JK Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.
Chapter 3 – The Sorting and Surprises
At the last minute a special table had been set up for the Minister of Magic and his entourage and although Dumbledore had tried to forbid it, some members of the news media were allowed in but only to witness the sorting. They wouldn't even be given a cup of tea or allowed an interview, just allowed to take a photograph from a distance and write a story announcing that Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor. They were lucky to have that.
All eyes were turned on the door to the Great Hall and the children meekly following behind Minerva McGonagall. She made them stay at a certain distance, ORDERED that no talking was to be done or else, and then walked over to a stool where an old, mangy-looking hat sat waiting to do its yearly duty.
None of the children looked like James Potter although a Weasley and a Malfoy were easily identified. The sorting started with Hannah Abbott going to Hufflepuff. Hermione Granger got her wish and she went to Gryffindor even though the Hat told her she'd regret it. Neville Longbottom had been given some good advice by Cedric Diggory and asked the Hat to put him in Hufflepuff where his mother had gone. He didn't care what his Grandmother thought or said, he just wanted to be happy, make friends and survive his school years. The Hat agreed that Hufflepuff was the best place for him.
The Hat was really annoyed this year because so many had asked for Gryffindor if only because Harry Potter was going there and their parents wanted them to make friends with him. Therefore, besides Hermione Granger who should have gone to Ravenclaw, other should have been Ravenclaws, Michael Corner and Stephen Cornfoot, Hufflepuff should have been Wayne Hopkins and Megan Jones and definite Slytherins, Tracey Davis, Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson all pleaded with the Hat to put them in Gryffindor as they all had their orders to be sorted with Potter and start getting him on "the right side" and to keep him away from Dumbledore.
Their wishes were granted and they would instantly regret it when the name "Potter, Harry" was called out by Minerva McGonagall only to have no one respond. She called it again and there was still no response. She looked towards the Head Table to see what Dumbledore wanted done. He said loud and clear "Call his name again" and she did but the lack of response was still the same.
Loud mumblings broke out and Dumbledore couldn't hide his anger. Cornelius Fudge walked over to the Head Table and demanded an explanation but none could be given. Despite being forbidden to come anywhere near the Sorting Hat or Head Table, reporters and photographers stormed the Head Table also demanding explanations. It took a good ten minutes for things to calm down and Aurors to get things under control. Dumbledore stood up to head to his office followed by Fudge and his entire entourage (but no reporters) but McGonagall managed to ask if the sorting could be finished. She was given permission to do so as the others left.
The next name to be called was "Prince, Silvanus" and the now ebony haired boy walked up to the stool and McGonagall mechanically placed the Hat on the boy's head without bothering to look at him but then few people did…except for Severus Snape who took a good look at the boy and felt his blood run cold.
Septima Vector, the Arithmancy instructor was sitting next to Snape and "innocently" (not really) asked him, "Wasn't Prince your Mother's family name?" knowing very well that it was. "Is the boy any relation to you because he does bear a resemblance to you except, luckily, for the nose."
"I'm the last of the Princes" was her colleague's reply. "Therefore, there is no possibility that the boy could possibly be…."
"SLYTHERIN" the Hat called out. The boy got off the stool having received the colors of his new House and started walking over to the Slytherin table. The sorting went on with Blaise Zabini being the last one sorted and also going to Slytherin. In the absence of Dumbledore, McGonagall was in charge and she announced the beginning of the feast. She had broken tradition and called for a house elf to take the Hat back to the Headmaster's office and asked it to see if he could find out what was happening in the office and report back to her. She had a feeling that the usual end of feast staff meeting would not be taking place until much later if at all.
Because she was in a mean mood Septima Vector called everyone's attention to the new Slytherin student, Silvanus Prince. Ordinarily McGonagall would have been interested but due to the absence of Harry Potter, her mind was elsewhere. However, other colleagues noticed the name and resemblance and it was Quirinus Quirrell who had the nerve to ask what others were thinking.
"Do tell Severus, did you have a bit of a fling with someone ooh say 11 or 12 years ago?"
"NO. I DID NOT" was the cold, threatening reply. "It is a coincidence as Prince is a common name and I believe one of the Muggleborns was called Prince."
"Oh yes, I took him and Justin Finch-Fletchley to Diagon Alley. The boy was living in an orphanage when it was contacted by a law firm representing someone named Prince. Apparently, the boy was an heir to a notable family – via the wrong side of the blanket – and when he was finally tracked down arrangements were made for his education with the law firm acting as guardians. He was placed in a very good public school as soon as he was old enough to attend but was told that he would be attending another school where his ancestors had gone to when he turned eleven. He met Justin there and both boys applied and were accepted at Eton – an excellent and very posh Muggle school – but then the Hogwarts letter came and the solicitors told him a little bit about his heritage. It wasn't all but he was told that for the time being it was enough."
Snape refused to make a comment or to be further baited. Luckily for him everybody was too busy wondering about the missing Harry Potter, so nothing more was said. The feast finished and in the absence of Dumbledore, McGonagall dismissed the students and sent them to their Houses. As he usually did, Snape hurried to Slytherin House to give his talk to the new snakes. He wouldn't admit it but the boy did resemble him a bit. But that didn't mean they were related in any way.
Besides he had other things to worry about the most pressing one being the absence of James Potter's worthless, aggravating spawn. He momentarily expected to be summoned to Dumbledore's office for a staff meeting although he truly hoped it wouldn't happen tonight. He went to the dungeons only to find the Prince boy being threatened by several Slytherins, most notably Draco Malfoy. No doubt he and the others had found out the boy was a Muggleborn, something which was not tolerated in Slytherin House or at least hadn't been in the last 40 or so years. He would probably have to take the boy to the Infirmary tonight or definitely by tomorrow.
Draco was so busy threatening the boy he didn't notice his godfather approaching and nobody was going to warn Draco Malfoy if they thought he would get in trouble. What he heard the foolish boy saying was very interesting as well as disturbing.
"You will be killed probably before the week is out because this is Slytherin and we don't allow FILTH to enter let alone live in the House of the Blessed Salazar. However, since I am feeling magnanimous I will allow you to save your worthless, filthy carcass and leave. Leave tonight and never return otherwise I will personally see you killed as painfully and gruesomely as possible."
"In which case you will be receiving a one-way ticket to Azkaban, Mr. Malfoy" the voice of Severus Snape said dangerously. "As you should know a true Slytherin never gets caught and you most definitely have."
"But Uncle Severus" Draco whined "There is a filthy, disgusting MUDBLOOD in Slytherin House. My Father says that it is bad enough we are forced to tolerate Half-bloods but under no circumstances will a MUDBLOOD be allowed."
Snape said nothing and he merely looked at the stupid boy waiting for him to dig himself in further. Some students said Snape had a glare that could quell a dragon, and the look now on his face gave credence to that saying. However, Draco was used to getting his way and knew that being the son of Lucius Malfoy would always get him out of any trouble. Snape was also his godfather and would never see Draco harmed or punished no matter what he did. At least that was what Draco thought.
"I did just warn him and if he is too stupid to leave, then he deserves to be killed" Draco stated proudly.
"And how do you know he is a Mudblood?"
"Well for starts, I've never heard of him and" he said in his most charming voice "he smells like a Mudblood, therefore he is a Mudblood."
Several people laughed at this but most didn't. Draco smiled upon hearing the laughter and considered it support of his opinion. However, Snape wasn't laughing and he was still glaring. Draco was starting to worry…just a little…but was saved when one of the upper years asked "Since it is evident that the filthy beast is definitely a Mudblood, what do you intend on doing about it sir?"
Before Snape could reply the MUDBLOOD had the nerve to ask a question.
"Professor Snape," the boy asked, "Perhaps if I showed that pompous little ass this…" the boy stated holding up his left hand showing that he was wearing a ring, "he would finally shut his big, fat, stupid…."
But the boy didn't get to finish his statement nor did Draco or anybody else get to look at the ring as Draco quickly turned and cast a very bad hex at the Mudblood. It hit its target but then a strange thing happened – it bounced back and hit Draco, who fell to the floor screaming in agony. Then Sil had the good sense to cast a shield and got it up just in time to prevent the upper year from hexing him.
Snape quickly put a stop to the fight and used his wand to shoot off sparks while he yelled "Cease and desist" before ignoring his godson (who was screaming more than necessary to get attention) and turning to the Mudblood and demanding "Explain yourself!"
He held up his hand showing off an heir ring and not just any heir ring. It was the heir ring of the House of Black, of which Draco's Mother was a member. When Draco attacked Sil he was attacking the heir of his Mother's House of which he too was a member and the magic of the ring detected Draco's heritage and thus threw back the curse.
Severus Snape almost wished the boy was a Mudblood because if he wore the heir ring of the House of Black that meant that he had to be the bastard of Sirius Black, who next to James Potter had made his life at Hogwarts and after a living hell. He wished he could see the boy killed but he couldn't. He would now have this boy to hate almost as much as he already did the spawn of James Potter who had caused so much trouble and was still doing it.
However, surprisingly it seemed like the boy knew what he was thinking because he said "Just so you know I am NOT THE BASTARD OF SIRIUS BLACK. From what I've been told, not only is he in Azkaban for betraying his best friend and causing his death, he has been disowned from the House of Black by his Grandfather, Arcturus, the current Lord Black. From what I've been told, Lord Arcturus traveled extensively on business and was out of Britain for extended periods of time and" the boy added sheepishly "he was never at a loss for female company." I presume that I am a relative of Lord Arcturus by some nonentity but I am his closest male relation and thus his heir. He will definitely be hearing about my treatment especially from Draco who despite being his Mother's son has been permanently barred from receiving any inheritance from the House of Black because he is his Father's son and Lord Arcturus hates his guts. At least that's what I've been told."
"So you are a Half-blood?" another upper year asked. "If you are then why are you the heir because the House of Black is and always will be Pure?"
"I haven't the slightest idea" was the reply. "I was living in an orphanage until some solicitors found me, sent me to a good public school and I only found out about my heritage when I got my Hogwarts letter. Then I had another chat with a new solicitor, who told me just a bit about my heritage, I received this ring and some necessary training to protect myself from 'undesirables' with the promise of meeting the rest of the 'important relatives' during the holidays. I don't know my exact 'blood type' but the fact remains . . . . I am also the heir of Lord Augustus Prince, hence my last name."
"That's impossible" screamed Draco. "I'm the only heir to House of Black AND House of Prince because Snape is my godfather. Just wait until my Father hears of this. He'll really have you killed and as painfully as possible" he whined.
Snape couldn't believe how stupid Draco was acting. He knew the boy was naïve about so many things because of the way he had been raised but this was ridiculous. There were witnesses, some of whom would like nothing more than to tell their parents who would use it to try and get Lucius in trouble. Dumbledore would certainly use it to his advantage. There was only one thing left for him to do at the moment, namely remove the brat from Slytherin so he would survive the night.
He grabbed Silvanus roughly by the arm and started to drag him out of the dungeons while ordering the Prefects to see to the new members. As they left he heard a jubilant Draco happily announce "He's taking him to Father so Father can have him killed and then I'll go back to being the heir to House Black and House Prince."
"He won't you know" Sil told Snape who was still dragging the boy. "Uncle Arcturus has permanently disowned any child of Narcissa's if Lucius is the father. If something happens to me there will be an investigation and…."
"SHUT UP YOU MISERABLE LITTLE BASTARD" was the only reply.
"Where are we going?" the boy asked.
"NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS" Snape said.
"Well actually it is."
Snape was in a hideous mood and the last thing he needed now was listening to a whining child, especially this child. He cast a silencing charm on the kid and then took him to his private laboratory. He had a potion to brew because he needed answers and he needed them fast. Dumbledore could call a mandatory staff meeting at any moment and he already knew he would be given an assignment concerning the boy. Now he had problems with the Malfoys if this brat was telling the truth and that was the second to last thing he needed now.
They arrived at the lab and he bound the boy to a chair. He then began brewing a paternity potion, the simplest and quickest one he knew of. He had a very bad feeling ever since he got a better look at the boy, especially his eyes. He had deep blue eyes but he was also wearing Muggle contact lenses which could change his eye color.
He worked quickly and efficiently just like he always did. He could hear the boy wiggling in the chair but didn't spare him a glance. It took a half hour to brew the potion and then it had to cool for exactly five minutes before a drop of blood from each of them could be added and then spilled on a specially treated parchment. Luckily he had some of that parchment on hand as Dumbledore had been using it to search for Harry Potter, despite not being allowed.
He turned to the child and unbound him. He then cancelled the silencing spell and just glared at the kid waiting for the brat to ask him what was going on. The kid wouldn't probably just to spite him. Finally the potion was ready and Snape added a drop of his blood and drew a drop from the boy, mixed it in the potion and poured it on the parchment. Words formed on the parchment and Snape inhaled deeply when he read the results. It was worse than he thought – much worse than he could ever imagine.
"Surprised?" the boy asked.
Snape said nothing, he just glared. For once in his life he was at a loss for words but he knew he had to ask some questions. Mercifully he was spared as a patronus arrived in his quarters. It was from Dumbledore summoning him to that evitable staff meeting from hell.
"Wally" Snape called out for his private house elf. The elf quickly appeared and Snape told him "See to this boy. Fix him a bed in my private quarters and see that he stays there and goes to sleep. Tell no one he is here and if I don't return by tomorrow morning, feed him and guard him AND DON'T LET ANYONE IN OR OUT OF MY QUARTERS ESPECIALLY HIM."
Snape left the boy in the elf's care. The boy was content to find a bed as he had had a long and busy day. As he drifted off to sleep he wondered how Justin, Neville and even the annoying Hermione Granger were settling in. There was no way their first day and night at Hogwarts was more "interesting" than his.