Part 1
The 2nd through 7th years were crammed into the Great Hall, Harry, Ron, and Hermione among them. They were in the first wave of students and sat near the middle of Gryffindor table, leaving enough room and the front for this year's set of 1st years. The three sat down, and for a moment there was silence among them. Harry looked at Ron. He was sitting at the table fiddling with his napkin and, for this first time since they're own Sorting, he wasn't complaining about hunger, hypothesizing about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, or talking in hushed tones about some conspiracy that had began over the summer. And just as quickly as he had realized there was something wrong with Ron, he realized what it was. Ron was no longer surrounded by his other siblings. His only older siblings to have yet to graduate from Hogwarts, Fred and George, were at the far end of the table, near the doors, and, as they had been all summer long, were leaning close together, huddled over order forms for their soon- to-be-a-reality joke shop. On the other end there was Ginny, now on her 4th year at Hogwarts, talking to her friends. For the first time in his whole life he was not overshadowed or protected by any of his siblings, and it was enough to make him fiddle with his napkins on his first day back at school. Trying desperately to think of something that would snap Ron out of his anxious state, he looked up to see the new first years, led by Professor McGonagall, heading towards the front of the Great Hall. It was then that he noticed.
"Hey, where's Professor Snape?" said Hermione looking at the empty seat at the Professors' table.
"Maybe they've finally sacked the old git!" said Ron, his nervousness replaced by a hopeful smile.
"Forget Snape, where's Dumbledore?" Harry whispered, "He wouldn't just miss the Sorting."
. .. .
The door opened with a slight creak as Dumbledore entered Professor Snape's office. Snape was hunched over his desk, head in his hands. He didn't even make a move to hide the copy of Plato's Republic that lay exposed on his desk.
"Severus." Dumbledore said in a voice different than the clipped tone he usually addressed Snape with. It was full of pity. Snape looked up.
"I have done all you asked." he said, his wraspy voice unusually hoarse, ".all you asked. But I can't be out there. Not now." His eyes, for this first time in a very long time, searched Dumbledore's.
"Your absence at the Sorting will only cause suspicion among the students. And you know very well how dangerous some of our students can become when they are suspicious." Snape paused, and after a moment nodded.
"You're right. I wouldn't want that," and here he paused for just enough time to conjure up the right amount of invective, "Potter and his friends sticking their noses in where they don't belong." He nodded again, this time trying to convince himself. Dumbledore rose.
"The Sorting is coming to a close, and I am no doubt required. Follow after me when you are ready," he turned to the door and Snape was up, right behind him.
. .. .
The Sorting was indeed coming to a close and the students at the end, who had, until now, been hidden by the rest of the first years, came into the view of the rest of the Great Hall. Harry heard the distinct and familiar sound of Draco Malfoy jabbing his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Look," he hissed, motioning to the three women who stood at the end of the first year line. Ron and Hermione were looking as well, having just noticed the three along with the rest of the hall. Leading the three was a girl just a little taller than the 1st year she was standing behind, with long, mousy-brown hair in a ponytail down her neck. She was wearing a light brown leather hide jacket, blue jeans, and.moccasins? Just then a beam of sunlight caught a piece of metal on her back, highlighting what Harry thought was most out-of-place about her: the silver hunting rifle that was strapped on her back.
"Dad had one of those once," Ron whispered, "Mom made him turn it over to the Ministry of Muggle Studies after Fred and George used it to try and get rid of the lawn gnomes." Harry's eyes widened as he pictured Fred and George chasing gnomes around the Weasleys backyard with a shotgun. Sure enough, Fred and George were pointing to the rifle, their eyes lit up. Hermione leaned forward.
"We need to keep an eye on those two," she whispered in Harry's ear, "I don't even want to know what those two are capable of with a rifle," Harry nodded, eyes back on the three girls, this time on the second girl who, after having noticed the students' notice of her friends rifle, began polishing it with the cuff on her shirt. She was a little bit taller than her friend, with short, soft stubble for hair, large grey eyes and two elegantly pointed ears.
"An elf!" Hermione exclaimed, her hand moving instinctively to the S.P.E.W. badge she had attached to her robes. Both Ron and Harry had forgotten theirs in a small, controlled fire.
"She's really tall for an elf." Ron said doubtfully. Harry tuned out the fight that he was sure was going to begin at any moment, looking on at the 3rd girl. She was the tallest of them all, from the looks of it even taller than Fred and George, with shoulder-length shaggy black hair, green eyes, and slender pointed ears. Her hair shimmered with flecks of pastel pink.
"No, you dunderheads. That's a faerie. My Dad says that faeries are magic in its purest form," he heard Draco telling Crabbe and Goyle. There certainly seemed to be something magic about her, for the staff that she had strapped to her back was touching the side of the Gryffindor table, where a branch was beginning to grow.
The last name was called and the last 1st year joined her house. Dumbledore was standing in front of the professors' table, apparently reading to give his first-of-the-year speech. Harry looked to see Professor Snape, right where he should be. He was looking at the three girls with a strange look on his face. At that moment he caught Harry staring at him out of the corner of his eye and turned his gaze upon him, looking particulary murderous.
"As I am sure you have all by now noticed," Dumbledore began, the room quieting, "the Sorting is not yet complete. This summer I extended an invitation to the Flizlethorpe School of Magic to send some of its students here to join us for a term here at Hogwarts. With Lord Voldemort beginning again his rise to power," the mention of the Dark Lord sent a murmur through the crowd, "I'm sure that we would all benefit from the magical knowledge that they will provide. The Hat will sort them into their houses and they will take their place among the 5th years of that House." He turned to Professor McGonagall, who on cue read the next name on the scroll.
"Elokin of the Swift Feet," The girl with the rifle and the elf pushed the faerie in front of them. Her green eyes wide, she sat upon the stool and the Hat was placed upon her head.
"A faErie!" the Hat bellowed, accentuating the words at odd points, as it was prone to do. The girl jumped, almost falling off the stool. "But not a stranger to Hogwarts, I see. Yes, it's all here. Both parents were from Hogwarts. both from different houses.a difficult choice." Harry looked up to see Snape muttering something, staring intently at the faerie. The hair on the back of his neck was bristled. Was he casting a spell on her?. ".Ah Well. It'd be a pity if you ended up like him anyway. GRYFFINDOR!!!!" The Gryffindor table erupted in applause, and several of them motioned for her to join them. She took a seat next to Seamus Finnigan.
"Hatashinae Tsukiko," McGonagall called and the elf stepped up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head.
"A sylvan elf, eh. or are you? Hiding what you are, using your CLEverness to stay out of trouble. there's one house that values THAt! RAVENCLAW!!!!!" The Ravenclaws jumped to their feet, motioning the girl over.
"Chris Manebreeze," The 3rd girl mounted the stool and the Hat was placed on her head.
"Ah, a hard worker. staying up when others sleep. learning what isn't required. I've got just the place for you.HUFFLEPUFF!!!!" The Hufflepuffs practically exploded with applause and several came up to lead her to their table. They're probably happy to have gotten one, Harry thought. He could see who wasn't happy, though. The Slytherins looked out-for-blood, preferably Gryffindor.
"I do have a few notices before we begin the feast. Quidditch matches will begin again on schedule, so you had better start practicing. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, and only 3rd years and up with permission forms are allowed to go to Hogsmeade for off-campus visits. Also, the field just before the lake will be being excavated by a team of archeologists and it is therefore off-limits as well. That seems to be it. Dig in," Food appeared at the tables and students began to eat.
The 2nd through 7th years were crammed into the Great Hall, Harry, Ron, and Hermione among them. They were in the first wave of students and sat near the middle of Gryffindor table, leaving enough room and the front for this year's set of 1st years. The three sat down, and for a moment there was silence among them. Harry looked at Ron. He was sitting at the table fiddling with his napkin and, for this first time since they're own Sorting, he wasn't complaining about hunger, hypothesizing about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, or talking in hushed tones about some conspiracy that had began over the summer. And just as quickly as he had realized there was something wrong with Ron, he realized what it was. Ron was no longer surrounded by his other siblings. His only older siblings to have yet to graduate from Hogwarts, Fred and George, were at the far end of the table, near the doors, and, as they had been all summer long, were leaning close together, huddled over order forms for their soon- to-be-a-reality joke shop. On the other end there was Ginny, now on her 4th year at Hogwarts, talking to her friends. For the first time in his whole life he was not overshadowed or protected by any of his siblings, and it was enough to make him fiddle with his napkins on his first day back at school. Trying desperately to think of something that would snap Ron out of his anxious state, he looked up to see the new first years, led by Professor McGonagall, heading towards the front of the Great Hall. It was then that he noticed.
"Hey, where's Professor Snape?" said Hermione looking at the empty seat at the Professors' table.
"Maybe they've finally sacked the old git!" said Ron, his nervousness replaced by a hopeful smile.
"Forget Snape, where's Dumbledore?" Harry whispered, "He wouldn't just miss the Sorting."
. .. .
The door opened with a slight creak as Dumbledore entered Professor Snape's office. Snape was hunched over his desk, head in his hands. He didn't even make a move to hide the copy of Plato's Republic that lay exposed on his desk.
"Severus." Dumbledore said in a voice different than the clipped tone he usually addressed Snape with. It was full of pity. Snape looked up.
"I have done all you asked." he said, his wraspy voice unusually hoarse, ".all you asked. But I can't be out there. Not now." His eyes, for this first time in a very long time, searched Dumbledore's.
"Your absence at the Sorting will only cause suspicion among the students. And you know very well how dangerous some of our students can become when they are suspicious." Snape paused, and after a moment nodded.
"You're right. I wouldn't want that," and here he paused for just enough time to conjure up the right amount of invective, "Potter and his friends sticking their noses in where they don't belong." He nodded again, this time trying to convince himself. Dumbledore rose.
"The Sorting is coming to a close, and I am no doubt required. Follow after me when you are ready," he turned to the door and Snape was up, right behind him.
. .. .
The Sorting was indeed coming to a close and the students at the end, who had, until now, been hidden by the rest of the first years, came into the view of the rest of the Great Hall. Harry heard the distinct and familiar sound of Draco Malfoy jabbing his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Look," he hissed, motioning to the three women who stood at the end of the first year line. Ron and Hermione were looking as well, having just noticed the three along with the rest of the hall. Leading the three was a girl just a little taller than the 1st year she was standing behind, with long, mousy-brown hair in a ponytail down her neck. She was wearing a light brown leather hide jacket, blue jeans, and.moccasins? Just then a beam of sunlight caught a piece of metal on her back, highlighting what Harry thought was most out-of-place about her: the silver hunting rifle that was strapped on her back.
"Dad had one of those once," Ron whispered, "Mom made him turn it over to the Ministry of Muggle Studies after Fred and George used it to try and get rid of the lawn gnomes." Harry's eyes widened as he pictured Fred and George chasing gnomes around the Weasleys backyard with a shotgun. Sure enough, Fred and George were pointing to the rifle, their eyes lit up. Hermione leaned forward.
"We need to keep an eye on those two," she whispered in Harry's ear, "I don't even want to know what those two are capable of with a rifle," Harry nodded, eyes back on the three girls, this time on the second girl who, after having noticed the students' notice of her friends rifle, began polishing it with the cuff on her shirt. She was a little bit taller than her friend, with short, soft stubble for hair, large grey eyes and two elegantly pointed ears.
"An elf!" Hermione exclaimed, her hand moving instinctively to the S.P.E.W. badge she had attached to her robes. Both Ron and Harry had forgotten theirs in a small, controlled fire.
"She's really tall for an elf." Ron said doubtfully. Harry tuned out the fight that he was sure was going to begin at any moment, looking on at the 3rd girl. She was the tallest of them all, from the looks of it even taller than Fred and George, with shoulder-length shaggy black hair, green eyes, and slender pointed ears. Her hair shimmered with flecks of pastel pink.
"No, you dunderheads. That's a faerie. My Dad says that faeries are magic in its purest form," he heard Draco telling Crabbe and Goyle. There certainly seemed to be something magic about her, for the staff that she had strapped to her back was touching the side of the Gryffindor table, where a branch was beginning to grow.
The last name was called and the last 1st year joined her house. Dumbledore was standing in front of the professors' table, apparently reading to give his first-of-the-year speech. Harry looked to see Professor Snape, right where he should be. He was looking at the three girls with a strange look on his face. At that moment he caught Harry staring at him out of the corner of his eye and turned his gaze upon him, looking particulary murderous.
"As I am sure you have all by now noticed," Dumbledore began, the room quieting, "the Sorting is not yet complete. This summer I extended an invitation to the Flizlethorpe School of Magic to send some of its students here to join us for a term here at Hogwarts. With Lord Voldemort beginning again his rise to power," the mention of the Dark Lord sent a murmur through the crowd, "I'm sure that we would all benefit from the magical knowledge that they will provide. The Hat will sort them into their houses and they will take their place among the 5th years of that House." He turned to Professor McGonagall, who on cue read the next name on the scroll.
"Elokin of the Swift Feet," The girl with the rifle and the elf pushed the faerie in front of them. Her green eyes wide, she sat upon the stool and the Hat was placed upon her head.
"A faErie!" the Hat bellowed, accentuating the words at odd points, as it was prone to do. The girl jumped, almost falling off the stool. "But not a stranger to Hogwarts, I see. Yes, it's all here. Both parents were from Hogwarts. both from different houses.a difficult choice." Harry looked up to see Snape muttering something, staring intently at the faerie. The hair on the back of his neck was bristled. Was he casting a spell on her?. ".Ah Well. It'd be a pity if you ended up like him anyway. GRYFFINDOR!!!!" The Gryffindor table erupted in applause, and several of them motioned for her to join them. She took a seat next to Seamus Finnigan.
"Hatashinae Tsukiko," McGonagall called and the elf stepped up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head.
"A sylvan elf, eh. or are you? Hiding what you are, using your CLEverness to stay out of trouble. there's one house that values THAt! RAVENCLAW!!!!!" The Ravenclaws jumped to their feet, motioning the girl over.
"Chris Manebreeze," The 3rd girl mounted the stool and the Hat was placed on her head.
"Ah, a hard worker. staying up when others sleep. learning what isn't required. I've got just the place for you.HUFFLEPUFF!!!!" The Hufflepuffs practically exploded with applause and several came up to lead her to their table. They're probably happy to have gotten one, Harry thought. He could see who wasn't happy, though. The Slytherins looked out-for-blood, preferably Gryffindor.
"I do have a few notices before we begin the feast. Quidditch matches will begin again on schedule, so you had better start practicing. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, and only 3rd years and up with permission forms are allowed to go to Hogsmeade for off-campus visits. Also, the field just before the lake will be being excavated by a team of archeologists and it is therefore off-limits as well. That seems to be it. Dig in," Food appeared at the tables and students began to eat.