Author's Notes:

Happy Back to Hogwarts Day!

Welcome to Book One of the Seeker Series, the Fifth Jennifer Craw Series. If you're new here, the first series (The Harry Years) starts with Jennifer Craw and the Phoenix Wand, with an optional Jennifer Craw Series Prologue, also found on that bridges canon book 4 with Phoenix Wand, (alternate book 5). All books are numbered in order except for the Headmaster Chronicles short story series, but if you go through the books, the Author Notes will explain where that series fits into the timeline.

PLEASE NOTE: The Jennifer Craw series was begun in 2002 (Happy 20ith anniversary, all!) before Canon book Five was published, and therefore all back history was unknown at that point, therefore, all back history is unique to the series and associations are different because of this. And although I know all of my long term readers understand this, it is especially important to know that for this particular book, which is a direct follow-up to the Sentinel Series and will therefore be exploring a lot of the Hogwarts History mentioned both in the Sentinel Series as well as Book 15 (Paintings of Twilight, when Ambrose was fixing Hogwarts, a History.)

Also of note, this book takes place just over three years since the last book. There will be a lot of changes that happened in those three peaceful years, and a lot of new children to meet. Don't panic if you don't know them all, especially in this series introductory. I'm sure you'll get acquainted as they become important to the story, and I'll have reminders of who they're related to when it's important. This book is a much lighter book than the last one, yet at the same time will explore some socially relevant subjects. Many of the books in this series will likely be shorter and more focused on a few key characters rather than the full spectrum of OC's that have been created in the JC alt universe.

Publishing Updates: The first few chapters will come out each day, but only to establish the book. For those who don't follow me on twitter, I recommend following the book to get update notifications.

With that, I want to thank all of the continued support I have gotten since I began writing this series all of those years ago, and I hope you benefitted from them in some form or fashion. Thanks! Please share, review, follow my twitter (Doublequillmlp) etc. and DM if you want to report a typo fix.

P.S. And no, I certainly do NOT have time for role play groups. Seriously, do you know how many hours a day I write? Get me an RL Timeturner that works, and we'll talk.

With that, HOLD ONTO YOUR HATS, because this first chapter is a doozy! ~DQ


Jennifer Craw and the Secret of the Sorting Hat

Chapter One

Back to Hogwarts

My Hogwarts Journal, September 1st.

Hi, I'm Jeremy Miller, and my best friend is the most famous young wizard in the world. I am writing at his request to document his journey into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which I have earned the honor of being invited to attend. I have decided to start this journal at the train station, because I have never ridden on a real train outside of an amusement park. I have also not gone to school overnight before, unless you count the times where I spent the night in Hogwarts over summer break. So, this is a new experience for me, and although I know I'm going to eventually miss my parents, brother, and sisters, right now I'm too eager to see my best friend and be on my way to worry about such things.


"Jeremy! What are you doing? Get off that trunk and bring that cart with you... it's this way," Luke Miller called out impatiently. "Didn't you see the sign? You're not supposed to sit on the carts."

Jeremy looked up from his journal and stashed it in his robe. He hopped down off the trunk and pulled the cart behind, his owl looking a bit dizzy at the sudden turn around.

"Sorry, Dad! Are you sure you know where you're going?" Jeremy asked.

"Yep! Although this would have been a lot easier if you had let me just drop you off at the castle gates," Luke said.

"Not this time, Dad, I want the whole experience! Besides, I promised Quintin that I'd meet him here," Jeremy explained. "He and his sister had to stay at Baker Street with his brother so that his parents could get some prep work done."

"Won't I be glad when you're at an age that I can drop your sisters off with you so that I can get some prep work done," Luke said with amusement, then glanced over at the platform pillars just in time to see a family disappearing. "There it is! Here, let me get the cart to be safe," Luke told Jeremy.

They hurried over to the platform at 9 ¾ and pushed their way through, marveling at the train and all of the bustling wizards, witches, and students. Luke got out his Wiznet phone, taking a few photos.

"Here, Jeremy! Let me get one of you with the train! Stand there," Luke said, and Jeremy struck a pose. But Luke only got a couple of photos before a pair of bunny ears appeared over Jeremy's head. Luke shot it anyway, unsurprised when Quintin came out a second later, putting an arm on Jeremy. Jeremy looked around in surprise.

"Hey! There you are!" Jeremy declared and chuckled at his friend, Luke managing to get one more shot in before putting it away.

"Quintin, how are you? Finally your turn, eh?" Luke said with a smile.

"Just about. I wonder if the train will leave exactly at eleven like everyone says that it does?" Quintin pondered. "If so, we have less than twelve minutes and thirty seven seconds to go."

"Less than? Not precisely?" Luke teased as they walked to the baggage cars.

"Well, by the time I actually say it, the time has typically past, and while I can sync my speech pattern to precisely mark the time I am indicating, I have found that, more often than not, it's really not worth the trouble," Quintin explained.

"Quintin?" Leu called out near the baggage car, wondering what the hold up was. "Oh, hi, Luke. Hi, Jeremy."

"Hello, Leu! How's the family?" Luke asked with a smile.

"Great, thank you. Quintin, how about getting on? Your nephews have been on for ten minutes now," Leu said.

"Eight minutes and twenty five seconds, actually..."

"You know what Mum thinks of you doing that, it's not very polite," Leu reminded him.

"I'm just helping Jeremy," Quintin explained.

"Then you can help him get on the train by showing him out to do it," Leu said sternly. Quintin turned to look over at his friend, who was busy hugging his father and saying goodbye.

"I'm really going to miss having you around. I always thought you'd grow out of the idea and decide to come to Whitebridge," Luke admitted, glancing distantly at the train. "Well, take care of yourself... oh, and follow the rules and do what you're supposed to! I don't want to hear from Jennifer that you've been a problem during the next school board meeting," he warned.

"I know, I know! See you at Thanksgiving! You are going to let me come home for Thanksgiving, right?" Jeremy asked.

"Count on it," Luke said with a smile as the two boys got on the train. Then Luke stepped back to watch the train, Leu doing the same.

"I brought my journal," Jeremy informed Quintin as they got on. "I even started on it... are we going to have trouble finding seats on the train?"

"Highly unlikely," Quintin replied, despite the fact that the car they were in was quite full indeed. "I made certain that several of my friends knew that I was going to be on the train with you today, so there will be a handful of students holding seats open in the hopes that we will join them. Take your pick... would you like to sit with girls or boys, mates, relatives, or admirers?"

"Admirers?" Jeremy repeated.

"Fans to you... mostly those are girls," Quintin warned, gesturing over to a coach of first and second year girls that were peeking out the door when they went by. They ducked back in the moment Jeremy's head turned in their direction.

"Mates or relatives over silly girls, thanks. Besides, if we sit with them, they will try to talk us into buying them snacks or something," Jeremy said.

"Fair point," Quintin said, passing a car with a couple of hopeful girls and over to a cabin with just one boy leaning out of it. "This one will do," Quintin decided.

But as they were walking over, Quintin bumped one of his elbows against a large boy trying to get past him.

"Hey, watch it, four eyes!" the boy complained.

"Have you any idea who you're speaking to?" Jeremy snapped, but Quintin put up a hand.

"It's okay, Jeremy, he didn't know any better. Sorry about that... you must be new," Quintin said to the irritated boy, who gazed at him suspiciously. "First one in the family to be a wizard, I take it? My name is Quintin Snape and this is Jeremy Miller."

"Pete Cander," he said, trying to step past him again.

"Do you want to sit with us? There's room for one more," Quintin suggested, heading towards the cabin again.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Jeremy asked Quintin.

Quintin didn't bother answering, stepping inside. Frowning and wondering what Jeremy meant by that, Pete followed behind. Inside was a dark-haired boy with light blue eyes, and he grinned when they came in.

"Did you want the window seat, Quintin?" the boy asked.

"It's quite alright, Oscar, you can have it," Quintin said, and the boy plopped down near the window while Quintin sat next to him. "This is one of my many cousins, Oscar Donovan. Oscar, I think you've met Jeremy already, and this new friend is Pete Cander, a first generation wizard, I believe."

"Hi there! Glad to meet you! Isn't it great to be a wizard? Where are you from? What are you into? I'm into horses. My brother and I are learning to ride them. But I'm so excited that we get to learn to ride a broom this year, aren't you?" Oscar asked.

"Deep breaths, Oscar, deep breaths," Quintin advised. Oscar immediately pulled his legs up under him and put his wrists on his knees, closing his eyes as he attempted to meditate.

"You're weird," Pete said flatly.

"If you think anyone on this train is going to be normal, you may as well pack it up and go home before the train pulls out," Quintin told Pete. "My advice is to clear your head of any expectations of how a wizard might behave, open your mind to all possibilities, and always remember that the person sitting next to you might have enough power to blast you senseless. Therefore, whenever you meet someone new, it is important to treat them with respect. Consider it your first lesson in Defense. Did you get all of that, Jeremy?"

"First lesson in Defense... got it," Jeremy said, quickly writing it in his book.

"Now... once the train gets moving and Oscar is calm, I have something important to talk about," Quintin said.

"Can we get snacks first?" Oscar asked, peeking an eye open.

"If you have a lot of sugar, you're just going to get excited again," Quintin pointed out.

"Yes, but we have hours so I can burn it off! Besides, Dad won't know, because you won't tell him, right?" Oscar suggested.

"Your grandmother will if she finds out," Quintin warned.

"Who's his grandmother again?" Jeremy asked.

"Aunt Anna," Quintin reminded him. "Oscar is one of Lindsay and Conner's adopted kids, and Lindsay was a Black."

"That's right. Sorry, Quintin, but you have so many relatives! It's hard to keep them straight sometimes," Jeremy said.

"It isn't easy for me either!" Oscar protested. "I went from having only one brother and nobody else in the whole wide world to so many relatives that I had to write their names down on the back of my hand to try and remember them all during the Craw Garden Party... and then I got in trouble for writing on my hand. But then Uncle Severus gave us both a journal so we had a better place to write them down."

"Does your brother go to Hogwarts too?" Pete asked.

"No, Ozzy... Oswald, that is... is a year younger than me, so he won't be here until next year," Oscar said. "And boy was he jealous," he added with a grin.

"Yeah, my younger sister is jealous too, but more about the magic thing and less about the going to school away from home thing," Pete said. "She and my older sister keep telling me all sorts of horror stories about kids they know who went to public school."

"No wonder you were so defensive when you got on the train," Jeremy said sympathetically. "Don't worry, it won't be as bad as you think, and I know how hard it is to leave your family behind for the first time. I've never been to an overnight school either, and my family aren't even in the country. I'm from the U.S."

"Is that why you talk so funny?" Pete asked.

"Says you!" Jeremy retorted.

"Yes, alright, we're all friends here," Quintin said, then glanced out of the window with interest as the train finally began to move.

"That wasn't precisely eleven," Quintin informed them with a sigh.

It wasn't long after they left the station that they were pooling their coins together, with Quintin throwing a bit extra in to make sure everyone was able to get what they wanted when the trolley finally rolled around. After that, they got settled for the ride.

"So, should we do a round of Bertie Botts Roulette, play high-low with the frog cards, or perhaps play a different card game? I have both a regular deck of cards and a box of Trial and Error cards in my Cloak Chest," Quintin asked the others.

"Anything you like, Quintin, but I thought you wanted to talk to Pete about the plan first," Jeremy reminded him.

"Oh yes, that," Quintin said, taking a moment to shut the door. "Tell me, Pete. How much do you know about the Sorting Ceremony that we have to go through when we first get to the castle?"

"I don't know much at all about anything that goes on at wizard school, really," Pete admitted.

"Well, when we get off the train, the first years will take a boat ride across the lake, where we will meet up with Deputy Headmaster Weasley. She will then lead us into the Great Hall, which, by that point, will be filled with both staff and the rest of the students. In fact, I have a theory that the whole reason the tradition to put the first years in a boat got started is because it takes an average of twenty-one and a half minutes to get across by that method and another four minutes and 20 seconds to walk to the Great Hall from the lower dock. After that, it takes about four minutes or so to be escorted to the doors. That, of course, leaves ample time for the rest of the student body to arrive by coach and get into their places before we are escorted up to the front," Quintin surmised.

"Are you saying that you think the boat ride is just there as a stall?" Oscar said with a laugh.

"Well, it's an awful lot of fuss just to give students a good view of the castle, isn't it? It isn't like you're not going to see it for the next seven years," Quintin said with a shrug. "Timing makes a lot more sense to me."

"Timing always makes a lot more sense to you, Quintin," Jeremy said knowingly. "And I think your viewpoint is completely biased because you grew up in that castle. Personally, I think the reason we take the boats is so that we see just how magnificent it is and how privileged we are to be invited to attend. For a lot of students, it's their very first taste of magic, you know."

"Their first taste of magic is going to Diagon Alley to get their books," Quintin replied, shaking his head at his friend.

"You grew up in a castle?" Pete asked for clarification.

"Not a castle. The castle," Quintin said. "My father is the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and after they put a daycare on the premises, they began allowing some of the staff children to stay in the castle during the school year," he explained. "I was the first child allowed to stay over, actually, but now my sister is living there too, as well as my two nieces, not that you're likely to see any of them unless you go to the daycare for some reason.

"Anyway, because I grew up there, I made a lot of friends, and one of my friends happens to be the Sorting Hat himself," Quintin went on. "You see, what typically happens is that we are all escorted up the center aisle of the Great Hall and our names are called out. Students sit on the stool, and the Sorting Hat is placed on our heads. Then, the Sorting Hat decides which house each student goes into... either Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Gryffindor. It's based on a person's personality, and not in a good way. At least, I don't think it's in a good way. And to be perfectly honest, the Hat doesn't think so either. Not only is it quite limiting, but the house system also causes students to go against each other and say horrible things about each other just because they're not in the same house, and I hate it."

"Yes, but isn't that what the Order of the Owls is for? To find ways to come together?" Oscar asked, nibbling on a licorice wand.

"It helps, yes, but it doesn't stop it. Trust me, I've overheard enough conversations over the years to know," Quintin said. "Houses are supposed to be like a second family, since it's made up of the students you share rooms with and study with at night. But the problem is that they treat the other houses like rivals. Other houses are more like different branches of the same family... the Hogwarts family. So we've decided... the Sorting Hat and I, that is... that things between the houses aren't going to change unless there's a major shake-up."

"Okay," Pete said, still without much of a clue as to what he was talking about.

Quintin gazed at him searchingly but then smiled thinly, knowing how to reach him.

"Let me put this another way. How would you feel about making an entrance into the school that nobody will ever forget it?" Quintin enticed him.

"Yeah," Pete agreed with a smile.

"Then all you have to do is this: when your name is called and the Sorting Hat is put on your head, think the words, 'I'm in'," Quintin explained.

"Simple enough. I'm not going to be the only one doing it though, right?" Pete asked suspiciously.

"Not even! My friends and I have been planning this for years," Quintin assured him, glancing at Oscar and Jeremy who nodded in confirmation.


After successfully finding his cufflinks and carefully avoiding a fuzzy yellow duckling that had been mistakenly tossed on the floor, Severus Snape stepped over to the mirror in his sitting room for a quick glance before checking the time.

"Maisy, do you mind popping that duckling down to the daycare? I'm sure she's probably already screaming her head off for it by now," Severus said.

"Yes, Professor," Maisy's voice replied, and Severus went back into the Headmaster's Study.

"Is the train running on time, Armando?" Severus asked.

"It would seem to be, Severus," Armando said. "A great deal of the faculty are already starting to arrive in the Great Hall. Hermione is asking if you're going to be up here much longer."

"I'm nearly ready, I'm just waiting for Jennifer to get back from settling Serendipity in the daycare first," Severus informed him.

"Hermione is now asking you not to go anywhere because she needs to speak to you," Armando informed him.

"Very well," Severus said, glancing up as Jennifer stepped out of the Doorlift.

"Finally! Oh, stars, that was a trial! Thank goodness you found her plushie, Severus, I thought she'd never calm down! Where did you find it?" Jennifer asked.

"Under my foot, the same place where I always find it," Severus said evenly. "Just like I always find my cufflinks in your earring box." Jennifer squinted at him, wondering if he was trying to pick a fight. "She does seem to be attached to the silly thing, Jennifer. Perhaps we should try to wean her from it?"

"I think you forget, Severus, that Quintin was just as attached to his plushie basilisk toy at that age," Jennifer reminded him.

"Yes. I wonder what happened to it?" Severus murmured.

"He still has it, on a shelf in his room," Jennifer said, smiling softly at Severus' expression. "Although I think it's more than likely that you're wondering where the boy was that held that toy rather than the toy itself."

"It's strange, really," Severus admitted. "When we had our first four and were in the midst of the weekend parenting thing, it seemed as if they'd never get to Hogwarts. And yet when we had one that we were able to hand raise ourselves from the start, the years flew by so quickly. We spent more time with Quintin than all of the ones that came before, and yet it feels as if he's on that train all too soon."

"Perhaps we shouldn't have put him on the train then," Jennifer teased mischievously. "Either way, I plan to enjoy every moment we have him as a student at Hogwarts. It's going to be so exciting to see him experience it first hand after all of those years of experiencing this school as a mere spectator."

"That would imply that he did nothing but watch, but you know perfectly well there were many times when he got more involved than that. Especially last year, when he kept hanging out in the library," Severus reminded her.

"He was just trying to do his homework, Severus," Jennifer said defensively.

"You say that as if I've all of the sudden forgotten that your son is a Truth Seeker."

"My son, is it?"

"Oh come now, Jennifer. You can hardly deny he takes more after you than I, from his Truth-Seeking to his looks, to his uncanny knack for causing trouble..."

"I beg your pardon?" Jennifer asked, squinting at him.

Hermione cleared her throat very, very loudly, making Severus wonder if it was the first time she had tried.

"Sorry, Hermione, what is it?" Severus asked.

"Sorry for interrupting, but is there any way you can come retrieve Rasputin from the lower boat dock? I think he might cause a disruption if he stays there," Hermione said.

"How did he manage to get all of the way down there?" Severus asked with exasperation, walking towards the Doorlift.

"I'll just put the Sorting Hat in the Great Hall and I'll meet you down there, Severus," Hermione offered.

"Could you check to see if the coaches are arriving yet, Jennifer?" Severus asked.

"Yes, alright. I'll meet you in the Great Hall," Jennifer agreed, following Severus out the Doorlift as Hermione turned and grabbed the Sorting Hat off the shelf.

The Sorting Hat woke up immediately, its wrinkled folds twisting about as it looked around.

"So is it time, then?" the Sorting Hat asked.

"Just about," Hermione replied. "I hope you have your rhyme ready for tonight."

"Don't worry. I've been ready for tonight for a long time," the Sorting Hat said contentedly.

Hermione frowned.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I love a good Sorting, don't you?" the Hat parried.

Hermione shrugged and went to the Great Hall to drop off the Hat before going to meet the first year students.

Jeremy leaned his arm on the side of the boat as he gazed at the castle, blown away by the beauty of its dark silhouette and its lights glistening along the surface of the water. They had been near the front of the boats when they launched, so they arrived just in time to see Severus retreating and Professor Weasley stepping up to take his place. Carefully they each took their turns stepping out of the boats, and Quintin used the opportunity to give a careful, searching gaze towards his old classmates as they stepped onto the platform, some of them nodding to him or giving him an encouraging smile.

"All right, everyone! Please follow!" Professor Weasley called out and the group moved behind her, a tingle of anticipation going through them as they passed the mascot paintings. Quintin, however, gazed at the paintings critically, pulling up his chin as they reached the doors. Professor Weasley stepped inside for a quick check to make certain that everyone was in place.

Finally, Professor Weasley opened the doors and the first years walked in. Some of them looked as if they were tripping over their own robes, some of them bit their nails as they worried about which house they would be Sorted into, and some had the expression of a child who felt as if they were born for this moment. Quintin didn't seem to react at all; rather, he took in the situation passively, from the nervous students around him to all of the familiar faces that were gazing down at him.

The size of the faculty had grown in recent years, but Quintin knew most of them quite well; from those at the auxiliary table to those at the electives table... most especially at the main table where the senior staff were seated, including, of course, his mother and father, sitting next to Hermione's empty seat. On the other side of the empty seat sat Andrew and Laura, murmuring quietly to each other. Quintin glanced over at his Aunt Anna sitting at the right side near Arcadia and Sagittari, and she gave him a thin, encouraging smile. He then looked back over as his father stood.

"Welcome both new and returning students," Professor Snape began. Snape glanced down at the first years; many of them he knew quite well, either because of their parents or because they were Quintin's classmates or relation. "You will be happy to know that the announcements tonight will be short, as there have been no major staff changes this year. I will, therefore, simply remind you to report to your rooms after the feast and read the board in your common rooms to review all of the current rules and restrictions, as well as to look over class changes, sports schedules, and the banned items list. If you have any questions, your prefects, Heads of Houses and House Assistants will avail themselves to you and help you find your way. Let's all put our best efforts forward so that we can start the year on the right foot, shall we?" he suggested, sitting down.

"Hats don't have feet," the Sorting Hat pointed out as Hermione picked him up. Shaking her head at him, Hermione put the Hat down on the stool, rolling out the scroll expectantly. Scrunching himself up slightly as if nodding, the Hat let out his rhyme.

The past cannot be rewritten;

Although many have often tried

To dress it up and make it trim

So the truth can be denied.

In fact, sometimes they've flat-out lied.

It's time to question traditions,

And whether it can withstand,

The honest, unvarnished scrutiny

Of the generation at hand.

Those before me need to understand;

You must be brave without bravado,

And work hard without defeat,

Be wise enough to make mistakes.

And be cunning without deceit.

You can accomplish all four feats.

So choose which way, come what may,

To tackle the task at hand.

The future of the school begins today,

Commit to a house, or take a stand,

The path is yours alone to command.

While most of the staff stared at the Hat in stunned silence, Anna and Sally Scribe jumped to their feet and applauded loudly, followed closely behind by Ambrose Tinker, sitting on the far side at the electives table. Severus flashed them an icy stare, first managing to get Ambrose to sit down, followed by Sally and then Anna, who still defiantly clapped as they took their seats again. Shaking his head with a deep frown, Severus fixed his attention back on the Hat.

It had been many years since the Sorting Hat had allowed the students to choose their own path at one of these ceremonies, and that was because they had been born the year that Ciardoth had warped their viewpoint of the stars. What had prompted it this time, Severus wondered, squinting suspiciously at his son. Could he have had something to do with this somehow? Did it have something to do with their long standing friendship? Or was it because of the secret that Aurelius had Kept between the Sorting Hat and Quintin since he was a young boy?

Severus focused intently on the students, sorting them in his head as they stepped up. As Allan went to Ravenclaw and Amesbury went to Gryffindor, he didn't see anything wrong at first, especially after they were followed by Baldrick heading to Slytherin and Bell to Hufflepuff. Each one was going to a house he could have predicted, he mused, watching as Bulstrode went to Slytherin. But Severus noticed that the Hat seemed to be taking longer with the first generations who had no direction, and probably Sorted those students himself. After several other students passed without incident, Severus was about to relax, until the Hat got to a boy named Pete Cander.

The Sorting Hat wasn't on his head very long when it said:

"Next!"

Severus blinked, quite confused as to what had just happened. Cander simply stepped to the side, waiting patiently. Severus glanced to either side of him to see that most of the faculty were as confused as he was. Anna, Sally, and Ambrose watched intently, as did Jennifer, whose expression betrayed just how curious she was as to what was going on and why he had been singled out.

But it wasn't long before they learned that they boy hadn't been singled out at all. Not long after Carpe went to Slytherin, Castle and Clark also heard the word, "Next!" Soon after, Curt Darwin stepped to the side as well.

That was when Severus became increasingly suspicious after realizing how many of the separated students had been in Quintin's primary class the year before.

"What's going on? What are they thinking, Jennifer?" Severus whispered fervently at her.

"I have no idea, Severus, I can't read any of the students that the Hat singled out," Jennifer replied. "But have you noticed a pattern to the Sorting this year?"

"You mean that the vast majority of students the Hat is singling out either went to school with Quintin or are related?" Severus asked with annoyance as Dimple and Donovan stepped to the side. Jennifer blinked.

"Oh! I hadn't even thought of that," Jennifer admitted. "I was just thinking about how incredibly even the Sorting was."

Severus frowned, not having noticed it at all. As he glanced at the four tables and counted the students already Sorted and then counted the number of students standing to the side, he realized she had a point. A tingle went through him, and his hair stood on end as he began to watch the ceremony with the same intensity that Anna and the others were, unsurprised when both Martin and Miller stepped over to the other students who had been sorted into Next. Now that Severus could see the pattern, he also understood exactly what Next meant as well. He grabbed a scrap of paper and made tallies on it, and it became easier for him to tell who was going to be pulled aside by the expression they had on their faces when they stepped up to the stool.

As the Sorting continued and the numbers left to be Sorted began to dwindle, there could be no denying whose expression was the most proud, the most defiant, and the most aggravatingly cocky of them all. Quintin Snape stepped up to the stool, his lip curled slightly as his father's often did when he was certain that his victory was assured. He sat on the stool with perfect posture and his chin raised, as if daring the entire room his right to be there in that moment.

"This student is brave, loyal, cunning, and wise, but he does not fit into any of the current houses of Hogwarts," the Sorting Hat declared loud enough for everyone to hear. "Nor do any of the other students who came before him. Instead, they belong in a different house altogether... a new house... the next house... one which their own deeds and accomplishments will establish through the course of this term. Please take your place with the other students Sorted into the Next House of Hogwarts," the Sorting Hat declared.

Nodding crisply, Quintin stepped down as the rest of the students began talking excitedly in disbelief, while most of faculty sat completely stunned.

"Your move, Dad," Quintin murmured under his breath.

"Severus, he broke the system," Jennifer said in disbelief. Severus gestured for Hermione to continue.

"I can see that, thank you," Severus replied tersely, determined to get through the rest of the students despite the headache coming on. "Let's just get through the rest of these, shall we?" he suggested, both to himself and to the faculty waiting for him to say something.

"Fine, you stay here," Jennifer said and got up, tagging Andrew and John with her hand and pulling them out of the room.

Severus glanced at them before forcing himself to pay attention, unsurprised when more than a handful of students joined the new house after that... some that had planned on joining from the Next group from the start, and a couple of students who decided to join after realizing what was going on.

Finally it was over, and Hermione brought the Sorting Hat over with exasperation.

"This is really going to complicate things, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"At least have the courtesy of letting me say it," Severus complained. "As for this wretched Hat, give me a nice sharp pair of shears."

"You don't really mean that," the Sorting Hat told him.

"Don't tempt me," Severus replied, then noticed that Jennifer, Andrew, and John had come in from the back. Jennifer hurried over to where the group of students was standing in the center aisle.

"Alright, please step up closer to the high table for a moment," Jennifer told them, getting them well out of the way. Then she raised her hand to get the attention of all of the students already seated. "Everyone, pick your feet up, please! One, two, three, now!" she instructed.

There was a rumbling sound as the benches and tables began to move, sliding in closer together. Just as they began to settle, the students noticed a fifth table had appeared next to the wall, an older one that had been recently replaced. After a last minute check of the table by John and Andrew, they nodded at her, and Jennifer smiled softly.

"Off you go, then," Jennifer told them.

The students grinned and hurried over to take their places, sticking to one end of the table so they could all sit together. Jennifer looked over at Severus, and he gestured to start the feast, propping his head in his hand when the students at the fifth table began toasting Quintin. Hermione set the stool aside, and she and Jennifer stepped up to the table in front of the headmaster.

"I don't suppose you'd humor me by letting me send you my resignation, Hermione?" Severus asked, feeling quite defeated.

"And leave me with this mess? Don't you even dare," Hermione replied. "I mean... where are they going to sleep? What about their schedules and classes? And who is going to be their house advisor?"

"I will be," Anna said evenly. Severus glanced over at her thoughtfully. "Unless you want Ambrose to do it," she suggested, nodding over to where Ambrose had walked up just so he could hear the conversation.

"Not that he has the experience, but she does have a point. The Fifth House was his idea," Boulderdash said with amusement.

"Unfortunately, I'm only here two days a week," Ambrose reminded him. "I have a museum to run."

"Yes, and there is the other point, that being experience," Severus said.

"You can't say that about me, though, can you?" Anna asked fixedly.

"True, you're nothing if not qualified. Not only from a professional standpoint, but also from the standpoint that you're used to dealing with rebellious, non-conforming children of all ages," Severus replied, then glanced at the faculty members that were beginning to gather around him. "And since this seems to be a night of breaking traditions, let's skip the decorum and have an emergency staff meeting. I need Danyelle, Laura, Andrew, and Sally to stay here to look after their own houses. Boulderdash, you should probably come with us, since this is likely to affect you too. Anyone else who is interested in helping us problem solve is invited to attend."

"Do you mind if I go let Ron know I'm staying over real quick?" Hermione asked.

"Fine, but don't you dare tell him the reason. Somehow, I need to explain this to the board," Severus said with a sigh.

"I don't think you can hide this for more than a day, dear brother," Anna warned him. "Besides, I think you should just tell the board the truth about what happened. It's not like you had anything to do with it."

"She has a point," Jennifer said in support.

But as they walked to the back room, Jennifer couldn't help but be sympathetic to what was on Severus' mind. If this was his entrance, just what exactly were they in store for during Quintin's first year at Hogwarts?