A/N: None of these characters are mine except the obvious. The Harry Potter characters belong to the amazing J.K Rowling. Please R&R.
Chapter 10: The Sorting
The hours came and went until the students finally reached the school. Laura walked slowly to the Great Hall. When she reached the wooden doors, she could hear the students eagerly chatting inside. She pushed the staffs' entrance open and paused to take-in the scene. The Great Hall was aglow with floating candles and the night sky on the ceiling was clear with a million stars twinkling. Laura made her way over to the staff table and took a seat next to Professor McGonagall's chair and saved the seat beside her for Remus. When he came in, Laura gave him a friendly smile. He barely glanced at her as he nodded politely in recognition and walked by to sit next to Hagrid.
As Laura's forehead wrinkled a bit as she watched Remus go out of sight, the seat next to her shifted and she slowly turned to see the occupant - Professor Snape. She quickly remembered what happened the last time they met and turned her attention to the first years - now following McGonagall into the hall.
McGonagall carried a stool and a familiar ragged hat. Laura searched the crowd of first years for her sister as they nervously watched the head of Gryffindor set up for the sorting ceremony. When she finally found her, Laura noticed the unusual confident look on her face. She remembered when she was sorted and how frightened she was when the Sorting Hat yelled out "Slytherin!" Laura knew instantly that her parents weren't going to be happy. Her mother, Cosette, was a Ravenclaw and her father, Marius, was a Gryffindor. Laura would do anything to please them but it always wasn't quite good enough. When she wrote to her parents for the first time at Hogwarts, they were furious.
"Why Slytherin?" Laura remembered her mother's reply. "You could have done better and you know it! You would have been a perfect Gryffindor or Ravenclaw because of your smarts. We're very disappointed in you, Laura.." Those weren't the best memories she had of her parents, but, thankfully, they soon got over it after a while when Laura kept her grades up.
"When I call out your name, step up to the stool and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will then be sorted into your house," Professor McGonagall called to the crowd of first years.
"Willow Adams." A tall, dark haired girl stepped up to the stool and the hat was placed on her head. After about 30 seconds, the hat yelled out, "Slytherin!" and the girl strutted over to her table.
"Scott Ector." A short, light haired boy stepped cautiously up to the stool. "Hufflepuff!" the hat yelled and the boy let out a heavy sigh as he walked to his table, which greeted him with open arms.
"Samantha Jones." Laura froze as her sister walked to the stool with her head held high. She had always taught her sister to take life as it came and to not fear life, but face it. After the hat was placed, a few minutes passed before it yelled, "Slytherin!" Laura let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and watched her sister take her seat at the Slytherin table.
The sorting continued until the last first year was placed and Dumbledore stood to address the students. Not much of his speech had changed since Laura had been at Hogwarts. The Forbidden Forest was still just that – forbidden, and the third floor corridor was still off limits to those who "don't wish to die a most painful death." This went on for a little bit until Dumbledore clapped his hands and the tables filled with food s of all kinds.
When the students seemed to have their fill, Dumbledore stood once more. "Now that we have finished, the prefects will accompany the students to their dorms."
As the students filed excitedly out of the Great Hall, Laura heard her name being called from across the hall.
"Laura! Laura!" A girl collided with her, grasping her around the waist
"It's good to see you, Sam," Lara told her sister while hugging her back.
"Miss Jones," said a silky voice behind them. "I do believe you are supposed to be following the Slytherin perfect so that you will not be going off and getting lost, am I correct?"
Samantha move back from her sister and stared at her feet as she replied, "Yes, Sir..erm..Professor."
"I'll talk with you tomorrow, ok?" Laura told her sister softly.
Samantha nodded and then ran to catch up with the other Slytherins – who had all already exited the Great Hall and were making their way through the Entrance Hall to the Dungeons.
"Professor Jones, I need to speak with you," Snape told Laura in his velvety voice. "Follow me."
Wishing she could just walked away, Laura reluctantly followed Snape, matching his long strides with her own. Not a word was spoken until they reached his office in the dungeons. He released the wards and waited for her to enter. Laura walked in tentatively and Snape suddenly slammed the door behind her, causing her to jump. She eyed him cautiously, waiting for him to strike.
Snape moved around the room to sit behind a large, dark mahogany desk. "Sit," he demanded and gestured to a green cushioned chair in front of the desk. Laura did as she was told, but never let her guard down. She'd been bitten by this snake before and didn't plan to make the same mistake twice. Snape folded his hands in front of him and leaned back in his chair.
"How is it that you were ever sorted into Slytherin? You possess none of the qualities of a true Slytherin. You're more like a bloody Gryffindor."
"People change over the years, I suppose. Things happen that you don't anticipate it and when it happens..you change," she told him.
"And, pray tell, what might these 'things' be?" he quizzed.
"Well, not having a family except my sister might have something to do with it," Laura said frankly.
"You have no one to blame but yourself for that!" he snapped.
"Myself?! How dare you insinuate that it's my fault that my grandparents were tortured to death while my parents were forced to watch them rive in pain – then only to be tortured themselves! I fail to see where it's my fault that some low life, Voldemort following, heartless bastard took all that was precious to me!" Tears of hate and anger welled up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away – as she so often did.
Snape's features softened and he stiffened in his chair. "I had no idea," he said while showing no apparent emotions. "I must have heard wrong."
Laura scuffed and turned her eyes upon him. "Well now you know."
"It seems we have more in common then we think," he suddenly revealed in a low voice.
"I think not."
"So you do possess qualities of a Slytherin..but only when provoked."
"Could you get to the point or are we finish here?"
Snape seemed to struggle with his words. "I would like to..well..apologize for my actions toward you yesterday evening."
Laura was taken aback. Snape didn't look like the type of man who apologized for anything.
"Oh..I..Look, it doesn't matter," Laura said as she quickly stood and opened the door, "but I accept your apology."
Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
I hope to have chapter 11 up soon.
I would like to thank those who have reviewed and my NEW Beta Kim!!!!