Disclaimer in Chapter One.
CHAPTER THREE
The Dream Team
"Malfoy, Sinistrent!"
The same boy who had insulted Hermione practically ran up to the Sorting Hat, it having barely touched a hair on his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" louder than it had said anything yet.
Hermione stifled a giggle; the Sorting Hat really could tell.
"Nottings, Trysten!"
A brunet boy nervously approached the hat, and picked it up, placing it timidly on his head. The Sorting Hat took slightly longer with this one, then announced, "Ravenclaw!"
A small smile graced Hermione's face; she could tell the boy was intelligent from what little she'd heard of what he'd said on their way in, and she remembered perfectly the Sorting Hat's deliberation about her, wondering if she belonged in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor.
"Potter, James!"
Hermione could practically HEAR Snape's scowl as James, the spitting image of his father, but with his grandfather's eyes. It was honestly amazing how traits could re-assert themselves, skipping one generation, Hermione reflected, as James had barely jammed the hat over his head (obviously, Harry had gotten to James before Fred and George had had a chance to preach about the 'horrors of Sorting') when the Sorting Hat made its decision.
Nearly as quickly as it Sorted Sinistrent, Hermione smirked as James ran to his "rightful" table, the same one that his parents and grandparents had joined so many years ago.
"Potter, Lily!"
She has her father's eyes, Hermione found herself thinking, as she heard a small groan from her right side. She nearly laughed again, but restrained herself just in time to see the Sorting Hat take just as long with Lily, Harry's oldest daughter, as it had with Harry himself. Lily seemed to be the perfect blend of Lily Evans and Ginny Weasley - the spatter of freckles across her nose gave away the Weasley heritage, however, the bright red of Ginny's hair, the trademark of the Weasley line, had been toned down into Lily's somewhat tamer auburn locks, but were still redder than ordinary.
Finally, Lily, too, was placed in Gryffindor, and welcomed to the table by tumultuous cheer. Her exuberant personality - obviously from Ginny, as Harry had become rather more serious since graduation - showed as she laughed and grinned, already having made new friends. Hermione smiled, pleased that both her Potter godchildren had made it into Gryffindor; all was as it was meant to be. The "Dream Team" was back together again, in a way.
"Silver, Calliope!"
The graceful girl nearly glided up to the stool, serenely placing the worn Sorting Hat over her head. She seemed to know that she was the last to be sorted.
It also seemed that for her calm disposition, the Sorting Hat immediately placed her in Hufflepuff, and the entire Great Hall exploded into applause for the last new first year, who headed over to join her older brother - a prefect - at the Hufflepuff table.
As McGonagall went to return the Hat to its rightful place, Dumbledore stood up. "This year, I would like to get the announcements out of the way BEFORE the Feast. The Forbidden Forest is, as always, and as implied by its rather appropriate name, off-limits to all without proper chaperonage. Quidditch tryouts will be the second week of term, also as usual - please see Madam Hooch to sign up." Dumbledore indicated the hawk-like woman at the left side of the High Table and paused to wait for the small flurry of excited talk to die down, as he always did.
"In addition to the usual," added the Headmaster, "we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor joining us from the Aurory, Professor Hermione Granger whom many of you may recognise from her rather influential hand in the defeat of Voldemort. She will also be replacing Professor McGonagall this year as the Head of Gryffindor House. And, as usual, there will be no derogatory remarks pertaining to her heritage, nor anyone else's."
Hermione, who had stood up to smile and wave, momentarily froze at that, but hid her oncoming blush well, and sat down again.
"Let the feast begin!"
Unconvinced that that simple statement would stop the insulting remarks obviously directed at her out of pure malice and animosity, Hermione leaned towards Snape. "Severus?"
"What?" he snapped, turning only briefly to respond.
"Could I trouble you to keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy? It would seem that he rather enjoys insulting the people who will be watching him most closely, and who will be giving him his grades," Hermione replied, voice even and steady; she couldn't expect much from Snape, especially after what had transpired during their last meeting.
He snorted, still not looking up, but Hermione smiled. "Thank you," she said softly, and returned to her previous conversation with Professor Vector.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Miss Granger," Snape stopped Hermione from leaving as the feast ended.
"PROFESSOR Snape," Hermione said, emphasizing the title as if it were an insult as she paused by his chair, "I am your colleague now. If you do not consider me your peer, then so be it, but at least do me the courtesy of addressing me by my proper title. I am a professor at this school, and I have a degree in the field of Alchemy. If you cannot call me 'professor', please address me by the title of 'doctor'. I am no longer your student. And if you will excuse me, I would like to get myself acquainted with my House."
Slightly surprised by Hermione's now acid demeanor towards him, all Snape could do was watch her as she exited the Great Hall, headed after her students.
With an exasperated roll of his eyes, skillfully hidden, he realised that he would now need to go to the trouble of sending a note by Floo to her room.
Where WAS her room, anyway?
CHAPTER THREE
The Dream Team
"Malfoy, Sinistrent!"
The same boy who had insulted Hermione practically ran up to the Sorting Hat, it having barely touched a hair on his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" louder than it had said anything yet.
Hermione stifled a giggle; the Sorting Hat really could tell.
"Nottings, Trysten!"
A brunet boy nervously approached the hat, and picked it up, placing it timidly on his head. The Sorting Hat took slightly longer with this one, then announced, "Ravenclaw!"
A small smile graced Hermione's face; she could tell the boy was intelligent from what little she'd heard of what he'd said on their way in, and she remembered perfectly the Sorting Hat's deliberation about her, wondering if she belonged in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor.
"Potter, James!"
Hermione could practically HEAR Snape's scowl as James, the spitting image of his father, but with his grandfather's eyes. It was honestly amazing how traits could re-assert themselves, skipping one generation, Hermione reflected, as James had barely jammed the hat over his head (obviously, Harry had gotten to James before Fred and George had had a chance to preach about the 'horrors of Sorting') when the Sorting Hat made its decision.
Nearly as quickly as it Sorted Sinistrent, Hermione smirked as James ran to his "rightful" table, the same one that his parents and grandparents had joined so many years ago.
"Potter, Lily!"
She has her father's eyes, Hermione found herself thinking, as she heard a small groan from her right side. She nearly laughed again, but restrained herself just in time to see the Sorting Hat take just as long with Lily, Harry's oldest daughter, as it had with Harry himself. Lily seemed to be the perfect blend of Lily Evans and Ginny Weasley - the spatter of freckles across her nose gave away the Weasley heritage, however, the bright red of Ginny's hair, the trademark of the Weasley line, had been toned down into Lily's somewhat tamer auburn locks, but were still redder than ordinary.
Finally, Lily, too, was placed in Gryffindor, and welcomed to the table by tumultuous cheer. Her exuberant personality - obviously from Ginny, as Harry had become rather more serious since graduation - showed as she laughed and grinned, already having made new friends. Hermione smiled, pleased that both her Potter godchildren had made it into Gryffindor; all was as it was meant to be. The "Dream Team" was back together again, in a way.
"Silver, Calliope!"
The graceful girl nearly glided up to the stool, serenely placing the worn Sorting Hat over her head. She seemed to know that she was the last to be sorted.
It also seemed that for her calm disposition, the Sorting Hat immediately placed her in Hufflepuff, and the entire Great Hall exploded into applause for the last new first year, who headed over to join her older brother - a prefect - at the Hufflepuff table.
As McGonagall went to return the Hat to its rightful place, Dumbledore stood up. "This year, I would like to get the announcements out of the way BEFORE the Feast. The Forbidden Forest is, as always, and as implied by its rather appropriate name, off-limits to all without proper chaperonage. Quidditch tryouts will be the second week of term, also as usual - please see Madam Hooch to sign up." Dumbledore indicated the hawk-like woman at the left side of the High Table and paused to wait for the small flurry of excited talk to die down, as he always did.
"In addition to the usual," added the Headmaster, "we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor joining us from the Aurory, Professor Hermione Granger whom many of you may recognise from her rather influential hand in the defeat of Voldemort. She will also be replacing Professor McGonagall this year as the Head of Gryffindor House. And, as usual, there will be no derogatory remarks pertaining to her heritage, nor anyone else's."
Hermione, who had stood up to smile and wave, momentarily froze at that, but hid her oncoming blush well, and sat down again.
"Let the feast begin!"
Unconvinced that that simple statement would stop the insulting remarks obviously directed at her out of pure malice and animosity, Hermione leaned towards Snape. "Severus?"
"What?" he snapped, turning only briefly to respond.
"Could I trouble you to keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy? It would seem that he rather enjoys insulting the people who will be watching him most closely, and who will be giving him his grades," Hermione replied, voice even and steady; she couldn't expect much from Snape, especially after what had transpired during their last meeting.
He snorted, still not looking up, but Hermione smiled. "Thank you," she said softly, and returned to her previous conversation with Professor Vector.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Miss Granger," Snape stopped Hermione from leaving as the feast ended.
"PROFESSOR Snape," Hermione said, emphasizing the title as if it were an insult as she paused by his chair, "I am your colleague now. If you do not consider me your peer, then so be it, but at least do me the courtesy of addressing me by my proper title. I am a professor at this school, and I have a degree in the field of Alchemy. If you cannot call me 'professor', please address me by the title of 'doctor'. I am no longer your student. And if you will excuse me, I would like to get myself acquainted with my House."
Slightly surprised by Hermione's now acid demeanor towards him, all Snape could do was watch her as she exited the Great Hall, headed after her students.
With an exasperated roll of his eyes, skillfully hidden, he realised that he would now need to go to the trouble of sending a note by Floo to her room.
Where WAS her room, anyway?