There are times in everyone's life when we wish fantasy can become reality. And for Evelyn Gray, that's exactly what happens, except not exactly as she planned. Instead, she gets snarky Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

How did this happen?

The day was like any other. Evelyn Gray spent the majority of her day cleaning her home, tending to the plants in the yard, watching t.v., and browsing through the shops in the local town center. Her life consisted of these everyday routines, they were etched into her mind like clockwork, never missing a beat.

She had what she considered the appearance of an average looking girl. She had deep brown hair that reached her mid-back in soft waves and olive colored skin, very few freckles adorned her cheeks just below her eyes. Her eyes are what she believed to be her best feature, they were a light hazel with spots of green around the pupil, making them shine a brilliant green in the sunlight. Along with her appearance, her height was an average 5'5. She was never the shortest yet she never towered.

Luckily, once a mother she and her mother visited a small village just 50 miles outside her hometown. These were the days Evelyn lived for. She'd save money from baby-sitting, walking dogs and helping little old ladies with their groceries so that she may spend every dime on small, rare shops. Her favorite of these was an antique bookstore stood proudly in the center of the small village that seemed to have been forgotten by time, held up by the handy work of those who originally constructed the building many years ago.

Today happened to be one of those days. Mere hours separated Evelyn from her books as she waited patiently for her mother to come home from work so that they could travel those 50 miles east. For a 18-year-old girl, patients was not a virtue.

She stared at the digital clock above her t.v. which was connected to her cable box the numbers 5:22 staring back at her in neon green. 'Only 8 more minutes 'till she gets off.' She thought silently to herself, subconsciously shifting in her seat on the couch with anticipation.

This trip to the shop will be different. Unlike times before, Evelyn only had enough money to buy small items or souvenirs, but not today, today she had over 150 dollars saved up from all her part time jobs, today all that work is finally going to pay off. Today she is going to buy a book she found on her last visit, a book that caught her eye the instant she laid her eyes on it. With her 242 dollars, Evelyn Gray was going to buy a book on witch craft and ancient spells of blood magic.

Evelyn did not believe herself to be a witch or possess any type of special ability, she simply found magic fascinating. Did she believe in magic? No. But that doesn't mean she can't appreciate the idea of it.

Pulling herself from her wandering mind, she glanced up at the clock and forced herself to refrain from squealing like a child when she saw it was now 5:36. Her mother was off of work and on her way home.

"So close," she whispered softly to herself. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she sat back in the cushioning of the couch deciding to relax and wait patiently for her mother.

"We're here! Let's go and get something to munch on so we don't get hungry when we're walking around. How does that sound?" Her mother asked with a large smile as she parked the car.

"Sounds great," Evelyn answered, not paying attention to her mothers suggestion. She was far to excited to think about anything else other than her book. Oh, how she longed to run her fingers over the ancient cover and feel the creases of the worn bind against her fingertips.

A soft chuckle brought her out of her thoughts causing her to frantically shift her eyes around. "You're not even listening, are you?"

"What? Yes I am. I was just thinking, sorry." A sheepish smile graced her lips.

"It's alright. I know how much you want that book."

"I wasn't thinking about the book, " was her reply. Her mother gave a 'mm-hmm' with a knowing smile, she knew her daughter well enough to know she was embarrassed for being caught day dreaming about her book for the hundredth time that month. It was rare when she wasn't thinking about that book.

"How about this. I'll go and find us a place to eat while you go and get your book. Once you buy it just text or call me and I'll let you know where I am so you can eat. Kill two birds with one stone, deal?"

Evelyn's jaw dropped as she gazed at her mother with wide eyes. "Are you serious?" Her mother answered with a nod, that was all the confirmation Evelyn needed as she quickly unbuckled her seat belt, pecked her mother gratefully on the cheek and stormed out of the car, shouting a loud 'thank you' over her shoulder as she ran.

The run to the antique bookstore was a short one. Evelyn made sure to imprint the correct route in her mind on their last visit. She wanted to quickest and shortest way to the shop without having to walk down a long road just to have to walk back down another. She was glad her memory was sharp as she ran off the road and turned into a dark and dismal alley, running straight through it without looking around. She didn't want to be distracted by the tagging or abandoned belongings scattered around.

As smile found it's way onto her lips when she turned out of the alley, her precious bookstore coming in view. Excitement bubbled up within her as well as a deep fear. What if someone found the book while she was gone? There wouldn't be a copy of a book that old or rare. What if someone stole it? Someone who was just as desperate as she was to discover the secrets held within its pages.

The thought turned her stomach spreading an unwelcoming feeling of nausea. She prayed it wouldn't be true, but it was a possibility.

Catching her breath, Evelyn crossed the road and approached the old building, using both hands to nudge the stubborn glass door open. It moaned loudly as she slowly made her way in, letting it close behind her, a soft bell chiming above her when the corner of the door pulled a string that was attached to a bell.

It was silent. Not a peaceful silence, but one that was filled with eeriness that couldn't be shaken off. The dim lights didn't help her as she attempted to lift her spirits with soothing words, but the feeling of fear remained.

"Just get the book and get out," she told her self as she began to walk. Her foot stepped on a too old floor board that creaked, breaking the silence and her courage. It was hard for her eyes to adjust to the poorly lit bookstore. As she gazed at the hundreds of books which adorned the walls on bookcases she looked above them to find the source of the almost non-existent light. Shelves with low lit lanterns were nailed in random places above the bookcases throughout the store.

"Wow, this is so - "

" - old?"

Evelyn shrieked as she span around to come face to face with the source of the voice. Before her stood and elderly woman who seemed to be around her late 60's. She wore a brown knitted squirt that reached her ankles, an old gray shawl wrapped around her shoulders, a white long sleeve shirt beneath it and what seemed to be black crock shoes. Her hair fell past her shoulders in soft ringlets stopping at her waist. Like any other person her age, she had light and heavy wrinkles on her face. Time was not kind her.

Evelyn placed a hand on her heart as she stared at the older woman. "Is there anything in particular that you are looking for, dear?" She raised her eyebrows and laced her fingers together, letting them hang and press against her belly. The woman possessed a strong Russian accent.

"Looking for something?" Evelyn breathed deeply attempting to calm herself after the scare she had received. It dawned on her. "Oh! Yes, I'm looking for a book." The woman smiled, a small 'aww' escaping her lips.

"Well, was there anything in particular you are searching for?" It was just then that Evelyn realized two things. 1) The woman's voice was very brittle and she spoke softly and 2) She forgot the title of the book.

Her hands made their way to her hair which she grabbed two handfuls of and pulled at. "Argh! I forgot the name!" She closed her eyes in frustration. "I can't believe I forgot the name!"

The woman smiled kindly as she turned away from Evelyn and slowly trudged back to her front desk, passing it and going through a door which led away from the store. She suspected that the woman didn't want to waste her time on a young girl who didn't know what she was looking for.

Evelyn released her hair and let out a deep sigh, thinking over words she remembered from the title. Every one that she thought up sounded worse than the other, she couldn't get it right. "I can't believe I forgot," she sadly mumbled.

The floor boards creaked again and she looked towards the doorway leading to the other room to see the woman walk back through it, this time she held a medium sized book in her arms.

"I think, child, that this is what you are looking for." She spoke as she approached the younger girl who continued to watch her with curiosity. Upon reaching Evelyn, the elderly woman held out the book for her to take. "It has been... restless to say the least."

Evelyn didn't understand what the woman was saying as she cautiously reached her hand out and took the book into her own hands. She gazed down at the book and sucked in a sharp breath. It was the book. She remembered the feeling of the brittle cover cracking as she ran her fingers over it. Burgundy flecks floated onto the floor as she continued to examine the book, scanning her eyes over the binding which was beginning to peel. It was just as beautiful as she remembered.

"Wow."

She pointed a brittle finger. "Special, that book is."

Evelyn looked up at the woman, their eyes locking. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat from all the excitement. "Thank you." She subtly bowed her head in gratitude. "How much is it?"

The woman stared at her for several moments before speaking with her mystical voice. "Nothing." With that said, she turned away from Evelyn and began to make her way back to the other room.

"What?" Her eyes widened. "You must be mistaken, this has got to be worth something." She followed the woman.

"A book... as precious as that, is priceless." She spoke without turning to face the young girl who continued to follow her. She stopped and looked back down at the book in her hands, running her fingers gently over the bind once more. Lifting her gaze to thank the woman for her generosity Evelyn was surprised to find that the woman was no longer standing before her.

"Hello?" No one answered her call. "Uh, Ms., uh..." She never got the woman's name. Calling out several more times and receiving no answers, Evelyn found the feeling of fear and an eerie silence falling upon her once more.

With a quick glance around the store she left the shop. Her heart beat fiercely in her chest as she pulled her phone from her pocket and texted her mother for her location. Once she had it she made her way to the restaurant she was at and commenced with telling her the tale of the mysterious old woman in the antique bookstore.

The journey home was a silent one but the air was filled with excitement. Evelyn was bouncing in her seat as she played with the pages of the book in her lap, enjoying the feeling of the ancient pages between her fingers. She couldn't wait to get home.

Once they reached her small house Evelyn thanked her mother for taking her into the village and climbed out of the car. Reaching into her pocket for the key, she quickly unlocked the door and ran inside, leaving it open for her mother as she ran into her room. She burst through the door and jumped onto her bed careful not to damage the book as she laid on her stomach and propped herself up with her elbows.

'I finally have the book.'

With that thought in mind, she slowly opened it and scanned through the pages, searching for what she was looking for. "Come on, I know you're here somewhere." Her teeth sank into the corner of her lip, pulling the skin between her teeth as she quickly roamed the pages with her eyes.

It seemed as if she has been searching for hours before crying out in success. Her eyes widened with anticipation as she gazed down at the ancient scrawl on the page. Her heart seemed to speed up when she realized just how close she was to attempting to bring her dreams to life. Although she knew the chances of it working were slim to none, she found the idea of blood magic and spells to be intriguing.

A wicked smile found its way onto her lips as she read over the ritual. "Let the games begin."