Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own a thing. Would love to be the proud owner of a Snape, but JK Rowling got there first. She owns all of the characters, settings etc. But you knew that.

-Chapter Four TheSorting Hat's Silence-

Shaking slightly, Jane stepped awkwardly into the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall beside her. Several teachers sat around the single table in the centre, chatting to each other or reading, but all of them stopped when they saw their co-worker stroll in with the new student, who was dressed in understated deep purple robes. Her red hair was still messy however much she had attempted to tame it, but pleasantly so. The most shocking thing about the girl was how skeletal she was, leaving her robes to hang off of her small frame slightly. She was nearly as tall as McGonagall herself.

Professor Snape eyed Jane incredulously. She had not been nearly as pretty when she was unwashed, but now that she was clean, he could tell she had a classic, old-fashioned sort of beauty about her, though he scolded himself for thinking this. She was a student after all, and one he'd have to be spending a lot of time with in future.

Once McGonagall had shown Jane to the seat next to Snape, she proceeded along the table to an empty chair in between Hagrid and Flitwick.

"Well," McGonagall announced, standing behind her chair, "I'd like to introduce you all to our new student, Jane Dashwood. After we have eaten, there'll be a little Sorting Ceremony for her."

The teachers all clapped Jane politely and smiled at her.

"Before Albus passed away," McGonagall continued, as all pity-filled eyes turned for a second to Snape who glared menacingly at them all, "he told me of a girl who would prove to be a considerable weapon in the war. A girl with amazing talents, apparently. This is the girl. He asked that Severus was the one to act as a mentor and teacher to Jane until she reaches O.W.L. standard. She will take her O.W.L.s sometime after the end of these summer holidays, and will attend the school properly in October. I'd like to propose a toast to Jane," Minerva finally finished, raising her goblet like the rest of the teachers, and joining in on the chorus of, "To Jane!" Severus rolled his eyes, dreading the extra work he would have to do, and wondering to himself whether he would get a pay rise.

The tables were soon full of food, and everyone was tucking in and continuing their conversations from earlier. After a while of eating in silence, Jane turned to Snape and asked, "Professor Snape, what subject do you teach here?"

Snape took a sip of pumpkin juice and replied, "Last year I taught Defence Against the Dark Arts, but now I'm back to my normal job as Potions Master, a position that I have held for a number of years."

"Yes," laughed Jane. "You look like the Potions sort."

Snape raised one of his dark eyebrows. "I hadn't realised there was a 'Potions sort'."

"Oh, I'm sure there probably is," replied Jane, taking a bite of a Pumpkin Pasty.

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Once the feast was over, McGonagall stood up, smoothed out her robes, and announced, "I think it's time for the Sorting, now." Silence ensued as she made her way over to the Sorting Hat and beckoned for Jane (who was feeling rather overfed) to follow her. McGonagall moved a stool out from under the table for Jane, who sat on it, and then she placed the Sorting Hat on Jane's head.

Jane did not know quite what to expect when the shabby hat was placed on her head. All of the teachers were watching her intensely, waiting for the Sorting Hat's answer, which, even after a minute or so, did not come.

"Humph, it doesn't seem to be doing anything, " mused Professor McGonagall, but before she could work out what to do, Jane's body straightened and she had an expression on her face which could only mean that the Sorting Hat was speaking to her.

"Hmm," whispered the Sorting Hat in Jane's ear, "You're a tricky one…part of me thinks you would be a good Ravenclaw...you have the intelligence for it…but another part of me is saying that you are a Gryffindor at heart..."

Everyone stared intently at Jane and the hat.

"No...no, you're a Slytherin, I'm sure," croaked the hat. "You're ambitious. Very ambitious."

Jane smiled. Secretly, she had been hoping that she'd be placed in Professor Snape's house. He was quite funny, really, with his sardonic comments and lack of enthusiasm for...well, anything.

"SLYTHERIN!" cried the Sorting Hat at last. Professor Snape smirked inwardly. He'd wanted her to be in his house. He couldn't bear the thought of being mentor to a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff.

Professor McGonagall was quite upset really; she'd become fond of Jane already, and for her to be a Slytherin meant disaster, she believed. She clapped with the rest of the teachers nevertheless.

"Well, Severus, rather than making her sleep in the Slytherin dormitory, I think it'd be nice if you let her make her home in one of the of the spare bedchambers. Let her have whichever chamber she likes best." McGonagall mustered up a smile for Jane. "If you have any problems, Jane, don't hesitate to come and see me."

Jane nodded appreciatively and rose as Snape gestured for her to follow him.

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Considering it's the summer holidays, I'll be writing a lot more chapters, so please keep reading! I plan to do another two or three chapters today.