Waiting for the World to End
by Jendra
Severus Slayton Snape, Potions Master, Potions teacher and Head
of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
waited for the world to end. That the events of but minutes ago
were foreshadowings of an apocalypse were obvious to even one
with no ability at foreSeeing at all.
It was true that there were other possible explanations. Perhaps
someone had spiked the pumpkin juice with a hallucinogen of some
description. However, both his nose and taste buds were too well
educated not to react to the slightest hint of such and the idea
that it could be slipped by him was truthfully absurd.
There was the chance that he was dreaming, but where in his psyche
could such an absurd idea have been hiding? His dreams were
usually nightmares of Voldemort and his time as a Death Eater, never
as outright insane as this.
That led him to the next possibility. Perhaps years of trying to force
some modicum of knowledge and interest of potions into heads filled
to the brim with clothes, sex, love and glamour spells had finally sent
him over the edge. Still, he'd always expected that if his mind ever
did snap it would lead to mass cursings and large explosions. Not
this... this... whatever this was.
It had all started only an hour or so ago. The first years had come in
with their wide eyed, vapid expressions. That ludicrous hat had been
brought out to sing its inane song... then Dumbledore had stood up to
speak and the world had begun to tilt on its axis.
*~@~*
"My dear students. Over the summer, I did some research into our
delightful Sorting Hat. While doing so, I ran into some very
interesting information. It seems that there have been times when
Headmasters, for one reason or another felt the need to add certain
spells to the hat. These spells were perhaps for the best at the time,
making sure certain families got into certain Houses or were kept
away from others who their families might have had a feud on at the
time. Also, on occasion, the students themselves were allowed to
influence the Hat towards or away from certain Houses. I decided to
take us back to what the Founder's themselves wanted, so I have
removed these spells from the Hat so it can give a firm, unprejudiced
House selection.
"I am not requiring any students to be reSorted. However, if you feel
that you are not, perhaps, in the House that would suit you best, then
feel free to stand up and try it again. Perhaps you just want to make
absolutely sure that you were in the right House to begin with.
Understand, however, that going under the Sorting Hat will not
necessarily change anything. Also, if you do decide to try, where you
are put is where you will stay. I will give you a couple of minutes to
think about it. If you decide to be reSorted, please step up behind
our patient first years."
Severus sighed. He did not think that this had been a good idea.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore had passed it through as a fait accompli,
leaving nothing for him to do. He looked over his table. Most of his
students were smirking around at the other tables. They knew where
they belonged and had no need to be told that twice. One however,
was looking up at him with a slight pleading expression on her face.
He nodded back calmly. He never *had* understood why she had been
put into Slytherin in the first place. He watched as she joined
the small number of other students behind the first years.
A commotion at the Gryffindor table caused him to look over there
and groan. Of course. The Weasley twins. They probably looked
at this as some big lark or opportunity for mischief.
Dragging his attention away from his problem students he allowed his
gaze to settle coldly on the first years waiting impatiently to be
Sorted. It didn't look like there was a brain in the lot. Well, that
wasn't entirely true. The boy with the pale blond hair, that had to be
Draco Malfoy. No doubt where he was going anyways. And flanking him...
Crabbe and Goyle, just like their fathers had flanked Malfoy Senior.
No doubts about them either. He did at least hope they had a modicum
more intelligence than their fathers, though by the looks on their
oafish faces, it didn't seem likely. Hmm, a Parkinson. Hopefully,
she would live up to her sister's reputation.
A flash of red caught his eye. Oh wonderful, he groaned to himself,
another Weasley. Straight into Gryffindor that one. And next to
him... his breath caught in his throat. James. He hardened his
expression and his heart. No, not James. Harry. The Boy-Who-
Lived... and looked just like his father had at that age. Except
for the eyes. A glimpse of bright green under round glasses.
Lily's eyes. Lily, who had stolen his James away from him and
given him the child that Severus couldn't. No doubt where he would
be going, a true Gryffindor through and through undoubtedly. At
least that would give him a good reason to hate the boy. It's not
like anyone would know what the actual truth was.
Finally! Dumbledore was standing. It was more than time to get this
over with. The Sorting had finally started.
@~*~@
The Sorting was over and Severus was waiting for the world to end.
His dazed eyes took in the changes. Vincent Crabbe and Pansy
Parkinson had ended up in Slytherin, yes. But Gregory Goyle in
Hufflepuff?! And if that wasn't bad enough. Draco Malfoy. Only
son and heir to *Lucius* Malfoy... was in Ravenclaw! The first
Malfoy in twenty or more generations to *not* be in Slytherin.
Lucius was going to be extremely disappointed, though at least his
son didn't end up in Hufflepuff, or even worse, Gryffindor.
As for Gryffindor, not only did they *not* get the newest Weasley,
(who ended up in Hufflepuff!) but they lost the Weasley twins as well.
And *he* got them! Fred and George Weasley, two of the banes of
his existence, in Slytherin! And to put the topper on an extremely
bad day, Harry Potter, *the* Harry Potter, the hope of the Wizarding
world... was in his House.
The world had to be coming to an end. It just had too. Because he
wasn't entirely sure he wanted to live in this one.
by Jendra
Severus Slayton Snape, Potions Master, Potions teacher and Head
of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
waited for the world to end. That the events of but minutes ago
were foreshadowings of an apocalypse were obvious to even one
with no ability at foreSeeing at all.
It was true that there were other possible explanations. Perhaps
someone had spiked the pumpkin juice with a hallucinogen of some
description. However, both his nose and taste buds were too well
educated not to react to the slightest hint of such and the idea
that it could be slipped by him was truthfully absurd.
There was the chance that he was dreaming, but where in his psyche
could such an absurd idea have been hiding? His dreams were
usually nightmares of Voldemort and his time as a Death Eater, never
as outright insane as this.
That led him to the next possibility. Perhaps years of trying to force
some modicum of knowledge and interest of potions into heads filled
to the brim with clothes, sex, love and glamour spells had finally sent
him over the edge. Still, he'd always expected that if his mind ever
did snap it would lead to mass cursings and large explosions. Not
this... this... whatever this was.
It had all started only an hour or so ago. The first years had come in
with their wide eyed, vapid expressions. That ludicrous hat had been
brought out to sing its inane song... then Dumbledore had stood up to
speak and the world had begun to tilt on its axis.
*~@~*
"My dear students. Over the summer, I did some research into our
delightful Sorting Hat. While doing so, I ran into some very
interesting information. It seems that there have been times when
Headmasters, for one reason or another felt the need to add certain
spells to the hat. These spells were perhaps for the best at the time,
making sure certain families got into certain Houses or were kept
away from others who their families might have had a feud on at the
time. Also, on occasion, the students themselves were allowed to
influence the Hat towards or away from certain Houses. I decided to
take us back to what the Founder's themselves wanted, so I have
removed these spells from the Hat so it can give a firm, unprejudiced
House selection.
"I am not requiring any students to be reSorted. However, if you feel
that you are not, perhaps, in the House that would suit you best, then
feel free to stand up and try it again. Perhaps you just want to make
absolutely sure that you were in the right House to begin with.
Understand, however, that going under the Sorting Hat will not
necessarily change anything. Also, if you do decide to try, where you
are put is where you will stay. I will give you a couple of minutes to
think about it. If you decide to be reSorted, please step up behind
our patient first years."
Severus sighed. He did not think that this had been a good idea.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore had passed it through as a fait accompli,
leaving nothing for him to do. He looked over his table. Most of his
students were smirking around at the other tables. They knew where
they belonged and had no need to be told that twice. One however,
was looking up at him with a slight pleading expression on her face.
He nodded back calmly. He never *had* understood why she had been
put into Slytherin in the first place. He watched as she joined
the small number of other students behind the first years.
A commotion at the Gryffindor table caused him to look over there
and groan. Of course. The Weasley twins. They probably looked
at this as some big lark or opportunity for mischief.
Dragging his attention away from his problem students he allowed his
gaze to settle coldly on the first years waiting impatiently to be
Sorted. It didn't look like there was a brain in the lot. Well, that
wasn't entirely true. The boy with the pale blond hair, that had to be
Draco Malfoy. No doubt where he was going anyways. And flanking him...
Crabbe and Goyle, just like their fathers had flanked Malfoy Senior.
No doubts about them either. He did at least hope they had a modicum
more intelligence than their fathers, though by the looks on their
oafish faces, it didn't seem likely. Hmm, a Parkinson. Hopefully,
she would live up to her sister's reputation.
A flash of red caught his eye. Oh wonderful, he groaned to himself,
another Weasley. Straight into Gryffindor that one. And next to
him... his breath caught in his throat. James. He hardened his
expression and his heart. No, not James. Harry. The Boy-Who-
Lived... and looked just like his father had at that age. Except
for the eyes. A glimpse of bright green under round glasses.
Lily's eyes. Lily, who had stolen his James away from him and
given him the child that Severus couldn't. No doubt where he would
be going, a true Gryffindor through and through undoubtedly. At
least that would give him a good reason to hate the boy. It's not
like anyone would know what the actual truth was.
Finally! Dumbledore was standing. It was more than time to get this
over with. The Sorting had finally started.
@~*~@
The Sorting was over and Severus was waiting for the world to end.
His dazed eyes took in the changes. Vincent Crabbe and Pansy
Parkinson had ended up in Slytherin, yes. But Gregory Goyle in
Hufflepuff?! And if that wasn't bad enough. Draco Malfoy. Only
son and heir to *Lucius* Malfoy... was in Ravenclaw! The first
Malfoy in twenty or more generations to *not* be in Slytherin.
Lucius was going to be extremely disappointed, though at least his
son didn't end up in Hufflepuff, or even worse, Gryffindor.
As for Gryffindor, not only did they *not* get the newest Weasley,
(who ended up in Hufflepuff!) but they lost the Weasley twins as well.
And *he* got them! Fred and George Weasley, two of the banes of
his existence, in Slytherin! And to put the topper on an extremely
bad day, Harry Potter, *the* Harry Potter, the hope of the Wizarding
world... was in his House.
The world had to be coming to an end. It just had too. Because he
wasn't entirely sure he wanted to live in this one.