"When your name is called please step forward. I will place the sorting hat on your head and it will sort you into your houses."
The first person to be called, "Arnold, Matthew," raced up to the old hat and being the abnormally small boy that he was, it slipped down over his light brown hair and fell to his shoulders.
After a few moments of consideration, it seemed that the hat had decided.
"RAVENCLAW" - it shouted loudly, startling several onlookers.
The far table to the left cheered brightly as their new addition ran to join them. It went on like that for what seemed like an hour, as each person took between a few seconds to several minuets to sort. There was "Lawson, Michelle" and "Linn, Deborah" - one of Donna's younger sisters who also happily joined the Ravenclaw table... then "Malfoy, Lovinia," "Mason, Frederic," and "Matheson, Vincent."
By the time "Wescott, Samuel" was declared a Slytherin, the crowd had begun shifting toward boredom. Melissa stifled a yawn.
Then, after the hat had been cleared away and Professor McGonagall took her seat, the Headmaster stood to address the room.
Albus Dumbledore had only taken the role as Headmaster of Hogwarts School a year before my friends and I had first begun attending. I believe that he had once been a teacher also, but for certain, I am not.
I had never quite respected the Headmaster while I was enrolled at Hogwarts; very few of us actually did. We just regarded him as the authority and rarely did the administrator and the administrated meet.
It wasn't until years after graduation when realization of his greatness actually struck me and even more time (a decade a half to be exact) before we finally came face to face.
* * *
His clear blue eyes held her gaze intensely, beckoning the words from her lips.
"I don't know where she is. I haven't seen her in over five years; the last time I saw Anne Emmale was at our graduation."
The Headmaster sighed wearily. "We've reached another dead end."
"I disagree, respectively," Professor Snape interjected.
"Oh?"
"Yes, as evidence by the current circumstances, this woman has proved to be beyond trusting. For all we know she could be harboring Anne.. Ms. Emmale in the very next room."
"What?" Erin replied incredulously, "You're one to talk, Severus Snape. I know of the things you've done - of your life as a death eater." Her anger spilled over mercilessly and she spat in his face.
"Silence, both of you!" Dumbledore cried, stepping between them. Both parties instantly took a step back upon meeting the Headmaster's disapproving gaze.
"Now, we won't get anywhere as long as each of you continue in this manner. I suggest that you both take a moment to set aside your differences and at least pretend to act with civility. Should no other reasons come to mind, do it for the cause."
Severus's gaze shifted from Dumbledore to Ms. Ravenswood, then to the floor. His thick raven hair falling from behind his ears, Severus looked toward her again. He didn't trust the so-called "Mrs. Ravenswood" in the smallest measurement.
The Potions master continued watching her from the corner of his eye. She was in deep thought...
Erin's emerald eyes may have gilded her thoughts, but somehow he knew that her psyche was concocting a scheme.
The situation tumbled haphazardly in Erin's mind, though after several moments of consideration she forced her brimming thoughts to settle. There was only one solution:
Should the Headmaster ask her to work with Mr. Snape, she would have no choice but to flee.
She was jerked from her thoughts by Dumbledore's calm voice. He acknowledged the two at his side - "Erin. Severus." And as if having read Erin's mind, he spoke the condemning words - "I have something that I wish you to do."