The Ravenclaw dorm was warm and cozy. Even though she was cooking under her
heavy robes and shawl, the girl made no move to take them off.
"Éclair," a voice called out. "It's nearly supper time. Come on get dressed already. Let's go."
Éclair turned and saw her friend Gina in the doorway. Gina was the complete opposite of Éclair. She was beautiful, tall and slim with an angel face and long brown tresses, she could have any man she wanted if she put her mind to it.
"G...gina," Éclair stammered. "I have to get dressed ...oh we're going to be late!" She dashed up the stairs as quickly as her robes allowed.
Gina shook her head in irritation but winced when she heard a loud thump coming from somewhere up above. She sighed, Éclair was always so clumsy. However, Éclair was the top student in Hogwarts. How she managed it was a mystery to Gina. Éclair was always so absent-minded. Though top in school, Gina understood that Éclair wasn't happy. And it was all because of James Potter. Éclair had a rather heavy crush on him and Gina had to admit that he wasn't a bad looker. He was the ideal guy: popular, smart and the adored quidditch team captain and seeker.
Gina's train of thought was broken by Éclair's rowdy descent. Gina gave Éclair a critical look, "Why don't you ever take off that shawl?" she asked.
"Well...we'll be late, we have to hurry,"responded Éclair as she rushed past Gina and out the door.
"You always change the subject," muttered Gina as she followed behind.
The hall was noisy with laughter and chatter. Everyone on the Slytherin table was whispering about the new boy who was seated at the end. Severus ignored them. He had his head propped on an open palm and was contemplating something with a slight frown on his face.
Finally Lucius Malfoy got up and called across the long table, "Hey you there, what's your name?"
Severus took a while to answer, "My name's Snape."
Malfoy snickered, "What a stupid name!" The whole table laughed with Malfoy. Severus cocked his head to one side and studied Malfoy lazily. They were all too busy laughing to notice.
Just then Dumbledore got up and spoke, "Alright all, settle down please. We have a new student to introduce to you all. Severus if you please." Severus reluctantly stood up. His hair fell over his eyes again but this time he did not bother to brush it away.
"Looks like a geek!" someone shouted and the hall rang with laughter.
Just then there was a loud crash. A girl from the adjacent table had tripped over her chair and she lay sprawled on the aisle. The whole hall filled with laughter yet again.
"You're so stupid! Imagine falling over when you're sitting down!" jeered Malfoy cruelly. The Slytherin table laughed with him.
Severus watched as a pretty girl helped her friend to her feet. Severus's eyes narrowed slightly. What drew his attention was not the pretty girl but her gawky friend. There was something about her...
Just then Dumbledore stepped in. "That's enough." The hall quieted down at once. Severus watched as the pretty girl and her friend returned to their seat at the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore continued, "Thank you Severus, you may sit now and let's not have any more distractions."
Gina followed Éclair as she walked dejectedly back to the Ravenclaw dorm. Gina felt sorry for her friend. But Éclair was always embarrassing herself. They turned the corner and came face to face with Severus.
Gina bristled instantly, "You're from Slytherin aren't you?"
Severus ignored her and fixed his gaze on Éclair. "Who are you?" he asked at length.
Gina pushed Éclair behind her. "What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.
Severus smiled, it was disarmingly innocent. Gina looked at felt herself being drawn into his eyes. She felt so drowsy.
"Gina, snap out of it!" Éclair shook her desperately. Gina came back to life with a gasp.
"Gina, are you alright?" It was Prof. Harold, the potions master. "You were just standing there."
"I'm alright. What happened?" she asked confused.
Prof. Harold made a face, "I'm supposed to be asking you that."
"It's fine," Éclair piped in suddenly, dragging Gina with her. "Thanks for asking Professor." They left Prof. Harold bewildered in the corridor.
"Gina, what happened? You just froze suddenly while talking to that boy." Éclair shuddered.
"Boy? Oh...that Slytherin. Where did he go?" Gina asked. She was still a little woozy.
Éclair spluttered, trying to produce an answer. "I don't know. He was there one moment and the next he was gone. There was only Prof Harold. But...I didn't see Prof Harold walk towards us either...That boy ... he couldn't have ... a hypnotism spell?"
"Éclair," a voice called out. "It's nearly supper time. Come on get dressed already. Let's go."
Éclair turned and saw her friend Gina in the doorway. Gina was the complete opposite of Éclair. She was beautiful, tall and slim with an angel face and long brown tresses, she could have any man she wanted if she put her mind to it.
"G...gina," Éclair stammered. "I have to get dressed ...oh we're going to be late!" She dashed up the stairs as quickly as her robes allowed.
Gina shook her head in irritation but winced when she heard a loud thump coming from somewhere up above. She sighed, Éclair was always so clumsy. However, Éclair was the top student in Hogwarts. How she managed it was a mystery to Gina. Éclair was always so absent-minded. Though top in school, Gina understood that Éclair wasn't happy. And it was all because of James Potter. Éclair had a rather heavy crush on him and Gina had to admit that he wasn't a bad looker. He was the ideal guy: popular, smart and the adored quidditch team captain and seeker.
Gina's train of thought was broken by Éclair's rowdy descent. Gina gave Éclair a critical look, "Why don't you ever take off that shawl?" she asked.
"Well...we'll be late, we have to hurry,"responded Éclair as she rushed past Gina and out the door.
"You always change the subject," muttered Gina as she followed behind.
The hall was noisy with laughter and chatter. Everyone on the Slytherin table was whispering about the new boy who was seated at the end. Severus ignored them. He had his head propped on an open palm and was contemplating something with a slight frown on his face.
Finally Lucius Malfoy got up and called across the long table, "Hey you there, what's your name?"
Severus took a while to answer, "My name's Snape."
Malfoy snickered, "What a stupid name!" The whole table laughed with Malfoy. Severus cocked his head to one side and studied Malfoy lazily. They were all too busy laughing to notice.
Just then Dumbledore got up and spoke, "Alright all, settle down please. We have a new student to introduce to you all. Severus if you please." Severus reluctantly stood up. His hair fell over his eyes again but this time he did not bother to brush it away.
"Looks like a geek!" someone shouted and the hall rang with laughter.
Just then there was a loud crash. A girl from the adjacent table had tripped over her chair and she lay sprawled on the aisle. The whole hall filled with laughter yet again.
"You're so stupid! Imagine falling over when you're sitting down!" jeered Malfoy cruelly. The Slytherin table laughed with him.
Severus watched as a pretty girl helped her friend to her feet. Severus's eyes narrowed slightly. What drew his attention was not the pretty girl but her gawky friend. There was something about her...
Just then Dumbledore stepped in. "That's enough." The hall quieted down at once. Severus watched as the pretty girl and her friend returned to their seat at the Ravenclaw table. Dumbledore continued, "Thank you Severus, you may sit now and let's not have any more distractions."
Gina followed Éclair as she walked dejectedly back to the Ravenclaw dorm. Gina felt sorry for her friend. But Éclair was always embarrassing herself. They turned the corner and came face to face with Severus.
Gina bristled instantly, "You're from Slytherin aren't you?"
Severus ignored her and fixed his gaze on Éclair. "Who are you?" he asked at length.
Gina pushed Éclair behind her. "What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.
Severus smiled, it was disarmingly innocent. Gina looked at felt herself being drawn into his eyes. She felt so drowsy.
"Gina, snap out of it!" Éclair shook her desperately. Gina came back to life with a gasp.
"Gina, are you alright?" It was Prof. Harold, the potions master. "You were just standing there."
"I'm alright. What happened?" she asked confused.
Prof. Harold made a face, "I'm supposed to be asking you that."
"It's fine," Éclair piped in suddenly, dragging Gina with her. "Thanks for asking Professor." They left Prof. Harold bewildered in the corridor.
"Gina, what happened? You just froze suddenly while talking to that boy." Éclair shuddered.
"Boy? Oh...that Slytherin. Where did he go?" Gina asked. She was still a little woozy.
Éclair spluttered, trying to produce an answer. "I don't know. He was there one moment and the next he was gone. There was only Prof Harold. But...I didn't see Prof Harold walk towards us either...That boy ... he couldn't have ... a hypnotism spell?"