Flying Blind

Chapter 4 Lost and found

Two weeks into the school year Elenore found herself getting very bored in her classes. She performed each task asked of her without a second thought. She had earned so many points for Slytherin that the other first years in her house were starting to like her a lot. She made extremely good grades and was often asked for help by other first years in her house. She was sitting in the great hall reading a book that she had borrowed from the library and nibbling on a bagel and cream cheese when her owl Samuel landed on her shoulder and hooted softly.

She reached up and took the envelope from his beak and gave him a piece of ham from her plate, as a treat. Millicent started laughing as she watched the great horned owl bob its head after eating the peace of ham.

"Does he always bob his head like that?" Elenore stroked a hand lovingly over his wing before Samuel squeezed her shoulder gently and took off.

"He only does that when he's really happy. He loves ham a lot." She opened the letter and ran her fingers over the raised dots.

Dear Miss Snape,

Let me begin by saying that you are not in any kind of trouble; I have had a very interesting meeting with all of your instructors, and would like it if you would come up to my office on the first floor after breakfast. Once you go up the marble staircase, turn left and continue down the hall until you find the statue of a gargoyle. Say the password, "Sherbet Lemon" and stand on the stairs, that will move up from the ground behind the statue, and ride them up until they come to a complete stop. Once you have reached the top you will find the doors to my office. I look forward to our meeting.

Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster

P.S. Don't worry about being late to your class your instructor has been informed of our meeting.

Elenore folded the letter and placed it into her bag before getting up from her seat.

"Where are you going?" asked Millicent, curiously.

"I've been asked to go to the headmaster's office," said Elenore as she threw her book bag onto her shoulders. "I'll see you in class."

"You're not in trouble are you?" asked Millicent, with a note of concern in her voice.

"No, the headmaster just wants a word with me." Elenore left the great hall and was shocked when her cane hit someone's foot in the entrance hall. "Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you." she said as she put out one of her hands to feel who she had run into.

"It's quite all right," came the soft voice of the headmaster. "I thought I'd wait for you; the movement of the stairs behind the gargoyle that leads to my office might disorient you slightly since you have never been to my office before." Professor Dumbledore took a hold of her hand and slipped it into the crook of his arm. "How are you enjoying your time here at Hogwarts so far?" he asked as they went up the marble staircase.

"I like it a lot sir, I have made so many new friends in all of the houses so far and the lessons are very easy." They came to a stop in front of the stone gargoyle and professor Dumbledore spoke the password and stepped forward, holding Elenore steady as the spiral staircase began to move. "I don't like your staircase." she said as the stairs came to a stop at the top of a hidden tower.

"Your father thought that you might feel that way about this particular set of stairs," he said with a soft laugh. He led her into his office and sat her down in a comfy armchair in front of his desk. "I have asked you here because all of your instructors have come to me with an amazing request. They say that you are the best in your year and that they have witnessed you performing spells that they haven't even taught yet. This is a very rare occurrence especially considering your disability.