There was only one way off the boat and Delila was certain she would fall in and drown to her death. Delila was never taught how to swim so she always stayed away from water. But now, sink or swim, right?
Delila very slowly moved toward the docks and put one foot on the deck but then her other foot, which was still in the boat, began to move away.
"This isn't good... Help? Help!" Delila shouted, flailing her arms wildly. Suddenly, she was pulled from the boat by a random arm and was set on her feet straight again. She looked at her rescuer and saw it was a boy with bright red hair and a very kind smile. "Thank you,"
"Docks are pretty tricky, eh?" He joked and nudged her with his arm. Delila blushed as he walked off with another boy. "Yeah. Tricky," Was all she said before walking behind everyone towards Hogwarts castle. It looked more like England than a school, honestly. Not that Delila has ever been in the center of England, it's just what she has seen and read in books. Delila blinked a little bit and continued to walk towards the front doors. All of the first years began to walk up the very large staircases and towards the Great Hall. Delila saw a familiar pointy hat and feathers and knew immediately that it was Professor McGonagall, the head of one of the houses.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" McGonagall announced to the first year students. "Now in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates but before you can take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Delila smiled a little, knowing obviously that she would be in Slytherin. Her father was the head of the Slytherin house, and since she knows absolutely nothing of her mother, there was no other option. Right?
"Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points; any rule breaking, and you will lose points. And at the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup-" Everyone heard a soft croaking sound and Delila looked down, seeing a toad.
"Trevor!" A boy shouted. This must have been the boy who was looking for his toad on the train. What was his name... Neville? Yes, Neville, that's right. Neville grabbed his toad off the ground, apologized to the professor and went back to the crowd.
"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily," McGonagall walked off and Delila looked around at all of the strangers and felt a little claustrophobic among all of these strange kids stepping closer to her to make more space. So very carefully, she slipped out of the crowds and towards the left off the sides of the staircases. But she tripped over her very own feet when she heard someone shout.
"It's true then!" She looked at a boy with slicked back blonde hair. "What they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts," Delila was immediately confused. Who was Harry Potter? Why was everyone talking about him? It was clear when everyone looked at the same boy. Dark brown hair, round glasses, a little taller than Delila, and what stood out was the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.
The blonde continued. "This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy," He stood in front of Harry Potter and gave a wicked smile. "Draco Malfoy,"
There was a snort and Delila recognized the boy that pulled her to safety off the docks. Draco stared into his soul with the evilest glare that has ever existed. "Think my name's funny, do you? There's no need to ask for yours! Red hair, hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley," 5 times more confusion for not knowing what was so bad about the Weasley's either. "You'll soon find out that some Wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the 'wrong sort'. I can help you there," Draco held out his hand for Harry Potter.
He just stared at his hand and then looked up to meet his eyes. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." And that was the end of it. Draco put his hand down and Delila smirked a little. Professor McGonagall returned and tapped Draco on the shoulder to get him to move.
"We are waiting for you," The huge doors to the Great Hall were opened and Delila smiled up at the memories of playing here with her father sitting in those big chairs for professors. She used to sit behind the tables, but later moved to her own personal chair beside her father. Severus was the only Professor that brought his child to Hogwarts for the entire year. Most would leave their children, if they had any, with relatives of their own. But Severus trusted no one else to take care of Delila so wherever he went, she went. But now, she would have to weather the seats where all the students were alone.
Delila looked up at the professors table and scanned for her father. She saw him and immediately smiled. He may look kind of scary, but he's very sweet at heart.
Delila stumbled over her feet a little bit when she reached the stairs and stopped in her tracks. "Now can you wait along here, please?" McGonagall instructed with the scroll of names. Delila looked over to the side and saw the rickety old stool that they have every year with the old Sorting Hat on top of it. She was quite excited to get into her house, no matter what it was. She wouldn't exactly be living in a dorm anyways. She will be living in the private quarters that her father had made for her. Not only does he not trust anyone, but he doesn't believe any girl will want to be within 10 feet of Hssiss.
"Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words," McGonagall moved out of the way so everyone in the Great Hall could view the old man that stood up and commanded everyone's attention. Delila always liked Dumbledore. He was a very nice man.
"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please note, the dark forest is strictly... forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death." That made Delila nervous. Dumbledore concluded quickly. "Thank you," And sat down.
McGonagall unraveled her scroll and looked down at everyone. "When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses... Hermione Granger!" It was the girl with the bushy hair from the train! Delila watched her walk up to the stool, muttering to herself. The sorting hat was placed on her head when she sat down and it seemed to talk to her in her head. Suddenly, it shouted "Gryffindor!"
She ran off relieved. "Draco Malfoy!" Oh, that guy. The sorting hat wasn't even on his head before it screamed Slytherin. "Susan Bornes!" She was put in Hufflepuff. "Ronald Weasley!" The hat laughed at him. "Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you... Gryffindor!" He was very relieved and ran over with the other redheads which were obviously his family.
"Harry Potter!" Everyone began whispering. Why was Harry Potter such a big deal? Delila didn't understand. She looked at her father who was staring at Harry Potter very intensely. The sorting hat was placed on his head and then things were silent... Except for Harry Potter whispering 'Not Slytherin' over and over again. And finally the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" Harry Potter smiled wide and ran off towards the table with all his fellow house members.
"Delila Snape!" Delila tensed immediately and began to zombie walk her way to the stage. She sat down on the rickety stool and felt the hat on her head began to move and... speak to her mind. "Snape... Yes, very intriguing indeed. Your father; a great wizard he is. A great Slytherin at heart, very cunning. Much potential in you, yes... But your mother... A true Gryffindor she was," Delila tensed immediately at the mention of this. Her mother was a witch? And in Gryffindor? Who was her mother?
But in honoring her father like she had hoped she would, the sorting hat shouted "Slytherin!" McGonagall took the hat off her head and she ran over to the table with her fellow Slytherins. She looked at her father who was clapping and had a grin on his face. It made her happy to see him happy. But Delila was still tense from the mention of her mother... She knew nothing of her mother. Why did the Sorting Hat bring her up?
She was snapped out of her trance when she heard a soft clinking noise. "Your attention please," McGonagall said. All students looked up at the head table. Dumbledore stood up and waved his hands. "Let the feast begin," And suddenly, there were mountains of plates of food in front of everyone. Delila smiled intently and grabbed a lot of food, piling it onto her plate.
"So you're a Snape, huh?" Delila looked at her fellow house member, Draco Malfoy. Delila just nodded awkwardly as sh ate another fork full of mashed potatoes. "How well are you at Potions? Given your father's position,"
"He's taught me everything my mind can retain at such a young age. I'm fairly plausible at Potions," Delila just realized that she was using really big words and bit her lip. "I mean... I'm good at it?" She corrected herself. Draco laughed.
"I'm not an idiot, Snape. I understand the words 'retain' and 'plausible'," Draco said, smirking. Delila couldn't help but smile. Someone with a high intellect must be hard to come by these days. Delila relaxed and indulged Draco into a standard conversation. And although his vocabulary was not as broad as Delila's, his understanding was quite impressive.
They continued on for quite some time before it was announced that dinner was finished. The houses stood up together but Delila ran off. "It was nice to meet you, Draco," Delila held out her hand and he grasped it tightly. Delila smiled a little before running off with her father.
Severus kneeled down and looked his daughter in the eyes. "I'm very proud of you, Delila. You did very well," He said, hugging her. Delila smiled and hugged him back.
"I honor you, dad." Delila grabbed her dad's hand as he lead her down the halls and towards her private dormitory. "Dad... can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Severus said, looking straight ahead. Delila sighed deeply and tensed her hand around her father's.
"Well... when I was being sorted, the sorting hat... it mentioned my mother," She said. Severus stopped in his steps and looked down at Delila who looked up at her father. "She was a Gryffindor... Dad, what happened to mom? Why don't you ever talk about her?" Severus sighed deeply and got back down on one knee.
"Delila... I need you to understand something... Do you remember the stories I would read to you about the dark wizards of the past? And that their one fatal flaw was always caring for the sake of innocence?" Delila nodded. "Well, not all dark wizards are like that. They won't sacrifice their victory because you are a child... they will kill you if given the chance. Do not give them that chance." Delila gasped and covered her mouth.
"Was mom... was she a dark witch, like in the books?" Severus shook his head. "No, Delila. Your mother was the kindest woman I have ever known. And she was incredibly brave." Delila smiled at the thought of her mother and hugged her dad.
"I don't need to know, dad... Not until you're ready," Severus seemed to sigh with relief and hugged his daughter even tighter. "That's my girl."
