Unusual Circumstances
September first was always a hectic day for teachers at Hogwarts. The professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had to arrive at the school the week of the 25th in August, but most came before that. Professor Snape had arrived nearly a month early, preparing classes for what seemed the rest of the year. But this was nothing to teachers like Professor McGonagall, who-under ordinary circumstances- would hardly leave the school at all over holiday.
However, these were not ordinary circumstances. The famous Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was starting at Hogwarts this year. Severus sneered. Of course everyone had to go about and place extra precautions around the castle for the boy. Severus hadn't even met the boy yet, but he was more than sure the boy would be more than thrilled to find out people had gone through so much trouble to keep him safe and cozy when he wasn't even going to follow the rules laid down for his safety. Just like his father and his gang.
Because of these unusual circumstances, the Boy Who Lived would be personally escorted to Diagon Ally and to the train station by none other than the gamekeeper, Hagrid. Then he would safely aboard the train-which had ten times more protective enchantments and spells on it this year than it had had in ten years, since the rein of the Dark Lord. Professor McGonagall and Flitwick agreed on suspicions of an attack from the Death Eaters that had managed to stay out of Azkaban. However, Dumbledore didn't seem to have the same idea. He'd told McGonagall and Flitwick that they were free add on as many precautionary protective enchantments, charms, and spells they felt were needed on both the Hogwarts Express and the castle itself, but if any of the Dark Lord's followers were planning an attack on Harry Potter, they weren't likely to do it in such a flashy way as to directly attack the train or castle itself on such an obvious day.
In the end, Severus thought, this year was perfectly ordinary, other than the fact that it was treated very unusually.
First Sight
The Great Hall quickly filled with at least a thousand students, some two-hundred-fifty students for each House table, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Severus scanned the Hall, but it was no use. The first years, of course, were still making their way across the lake with Hagrid.
"… it's all excitement this year! Students have been raving about the boy. Even last year the kids were all talking about how the next year the famous 'Boy Who Lived' would be starting school!" Severus overheard Professor Flitwick saying to Sprout.
"Yes, yes, such an interesting year for us. I truly look forward to teaching him, if he at all takes after his parents. Lily was such an intelligent girl… And James! Why, he was such a wit! Came to class late nearly every day, but my oh my, was that boy a charmer…." Severus refused to listen to another word of the conversation.
The first years were entering, Professor McGonagall in the lead holding the Sorting Hat and stool. Silence filled the Hall. Severus scanned the faces of the terrified students. The usual, sons of the Dark Lord's followers, no doubt going into Slytherin. Severus immediately saw the Malfoy boy, Draco, who had noticeably already made a couple friends with Crabbe and Goyle's sons Vincent and Gregory. Yes, Severus noticed quite a few children of old friends. There was usually at least a couple every year. A girl with bushy brown hair looked like she might explode with anxiety. A tall boy with the familiar red hair, no doubt another Weasley. And there, Severus saw him. Unmistakably him. Harry Potter.Snape's lip curled as a thousand memories hit him like a bucket of ice cold water.
SLYTHERIN!
Professor McGonagall looked around at them and said, "Now, if I were any of you, I would take this time to make myself look as presentable as possible. Any dirt or smudges on your face, you may want to fix. If your robes have any wrinkles, smooth them out now. You may want to make a good first impression." Then she turned and walked into the Great Hall. Severus looked down and checked over every bit of himself.
"Lily?" he said quietly to the girl next to him.
"What?" she whispered back, tucking a strand of her fiery red hair behind her ear.
"How's my face? No dirt marks or anything, right?"
"You look fine," Lily smiled. Severus felt a million times more confident, not because of the confirmation that he was presentable, but because Lily had smiled at him.
Professor McGonagall was back in the Entrance Hall and was ushering each of them into the Great Hall. Severus heard Lily gasp, while his own mouth fell. The Great Hall was better than he had ever heard. The first thing he noticed was the ceiling… or the lack there of. The stars shown brightly, looking like a thousand sparkling diamonds against the black September sky. Hundreds upon hundreds of floating candles illuminated the Hall, making it bright as day. Four long tables ran up and down the Hall; everyone at the first table was wearing gold and scarlet scarves, and Severus was sure this was the Gryffindor table. At the next, everyone sported brown and blue scarves; Ravenclaw. And at the next all was yellow and black; Hufflepuff. Then there was the last table to the far right; it was all silver and green, with a large banner hanging over it with the same colors and a large hissing snake… the Slytherin House table. Severus stared longingly at this table, hoping with all his might that it was this table he would join, this House the Sorting Hat would place him in.
Professor McGonagall spoke aloud. "Avery, Dorado!" A boy with dark brown hair stepped forward and sat down on the stool. The last thing Severus saw of him before the Sorting Hat slipped over his head was a wide grin.
A tear near the bottom of the Sorting Hat opened, and Severus realized this must be its mouth. The Hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and Professor McGonagall lifted the hat off Avery's head so he could join the Slytherin table. Applause continued from the Slytherin table up to-
"Black, Sirius!" The Slytherin table was all grins. Everyone knew the Blacks had a long history of being in Slytherin, and here they were about to accept the second youngest of the Blacks. Severus noticed one of the seventh year girls from Slytherin standing up to get a better view, and Severus was sure he recognized her to be Narcissa Black.
Sirius Black walked forward and sat on the stool, his face emotionless before the Hat slipped over his head and hid his face from view. At least two minutes had ticked by before the Sorting Hat finally opened its mouth to shout, "GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table erupted with applause as Sirius Black ran toward it with an ear-to-ear grin. Pure shock was shown on the faces of the Slytherins.
"Evans, Lily!" Severus gave her a reassuring pat on the back before she walked forward on trembling legs. As she turned around to sit on the stool, Severus saw she was staring directly at him looking as pale as he'd ever seen her before. Barely a second after the Hat reached her head did it shout, "GRYFFINDOR!"
No! Severus gave out a mental shout. He must have made a noise out loud, because a couple students turned to look at him. Severus didn't bother to pay attention to any of the other's Sortings until Professor McGonagall had called out, "Snape, Severus!"
Severus walked toward the stool without even realizing what he was doing. It seemed like a dreadfully long walk. Severus sat down, and the faces of everyone in the Hall disappeared as McGonagall slipped the Hat over his head. Darkness. Then a small voice.
"Well! This is interesting! Yes… very interesting…. Lots of bravery, oh, yes, plenty of bravery! You could be great in Gryffindor. Amazing!" Severus began fidgeting with his robes.
"Gryffindor? No, I can't be in Gryffindor…!" Severus thought.
"Not Gryffindor, eh? I see lots of talent, oh yes! You could be great in Gryffindor. But not? Well, alright then. So where to put you? You would do well in Ravenclaw. Lots of intelligence here."
"Slytherin! Pick Slytherin!" Severus found himself thinking. "I want to be in Slytherin!"
"Eh? What's that? Slytherin… Mmm…. Now that's a thought. Slytherin? You're sure? Okay then, SLYTHERIN!" The last word was shouted for all the Great Hall to hear. Applause came from the Slytherin table as Severus hopped off the stool and ran over. He couldn't help grinning, despite the fact he and Lily were in as opposite Houses as opposite could get. The Slytherin Prefect patted Severus on the back as he sat down, and the cheering died down. Severus found himself shaking hands with several people and introducing himself.
Someone asked him what his blood status was. Severus hesitated.
"Er, well, my mum's a witch. And my dad… I don't know. I've never met him and my mum never talks about him." This, of course, wasn't true. He knew full well that his father was a Muggle. But they didn't need to know that.
Severus chanced a glance at the Gryffindor table where Lily was sitting, and saw her shyly talking to an older female student. The Sorting finished with Slytherin accepting only one more student, "Zabini, Kendra!"
Another Sorting
Professor McGonagall called out each first year's name one by one. Each came forward with a look of terror upon their face, as though they were walking to the gallows. Severus couldn't help smiling to himself. Slytherin accepted students Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy, Thoedore Nott, and Pansy Parkinson, all of whom Severus politely clapped for, while leaving the applauding for the rest of the students to other teachers. And finally his name was called.
"Potter, Harry!" Whispers flooded the Hall. Even the ghosts watched closely as the boy shakily walked toward the stool.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
"Shh! Be quiet! This is it!"
The moment the boy sat down, the Hall fell into a deadly silent once more. McGonagall placed the Hat on the boy's head and waited. The seconds ticked by slowly. Students were standing up to get a better view. Teachers were leaning far over the staff table with wide eyes. And then-
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Hall broke into possibly the loudest applause any student had ever received. The Weasley twins of Gryffindor stood up and shouted, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry Potter walked toward the Gryffindor table with a look of relief and sickness on his face, as though he was going to puke any second. The Gryffindor Prefect shook the boy's hand as he sat down.
The Sorting went on with few people paying much attention. Severus noticed Potter cheering loudly for the youngest Weasley boy after becoming a Gryffindor. And finally the Sorting finished with Blaise Zabini becoming a Slytherin, who Severus politely clapped for.
And then Professor Dumbledore was on his feet smiling happily with his arms wide open as if to give them all a hug. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words! And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Thank you!"
The cheering continued as Professor Quirrell, sitting on Severus' left, turned to speak to him.
"So H-h-harry P-potter made it into G-g-gryffindor! Quite excitement! H-his p-parents were in the H-house too, of course? You knew the b-boy's p-p-parents as a ch-child, didn't you, S-snape?"
Severus glanced at Quirrell quickly before looking down at the feast that had appeared before them. Without looking at Quirrell again, Severus piled his plate with baked potatoes, rice pudding, pork chops, and peas. He then answered Quirrell, still not looking at him, and said, "Yes, I knew his parents at Hogwarts. His father was possibly the most arrogant student I ever had the high displeasure of knowing."
"And his mother?"
Severus quickly looked up from the pork chops he had been cutting so roughly the knife had made small marks on the bottom of his plate, and stared straight into Quirrell's eyes. He had been sure for just a second-or maybe he had imagined it-that Quirrell's voice had turned into a very familiar high, cold-No. He must have imagined it. A chill ran down Severus' spine, and he narrowed his eyes.
"I-Yes. Yes, I knew who the boy's mother was. I never spoke to her."
"Interesting."
Was he still imagining things or had he seen, for just a moment, the glint of red he had always seen in the eyes of- no, he was being ridiculous. The presence of the Potter boy was bringing back certain best-forgotten memories.
Quirrell didn't speak again until halfway through the meal.
"Having known H-harry P-p-potter's p-parents, and knowing his h-history, you m-must look forward to t-teaching him, am I r-right?"
"You seem to have a keen interest in that boy, Quirrell. Why?" Severus spat out the last word. Quirrell flinched.
"Aren't w-we all interested in the b-boy? H-he has qu-quite the h-history! With his def-defeat of the Dark-" Quirrell flinched again and didn't complete his sentence.
Severus studied Quirrell's face for a long time, then spoke in a low voice that only Quirrell would hear. "Do not attempt to trick me, Quirrell. Any secrets that you may hold will be extracted." He spoke the last word in such a deadly whisper Quirrell held his breath. "I am not one to try deceive, for you will not succeed." Severus shot a quick glance at Potter, to find Potter had been staring at him. As they made eye contact, the boy's hand shot straight up to his forehead… why?
And then understanding dawned. His scar. Severus looked away quickly and his eyes trailed back to Quirrell, who looked highly amused. Yet his back was turned away from Potter, he couldn't have seen what just happened. Then what? Severus made sure he avoided looking at Potter again for the rest of the night.
As Professor Dumbledore stood up again, the Hall fell silent once more.
"Ahem- Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
There was some scattered laughter from students, but most stayed solemn to these words. Dumbledore's spoke again in a slightly more cheerful tone.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"
"Oh, no…," Severus muttered. The school song was only sung once in a great while, when the Headmaster was feeling cheerful and "in-the-mood". The song was only sung once in Severus' time at Hogwarts, in his fourth year. As the Headmaster pulled out his wand and formed the lyrics to the song with a silky golden ribbon, Severus sat thinking of all the horrific things he'd rather have to sit through than this.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, "and off we go!"
Severus shut his eyes tight and tried to drown out the sound of the school singing with his own thoughts. Despite this, he heard them loud and clear. Though he couldn't make out any of the actual words, as everyone was singing different parts of the song at different times. Finally there were only two people left singing, the Weasley twins, with a very slow funeral march. When they had finished, Professor Dumbledore clapped for them loudest of all.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "The magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
Severus stood up quickly and swept out of the Great Hall.