Chapter Seven
Another Snape is Sorted
It was a mystery to the children what exactly the fuss was going on in the Muggle World, but for whatever reason, King's Cross Station was more packed that day than anyone could ever remember. Why they weren't allowed to just conjure up a few carts, Aurelius had no idea, but Aurelius found himself standing with his bags waiting in the crowd with a snake cage in his hand.
It was just as well they had said their goodbyes to the Potter kids, Andrew, Alicia, and Mrs. Weasley at the Burrow (Jamie had gotten Tangerine Spots and they thought best to keep them there). Mrs. Weasley had made such a fuss about Aurelius leaving to be a bit embarrassing as she triple checked everything, and they really didn't need three more bodies in the crowd at the moment. It didn't help that Alex as usual was using up all the air talking a mile a minute about a tiny booklet she had picked up from an exchange booth that listed the going rates of different sorts of Muggle currency in different countries, excited about the idea of trying to convert them all to theirs. At least she had the decency not to mention galleons by name. The Muggles merely smiled at her as they passed, while she jotted down some math in the margins as she tried to figure it all out.
Aurelius sighed, glad that Mr. Weasley had finally made it up the line and was loading up Alex's carts, when he noticed a Muggle boy about Alicia's age with thick glasses peering curiously over at him.
"What have you got there? Is it a snake?" he asked. "Are you allowed to take it on the train? I like snakes."
"You wouldn't like this one. He's poisonous. And he likes to bite," Aurelius warned. "He'll bite your nose off if you get too close."
"Honestly. That's just a grass snake, you know. He's not poisonous," the boy said matter-of-factly.
"Are you quite sure?" Aurelius said, holding the cage closer to his face. "Maybe you'd better have a closer look," he coaxed as the boy peered in. "Just a little closer…"
"Rel! What are you doing? Come and get your cart!" Mr. Weasley called, and Aurelius reluctantly pulled the cage back just as Achilles made a snap towards the boy's nose.
"It never fails, just when I was beginning to have fun," Aurelius muttered, pulling his trunk along behind him as the boy stared after him.
"Since when do I have to remind you not to talk to strange Muggles? It's usually your sister," Arthur chided him, lifting the trunk onto the cart. "And just what were you two talking about?"
"He just wanted to see my snake. He said he liked snakes," Aurelius said innocently, patting Achilles' cage after setting him on top.
"We're going to be late if we don't hurry," Alex said impatiently.
"All right, follow me. Good thing we got here early," Mr. Weasley said, leading them through the crowd. It was quite a relief to finally get out onto the platforms where there was a bit of breathing room, and before Aurelius knew it he was pushing his cart at a run towards a large brick pillar, only to find himself crashing into his sister's cart who had paused to wave to someone on the other side.
"You could have waited half a moment!" Alex barked as she tried to pick up her things.
"Well, why did you stop just on the other side, you idiot?" Aurelius barked back.
"Let's save the squabbling for the train, you two, come on, hurry, out of the way!" Mr. Weasley insisted, pushing the carts safely out of the entrance.
"Alex! Over here!" Rose waved from one of the compartments of the train.
"Not so fast, baggage first. You'd think you had never done this before, Alex," Mr. Weasley said, nudging her along.
"I'm sorry, it's just so exciting getting back to school again!" Alex said happily, hurrying over the baggage carts.
"Girls," Aurelius said, shaking his head.
"You might want to check your snake in as well, Rel. There's liable to be a bunch of Owls about and it might make for an unpleasant trip if you have them out."
"But he might get all shaken up back there. I'd rather keep him," Aurelius protested.
"Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you," Mr. Weasley said, handing up the last of the trunks. "Now you two behave yourselves, and I expect you'll both write Mrs. Weasley and your siblings as soon as you are settled," he said, offering them a hand onto the train.
"Thanks, Mr. Weasley!" Alex said as they got on, Aurelius glancing behind them to see Arthur waving one last time as they headed in.
"Finally! I thought we'd never get away!" Aurelius said with such a tone that Alex couldn't help but look amused.
"Why is it that when we're with Mum and Father all you do is complain about them not giving you enough credit, but when we're with the Weasleys, you complain about how much they fuss over you? Would you make up your mind?" Alex scolded him.
"The Weasleys aren't our parents, are they? Besides, there has to be some sort of middle ground… respect without… without getting smarmy." Aurelius said.
"Wait until you see how our parents teach, I have a feeling you're going to change your mind," Alex warned him. "Ah, here we are!" Rose and Mandria, having been guarding their seats, scooted over to make room for them, both the girls welcoming Aurelius warmly while Alex was busy getting into her bag. Misty, sitting in the corner of the bag rack, hooted in protest at the cage he was holding.
"Snake!" Mandria jumped immediately jumping over to the other side, glancing at Aurelius and the cage warily.
"At least it's not a toad," Rose said. Alex got up and sat next to her brother so Mandria could have her seat.
"He won't bite, well, not unless I tell him to, isn't that right, Achilles?" Aurelius said, hissing softly at the snake.
"Achilles? Odd name for a snake, isn't it?"
"Father named him. It's the same snake that bit Ciardoth on the ankle that night with the Hourglass," Alex said. The other two girls looked much more impressed. "I still think Father should have given him to me."
"Well he's mine, ask him yourself. He only wants to be with me now," Aurelius said. "But I might let you borrow him for a while, if you let me borrow your broom for Quidditch tryouts."
"You're going to tryout your first year?" Mandria asked dubiously.
"I'm of the opinion that the main reason most first years don't make Quidditch teams is because they're not allowed to bring their own brooms the first year," Aurelius said. "And, if you let me use your broom, I can prove it."
"I don't know, Aurelius," Alex said cautiously. "I mean, you can use my broom for that if you like, I suppose, but… well, I just don't want you to get your hopes up too much is all. Not all of the teams are even going to have openings this year."
"We might," said someone at the door, and the four of them looked up to see a tall boy with neat copper hair in Slytherin robes, smiling slightly as he leaned against the door. Rose and Mandria didn't look too pleased to see him, Aurelius noted, but his sister didn't seem a bit perturbed at all.
"Hello, Xavier. Rel, this Xavier Platt, fourth year. Xavier, this is my brother, Aurelius."
"Really? Any relation to Yardley Platt?" Aurelius asked with open interest, holding out his hand.
"Funny, your sister asked me the same question last year," Xavier said evenly, shaking the boy's hand. "Good to see another Snape coming into the fold. Hephaestus Grey was telling some of us a moment ago you graduated Stoddard with top honors."
"I don't like being second," Aurelius said. Alex gazed at her brother thoughtfully, suddenly wondering if he meant more than just schoolwork.
"I know what you mean," Xavier smiled. "I have a feeling the two of us are going to get along well."
"Xavier Platt gets along with anyone he thinks might get him ahead," said Conner Donovan, shoving his way in, closely followed by Stewart Gaffney, who nodded to Xavier curtly.
"Well, if it isn't the Gruff'an'dumb's famous dullard duo, noted for using every muscle they have except their brains. I imagine the concept of excusing yourselves when barging into a room would be above your mentality levels," Xavier said. Aurelius snickered.
"Can I do it to him now?" Conner asked Stewart.
"Xavier, if you don't mind, we've a bit of team business, you understand, I'm sure. In other words, clear out." Stewart said, waving him back towards where he had been sitting.
"And what about these three?" Xavier challenged.
"They're not on teams yet. You're a captain. Now bugger off," Conner said.
"Not until I hear some level of respect," Xavier said stubbornly.
"Very well! Xavier, would you please bugger off," Stewart said impatiently.
"Fine. Well, then. You'll know where I'll be if anyone wants to chat," Xavier said evenly, moving out of the doorway.
"All right, what was so important that it couldn't wait until we got to the school?" Stewart said, glancing at Rose while Conner closed the door. Rose, who had been glaring quite openly at Conner a moment before, sighed softly and turned to Stewart.
"Stew, I'm not sure I'm up to being Seeker for the team again this year," Rose said quietly.
"You're not what?" Stewart said suspiciously.
"Well, it's just… well, maybe it's time to give Conner a second chance is all," Rose said miserably.
"Oh? Do you think that's what's best for the team?" Stewart said, looking at her straight on. "After all, this isn't an ego trip. I can't afford anyone who doesn't work for the best interests of the team. Right, Conner?"
"Right you are, Stew. If me being Seeker is what's best for the team, I'll be happy to take over," Conner said enthusiastically.
"Actually, I've a different view for what's best for the team. I think what's best for the team is for its team members not to make asinine wagers behind the captain's back," Stewart said curtly. "Request denied. See you both at practice," he added, walking out and leaving Conner standing there looking quite annoyed indeed. Mandria and Aurelius had trouble holding back their laughter even after Conner had glared threateningly at both. Shrugging his shoulders a bit, Conner walked out of the compartment in the opposite direction as Stewart had gone.
"Three cheers for Stew! I wonder who tipped him off?" Alex grinned, looking over at Rose.
"I hope those two aren't going to fight again. I swear they spend as much time fighting with each other as they do ganging up on others," Rose said.
"We should have beat them, you know," Aurelius said. "If it hadn't been for what happened to Alex, they would have lost. Good thing Malfoy was there when he was."
"Please, don't remind me! He was so furious!" Alex said.
"I'm just amazed he stepped in at all," Mandria said. "I thought he didn't like your family, Alex."
"Maybe he's just not as bad as my parents made him out to be," Aurelius suggested. Alex turned to her brother with a frown, looking him straight in the eye.
"Malfoy had our grandmother murdered, Aurelius, and nearly our own mother. Don't ever forget that," she said softly. Everyone grew quiet for a moment, and Alex decided to open her new book.
"I think I'm going to go find Heph," Aurelius said, getting up and walking out of the compartment. Rose and Mandria exchanged a long look, and then Mandria shook her head.
"Just when I think I have one Snape figured out, they send another!" Mandria said with exasperation. Rose couldn't help but grin at her.
It was well after lunch when Jennifer finally wandered into Severus' office, lesson plans in hand as she waved at Severus. She needn't have bothered, she brooded to herself, as he was very much absorbed in the book in front of him and barely seemed to notice her coming in.
"Still have work left?" Jennifer asked, waving a hand across his book before sitting down. "Only another hour or so before the train arrives, you know."
"I finished all my paperwork two days ago, actually. I'm working on something else," Severus said.
"Well, you could have lent me a hand in the lab. I only just finished bottling the last of the hospital wing's potion stock this morning," Jennifer said irritably, putting her papers down. "What are you working on?"
"Piecing together ancient history. I've been researching Fomorian society before the volcano eruption that made them leave their first home."
"I should have known. Just don't forget what Dumbledore said, Severus. We're not likely to have much time to gallivant around the globe this year searching for missing Mages," Jennifer said.
"Dumbledore doesn't leave until January. We have over four months to work with," Severus pointed out.
"To be perfectly honest, Severus, right now I'm worried more about what happened at Gringotts a few weeks ago. If you had been there to feel the tension, you would be too," Jennifer said.
"Racial tensions will crop up from time to time with goblins. They never last," Severus said.
"Not tension like this, Severus. They are very much unhappy for some reason. And why are so they so insistent on taking responsibility for the girl? What could they possibly hope to gain by it that they'd be willing to risk such a breach between them and the Ministry?" Jennifer asked.
"From what you've told me, it sounds as if they did it more to defend Bill Weasley's position than anything," Severus said.
"Yes, that's what I thought at first," Jennifer sighed, Severus looking over at her curiously. "But now I'm not so sure. Goblins are so hard to read, but… I just get the feeling that perhaps they know something about her that we don't, or perhaps… perhaps they want to learn something about her that we don't know yet."
"I'm not getting involved in that thing any more, Jennifer, and that's final. I didn't like the entire situation to begin with, and I don't like it now, but this is Bill's mess, not ours. And as you just got done telling me, we'll have enough to do this year as it is," Severus said. "Including getting another child Sorted."
Jennifer sighed and glanced over her work, making only a short note on them before putting them down again.
"Do you suppose Aurelius will be a Ravenclaw too?" Jennifer asked.
"We'll find out in an hour or so," Severus said calmly, marking his page. "In fact, we should probably be getting ready."
"Aren't you in the least bit nervous at all?" Jennifer said with exasperation, standing up to follow him out.
"Why should I be? The Hat has hardly failed to place a student yet."
"Well, you were nervous last year when Alex was Sorted," she pointed out.
"I was nothing of the sort."
"Don't pull that with me, Severus Snape, I remember quite well that you were. After all, the house he ends up in will have an effect on his entire school career, maybe even the rest of his life," Jennifer said as they headed up the stairs. "Stars and Heavens, I hope he's in Ravenclaw." Severus glanced over at her but didn't say anything as they walked up to their rooms.
It was called the Sorting Hat. A rather simplistic name, perhaps, for the complex spell that had been placed upon it by Godric Gryffindor himself; one made up of the memories of its master and his fellow founders, the students of the time, and all of the students after it. It was, in short, a very prestigious hat. Even when one is told its 'life' is merely a trick of magical animation, it was quite hard for anyone who spend any time talking to the thing to think of it other than alive. In fact, Albus Dumbledore was quite sure the Hat was alive in its own special way. But then of course, how does anyone have life but in their own special way?
They were friends, too, this wizard and Hat, and often talked about things that no one else would probably guess about. But on this night, the Hat spoke little as Dumbledore carrying it down the stairs, the lower folds of the Hat curling a bit as it mumbled to itself, perhaps working out the last lines of his annual limerick.
As they entered the Great Hall, eyes were immediately upon them, and not just because it was Albus Dumbledore, reputedly (but not indisputably) the most powerful wizard in the world. No, they were instead looking at the floppy, banged up, ragged chapeau that was placed quite reverently on a stool right in front of the staff table.
Minerva McGonagall smiled thinly at the Hat as she stood beside it, then turned and walked down the aisle towards the door, nodding at all of the older students working to take their places. Among them sat Alex and Mandria, who sat as close to the empty seats reserved for the new students as possible, anticipation dancing on their shining faces.
Most of the Professors of Hogwarts had already taking their seats as well; Madame Brittle, Sports Director, Professor Weasley of Charms, Professor Sprout of Herbology, Ravenclaw of Divination, and even Doctor Sagittari of Magical Creatures. Just left of Dumbledore sat Severus Snape, Professor of Defense, drumming his fingers against the table with open impatience, while beside him, Professor Craw was busy biting off her nails. Their attention, too, was on the Hat, as well as the doors of the Hall, which finally opened to reveal the promise and future of wizard kind, a rather awkward looking bunch of wizards and witches to be, slowly and nervously making their way towards the very stool on which the Hat sat.
As it quieted down, the Hat seemed to smile, its attention turned on the students viewing it with curiosity and suspicion as it began to speak.
Well over a thousand years ago,
Two wizards and two witches sat,
To dine and welcome the school's arrivals,
And decide where to place them at.
But now it is I, in the four Founders' honor,
Who shall decide in which house you'll belong,
If it be Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor or Slytherin,
You'll be welcome to join the throng.
How do I do it, you may ask? But the answer lies within.
I'll know when you put on this thinking cap,
So let the Sorting begin!
Minerva called them up , and cheerfully the Hat sent them off… Archer and Bingham to Hufflepuff, Donnelly to Gryffindor and Grey to Slytherin, each one greeted with a welcoming cheer from their house tables and polite applause from the teachers and Headmaster. At last, Minerva called "Snape, Aurelius," and the Hat looked warily upon the boy stepping up to the stool, who was wearing the same wary expression himself as he took his place and the Hat was placed on his head.
What have we here? What indeed, what indeed, thought the Hat. Quite unusual talent in that little head, and you're as bright as any parent could hope for with a great desire to protect your siblings. To be sure, to be sure, there's fear lurking in that heart of yours, but there can be no doubt that with the right sort of influence, your bravery will shine out. And that makes you ripe for – GR….
NO! Aurelius shouted in his head, hoping he hadn't scream out loud as well. You can't do this to me!
I beg your pardon?
You can't put me in Gryffindor! I'm a Snape! Real Snapes don't belong in Gryffindor! It's bad enough that I got stuck bringing to school this stupid Unicorn Horn wand. Imagine! Me! With a Unicorn wand! But I'm not going to suffer this humiliation on top of it! I'm no trouble making Gryffindor. I've got a reputation to keep up! Can't you put me somewhere a bit more dignified?
Boy, do you know whose hat I was? There is positively nothing wrong with Gryffindor, although you are giving me some pause to think perhaps you're not Gryffindor material after all.
Good! I very well don't want to be! Put me in Ravenclaw, or anywhere else! Just not with them, please! I've had to put up with enough embarrassments entering school already without adding that to my list!
Very well, boy, but I think that we are both probably making a very big mistake...
"SLYTHERIN!"
A huge round of applause went up as Minerva lifted the Hat off his head, noting the table standing up and clapping to coax him over. At the Ravenclaw table his sister was standing too, applauding encouragingly while Mandria clapped less enthusiastically beside her. As he stood and began to walk to the table he smiled up at his parents, his father nodding approvingly. But his mother had a quite different expression on her face, and it was drained of all color, and Aurelius was immediately reminded of that moment when she had walked in on them in the wand shop.
Seeing him glance her way she started to clap with a thin smile on her face, but he knew that somehow he had managed to disappoint her again. With much less enthusiasm, Aurelius went over and sat next to Heph, shaking hands with some of the other students nearby.
"Are you all right, Jennifer?" Dumbledore asked softly between Sortings.
"Yes, it's just… for a moment, I thought the Hat was going to say something else," Jennifer sighed, wondering if it hadn't been wishful thinking the entire time. Severus hadn't even blinked when Hat had spoken. He had known all along. Perhaps she would have known it too, had she allowed herself to.
"Come now, it's not the end of the world. I didn't turn out that bad, did I?" Severus murmured in Jennifer's ear. Jennifer relaxed a bit, smiling almost apologetically to her husband. "He could do worse for an advisor too, I'm sure."
"I hope that wasn't directed at me," Jennifer teased softly back, gazing down at the Slytherin table to offer Aurelius a warmer smile. But Aurelius was too busy talking with his new found friends to take any notice.
"Please tell me there isn't another Snape awaiting me next year," the Hat groaned when it was put on the table beside Dumbledore after the ceremony. Severus and Jennifer grimaced sheepishly at each other.
