Authors note

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; all characters belong to the talented J.K Rowling.

Chapter 20! Can't believe its 20 already. This was an exciting chapter to write, since I can finally explain some things. Please review BTW. Suggestions welcomed.

Chapter 20

Shadow Walking

As the teachers all gathered around Laurels bed, she felt like she was about to get into trouble. She looked at each of the Professors, but couldn't figure out what was going on by their vague expressions. Only Professor Dumbledore seemed to be curiously looking at her, while McGonagall was looking at her sternly like always, but with a touch of concern, and Moody was guarding his expression, not giving her any clue as to why he had gone to get the professors after her fall.

"There's no need to look so worried Miss Flamel," Dumbledore said kindly, as she met his kind old eyes. Harry was still beside her, holding her hand, and Dumbledore's eyes seemed to twinkle when he noticed.

"What's going on Professor Dumbledore", Harry asked in confused. It wasn't normal for three professors to come visit a patient in the hospital so late at night.

"We wanted a recount on the incident that led to your fall Miss Flamel", Professor McGonagall said, clearly not impressed with Harry speaking out.

"But why does it matter. What's so important about it?" Madam Pomfrey said, clearly annoyed at them distressing Laurel. Laurel looked at Harry and they shared a look.

"I think it may shed some light on how Laurel managed to break her leg", Moody said roughly. Laurel really didn't want to tell them. It seemed stupid somehow, saying it. It sounded ridiculous.

Everyone looked at her, even Harry. Laurel sighed.

"This is going to sound so ridiculous", Laurel said, looking embarrassed.

"It's alright. Just try and explain it", Dumbledore said kindly.

"Ok...well. I really don't know what happened. One moment everything was normal, and then all of a sudden I was falling through the floor, and then well..." Laurel motioned to her leg.

"Peculiar", Dumbledore muttered.

"You didn't notice anything Potter?" Moody asked.

"No, one moment she was standing there, and the next it was like she'd just sunk through the floor, like it wasn't there", Harry explained. Laurel noticed Harry was looking very stressed out. Laurel guessed seeing her like that hadn't been the best experience.

"Miss Flamel. Have you ever experienced anything similar happening to you. Anything at all?" Moody asked. Laurel could have sworn he was leading to something but wanted some sort of confirmation first.

"No I don't think so," Laurel shock her head. "Wait". Laurel thought for a moment. She looked up into the professors faces.

"There have been a few times I recall not being able to pick something up, like my hand would go through the object. I just thought there was some sort of spell on the book. But then I remember vaguely waking up one night after falling off my bed. But it wasn't the fact that I'd fallen off, but I was under the bed, I fell straight under it. I brushed it off, thinking maybe I had just somehow rolled under the bed. I didn't think about it after that", Laurel explained.

"Does this have something to do with me falling?" Laurel asked in concern.

"We believe it has everything to do with your fall", Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling like mad.

"And..." Laurel said questioningly.

"We believe that you have a very rare form of magic that has slowly manifested throughout the school year", Dumbledore explained. Laurel looked at him, shocked.

"What do you mean? What form of magic?" Laurel stuttered, still shocked at this turn of events. Harry was silent beside her.

"I know it's a lot to take in after your incident tonight, but I will try to be as to the point as possible. This ability of yours is called shadow walking. It is such a rare form of magic that I have little knowledge of it. But I can tell you that one of the main abilities of shadow walking is the ability to become intangible, that is to say in simpler terms, walking through objects" Dumbledore continued.

"But why now? Why is this stuff only now happening to me?" Laurel said her voice higher than normal.

"That's a simple answer. You're magical core is increasing with age, and so now your magic is powerful enough to start using these shadow walking abilities, otherwise if your core wasn't strong enough, you'd be getting fatigued and tired after using your magic. It's also a reason why students are only allowed to start using a wand when they turn 11 and come to Hogwarts, to young and their core wouldn't have stabilized and the same result would take affect", Dumbledore said.

"Ok", Laurel said slowly, her mind trying to process everything.

"But Professor?" Harry said as everyone turned to him.

"Yes Mr Potter".

"How can Laurel control this shadow walking ability? You've already seen what can happen to her".

Moody stepped forward. "I believe practice is the only way to get a handle of these powers. Professor McGonagall is willing to let Miss Flamel out of classes for the next week, and we will all be overseeing Laurel to help her gain control of her powers so that this doesn't happen again".

Laurel tensed. She didn't like Moody. He just gave her a bad vibe.

"Your safely is the most important issue at hand", Professor McGonagall added as she looked at Laurel concern. Laurel smiled timidly back.

"One more question Professor," Laurel said as she met Dumbledore's eyes. "How did you figure this out?"

"Ah I believe Moody can answer that question", Dumbledore said. Laurel turned to him.

"I saw you fall. This eye comes in handy. There aren't many explanations for what I saw. And your other examples proved it", Professor Moody explained simply. Laurel nodded.

"I would also like to remind you to be cautious in regards to the people you reveal this knowledge to. Mr Potter I'm sure, we can trust to keep this to himself", Dumbledore spoke up as he looked at Harry, who nodded seriously.

"I trust Harry, and Ron and Hermione", Laurel said tiredly as she sagged against the pillows propping her up.

"Now I think it's time to leave Miss Flamel to get some rest. Mr Potter, Professor Moody will take you back to the Gryffindor common rooms since is it now past curfew", Dumbledore said as they left her. She had wanted Harry to stay, at least to say goodbye to him in private, but Moody was already dragging him away. Harry looked back at her and waved and Laurel smiled at him before she fell asleep, not worrying about any of the information that she'd just been told.

~O~~~~~~~O~~~~~~~O~

The next day Laurel woke up in confusion, wondering where is was, before remembering last night. It seemed like it had all been a dream. Falling, breaking her leg, and then getting told she had this rare ability to walk through solid walls.

Her leg was still sore, and her head was tender from the fall, but Laurel felt much better than she had yesterday. When she looked at the clock on the wall next to her bed, Laurel was surprised to realise she'd slept past breakfast and the first period, and it was almost lunch time.

"Ah you're awake. Here drink this, then you can have something to eat", Madam Pomfrey said as she fussed at Laurel. Laurel smiled and thanked the nurse as she handed her a potion.

"You missed your friends this morning. Young Mr Potter was very keen on seeing you", Pomfrey commented as she put some vials on the bedside table.

"Really", Laurel asked, blushing.

"Yes, I practically had to chase him away", the nurse muttered in annoyance.

"What's this one do?" Laurel asked curiously after she drank the vial of potion.

"It helps the body heal quicker. But nothing beats time and rest", the nurse replied.

"Can I ask you how you healed my leg last night?" Laurel said, she might as well learn something.

"Mmm interested in becoming a healer are you?" the nurse said as she looked down at Laurel.

"Well maybe, I've been thinking about it. But I don't know", Laurel said truthfully. She had been studying more spells and potions that had to do with healing, mostly because she was always getting injured or Harry was. It just seemed like the smart thing to do. It was useful having the knowledge to heals wounds and brew potions to help others. But maybe making a career out of it was an idea. Laurel had never given it much thought, what she would do when she graduated. Maybe she could ask Pomfrey some questions.

"Well it's usually quiet slow during the weekdays, so you can ask me anything you like dear", Madam Pomfrey said kindly.

So Laurel did. Apparently to become a healer, a witch or wizard needed to first complete their education, with O's in potions, transfiguration, charms and herbology. These were the main subjects that applied to becoming a healer. After that, you had to find an apprentice to study under for four years. It seems like a very long time, but once those four years were completed, you were then a qualified healer. It was also possible to start your apprenticeship early if you could find someone willing to take on a student, as well as finding a way to get through the work load along with school work. It was doable, and now that Laurel had more information, she was feeling more confident on the decision to become a healer.

Harry came and visited her during lunch, along with Ron and Hermione. Laurel had just finished her own lunch when they arrived, and brightened up at seeing them walk in.

"Harry!" Laurel said lovingly as he practically flew to her bed, grabbing her hand and checking to make sure that she was indeed fine.

"Laurel. How's your leg", Harry replied anxiously. Laurel smiled up at him tenderly.

"Better now. Thanks to madam Pomfrey, and you", Laurel said softly.

"Bloody hell Laurel. How'd you end up breaking your leg? All Harry said was that you tripped," Ron said loudly.

"Ron! It's not like Laurel planned it. How are you though? I brought you notes on the classes you missed this morning so that you could look them over", Hermione said, shooting Ron a look before looking at Laurel in concern.

"I'm fine, really guys. Thanks Hermione I'll look at that later. I think I'll be out for a few more days, if you wouldn't mind taking notes for me as well".

Hermione nodded seriously at the task. "But what happened, how'd you actually break your leg. All Harry said was you tripped down the stairs", Hermione asked curiously. Laurel shared a look with Harry. Laurel then looked around to make sure no one else was around.

"You guys cannot tell anyone. Dumbledore doesn't want anyone knowing", Laurel started. Ron and Hermione looked at her in surprise and shock, they hadn't of thought it was serious.

"What do you mean? How can you falling and breaking your leg cause Dumbledore to want to keep it a secret", Hermione asked as she looked at Laurel as if studying her. Ron just looked confused.

"Well, Harry already knows. So I'm going to tell you guys as well since I trust you. But I didn't just trip and fall. I actually fell through the floor. Apparently Dumbledore thinks I have this ability to walk through solid objects. Dumbledore called in shadow walking", Laurel explained. Before they could reply, the nurse walked past from her office before checking that Laurel was still fine, before leaving again.

"Wait, you can walk through walls?" Ron asked, perplexed.

"Well...yeah. I guess so. I can't control it though. Which is why I fell through the floor and ending up hurting myself", Laurel said as she motioned to her leg, grimacing.

"Now she has to start taking private lessons with Dumbledore and Moody and McGonagall to learn how to control it," Harry added in. Harry was now sitting on the side of her bed, his back resting on the wall, and Laurel was curled into his side.

"Bloody hell. There all taking time out to teach you. That sounds serious", Ron said.

"Well she did break her leg already Ron. Honestly, if this happened again she could end up seriously hurt or worse. Your really lucky you didn't do more damage and Dumbledore figured out what's wrong", Hermione said tensely.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that to", Harry muttered.

"Mmm, about what?" Laurel asked as she looked up at him.

"How did Dumbledore and McGonagall get there so quickly and figure it out before questioning you?" Harry spoke up.

"You said Moody was near you when it happened, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Laurel and Harry together, before smiling at each other at their own words.

"Well his eye does see through walls, he probably saw you fall and put it together and got the other professors", Hermione said factually.

"Makes sense", Laurel said, shrugging.

"So when does your training start?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Probably tomorrow or the next day, once I can walk again," Laurel said. She still hadn't tried to walk on her leg; it was still sore and tender.

"It's exciting though isn't it? I mean, there must be all sorts of things you could do with this shadow walking ability. I wonder what else you can do, I've never even heard of it before", Hermione said curiously.

"I guess I'll find out soon enough," Laurel said.

"Long as you don't go falling through floors again," Harry said seriously.

"I'm sure the professors will make sure that doesn't happen again", Laurel said as she yawned.

"You guys should probably go get some lunch before you have to get back to class," Laurel told her friends.

"Yeah I'm starving guys. If we don't hurry we'll have to wait until dinner", Ron whinged, now that food was on his mind, there was no stopping him.

"You guys go ahead, I'm not hungry", Harry said. Ron and Hermione paused.

"You sure? I'll grab you something in case you get hungry later", Ron said as they left.

"You don't have to stay Harry. You should go and eat", Laurel said softly as Harry's fingers entwined with hers.

"I don't mind," Harry said as he shook his head. "Plus, I wanted to spend some time with you".

"I never did thank you again, for carrying me to the hospital wing", Laurel said, as she snuggled into his side. Harry wrapped his arms around her.

"You're welcome. Though looking after you is beginning to look like a full time job", Harry said cheekily as the serious tension in the air evaporated.

"Prat", Laurel swatted him with her hand. There were now back in their normal routine, joking and mucking around.

"Have you thought about what you'll learn about with the Professors", Harry asked casually.

"Not really. It is kind of exciting isn't it? I mean, once I actually learn how to not fall through things", Laurel replied absentmindedly as she played with Harry's fingers. "But hopefully I'll get some information on shadow walking; it sounds like its more than just walking through walls and such".

"Wish I could come with you and watch", Harry said.

"I'll just have to fill you in after", Laurel replied.

Harry stayed for a little while longer, until it was time for the afternoon classes to start. Without anyone to talk to, Laurel was starting to get bored. She'd already read the notes that Hermione had given her, and didn't have anything to do now. It was too early to go to bed but she decided to sleep anyway. Sleep was good for healing.

~O~~~~~~~O~~~~~~~O~

The next day started out the same as the day before. Harry came and visited her in the morning with Ron and Hermione. She'd requested some books to read, and Hermione had delivered. As well as having all the notes from the previous day's classes, Laurel now had something to do besides sleep.

As well as studying, sometimes a student would come in with an injury. Laurel would watch madam Pomfrey with the student an even get a small lesson on what potions she was giving to her patient and why. It was fun. Laurel was even walking again herself, even if she was very slow and stiff on her recently broken leg.

It was only that afternoon that things started to get interesting. Laurel had been quietly studying when Professor Dumbledore had strolled in, as casual as if he were walking through diagon ally.

"Good afternoon Miss Flamel," the older professor said. Laurel looked up from her book and smiled timidly at the powerful wizard.

"Good afternoon Professor Dumbledore", Laurel replied automatically as she sat up on her bed.

"I'd like to inform you that Professor Moody will be starting your first lesson tomorrow afternoon at 3pm. He'll meet you in the first classroom on the ground floor. We thought it would be wise to train on the ground floor", Laurel smiled at the small joke as Dumbledore chuckled.

"That's probably a good idea Sir," Laurel said with a hint of sarcasm as she tried not to roll her eyes.

"May I ask you a question Sir?" Laurel asked her tone polite again.

"Mmm why of course", Dumbledore said kindly.

"Why is it so important that this ability of mine be kept secret? Surely it isn't that big of a deal?"

"Quite the contrary. There are many witches and wizards in this world looking for power. Power that you have", Dumbledore looked at her seriously and Laurel gulped. "And as a student of mine it is my duty to make sure you are aware of this. It isn't something you want in the wrong hands".

"Oh, I guess I understand that," Laurel sighed.

"Now I'll leave you to rest, goodnight Miss Flamel", Dumbledore said and with a twinkle in his blue eyes and a swirl of his beard he was gone.

~O~~~~~~~O~~~~~~~O~

The following day, Laurel was waiting anxiously for Professor Moody in the classroom assigned to her training. Laurel was glad to be out and about again, she was finally discharged from the hospital wing and would be going back to the Gryffindor common room for the first time after her lesson this afternoon. She'd wished she could be there to help Harry train for the third task, but he understood the importance of her training in her shadow walking abilities.

With a clunk, clunk, clunk she looked up as Professor Moody walked in, shutting the door and waving his wand over it, as a blue light shone over the door before disappearing.

"Precaution," the teacher muttered as he surveyed the room. "This will do. Right before we begin. You need to understand the basics of shadow walking". Moody slammed a textbook down on the desk Laurel was sitting at. Startled, Laurel jumped and looked down at the book, magic of the rare and powerful by Helia Ashwood.

"Page 109, begin", Laurel was shocked by his blunt approach, but never the less nodded before flipping to said page. It read,

Shadow walking, known vaguely as the ability for a witch or wizard to become intangible with objects in contact with said person. This ability is a rarity, with only a handful of witches and wizards being documented throughout history as having developed said ability. The most notable being Merlin's daughter. Although the ability to pass through solid matter is the main ability of shadow walking, there are in fact other abilities that develop, depending on how powerful the said person is. Astral projection is another power that is associated with shadow walking. Dematerializing is another power documented of shadow walkers. Though these powers are described, it cannot be said that these powers alone made up the shadow walking abilities and as such there are other powers that could also be labelled in this category.

"Is that all there is?" Laurel asked as she finished reading the very short paragraph. That couldn't be all there was, could there?

"Yes that's all there is. It wasn't easy finding even that one reference. It's not a common ability as you just read", Moody said stiffly as his good eye looked at her, while the other eye was looking somewhere else.

"This is all going to be mostly guess work. Which is why we're taking this fast. Until you learn how to control your ability you'll be put under strict supervision".

"Great," Laurel muttered as she closed the book.

"Now", the professor said loudly. "We'll start off slowly today. All I want is to see if you can focus on getting your hand through that desk your sitting in. You need to focus on how you felt the last few times you've accessed this power and focus on what you want to happen".

Laurel thought it was a bit rich, asking her to do something that she didn't know how to control. It's not like she could do it on command. It just happened.

"But I don't know how it happened the last time. It just did", Laurel said slowly, trying to explain it.

"Look, I'm not going to baby you through this. Dumbledore wants you to learn how to do this. And the only way you're going to be able to is if you try. You've done it once, you can do it again", the professor grumbled out as both eyes focused on her.

"I'll try then", Laurel said softly. Taking a deep breath, Laurel braced herself and focused on her right hand and willed it to go through the desk. She slowly moved her hand down to the desk, she was just touching it and then she moved her hand lower, feeling the desk, before pushing her hand against it. Nothing happened, her hand stayed right where it was, the desk was as solid as it had been to begin with.

And that's now the rest of the lesson went. With each passing minute Laurel got more and more frustrated, while Moody became louder until they stopped for the night. By the end of it, Laurels hand was sore from pushing against the wood of the desk and she had a headache from trying to focus. Her mood was down as she walked back up to the Gryffindor common room. Maybe they were wrong and she didn't have this shadow walking ability? Maybe it was been something else. They had jumped too quickly into their theory, maybe Dumbledore and Moody were wrong and she didn't have this rare ability. It was slightly saddening to think that she didn't have it. It was kind of cool, having a special power.

But by the end of the week Laurel finally had progress. She was in the same classroom with Moody, who had spent the last couple of afternoons getting more and more frustrated with her when Laurel started to get angry and annoyed at the ex auror. He acted like what she was trying to do was the easiest thing in the world, like learning a new spell, not learning a new power that she didn't know how to actually use.

And so as her frustrating peaked, she angrily focused and willed her hand to go through the desk, just to stop Moody grumbling at her. And to both there shock, it did. Laurel looked dumbfounded as her hand went straight through the desk she wiggled her fingers from under the desk, and moved her hand around, testing her newfound ability. It was hard, focusing on her hand to become intangible, and she quickly pulled her hand away after a second, fearing that it would get stuck.

"How that's more like it Flamel," Moody grumbled out, always in his ever present scowl. Laurel thought took no notice as she smiled proudly as her accomplishment.

"Don't get all cocky now. You barely did anything girl. Get back to it", Professor Moody growled out. Laurel huffed at him, not pleased anymore and glared at him behind his back, not caring that he'd probably seen her. And so that's how her week went.