Hermione sat in her place at the teacher's table, hoping that none of her whirling thoughts showed on her face. The last thing I want is for my future students to have their first impression of their Potions Professor be that she's a distracted flibbertigibbet.
Several times over the past week she'd tried to check that Professor Snape was safely tucked away in the Room of Requirement, but every time circumstances had conspired to defeat her. First Ron and Harry had met her in the corridor and assumed that she was heading for the anti-eavesdropping form of the Room. Then Filch had spent an entire afternoon mopping the corridor, looking suspiciously at everyone who passed. Caught a house elf taking food in, he'd grunted when Hermione asked him if the floor was possibly now as clean as it would ever get. Something's going on, you mark my words.
Then Neville has asked for her help trying to find the Bloody Baron — who had made himself so scarce even the other ghosts weren't sure where he was.
Every day, she'd hoped that Harry would announce that he'd spotted Snape on the Marauder's Map. The fact that he hadn't, combined with Flich's story of a house elf taking food into the Room, made her think that Snape was tucked safely away in one of the Room's many forms.
Worse, though, was Ginny's blithe announcement that Harry had worked out it was Filius Flitwick who was in need of their help. Hermione had asked Is he sure? The disappointment in her voice was clear enough to her, but apparently not to Ginny.
Hermione tried not to let her frustration show on her face and looked out over the hall.
The older years had arrived, and taken their places. There was a low buzz of chatter up and down the four long tables as friends exchanged news of their summers. From the frequent glances cast at the teachers, Hermione could guess that plenty of those conversations involved a fair bit of speculation about the new faces, too. One boy staring at her accidentally met her gaze, and blushed. Hermione gave him a small smile. Distant, yet approachable, that was her aim. Friendly, but not familiar. Firm, but not ferocious.
Harry was getting most of the curious looks, and he returned them with a cheerful smile. He didn't need to worry about keeping their respect. The Boy Who Lived could run naked down the Gryffindor table and they'd still stare at him with awe.
On Harry's other side, Ginny had arranged her face into a cheerful yet slightly remote expression. Hermione leaned back in her chair and whispered behind Harry's back, "How are you doing that? With your face?"
"I'm imagining it's an autograph signing session," Ginny whispered back.
Of course. Ginny and the rest of her team probably had training sessions on how to give the right impression at public events.
Ron was deep in conversation with Professor Flitwick. Hermione bit her lip, realised she was doing it and made herself stop. She'd spent most of the day trying to work out whether it was breaking her promise to Professor Snape to tell flat-out tell Harry he was on the wrong track.
She still hadn't reached a decision. And I won't worry about it now. If she did, she'd spend the meal scowling like Snape.
The great doors at the end of the hall swung open, and Hagrid led the new students in.
Merlin's pants, they're so young! At the time, terrified of failing some test of magic as she'd been, Hermione had certainly not felt young, but there in front of her was the evidence that she must have been. They're just little children!
They lined up for the Sorting Hat, staring up at the enchanted ceiling and the floating candles with the same wide-eyed awe that Hermione had remembered feeling.
"It's a hat," one of the first year students hissed in a carrying whisper. "Are we supposed to enchant it? I don't know any spells for hats!"
And then that student, and all the other first year students, stepped back a little as the Sorting Hat made a throat clearing noise and began.
"In days long past four wizards wise
Set out to found a school.
To teach, to train, to supervise
To provide young minds with fuel.
Their cause was one but not their minds
Each sought students as they were
And every House was soon aligned
As Founder's choices recurred."
"That's a terrible rhyme," Harry whispered to Hermione. She elbowed him.
"Slytherin, who dressed in green, to greatness did aspire.
Gryffindor in gold was brave and bold
Ravenclaw's knowledge rose like a spire,
While kind Hufflepuff with hard work toiled
To make the choice, they whipped up me!
The smartest hat you'll ever see.
Step up, step up, and put me on
I'll sort you out, I'm never wrong."
"I think maybe it hasn't fully recovered from being set on fire," Hermione murmured as they all applauded.
Professor Sinistra, as Deputy Headmistress, stepped forward and unrolled a long sheet of parchment. "When your name is called, come forward, and place the hat upon your head. When you have been sorted, go and sit at the table of your House. Aitkins, Colin!"
A skinny boy with mouse-brown hair crept forward, not looking at all delighted to be first, and nervously placed the hat on his head.
"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat shouted immediately.
The Hufflepuff table cheered and Professor Sprout beamed.
And, as they'd planned ahead of time, the former members of Dumbledore's Army rose to their feet, clapping hard. "Well done, Colin!" Harry called.
"Hufflepuff's a grand house," Luna put in.
"Congratulations, Colin!" Neville shouted.
Hermione could feel the weight of Minerva McGonagall's assessing look, but she ignored it.
"Ayersley, Lisa!" was the next name, and a round-faced girl with thick glasses and close-cropped kinky hair came forward, more confidently than Colin Aitkins.
The Hat considered for a moment, and then cried, "Slytherin!"
Lisa Ayersley's shoulders slumped and there was an awkward silence.
Broken by Harry. "Good for you, Lisa!" he said loudly. "The bravest man I ever knew was from Slytherin!"
"You must be bound for greatness," Hermione contributed. She could see some of the older students at the Slytherin table looking surprised. One or two of them sneered a little. Not happy at being praised by a mudblood.
Well, bollocks to them. Draco might be dead wrong about the Slytherins being all helpless victims of their circumstances, but he is right about the harm ostracism can do.
The Hat went on sorting — Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff twice and then a run of three Gryffindors — and Dumbledore's Army went on cheering every sorting, praising each house. Hogwarts: A History had provided Hermione with an exhaustive list of brilliant Hufflepuffs, brave Ravenclaws, cunning Gryffindors and generous Slytherins and she used their names freely. Ginny and Ron had obviously decided to play to their strengths, and kept up a running commentary of the great Quidditch victories and players of each House.
Hagrid got into the spirit of things, giving a great cheer with every Sorting and escorting the student over to their House table with a beam. By the time the Hat had worked its way through the alphabet, students from every table were applauding every time a student was sorted, regardless of which House they were sent to.
Finally only one student was left: a sturdy-looking girl with a cap of short fair hair. She hurried up to the Hat as soon as Wilkins, Maisie was called and put it on.
This time, the silence stretched on. Hermione bit her lip, aware that some of the students were fidgeting nervously. Come on, Hat!
As if it had heard her, the Hat immediately shouted, "Hufflepuff!"
"Hooray for the mighty badger!" Luna said happily as most of the hall broke out into applause.
Maisie Wilkins hurried over to the Hufflepuff table, looking happy enough, and the Sorting was done for another year.
Minerva McGonagall rose and went to the lectern. "It is my very great pleasure to welcome you all to another year at Hogwarts," she said in a clear, carrying voice. "Since I know how foolish it is to expect young people to pay attention when they're hungry, I will only say: dinner is served."
That got another cheer. Laden serving dishes appeared along the tables, and everyone turned to the serious business of eating.
"That was a good thing you did, Harry," Hagrid said as he piled his plate high. "And the rest of ye, o'course."
The Headmistress pursed her lips. "Did it occur to you, Professor Potter, to mention your plans to your Headmistress?"
"It did," Harry said steadily. "But I thought you might consider it undignified."
She sniffed. "In the future, although I know it goes directly against your natural inclinations, I would appreciate it if you would ask permission rather than require forgiveness."
Harry didn't look in the slightest bit intimidated. "So am I forgiven, then?"
"Since, unfortunately, teachers can't be given detention, I suppose I have no choice," Minerva said, but Hermione was almost certain her mouth softened into what was almost a smile. "Are you all prepared for your first day of teaching tomorrow?"
"I hope so," Hermione said fervently. What if it goes wrong? What if the potion base is expired and I just can't tell? What if —
Minerva patted her hand. "You'll be fine. I have every confidence."
Hermione looked up and down the table. "Who will be teaching Transfiguration?" she asked. "I don't see any new faces."
"Girvyn Graves will be arriving back soon," Minerva said. "He planned to be here yesterday, but there was an unfortunate incident involving a student from Beauxbatons and Madame Maxime asked for his help."
"An unfortunate incident?" Harry asked.
"Nothing Dark, Auror Potter," Minerva assured him. "A young woman attempted to Transfigure herself a new dress … and managed to Transfigure herself into a new dress. She seems to have quite powerful magic, or at least magic that's fairly odd, and there's been some difficulty turning her back."
"At least she doesn't have a tail," Hermione said.
"I think she'd probably prefer to have a tail," Minerva said. She gave a small smile. "I certainly would. At any rate, I'll have to find time to teach the class myself until Girvyn returns."
Ginny leaned forward to talk past Harry and Hermione. "I can help, if you'd like. I'm no expert, but I did get Exceeds Expectations on my N.E. and that should be enough for the first and second classes, at least."
"That's very kind of you, Miss Weasley," Minerva said, "and I'll certainly take advantage of you. Come to my office first thing tomorrow."
Hermione bit her lip, and Ginny smiled at her. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. I'll make it in time for your first years."
"Are you going to poison Ginny as a demonstration?" Harry asked.
Hermione grinned at him. "Not poison, no. Exactly."