A/N: Once again, Harry Potter... not my creation...
Merci Beaucoup pour vos revues, Titou!
Chapter 3: Welcome
The clattering and clicking of the horse's hooves slowed as the carriage came to a halt.
"I can't say right now..." she looked up at him. "There's too much to tell, and this... this isn't the right time."
"What are you hiding?" The pressure on her hand grew as he spoke. "You go missing for a year, and you say nothing?" He looked away. "You don't know how scared I was for you."
Behind him stood the great grounds of the school they both attended. From the windows came glowing orange lights. She closed her eyes and remembered the warm fires that were lit in the Slytherin common room and how she used to glance out the windows from time to time.
"Believe me, it was not my intention to worry anyone" she laid her hand on top of his, which was clutching hers and had grown tense, "but I have to tell you where we can be alone and when we have enough time."
His brow creased, her response did not satisfy him. He let out a deep sigh.
"Fine then, after the sorting, come to my office in the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. But answer me this: what are you doing here?"
"You shall find out soon enough. See you tonight." She rose up and descended from the large stagecoach.
"Rosina!" she heard him yell behind her. She turned to look and was swallowed up in a deep embrace.
"I'm glad you're here, it's been too long.... "His voice lowered into a whisper by her ear "I missed you."
Her arms went around his lower back, accepting his warm hold.
As she entered the enormous doors of Hogwarts, she felt apprehensive about her being there. Her presence could be a risk; but on the other hand; her past and what she knew would be of great help.
"Welcome back, Rosina." A sarcastic voice came from her side. "Didn't think you'd made it out alive."
"It's always good to hear from you, Severus." A vision of black stood before her. Had he been but a couple of feet taller, he would be an exact version of a Dementor, cold hearted and all.
"What's this I hear about you're visiting here?" He turned to the side, bowed, and stretched his arm out before him, signaling her to follow him.
They walked onward; his pitch-black robes swishing deliciously.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to take your job. I wouldn't dare take you away from the opportunity of scolding all those who aren't a Slytherin." She smirked at him as she said this.
"As you well remember. I recall there were many occasions where you were the catalyst of some memorable bouts."
"I've changed quite a bit since then, Severus."
"Be that as it may; I don't feel your presence here is necessary." His voice was now venomously cold.
"Don't be so competitive." Their walk ended in front of a large door. She glared into his dark, fathomless eyes.
"My being here is for the good of us all."
She found herself in the Great Hall. Seas of cloaked youths were assembling in large tables, each table distinguished by the large banners that hung from the bewitched ceiling. The flames that burnt within the fireplace warmed up the hall. The door had led her directly to the faculty dining table that stood before the students. Most of the staff had taken their seats already including Remus Lupin, who sat on the far end of the table. Severus Snape sat just a few chairs over.
There was an empty seat next to a small, round witch who wore an enormous hat. By the time Rosina took her seat, Professor McGonagall had entered the hall with the first years. They apprehensively followed her to the center of the hall and waited for her to pull out the ragged sorting hat and place it upon the stool she conjured up with the flick of her wand.
It had been so long since Rosina had sat upon that very stool and was sorted. The voices in her head had rung with all her characteristics; her strengths, fears, utter determination to be a formidable and influential witch- ideas that most, if not all, Slytherins possessed. The sorting lasted quite a while; "Seems we'll be having fuller classes this year, no?"
The small witch beside her seemed to have spoken, but Rosina hadn't noticed. Her attention was focused on Remus. Throughout the sorting he sat in his seat observing, clapping every now and then after a child was sorted, but his face seemed somewhat contemplative.
By now, the sorting had ended and Rosina felt many eyes upon her.
A gentle voice began to speak. "I see most of you have noticed we have a guest with us this evening." It was none other than Dumbledore himself. The entire hall grew silent as he stood to address them.
"I'd like to introduce you to Madam Soler. She will be spending the duration of the school year here with us. She was sent from the Ministry to Hogwarts to observe the school, especially the fifth years since they will be given their O.W.L examinations this year. I hope you show her as much consideration for her as she has shown us."
"Welcome, Ms.Soler." Applause rang from the students as she stood and smiled courteously.
The applause died down and Rosina took her seat. Dumbledore continued his speech, welcoming the first years and warning them about the forest as well as other important matters.
Rosina stretched her neck to glance at Remus again... but his chair was vacant.
The Hogwarts she once knew now seemed like a Labyrinth as she glided through the many corridors. The hem of her sarong grazed the floor as she sped up, searching and wandering. She had always worn long heavy skirts reminiscent of those from the Victorian era, but now she cursed herself for wearing such cumbersome clothing.
She was walking through a particularly dark hallway. All but one door stood closed. It was ajar, and a dim light shone through the slit. It creaked as her hand pushed it open. There were many desks, and a blackboard in the far right. The light came from another room that was on the top of the spiral staircase at the left of the classroom.
She grabbed the folds of her dress and ascended the steps.
He stood by the window, with his arms crossed in front of him, staring out as if reading something in the sky.
"I don't really think you're here just to walk around, watching everything." He turned around to face her- curiosity seeping out of his bright eyes.
"Why are you really here?"
"I'm being followed...
they're after me..."
He shook his head in confusion and concern. "Who's after you?"
"The Death Eaters."
Merci Beaucoup pour vos revues, Titou!
Chapter 3: Welcome
The clattering and clicking of the horse's hooves slowed as the carriage came to a halt.
"I can't say right now..." she looked up at him. "There's too much to tell, and this... this isn't the right time."
"What are you hiding?" The pressure on her hand grew as he spoke. "You go missing for a year, and you say nothing?" He looked away. "You don't know how scared I was for you."
Behind him stood the great grounds of the school they both attended. From the windows came glowing orange lights. She closed her eyes and remembered the warm fires that were lit in the Slytherin common room and how she used to glance out the windows from time to time.
"Believe me, it was not my intention to worry anyone" she laid her hand on top of his, which was clutching hers and had grown tense, "but I have to tell you where we can be alone and when we have enough time."
His brow creased, her response did not satisfy him. He let out a deep sigh.
"Fine then, after the sorting, come to my office in the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. But answer me this: what are you doing here?"
"You shall find out soon enough. See you tonight." She rose up and descended from the large stagecoach.
"Rosina!" she heard him yell behind her. She turned to look and was swallowed up in a deep embrace.
"I'm glad you're here, it's been too long.... "His voice lowered into a whisper by her ear "I missed you."
Her arms went around his lower back, accepting his warm hold.
As she entered the enormous doors of Hogwarts, she felt apprehensive about her being there. Her presence could be a risk; but on the other hand; her past and what she knew would be of great help.
"Welcome back, Rosina." A sarcastic voice came from her side. "Didn't think you'd made it out alive."
"It's always good to hear from you, Severus." A vision of black stood before her. Had he been but a couple of feet taller, he would be an exact version of a Dementor, cold hearted and all.
"What's this I hear about you're visiting here?" He turned to the side, bowed, and stretched his arm out before him, signaling her to follow him.
They walked onward; his pitch-black robes swishing deliciously.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to take your job. I wouldn't dare take you away from the opportunity of scolding all those who aren't a Slytherin." She smirked at him as she said this.
"As you well remember. I recall there were many occasions where you were the catalyst of some memorable bouts."
"I've changed quite a bit since then, Severus."
"Be that as it may; I don't feel your presence here is necessary." His voice was now venomously cold.
"Don't be so competitive." Their walk ended in front of a large door. She glared into his dark, fathomless eyes.
"My being here is for the good of us all."
She found herself in the Great Hall. Seas of cloaked youths were assembling in large tables, each table distinguished by the large banners that hung from the bewitched ceiling. The flames that burnt within the fireplace warmed up the hall. The door had led her directly to the faculty dining table that stood before the students. Most of the staff had taken their seats already including Remus Lupin, who sat on the far end of the table. Severus Snape sat just a few chairs over.
There was an empty seat next to a small, round witch who wore an enormous hat. By the time Rosina took her seat, Professor McGonagall had entered the hall with the first years. They apprehensively followed her to the center of the hall and waited for her to pull out the ragged sorting hat and place it upon the stool she conjured up with the flick of her wand.
It had been so long since Rosina had sat upon that very stool and was sorted. The voices in her head had rung with all her characteristics; her strengths, fears, utter determination to be a formidable and influential witch- ideas that most, if not all, Slytherins possessed. The sorting lasted quite a while; "Seems we'll be having fuller classes this year, no?"
The small witch beside her seemed to have spoken, but Rosina hadn't noticed. Her attention was focused on Remus. Throughout the sorting he sat in his seat observing, clapping every now and then after a child was sorted, but his face seemed somewhat contemplative.
By now, the sorting had ended and Rosina felt many eyes upon her.
A gentle voice began to speak. "I see most of you have noticed we have a guest with us this evening." It was none other than Dumbledore himself. The entire hall grew silent as he stood to address them.
"I'd like to introduce you to Madam Soler. She will be spending the duration of the school year here with us. She was sent from the Ministry to Hogwarts to observe the school, especially the fifth years since they will be given their O.W.L examinations this year. I hope you show her as much consideration for her as she has shown us."
"Welcome, Ms.Soler." Applause rang from the students as she stood and smiled courteously.
The applause died down and Rosina took her seat. Dumbledore continued his speech, welcoming the first years and warning them about the forest as well as other important matters.
Rosina stretched her neck to glance at Remus again... but his chair was vacant.
The Hogwarts she once knew now seemed like a Labyrinth as she glided through the many corridors. The hem of her sarong grazed the floor as she sped up, searching and wandering. She had always worn long heavy skirts reminiscent of those from the Victorian era, but now she cursed herself for wearing such cumbersome clothing.
She was walking through a particularly dark hallway. All but one door stood closed. It was ajar, and a dim light shone through the slit. It creaked as her hand pushed it open. There were many desks, and a blackboard in the far right. The light came from another room that was on the top of the spiral staircase at the left of the classroom.
She grabbed the folds of her dress and ascended the steps.
He stood by the window, with his arms crossed in front of him, staring out as if reading something in the sky.
"I don't really think you're here just to walk around, watching everything." He turned around to face her- curiosity seeping out of his bright eyes.
"Why are you really here?"
"I'm being followed...
they're after me..."
He shook his head in confusion and concern. "Who's after you?"
"The Death Eaters."