Hidden Wings - Part I

In the basement

"So...what exactly are we doing now?", asked Ron as they one after the other descended the narrow stairs into the basement.

Hermione shrugged.
"Professor Snape will probably help us with casting spells and deflecting them, I suppose. Is that what you learned in your training, Mioha?"

The Slytherin nodded and ducked beneath a big cobweb.

Harry sneezed behind her.
"It's dusty down here", he mumbled.
The Gryffindor seemed to have cooled down the last two days, eagerly absorbing all the information Ron and Hermione could give him. Harry and Mioha had several talks in the library of the Blacks, where she answered his questions as best as she could.

Since Mioha had no difficulties navigating in the dark, she led the way into the basement, but the Gryffindors behind her kept stumbling and tripping over loose steps.

"Merlin's underpants", George cursed as he nearly fell down the stairs.
"Lumos!"

Mioha had to squint when a pale blue light, emitted by George's wand, shone down the narrow staircase, the students  casting long black shadows onto the steps. Dust particles could be seen floating in the air, and many cobwebs hung above them on the stone ceiling.
When they finally reached the bottom, they followed a straight corridor with a low ceiling, the ground made of trodden in dirt. A dim yellow light ahead of them illuminated the corridor, and soon became bright enough so George could extinguish his wand.
With Mioha first, they stepped into a large cellar, which one would usually use to store wine. But besides the flickering torches on the walls, it was completely empty. It had a round form, with walls made of cobblestones.
And in the center, dressed in black like an ominous shadow, stood Professor Snape.

Remaining silent, Mioha and the Gryffindors lined up next to each other, all waiting expectantly what would happen next.

Black eyes glittering in the torches' light, Professor Snape spoke in his quiet yet clear voice: "Professor Dumbledore has asked me to improve your skills in dueling and fighting. I will teach you lessons which will prove vital for your survival in battle, and I expect your complete attention every moment. It will take time for some of you to make progress", his eyes lingered on Harry with a hateful look, "yet if I see one of you behaving childish and immature, I shall stop these time-consuming lessons immediately."
The flickering flames of the torches only enhanced the dark shadows beneath his eyes and in his hollow cheeks, giving him the look of somebody dying.

He does not look good, Mioha thought worriedly.

Professor Snape pointed his wand downwards and let a red beam of light shoot out of the tip. In one fluent movement, he had drawn a large circle around him on the floor with a diameter of four meters.

"Weasley!", he suddenly barked and pointed at Fred and Ginny when four pairs of eyes looked at him.
"Come here."

Glancing at Harry for reassurance, Ginny and her brother slowly stepped forward to the glowing line in the ground that looked like the dying embers of a fire.

"Wands out and into the ring."

Both Gryffindors pulled out their wands and stepped over the red line, Ginny heading left and Fred heading right. Then they turned to face each other.

"I won't bother with the etiquettes of dueling", said Professor Snape coldly, "seeing as they are not useful in a fight and your opponent won't either. Weasley, Miss Weasley, you both will attack each other until one of you is disarmed."

He stepped back and left the ring, folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Well?", he said impatiently and glared at the two in the ring.

"Stupor!", Ginny immediately reacted.  Fred jumped swiftly to the side as the spell shot past him, and returned Ginny's attack with a stunner. Both spells missed each other and hit the walls with deafening cracks. Mioha cringed and expected the walls to crumble, but not even a small particle fell off.
Professor Dumbledore shielded them, she thought.