A Second's Difference
Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the high table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin, who suddenly looked past Quirrell and straight into Harry's eyes, with a gaze so full of hatred Harry felt himself shrink a little. The man turned away and Harry, shaken by the experience, allowed his eyes to wander towards Quirrell's purple turban.
It happened very suddenly. Harry focused his eyes on the Professor's purple turban – and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.
"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.
"What is it?" asked Percy
"N-nothing"
Percy nodded and then turned to reply to a question from Nearly Headless Nick. "Yes, yes, I do believe you're quite right. It has become rather apparent that –"
But Harry narrowed his eyes at the head table.
Something was not quite right with Quirrell...
THE END
A/N: Thought I'd do something different. And yes, this IS a one-shot. It just meant to show how much difference a second could make ;) And all thanks to Snapey!! :D