My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Five: Sorting

September 1994 - Hogwarts

Splendor. That's the word that came to my mind when I saw Hogwarts for the first time. The castle exuberated an aura of glorious splendor. Everyone stared at me as Draco and I walked into the castle.

"So how is this going to work?" I asked quietly. "I don't want to make a spectacle out of myself."

"I'm not sure," Draco said. "If I were you, I'd definitely want to make a spectacle of myself. I'd want my grand entrance so everyone could see."

"Well the dramatic part of me wants a grand entrance for sure," I said. "But I just want to slip into the school year as if I was always here."

"You're getting your grand entrance," Draco said blankly as if he wasn't giving me an option. "I want everyone to see you," he said.

"I don't," I said.

"I don't care," he said back. "You're getting it. Whether you like it or not." I rolled my eyes as I kept walking. As we walked through the castle, I saw my dad around the corner.

"Dad!" I said. I bolted out of the stream of students to find him.

"Grace!" Draco said, running after me. "We're not supposed to run about the castle right now."

I turned the corner and my dad wasn't there.

"Weird," I said to Draco as he caught up with me. "I swear I saw my dad."

"You probably did," Draco said. "I know you're not used to seeing magic often, but this is a school that's full of it. He probably apparated to the great hall. Come on. I'm not your babysitter, let's go," he said, grabbing my hand.

I said I didn't want a big entrance, but when Draco and I walked in the doors to the great hall, all eyes went to us, and the talking stopped. Draco, through his snickering, led me towards the Slytherin table, and slowly, the talking resumed.

"Grace," he said. "This is Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Jane, and- where's Pansy?"

"Dunno," Jane said. "Probably pouting in the bathroom. Wouldn't stop complaining about you the whole trip. Where were you?"

"I was with Grace," he said. "She's new." Jane had a rough edge, but she seemed nice. She had shoulder-length black hair with beautiful layers and green eyes.

"How can you be new to Hogwarts?" she asked. "Did you not get your letter back when you turned eleven?"

"It's kind of a weird story," I said. Suddenly the doors burst open and an army of first-year students walked eagerly to the front of the room.

"I love this part," Jane said.

"When I call your name, please come forward," the teacher announced.

"That's McGonagall," Jane told me. McGonagall called each first-year student up by name and the sorting hat called out their houses. And when every first year had been sorted, she had one final announcement.

"Now this is a bit unusual, but we have a new student joining us in the fourth year," she announced. My face flushed.

"How can we have a new student in fourth year?" I heard amongst the crowd.

"Is she that girl I saw with Draco? I didn't recognize her."

"Will Grace Snape please come forward to be sorted?" I heard gasps all around me as I stood up slowly.

"Snape?"

"No way. Is that who I think it is?"

"Blimey, Harry. You weren't joking," I heard a red-haired boy say. I saw Harry right next to him and we locked eyes before he looked away quickly.

I sat down and felt the weight of thousands of eyes on me. I noticed Draco looking particularly amused at the fact I was getting made into a spectacle, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh my," the sorting hat said, scaring me. "This is unusual. A very mature mind. Not what I'm used to. You must be late to the game. Years behind your classmates, yet I do see a surprising amount of knowledge. Oh yes, I can tell you've been studying. I would put you in Ravenclaw if I didn't see more. Yes, a dedicated friend. Could it be Hufflepuff? No, your character goes far beyond loyalty, I see. Hmm. An impressive sense of bravery. A bold confidence. Much like a Gryffindor. But I also see, what's this, a strange ambition. A newly discovered sense of charisma. Gryffindor or Slytherin? You'd do wonderful in either. Hmm."

"The hat's never taken this long before, Albus," I heard McGonagall whisper.

"Hmm. Quite the budding friendship you have with Mr. Malfoy, I see. But is Slytherin really where you need to be? I think some of our Gryffindors may eventually be in need of your special skills."

Special skills?

"Oh but that's much farther down the road I see. For now, better make it....Slytherin!"

The room burst into applause as a sigh of relief escaped me. But then it dawned on me. For now. What did for now mean? I decided not to worry about the future. Because for now, all I wanted to do was think about being in Slytherin with Jane, my dad, and Draco.

Draco hugged me as I sat down. Then, who I could only assume to be Albus Dumbledore took the stage.

"Excellent," he announced. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I expect all the fourth-year students to make Miss Snape feel welcome. Now I am pleased to announce that this year, Hogwarts will be home to two other schools that will be joining us for a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard tournament. Now please welcome the ladies of Beauxbatons." The doors flung open and girls dressed in beautiful blue dresses flooded into the room, catching the attention of all the boys- including Draco and Blaise. They cheered and whistled as Jane and I exchanged side eyes.

"And now please welcome the proud sons of Durmstrang." Jane and I exchanged glances and somehow devised a plan without saying a word. As the Durmstrang boys walked down the great hall, Jane and I cheered and whistled the same way the boys did. Draco promptly put his hand over my eyes.