A/N: Next chapter is a go! Thanks for all the positive feedback. All I've thought about today was getting home and uploading this chapter for you guys! I hope you do enjoy, sorry for all the notes I post.. .-.
Disclaimer: We know the drill.
She was nearly in a fit. She couldn't understand what was going on, why she was truly there, why she was stepping into Mr. Lupin's memory, why anything. There was something wrong with had to be.
"Why might you be so confused?" Snape must have been mocking her with the tone he was using.
She gave him a hard look before she decided to go on. "I can't use a wand."
He looked puzzled, or rather he was puzzled - she could see it in his eyes - but his face showed nothing. After a moment of consideration, the dark man stepped back, allowing her entrance into his office.
The room was dark, the shelves full of scattered books and jars filled with different colored liquids. She wondered what each jar held and how long it had taken to collect the amounts that stocked his walls.
There was a small table in the center of the room, his desk, with two chairs. One looked rather uncomfortable and the other slightly less. She guessed he had more important things to do than sit around, and having uncomfortable chairs probably kept him from sitting around too long.
She knew the room wasn't small, but with the presence of the man behind her, it felt suffocating. He seemed to have that effect on people and places. There was only a small window behind the chair she assumed was his (she didn't think he'd ever allow himself to have his back towards a door, even if it was sturdy and locked).
Snape stepped into the room, further decreasing its size, and took his seat near the window. His long, slender fingers tapped the desk lightly before he motioned to the only remaining chair. She took his kindness.
"Mr. Snape-"
"Professor."
"Professor." She almost had to hold back tears as she remembered the events of the day. "Today, as you know, I was sent with Mr. Lupin to gather supplies. And when we went to purchase a wand from Ollivander's, I couldn't use it. They would either explode or not work at all. How am I supposed to be a witch if wands don't work for me?"
"You're a late bloomer. Perhaps you're just very late." He watched her closely. Her face fell. "But nevertheless, you are still a magical being."
"But I can't perform magic." She studied his face, his large nose offsetting the darkness of his eyes and the pallor of his sullen cheeks. He had the look of constant unhappiness. Why is everyone so unhappy?
His eyes seemed to bore into her soul. Her mind was prickling, but she pushed it aside.
"What did you just do?"
"Excuse me?" Evangeline felt like she was being reprimanded, but she couldn't understand why.
Her mind felt like it was itchy, she scratched her head and pushed it aside.
"That. What did you just do?"
"I don't understand what you're asking of me, Professor."
"I will attempt to enter your mind, and you will attempt to keep me out." This time it was almost painful, but she pushed the pain away as quickly as it came. It happened again, like something was trying to break into her skull by gently knocking on the door. She refused to answer and shoved it aside.
"Professor?"
"I must speak to the Headmaster immediately." He stood quickly, his dark robes floating around him as he walked across the room to his door. "Thank you for your time, Miss Harpe." He was telling her to leave as kindly as he could.
Evangeline said nothing but stood quietly, leaving the room without a glance back at the mysterious man.
As soon as she knew she was out of his view, she took off at a run, tears streaming down her face. She'd gone to him for answers and left with more questions than before, and to top it all off her head felt like something was trying to split it open. What was the point of speaking to someone if they never answered you? She felt a fool. She wanted to go home.
The natural light returned as she ran up another flight of stairs. How many stairs does this castle even have? Too many.
Evangeline emerged from the darkness to a room full of windows and the setting sun. Exhausted, she seated herself to be looking out at the great expanse before her. The lake reflected the last rays of the setting sun, casting the light up to the windows she gazed out of. This was the most normal she felt since yesterday, watching the normal and completely natural sun set on a less than normal and completely unnatural day.
Easing back on her elbows, she watched the shadows build on the ceiling. The coolness of the floor seeped through her light jacket, somehow calming her.
She vaguely wondered if the other students had arrived yet. There weren't any sounds of life in this part of the castle. Perhaps they'd be here soon. Dinner would most definitely be starting soon. She should probably find her way back.
Almost regretfully, Evangeline pulled herself up from the floor. Time to start wandering aimlessly and hope to find where she was supposed to be.
Oh the joys of being a new wizard.
"Settle down, settle down!" The voice of Albus Dumbledore echoed through the room, quieting the excited chatter of everyone returning or just arriving. The older students were seated at their respective tables while all the new students were clustered in the back, waiting for their chance to be sorted.
Gwendolyn was seated amongst her friends after a lot of fuss from Madam Pomfrey. She seemed much happier getting some air and spending time with her friends, but Evangeline was worried that she was upset with her.
The Headmaster began his opening speech, but Evangeline heard nothing of it. She had stumbled upon the group of first-years as she was navigating her way back to the Hospital Wing to see Gwen. The woman who came to her house, McGonagall, caught her by the elbow as she wandered by.
"Where have you been?" Her tone was tart, but her eyes betrayed her voice. She was happy.
"I don't really know."
"Well, come on then. The feast it about to start!"
And now, there she was, standing in the magnificent hall she'd only dreamed of, about to be initiated into the magical world she only vaguely knew.
"Now, my dear students, we begin the Sorting!" A cheer erupted through the room and the first-years tensed with wild excitement. It was so thick she could have cut it with a knife.
The new students were called off alphabetically, but her name wasn't among them. One by one the students around her disappeared, leaving her in the back alone and feeling even more as though she shouldn't be there. She felt like everyone was watching her, but knew that couldn't be entirely possible.
"Jeffery Youngblood." The last student walked forward, seated himself on the sole stool, and allowed an ancient looking witch's hat to be placed on his head: the Sorting hat.
"Hufflepuff!" It announced proudly. Every student at the table with the yellow cloth across it stood, cheering loudly. Jeffrey stepped down, his smile pure, and sat down next to his fellow housemates.
The room hushed; Gwendolyn looked at her, offering a quiet smile.
"Evangeline Harpe." All eyes watched her.
Slowly, she walked towards the stool apprehensively. Her emotions vanished, she felt numb, but she made herself hold her head up and look as confident as she didn't feel. The person holding the hat, whom she'd never seen before, smiled at her fully, gently nodding her head towards the stool. Evangeline seated herself, looking out at the crowd.
Briefly she wondered where she'd be placed, but she brushed it off. She'd been given the opportunity of a lifetime, her house was only icing on the cake.
The heavy and slightly musty scented hat was placed on her head where it immediately animated and spoke to her.
"Ah, yes, let's see what we have here," a deep and raspy voice whispered in her ear. A tickling sensation started in her forehead. Why does everything give me a headache now? She rubbed her forehead; the feeling subsided. "What did you just do?"
"I don't know what you mean." she whispered to the Hat.
"Where should we put you?" He asked, more to himself than her.
Evangeline decided to keep quiet, waiting for the Hat to make his final decision. The tickling sensation returned. She pushed it away.
"Relax your mind." Her confusion was plainly on her face. Many of the students had started whispering, casting eyes on her. Someone from the green table even called her a "simple Muggle" and that this "whole situation was a joke". Her hopes continued to sink.
She straightened her shoulders, stared the students down, and spoke quietly, but clearly: "Gryffindor. My sister is there. Put me in Gryffindor."
"So be it. Gryffindor!" called out the Hat. The table erupted in applause, accepting her into their ranks.
"Thank you." she whispered as the Hat was lifted from her head.
She thought she caught a whisper of his response, but couldn't form the words in her head. Whatever they were, she knew they'd been important.
Evangeline stood. Here we go.
A/N: TADA! There you go! :D Let's see what's happening next..
