Author's Note: This chapter is another long one and it will seem even longer with the Sorting Hat song in there too. I hope you don't mind that Jasper pops up but I figured that as the seasons change we'll probably see the Seasonals too. This chapter has a little bit of everyone in it, so I hope you enjoy it.

Reviews:

M.v.j.M.: I hope I didn't disappoint! :)

Silversun XD: I was tempted to have it arrive at the Sorting, but I couldn't explain that long of a delay in his getting the letter. But don't worry, I think something will pop up later to embarrass Snape in front of the students.

Guest: Jack will eventually interact more with the HP characters, he just has to find Lillian first! I'm still trying to decide on how exactly to integrate him into the plot. I know a common theme is to have him become a student at the school, but I feel like that's been done a thousand times, so we'll see what happens. I was going to wait for winter to arrive before he showed up in the fic at all but with him searching so earnestly now, he might find Lillian a little earlier. I wasn't even originally going to have him in this chapter but I couldn't resist showing more of him. I can't wait to have more of the ROTG characters in there either, even if all they have is a small cameo.

KijoKuroi: I'm glad that you liked everything so far. It always bothered me too that nobody ever commented on Harry's clothes or the Dursley's, so we'll definitely see more people commenting on it later on in the fic.

Crossover Junkie: I think Stephen and Snape will have an interesting relationship as they send their letters back and forth. I wasn't going to have the howler become this huge deal, but now it somehow got out of hand. It'll be interesting to see how things eventually turn out although I'll be sad to see Stephen fade back into the background as a character. I had fun writing him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything from him! Some lines have been borrowed and rephrased by me. I'm trying very hard not to do direct quotes so I don't violate any copyright laws. Anything else you don't recognize belongs to me. I also don't own Rise of the Guardians!

Chapter Nine: The Howler and The Sorting

It had been a few days after Jack Frost's resolution to find Lillian no matter what, and he still hadn't found her anywhere. He spent most of his time in the air with the Wind whipping around him, taking him wherever he desired. He had searched all of Burgess again but still hadn't found a trace of her.

Jack frowned as he thought of Lillian's method of transportation. That giant flower would vanish without a trace, so it would be difficult to track where she could have gone. She could travel long distances and he wouldn't have any idea where she could be.

He had even thought of going to the other Seasonals for help. Surely they'd be upset that one of their own was gone, right? But he couldn't help but remember how close Jasper and August had been to Leif, the former Spring Spirit, and how they might not want to help find Leif's replacement. Jack sighed as he tried to figure out what to do. The Wind ruffled his hair and whispered in his ear as he flew around.

Jack smiled slightly as the Wind whispered soothingly to him. Even when he felt like he had no one, he always had the Wind. He scanned the scenery below him but still couldn't see any trace of Spring. He knew Lillian was careful to not spread her spring flowers around out of season, but sometimes she slipped up.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly while he still continued to fly hours later. He had been searching all day long in the U.S., but when night had started to fall, Jack had flown across the ocean to avoid Sandy. It was now early morning the next day here, and he could safely search with the sun just rising. Sandy was pretty much the only other spirit besides Lillian and Pitch that Jack could speak to and be friendly with, but he also knew that Sandy was stern about bedtimes and he knew Sandy might knock him out first and ask questions later. He couldn't afford to go to sleep now.

Jack found his eyes closing as the day wore on and he flew through the countryside. He had thought Lillian might like a nice open space to play in, but he still couldn't find her. As his eyes closed while he flew, he didn't realize that he was flying lower to the ground than he usually would.

His eyes had fully closed as he passed over a forest when a loud screech made him flinch awake with a start. Unfortunately, it also made him fling his hands out and he saw with rising horror as his staff was suddenly flung away from himself into the air. Jack scrambled in the air as he tried to reach it, but he was already dropping like a stone. The Wind screamed around him in alarm, but Jack couldn't fly without his staff. As he looked up in horror, he couldn't help but notice the rather ruffled looking owl flying away from him with a red envelope in its beak.

Jack had one moment to think irritably, Wizards! before he suddenly found himself in a tree. He distantly heard another crash that would indicate his staff had fallen too and as he heard the leaves ruffle, he also heard...

"Ow! What the?!" a familiar voice cried out.

Jack, who was busy dangling awkwardly from a tree branch that he was tangled up in, looked around as he tried to spot the source of the noise.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice turning into a bit of a squeak at the end as the tree branch cracked ominously.

He glanced down to see that the ground was a long ways down. He gulped and was about to call out again when he heard the voice speak.

"FROST!" it cried out in irritation.

In a swirl of fall leaves, Jasper, Jack's almost twin, appeared looking livid.

"What are you doing here?!" Jasper shouted as Jack realized suddenly that Jasper was waving his staff around.

Jasper looked exactly like Jack, except that instead of blue eyes Jasper had a darker brown and while Jack had white hair, Jasper had brown. Jasper even wore a hoodie similar to Jack's, except that it was a darker brown to match Jasper's love for Fall.

"I fell!" Jack said with a frown. He noticed that while his tree branch was cracking ominously again, Jasper was able to stand perfectly fine on another branch.

Jack had just enough time to wonder how Jasper could possibly do that without the branch giving out when there was an even louder CRACK! and with a shriek, he started to fall.

His fall was abruptly cut short, however, when with a sudden jerk, he found himself being strangled by his hoodie. Jack made a strangled sort of choking noise in protest, but Jasper pretended not to hear. When Jack had started to fall, Jasper had automatically reached out and snagged Jack by the hoodie. He gave an eye roll as Jack started to wave his arms around dramatically and in another swirl of Fall leaves, they both vanished.

They reappeared on the ground with Jack on his feet as Jasper released Jack's hoodie and shoved the staff roughly into Jack's hands. Jack flinched back a little as the older spirit gave Jack an intense look. While they might look almost exactly the same, they weren't even close to the same age. Jasper was much older than Jack as a spirit and he was older than Jack physically when he had been turned into the Spirit of Fall.

Jack hadn't even been an adult yet when he had become the Spirit of Winter, but Jasper was obviously in his mid-twenties and was a little taller than Jack. He used the age difference to his advantage as he gave Jack a stern look.

"You get out of here before I tell Mother Nature what you've been up to! We don't need another Mistral on our hands!" Jasper shouted as Jack hastily backed away.

"I just - " Jack started, but Jasper didn't want to hear it.

"Go!" Jasper shouted again as he glared at Jack.

Jack looked stricken at the hate that seemed to be radiating off of Jasper. Hurt pooled in his eyes as the Wind gently picked him up into the air and whipped him away after he had cleared the trees.

"I didn't do anything," Jack muttered to himself, but the Wind whispered in his ear consolingly all the same.

Jack sighed as he went back to scanning the scenery below himself.

How would he find Lillian?

Stephen Jorkins' ministry owl wasn't having a fun time delivering the howler. For one thing, he knew he was headed in the same direction he had been to dozens of times already and he was really getting annoyed with the fact that the moron he was sending letters to couldn't even be bothered to reply or at least open the letter.

Stephen had ranted angrily when he wrote the howler and had told the owl to make sure he didn't return until there was a reply. The owl had silently vowed to himself that he would haunt that man to the end of his days. He knew he had to skedaddle when he delivered the letter since he could feel the pure magic radiating from it and knew that loud and bad things could only come of that, but afterward, that man wouldn't know what hit him.

If owls could smirk, this one certainly would be.

That smirk was cut short, however, when a big blue blur almost flew right into him.

The owl gave an indignant screech as Jack almost barreled right into him and the owl wasn't even sorry when Jack accidentally flung his staff away and began to fall. As far as the owl was concerned, Jack deserved it.

The owl flew onward, its eyes on its destination.

Several hours later, however, found the owl perched in a tree as it poured out. A small lantern lit the tree and Jasper was actually sitting on a nearby branch as he meticulously painted leaves while the hood was up on his hoodie.

Jasper looked tired and miserable, but his encounter with Jack had put him even farther behind than he already was. He didn't know why he had given in to August yet again when August had wheedled for more time for Summer, but Jasper couldn't help but want to help out his friend.

He sighed as he used his magical paint on the leaves, glad that the water wasn't playing hell with streaks. If it were ordinary paint it might have, but this was Jasper's special paint and it would take more than a bit of rain to make it run.

Jasper had been surprised when the owl had landed nearby, but Jasper had spotted the red envelope in its beak and shook his head.

Wizards.

It seemed to be the sentiment shared by most of the spirit world. Wizards always thought they knew everything, when in fact, they had much to learn. Jasper knew there was a time when the wizards hadn't hidden from the rest of the world. They had shared their magic and helped out those who didn't have it. They even believed in all the spirits and the spirits had been more than happy to live alongside them.

But then things had changed with the witch hunts and the wizards had decided to hide away from society, withdrawing from even the spirits. As the years had gone on, soon even the wizards and witches had forgotten all about the spirits, believing them to be mere legend and myth.

Jasper glanced at the owl again as he painted by the light of the lantern he had hanging from an upper tree branch. The poor owl looked bedraggled, although the envelope clutched in its beak looked perfectly fine.

Jasper couldn't help but frown at the sight and feel sorry for the poor animal.

Didn't wizards ever think of their poor owls as they sent them out in all sorts of weather?

Jasper shook his head and continued to paint his leaves.

It had been a few days after that, and Hogwarts was bustling with all sorts of activity as more and more teachers began to arrive and prepare for the hordes of students that would be arriving that very night. Breakfast had been rather crowded as the staff table was much more full than it had been, but lunch had thinned out a little.

Lillian was sitting in her dreadful chair that was attached to the table and was looking down the staff table curiously while she sat. Professor Snape was sitting by McGonagall and Dumbledore, while Flitwick sat nearby, munching on his sandwich. Hagrid wasn't present as he had to make sure the grounds were looking spectacular for the arrival of the students and the other professors that had been present in the morning were all absent as they set up their quarters and things.

Lillian was about to return back to her own sandwich when a lone owl soared into the Great Hall and with an angry screech to rival a banshee, it flew down in front of all the stunned teachers and practically threw the red envelope it had been holding in its beak in Professor Snape's face. The owl then soared back out the magical window it had come in from and went straight off to the owlry for a long sleep. The poor owl had several delays in delivering its letter and it desperately needed the rest.

Severus Snape had stilled when the red envelope was tossed at his face by the owl and he had automatically reached up and caught it before it could hit him. He could see on the envelope that it was addressed to himself and he silently cursed when he turned it over and saw that it was sealed with the wax seal of the ministry.

That idiot -

His thoughts were cut short, however, when the envelope, which had begun smoking at the corners, suddenly burst open and an explosion of noise assaulted their ears.

He didn't even have time to escape out into the hall, Professor Snape had time to think ruefully to himself before his eardrums felt like they were going to burst.

Lillian had clapped her hands over her ears as the letter began to speak in Jorkins' voice, a hundred times louder than it usually was and sounding terribly angry.

"SEVERUS SNAPE," it shouted at him. "I HAD WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE PRIVACY IN THIS MATTER, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE LEFT ME NO CHOICE SINCE YOU REFUSE TO EVEN OPEN MY LETTERS."

Professor Snape studiously ignored everyone's curious gazes at that and he resumed eating his lunch as though a letter wasn't suddenly screaming at him. He looked unperturbed, although he was actually very angry.

What right did that dithering idiot have to send him a howler?! In front of the Great Hall no less! He was just lucky it was still the afternoon and that it hadn't arrived when all the students were there.

"IF YOU'LL REMEMBER EARLIER THIS SUMMER, THERE WAS A FUSS ABOUT A SMALL CHILD THAT HAD BEEN OBLIVIATED AND HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF GILDEROY LOCKHART - "

Lockhart's mouth dropped open as he realized who was sending Snape the howler. Why would that Jenkins send Snape of all people a howler about little Lillian?

"I HAD USED THE FAMILY TREE POTION TO TRY AND LOCATE HER RELATIVES. HER MOTHER WAS LILA BRIGHTON WHO HAD MARRIED ONE JOHN PARKER, BUT BEFORE THEIR MARRIAGE SHE HAD A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK WITH ROBERT PRINCE."

Severus paled as his Uncle was mentioned. He glanced down the staff table to see the child wailing as her ears were covered with her hands while Lockhart attempted to soothe her while glaring daggers down the table at him.

Snape quickly averted his gaze and he likewise pretended he couldn't see the penetrating gaze of the Headmaster or Minerva's stunned one.

"ROBERT PRINCE IS YOUR MOTHER'S BROTHER, WHICH MAKES THEIR CHILD, LILLIAN PARKER YOUR FIRST COUSIN. SINCE YOU CAN'T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO OPEN A LETTER, I AM IN DOUBT OF YOUR COMPETENCE TO CARE FOR YOUR COUSIN. HOWEVER, YOU ARE THE ONLY FAMILY SHE HAS LEFT. SEND ME A RESPONSE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN AND WE CAN ONCE AND FOR ALL GET THE MATTER OF LILLIAN'S GUARDIANSHIP SETTLED.

MY OWL HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO WAIT FOR A REPLY AND YOU DO NOT WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU CHOOSE TO IGNORE THIS LETTER AS WELL.

I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUR RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND I WILL BE INFORMING THE HEADMASTER OF YOUR PERSONAL AFFAIRS IF YOU IGNORE THIS LETTER ALSO.

YOURS,

STEPHEN JORKINS
MINISTRY OF MAGIC
FAMILY AFFAIRS."

The howler burst into flames as soon as the letter had ended and Snape hastily banished the ashes away. The only noise that remained in the Great Hall was Lillian's wailing as tears fell down her cheeks and she cried that her ears hurt and she was sure she'd never be able to hear again.

Lockhart stood and hastily scooped Lillian up into his arms, with his expression unreadable.

"I think," he said into the deafening silence that reigned in the hall, "that we'll go to our quarters to settle down. If you'll excuse me."

With that, Lockhart rushed with Lillian out of the hall. It was as they were leaving that Snape noticed suddenly that the child's bracelet was glowing brightly.

He narrowed his eyes at the sight but didn't have time to ponder it as the headmaster began to speak.

"Severus," the Headmaster began, but Severus had also stood.

"My affairs are my business," Snape snapped, his patience all but gone.

He avoided looking at anyone as he swept out of the Great Hall and stormed off to the dungeons.

"Well," Minerva said in the silence as she took a calming sip of her tea, "that was certainly interesting."

The Headmaster stroked his beard as he gazed off to where Professor Snape had stormed off.

So it seemed his potions professor had family after all.

He winced suddenly at the crack of thunder and the simultaneous warning from the wards that powerful magic had just been used.

He couldn't help but glance at where Lockhart had been sitting. Everyone had been too busy looking at Severus to see what Lockhart had been up to.

Hmm..

Later on in the day, Stephen Jorkins' ministry owl could be seen leaving the castle with a red envelope clutched in its beak. Perhaps it had been a little childish, but Severus wasn't known for his outstanding maturity anyway. He couldn't help the satisfied smirk as Jorkins received his own howler in return. Snape, known for his scathing remarks, had actually sent a rather benign howler in return, but he was satisfied all the same.

He glanced at the fireplace yet again, as he half-expected Lockhart to come storming through with the brat, but it had remained ominously silent in the hours after the disastrous lunch in the Great Hall.

He sighed as he once again thought about the family he had never known - the Princes - as he wondered if Lillian could actually be his long-lost cousin. It didn't make any sense! Where had the child been living before that? None of his family could still be alive if Jorkins was looking to find a permanent residence for Lillian, but..

Snape shook his head at that and tucked his thoughts away into a corner of his mind. His expression went from exasperated to something more neutral. It wouldn't do to dwell on what ifs and other conjectures, he knew.

It was a bit later when his Evening Prophet had arrived and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the headline FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES.

How curious.

Harry Potter glanced at his best friend Ron Weasley as they both sat in Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia, with Ron in the driver's seat while Harry sat in the front passenger seat. Hedwig was sitting in the back in her cage and every once in awhile would give a disgruntled sort of hoot as she ruffled her feathers, clearly still irritated at the terrible treatment she had received at King's Cross.

Harry had told Hedwig that he was sorry already, but Ron's snicker* had made him fall silent after that and he felt like he was being silly to talk to Hedwig as if she were a person. So he busied himself with looking at the fantastic cloud shapes in the sky as the car zoomed through the air, defying all the laws of gravity as it did so.

Harry sighed softly to himself. Ron just didn't understand, Hedwig had been his very first friend. Before that, he didn't have anyone to talk to, and it always seemed like Hedwig could understand him. Whenever he spoke to her about something his relatives had done, Hedwig always hooted at him reassuringly or would nip his fingers in a friendly gesture.

Harry couldn't help but glance back at her again. She had lost some weight over the summer, but the month they had both spent at the Weasley's had put a bit of weight back on them. Harry gave her an apologetic look which she returned with her reproachful gaze.

Feeling very guilty, Harry turned back to the front to look out the window again. Hours later, Harry had to admit that the fun of the car ride had definitely worn off. Before he had been sure that he and Ron were doomed to get heat stroke, but now with the sun having set he and Ron were shivering as a chill filled the car.

Harry grabbed his too large jumper and pulled it on, grateful for once for how big it was, which meant more material to warm him with. He was just about to roll the window up (he had cracked it earlier in the day for a breeze) when something nearly hit the windshield.

"Watch it!" Harry cried out as Ron wrenched the steering wheel to the left, causing the car to suddenly turn in midair.

Whatever it was that had been about to hit them had missed the car, and Harry stared in disbelief as he could have sworn he had seen what looked like a hummingbird holding a tooth as it angrily shook its fist in their direction.

Harry rubbed his eyes and decided he must be very tired.

"That was close," Ron sighed in relief. "What's a bird doing flying around at night anyway?"

Harry was about to reply that perhaps it was an unusual nocturnal bird when something of the town below caught his attention.

"What's that?" he asked as he pointed out the window.

"What's what?" Ron asked distractedly as the car engine began to whine.

"That golden stuff in the air," Harry responded as he pretended not to hear the car.

There were golden ribbons flying all around the air throughout the town and Harry couldn't help but wonder what they were. He remembered suddenly that he had seen them before at Privet Drive when he had stayed up late and would look out the window sometimes.

"I dunno!" Ron said exasperatedly as the whining grew louder. "C'mon car," he muttered as he patted the dashboard. "Almost there.. I hope."

Harry continued to stare out the window at them as he thought about what it could be. He was suddenly reminded of something he had read in the library at his primary school. It had been a book about myths and legends. His relatives would have had that book from him faster than blinking if they ever knew he had dared to read such a thing, but Harry couldn't help it. Due to his relatives trying to keep him as squashed and miserable as possible, Harry had developed a voracious curiosity that couldn't be quenched. That often lead him to the primary school library where he read everything he could.

"Do you think that could be the Sandman?" Harry asked Ron as they left the golden ribbons far behind.

Ron forgot his worries for the car for the moment and burst out laughing.

"A sand man?" Ron chortled as Harry flushed. "What sort of stupid thing is that?"

"It's.. it's a myth," Harry said quietly as he looked down at his hands. "He's supposed to go around and put people to sleep by using his sand."

Ron snickered again and Harry was forcefully reminded of how little he knew about the wizarding world. When he first learned about magic, he had been startled and soon had grown ecstatic. Every fantastic creature he had ever read about could be real then!

But maybe that had been a bit optimistic. He really should read more of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them he thought ruefully to himself.

"There's no such thing," Ron informed his disappointed friend. "It sounds like something that the muggles made up. You know how they are about magic. They just make up whatever they want and get it all wrong."

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "But I still wonder what that was."

Ron, who didn't have Harry's curiosity about such things, merely shrugged.

"I hope we make it to the castle soon, I'm starving!" he complained.

Harry couldn't help but smile at that. Ron and his black hole of a stomach.

Harry was about ready to tell Ron he was sure they were almost there when the car gave a sudden lurch.

"Uh.." Harry said as Ron gave the car another pat. "Ron..?"

"It's fine," Ron said as he continued to pat the dashboard. "It's never been this far before, that's all."

It was sometime later when he and Harry were looking around for the castle as they had lost the train.

"There!" Harry shouted, accidentally making Ron and Hedwig jump.

They could see all the turrets and lights shining from the castle as it loomed in the distance beyond the lake. As they passed over the water, the whining grew even louder and then suddenly there was a loud clunk and the engine decided to die right then and there.

Harry stared at the water below them in trepidation, but the car managed to clear the lake as they began to rapidly lose height. The castle loomed suddenly ahead of them with the wall seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"NOOOO!" Ron yelled as he wrenched the steering wheel with all his might.

Harry was tempted to cover his eyes but found he couldn't as the car passed within mere millimeters of the wall. If he had bothered to look behind him, he might have seen proof for himself that the Sandman was a real person after all.

Sandy, for his part, had grown curious when he had seen a car flying over the small town he had been delivering good dreams to via his dreamsand. So he couldn't help but fly after the car to see where it was headed.

He had grown concerned when he realized it looked like two children were flying it and he couldn't help but wonder what on earth the wizards were up to now. As the car had flown over a lake towards Hogwarts, Sandy realized that they must be students at the castle.

Sandy shook his head at this, but his concern had grown when the car engine suddenly seemed to die and the car gained speed as it fell through the air, zooming straight for the castle wall.

Sandy wanted to facepalm at that but he managed to fling out a long golden dreamsand whip and catch the car on the bottom with it as he yanked as hard as he could on the dreamsand whip. With his effort combined with Ron wrenching the wheel, the car managed to avoid the castle wall, but only just.

It had been a very close call.

Sandy gave a silent cheer as his dreamsand whip let the car go, but his cheer was cut short when the car crash landed into a large tree.

Whoops.

Sandy flew closer to the car but glanced nervously at the castle. He knew that wizards often had wards around their residences and it wouldn't do to have them discover him. While normally it was a good thing to have people see him, with wizards it was often the opposite that was true. They tended to fire off spells first and ask questions later.

Sandy winced when the tree began to beat up the car, but the car had decided it had had enough and had reversed itself away from the danger. Sandy couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the two boys being ejected from the irate car and decided that they were safe.

As he flew off on his golden cloud, he never realized how close he had come to finding the Child of Spring.

A little bit before Sandy accidentally helped Harry and Ron with their landing, several first years filed into the Great Hall to stand in line for their sorting. The staff table was full, although Professor Dumbledore seemed to be looking over the Gryffindor table in concern.

Hermione Granger had seated herself next to the Weasley twins and seemed to be questioning them very earnestly, despite the glower that Professor McGonagall was sending in her direction. It was unusual for Hermione to talk during the Sorting Hat's song and even more unusual for her to ignore a professor.

Most the Hall fell silent when the Sorting Hat began to sing and even Hermione stopped her neverending questioning to listen in:

"Oh, you may not think I'm special,
You may not think I'm grand,
But let me tell you
What you don't understand.

I'll pick a house where
I think you should be,
One that will suit you
Especially.

Could it be in Gryffindor where dwell
The brave and bold?
Decked out in colors of resplendent
Red and gold.

Or could it be in Ravenclaw,
Where those with brilliance
Truly shine?
In colors of blue and bronze, they look
Quite sublime!

You might also belong in Hufflepuff
Who are busy as a bee!
In colors of yellow and black
They are unmatched
In loyalty.

Or are you suited for Slytherin,
Whose cunning knows no end?
Wearing green and silver,
They stay amongst their friends.

Now you know what it is
That I have to do,
I must choose a house
For each and every
One of you.

As I split you house by house,
I feel I must give forewarning,
There is an ancient power
That seems to be reforming.

Not seen by wizards for
Many, many centuries
This power is really
Quite extraordinary.

I hope you listen closely
And are looking
At the signs,
The weather will be changing
Suddenly with time.

This power is quite special
It really is quite rare,
But I do not want
To leave you
Completely unaware.

I hope you take precautions
And you do all look out,
For it seems like
It looks to me
The Seasonals are about!"**

Hermione looked very surprised as the hat fell silent again. She tried to think if she had ever come across these Seasonals in anything she had read, but she couldn't seem to remember anything. She glanced at the twins who only looked slightly interested before they began whispering to themselves about pranks. Hermione huffed and crossed her arms as she looked up at the staff table.

She noticed that Professor Dumbledore had leaned over to Professor Snape, and said something to him while Professor Snape shot a look of annoyance at the Headmaster. She noticed that Professor Lockhart didn't seem as jovial as he usually did either. Lockhart flashed a dazzling smile at anyone who looked at him, but if anyone had been paying close attention they could see how tense he was.

Hermione was surprised at the child that was with Lockhart, but then recalled the rumors she had heard on the train of Lockhart becoming a temporary Guardian for a small girl. She noticed that the girl had looked startled after the Sorting, but now she was looking rather glum and kept looking down the table to Professor Snape.

If either Professor Lockhart or Professor Snape noticed, they both pretended that they didn't. Professor Snape stood and swiftly left the Great Hall as students began to whisper amongst themselves.

Hermione watched distractedly as the students began to be sorted, but she couldn't help but wonder where Harry and Ron could be. She bit her lower lip as a short while after Colin Creevy had been sorted into Gryffindor, Professor Snape returned to the Great Hall to whisper to Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall, speaking first to Dumbledore and then McGonagall. Professor Snape looked quite serious and Professor McGonagall looked about ready to breathe fire after Professor Snape finished speaking. Professor Dumbledore looked very grave and it wasn't long before all three had left the Great Hall.

Before Professor Dumbledore left with the others, however, he stood to give out the notices after the Sorting had finished.

"Welcome," he began as he spread his arms wide with a small smile, "to Hogwarts. I hope you all don't mind a few start of term notices before we are all watered and fed."

Snape stood off to the side with McGonagall as they both waited impatiently for the Headmaster to finish the notices.

McGonagall seemed to be muttering to herself angrily while they waited and Professor Snape was hard pressed to keep himself from smiling.

"..Reckless.. Don't know what.. When I get my hands on them.." McGonagall muttered as Dumbledore continued to speak.

"I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students," he again flashed his twinkling gaze to the Weasley twins who both grinned in return to him as Hermione rolled her eyes at their antics. "Mr. Filch has kindly asked me to remind you that spell casting is forbidden in the halls, as are a number of products. He has the list posted in his office for those who would like to see it."

The Weasley twins snickered at this and even Hermione repressed a laugh at that. Who would ever want to willingly go to Filch's office to look at that list anyway?

"Now, I would like to introduce you all to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart," Dumbledore continued.

Professor Lockhart gave a small start as he was announced since he had been looking down at his goblet a little moodily. To be honest, he didn't even feel like being at the feast at all and would rather spend some quality time with his charge, while she would remain his charge, that is. He knew it was only a matter of time before Professor Snape came to take her away.

But as he stood to give a wave to the suddenly screaming crowd of students (not all of whom were girls it seemed), he plastered his best smile on his face.

"Thank you, thank you!" Lockhart cried as the thunderous applause and screaming began to die down. "I look forward to teaching you all in my upcoming classes this year."

With that, he sat back down and some of the students looked a little disappointed at that. They had expected a grand speech from Lockhart, but they didn't know that he wasn't in the mood for speeches tonight.

"With that out of the way," Professor Dumbledore said as he waved his hand across the hall and mountains of food magically appeared on the table, "I invite you all to tuck in!"

While the students were distracted by the food, Professor Dumbledore joined Professor Snape and McGonagall and the three soon descended down into the dungeons.

When they were in the dungeons, Professor McGonagall spoke up.

"So, Potter and Weasley were the ones who drove that Ford Anglia all over the country?" she asked, although she was struggling to keep her voice even. She had never been more angry with her students.

"It looked like they crashed into the Whomping Willow," Professor Snape confirmed.

Professor Dumbledore glanced at McGonagall and Snape.

"Severus, did you happen to see if anything else was out there?" he questioned.

"Of course not." Professor Snape answered at once. Then after a pause, "Why?"

Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully while they walked.

"Shortly before the boys crashed, the castle wards informed me that a powerful being entered the grounds." he replied.

Professor Snape snorted while McGonagall looked very surprised.

"What?" she asked sharply. "What do you mean?"

Snape glanced at her, and then realized she probably didn't know anything about their suspicions of Lockhart or any signs of powerful magic being used. It had never occurred to him to say anything, and Dumbledore probably had his own reasons for keeping quiet.

"It could have been a magical creature that strayed onto the grounds," Professor Dumbledore replied easily. "If I recall, it's happened before."

"Albus," Minerva began but was cut short when they arrived at Professor Snape's office.

When they entered, both boys jumped as McGonagall brandished her wand and used it to light a fire. Professor Snape narrowed his eyes when he noticed them both flinch, as though they were expecting to be cursed.

"Sit," McGonagall commanded tersely. "Explain."

Harry's throat felt too constricted to talk as he looked down at his hands which were in his lap miserably, so Ron launched into the story, as he quickly explained everything that happened.

All Harry could think about was what the Dursleys would say when he turned up on their doorstep, and how he had been locked up in his room all summer. Would they lock him and Hedwig up forever? And Hedwig.. Would he even be allowed to keep her?

Professor Snape studied both boys as they sat. Weasley was pale and talking a mile a minute while he waved his hands around emphatically, and Potter sat quietly, looking the epitome of miserable and full of regret. He frowned suddenly, as he noticed for once that Potter's clothes were.. odd. They were far too big for him and even looked more worn than Weasley's clothes.

Potter was a pampered prince, wasn't he? Why would he wear such scruffy looking clothes?

" - So we had to Professor, we had no choice, we couldn't get onto the train."

Professor Snape repressed a snort at that.

Gryffindors.

They never did use their heads, did they?

"Why didn't you use your owl, Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked them a little coldly. "I believe you have an owl?"

Harry felt his stomach drop down to his knees as he started to turn red.

"Professor, I - " he began, his voice trembling a little. He really didn't want to go back to the Dursleys. "I didn't think - "

"That," Professor McGonagall cut him off severely, "is obvious."

Professor Dumbledore chose that moment to step forward and Harry felt like his insides had disappeared altogether. He looked up as Professor Dumbledore began to speak, and Snape saw Lily's eyes widening, looking sad and lost. His expression became unreadable as he ruthlessly shoved his emotions into a back corner of his mind. It was their own fault if they got expelled.

"I am very disappointed in you both," Professor Dumbledore began, but Ron cut him off.

"We'll go get our stuff," he said in a hopeless sort of voice.

"What are you talking about?" Professor McGonagall interjected.

"You're expelling us, aren't you?" Ron asked.

Harry looked quickly from Professor McGonagall to Professor Dumbledore.

"Not today Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore began, "but I will be writing to both of your families. I also feel I must warn you, that if you do anything like this ever again, you will both be expelled."

Harry felt some of the feeling surge back into himself. To his dismay, he felt tears pricking the corners of his eyes. He quickly blinked, trying to clear them away and hastily took his glasses off to wipe them on his robes while he averted his gaze from the professors. When he put his glasses back on, he saw McGonagall had softened a little and felt himself go red again. Had she seen?

"Professor," Snape said into the silence that followed with his voice oddly tight, "These boys have flouted the Statute of Secrecy, not to mention the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry and have caused damage to a valuable tree. I feel - "

But Professor Dumbledore cut them off, feeling disappointment in his potions professor. Couldn't he set aside his hatred for James Potter when it concerned young Harry?

"Severus, it is up to Professor McGonagall to decide these boys' punishments, as their Head of House," Professor Dumbledore reminded him. "Now come, there was a delicious looking tart that I wanted to sample."

With that, Professor Snape had no choice but to sweep out after Dumbledore with his black robes swishing impressively. Once they were out into the hall with the door firmly closed behind themselves, Professor Snape turned to Professor Dumbledore.

"I wasn't trying to argue for them to be expelled," he said in that same oddly tight voice. "I merely felt that their punishment should be more severe."

"The severity of that punishment is up to Professor McGonagall," Professor Dumbledore replied.

Snape sighed, having a feeling that McGonagall wouldn't be as strict as the situation required. He had seen her expression soften as she gazed at Potter. Honestly, everyone had too much of a soft spot where he was concerned. He practically got himself killed last year and Professor Dumbledore rewarded him?

Not to mention everything he did to try and protect the boy, and the brat still didn't even acknowledge that! And whoever had set him on fire during that match -

His silent fuming was cut off when Professor Dumbledore spoke.

"That was an interesting Sorting Song, wasn't it?" he asked mildly.

Professor Snape's fuming was redirected toward the Sorting Hat and he remembered how at the end it gave a warning about the Seasonals.

"Have you heard of them?" Professor Snape asked.

"Indeed I have," Dumbledore replied with a nod. "They are very ancient and powerful magical beings, but no one has seen them for several centuries. It is very difficult to find any mention of them in texts. It is rumored that they have the power to control the weather."

"What?" Professor Snape asked sharply as he glanced at Professor Dumbledore. "The wards - "

"Ah," Professor Dumbledore said as he came to the same conclusion, "You think one of them has found their way to Hogwarts?"

"It fits," Professor Snape said. "The weather has been acting peculiar lately and we've had far more storms than we normally do."

"If there is a Seasonal lurking around, then I am afraid there is not much we can do," Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Only Mother Nature can control them, and I do not possess the means to contact her."

Professor Snape snorted but then paused. "So that means that Lockhart - "

"We'll have to wait and see," Professor Dumbledore said as they reached the doors to the Great Hall. "I would still like you to keep an eye on him."

They both fell silent as they quietly reentered the Hall and made their way back up to the staff table. A little later they were both joined by Professor McGonagall who shot Snape a surprised look.

"You healed Weasley's injury?" she inquired as she heaped her plate with food before the desserts could take over.

"Essence of Dittany,"*** Professor Snape confirmed and then rolled his eyes at the look of incredulity that she had. "Contrary to popular belief, I would not leave a student injured. I trust their punishments were sufficient?"

Professor Dumbledore shot Severus a look of warning and he fell silent. As McGonagall hastily busied herself with her meal he knew that the punishment did not fit the crime.

Figures.

After the feast was over, all the students began to file out of the Hall with the professors bringing up the rear. As Lockhart made to go upstairs with Lillian in his arms, Professor Snape caught him by the arm.

"A word," he said tersely to Lockhart.

Professor Lockhart felt his heart plummet as he silently nodded and followed Snape off to a shadowy corner.

"I have sent that ministry official a reply asking for the girl's family tree," Professor Snape said, "and until I have confirmation of her relations, I feel that she should remain with you."

Lockhart gave Snape a very surprised look at this.

"You.. you do?" he stammered, not daring to hope.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Your classroom is better suited for a child than mine is," he said with a hint of exasperation.

Lillian, who had been very quiet the entire time and even during the feast finally spoke up.

"Will you still help me get my memories back?" she asked, sounding subdued.

"Of course I will," Professor Snape said at once.

Lillian allowed herself a small smile at that, as she tiredly lay her head down on Lockhart's shoulder.

"So," Lockhart said, "We'll talk once you have received your reply?"

Professor Snape nodded.

"I expect it within a few days."

Disappointment flashed across Lockhart's face.

"Right," he mumbled as he took Lillian off to their quarters. "Good night, Professor."

As he climbed the stairs to his quarters, Lockhart thought he could hear what sounded like a loud explosion of noise coming from far upstairs.

He shook his head at what he could only assume was the Gryffindors congratulating young Harry and his friend on their interesting arrival.

Perhaps Harry Potter liked attention more than he thought.

* This isn't a Ron bashing fic or any bashing fic at all. It's just that Ron is insensitive a lot of the time and I would think that as his first human friend, Harry would be reluctant to contradict Ron on some things. It also seems realistic to me that Ron would unintentionally hurt Harry's feelings sometimes.

** As stated in the fic, wizards and witches don't actually know a whole lot about the Seasonals. The Sorting Hat is very, very old so it probably has heard of them. With it also living in Dumbledore's office, it probably heard Dumbledore talking to himself about the strange weather lately and what it could have been. The Sorting Hat wouldn't know what the Seasonals are, precisely, just that they are very powerful magical beings - thus, the warning.

*** Even though Snape has issues with Harry, that doesn't excuse him from leaving Ron sitting there with blood dripping down his head as he tries to get them expelled. I would like to think that even he couldn't be so heartless, so I had him help Ron out.

Author's Note: Whew! This chapter took forever to write. I did most of it in one day, but I did have to take a break to sleep. :) I hope you don't mind that we saw more of Jack but I couldn't just leave him where he was. There's no way he'd make such a resolution to himself and then not do anything. I kept going back and forth on having Harry and Ron almost hit Baby Tooth or Jack but I felt like it was far too convenient to have Jack find them so early, so he's still on the lookout for Lillian.

Were you surprised that Sandy showed up? I might toy around more with ROTG characters helping out HP characters and secretly being the reason behind certain plot points. Example: Sandy helped fling the car away from the castle (Ron didn't do it all by himself in this), but accidentally helped them crash into the Whomping Willow. Sandy is one of my favorite characters (along with Bunny) and will be making more of an appearance in the fic. It makes sense, since even he would want to give the students of Hogwarts good dreams.

The other ROTG characters will turn up eventually as their respective holidays come around. We might not see much of Tooth at all but as you'll recall, she didn't really go out into the field until after the ROTG plot. But we'll certainly see more of Baby Tooth! You just have to remember that she doesn't have a name yet.

If you have any suggestions on anything with the plot, ROTG characters etc, feel free to let me know! I also want to thank all the follows and faves I've been getting too.