Sorting
The train jerked to a stop and Briar cursed softly as her fingers slipped and the end of her braid unraveled. Deciding it would take too much time to redo it she tied it off before it could unravel further and glanced at her reflection. Her skin was back to its natural color, her regular glasses back on her nose, and her hair its original shade of brown, though much longer than it had been two months ago.
After her run in with Remus she had decided to let it grow out, with help, in the hopes it would make it would make it harder for him to find her. She silently prayed he would give up if he didn't see her at the sorting.
She spun towards her trunk, her once barely shoulder length hair now braided and elbow length. After making sure all her. . .unusual possessions were safely tucked away in a magically expanded and sealed box, she slammed the lid shut and locked it. She gave Seraph a quick scratch.
Making sure to remove all her spells from the door, Briar hurried to the group of first years making their way down the uneven path to the lake and the boats that would give them their first look at Hogwarts. She climbed into a boat, being careful none of her fellow passengers were people she recognized.
The ride across the lake was long, giving Briar plenty of time to swallow her tears at seeing the castle whole and in all its glory. The boats bumped against the shore and she took advantage of the jostling to surreptitiously wipe her eyes.
As they climbed the steps, she kept an eye out for Remus, making sure there were plenty of people between the two of them. She had yet to figure out a way to effectively cover her scent. They were greeted by McGonagall who gave them an achingly familiar speech and led them into the Great Hall. Briar's heart started pounding as she took in the familiar sights and sounds.
"Black, Sirius!"
Sirius' heart hammered against his chest as he walked up to the stool.
'Ah, a Black? Normally your name alone would send you to Slytherin.'
Sirius' heart plummeted, but before he could argue, plead, even beg, the Hat continued.
'Relax child, it is all too clear that you do not belong in that house. Subtle as an angry hippogriff you are! No, I believe you wear best the traits of. . .'
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Sirius beamed even as the hall fell silent. After nearly a minute a voice near the door spoke.
"Well, I gotta say the enthusiasm of this place is simply overwhelming."
Tension and silence broke as people began laughing at the sarcastic remark, and a smattering of applause quickly followed as Sirius made his way to the red and gold table. Sitting down, he silently thanked whoever it was that had spoken.
Albus Dumbledore smiled as he watched the boy make his way down to his new table. He'd been about to something himself, but it appeared his intervention wasn't needed.
He leaned back, watching as a young boy with messy hair stared open – mouthed as a 'Evans, Lily' skipped over to the Gryffindor table. His smile widened, for unless he was mistaken (which really didn't happen that often) that was the beginning of a crush.
He refocused his attention on the young girl sitting down in front of him. He just had time to glimpse a pair of silver, half – moon glasses before the Sorting Hat descended. He mentally congratulated her on her excellent choice of eye–wear, fingering a similar pair perched upon his own crooked nose as he waited.
He almost jumped in surprise when, after nearly 10 minutes, the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Remus scanned the group of first years looking for the mysterious girl he'd met over 2 months ago. He'd seen a girl with glasses, but he hadn't seen a scar and her hair had been too long, coming down to her elbows. Remus was sure his. . .friend? had short hair.
"Lupin, Remus!"
He jumped as his name was called and hurried to the waiting hat. His eye searched the group again from his new vantage point before the Hat descended and all he could see was darkness.
'My, my,' a voice said in his ear. 'Such loyalty already? And to someone whose name you do not even know?'
Remus squirmed.
'Ah, but I can see she has done a great deal for you already in that one meeting. Hmm, yes, loyalty well deserved, but I wonder if she knows much she has. . No, I don't think so.'
'Excuse me,' Remus was loath to interrupt anyone, even a hat. 'Do you know who she is?'
The Sorting Hat chuckled. 'Yes, but I shan't tell you.'
'But –'
'No. You made an agreement and I will not betray someone's privacy. Now, hush and let me sort you.'
Remus sighed but remained silent.
'Thank you. Now let's see, normally with such loyalty I'd say you were a born Hufflepuff, but I happen to know both what you seek and the acceptance you long for can be found in. .
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Severus waited anxiously as his fellow first years were sorted, his heart sinking a little as Lily was made a Gryffindor. He knew he would never make it into that house. As he watched person after person get sorted he replayed the conversation he'd had with the strange girl on the train and felt uncertainty set in.
He looked over at the Slytherin table. It was certainly true that they looked meaner than the other houses, but who was he to judge people based on appearances? Then again, many of those upper years definitely seemed capable of cursing someone and enjoying it.
Severus shuddered, remembering the look in the girl's eyes as she'd said her brother was in Slytherin and that he'd been cursed.
"Snape, Severus!"
Severus jerked his head away from the Slytherin table and made his way up to the waiting professor. With each step the girls' words rang in his ears and he could feel her looking at him with that grimly honest stare. It was a relief to escape into the darkness of the Sorting Hat.
'Oh my, you are a bit of a mess right now, are you not?'
Severus sneered into the darkness. Of course the hat would mock him. 'Stupid, flea invested, stuck – up–'
'None of that now! I was referring to your mental state, child, as your mind is filled with confusion and doubt. Yes, she said it might be hard for you,' the Hat mused. 'While normally I frown upon such claims, sadly this time it seems to be true.'
'So she was right? Slytherin is dangerous?' Severus' heart sank. He had so wanted to be in his mother's old house, but he had lived with danger all his life and had no wish to continue that trend here.
'Calm yourself, Mr. Snape. I have no desire to place you in Slytherin. However the final decision is yours and you do hold those qualities that Slytherin prizes in spades. If you wish it –'
'No! Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin.'
'Very well, is there another house you desire?'
Severus' mind drifted over to the Gryffindor table where Lily sat, but he knew he would never be able to make into the house of courage.
'Honestly, child, you are much too hard on yourself. Believe me when I say courage is not a trait you are lacking. Now, tell me, aside from maintaining your friendship with Ms. Evans, what is it you want?'
Severus thought it over, all his reasons for coming, his hopes and desires, his ~
'Ah, a very strong desire to prove yourself, again,' the Hat sighed, 'a trait Salazar would have begged for, but I believe your young friend said it best when she said ambition is worthless without the knowledge to use it.'
Lily sat staring anxiously up at where Severus sat, face hidden by the Sorting Hat. She would never admit it, but the strange girl from the train's words scared her and she desperately hoped that the Hat wouldn't send him to Slytherin.
She had told the Hat, in no uncertain terms, that she wanted Sev to be happy and she didn't think he'd be happy in Slytherin. If that Hat put him there and he suffered, she would find away to make the Hat pay because she knew, even if Sev would never tell her, that he had it hard at home, and she wanted her friend to feel happy and safe. The Sorting Hat had laughed and said that that much loyalty would make Hufflepuff proud, but anyone who would threaten him (and mean it) belonged in Gryffindor.
Lily chewed her lip. Sev had been up there an awful long time.
'Not Slytherin,' she silently pleaded. 'Please anywhere but Slytherin.'
The Hat opened its mouth and bellowed, "RAVENCLAW!"
Severus' ears were ringing as the Hat was removed from his head and he collapsed onto the bench of the cheering table, both relieved and disappointed. He looked over to where Lily was sitting and caught her eye. She gave him a beaming smile and two thumbs up, silently mouthing 'I'm so happy!' He smiled back.
'It's nice,' he decided, 'to have someone worry about you.'
Food appeared on the table and loaded his plate, determined to have a decent meal. Absently he wondered who the mysterious girl had been. The way the hat spoke it was as if he'd met her, which meant she must have been sorted before him. But he was certain he hadn't seen her.
"Who are you?" Severus muttered into his goblet, and though he didn't know it, it was a question shared by another; along with the determination to find the answer.
Albus Dumbledore sat down, after delivering his usual short speech, and the food appeared, his stomach growling. The Sorting had taken a surprising long time, one of the longest he had sat through, including his own. As he ate, his surveyed the new first years wondering what the Hat had seen in them and what kind of surprises the year would bring.