It was a stormy Saturday night in October 2018. The T.V. blared as a tornado warning was issued. I was huddled in the front interior closet of my home in North Platte, Nebraska. Suddenly I heard my black cat Midnight meow outside of the closet door.
I opened the door frantically to get him in from the living area but he was scared. Midnight ran from the door when I opened it. He climbed onto the scratching post I bought for him. I could hear a freight train type of sound close to the house. I knew the storm was barreling down on us. I grabbed the cat from the post just as everything went dark.
When I opened my eyes, I was in a different place. There was a huge castle that I recognized from the Harry Potter films. How could it be that I was there? Midnight meowed as I looked over to see a tall man dressed in all black walking toward us. He had shoulder length black hair and onyx eyes that seemed to look through me.
"You are not a student here." The man sneered, aiming a wand at me. "Who are you?"
I couldn't believe my eyes. I was at Hogwarts and this was Severus Snape.
"I'm Rebecca Lane. I'm from America. I'm lost." I stammered.
"I suggest you return there." Severus replied coldly. "We do not give charity to beggars here."
"I can't return there." I insisted. "There's no way back. Couldn't you help me?"
"Tell me, Miss Lane." He spat at me. "Why should I?"
"Because I'm from a different time." I said defensively.
"Do not lie to me!" Severus roared. "It will not work."
I was remained silent.
Severus exhaled a deep sigh from his lungs. "Come with me, Miss Lane. I have another alternative."