After All This Time - Book 2

Twenty Six

It baffled me, how even when Snape could just ask me to go to his office after dinner, he insisted on publicly giving me detention instead. I pulled my cloak around me a little tighter as I descended the stairs to the dungeons. I typically loved the winter months, but each time I went to the dungeons I started to hate it just a little bit more. I let myself in to Snape's office and was greatly surprised to see that Draco wasn't there. I figured he was running late or something and walked myself over to Snape's desk. Snape was engrossed in a stack of papers, muttering to himself occasionally as he marked all over students work.  

"I'm here for my detention" I said plainly, causing Snape to jump slightly before looking up to me.

"You know as well as I do that you're not here for detention" he sneered, shoving the stack of papers to the side.

"Well then, what wonderful dark magic will I be learning tonight?" I responded sarcastically. Snape looked less than amused as he stood from his chair and walked around his desk towards one of the books shelves.

"Well, given that Voldemort has given me no specific instructions for the time being, I thought you would enjoy choosing your own lesson this evening." Snape pulled a large tan book from the shelf and walked back to his seat, opening the book and beginning to flip through the pages.

"So what, do you have a pre approved list or am I just doing whatever I want?"

Snape let out a small laugh as he shoved the book my way. "The former" he said with an unenthused tone. "Anything between pages 267 and 293."

I quickly flipped through Snape's approved pages eyeing different spells, potions, and other bits of dark magic before slamming the book shut. "None of this peaks my interest professor. I was actually wondering if I could learn something else."

Snape raised an eyebrow at me as I shoved the book back towards him. "Dare I ask?"

"Flying"

"Miss Potter, you already know how to fly-"

"Without a broom" I finished.

"And what makes you think that such a feat is even possible" he asked, eyeing me.

"Because I know you can do such feat" I responded, practically staring him down.

He kept my gaze for a few moments before turning his attention back to the book and flipping quickly through the pages. When he found what he was looking for he shoved it back my way, motioning for me to look at the page. "Read this in its entirety. Once you have finished, read it again. I will teach you once you know every single detail about it."

I nodded and grabbed the book from his desk, taking it over to one of the nearby tables. To the best of my knowledge, only two people in the wizarding world could perform unsupported flight: Snape and Voldemort. I was determined to be the third.

~

I spent the following two weeks studying the feat every night. By the third week, Snape decided I had more than mastered the written portion and was ready to begin learning the actual act of unsupported flight. It was mid afternoon on a Saturday. Most students were either at Hogsmeade or studying in their rooms. Snape had managed to borrow Dumbledore's office for the time being so that there would be no chance of anyone seeing us. Since I had never actually seen anyone perform it, Snape showed me first. I watched in awe as he turned into a large black mass, smoke and the tail end of his cloak following him, and landed on the opposite side of Dumbledore's office. No words came out of my slightly open mouth as he casually walked back over to me.

"Are you going to stand there all day with your mouth agape like an idiot or actually try it."

I snapped my mouth shut as my eyes narrowed on him for a moment. I quickly began racking my brain for every bit of information I had learned about it. I knew how it worked, how it should be performed, but I wasn't sure how exactly to go about doing so. I concentrated on flight, envisioning myself at the other end of the office. In the blink of an eye, I turned into that same black mass, only to fall flat on my face just a few feet from where I had started. Snape emitted a light chuckle from behind me as I turned my head, shooting him a look.