Blackeyed Girl

may I just say I realise that since this is clearly set during Halfblood Prince Snape should not be teaching Potions anymore. But as with my previous story, I will just ignore certain things. I have not quite decided what to do about Defence against the dark Arts but I will make it work somehow. I hope it doesn\'t irritate too much.



and here goes chapter 3....again, without too many errors thanks to Maryssa! and please let me know how you find it so far!

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Chapter 3

The Sorting Hat’s Silence



It was already dark when the train finally pulled into the small station of Hogsmaede. Silent and observant, Eleanor followed Neville and the blond girl to the carriages, pulled by Thestrals. Eleanor was used to the sight of the dark, bony creatures since her father had died before her eyes in sickbed and the Romanian mountains had been full of them. Yet she thought it was an interesting idea to use them to pull carriages. She gave the school credit for that.



The carriage took them along a path through the woods up to the castle. Eleanor could see its lights from far away started to get a little excited.



When the carriages would take them no further, she followed the two others and a large number of students up into the castle. Eleanor’s mouth opened and her eyes widened at the high ceilings and colourful windows.



“Miss Prince.”



Eleanor turned around at the sound of her name. Snape was standing before her, his hands behind his back.



“Well”, said the blond girl, who was still standing next to her, and as Eleanor turned back to her she saw Neville scamper away into the great hall and knocking over a small child in his haste.



“See you”, said the girl and followed Neville.



“Wait! What’s your name?”



“Luna Lovegood.” –but this was not spoken by the girl, she had already blended into the crowd and was gone. Snape had instead answered Eleanor’s question with a slightly unenthusiastic tone in his voice as Eleanor noted.



“I am glad you found your way here”, he continued.



“Me too”, said Eleanor and looked up at him, finding him cold and stiff. She didn’t mind, she was not the cuddly type, either. Not since she was alone in the world.



“We have a ceremonially feast at the start of year. You will be asked to put on the sorting hat, which will decide what house you enter.”



“Professor”, Eleanor asked immediately, “Luna was talking about it on the train, but I didn’t understand, what is this house stuff about?”



Snape frowned slightly but explained: “The sorting head separates the students at the start of their first year into four different houses. It is where you will belong for the rest of your time at Hogwarts. Your house becomes your family here. Since you are only joining us now you will be sorted into your house tonight. First the first years get sorted, so you will have to wait a moment. Professor McGonagall will come for you when it’s your turn.



“What House is the best to be in, Professor? And how does the hat decide?”



Snape hesitated: “I am Head of Slytherin House, so I can hardly be objective. And I guess if we knew how the hat decides we would do the sorting, wouldn’t we?” With those words Snape left her in the corridor alone and entered the great hall.



Eleanor breathed deeply. She had hoped to know what house she should go for, even if it was the hat who decided.



She waited alone for about thirty minutes when the door opened again and an old, stern looking lady stepped out to her.



“Miss Prince? I’m Professor McGonagall. Professor Snape explained everything to you?”



Eleanor nodded.



“Then come, we are ready for you now.”



Eleanor followed the old lady into the huge hall where all students sat at four long benches. There were twice as many students as in her old school and her heart started beating hard as she walked along those benches towards the high table at the far end where the teachers were sitting. She could see Professor Snape looking at her with dark eyes and there in the middle was Professor Dumbledore, that great wizard she had heard so much about.



Her eyes fell on a small stool in the middle and she sat down, facing the hall full of students who now had all turned quiet and gazed expectantly at her. They all were wearing the Hogwarts school uniforms now and she felt out of place with her plane black dress with the tight white collar and cuffs.



Professor McGonagall placed an old, large hat on her head and she waited for what was going to happen next.



Somewhere on the Gryffindor bench Ron Weasley frowned.



“Who’s this?”



“Oh my God, Ronald!”, Hermione cried quietly next to him, “School has not even started yet and you’re already not listening! –Professor Dumbledore just told us that there will be a new student entering into 5th year.”



“I cannot remember something like this having happened before. I wonder why she is here”, said Harry.



“Its cause her parents are both dead now and Snape is the only family she has left.”



They all turned to Neville in surprise.



“Snape?!” Harry and Ron gasped simultaneously.



“How do you know?” asked Hermione.



“I met her on the train with Luna. Snape is a cousin of her father or something.”



They all turned back to look at Eleanor.



“I can see the resemblance”, said Ron, still somewhat stunned.



Hermione slapped his shoulder: “Don’t be so rude.”



“Ron has a point, Hermione”, noted Harry, taking in the black hair and white skin, together with a pair of dark unreadable eyes and the plain, black outfit. Hermione shrug, refusing to look at Eleanor:



“Yeah, well…she looks way nicer than Snape.”



“That’s not hard though, is it?” laughed Ron. Hermione gave him a stern look.



Eleanor sighed somewhat bored under the hat.



Snape’s eyes narrowed. Why was the hat not saying anything. It never took this long. Though he would never admit it to himself he was feeling a bit of anticipation. He wanted Eleanor in Slytherin. He wanted full control over her and also, if she would be placed in Slytherin, maybe he would find it easier to relate to her in the future. But the hat remained quiet. McGonagall’s face also turned more and more impatient as she stood a few meters way, waiting to be able to take hat and chair away after the decision had fallen. The students in the benches also started to become a bit impatient as they moved about in their seats.



Only Dumbledore sat there with the same mild and entertained interest in his face.



Hermione nudged Ron in the side as he yawned and was about to lay his head on the table.



Harry instead had started to glare at Eleanor, his brow furrowed: “Could the sorting hat be broken?”



Hermione shook her head: “I don’t think that’s likely.”



“Then why…”



“I have no idea, Harry. I have never heard of the sorting hat not being able to decide.”



“Ravenclaw!”, announced the hat in that moment. It took the Ravenclaw students a moment, not having expected the hat to say anything after those long minutes and they broke into cheers.



Dumbledore applauded and eyed Snape from the side. Snape applauded hesitantly. His eyes narrowed. He had been so sure Eleanor was a Slytherin, he was tempted to believe something was wrong with the hat. But then again, Ravenclaw was not bad. At least not Gryffindor, he mused.



McGonagle motioned Eleanor to go and sit with the Ravenclaws. Eleanor looked uncertain at the cheering table, then she spotted Luna Lovegood on the outer bench of the table and choose to sit next to her.



After the feast was over the students left the hall. Professor Flitwick got up from his chair and was about to leave as well with a few other teachers, but Snape called him back.



“Filius, a word.”



“Of course, Severus”, the charms teacher walked back towards Snape, who was standing stiffly by his seat “what\'s on your mind?”



“I just wanted to clarify something in advance before it becomes a problem”, he said. It seemed clear that he found it hard to not sound as though he was threatening his colleague.



“Please, go ahead?” prompted Flitwick, not intimidated by the tall man in the least.



“Should there be any problems with Miss Prince, in fact should there be anything that involves her name at all, you will inform me instantly.”



Flitwick considered a moment, now recognising the tension in Snape\'s voice.



“Severus, I understand that Miss Prince guardianship is a challenge for you, as it would be for anyone and your concern is not uncalled for but I have to ask, is there a reason why you expect trouble with her? She seems a very nice young lady. She comes with admirable grades from her previous school and she has already found a friend in Miss Lovegood as it seems. But then of course this is only my first impression. Perhaps you know something you would like to share with me, something that justifies your anxiousness?”



“I\'m not anxious”, Snape hissed quietly, “So have I made myself clear about my being notified of any events concerning Miss Prince?”



“Quite clear, Severus. Good night.” Flitwick nodded at Snape and turned to leave him behind alone in the great hall.