First Impression
Severus walked back down to the Great Hall, admiring the delicate architecture of the building on his way.
He was excited. He wanted to see the sorting and he wanted to see the different houses.
He reached the Great Hall and walked up to the front: to the staff table.
There, Albus Dumbledore smiled with his signature twinkling eyes, Eileen smiled and urged him to sit next to her, Flitwick gave a sneaky wink and Sprout gave a big hearted grin. The other teachers, Severus hadn’t really bothered to know.
The students would be here any second.
He bounced in his seat, which was ironically just the table in front of his mother. He didn’t mind.
McGonagall had gone out to get the first-years. He would be able to see the sorting.
Severus thought of the professors as family.
Well, most of the ones he knew.
McGonagall was like a strict aunt that was soft underneath everything.
Albus Dumbledore was like a grandfather you could trust everything with.
Flitwick was like a distant uncle that always snuck gifts when your parents weren’t looking.
Sprout was like an aunt who always brought big flowers over when she visits.
And Slughorn… wasn’t in the best spot in Severus’ book right now. The man had only become interested in him because of his pureblood status and excellent potion-making skills. But his mother seemed fond of him so he held his tongue.
He waited. And waited. And waited.
Why was the express train taking so long??
He groaned, putting on a dramatic act of rolling off the table and going to one of the large tables.
He heard the professors chuckle behind him but paid no mind.
The four tables represented the four houses.
He sighed in a play of agony, flopping onto the hard wood surface.
The ceiling of the Great Hall was starry and dark. He adored Hogwarts.
He simply loved the school.
He jolted up as he hears the doors to the Great Hall slam open.
Hundreds of eyes on him.
He flushed pink, the tips of his ears turning red.
He awkwardly slid off the large piece of furniture and walked back to the staff table, turning pinker when he heard Dumbledore’s laughter.
He hopped onto the table again, averting his eyes from the crowd of whispering students.
They all seemed to calm down and sat down at their respective tables.
The door opened for the last time that night with McGonagall walking in, her cloak billowing behind her.
First-years, chipper and hyper, entered after her, getting into a line.
Dumbledore stood up.
“Welcome back, my students! And hello to all the new ones.”
His eyes twinkled as he looked at the first-years. They had gone quiet.
“Before our feast begins, let the sorting take place! Just know, that no matter what house you are in, you must take pride in it! All of our heads of houses will be delighted for new students and I hope you will all be brilliant!”
“With that being said… Let the sorting take place!”
Severus watched as Argus Filch, the school caretaker, walked in with a three-legged wooden stool, scowling at the new first-years.
Severus didn’t mind the man. In fact, they bonded over the fact that they were both squibs.
Filch’s grumpy cat, Mrs Norris, had opened up to Severus after he gave her raw fish.
He snapped out of his thoughts as the first name was called.
“Bones, Amelia!”