Snape tried to move out of her way, but she managed to graze the very edge
of his cheek. As she wound up her other fist for a second try Snape
grabbed her arms and clamped them to her side. Dumbledore, McGonagall and
Mrs. Figg rushed to pull Arabella away from Snape, who, Harry thought, was
looking remarkably calm.
"And what was that for?" he asked coolly.
His calmness seemed to anger Arabella more. "You knew, you knew this was going to happen. You knew and you didn't say anything!"
Harry noticed a slight change in Snape. His eyes, which just a minute ago had been defiant and mocking, were now like empty holes.
"I found out Dumbledore was ill after you did," he said evenly.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Arabella screamed at him. "You knew that mum's cat was helping Peter and you never said a word! Damn you to bloody hell, she could have been hurt, killed!"
Arabella struggled against her mother who had a tight hold on her shoulder. Snape looked at her with a blank face.
"I'm sorry."
Harry almost fell over. Snape had just apologized, and more than that, he had sounded sincere. Arabella stopped struggling and Mrs. Figg let go of her. Much calmer, but not looking any more endeared towards Snape, she took a few steps closer to him. He didn't move, but Harry felt him tense up.
"If you EVER endanger my mother again I will-"
She couldn't even finish the sentence. Snape flinched ever so slightly as she moved past him and out the kitchen door with partially contained furry.
"Don't worry professor, I know you didn't have a choice." Mrs. Figg moved over to Snape and gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "And you know Bella, she gets upset so easily."
"I know she didn't mean it," said Snape, but he didn't look Mrs. Figg in the eye, and Harry could tell Snape did not really believe what he had said.
"Why don't you come and sit down Severus," said Dumbledore kindly, and then he turned to Harry. "you too Harry, I was worried about you, and I'm guessing that you were worried yourself."
That was an understatement Harry thought, but he took a seat and thanked Mrs. Figg when she set a cup of tea in front of him. The man in the pink robes had been watching the scene with obvious interest, and Harry noticed that the cats had disappeared while they all had been distracted.
"Severus!" the man walked up to Snape and slapped him heartily on the back. "Still charming the ladies I see."
Snape's brow furrowed with anger at the man. "Yes Mundungus. Still a complete git I see."
Mundungus just laughed and clapped Snape on the back again.
"You always were the joker," he laughed.
Dumbledore saw the look on Snape's face and thought it best to intercede.
"As much as I would like to stay and chat Mundungus, I must be getting back to the school."
"Yes," said McGonagall in a very worried voice. "the students will be arriving soon, and I must be there to meet the first years."
Dumbledore pulled another scroll out of his robes. "Severus, Harry are you ready to go?"
Harry wasn't ready. "But, aren't you going to tell me what's going on?" he gasped.
"Of course," said Dumbledore calmly, "but not until later tonight. We must get back for the feast."
Harry knew they had to get back, Ron and Hermione would be really worried.
"Say now Dumbledore, don't leave quite yet." Said Mundugus's cheerful voice. "I'm sure you've got a few minutes to spare, there is-"
Harry grabbed onto the scroll, as did his two professors. He closed his eyes for the second time he felt a jerk and the sped off to Hogwarts.
Harry hit the ground with a thump. To his surprise Snape help a firm hand on him holding him up.
"Harry," said Dumbledore. "Would you mind coming to my office after the feast tonight, that would be a better time for us to talk perhaps."
Harry nodded.
"Well then, why don't you go out the main doors and try to catch Hagrid, no doubt your friends will want to see you the moment the get off the train.'
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He caught up to Hagrid and they went to meet the train together. Harry felt relief when the Hogwarts Express pulled in, and the students started to get off. As Hagrid called for all the first years Harry went in search of Ron and Hermione. It didn't take him long, they were looking for him too.
"Harry! We thought we lost you. Did you find Dumbledore-"
"The conductor said that git Snape took you somewhere, is it true?"
Hermione groaned as Ron called Snape a git, but Harry didn't give her a chance to comment as he launched into the entire story. Which, he realized, was rather short.
"Dumbledore wants me to go to his office after the feast tonight. I think he'll explain to me what's going on then. Now what about Mal-"
Ron interrupted Harry pointing out that they needed to get into a carriage. Hermione was glaring at Ron so Harry decided not to bring up the subject yet. As it turned out he didn't have to wait long to find out. As they entered the great hall they passed Malfoy. He had a black eye, his nose was giant and red like a clowns nose, and one of his arms was sprouting roses.
"Ron! What did you DO to him?" Harry laughed.
"It wasn't me," said Ron smugly. "Well except for the black eye. The rest was Hermione's work."
Harry looked impressed at Hermione who was half scowling.
"Just remember the nose was meant for you Ron."
Harry sat down at Gryffindor table and hoped the sorting would start soon, he was starving. After a few minutes chatting to the rest of the fifth years about their summers McGonagall came in with the first years. She brought out the old sorting hat and set it on the stool. The hall waited in anticipation as the hat began to sing.
Oh the sorting hat am I, am I I will say which of the four houses here will suit you more Inside your head I'll spy the sorting hat am I
To Ravenclaw will be your fate if cleverness you radiate you are always asking why the sorting hat am I
In Hufflepuff will you belong if loyalty in you is strong stick to friends by-and-by the sorting hat am I
In Slytherin you may fall if power is your greatest call even if you must lie the sorting hat am I
and Gryffindor I'll always save for those of you extremely brave and not afraid to try the sorting hat am I
Oh the sorting hat am I, am I put me on, don't be shy the sorting hat am I
The great hall broke into tremulous applause as the sorting hat finished singing. Professor McGonagall took out a scroll and gave instructions to the shivering first years. Harry's eyes wandered for a second. Looking over the staff table he jabbed Ron with his elbow.
"Ow- what the-"
"Look who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher is" Harry whispered.
Ron's eyes widened, and Seamus and Dean, who had heard looked in astonishment too. Sitting beside Snape at the head table was Penelope.
"If you two don't put your eyes back in your head you will miss the entire sorting." Hermione hissed at them.
Harry's attention was jerked back as McGonagall called out for Fletcher, Davey. As Fletcher, Davey got sorted into Gryffindor Harry clapped loudly, and he watching as the young boy ran to sit at the table with the biggest smile Harry had ever seen.
"And what was that for?" he asked coolly.
His calmness seemed to anger Arabella more. "You knew, you knew this was going to happen. You knew and you didn't say anything!"
Harry noticed a slight change in Snape. His eyes, which just a minute ago had been defiant and mocking, were now like empty holes.
"I found out Dumbledore was ill after you did," he said evenly.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Arabella screamed at him. "You knew that mum's cat was helping Peter and you never said a word! Damn you to bloody hell, she could have been hurt, killed!"
Arabella struggled against her mother who had a tight hold on her shoulder. Snape looked at her with a blank face.
"I'm sorry."
Harry almost fell over. Snape had just apologized, and more than that, he had sounded sincere. Arabella stopped struggling and Mrs. Figg let go of her. Much calmer, but not looking any more endeared towards Snape, she took a few steps closer to him. He didn't move, but Harry felt him tense up.
"If you EVER endanger my mother again I will-"
She couldn't even finish the sentence. Snape flinched ever so slightly as she moved past him and out the kitchen door with partially contained furry.
"Don't worry professor, I know you didn't have a choice." Mrs. Figg moved over to Snape and gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "And you know Bella, she gets upset so easily."
"I know she didn't mean it," said Snape, but he didn't look Mrs. Figg in the eye, and Harry could tell Snape did not really believe what he had said.
"Why don't you come and sit down Severus," said Dumbledore kindly, and then he turned to Harry. "you too Harry, I was worried about you, and I'm guessing that you were worried yourself."
That was an understatement Harry thought, but he took a seat and thanked Mrs. Figg when she set a cup of tea in front of him. The man in the pink robes had been watching the scene with obvious interest, and Harry noticed that the cats had disappeared while they all had been distracted.
"Severus!" the man walked up to Snape and slapped him heartily on the back. "Still charming the ladies I see."
Snape's brow furrowed with anger at the man. "Yes Mundungus. Still a complete git I see."
Mundungus just laughed and clapped Snape on the back again.
"You always were the joker," he laughed.
Dumbledore saw the look on Snape's face and thought it best to intercede.
"As much as I would like to stay and chat Mundungus, I must be getting back to the school."
"Yes," said McGonagall in a very worried voice. "the students will be arriving soon, and I must be there to meet the first years."
Dumbledore pulled another scroll out of his robes. "Severus, Harry are you ready to go?"
Harry wasn't ready. "But, aren't you going to tell me what's going on?" he gasped.
"Of course," said Dumbledore calmly, "but not until later tonight. We must get back for the feast."
Harry knew they had to get back, Ron and Hermione would be really worried.
"Say now Dumbledore, don't leave quite yet." Said Mundugus's cheerful voice. "I'm sure you've got a few minutes to spare, there is-"
Harry grabbed onto the scroll, as did his two professors. He closed his eyes for the second time he felt a jerk and the sped off to Hogwarts.
Harry hit the ground with a thump. To his surprise Snape help a firm hand on him holding him up.
"Harry," said Dumbledore. "Would you mind coming to my office after the feast tonight, that would be a better time for us to talk perhaps."
Harry nodded.
"Well then, why don't you go out the main doors and try to catch Hagrid, no doubt your friends will want to see you the moment the get off the train.'
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He caught up to Hagrid and they went to meet the train together. Harry felt relief when the Hogwarts Express pulled in, and the students started to get off. As Hagrid called for all the first years Harry went in search of Ron and Hermione. It didn't take him long, they were looking for him too.
"Harry! We thought we lost you. Did you find Dumbledore-"
"The conductor said that git Snape took you somewhere, is it true?"
Hermione groaned as Ron called Snape a git, but Harry didn't give her a chance to comment as he launched into the entire story. Which, he realized, was rather short.
"Dumbledore wants me to go to his office after the feast tonight. I think he'll explain to me what's going on then. Now what about Mal-"
Ron interrupted Harry pointing out that they needed to get into a carriage. Hermione was glaring at Ron so Harry decided not to bring up the subject yet. As it turned out he didn't have to wait long to find out. As they entered the great hall they passed Malfoy. He had a black eye, his nose was giant and red like a clowns nose, and one of his arms was sprouting roses.
"Ron! What did you DO to him?" Harry laughed.
"It wasn't me," said Ron smugly. "Well except for the black eye. The rest was Hermione's work."
Harry looked impressed at Hermione who was half scowling.
"Just remember the nose was meant for you Ron."
Harry sat down at Gryffindor table and hoped the sorting would start soon, he was starving. After a few minutes chatting to the rest of the fifth years about their summers McGonagall came in with the first years. She brought out the old sorting hat and set it on the stool. The hall waited in anticipation as the hat began to sing.
Oh the sorting hat am I, am I I will say which of the four houses here will suit you more Inside your head I'll spy the sorting hat am I
To Ravenclaw will be your fate if cleverness you radiate you are always asking why the sorting hat am I
In Hufflepuff will you belong if loyalty in you is strong stick to friends by-and-by the sorting hat am I
In Slytherin you may fall if power is your greatest call even if you must lie the sorting hat am I
and Gryffindor I'll always save for those of you extremely brave and not afraid to try the sorting hat am I
Oh the sorting hat am I, am I put me on, don't be shy the sorting hat am I
The great hall broke into tremulous applause as the sorting hat finished singing. Professor McGonagall took out a scroll and gave instructions to the shivering first years. Harry's eyes wandered for a second. Looking over the staff table he jabbed Ron with his elbow.
"Ow- what the-"
"Look who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher is" Harry whispered.
Ron's eyes widened, and Seamus and Dean, who had heard looked in astonishment too. Sitting beside Snape at the head table was Penelope.
"If you two don't put your eyes back in your head you will miss the entire sorting." Hermione hissed at them.
Harry's attention was jerked back as McGonagall called out for Fletcher, Davey. As Fletcher, Davey got sorted into Gryffindor Harry clapped loudly, and he watching as the young boy ran to sit at the table with the biggest smile Harry had ever seen.