Chapter One

The new school year had started, all the students and teachers were waiting for the first years to enter the great hall and be sorted into their houses. Severus Snape, being the new deputy head, was waiting at the top of the stairs for the first years to arrive with Hagrid. Harry was sat at the teacher's table where several of the students looked up at him beaming while others whispered in curiosity as to why he was there.

The main wooden doors swung open and Snape led the scared students inside the hall and all the way down the aisle to the steps that led up to the Sorting Hat. Standing in front of it after the new song he sang, Snape started calling out names; all the way from Hannah Amos and Jim Berry to Jennifer Miley and Michael Painter.

There was however, one particular student that caught Harry's eye. He was a small boy with dirty blond hair, and eyes of different colours; one green, one blue. His clothes looked dishevelled and he didn't look up until his name was called.

"Webb, Colin." Snapes' voice called across the few remaining students.

The boy – Colin – walked nervously up the stairs and struggled to sit on the stool considering his short frame. Harry discretely waved his wand under the table and without a word, made the stool shrink. Snape glanced up at Harry, who grimaced and averted his gaze.

The hat went on the boys head and slipped down until his head was swallowed up by the hat. Colin clenched the sides of the stool until his knuckles went white. Harry noticed that he was shaking.

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted after a moment. Snape removed the hat and Colin stood, hurrying down the steps and over to the Gryffindor table. It was only then that Harry realised that the boy was limping; his mind started to whir before he was pulled from his musings by Minerva announcing the start of dinner.

Snape sat himself down in the free seat next to Harry and, leaning over slightly, whispered, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

"About the Webb boy?" Harry replied glancing at his former professor.

"Yes," Snape answered with a small nod, "I could see his neck beneath the cloak… there were bruises."

Harrys slight frown deepened, "Domestic abuse?"

"Perhaps, that or bullies." Snape said as he took a large swig of pumpkin juice.

Distracted, Harry eyed the goblet in Snapes hands, "I didn't have you down for a man who drank pumpkin juice.

"Lesson number one, Potter," Snape started with a sly smile, "just because it looks like one thing, doesn't mean it isn't another."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Bourbon?"

"Well done," Snape set his goblet down again, "back to the matter at hand… who should talk to the boy?"

"His Head of House I suppose."

"What, pray tell, are you two conspiring about?" Minerva leant in from Harrys' other side.

"Betting which house will get the first detention." Snape replied swiftly. Minerva chuckled and stood up, moving out from behind the table and stood tall in front of the students.

"Good evening all, welcome back to old students and welcome to the new ones. In May we lost many of our past and present students, their sacrifice has enabled the world to be free of the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Once again, Hogwarts is a safe place for its students to learn and I hope nobody in this hall would endanger themselves or others. Now, we have several changes to staff this year. Professor Snape will return to his position as Potions Master, Professor Cassidy will take over Muggle Studies and Professor Potter will take over Defence Against the Dark Arts-," Minerva was interrupted by excited shouts, cheers and applause from the student body. Harry blushed a deep red colour causing Snape to chuckle slightly.

Hushing the students, Minerva continued, "the Heads of Houses this year will be Professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw, Professor Sprout for Hufflepuff, Professor Snape for Slytherin and our new Professor Potter for Gryffindor," Harry inhaled some of the juice he was drinking and was engulfed in a brief coughing fit while a fair few of the students laughed. A smile ghosted over Minerva's face as she continued once again, "you all have ninety minutes to sort out your dorms before your Head of House will come and speak to you all. Good night."

There was scuffling as the students started to head off to their various houses.

"You did say his Head of House would talk to him." Snape said before leaving the table, and a bemused Harry behind.

Thank you to my Beta; :D