Unexpected

Chapter 3 - The Sorting Hat

In hurried strides both myself and Remus strode into the Great Hall, both our feet making a pronounced audible announcement of our presence but my shoes in particular who's heels clicked and clacked along the cold stone flooring of the castle were far more obvious the any ears that could hear them. A congregation of grown witches and wizard stood central at the head of the room, just before the large staff table situated at the head of the large echoing room turned their heads upon hearing our entrance and watched as myself and Remus hastily made to join them. As we briskly paced forwards, down the central isle of the vacant seats my view was forced forwards into the area in which we were headed. I kept my head up despite my nerves becoming incredibly obvious to me now, I did not want to seem sheepish in front of the congregation of professors, who were now all my colleagues.

Finally, Remus and I reached the congregation, and both stopped in our tracks upon meeting with them, as I stopped, my cloak and skirts, swinging forwards elegantly until the hem of both rested neatly upon the floor. "Sorry we're late, the new professor and I got somewhat distracted by the view." Remus remarked with a small, breathy laugh. This was the moment when an old, bearded man, adorned in elegant grey and lilac robes stepped forwards. I had met this man previously as this was the wizard who has conducted my interview. This was the headmaster professor Dumbledore. He approached me with his slightly withered hands outstretched, to which I held my hands out and with a soft smile placed them into his palms which were cold, yet soft to which he gripped onto my hands firmly for a moment in a greeting Gesture. "Professor Turpin!" Dumbledore exclaimed with a warm expression upon his face as he continued to hold my hands for a moment. "I'm so pleased you have joined us. Thank you, you are doing us a great service." He continued, looking into my eyes to which I looked back, observing those eyes closely, for which I could tell, had witnessed many things over countless years and not all of them joyful. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine professor. Thank you so much for the opportunity." I responded in an assured, sweet tone before the professor gave me one final flash of a smile prior releasing my hands. "Ah now there are some staff members you haven't met, uh..." He turned as he spoke, gesturing to individuals within the crowd of staff members. "Now this is Professor Sprout, she is the Herbology professor and head of Hufflepuff house. And uh, professor McGonagall, Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor house, and Professor Trelawney, Divination professor. Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms, and oh yes of course... how could I have neglected to mention your closest colleague. Professor Snape, Potions Master and head of Slytherin house..." Dumbledore continued in brief introductions, each professor, one by one bowing their heads or waving at me in a swift hello. but then, this was the moment, the last name mentioned was the one I had feared the most and somehow up until this point I had not noticed the man who held the face to the name. As dumbledore addressed him, an exceedingly tall man (at least far taller than me) slowly stepped into view. His looming silhouette coming into focus within my view as I observed the man whom I would be working most closely with during my time here at Hogwarts. My eyes moved right from the man's large feet and ever so slowly, scanning up towards his face. I was quick to observe this man's appearance, he was tall, I have mentioned that already, but he was slim, and his stance was strong and brooding and his robes, hair and even his eyes were jet black. Behind the almost shoulder length hair that fell into his face from both sides I could see that in addition to this, his skin was intensely pale, almost like descriptions of fanciful vampires in muggle fiction from when I was a child. Getting almost distracted by the man's appearance I had almost entirely neglected to notice his large hand, held out in front of me, hovering in mid air and waiting patiently for me to shake it in a greeting. Removing my gaze of observation from him I swiftly lifted my hand and placed it neatly into his palm. He gripped onto my hand suddenly and it made me jolt forwards so I automatically looked up into his eyes for a moment before shaking his hand firmly. Dumbledore watched the pair of us closely as we greeted each other. "Good to meet you Professor." I announced confidently to which the gothic man replied. "... Likewise." In a chillingly slow and deep voice. For some reason, upon hearing that voice my throat automatically tensed and I swallowed. I don't know why this happened, it seemed to be my instinctual response to this interaction, so I quickly let go of Snape's large hand, and retreated into my designated spot next to Remus once again. Dumbledore decided it would be best to distract the onlookers from this interaction and suddenly his voice bellowed out to everyone. "Well, Let's quickly get this sorting ceremony over with, shall we? Before the students come in for the feast." He stated cheerfully to which upon hearing this my heartbeat sped up to a faster than normal rhythm. "...now?" I whispered to Remus as I watched Professor McGonagall make her way, elegantly over to a small stool that sat just before the staff table. Remus nodded to me "Yes, now. Go on!" He encouraged, motioning towards the stool. McGonagall turned to me and noticed I hadn't moved to join her, and she held her arm out in my direction "Come dear." She spoke softly in a subtle Scottish accent. To which I swallowed once again bowing my head and treading forwards with caution as I felt the gaze of all the staff members burning into my skin. Their interest in this 'sorting ceremony' had made me somewhat hyper aware that this perhaps was indeed a big deal. I knew nothing about these houses, nor what it all meant but I was sure that there were hidden truths behind the names and that these witches and wizards, once I have been sorted, would make an instant judgment upon the sort of witch that I am. I reached Professor McGonagall and steadily lowered myself down to sit upon the stool. "Now, just to remind you... The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw... and Slytherin. Your house will be like your family, now I don't want that to pressure you. The sorting hat will place you accurately I'm sure." She explained before she turned to reveal a small table which displayed one simple object, an old hat. "I'm sorry... the sorting what!?" I blurted out in confusion to which some of the staff members that were watching me chuckled at. "The sorting hat." McGonagall stated briskly as she lifted the hat with one hand and turned back to me. A sorting hat? I had started to wonder what sort of place I had come to. How on earth was a hat supposed to judge me on character? McGonagall lifted the hat and held it over my head, and I stifled in a laugh before my body instinctively jumped when I heard it. "...hmmmmmm." The leather hat mumbled. Did that sound just emanate from the inanimate object? I thought to myself. "Interesting... I haven't sorted an adult for a while." The hat continued in a raspy sort of voice as I sat uncomfortably beneath it. "Now let's see... There's courage and confidence... and passion, yes... There's plenty of that. But also ambition and compassion. Interesting... Very interesting." It continued and I looked out at the small crowd of people, watching in anticipation for the sorting hat's final verdict. "Alright... Gryffindor!" The hat finally called out to which I signed softly and the staff cheered and softly clapped their hands as McGonagall removed the hat from my head and I hopped myself off of the stool. I noticed that Remus looked incredibly pleased by the sorting verdict but my eyes moved across the crowd of people and happened upon Professor Snape, who's expression had not changed from its stern appearance and he clapped with very minimal effort, but then I had recalled that he was head of Slytherin, not that I knew exactly why this would be a negative, we are all adults after all, but I could tell there was some tension in the air between us. "Well Professor Turpin it looks as though you are going to be helping me keep the Gryffindor's in check." McGonagall concluded from my sorting with a welcoming smile across her face. I turned to her, smiling back softly "I'll certainly do my best, Professor." I replied to which she nodded, still smiling "Please, call me Minerva." She requested finally to which my smile widened at the feeling of acceptance and I nodded back. It was here that I felt someone's hand upon my shoulder, I turned around swiftly on the spot in which I was standing to be greeted by Remus' incredibly enthused expression. "Another Gryffindor! I did have a sneaking suspicion you were like me and here we are with the confirmation." Remus remarked with almost a slightly gloating chuckle. "Oh, you're a Gryffindor too?" I asked curiously. Obviously, I didn't really see the relevance of sorting but it clearly meant a lot to everyone so I played along as best I could with the little knowledge, I had on what it all really meant. "Of course! I couldn't be anything else... And I Wouldn't have it any other way." Remus replied with an assured expression before we were both interrupted in conversation by the voice of Dumbledore. "Well now that that's decided, would you all care to take your seats? I am sure you are all getting hungry." He requested softly. And just as the word hungry slipped out of his wrinkled lips my stomach growled in recollection that I hadn't eaten a thing since those few pieces of Remus' chocolate that he offered me on the train. As if by magic all the staff members that had all been congregated for my sorting ceremony automatically dispersed themselves to be seated at the staff table. Suddenly the realisation of where I was and my new life as a Hogwarts professor had started to kick in... and for possibly the first time in my life. I felt as if I were home.