Sydney Dadzie-Granger and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 14 - The Black Lake

Sydney's POV:

The next several weeks flew by in a whirlwind of spells, essays, and a few pranks. Since Fred and George Weasley had realized I'd been the one to prank Ron with the chicken, they had recruited me for some help in pranking Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, as well as Professor Snape. They called me their "Golden Ticket" to freedom from getting caught - even if the professors were to check their wands, the twins weren't the ones who had performed the spells. After all, who would suspect a first-year muggle-born Hufflepuff?

After the first week, my lessons with Professor McGonagall very quickly progressed. We had covered the entirety of the first-year charms and transfiguration curriculum. I was especially apt at spells that could be used in dueling, which I used to win the dueling tournament at our next Ravenpuff Study Group Meeting.

Once we had covered the first-year charms and transfiguration spells, Minerva began to teach me some additional ones that wouldn't come up until later years, including Accio, Expelliarmus, Flipendo, and Stupefy. I had also changed an owl to opera glasses, a mouse to a snuffbox, beetles into buttons, and a porcupine to a pincushion.

Spring quickly approached, and the lessons began to take a different turn. Instead of the lessons happening in Minerva's office, we had moved to a large room on the seventh floor called the Room of Requirement. As Minerva explained, the room could change itself to suit the needs of the person using it. For the purpose of our training sessions, the walls and floor were padded with mats (for dueling), and the room was otherwise barren.

"Now that you have a basic handle on magical concepts, we can pay special attention to your specific powers and abilities," explained Minerva. "The easiest ones that I can help you with are your elemental powers - I spent a great deal of time working with your mother on her abilities."

"Okay, what would you like me to do?" I questioned, positioning myself in a ready stance.

"After you told me about your encounter with the troll back at Halloween - the truth, that is - " she gave me a severe look over her glasses " - I got thinking. It sounds like you used your elemental power of water to try to distract the troll. I also believe that you used the wind to propel the troll back through the wall, instead of an overpowered hex or curse."

"Makes sense," I allowed.

"We will start with water for today," Professor McGonagall said.

A table appeared in front of her: perched atop was a large bowl filled with water.

"I want you to try to control the water," Minerva said. "Manipulate it in any way you would like - make the bowl overflow with water, or some water to evaporate - whatever makes sense. Just make sure to picture clearly in your mind what you want to happen."

I did as she instructed, waving my wand and concentrating, but the water didn't budge.

"Let's try something else," Minerva suggested, waving her wand and making the water vanish, leaving an empty bowl. "Have you heard of the Aguamenti charm?"

"I think I read about it in one of Hermione's books," I said.

"It's a charm that can be used to produce water from the tip of your wand," Minerva explained. "The force from which you flick your wand can change the amount of water and the force of which it comes out."

She demonstrated the charm, and a steady stream of water came out of her wand and went into the bowl.

"Now you try," she instructed, vanishing the water again. "Make sure that you concentrate."

I took a deep breath, doing as she had instructed, without any results. By the fourth time, I flicked my wand quite forcefully, causing a hose-like jet of water to shoot out of my wand - the force of it knocked the bowl off the table.