The feast was over and as the students left the Great Hall, Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers continued to sit at the head table in silence.
"Albus, what could the Sorting Hat possible have meant? Never in my years of teaching here have I heard that sort of a thing spoken from it."
Albus Dumbledore sat back in his chair as a sigh escaped his lips. "Neither have I Minerva, neither have I. And there is no way at all to know what it could have meant. And I suspect that very soon we will be receiving owls from all the parents about this."
"But Albus, surely there must be some way for us to figure out what the hat meant, there just has to be."
"The ministry must be warned. Surely they will know what to do"
A snort was heard from Severus Snape the Potions teacher at that last comment. "And you know what they will tell us, they will say 'Nothing is going to happen, we would know if anything was.' And anyways what can they possibly do to help us with this. Even most of the students know more about what is going on then the Ministry does in matters like these."
The teachers were silent as they thought about what Professor Snape had said.
"Minerva, go and fetch the Sorting Hat. It is time that we had a little chat with it about this whole ordeal."
Professor McGonagall immediately got up to do as the Headmaster had requested.
The other professors sat back and waited for Minerva to return, occasionally trying to fill the silence with small talk about something or another.
OTHER
Deep in the shadows two figures stood surveying the scene with faces devoid of emotion. They watched as the Professors sat in a tense silence. They could just imagine the thoughts of dread, death, anger and despair running thought their heads as they tried to figure out the cryptic message that the Sorting Hat had imbedded in their minds. A small chuckle was heard before the two figures once again melted into the shadows.
OTHER
Dumbledore sat in his chair, his chin is his hand, fingers tapping idly at his cheek while his other hand toyed with his long silvery white beard. Suddenly the door to the left of the teachers table opened and professor McGonagall came in, the sorting hat in her hands.
Professor Dumbledore muttered a few choice words and suddenly the teachers table was in the shape of a large horseshoe, on a stool in the centre the sorting sat almost anticipating this new turn of events.
"So, what is it you wish to know Albus?"
All eyes were now trained on the sorting hat. Dumbledore sat back in his chair, his hand still toying with his beard.
"I wish for you to explain your song this year… the end of the song"
It seemed to the professors watching that the hat seemed to bow at the peak and almost looked as though it were thinking.
"I do not know where you wish me to begin. But I will tell it to you as such." The hat seemed to take a deep breath before straightening and facing Dumbledore head on. "It came in the form of a vision you might call it, but I knew that someone or something was purposefully showing me this. I know from the way they showed it to me that they were not evil, but the good trying to stop the dark from taking over. They told me that to stop the evil from destroying the earth that we would have to unite the houses that we had to take steps to ensure the safety, protection and strength of the Wizarding World. That if we even wished to have a chance at all, that all last resorts must be taken into account, all old alliances reformed, and old bonds retied." The teachers sat motionless, all lost in their own thoughts of what this could me.
"Is this all that you received from the vision?" Dumbledore was now leaning forward in his chair.
"Alas, no Headmaster, there is more. Much more that for the time being shall remain locked inside me. When the time comes, when they have come to the school, then more of the puzzle shall be revealed. But for now, may the powers given to use aid us in this time of war, and may the Wolf and Cherry Blossom protect us from harm." The sorting had then lifted in the air and disappeared with a pop.
The teachers were stunned, many with their mouths hanging open. And if that wasn't enough, right where the sorting hat and the stool once stood now was a large black wolf with a very distinct green aura; it just stood there and stared at the professors before closing its eyes. Then just as the wolf disappeared, hundreds of thousands of cherry blossoms began to blow around the wolf in a dance of intimacy before both disappeared leaving behind only the scent of the cherry blossoms and the feel of the wolf's hard gaze on them.
The professors were all silent until finally Dumbledore spoke. "It's late, we will continue this in the morning." And with that the professors all headed to their respective dormitories.
OTHER
Deep in the shadows, the two figures stood, smirks on their faces as they reveled in the confusion of the professors. The shorter one turned to the other. 'So my little wolf, shall we leave?' the taller one wrapped his arms around the shorter.
'Yes my love. The time is drawing nearer, we must gather the others.' And with that the two were gone, no one the wiser of their presence in their prestigious castle…..perfect.