The girl looked through the iron gates that were topped with winged boars, waiting for the man that she had been told would be there to meet her at six o'clock. Pulling her oversized new school robes tighter around her shoulders, she checked her wristwatch in the light of the newly risen moon. As she watched the seconds hand tick closer to the twelve, she heard a cough from the other side of the gate. Jumping at the noise, she dropped her suitcase on her left foot. Looking up, she saw a young boy of about her own age, wearing a cloak like hers, but with an emerald green emblem sewn on the pocket, and a badge bearing a large letter P.

"Casabella Merrythought?" the boy spoke, his eyes focused on hers. Bella thought that she could hear a slight hint of scornful laughter in the boy's voice, as his eyes moved to her suitcase on the ground.

"Bella," she replied, hastily retrieving her suitcase from the dusty ground

"I am Severus Snape, Professor Dumbledore asked me to come and fetch you once you had arrived," the boy went on, "he sends his apologies that he could not be here to greet you himself, but dinner has already begun."

"Oh, that's quite alright," Bella said quickly, "you didn't need to go the trouble—"

"I assure you, Miss Merrythought, it is no trouble at all," Severus said, unlocking the gates with a touch of his wand, "you are to meet the rest of the school in the Great Hall, to be sorted. If you would care to follow me, quickly if you please, it is a five minute walk, at least, to the school from here."

Bella nodded, and followed Severus as he led the way down a cobbled path. Bella could see the great wooden doors of the castle ahead. Excitement mingled with fear ran though her body, engulfing her in a wave of emotion. She was at Hogwarts at last, she was going to be a student there! But then, what if she made no friends? She thought of the people she had left behind, and wondered if the people at Hogwarts would be anything like…no. She mustn't think badly of her new classmates before she had even met them. Anger flooded her as she remembered the people back home, she felt a stab of guilt at remembering certain memories that she did not want to recover. The cool voice of Severus awoke her from her thoughts, as though he could read her mind.

"Which year will you be entering?"

"Sixth."

"I am in the sixth grade, also," Snape replied passively.

She nodded, she couldn't think of anything to reply. She wasn't sure that she liked Severus Snape that much…

"And what school did you attend," Snape enquired, a sudden sharpness in his voice, "before Hogwarts, I mean."

"Durmstrang" she almost spat the word, she was so ashamed of it. What would happen when people found out that she was from the darkest wizarding school of the day? Would they think that she too, was devoted to the Dark Arts, like the people she had escaped from at Durmstrang? She was confused therefore, when Snape's expression changed into a sudden look of curiosity, interest.

"I see," Snape nodded, surveying her through the corners of his eyes, "Durmstrang Institute. With Barbeus Karkaroff as headmaster, I presume?"

Bella gave a stiff nod, as she remembered the man who she despised so much. The two of them continued to walk up the path in momentary silence, Snape still eyeing Bella as though she was an interesting book that was difficult to read. The silence was so awkward, that Bella felt relieve wash over her as they reached the great wooden doors. Severus Snape raised his hand, knocking three times using a solid gold doorknocker. The knock was answered almost instantly. A severe looking witch answered, peeping through a crack in the door.

"Ah Snape, its you" she said in a stern voice, as she looked at Bella, "you must be the new student." She looked at a piece of parchment that had suddenly appeared in her hands. "Casabella Merrythought," she said thoughtfully.

"Yes, my father taught at this school many years ago," Bella replied, with her best attempt at a smile

"Yes, yes," said the witch "I knew Laurence, enter please, and make your way with Snape into the Great Hall.

Bella's eyes travelled all around the room that she had entered. It was the most magnificent place she had ever seen. There were no rooms like this in Durmstrang. Snape seemed to sense her awe.

"We are in the Entrance Hall," he said curtly, "in a moment we will enter the Great Hall, where you will be sorted."

All Bella could manage was a nod of the head.

"There is no need to be nervous," Snape whispered, and for a fleeting moment Bella thought he was about to give her a comforting pat on the shoulder, but she must have imagined it. Such affectionate acts seemed unaccustomed to this mysterious boy.

"Well," he continued, as though nothing had happened, "I spose I shall see you around the school, or in classes, or," he added, "in my house, Slytherin." He smiled very briefly, and pushed the doors to the great hall open.