When Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were first year students at Hogwarts, they had been warned on more than one occasion to avoid the forbidden corridor on the third floor. No other thought had been given to that corridor after it was discovered that it led to a room where the Philosopher's Stone had been placed and guarded by 'Fluffy' the great three-headed dog. None of them had ever thought to inquire further into the reason why the the forbidden corridor was forbidden.

It was a Saturday and many of Hogwarts students were on an outing to Hogsmeade. Most of the staff, acting as chaperones, had gone as had the headmistress. Professor Grailing, who refused to indulge in such outings escorted Snape and his four charges to the forbidden corridor on the third floor. The corridor was behind a simple door that wasn't just merely locked, but heavily warded as well. An ornate key unlocked the door and Grailing removed the wards. They stepped just inside the corridor, and he halted any further exploration as he launched into the legend behind the corridor.

With a wave of his wand, Grailing lit the torches that stretched down the corridor revealing it. It looked plain enough. It was wide, wider than many of the most trafficked corridors in the castle and it was the length of a Quidditch pitch. Down its center, placed every five feet, was a statue of a gargoyle. Each gargoyle was different. The cathedral arched ceiling stretched high above their heads. Between each supporting arch there was the outline of a window; but the windows looked out upon nothing. In each of the windowed niches were carvings; swirls, eddies, marvelous patterns in the grey stone that caught the eye.

"This corridor was created by Rowena Ravenclaw. As I'm sure you know, the moving stairs and changing walls throughout the castle were designed by Rowena as well." Grailing walked over to one of the windows. "The corridor was meant to be her crowning achievement, but something went wrong. Before it was discovered for certain that there was a problem, several students and a teacher vanished from this corridor. Rowena tried to discover what could have gone wrong, but was unable to determine what the problem was. She was resigned to destroying the corridor, but discovered that became a problem as well. It was impossible to be rid of it and so the door was placed at its entry point, locked with the Key of Ravenclaw, and warded.

"That's it?" asked Draco. "There's far more dangerous places then this empty thing."

Snape whacked Malfoy on the back of his head. "Be quiet and listen!" He hissed under his breath.

Draco gave the appearance of being more hurt than he really was and almost complained further until Ron shot him a warning glance. Draco scowled, but was quiet for the rest of the story.

"Look at the windows," said Grailing as he drew one liver-spotted hand over the deeply carved patterns. "These were stain glass when Rowena created the corridor. It's the first thing in the corridor that changed itself. No one has been able to figure out if the patterns mean anything, or if they're just pure decoration." Grailing moved toward the center.

"Professor Grailing," Hermione's questioning tone was in full force and Snape had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Here, the girl needed to be allowed her questions. "Do you have any idea how the corridor has increased in length without growing straight through the walls that should confine it?"

Grailing smiled down upon the bushy-haired girl. "Miss Granger, that is a question I believe you answered in your notes. You asked if the Vohlfayr were the only magical creatures, or things, that could shift time and space in such a manner that they exist a few seconds ahead of us. This corridor, I believe, is your answer."

Hermione frowned, unaware of the rather slack-jawed and completely puzzled expressions of the three boys. "I'm not certain I understand, sir."

"When I chose to live out my retirement in teaching here at Hogwarts, I didn't just have the welfare of my students uppermost in my head. From my first days as a student at Hogwarts I'd been intrigued by the mystery of the forbiddden corridor. I came here to observe it and to see if I might uncover what wonder Rowena Ravenclaw had inadvertently created." He wandered over to one of the gargoyles and rested a hand upon one that had a thorny head. "As a teacher, I have had complete access to the corridor and I have been able to discover certain things."

Suddenly the professor shoved the gargoyle off its perch. Snape remained in place, but the children reacted out of instinct. The professor held up a hand, silently indicating they were not to cast any spells. They soon realized why. The gargoyle was not crashing to the floor, but was slowly drifting down to it. When it was barely a few centimeters above the floor, it gained speed and hit the floor with a very heavy and solid thud. Oddly enough, there was no sound. Pieces of the gargoyle broke off. It wavered back and forth until it was still. A few seconds later the sound of the gargoyle hitting the floor followed.

"Oh my...!" Hermione's eyes widened and she started to launch into an excited speech. She was stopped by Professor Grailing putting a finger to his lips and pointing to the fallen gargoyle.

In the blink of an eye, the gargoyle's path down to the floor was speedily reversed until it was once more seated firmly upon its pedestal. Once in place, Ron was the first to let out a whistle of appreciation.

"Wicked!" remarked Harry.

"I want to see that again," said Draco, suitably impressed.

"Try it, Mr. Malfoy," Grailing encouraged.

With great enthusiasm, Draco used all his weight to push the gargoyle from its perch. This time the gargoyle swiftly smashed to the floor and Draco was caught by a small piece of flying marble that cut his cheek. "It didn't work!"

"Calm yourself, Mr. Malfoy," Snape spoke quietly. He turned the boy toward him and examined the cut. Snape felt the surge of power, a crackling, invisible energy that swept around him and muted all sound in the corridor. Against his will he moved in reverse and said, "yoflaM .rM, flesruoy mlaC."

The reversal continued as the shard of marble that struck Malfoy's cheek swept back across his cheek, sealing the cut and returning to the statue. Malfoy's words were also reversed. The statue repaired itself and rose swiftly back onto the pedestal. The roiling energy sensation stopped and Malfoy sank to his knees and deposited the remains of his lunch upon the floor. Snape tried to glower at the boy, but his stomach was threatening to do the same.

"I think that's enough time in here," stated Grailing as he returned to the door they'd come through. Hermione was helping Draco to his feet. "Never mind the mess. It will be gone, soon." Draco looked in horror at the old professor as he remembered the cut on his cheek reversing itself.

Grailing ushered everyone out of the forbidden corridor, locked the door and re-established the security wards. Harry, Ron and Snape followed Grailing back to the library. Draco was still feeling out of sorts, so Hermione volunteered to escort him back to his room. Just as another wave of dizziness hit him, Hermione was easing the Slytherin onto his bed.