Severus Snape: The Half Blood Prince

*(31) Getting Ready

Although dinner hadn't yet concluded, she returned to their room, preparing for bed and eagerly awaiting Severus' return, the anticipation of their upcoming journey filling her with both excitement and a touch of apprehension.

She found herself caught in an endless cycle of anticipation. Each time she heard even the slightest noise outside the door, her eyes would snap open, and she would adjust her posture in anticipation of Severus' arrival. But after the ninth false alarm, she grew weary and sought solace under the covers, hoping sleep would come and alleviate her wait until morning.

Just as she slipped into the early stages of deep slumber, Severus entered the room, his face marked with exhaustion. Some mischievous Slytherin third-years had set off a smoke bomb in the Hufflepuff boys' dormitory, courtesy of one of their owls. The room had become engulfed in smog, and Severus had to mete out punishments to the miscreants while Slughorn lingered over dinner.

Observing Sophie already nestled under the silk sheets and cozy covers, he changed at a leisurely pace and joined her in bed. Closing his eyes, he gently rested his head on the pillow, taking deep breaths in an effort to relax and sink into a deep sleep, just as Sophie had already done.

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Both of them rose early on that Friday morning. Sophie's bedhead hair was more unruly than ever, adding to her endearing charm. Severus couldn't help but find her luscious locks, obscuring her soft brown eyes, absolutely adorable. Groggily, they sat up and prepared for the day by donning their uniforms. Sophie, once again, opted not to not wear her robes, an act intended to prove her fearlessness in the face of sudden change.

They hurriedly ate breakfast before making their way to McGonagall's classroom. Although Sophie had known McGonagall for nearly seven years, this would be her first actual class with the formidable professor. The two Slytherins tried their best to ignore the prying Gryffindors, but when Sophie discovered a seating chart pairing each Slytherin with a Gryffindor, she wanted to leave immediately.

For all those years, there had been an empty desk in McGonagall's classroom, symbolizing Sophie's absence. Of course, it had always been placed beside one of the Marauders, but this time, it was Remus.

Sophie took her seat next to Remus, her expression vacant. She couldn't help but wonder why McGonagall had chosen to seat her next to him, despite everything he had done to her. Deep down, she knew the reason.

'Lord, just end me now,' she thought, her mind spinning. The lesson began the moment she sat down, as McGonagall recognized Sophie's proficiency and skill in Transfiguration. Since this was a NEWT-level course, they were about to embark on cross-species transformation—transforming humans into animals and back.

'Thank goodness. I've been dying to transform. I wonder if I could transform into my Patronus? No... that would be too conspicuous,' she pondered, beginning to read the chapter on Human Transfiguration.

"Most people find becoming an Animagus nearly impossible, so human transfiguration provides an alternate path. While still challenging, with proper pronunciation, wand technique, and concentration, any transfiguration is achievable," the first paragraph stated.

She rolled her eyes at the textbook's reliance on the clichéd trope of 'believing in oneself,' which frustrated her immensely.

Continuing to read, she learned that the form an Animagus takes is not a conscious choice but rather a reflection of the inner qualities others perceive more strongly than the individual themselves. "In some cases, an individual's Patronus and Animagus form are not linked, but the chances are 9 in 1,000." She laughed at herself, deciding that once she returned from Wiltshire, she would attempt to become an Animagus, despite the alleged difficulties. If James, Sirius, and Peter could do it, why not her?