Severus Snape: The Half Blood Prince

*(84) Who, Where, and How?

Sirius snickered and Sophie could feel the warmth return to the man she was resting her head on.

After what felt like an eternity in the dream-like void, Sophie's eyes fluttered open to find herself in a dark and musty room, its air heavy with the scent of aged wood and memories long forgotten. The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls, adding to the unease that washed over her. The emptiness slowly growing inside her intensified as she realized that Sirius was nowhere to be seen.

The room seemed frozen in time, ancient and untouched, save for a few objects scattered around. This tarnished mirror seemed to reflect more than just her physical appearance, her wand, a candelabra whose flames danced in the dimness, and a neatly folded change of clothes that appeared to have been preserved by a charm long ago.

In front of the rusted mirror, Sophie caught sight of her reflection and gasped at what she saw. The woman staring back at her was indeed her, but she seemed more mature, her features more defined, and her eyes held the weight of experiences beyond her years. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, and panic surged through her veins as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Where was she? How had she become older? And most importantly, where were the people she cared about? Sirius and Severus seemed to have vanished into the shadows of this enigmatic place.

With trembling hands, she reached for the clothes that lay under a preservation charm, their fabric soft and yet somewhat unfamiliar to her touch. Her mind was filled with questions and confusion, and it felt like an eternity had passed in that void, leaving her disoriented and uncertain.

"Ah, I see you finally gained consciousness." A somewhat familiar voice said. As she struggled to process her predicament, the door behind her creaked open, and Mythamos stepped into the room. His white hair, a striking contrast to the dim surroundings, flowed like a river of time itself, carrying with it the weight of knowledge and the mysteries of the universe. His presence brought both comfort and trepidation, for she sensed that he held the answers she sought, yet his enigmatic ways left much to be discovered.

"It seems as though fate has something else in store for you." Mythamos spoke, his voice carrying a melodic cadence that seemed to echo through the room, and Sophie could sense his genuine concern for her well-being. His emphasis on the word fate tickled her mind. "You were found up here by one of my ravens many years ago. You've been in a resting state ever since."

The weight of time and the gravity of the situation were palpable, and Sophie found it hard to catch her breath as the implications of what Mythamos said sank in. "How long?" she managed to utter, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and urgency.

His response sent shockwaves through her, like a ripple through a vast ocean. "I'd say almost 15 years," he replied, the words hanging in the air like echoes of the past.

"15 years?! What year is it now?" she asked, her confusion growing like a storm inside her mind.

Mythamos placed a hand on his wand, the wood polished and adorned with ancient symbols, and the other on his chin, as if trying to recall the elusive threads of time that now intertwined around her. "You were found here on October 31, 1981. Pretty sure you know what happened on that day."

As Sophie's mind fought a battle of conflicting emotions, she couldn't help but notice the peculiar house she now found herself in. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, a fusion of different architectural styles that seemed to clash and blend seamlessly at the same time. The structure exuded an air of mystery and sophistication, with rustic elements coexisting harmoniously alongside antiqued pieces. Modern touches from the 21st century mingled with industrial accents, creating an otherworldly ambiance that left her feeling both intrigued and unsettled.