghost at the school. I thought it would only be rude to pry.

Come Saturday, I found myself making my way towards my first extra-curricular lesson with Professor Snape; the first lesson I would show up to without having revised prior. I dressed as suitably as I could, unsure as to whether or not the lesson would be practical or theory-based; tying my hair away from my face.

I made my way down to the dungeons shortly after breakfast, knocking on the door. Only, nobody answered. So I decided to open it and step inside. "Professor Snape?" I called out and yet, more silence ensued. Strange. Stalking towards his desk, I found it empty, and the cupboard that lead to Snape's secret quarters was locked. But upon further inspection, I found a note taped to the door.

'EP. Meet me in the left-hand corridor on the seventh floor. SS.'

Pouting, I screwed the letter up and put it into my pocket, following the teacher's instructions exactly. It took me a little while to make it up all of those stairs, but I managed; eventually coming to the corridor to find, once again, it was completely empty. "Professor?" My voice came out as a sort of whisper-shout. Nothing.

That was, until, the wall beside me began to move in a most unnatural way. The sand-bricks dispersed one at a time, as a small door began to grow from thin air. Within moments, a momentous entrance stood before me. The door opened entirely on its own, allowing me to step inside...

The room was a vast, cathedral-esque stature with floating columns parallel to one another and huge, crystal chandeliers the size of a baby elephant. It must have been over 200ft long and 100ft wide. The walls were lined with mirrors, as opposed to stone. And I found myself making my way over to the opposite side as Professor Snape stood waiting with his back to me, glancing at his own reflection in the mirror. 

Once his gaze caught mine through the glass, he forced a smirk and turned to face me, "Ah. You're finally here." 

I glanced around, in awe of the invisible room that had appeared from nowhere. "Professor, exactly where is 'here'?" I queried. The man scoffed, opening his arms wide as he motioned towards the immense chasm in which we were standing. "Welcome to the Room of Requirement!"

Gasping, my eyes widened in disbelief, recalling reading about the room of requirement in a book at the library the year prior. "H-How did you find it?" 

The Potions Master shrugged nonchalantly, "I found it in my fourth year at this school. It has proved rather useful over the years, as I'm sure you can understand." He presumed, to which I nodded in agreement. "It's incredible." I sighed, causing him to hum in agreement, before clasping his hands over one another to disrupt my staring at the incredible room. 

"Well, we best get started. First, I want to see your duelling techniques. At least  then, I'll know what I've got to work with. Oh! And no spells outside of your year group; I don't want to be headed for the hospital wing due to a spell that you couldn't control." He warned, pointing his index finger towards me. 

Smiling, I nodded, "Yes, Professor." Putting my backpack in the corner of the room, I took a duelling stance, mirroring my Professor's position.

I took a breath, "Flip-"

"-Rictusempra!" Gasping, I felt an overwhelming sensation overcome me, causing me to fall to the floor in a fit of laughter. An invisible force was tickling me over my entire body, and I found myself unable to focus on anything else other than the screams of laughter emitting from me. "Make-It-Stop!" I cried out in desperation. Almost momentarily, the feeling disappeared. 

Snape chuckled as he glanced down on me, outstretching his hand to help me up from the floor. "That's not fair. You caught me off guard." I spat, feeling a little embarrassed that he was able to subdue me so easily. He scoffed at my remark, "Number 1. Don't give your opponent a chance to attack first. Number 2. Life isn't fair. Your saint of a father knew that better than anyone. As a matter of fact, he was the one making sure it bloody well wasn't!" 

"Glaci-!" The Professor attempted to conjure, only I was now the one to cut him short.

"-Finite!" The freezing spell he was about to use on me did not work, to his anger and dismay.

Narrowing my eyes at his remark, I folded my arms, "Exactly what is it, that you have against my father?" Snape was a little stunned by my retaliation.

The man scoffed, once again, infuriated, "James Potter was a good-for-nothing half-wit who sought out to make everyone's life a living hell." 

"Expelliarmus!" I conjured, but he blocked my charm with a simple, "Flipendo!" I gasped as the wind was knocked from my body, forcing me to fall back onto the floor with a thud. I forced myself up, feeling my anger to brew within me.

"Including yours!?" I raised my voice, aiming my wand at him once more. "Depulso!" I conjured, watching as Snape was dragged in the opposite direction, flying back into one of the mirrors in the room. The man grunted angrily, removing his black cloak and tossing it onto the floor. 

"The man took everything from me, including you!" He roared, "Patrificus Totalus!" Snape shouted.

"Finite!" I retaliated, preventing the spell from reaching me in time. "Me!?" I exclaimed, watching as blue sparks began to emit from Snape's wand. Flicking my wand upwards, I began using non-verbal magic to shield myself from his attacks. 

"Yes, you!" 

"How?" I pressed, as the atmosphere in the room thickened an uncomfortable amount. The smoke from the blue sparks was making it hard to breathe, coating the room in a thick cloud of smoke. 

"Because He Chose That Useless Werewolf To Be Your God Father Over Me! CONFUNDO!"

"-ASCENDIO!"