Severus Snape looked carefully over the four students sitting in front of his desk. The first was a messy-haired boy who looked far too much like his father than Snape was comfortable. The second was a weedy looking bushy haired girl – a mudblood, if he used that word. The third was pureblooded, the last Longbottom scion, looked the most nervous of the four (as he well should,) and the last was his godson.
"I presume you have all been... briefed," Snape drawled. It wasn't often that he was forced to treat three first-years as anything more than maggots. "So I'll make this short for all our benefits. Each of you has been hand-picked for this position for the simple reason that your personalities are uniquely situated to place one of you into each of the Hogwart's houses. If the hat is agreeable."
The four students and headmaster focused their attention on a ratty hat as it nodded. "I sort for the good of this school, headmaster."
Snape nodded in reply to the hat before focusing on the children again. "Potter!" The boy had been looking around the office but quickly focused his attention back onto the man. "Your... brashness and thick-headedness that I've heard so much about is sure to place you into Gryffindor." Harry narrowed his eyes, but had learned long ago to pick his battles (but it was close). "Ms. Granger, your studiousness will place you into Ravenclaw. I trust you see where this is going: Mr. Longbottom to Huffelpuff and Mr. Malfoy to Slyterin. The primary focus in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff will be of an observational nature, or more specifically Mr. Percy Weasley and Ms. Nymphadora Tonks. Ravenclaw and Slytherin will be one of assessing the current political climate and, if necessary, recruiting future dark leaders. Do you all understand?"
"Yes, Sir," the four children replied.
Snape grimaced. He dreaded the next year. Anything involving Voldemort's army would make for a continuous headache of epic proportions.