Ch 2 –Letters

Harry Potter woke with a start, "Huh?"

" I asked you to tell us the proper definition for the Truth spell Mr. Potter!" said a thoroughly annoyed Professor Anckleworth (their new DADA teacher). "Honestly Mr. Potter! This is the second time I've caught you with your head in the clouds, boy. Now pay attention!" she rapt her desk with her wand in irritation. She then turned back to the board and recited the definition as it wrote itself neatly on the board.

"What's wrong mate?" Ron asked, giving his friend a worried look.

"Nothing…really," he added seeing Ron about to push the matter.

"Harry if there's something troubling you…" Hermione began but was cut off by Professor Anckleworth as she had caught them.

"If you will kindly keep your attention directed to the board Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley… you might actually learn something useful. And ten points form Gryffandor for interrupting my class three times in a row. Next interruption by you lot will result in more than mere house points."

Soon after the bell rang signaling for dinner. Harry, Ron, and Hermione found seats- surprisingly- near the staff table. Hagrid beamed as they approached. "Ow's yer first day back yer three? Get'n on al' right I expect?"

"Yeah, it's ok. Nothing fancy or bad happen yet, Ron said, shrugging.

"Great Ron, you just jinxed it!" Hermione said exasperatedly, slapping him upside the head. Harry couldn't help but snicker at the look on Ron's face.

Dinner went as usual. The many conversations mixed with the clinking of utensils on plates. But slowly the noise in the hall started to get quieter and quieter. Many people started looking around; some had looked up to the staff table, where Dumbledore sat, to see if he had risen for an announcement. But he hadn't. His eyes were focused on the ceiling, at one of the rafter beams that ran the length of the hall. Many students fallowed his lead and looked in the same direction. Students then started nudging their neighbors and pointing up at the beams.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up as well. They scanned the rafters for any sign of a owl or anything that moved. Harry was the first out of the three to spot it. "It's a falcon."

The said falcon seeing that it had been spotted then flew off its perch on the beam and flew towards the staff table. There was a collection of ooo's and awe's as the light reflected off of the bird. It was pure black. Silver tipped its wings. It's silver beak and legs glistened from the candlelight as it flew passed them; as well as many jewels that were incrusted in its legs. Dumbledore stood, seemingly expecting the bird to go to him, but it didn't. Instead it veered to his right and landed in front of a completely shocked potions master.

Dumbledore as well as the rest of the staff and student body turned and stared at Snape. He didn't seem to notice; his black eyes, that always held hatred and resentment or were as blank and empty as shadows, now held nothing but distinct terror and disbelief. Even though his face was blank, his eyes gave his emotions away. As they all watched his face steadily grew paler as he looked at the bird.

Slowly Snape reached out for the letter this mysterious falcon carried. But then his attention was caught by the arrival of a second mysterious bird. This one was a crow. Identical to the falcon, except where the falcon dawned silver the crow dawned gold. It too carried a letter.

Snape started shacking violently, his hands twitching and jerking as though he were under the crucio spell. He reached out the falcons' letter as the crow landed on the table next to the falcon. Relinquished of its letter the falcon took off with a flourish of silver wings and onyx talons. He then took the letter from the crow; it too took off with a flourish, of gold this time. Snape just sat there, clutching the two letters in his shaking hands. Dumbledore approached him quietly and apprehensively.

"Severus…?" he placed a hand on his shoulder. Snape started and looked up quickly, terror blazing in his eyes.

"HUH!" he jumped at the sudden hand on his shoulder. Dumbledore jerked his hand away quickly at Severus' reaction.

Snape then turned his face away, a slight blush creeping up his face as he realized how he had just acted and how pathetic he must have looked in the eyes of the only man that felt like family to him. "Excuse me…" he mumbled then bolted from the Great Hall. Letters crunched in his hands.