'Lo. I know I said I probably wouldn't be updating, but I wrote it in school, and I figured I'd upload it, even though I'm currently neglecting my tourism notes… I've got a geog mock paper tomorrow, before the actual exam.
The strangest thing is I was studying the League of Nations earlier this evening for my history paper. *sigh* It looks like my studying is just really really messed up. =P
Chapter 3 - To Hogwarts, To Hogwarts
A few minutes later, Harry was still studying the silent adult sitting across from him quietly. He was bursting with questions but decided that he would wait out the strange contest that he and the stoic faced Professor seemed to be having.
Since both were waiting for the other to start speaking first, and neither were willing to say anything until the other did, complete silence filled the room, and Harry contented himself with watching Snape closely.
The man was a complete enigma. He had found Harry, to be sure, but had shown little or no interest during Harry's short conversation with Dumbledore. On the other hand, he had voluntarily stayed behind to keep an eye on the boy.
Snape on his part was inspecting Harry as closely as he himself was being scrutinized, an unreadable expression on his face. By all accounts, he ought to dislike the boy, Snape thought to himself furiously. Harry was, after all, the son of his schoolboy rival. Despite this however, he found himself taking a liking to the slim, serious-faced child.
Before either of them had made a move to speak to each other, however, there was a loud screech from outside the window and a large barn owl hurtled in, bearing a letter.
Reaching out a hand, Snape caught the owl, untying the letter attached to its feet.
"So that's how you exchange mail," a thoughtful voice interjected. Harry was studying the owl sombrely, his head tilted to one side. When the boy held out an arm, the owl hopped over to perch on it, nuzzling Harry's face for a moment before it took off out the open window.
Snape blinked. "The school owls never behave like that."
With a slight smile and a shrug, Harry replied, "I've always liked animals."
When it was obvious that the boy was not going to provide any more information besides the single sentence he had just spoken, Snape sighed, "Why did you leave the Dursleys, Harry? The headmaster left you there for your own protection."
Harry stiffened slightly upon
hearing Snape mention his relatives. Then with a forced smile, he said blithely,
"I didn't feel like I belonged with them. So when I was eight, I figured I'd do
better out in the streets by myself." Hastily changing the subject, he added,
"What's Hogwarts like?"
Snape allowed himself a moment's amusement as he mulled over the thought that anyone actually thought that Hogwarts could be described just like that. Then, noting how Harry was still looking at him, he said slowly, with a slight shrug, his hand still griping the envelope he had received from the owl.
"Well, it's a school, as you doubtless have gathered. It caters to young witches and wizards from the age of eleven, where they get their acceptance letter, to the age of seventeen, when they finally graduate from Hogwarts."
Holding out the envelope, he added, "This is your letter."
When Harry crossed the distance between them, accepting the parchment envelope, Snape went on. "There are four houses in Hogwarts."
"Houses?" Harry looked up from the emerald writing on the front of the envelope to stare curiously at Snape. "What houses?"
"I'm getting there."
As Harry proceeded to open the envelope, the scowl was wiped off Snape's face and he carried on speaking. "There's Hufflepuff, for the hardworking and loyal. In my opinion, it's the house that carries a whole troop of dunderheads. Useless, brainless, and blindly accepting."
Harry smirked slightly at Snape's description, causing the Potions Master to mummer softly to himself, "Definitely not for Hufflepuff, this one."
As Harry watched Snape silently once more, frozen in the act of unfolding his letter as he waited for the adult to continue his narrative, Snape said, "There's also Ravenclaw, for those quick of mind and intelligent. I personally find them rather… dreary in nature. All they know is their books. Dump them in society, and they sink."
With a slightly cocky smile, Harry looked up from where he had been alternately pursuing the contents of the letter and listening to Snape. "Well, I guess that rules me out from Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff too, I would think. What else is there?"
Holding up two fingers, Snape smirked slightly, "The second last is Gryffindor. Home of the brave and courageous, or so it is said. It is also the house your parents were in. While I don't deny that the Gryffindors are seemingly fearless in nature, they are also hot-headed, rash, impatient, and daft." With a close eye on Harry, he continued, "You don't seem the type."
"The last one then?" Harry's voice was quiet, carrying no hint of his emotions.
"I'm the head of the last house. Slytherin." Almost fondly, Snape sounded a lot more enthusiastic then he had earlier. We're supposed to be cunning, sly and ambitious. Many of the other houses dislike us. According to society bias, we're also the house that turns out all the evil wizards or witches. I like to think that we're pragmatic and smart. Then again, ambition is not necessarily a bad trait."
Harry nodded, thinking over the information.
"So what will it be, Mr Potter, are you coming to Hogwarts?"
Harry gave Snape a wry half grin. Looking around, he asked, one eyebrow raised significantly as his gaze rested on the various broken contents of the room. "It's not like I've got much to lose, is it?"
"Wonderful," Snape smiled, "come, the sooner we get to buy your school things the better. It's almost morning anyway. Leave your stuff; I doubt you'll need them. And I can purchase a new wardrobe for you."
"I'll tell Dumbledore you've accepted too," he added as an after thought, before Harry could say anything else.
"Does he read minds, or what," the boy thought absently as he trotted after the tall man. A few steps away from the door, Harry paused to survey the dingy, rundown room almost sadly. It wasn't quite the perfect home, but it was where he had spent the last three years.
Then, he turned and followed Snape from the old building.
Hi, like I earlier mentioned, my finals are coming up, so I've no idea when I can next update. Rest assured, I'm not abandoning this though, it might just be a while until I can get to working on it again.
To ER – Thanks! =) And yes, I'll definitely be writing more.
To Crystaldolphin88 – Haha, I sure will, if my parents don't decapitate me sometime or other after seeing my results…
To Maya – Your wish is my command. *poof* update appears =) enjoy!
To everyone else… do read and review! Bye!
