[Disclaimer: see Chapter 1]
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Snape swept through the corridor, seething with annoyance. If Pomfrey and Sprout, those blasted women, had not shown up or had merely waited for a few more minutes before making their presence known, he might have been able to find out why Adelaide Gentry was really at Hogwarts. But instead, she had gotten the last word, and was rescued by the two nosiest witches on staff. He had no doubt however, that she would think of a decent explanation as to why they were seen together. Social niceties, most likely.
Snape stalked into a Great Hall still devoid of students, and took his place at the staff table, glowering at the dishes. Remus Lupin, the re- instated DADA teacher, was on the other end of the table, apparently already lost in conversation with Professor Flitwick. The only other teachers were Ada Vector, the Arthimancy professor, and Madam Hooch.and.[Merlin's Beard!]. Sybill Trelawny glided in, lost under layers of gauzy clothing, beaded necklaces, and caked on makeup. Snape swore that her perfume trail was visible at times. The woman was insufferable, worse than the gossiping Sprout and Pomfrey, because none of his venomous glares could frighten her enough to keep her from.flirting. It made him nauseous to consider. Before he could pretend to immerse himself in conversation with Hooch, Trelawny swept over to him, reeking of incense and perfume.
"Severus." she began, a hand covering her eyes, her voice in dreamy high gear.
"A woman will enter you life this year, and that which you treasure most will be threatened."
Snape snorted, and scowled at the Divinations professor.
"It will hardly be Mr. Potter, I assure you. And how did you come to your conclusion this year? Tea leaves? Star charts? A muggle magic 8-ball?" he sneered at her.
Trelawny gave a little 'hmph' of annoyance, and drifted to the end of the table, to join in the conversation with Flitwick and Lupin. Snape glanced up in time to see Adelaide enter, arm-in-arm with Sprout and Pomfrey. As they approached the staff table, a brief look of apprehension flashed over Adelaide's face, but she climbed the stars and settled next to Lupin. Snape certainly didn't miss the appraising look Lupin gave her once she sat down, and that rather annoyed him. He had no idea what kind of girl Adelaide was, and he had no right looking at her in such a manner. Cinnia Sprout sat down in the chair to his right, and leaned over to speak with him, despite the soul look on his face.
"She thinks you have atrocious manners, Adelaide does. I can't blame her, though she won't say what you said to her. You might be able to change her mind still. It's not too late."
She trailed off as Snape fixed her a particularly evil glare.
"What goes on between Professor Gentry and I," he seethed, "is none of your business. If I wish to be 'atrocious' to her, I shall. I daresay the rest of you have coped well enough with my 'manners.'"
He turned his head away from her, to send a rather nasty look in Adelaide's direction. She, however, was in an animated discussion with Lupin, which only made him angrier.
".Oh, I suppose if I had gone to school here, things would be more familiar, but also more nerve-wracking too. At least none of you knew me as a child."
She trailed off for a second, and looked in Snape's direction as he leaned forward slightly to hear her continue. Unfortunately, Dumbledore chose that moment to make his entrance, and her attention snapped to the Headmaster.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the students have arrived."
Snape saw Adelaide swallow, looking pale as death-all the more impressive due to her normally pale coloring. His eyes narrowed as he saw Lupin pat her hand in an attempt to comfort her. The older students began to file in, and soon the Great Hall was buzzing with voices. The sorting hat was brought out, and set on a stool before the staff table. McGonagall led the first years in, their eyes large and frightened, some clinging to one another. Snape let his eyes slide to Adelaide, and for a moment the thought he caught a haunted look sliding through her eyes. But she leaned forward with intense curiosity at the proceedings, and her sympathy for the children washed over her face. He was sure, however, that the curiosity was genuine.
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Adelaide was amazed at the events of the evening. Durmstrang had nothing like this. The students have never been separated into Houses, and so nothing like the Sorting Hat had ever existed. Though, in honesty, Adelaide figured that the Headmaster of Durmstrang would have looked down on such.foolishness, had he been present. Still, what else had she missed out on as a child? If her father had not been so insistent on keeping his daughter 'clean' from the 'filth' of the mudbloods and their ilk, she would have attended Hogwarts. From the description the Sorting Hat had given of each of the houses, she would have stood the biggest chance of being placed in Slytherin; or, perhaps, Ravenclaw if she had been lucky. She would have never been a Gryffindor, for their foolishness rather annoyed her, and the Hufflepuffs were weak and stupid. No, she would have been Slytherin. She already had the mindset, whether or not she was aware of it. The Slytherins, especially the older students, looked at her appraisingly. The Hufflepuffs smiled at her, and she barely restrained a glare at them. The Ravenclaws looked gleeful at having another knowledgeable teacher, but the Gryffindor table was mixed; some ogling by the male students occurred, as with all the other tables, a few excited faces, and a number of distrustful ones. Overall, not a bad result. The buzz of conversation had returned to the room after Dumbledore's welcoming speech, dimmed only partially by the presence of food.
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[A/N: Let me extend my apologizes to everyone for taking so very long in updating. I can only blame two weeks of vacation, where a great deal of this story has been written, and a lot of work with the kiddies. I now have people who nag me (*glee!*) to get the chapters up, so I will now obey their naggings. Thanks to Forbee, Chris, Christy, Normwifey, and Green.]
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Snape swept through the corridor, seething with annoyance. If Pomfrey and Sprout, those blasted women, had not shown up or had merely waited for a few more minutes before making their presence known, he might have been able to find out why Adelaide Gentry was really at Hogwarts. But instead, she had gotten the last word, and was rescued by the two nosiest witches on staff. He had no doubt however, that she would think of a decent explanation as to why they were seen together. Social niceties, most likely.
Snape stalked into a Great Hall still devoid of students, and took his place at the staff table, glowering at the dishes. Remus Lupin, the re- instated DADA teacher, was on the other end of the table, apparently already lost in conversation with Professor Flitwick. The only other teachers were Ada Vector, the Arthimancy professor, and Madam Hooch.and.[Merlin's Beard!]. Sybill Trelawny glided in, lost under layers of gauzy clothing, beaded necklaces, and caked on makeup. Snape swore that her perfume trail was visible at times. The woman was insufferable, worse than the gossiping Sprout and Pomfrey, because none of his venomous glares could frighten her enough to keep her from.flirting. It made him nauseous to consider. Before he could pretend to immerse himself in conversation with Hooch, Trelawny swept over to him, reeking of incense and perfume.
"Severus." she began, a hand covering her eyes, her voice in dreamy high gear.
"A woman will enter you life this year, and that which you treasure most will be threatened."
Snape snorted, and scowled at the Divinations professor.
"It will hardly be Mr. Potter, I assure you. And how did you come to your conclusion this year? Tea leaves? Star charts? A muggle magic 8-ball?" he sneered at her.
Trelawny gave a little 'hmph' of annoyance, and drifted to the end of the table, to join in the conversation with Flitwick and Lupin. Snape glanced up in time to see Adelaide enter, arm-in-arm with Sprout and Pomfrey. As they approached the staff table, a brief look of apprehension flashed over Adelaide's face, but she climbed the stars and settled next to Lupin. Snape certainly didn't miss the appraising look Lupin gave her once she sat down, and that rather annoyed him. He had no idea what kind of girl Adelaide was, and he had no right looking at her in such a manner. Cinnia Sprout sat down in the chair to his right, and leaned over to speak with him, despite the soul look on his face.
"She thinks you have atrocious manners, Adelaide does. I can't blame her, though she won't say what you said to her. You might be able to change her mind still. It's not too late."
She trailed off as Snape fixed her a particularly evil glare.
"What goes on between Professor Gentry and I," he seethed, "is none of your business. If I wish to be 'atrocious' to her, I shall. I daresay the rest of you have coped well enough with my 'manners.'"
He turned his head away from her, to send a rather nasty look in Adelaide's direction. She, however, was in an animated discussion with Lupin, which only made him angrier.
".Oh, I suppose if I had gone to school here, things would be more familiar, but also more nerve-wracking too. At least none of you knew me as a child."
She trailed off for a second, and looked in Snape's direction as he leaned forward slightly to hear her continue. Unfortunately, Dumbledore chose that moment to make his entrance, and her attention snapped to the Headmaster.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the students have arrived."
Snape saw Adelaide swallow, looking pale as death-all the more impressive due to her normally pale coloring. His eyes narrowed as he saw Lupin pat her hand in an attempt to comfort her. The older students began to file in, and soon the Great Hall was buzzing with voices. The sorting hat was brought out, and set on a stool before the staff table. McGonagall led the first years in, their eyes large and frightened, some clinging to one another. Snape let his eyes slide to Adelaide, and for a moment the thought he caught a haunted look sliding through her eyes. But she leaned forward with intense curiosity at the proceedings, and her sympathy for the children washed over her face. He was sure, however, that the curiosity was genuine.
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Adelaide was amazed at the events of the evening. Durmstrang had nothing like this. The students have never been separated into Houses, and so nothing like the Sorting Hat had ever existed. Though, in honesty, Adelaide figured that the Headmaster of Durmstrang would have looked down on such.foolishness, had he been present. Still, what else had she missed out on as a child? If her father had not been so insistent on keeping his daughter 'clean' from the 'filth' of the mudbloods and their ilk, she would have attended Hogwarts. From the description the Sorting Hat had given of each of the houses, she would have stood the biggest chance of being placed in Slytherin; or, perhaps, Ravenclaw if she had been lucky. She would have never been a Gryffindor, for their foolishness rather annoyed her, and the Hufflepuffs were weak and stupid. No, she would have been Slytherin. She already had the mindset, whether or not she was aware of it. The Slytherins, especially the older students, looked at her appraisingly. The Hufflepuffs smiled at her, and she barely restrained a glare at them. The Ravenclaws looked gleeful at having another knowledgeable teacher, but the Gryffindor table was mixed; some ogling by the male students occurred, as with all the other tables, a few excited faces, and a number of distrustful ones. Overall, not a bad result. The buzz of conversation had returned to the room after Dumbledore's welcoming speech, dimmed only partially by the presence of food.
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[A/N: Let me extend my apologizes to everyone for taking so very long in updating. I can only blame two weeks of vacation, where a great deal of this story has been written, and a lot of work with the kiddies. I now have people who nag me (*glee!*) to get the chapters up, so I will now obey their naggings. Thanks to Forbee, Chris, Christy, Normwifey, and Green.]
