Snape, Severus

"Oh, my dear boy! Are you really trying to block me? I don't remember the last time a student tried to close off parts of his mind to me."

I'm not closing off anything.

"Of course you are; you can't lie to me when I can see into your head. Now what is it you don't want me to see?"

Stop it! There's nothing - stop!

"You are a remarkably strong Occlumens for your age, but I flatter myself that I'm a bit too good at what I do to be hoodwinked by an eleven-year-old. Now, let's take a look."

Are you calling me a liar? There's nothing else for you to see.

"Ah, so then all you have in you is cold ambition?"

If that's what you see in me, then I suppose that's it. Aren't you the 'hat that sees you outside-in?'

"Didn't like my song much then, did you? Well, I won't pretend it was my best. Aha!"

Stop it!

"You can't stop me seeing your mind, it's what I do. Now what is it you're hiding from me? Intelligence, well that was obvious from the advanced level of mind magic you've been doing. Did your father teach it to you?"

My father? Teach me something magic? He'd have kept me out of this school if he could. And my mother would have stopped me if I ever let her know. You say you can "see" my mind but you can't tell how far from a teacher he is, how useless he's made her?

"You've got it in you to stand up to him, though, haven't you? You have that courage."

What do you know? If I did anything for her he would hurt her worse.

"Yes, so you take it all upon yourself? You let her think you don't care enough, or are too afraid to help her?"

I do what I have to do. Which seems to be more than I can say about you.

"You won't stand up to him, but you don't hold back with me, I can see that. Well where shall I place you then?"

You mean I've a choice?

"More so than most, I daresay. You've got courage enough for a Gryffindor and more than enough brains and love of knowledge to see you do well in Ravenclaw, and although your brand of loyalty is perhaps a bit . . . different from the usual Hufflepuff, you are more than ready enough for hard work. But I wonder . . ."

Wonder what? What about Slytherin?

"Yes, exactly: Slytherin. I wonder if all of your qualities wouldn't show themselves all the more strongly if you were there."

Do you sort anyone without talking complete rubbish to them first?

"You wanted me to sort you into Slytherin for your ambition. Would you still want to be a Slytherin if it would require extreme dedication, skill, and bravery to achieve your ends?"

I thought you were supposed to tell me what it is I want.

"Ah, well. You would do well to remember that you did have the choice, though, but if you leave it to me I think it might be well for you to be in -"

SLYTHERIN