As she stepped from the carriage, Izabella found herself looking up at a large oak door just as it was opening. A cranky looking man walked through the door, he called down to them, "Professor Snape, they are waiting for her to join the others for the sorting." Professor Snape gave a slight nod as he and Izabella walked up the stone steps. When they reached the landing he introduced Izabella, "Bella, this is Mr. Filch, he is the caretaker of the school."
Mr. Filch looked her over, then turned back to Professor Snape; "Professor Dumbledore wants to meet with you. I will see that she it taken to be sorted and have her things sent up to the dormitories."
"I must leave you here with Mr. Filch, he will take you to Professor McGonagall, who is charge of the sorting. I will see you after the feast." Turning quickly, he walked into the castle, his robes billowing behind him.
Filch led Izabella through several corridors, the entire time mumbling just loud enough for her to hear, "Special treatment for the Princess. Can't even follow tradition and arrive with the other students. Holding up the entire evenings events."
A few minutes later Filch opened a door and rushed her into a small room that was already overcrowded. Before pushing his way through the crowd he muttered, "Wait here until you are told otherwise."
From somewhere across the room a voice called out "Alright, form a line. First years to the front, all others to the back."
Slowly the crowd moved towards the doorway on the other side of the room, following the voice. "I am Professor McGonagall," Izabella still could not now see who was speaking. "I want to welcome you all to Hogwarts. We will let the first years be sorted, then you, the transfers. We will go by age, as most of you are starting here at Hogwarts in different years."
There was a collective gasp as the students entered the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling showed the clear starry night. The room was lit by torches on the walls and candles that were floating throughout the room. Four tables ran the length of the room, one for each house.
Professor McGonagall walked past the line of students holding a small stool in one hand and a ratty old hat in the other. She placed the stool on a small platform in front of the head table, turning back to speak to the students behind her, "When your named is called, please come to the front of the Great Hall to be sorted.
Izabella stood waiting for the first years to be sorted. Instead the hat began to sing, "Oh you may not think me pretty, but don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me..." her gaze drifted from the singing hat to her father sitting at the head table, looking very impatient. When she caught his eye she gave a slight smile, which he returned. Her eyes covered the room before she spotted the five girls from the train sitting at one of the tables, directly across from the three boys who had come into the compartment before them. At a table on the other side of the room, she saw Hermione and the red haired boy sitting together. Her attention was brought back to the singing hat once again as it ended it's song, "...Now slip me snug about your ears, I've never yet been wrong, I'll have a look inside your mind and tell where you belong!"
Professor McGonagall began calling the names of the first years and Izabella's thoughts drifted back to the conversation that she had with Hagrid. She scanned the Great Hall again trying to guess which boy in the room was her cousin.
Hagrid came up behind her and his booming voice made her jump, "Let's go, time fer yew five to be sorted now" When he saw Izabella jump he added, "No need bein' nervous."
As they walked towards the platform and the waiting hat, Izabella noticed Pansy and Millicent, pointing at her and whispering. She gave them a quick wave and Pansy looked completely confused.
First to be called, a second year named Ignatius Flannory, almost immediately the sorting hat called out "Ravenclaw." The next two students Zanna Zillion, a third year and Tatiana Kandabarov, a fifth year both went to Gryffindor. Jasper Tisch, another sixth year went to Hufflepuff.
Izabella Snape was last to be sorted, perhaps because Headmaster Dumbledore knew the disturbance that would be created once her name was called. At first the hall was buzzing with whispers, none of the students knew that professor Snape had a daughter.
Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on Izabella's head and the Great Hall fell silent.
The hat whispered in her ear, "Let's see, let's see, where do you belong? I see you doing well in any of the houses, all but..." It was as if the sorting hat was trying to persuade itself, it took quite some time before the sorting hat proclaimed loudly, "Slytherin!" The Great Hall great hall remained for several moments before the entire Slytherin table, including Pansy and Millicent, burst into applause.
Severus Snape had never shown much interest in the results of a sorting before; he actually smiled after the hat had placed his daughter in Slytherin. He composed himself quickly, but no one would have noticed anyway as they were all to busy taking about his daughter that no one knew existed.
Pansy, Millicent and one of the other girls from the train walked over to Izabella and pulled her over to the Slytherin table. She was led to the seat directly across the table form the blond boy that had come into the compartment of the train. Goyle and the other large boy sat on either side of the blond boy who stood before she sat down; he reached for her hand. He bowed his head to kiss her hand and Pansy burst out "Prince Charming strikes again," the girls giggled, Goyle and the other boy made grunting noises. He glared at the girls and they stopped, he elbowed Goyle in order for him to stop and kicked the other boy under the table.
As they sat the boy leaned over the table, "I am sorry about earlier, on the train. We had some business to discuss and needed a private compartment. Let me introduce everyone.
Nodding to his right, this is Vincent Crabbe." Vincent gave her that same smile that he did on the train. Then pointing to his left, "The oaf from the train, Greg Goyle. The girls are Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Ophelia Augustus," each girl have a small wave as her name was mentioned, he finished by introducing himself, "I am Draco, Draco Malfoy."
Her eyes widened slightly when he said his name, "I've heard of you."
Draco looked surprised, "You can't believe everything you hear. Unless, of course it was something good," he said with a smirk.