Darkness on the Horizon

Ch. 11

A few days passed since my breakdown with Draco. I hadn't had much time to look into the missing people as I had been tasked heavily with getting Hogwarts ready as well as taking care of the children. I was pretty sure I had been given so much to do so that I wouldn't have time to go searching. Tom and my family wanted me safe at Hogwarts even though I could easily defend myself if I needed to. Now that today was the day everyone would be arriving I wouldn't have time to go searching.

"Isabelle, would you like to greet the children at the door with me?" Minerva asked as I grinned.

"I'd love to," I said getting up from my seat. The three children who had been living here waiting at the shore so they could walk in with the other first years. I stood beside the head of Gryffindor waiting patiently for the children to make their way towards the school. I was in a nice black dress deciding to go for a more formal look on the first day since there weren't any classes.

"Here they are Professor McGonagall," said the new Professor of Magical care. He had taken over the position this year. I hadn't met him until today.

"Thank you Professor Rosier," she said with a smile. He then turned his attention to me with eyes widening. He clearly knew me and I recognized his last name.

"Oh. Hello, don't think we've met yet," he said his dark eyes looking into mine.

"Nope we haven't. I'm Professor Malfoy the new Dark Arts Professor," I said shaking his hand.

"I'm Professor Rosier but you can call me Dane. I tend to avoid formality whenever possible and I'm sure you can relate," he said as my eyes caught the edge of his dark mark poking out of his rolled up sleeve.

"I'm Isabelle," I said with a polite smile. "I'm sure we will have some time to talk once we get these guys sorted." I said realizing our conversation was delaying their sorting.

"Quite right. I'll see you in there," he said walking off. Minerva sent me a look sending heat to my cheeks.

"Now through these doors are your classmates and after you are sorted you will figure out which house will be like your family," she said pausing to let me continue where she left off.

"You have the ability to earn points or lose point based on how each of you act. Whether you are sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin I expect great things for each of you as well as kindness to members from other houses. You all have different things you are good at which only makes the world a better place. Now, shall we?" I asked as a few children grinned. Minerva and I led them into the great hall. She handed me the hat and picked up the list.

"Welcome to your first year of Hogwarts," Severus said standing to greet the children. "Now let's see where you belong." Minerva began reading off the names and I would set the hat on each child. It worked smoothly to have one person reading the list and the other working with the hat. I tried to reassure the nervous children as I set the hat on their heads. The sorting was a blur except for when we got to Eric, Danielle, and Brie. I smiled widely placing the hat on Eric.

"Hufflepuff!" The hat shouted. He walked over to the table quickly. Next was Brie. The hat sat on her head silent for a long time. I knew it was most likely stuck between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Eventually after murmurs broke out around the hall at how long she was up there the hat yelled "Slytherin!" Finally came Danielle. She seemed scared but once I gave her a smile she forced herself to climb onto the stool.

"It's okay," I whispered before I set the hat on her head. I watched as her eyes darted between her two friends as well as me while the hat spoke in her mind. I hoped she would wind up in my house but I wasn't sure if she would. She seemed like a Hufflepuff maybe a Ravenclaw.

"Slytherin," the hat said as I watched her shoulders sag with relief. I took the hat off as she practically ran over to Brie. I saw Eric's disappointment being separated from the girls but he quickly took up a conversation with the boy sitting next to him. Minerva and I took our seats after I put the hat back on the stool. I found myself seated between Severus and Professor Rosier.

"You did lovely," Dane said to me as I looked at him. "You calmed the children down. Made the sorting seem less scary."

"Thanks. I know how scary it can be for them," I said softly. "I was personally scared when I was sorted."

"Me too. Lot of expectations for me being a Rosier. Most people thought I'd be in Slytherin but my parents just wanted me where the hat said I belonged," he said as I smiled.

"Where were you sorted? I know you weren't a Slytherin as you would have been a few years older than me and I haven't seen you around," I asked him.

"I was sorted into Hufflepuff. I was fiercely loyal and always did everything I could to do well," he said as I nodded.

"I see it from the few minutes we have been talking," I told him. "I didn't have expectations from anyone close to me. I didn't even know I was a Malfoy until part way through my years at Hogwarts."

"Yeah. You are kind of famous. Even in school I knew who you were. I also knew you weren't someone to mess with," he said as I smirked.

"Well growing up in an orphanage toughens a girl up," I said with a light laugh.

"I don't know why we haven't interacted before now considering my affiliation and your status among his loyal," Dane stated as I shrugged.

"I don't know but it's nice having a guy around who gets it," I said to him.

"Well my little hut is always open to you," he said as dinner sound down. I got up to leave Dane taking my hand. He kissed the top of it with an unreadable emotion in his dark eyes. "Pleasure meeting you Isabelle and I hope to speak with you again soon," he muttered as a blush spread across my cheeks. I watched as he left and even I couldn't deny the attraction.