Chapter Seven
The Final Sorting
It had been Anna and Sirius who had taken the children in hand the last week before school started, and they had more than their hands full getting six children to the train the morning that the Hogwarts Express was due to leave the station. Fortunately, three of them had made this trip before and helped the others with their bags, while Anna and Sirius found themselves talking about her first train ride, when the train actually flew. Alex had her ears straining to hear the story over the crowd and the cawing and croaking of the familiars, while Zoë and Zack, who had heard it before, merely went about their business, handing their bags to Andrew who handed them to baggage. Aurelius was distracted, glancing around at the crowd as the last of the bags were put away, and after giving a hand up to Alicia to get on board, he actively began to look for his friends.
"I can't believe it! I can't believe we're finally here!" Alicia said as they started looking in the compartments.
"Ah, here's my stop," Aurelius said when he saw Stock and Heph sitting with a girl he recognized as Heph's sister.
"You're not sitting with us?" Alicia asked with disappointment.
"There are six of us now… you don't expect us to all sit with you?" Aurelius asked. "I'll see you at the table," he said, pushing his way in.
"See her at our table, you mean," Alex said with annoyance.
As they walked further down, the door opened again and Heph's sister appeared with an "Ow!" rubbing her arm and glaring as the door shut behind her.
"How rude!" the girl huffed, glaring at the closed door.
"Look, here's Mandria!" Alex said, watching as Mandria stretched out on the bench while having her Owl cage blocking as much as the other side as possible.
"There you are!" Mandria said with relief, giving Alex a hug. "I've been having a hard time keeping this space open."
"Where's Rose? Is she here yet?" Alex asked, Alicia coming in behind her.
"Didn't you hear? She's a prefect now. She's up sitting with them," Mandria said, jabbing her thumb backwards. "Coming in?"
"Andrew! Andrew! C'est vous enfin!" Halbert said as he pushed his way through to them. "Wow, what's that?" he asked, peering in the cage Zoë was carrying.
"It's a chinchilla. Dad got him from South America," Zoë said. "His name's Dusty."
"And this is Ceo, he's a Northern Goshawk. He's from America too," Zack said.
"Wow," Halbert said again. "Can I pet him? I got a compartment saved down the hall."
"Sure," Zack shrugged.
"Alex, I'm going to go sit with Halbert too, okay?" Andrew told her.
"Have fun!" Alex waved, but Alicia looked openly disappointed.
"I had so hoped we could sit together," she admitted.
"That's all right, you can sit with us," Alex said. "Then maybe we can talk Quidditch strategy."
"That's assuming Alicia gets sorted with us," Mandria pointed out. Just then there was a loud sneezing coming from the hall, and the three girls peered out as a small, sickly looking boy passed by them, sneezing all the way.
"She might," Alex replied distractedly. "She's very smart, and she likes books, don't you, Alicia?"
"Yes, it gives me ideas for paintings," Alicia said, getting her sketchbook out and some stencils.
"So, your parents still won't let you get a familiar?" Mandria asked.
"No," Alex said disappointed. "And did you see my cousins? Not only did they both have familiars, but they both had familiars they had to get special permission for. I would be happy for just an owl, or even a cat. Just something I can talk to!"
"Alex, did it ever occur to you that's probably the reason your parents won't get you a familiar?" Mandria said. "They are probably afraid you'll spend all your time talking to it instead of getting any work done."
"Oh come on, I don't spend all that much time talking to familiars, do I, Misty?" She said, looking at the owl. She hooted in response. "Exactly."
"What did she say?" Mandria asked anxiously. Just then they both turned as the sneezing grew louder and louder again and the boy passed by going the other way.
The boy stopped to peer in the room Aurelius' was in, seeing there was an empty seat. Knocking politely, the red nosed boy stuck his head in the door.
"Excuse me, but seeing as you have an empty seat and you don't seem to have any feathered or furry beasts about, can I sit with you?" he asked hopefully, sniffling loudly.
"Get lost you beastly little first year! We don't want whatever it is you got," Stock said distastefully.
"It's allergies. It isn't catching," the boy explained.
"You heard him, get lost," Aurelius said irritably. Heph got out his wand then, shutting the door on the boy's head who yelled in pain, backing out and moving on.
"See? That's how you deal with pests," Heph said. "So, what happened next then?"
"Well, that's when my Mum got all weird, barged out, and told the Ministry she was going to blow them to kingdom come," Aurelius said, playing with the chain around his neck. "And then Dad joined her, and they both got thrown in jail. Do you believe it? With not one thought about what was going to happen to us because of it! First having to stay with Muggleby while all he wanted to do was snivel about the fate of his shop, and then to suffer the humiliation when the paper arrived the next day announcing they were in jail."
"I'm surprised they didn't get fired for that. I mean, hurting the school's reputation and all," Stock said.
"Didn't I tell you? Dumbledore was there too. He joined their side and took the Muggles away. And then I hear he barely got in trouble for it! But even Dumbledore couldn't even prevent the Ministry from closing the shop. If they have their way, it's going to stay closed," Aurelius said with a smirk. "So much for the perfect son. And them wasting all that money on that equipment too."
"I always said it was always a matter of time before something went wrong in that town," Heph agreed. "Pity to lose that good of an alchemist, though." Aurelius glared at him. "Well, I mean, that means going to Witolf's, and he's not getting any younger."
"If he gets any older, he'll probably fall over and turn to dust," Stock sniggered. "I'll just import if it comes to that. But I'm glad you finally got one less thorn in your side, no matter who the mastermind was behind it all."
"Well whoever it was, I owe him now," Aurelius grinned, slipping the chain under his shirt and reaching for his snake's cage. Just then there was a loud sneezing again and the three of them looked up. They rolled their eyes as the boy passed again. "Why don't that ugly little nose drip get a seat and stop bothering us all?"
"Who would want to sit next to that?" Heph said with distaste, putting his feet up on the empty seat in front of him.
But the boy continued to look, pausing to lean beside the door of the next compartment as another wave of sneezes hit him. At last Alex poked her head out concernedly.
"Are you quite all right? Are you ill?" she asked.
"No, just allergic," the boy sniffled.
"To what?"
"Everything," he said miserably. "Especially animals." Alex pondered that, looking behind her. "Mandria, do you think Misty would mind if I had Andrew watch her? So the boy can sit down?"
"Well, all right, but he'd better be careful," Mandria said, worriedly handing the owl's cage over.
"If he isn't, I'm sure she'll tell me," Alex assured her, smiling at the boy as she quickly headed out of the compartment. "Have a seat."
"Thank you," the boy said, his words a bit strange through his nose as he sat down, taking out a handkerchief and blowing hard. Mandria grimaced, distracting herself by looking out the window. "I'm Morfinn. Morfinn Bliant."
"Mandria Shea," Mandria said, but didn't offer her hand.
"I'm Alicia Snape," the girl sitting next to him said. "Are you a first year too?"
"Yes," he said. "Alicia Snape? Are you related to the teachers that got arrested?"
"Oh, yes, those are my parents," Alicia said sheepishly. "They're out now, and they're going to teach this year. Potions and Defense."
"Oh yes. I like Potions," Morfinn said, putting away his handkerchief and getting out a new one from a different pocket. "Too bad they don't do me any good."
"Really?" Alicia asked with surprise. "Why not?"
"It's a chronic condition," Morfinn explained, nodding to Alex as she came back in.
"Morfinn, this is my big sister, Alexandria."
"Hullo," he said.
"Are you feeling any better now?" Alex asked, sitting back down.
"A little. I hope it's not going to be this bad with all the owls and all when we get there," he said miserably.
"Oh, it's much worse, actually," Alex admitted, thinking of all the resident owls. "But on the bright side, it's not so closed in, of course. And we have the best Potions teacher in the world, my Mum."
"Oh, yes, Alicia was telling me that," Morfinn sniffled. "I'll get to know her, I'm sure, very well."
"It's only a matter of time now," Alicia said, her voice growing more anxious by the minute. "And then, it'll be my turn," she whispered to herself. "But what if I end up in the wrong one?"
Fussing to get their things together, the students stepped off the train, and as Alicia looked over to try to identify who it was calling the first year's over, she was hugged from behind, first by Alex then by Andrew.
"You'll be all right," Alex assured her, nudging her forward. "See you at the table," she added with a wink.
"You mean you'll see her at my table," Andrew said with a grin, waving at her as they headed for the carriages. Morfinn let out a loud sneeze, and Alicia looked over at him.
"Excuse me. It's this damp air," he explained with a sniffle.
"Come on," Alicia said, the two of them falling behind the group of first years, looking at the others shyly. Letting out one last powerful sneeze, a huge shadowed figure suddenly pulled a lantern closer to him, and an 'oooo' went out into the crowd when they saw it was a centaur, his human half draped in a Hogwarts robe as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Step further in, Mr. Bliant, Miss Snape. Follow me to the docks," he told them solemnly.
"He knew who I was," Morfinn said in a whisper, sniffling again. "And he knew you!"
"Of course he knew me," Alicia grinned at him. "He's our family veterinarian. That's Doctor Sagittari."
"That's Doctor Sagittari?" Morfinn said with surprise and consternation. "And he's not even a real doctor?"
"Of course he is," Alicia said. "He just can't practice on centaurs, that's all." But Alicia was soon distracted as they made it to the dock, nearly falling in the lake in her awe of staring over the water at the castle. Gently Sagittari put her in a boat, sitting her next to a thin, brown haired girl. Immediately she reached under her vest and pulled out a sketchbook, determined to catch what she felt on paper as the boats began to launch. The girl beside her watched her thoughtfully, glancing over her shoulder.
"Rather odd sort of thing to keep in one's shirt, isn't it?" she asked.
"I never go anywhere without it," Alicia grinned at her, sketching as quickly as she could. But just then, Morfinn, who was just in front of them, sneezed so hard that he knocked himself off his seat and into her, causing the sketchbook to fly out of her hands and over the side. "No!" Alicia cried out, trying to grab it. But the others in the boat pulled her back to keep her from falling in as a large tendril suddenly appeared and dragged the sketchbook down.
"I'm so sorry," Morfinn said apologetically.
"Oh, it's all right. I have six more in my trunk," Alicia said, although her face showed clearly that she missed the one she lost and the work within it. "I just hope it'll get me through until Christmas."
Jennifer and Severus hurried out of their room, running a bit late. They had been up all night getting the rest of Jennifer's work done and had spent the day catching as much sleep as they could. But now it was nearly time for the Sorting Ceremony, so Jennifer opted for them to take the front staircase. Even with the chance of a delay it was closer to the Great Hall, so down the stairs they went, intent on their destination.
It wasn't until the staircase they were on began to move that either of them paused long enough to glance at the paintings, and then both of them looked around with complete shock as they searched the frames. Every one of them was empty.
"Oh no," they both said at once.
"What are the closest paintings to the doors?" Jennifer asked, still a bit astounded by the empty frames.
"The mascot paintings in the entry hall, I'd imagine," Severus said, bursting down the steps the moment they settled into place with Jennifer close behind, cutting through a classroom to get to a shorter route.
But as they came closer, they began to hear the echo of what sounded like a packed Quidditch stadium right before a game. They turned a corner into the entry way to see Albus Dumbledore himself standing there, calmly looking into the four frames which were now teeming with what appeared to be every awake painting in the building, all fussing and fighting for the right to see. He didn't move when Jennifer and Severus ran up, letting them both take in the sight as he had. It was then that Severus began to realize that it was going to be a very long year. Putting Alicia in Hogwarts was like letting a sweet tooth loose in a candy factory.
"Fascinating," Dumbledore said at last when the parents had time to ingest the situation. "Quite fascinating." He glanced at them both then before heading towards the doors to the Hall, and Jennifer felt a quick rush of warmth invade her cheeks. Even Severus had a bit more color in his face than usual, passing through the entryway and into the hall, taking their places just as the older students began to arrive.
Down below, the first years were stepping out of the boats. Alicia helped Morfinn out sympathetically as they were instructed by the good centaur to head up the stairs. At the top stood a witch that Alicia recognized at once; Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Transfiguration Professor. Morfinn stared at her agape before finally breaking down into another sneeze, taking out a clean handkerchief from yet another hidden pocket. Alicia began to wonder just how many of those he had, his sneezing and coughing a bit distracting as she tried to hear Professor McGonagall as she explained what was going to happen next.
At last they were moving again and into the castle itself where a large group of images in four paintings began to cheer loudly. Alicia recognized quite a number of the portraits from her journeys through them to find her siblings over the last few years, waving to them cheerfully while in front of them. Minerva rolled her eyes. Could a Snape never make a normal entrance?
As they stepped up to the doors of the Great Hall, the first years gasped as a tall ghost in ragged Hogwarts robes suddenly burst through from the other side, taking them all in before nodding to Alicia and then bowing to Minerva who was looking at him disapprovingly.
"Allow me," insisted Janus Craw, the doors bursting open from his ghostly touch.
It was then that Alicia's anxiety blossomed into terror as she looked down the two rows of students who were leaning a bit to get a better view of the newcomers.
"Come on, Cuz," Zacchius said, backing out of the crowd to get to her and grabbing her arm. Zoë left the girl she was talking to do the same on the other side, dragging Alicia in. "I don't think that Hat's killed anyone yet."
"Of course, there's always a first time," Zoë added with a grin, winking at her brother.
Alicia scanned the gorgeous architecture of the room until her eyes fell upon Dumbledore, who smiled pleasantly back at her. Beside him on his left side sat her parents, her mother looking unusually pale and nervous herself. So much so in fact that Severus reached over and put a hand upon hers as the Hat began to rhyme.
The Hallowed Houses of Hogwarts have always had four;
Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor,
So in case you're wondering what lies in store,
My job is to find out which house suits you more.
Now, there's no perfect fit, but I'll see that you get
The House you belong most in, and I haven't lost one yet.
So step to the stool, now, there's no reason to be shy.
Just because I'm a Hat doesn't mean I'm not a nice guy.
Severus rolled his eyes. Jennifer grinned at him before looking at her daughter, winking at her. It was only then that Alicia began to get some control over her nerves, but her heart was thumping in her chest as the first name was called.
"Zacchius Black!" McGonagall said, her eyes immediately falling on where the three of them stood in the back.
"Break a leg, Zack," Zoë grinned at him.
"That'd put a damper on this Sorting thing, wouldn't it?" he whispered back, but then moved up to the stool. He grinned at his sister knowingly as the Hat got put to his head, mouthing the house name as the Hat spoke it out loud.
"Gryffindor!"
He hopped off then as the Gryffindors began to cheer, bowing deeply at everyone before going to take his seat next to Andrew and Halbert, who both shook his hand. Behind them, his somber uncle look much less than thrilled at the quick outcome, but reluctantly clapped when Jennifer gave him a jab in the arm. Zoë stepped up next before McGonagall even had a chance to call her name, grinning widely at her brother. And just as before, as the Hat touched her forehead, she mouthed the house name 'Gryffindor' as surely as the Hat called it. Hopping off the seat she curtsied almost mockingly at the applause before running to take her place.
"Peachy," Severus murmured with no enthusiasm whatsoever. Jennifer couldn't help but grin at that, Dumbledore giving him the same amused look from his other side.
Morfinn was the next to be Sorted. He stepped up to the stool, holding his red nose as if to keep it in check. But from the moment McGonagall put it on his head be went into a full fledged sneezing attack, the Hat having to pull up its brim to keep from being a victim to it.
"Sniffle…er…Hufflepuff!"
Over at the Slytherin table, several of them laughed, mimicking the sneezing and the hat as Morfinn went over to the one table actually cheering for them, although the girl next to him did ask him to move down a place. Will Cardiff headed to Ravenclaw next, a rather good looking boy with kind eyes, and then Juliet Farr went to Slytherin, a proud smile coming over her as she stepped over and took her place.
"Phoebe Grey," Minerva called next, and Alicia recognized the girl she had sat beside on the boat. Oh, that was Heph's sister, of course, she realized, the girl grinning out into the crowd as she sat on the stool. It had taken the Hat a bit longer this time, its creases looking much like it was mulling things over.
"Hufflepuff!" it said at last. She glanced over at where her brother sat, and then smiled triumphantly when he looked positively mortified, heading over to her table.
"I don't believe it! I can't believe she would do this to me!" Heph said, covering his face.
"Time to disown her," Stock said.
"How's it feel to be the brother of a Snifflepuff?" Aurelius smirked at him.
"Maybe my bat hit her head just a little bit too hard last time," Heph mused.
Yvonne Richards went to Gryffindor, and on through Shafali Singh; her destination Ravenclaw. And it was then that Alicia realized that she had to be soon. In fact, only four other students waited beside her then.
"Alicia Corsiva Snape," Minerva said, a smile playing on her face as she nodded to the girl in front of her. Another wave of panic went through her. The other students rooted her on encouragingly, and her eyes met her parents' eyes briefly before turning around and sitting on the stool, searching the crowd for her siblings. Just as she found Aurelius in the crowd, the hat was placed on her head.
Jennifer held her breath then, the tension building as the hat considered for a moment.
"Gryf…no…" the Hat said out loud, suddenly changing its mind. Jennifer and Severus glanced at each other.
"Rav…no…" Jennifer's heart fell, disappointed, but it was obvious that the Hat was having a terrible time figuring out where to put her.
"Sly…now just one minute here!" it finally protested, then fell into a silence that lasted a long time. The longest, in fact, that Jennifer or Severus ever remembered.
Now listen here girl, have you got moths under your rim? The Hat asked Alicia irritably. You were happy with each choice as I made it and then protested every one. Do you mind telling me what the problem is?
I don't expect a Hat would understand, Alicia thought miserably.
I'm sure you wouldn't expect much from me, but see here, girl, I see better than you do. Your siblings all want you in their houses, I expect, but you don't want to choose between them. To join one is to slight the others, is that it?
Yes, although I would like to be with my cousins. But Alex and Aurelius would be hurt if I wasn't in theirs…
Now look here, girl. This isn't about them; it's about what's best for you. And from what I'm learning now, I'm thinking you've grown awfully dependent on what they want when it comes to deciding that. But I'm not a shrink, so it's time you get off your duff, be it for good or ill, you're now in-
"Hufflepuff!"
It was true that all three of her siblings looked extremely disappointed, all reluctantly clapping, and Aurelius trying his best to keep from sinking under the table. But the roar from the Hufflepuff table was so deafening when they realized they had gotten the Quidditch catch of the year that Alicia couldn't help but to smile a bit, coming down to sit by Morfinn and receive a very warm welcome from everyone nearby.
"So how's it feel to have a sister in Snifflepuff?" Heph asked Aurelius. Aurelius pushed him off his seat.
"Professor Dumbledore," Pomona Sprout called out from the other side of Jennifer over the still applauding crowd. "I'd like to officially request that Alicia Snape be given special permission to have her broom this year."
"Granted," Dumbledore said.
"Thank you! I'll have it sent for right away," Pomona beamed.
"No need, it's in Jennifer's closet, I believe," Dumbledore said before turning his attention to the next Sorting. Severus turned slowly around to stare at his wife who giggled nervously.
"Well, so much for hoping she was in my house," she murmured.
"Cheater," he murmured back.
As the last student headed to Slytherin, Minerva smiled at them as she pulled the stool back and sat the Hat on the table in front of Dumbledore, making her way to seat.
"That was the last of them, wasn't it?" The Hat asked tiredly. "I don't think I could take any more Snapes."
"Indeed it was," Dumbledore smiled at the Hat. "Goodness, that last one took you a while, but to be quite honest I think you made the right decision on each and every one," he smiled. "Minerva?"
"Albus, might I make one request?" Minerva asked. "Actually, it was rather a request from both Icarus and I," she added, looking over at the ghost who smiled warmly at her.
"Yes?" he asked, letting her murmur in her ear. "Well, it is rather unusual, but under the circumstances, I dare say no one will blame us for a little impropriety," he said mischievously. Jennifer and Severus both gazed at him curiously as he stood and Minerva called the room to order.
"Welcome all, both new and returning," Dumbledore said with a smile. "It is good to have you all back. I have a bit of an announcement to make, about the amending of an old time school rule, which prevented students from entering the Dark Forest. It has been decided by members of the staff, the board, and I that supervised excursions will be allowed into the Dark Forest from now on, for educational reasons. For example, Professor Snape, Professor Sprout, and Doctor Sagittari have requested taking some of their older classes in to teach things you would not be able to normally learn in the confines of the castle.
"However, it should be pointed out that this does not mean that we think the Dark Forest is any less dangerous, nor should these lessons be taken lightly by any means. Students who do not follow the rules will likely find themselves in study halls during those outings, and also, teachers have my full permission to raise point penalties for any action done by a student, which might endanger the class. Furthermore, this change should not in any way be taken to mean that any student is allowed to wander about whenever they choose. Any student found wandering in the forest without a faculty member will be dealt with harshly," Dumbledore said, his eyes flicking over at Aurelius who looked at him straight on.
"Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Professor McGonagall has made a request that I've decided to humor, so I ask you bear with me a moment. May I have Alexandria, Aurelius, Andrew, and Alicia Snape stand up and beside their tables for a moment please?" Dumbledore asked.
One by one they stood, glancing at each other as they did so. Alex looked over at the head table extremely curious, while Aurelius stood straight and as tall as he could, looking solemn. Andrew was grinning from ear to ear as he looked proudly over at his littlest sister, who had tears of joy in her eyes. Jennifer knew exactly how she felt, an intense tingle and surge of elation and pride pulsing through her, barely able to keep her own eyes dry. Nor, she knew, was she the only one. Beside her, Severus was nodding a bit, glancing at each one in turn. And although his expression might not have revealed his mood to the students that sat there, neither Jennifer nor Dumbledore nor even Minerva on the other side of them had missed the subtle, smug look that had crept into his eyes.
"You may sit down now, thank you," Dumbledore smiled. "And now, without further interruption, variety is the spice of life."
From turkey to ham to lamb, from curry to tacos to couscous and bamboo, a sample of every culture any student could possibly imagine suddenly appeared, making it necessary for them to pass bowls and plates back and forth down the table so that everyone could get what they wanted, chatting merrily all the while and laughing good naturedly when half of the gazpacho ended up on Halbert's shirt.
"This is absolutely amazing! Albus, don't tell me you knew this was going to happen all along," Jennifer laughed, wagging a piece of her pita bread at him.
"Well, I did hope it would after what happened with the first three," Dumbledore admitted. "And also, a little bird might have tipped me off to a memory he might have had." Icarus smiled from where he sat eating his mold-crusted soup.
"Oh, so he cornered you too, did he?" Minerva chuckled. "Something wrong, Severus?"
"It has just occurred to me that Jennifer and I are now going to have to attend every single Quidditch game," Severus mused. Jennifer grinned at that.
"Just be glad Andrew has no real interest in Quidditch, or we'd really be in trouble," she said before hearing the distinct sound of a knock on the bottom of the table.