Chapter Five-The Sorting
Summary- It has been about eight months and no one
has heard from Hermione, and it seems as though no one misses her. Harry and Ron have each been married since
school let out and they still bear a grudge for their old friend. Hermione is leading another life, away from
the man who used her and broke her heart, and has a terrible secret. Draco Malfoy is the present heir to the
Malfoy fortune and is unhappily married to Pansy Parkinson Malfoy. He still has haunting dreams of another
love. Around eight months after
graduation, Pansy and Draco come across something extraordinary, which links
them to the last person they had in mind.
Pairing- Ron Wesley and Lavender Brown Weasley, Harry
Potter and Parvati Patil Potter, and at the beginning- Draco Malfoy and Pansy
Parkinson Malfoy, but subject to change.
Spoilers-
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone,
Harry Potter and
the Chamber of Secrets,
Harry Potter and
the Prisoner of Azkaban,
Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire.
Disclaimer-I do not claim to own any of the characters
from the Harry Potter series. They all
belong to Ms. Rowling. Don't sue, I have
a disclaimer and I'm not afraid to use it!
Previously- With one last look at her reflection, she
stepped out of the bathroom. Looking at
the large antique grandfather clock in her common room, Hermione was startled
that it read nearly a quarter after seven. "Well, now is the time to meet my new co-workers." Hermione giggled. Her former professors where now her co-workers. She exited her room with grace, and started
to quietly make her way down to the Great Hall.
~*~
Of all the things I believed in
I just wanna get it over with
Tears form behind my eyes
But I do not cry
Counting the days that pass me by
I been searching deep down in my soul
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old
Feels like I'm starting all over again
The last three years were just pretend
And I said
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
I still get lost in your eyes
And it seems that I can't live a day without you
Closing my eyes
And you chase my thought away
To a place where I am blinded by the light
But it's not right
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time
I want what's yours and I want what's mine
I want you
But I'mn not giving in this time
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
(Michelle Branch- Goodbye to You)
~*~
Hermione entered the Great Hall, which was empty except for
the teachers, who where sitting at their places. Upon seeing Hermione, Dumbledore rose and
said to the teachers, some who already had their mouths open in surprise, "I
would like you all to please welcome our new transfiguration teacher, Miss
Hermione Granger." Now all the teachers
had their mouths open in shock. Dumbledore motioned for her to take a seat beside him…right on the other
side of Hermione's former potions master. "So you are the new Transfiguration teacher?" Snape said the question as a statement. "Yes I am Severus." Hermione said, determined not to let Snape
Scare her.
Snape then did something that Hermione was not expecting.
"Welcome." He extended his hand out to her with a smile. Hermione was timid at first, and then she
shook it. "Thank you, Severus." "I do believe we are competitors now,
Hermione, due to our houses being what they are." Hermione started a little, she had forgotten
about the house rivalry of quiddich and the house cup. "Oh Severus, do tell me how Gryffindor has
been doing, I feel quite embarrassed that I do not know my own house has been
getting on for the last couple years." "Well," Snape started to explain, "After Potter left, the quiddich team
began to do quite poorly. I have to
admit, Potter was quite an asset to the team. The house cup, however, has been won by Gryffindor four times, the last
four years, actually, and Slytherin and Ravenclaw won the years previous to
that. Hufflepuff has not been doing too well at all." Hermione nodded, and Snape continued, this
time in a quieter voice. "I would like
you to know, Hermione that I am astounded to find that you're here now. Where have you been all this time? You simply vanished after being the top of
your class. Half the wizarding world
thought you where dead." Hermione was
silent, crystal tears starting to form in her eyes. Finally she answered, "It's amazing what a
broken heart can drive a person to do."
Snape looked at her questionably, but before he comment,
Fawks, Dumbledore's
~*~
"Look at that man! He must be ten feet tall!" Juliet exclaimed to her new friends. "That's Hagrid." James said. "He and my dad are friends; he comes over all the time for tea." Juliet was rather startled; she couldn't
imagine a man of that size fitting easily in a normal sized house. Hagrid was motioning to all the first
years. "firs' years follow me!" Juliet heard him say. "Come one!" Ryan said, pushing his two friends and himself into a boat that will
take them to the castle. "We're going to Hogwarts!"
Fifteen minutes later all the first years were waiting
outside the Great Hall for further instructions. Hagrid left them, telling them that they had
to wait while the sorting ceremony was prepared.
They didn't have to wait long. BANG! A door opened loudly and Juliet, Ryan, and James all looked up to see a
Dark haired man with a hooked nose, dressed completely in black. "The sorting ceremony will begin
momentarily," He told them curtly. "follow me." The students followed the rather shady man into an enormous hall. Juliet gaped at the ceiling, which she could
see a perfect view of the constellation Orion, while Ryan was busy staring at
the hundreds of candles that where flickering and floating around the hall,
lighting it.
~*~
"It's just as I remember it, Albus." Hermione said to the headmaster. "Yes my dear, Hogwarts is most definitely a
school based on tradition." Hermione
sighed as the new students made their way to a stool, where a familiar, yet
tattered wizard's hat sat. Hermione
smiled when the hat broke into song, surprising many of the newcomers:
"Gather 'round children and I'll tell you a tale,
A tale of happiness and woe.
A tale of four houses, alike in dignity,
Where each of you shall go.
First let's talk about Slytherin,
Where dwell the cunning and quick
Slytherin may be your match if
Its riches and power you pick.
Next let's talk about Ravenclaw,
If you're hard working and you're proud
Where only the few with a little more brain
Will ever be allowed.
Now what about dear Hufflepuff
If you're loyal to the end
As long as you're kind and full of truth
You'll always find a friend.
Last but not least, mighty Gryffindor
The true, the proud, the brave
Always striving to be a cut above
And always have a day to save.
So gather 'round closer and don't be shy
I know where you belong
I am old as Hogwarts itself
And haven't yet been wrong!
After the applause died down, Snape started calling the new
students forward. The first student
Aarow, Samantha, become the first new Hufflepuff of the year.
Hermione zoned in and out, occasionally hearing names
(Barker, Josh!) "I was so nervous." Hermione thought. (Devon, Edison!) "I kept reciting spells in
my head (Garret, Chelsea) and trying to calm myself down." "Malfoy, Juliet!" Hermione jumped at the name and saw a small
girl with white blonde hair approach the sorting hat.
~*~
Juliet started walking nervously towards the sorting hat,
mumbling different spells she had picked up from her textbooks, which she had
read cover-to-cover. She carefully sat
on the stool and before the hat was slipped over her eyes she saw she saw the
entire room staring intently at her. Then she heard a small voice-
"My my, another Malfoy
I see. But what's this? Ah child, you
have your mothers' spirit, it is very plain indeed, but there's the Malfoy
cunning and pride too. This is certainly
most difficult; you are not like the other Malfoys I have had the pleasure to
sort. What shall it be…fathers
Slytherin, or mothers Gryffindor?" "My
mother was not in Gryffindor." Juliet
thought." "Ah child, but she was, she
was one of the best examples of a Gryffindor there is, it's a small wonder why
your father indeed fell in love with her. My my, I do believe I have made a decision. "GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat was pulled off and Juliet was met with a room full
of wide eyes, open mouths, and even a few suspicious glares. Even Snape was looking astonished. All the Malfoy's for hundreds of years had
been sorted into Slytherin. Was the
Sorting Hat malfunctioning? But the
Sorting Hat is never wrong. Snape
recovered quickly (Mallory, Neal!) And Juliet made her way to the Gryffindor
table, her head now filled with many, many questions.
~*~
"A Malfoy sorted into
Gryffindor?" Hermione thought, shocked, and she wasn't the only one. All around the room, people looked both
shocked and a little suspicious. In
fact, the only person who looked calm was Albus Dumbledore. He was actually looking quite amused at the
whole situation. Then Hermione heard
another name that made her jump.
"Potter, James!" "James Potter? Hermione
thought. "Harry's dad?" Then it hit
her. "Harry
is a dad! Harry got married and
had a child, I didn't even know. Harry
had been a husband and a father for eleven years and I didn't even know!"
Dumbledore picked up on Hermione's rigid position, and
guessed why. "Ron Weasley has a son
too." He whispered, and just as James
Potter was made a new Gryffindor, Hermione's eyes locked on a figure with
bright red hair. She felt like crying all
over again. She was to teach her best
friend's kids along with her former lover's child? What was Dumbledore playing at?
By the end of the feast, Hermione found out that Ron's son
name was Ryan, and he had been sorted into Gryffindor as well. Hermione was surprised to see Harry and Ron's
kids sitting by Juliet Malfoy, but the way they where sitting made Hermione
look even closer. Juliet and James where
sitting side by side while Ryan sat across from them. "How odd, Harry, Ron and
I sat the same way growing up."
"Guess no one told them to never trust a Malfoy." Hermione said quietly. "What?" Severus asked. He had taken his seat after the sorting was completed.
"Nothing." Said Hermione. "Absolutely nothing."
Just then a lone owl flew into the great hall, and to
Hermione surprise, landed right in front of her. Hermione patted the Owls head and relieved it
of its burden; she then offered it a piece of bread which it accepted gratefully
before taking off one more. After the
owl flew away, Hermione gazed at the two packages wrapped in brown paper. She looked at the smaller package first, but
discovered a note, she opened it and read:
Hermione,
I am very
pleased you have decided to teach transfiguration. I know you will be a great asset to the
Hogwarts staff, as well as a great role model in the students' lives. I am sure you know by now who you are to be
teaching, but don't despair. They know
nothing of you and you are starting anew. I have enclosed something of mine that I know you have had your eye on
for quite sometime. The other package is
yours, but you vanished before we could give it to you. Good luck in everything you do, you will accomplish
much this year.
Yours,
Minerva
McGonagall
Hermione looked at the note curiously, and then opened the
package. She gave a small gasp when she
saw what was inside.
It was a small plaque that Professor McGonagall had on her
desk throughout Hermione's schooling career. It was a poem, entitled Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're traveling seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And when you want to smile but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you want, but do not quit!
Life is strange with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns
Don't give up though the pace seems slow
You might succeed with another blow
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint in the cloud of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are
It might be near when it seems so far
So stick to the fight with you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!
How many times had Hermione read that same poem? After a horrible potions class she would read
it, knowing that it spoke the truth, she mustn't quit. She was talented and upon reading the poem,
she always was filled with a self satisfied determination. Hermione sat the
plaque down and opened the other package. It was a book, but Hermione nearly dropped it when she saw the title
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Remember your memories
Graduating class
"A yearbook?" Hermione said out loud and opened the book. Right on the front page was a smiling
Hermione, Ron, and Harry, all waving franticly at the camera. Ron and Harry had Hermione on their
shoulders, and it looked like they had just won a quiddich game, due to the
Gryffindor robes and their grinning faces. Snape noticed Hermione shock, and stepped in. "Ah yes, I see Minerva has been kind enough
to hold your yearbook all these years." He pointed at the inside cover, where 'Hermione Granger' was scripted in
red and gold.
Hermione looked through the yearbook more and was quite startled
when she came upon a picture of herself and Draco. "Severus...W-what?" Hermione sputtered, taken completely
aback. "I took that." He admitted calmly. "I found out about you two in your sixth
year. You thought you could fool your old potion master did you? I am truly surprised Mr. Potter and Mr.
Weasley never caught on. Anyway, all the
teachers, every year are required to turn in a picture of their favorite
student, well, I had two." "But! But
Severus, you hated me! You must have taken off millions of points just for me
being, and I quote, 'An insufferable know-it-all'! And I don't remember a picture being taken of
Draco and me, I can assure you, I would have remembered! We never let anyone
see us civil with each other, much less doing this!" Hermione pointed down to the photo, where the
picture-Draco was now kissing picture-Hermione lightly on the cheek. "How did you do this?" Hermione waited for an answer, and Severus
replied, "First of all, I never hated you; in fact, I never hated any of the
Gryffindors. But I was also playing
double agent for Dumbledore to Voldemort, and even in peace time I had to
pretend to be loyal to the Dark Lord. And about this picture..." He waved to it. "I put a memory charm on you." He said simply. "What? But…but…" "I realized something happened between you and Draco, Hermione, and I
must say, I am shocked." I don't believe
you should be." Hermione said quietly
and sadly. "Oh?" "Don't you know Severus? You should never trust a Malfoy." "Ah well, I have no doubt that Lucius is
quite an evil man, but I saw something in Draco, something quite different
indeed." "Of course you did." Hermione said bitterly. "Draco Malfoy was a brilliant actor, I'm sure
he still is." "I don't know how you
could possibly act that happy, without truly being." Snape said gently, and Hermione looked once
again at the picture. The
platinum-blonde haired boy had the girl in his arms and was spinning her
around. "Well Severus," Hermione said in
a whisper, "I suppose we both have been fooled."
"Hermione." Dumbledore nudged her a bit. "You
will be leading the new Gryffindors to their common rooms tonight, and you will
need to create a password for the first week or so. After that you can have a prefect come up
with the rest of the years passwords." "Yes professor, but I thought the prefects where to lead the students to
their house? " "You are their new head
of house, Hermione, You should probably introduce yourself." "Of course." "What password should I
choose?" Then it came to her
"Hello everyone." Hermione said to a table full of Gryffindors. "My name is Professor Granger, and I am your
new head of house, as well as your new transfiguration teacher." She was met with a few surprised looks. "You're too young and pretty to be a
teacher!" A fifth year student said,
before thinking. Some of the other
student laughed, as did Hermione. "Well,
I can see we will definitely be getting along this year, but first if you
please, I am replacing Professor McGonagall, as most of you older student have
already figured out, and you are all to be my new students, I do ask you be
kind to poor me, I do believe you all will each be having to take my class with
the Slytherins." A few of the students
groaned, but Hermione noticed that Juliet Malfoy seemed a bit insulted. She decided to forget about her past with
Draco and try to become friends with his daughter. "Hello dear, I'm sorry if I offended you, but
I do believe you should know- the Gryffindors and the Slytherins are complete
competitors, It might do you well to not take the comments to heart, I myself
am a proud Gryffindor." Juliet smiled
and said, "Thanks, you seem kind of nice, what do you teach again?" "Transfiguration dear." "Oh really? I love that! My father is especially interested in it too." Hermione looked at the small blonde
girl. "Really? Draco was always interested in charms back in
school." Then she mentally slapped
herself, "DRACO DOESN'T EXIST!" "You
knew my father?" Juliet asked. "Why yes,
yes I did." Hermione said in what she
hoped was a stern don't-ask-questions-voice, and added, "but as I said before,
Gryffindor and Slytherin where rivals, making your father and I a bit
unfriendly to one another." "Really?" Juliet asked, somewhat
surprised. "I can't imagine dad being
mean to someone as nice as you." Hermione smiled then said to the rest of the table. "Alright Gryffindores, I am to lead you to
your dormitories, and-" She said the next part in a soft whisper, "The new
password is 'Snuffles' Remember that." Hermione turned away, to lead the students up to the Gryffindor tower,
not seeing Ryan and James give each other confused looks. After dropping the
students into the care of the fat lady and the prefect, Hermione headed to her
new classroom, which she would prepare for her class the following day.
~*~
Juliet's eyes flung open in her new dormitory. Her first day of school! She was so excited, that when she got out of
bed she stumbled right into her crimson curtains, that where drawn around
her. "Umphh." She grunted, untangling herself. "Wassat Jul?" Asked the voice of Elisa Grant, who was in the next bed beside her.
Elisa had a massive amount of dark curls that bounced and gave her an innocent
look that would probably follow her her whole life. "Oh nothing, Eliza." Juliet managed to get out of the bed in one
piece, and saw that the other first year girls where climbing out as well,
although they weren't having as much trouble as Juliet. "Morning." Chorused Jennifer and Jessica Lensa, who where twin sisters and nearly
always ended up saying what the other was. They were identical right down to
their green eyes and copper hair. "Are
you always such so rowdy in the morning, Juliet?" Grinned Erin Mesh, a blonde girl with a very
large smile. "Mmm, maybe, I'll tell you tomorrow." Juliet said with a smile, and then she jumped
up. "Bathroom!" Jennifer followed close
behind, and the girls locked themselves in.
Juliet and Jennifer giggled once they had the bathroom to
themselves and they started to wash their faces and brush their teeth. "You know." Jennifer said both curiously and timidly. "You're not what I have heard other Malfoy's
to be like. I heard that your dad was
quite a terror when he was our age. He
hated my kind." Juliet looked at her,
her toothbrush still in her mouth. She
spit out the foamy toothpaste and started to talk. "I've hard a lot about how my father was,
from Ryan and James. Turned out father
harassed their fathers a lot. I'm
assuming by your kind you mean muggle borns, and well, I honestly couldn't tell
if you where a pureblood or not, It's not like it's tattooed on your face. And maybe father has changed, or at least he
is nice to his family, because I have never heard him curse, except to
Grandfather Lucius. Grandfather is a lot
more compatible with what everyone describes all the Malfoys to be like; he is
both cruel and biased. I also know he
likes dark things. He tried to teach me
the crutacious curse when I was little! Of course he passed it off as a little
birthday joke, but he still makes me feel quite unsafe. But you can be assured, Jen, I am not a mean
person; at least I don't think I am. I
came to Hogwarts to learn how to become a witch, and make friends, not
enemies. I hope you don't judge me by my
surname.
Jennifer looked at her and giggled. "That's the most serious I have seen you
since we arrived! Of course I won't judge you! I'm so glad no one is ridiculing
me because I'm a muggle born! Jess and I
where terribly worried, but so far, no harm done. "You have friends Jen, and that's all you
need to survive. Well, friends and a wand." Juliet winked. The girls both laughed
and left the bathroom, and were nearly run over by two more girls, anxiously
waiting to get in.
"Hey guys!" Juliet
said to Ryan and James when she entered the common room. "How did you sleep?" "Errr.." James said, still half asleep, but Ryan answered brightly- "Great! Come
on! I smell breakfast!" Juliet giggled
and followed the over excited red head. James dragged behind.
The three friends went down to the Great Hall, trying hard
to remember the quickest route. After
getting lost twice, they entered the Great hall, slightly winded, and took
their seats at the Gryffindor table. James was on the right of Juliet, and Ryan was across from them.
"Oh! Blueberry
waffles!" Juliet sighed with
delight. "They're my favorite." She
added, blushing slightly. James and Ryan
chuckled, and started to pile their plates with everything in their reach. Suddenly a loud 'whoosh' was heard as
hundreds of owls of every shape and size soared in. Juliet was delighted with the package of
sweets from her parents, and the days copy of the Daily Prophet. Once
all the personal owls cleared the hall, the school owls came to deliver the
students their schedules.
"Who do you have first?" Juliet asked Ryan and James. "Transfiguration with Professor Granger." Said Ryan, and James nodded in agreement. "Great!" Juliet exclaimed. "I do too! We
can get lost together." They laughed and
finished their first breakfast at Hogwarts.
~*~
Hermione had awoken the morning of her first official day in
a somewhat panic. She had forgotten
where she was, and when she rememberd, she felt as though she wanted to
run. After taking some calming breaths,
she hoisted herself out of her large, comfortable bed and made her way to the
bathroom to take a shower.
After emerging from the steaming room, hair and makeup in
place and smelling of fresh strawberries, she went over to her wardrobe and selected
a robe similar to the one she had worn the night before. "Might as well look nice." She said allowed. "Your quite right." Was the reply her full length mirror gave
her. This startled Hermione, but then
she rememberd how talkative everything in the castle was, and she asked. "Do I look presentable?" "Of course young dear, your going to be a
smash! Too bad all the current professors in this castle are too old for you." With Mirror replied cheekily. "Thanks." Hermione said, grabbing some last minute things for her classroom. She then left to go down to breakfast.
"Good morning Albus, Severus." Hermione said as she sat between the two
men. "Good morning Hermione," Dumbledor
said with a smile. "Ready for the
students, Hermione?" Severus asked. "Well, honestly, no." Hermione giggled a little and the men looked
at each other in wonder at the girls sudden high spirits. "But I am as ready as I will ever be. Hopefully the students will be kind to
me." She smiled at the two. "A bit of
advice, Hermione." Severus said in a low
voice. "Watch out for Mark Flint, He's a
third year and an absolute terror." "What house?" Hermione
asked. "Listen to the name,
Hermione." Snape replied. "Mark Flint." Hermione then realized. "As in,
the son of the old Slytherin quiddich captain? Markus Flint?" "The very
same." Snape said gravely. "He doesn't give me any trouble, but he will
definitely not be lenient with you, I suggest sending him to me if he becomes
unbearable. He is one of the worst
muggle haters I have ever known since Lucuis Malfoy himself." Hermione shivered involuntarily at the Malfoy
name, and the fact that she was to be teaching a bone fide muggle hater. "No worries, Hermione." Dumbledore said
reassuringly. "everything will work out,
use your power of detention and points to your advantage, Filch would surly
love some people for detention, I wager." His eyes twinkled and Hermione relaxed, getting back to her favorite
breakfast food-blueberry waffles.
Soon after finishing her breakfast, and listening to morning
announcements by Dumbledore, Hermione excused herself to get ready for her
first lesson. Snape grinned and told her
not too over do it, and she just laughed and exited the hall.
She roamed the long corridors to her new classroom, which
she had fixed up the night before. Finally she reached the transfiguration classroom. This was one of the few rooms which brought
back completely happy memories. She
rememberd all the praise she had gotten from Professor McGonagall. She felt a
smile creep along her lips as she put the finishing touches to her new
classroom. She stationed her new plaque
on her desk in the way Professor McGonagall had done it, and laid her yearbook
on her desk, with her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History on top. She
went through her drawers making sure once more that she had an adequate amount
of parchment, ink, and quills to get through the year by. She was softly humming a song at her desk,
when she was startled by her first students.
"Hello." Hermione said
warmly to the three students, but quickly inhaled a breath when she realized
who she was looking at. "Hello
Professor." The students replied, startled that she advanced so nicely to them. "My goodness." Hermione said faintly, taking a seat behind
her desk once more. "Professor?" James asked, hearing her. "What's
wrong?" "Oh, nothing, nothing at
all." Hermione was slightly startled he
had heard her. "I was just thinking that
you all look remarkably like your fathers." The three youths looked at one another, and Ryan said, "You knew our
fathers?" Hermione looked at them
sadly. "Yes, once a long while ago, I
knew your fathers…your mothers as well." Hermione snapped out of it and cleared
her throat. "Now, kindly take a seat, I shall begin class as soon as your
classmates arrive."
~*~
-A/N-
AHH! That chapter was SO much fun to write, I may be adding another
chapter soon. Hogwarts: A history will
come into play. Did you like the sorting
hat song? Lol, it took some thinking, I'm not very good. Can you tell I love the play Romeo and
Juliet? Yea, I do. And the poem isn't
mine, I got it on a plague for Christmas. Its author is unknown. Hmm, I
think that's all.
Also
As you can see, I have returned, Hope you like it.
xoxoariel