Chapter 2: Sorting Hat

Warning: This story may contain traces of: spoilers, tortures, magical spells, AU, swords, powerful spells, badly written but still very awesome duels, family, severitus, rambling author notes and minor character bashing. Engage at your discretion.

THE OTHER WARNING: This author is currently not very busy and suffers from severe cases of bad humor. Take the WARNING seriously, just not the author in general.

Enjoy

"Do you swear?"

"We solemnly swear..."

It was James Potter's idea actually. Their friendship on the train had developed into something more, something far too precious to be let go after the sorting hat yelled their houses to the Great Hall, when the uncomfortable topic of House placement inevitably came up the second time round.

The one word, the one choice out of four a battered magical hat chose could determine whether or not the first real friendship Severus has would flourish or go up in flames that could burn several houses to ash.

So James Potter, of all people in that compartment, the arrogant prick, made all four of them swear an oath. Just a simple thing with only four eleven year olds and four lines of words from said four eleven year olds. It was Severus first serious promise he made in front a group of real friends. Not like those two word brush offs Lily was so very found of.

We solemnly swear that, no matter what our Hogwarts House may be, no matter what hardship we may face in the future, us four would always be together, in sickness and in health, in classes and in detentions, we would always be friends. After all the times in Hogwarts and even times beyond. Always."

Severus always loved the word 'always.' It signifies something eternal, something that could go beyond the clutches of time and space and everything in between. He hates it when people throw that word around, not wanting to understand the full impact of that simple word.

That was the last thing his mother had said to him, when it happened.

He was pleasantly surprised when James gave his condolences on the train. It's very surprising for Auror Potter to divulge this sort of information to his precious son. The Daily Prophet didn't print a line about it. Obviously the pure-blood bigots in the influential part of the ministry did not care for disgraced pure-blood witches that marries durken bastards.

At least he was not the filthy boy living in that shack called spider's sticky end anymore, as he had heard numerous cruel parents and crueler children scream to him across the park. Now, he was the lonely boy in the house that is Prince Manor. His grandparents were rarely home, and when they were, he always holed himself in the enormous library than to listen to his grandfather babbling on and on about how wizards are better than muggles. At least he had ample time to practice Occulumency and read books.

But no matter. He's finally here at Hogwarts, with three friends that are not likely to ditch him in any forseeable time in the future. Hogwarts was what he had been dreaming off ever since he found a mold eaten copy of Hogwarts, A History in a box labeled Freak Woman's Things.

And now, he was finally here.

The first sight of Hogwarts was breath-taking. Severus stared unblinkingly at the fairy tale castle that loomed up in front of them, and felt a foreign sensation of homecoming, of belonging. Prince Manor is beautiful, with a huge and well stocked lab and a wonderful greenhouse, for the Princes were a long line of successful and powerful potion brewers, but the very big manor was nothing compared to the sight of Hogwarts castle.

A stern looking woman who introduced herself as Minerva McGonagall took them from the gamekeeper Hagrid's beefy but very kind hands, and led them to the great hall, in front of a stool which sat a battered old Sorting Hat, and called attention and silence.

The first years collectively jumped when the Sorting Hat broke into song, making Severus wonder of that's what it does all year until the new batch of first years comes. Must be tedious, being a hat. There was a plump boy with mousy brown curls named Avery something or another that was first sorted into SLYTHERIN, Severus didn't pay much attention to anyone until...

"Black, Sirius."

The hat took quite a while to decide. He oculd see Sirius' mouth muttering from where he stood. Talking to the hat, arguing aloud when mind speaking didn't cut it was more likely, about not putting him into Slytherin. Severus could have sworn he saw the hat sigh and Sirius smirk. The hat opened its 'mouth', half of the Slytherin table is ready to start clapping, before it shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

The third table burst into applause. Severus blinked. Intelligence + Sirius Black? Is the hat getting too old?

Then there was the very loud shriek of "SLYTHERIN" for Crabbe something-or-another. Severus nearly banged his head to person in front of him. What had the standards of the Noble House of Slytherin become since Eileen Prince was still at Hogwarts?

He snapped his head up when the name "Evans, Lily' was called. Lily walked to the stool, slightly tripping over herself in her excitement. It took only three seconds for the hat to decide on "GRYFFINDOR!" Lily didn't even spare him a glance as she walked to the roaring second table. Severus shook his head, his suspicions were, indeed, very true.

Several names were called, the equally burly Goyle I-think-his-name-was, went straight to the snake pit to join his twin brother.

Severus wished the Hat would hurry up.

Frank Longbottom, a boy with curly hair, was sorted to "GRYFFINDOR!" He especially enjoyed the long debate and lecture he had with Frank on the properties of various plants and potions ingredients, whenever he and his mother visited. The Longbottom family are like the Princes, renowned for their abilities in Herbology. They have always had an alliance with the Princes. Potions and Plants, the two best friends Frank would always say in a sing-song voice before Severus would whack him with a thick book.

Finally Remus went up to the stool and placed the hat on his head, hands twisting into various interesting shapes on his lap, before the Hat huffed yet another sigh and proclaimed "HUFFLEPUFF!" to the hall. The fourth table broke into a roaring applause.

Severus raised his eyebrows and shot a small smile of encouragement to Remus. For some reason, it didn't seem weird when Remus went to the warmest house of the lot. He does instate an aura of warmth, with a heavy undercoat of intelligence and secrets, whenever you are with him.

The Sorting continued. Mary McDonald, Marlene MacKinon both went to the house of the lion, while the other three houses gained three more students each.

A boy with mousy brown hair and watery eyes named Peter Pettigrew was called and placed in "GRYFFINDOR!" after a long while of thinking from the hat. If Severus trust his instincts that always proved him right, everyone should stay a mile, or a thousand, away from the boy that darted his eyes around the hall, seeking for someone. Peter Pettigrew may prove to be a problem later, but now, Severus could just sit back, relax and watch how much havoc Sirius could do with James in one week for Pettigrew. If his instincts were correct.

The Sorting for James lasted all but a second. The hat barely touched the boy's messy hair before it cried, "GRYFFINDOR!" James smiled brightly and made his way to the first table. A couple of them are standing, they must have read the name Auror Potter somewhere in the front page of the Daily Prophet a couple million times lately.

"Snape, Severus."

He glanced at the slightly curious faces around the hall and pulled the hat over his head, shutting out everything else.

A small voice spoke in the back of his mind, disregarding his Occulumency shields as he knew the Hat could. "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of talent and knowledge already, I see. Not above using questionable methods to achieve what you want too. Brave certainly, based on your childhood. A great mind for storing vast number of knowledge. Extremely loyal to those you deemed worthy... now where shall you go?"

"Where I can achieve my hearts desire. I do believe you can see it."

"Ah, but of course. The thing you want most. Be warned Mr Snape, you will sacrifice very much to achieve what you sought for. I will be the first to lead you to your way to greatness, as I did your freinds, as I did many others. SLYTHERIN!" The last word was shouted to the hall.

When he took off his hat, he could see his three friends smiling at him, each mouthing him reassurances and good-lucks. The Slytherin table broke out into thundering applause. Severus heaved a small sigh of relief and dropped into an empty seat.

When everyone is stuffing themselves to the brim with hearty food and even better deserts of the welcoming feast, Severus spared a glance to each of house tables, he could clearly see James lecturing Frank good naturally on something that is fork brandishing worthy. Sirius was engaged in a heated conversation with an older boy with pale blonde hair and glazed blue eyes. Remus looks to be shooting down Amos Diggory? He never liked the teenager whenever he and his father turned up at Prince manor for no good reason other than snooping around, he's worse than James Potter in the arrogance department, and that's saying something.

The feast was barely over and already they are gathering attention to themselves. Severus spared a glance to the older years around him. It seems like the satire lessons he forced himself to learn has finally payed off, at least half dozen fourth years and sixth years are walking with tails between their legs for the treacherous passage to the Slytherin Common room after Dumbledore declared that the Forbidden Forest is, of course, forbidden. Intelligence and sarcasm, his two best friends since childhood. If his early years could be called that.

The day was almost over and all four of them had already half marauded the pride of the dozen students in their vicinity, at least Severus hoped they have.

This should be an interesting seven years of Hogwarts. All four of us are sorted into different houses. Maybe we could do what it takes to finally end this prejudice between the houses once and for all. Heaven knows we would need a proper front to deal with that. Severus thought as he drifted to sleep, grateful that nobody wants to share a room with him in fear of his powerful silvertongue at the prefect's room allocation, snuggling even deeper into his pillows.

Little does young Severus know, that one other mind is thinking exactly the same thing in his circular office, vigilantly guarded by a gargoyle that hops aside to the name of a muggle candy.

Severus eyes fluttered closed, finally hoisting the white flag to surrender to sleep, but not before one last thought crossed his mind.

Marauded...

Some of you may notice the similarities of the 'train meeting' and Sorting with the canon Harry Potter. I want to make it similar but not a carbon copy. I want people to bond! For those you wanting Snape to be in Gryffindor, sorry, but I have plans for him in Slytherin. Here is a clue: SPY! and HOUSE UNITY! Clear enough for ya? All of the reasons will be explained a couple of dozen chapters later.

Do you guys even want a Harry Potter universe? I could get one, but I could also won't.

Pay attention to detail, is my advice to all of you reading. He he.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this chapter. Review please! Term 3 holidays have just started and I am forcing an update once a day regimen to myself, so look out tomorrow.