Harry Potter 50 Shades of Gray

That sounded like accidental wish magic, like the intent that Professor Flitwick had spoken about. Control was basically just spell efficiency. How did intent tie into control? Cyrna pushed that thought aside. She was probably overthinking. It would serve her better to take action instead. "What do you mean by 'imagined it happening'? Did you just picture the result, or did you imagine the little gears moving inside the lock?"

"Oh, uhm, just the result!"

Envisioning the soft click it would make when it opened, she said, "Alohomora."

The lock gave a harder shudder than before. Cyrna hummed softly in thought and focused harder, superimposing the image of the lock popping open into reality. Then, she willed it to happen—like when she had saved Prince—asking her magic to grant her desire.

"Alohomora!"

The lock was still for a moment before it popped open with a quiet click.

Susan gasped beside her. "You did it!"

Cyrna was a bit surprised too. After storing all that magic away, she had thought that it would be harder. Perhaps it was because the spell had been for first-years? Regardless, it seemed that intent really was tied to control. "Thank you," she said to the Hufflepuff.

"Don't worry about that—I'm Susan, by the way."

The Hufflepuff had a happy disposition; her round cheeks, which still hadn't lost their baby fat, were brushed with a faint red. Her eyes were kind. Cyrna doubted they would ever be closer than acquaintances. Her eyes crinkled into a smile. "Well, if you ever think you need help with another subject, just let me know."

"Oh, which classes do you like?"

"Potions, but I'm decent with all the courses except for Transfigurations," Cyrna said, trying to end the conversation.

"Oh… Okay—uh, then do you want to work on the potions essay together?"

"If you'd like." Cyrna thanked her again and escaped to show the Professor her work.

Susan looked to her friend at a loss. Had she somehow stumbled into a business deal?

"Why did you talk to her?" Hannah asked.

"Because she needed help," Susan answered. Once Cyrna returned, Malfoy, who was a row below them, engaged Cyrna in a whispered conversation. Perhaps noticing Susan's curiosity, he paused to sneer at her before he resumed his conversation.

Susan flinched and looked away.

"That was so rude." Hannah glared at Malfoy. Ernie nodded in agreement, but Hannah had already moved on. "So what was she like?" she asked eagerly.

"Well," Susan chewed her lips. "Cyrna was really polite."

"Not what you hoped?" Hannah teased.

Susan hesitated but nodded. "She's the one I often see in the library—"

"—with the Gryffindor know-it-all. She's her?" Ernie leaned back to give the Slytherin in question another lookover. "Huh, isn't Harry friends with her too?"

"They're friends?" Hannah asked with a bit of surprise as she re-evaluated the Slytherin. "Well, do you think she's nice?"

"Um, she's—"

"I think she's sort of rude, actually," said Ernie. "She should have thanked you for your help better!" he personally thought her gratitude to Susan was a bit lackluster.

"Well, she said thanks twice," Hannah piped up.

"Yeah, but she just ditched Susan right after," Ernie grumbled. "Then again," he gave a small shrug, his annoyance disappearing, "Most of the other Slytherins are way meaner."

"Way meaner," Hannah echoed, throwing another frown at Malfoy.

"I just thought she'd be friendlier," said Susan.

"Well, she is a Slytherin." Ernie reminded them. "They aren't friendly unless they want something from you—"

Hannah smacked her hand onto his mouth. "Don't say anything, if you don't have something nice to say! Honestly, Ernie, maybe she was just shy."

The hour ended, and students began leaving the classroom. "Remember," Flitwick called towards their retreating backs, "Quiz next Monday on the levitation charm!"

Cyrna reluctantly packed away her items. Her next class was DADA, and while Quirrell had yet to approach her, being around him was like balancing on the edge of a cliff. All it took was a single push—a single misstep—to be in danger.

She couldn't tell if Quirrell had bought her lies. Had she proven to him that she was unaware of his stuttering act? That she feared him beyond her supposed anxiety of speaking to professors?

Continue the lies. Because canon would be at serious risk of derailment if she failed.

....

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