Loved By You. (A Severus Snape Love Story)

Chapter Two: The Sorting

I woke up around dinner time with beads of blood stained on my arm, and an owl pecking on the window next to me.
Aggressively I pulled down my sleeve to hide my scars. And I opened the window to let in the bird. In its beak was a small scroll, in almost a blink of an eye the owl dropped the scroll and flew back out the window.
I opened the tiny scroll and read:

Dear Aria,
Would you please meet me in my office as soon as possible, we have matters to discuss about your school supplies and my leaving tomorrow.
Your Grandfather,
Albus.

I sighed but started to walk back the way I came to try and find my grandfathers office, I knew it would take me a while since I still hadn't gotten the hang of the corridors and the moving staircases didn't help any.
Somehow I found my way to the office, I have the password and climbed the stone staircase.
When I entered I was greeted by my grandfather, who had a small smile on his face as he sat by his untidy desk topped with paperwork. The caretaker, filch stood by the door looking at me, unnervingly, while he petted his cat. I smiled at the two men warily. One returned my smile, the other did not.
"Aria, I'm so glad you came so quickly."
"I seem to be getting the hang of the school now." I smiled half-heartedly.
"That's good to hear, my dear. Now, as you are aware some teachers have begun to arrive at the school and are already preparing for their classes, others will not arrive until the start of the school year, but for now I wish to introduce you to some of the staff you will be working with. Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, on the other hand has only just arrived and she wished to have some time before she is disturbed." My grandfather informed me. I nodded but either way I wasn't bothered about my teachers.
"Mr Filch if you please." He nodded to the caretaker, I'm assuming to collect the professors, and he immediately left with his feline.
"Now with the time we have I would like to discuss the matters of your time table." He said. "You know that in your 5th Year at school you are required to select your subjects and I have to write up your schedule, and place you in classes within the next few days. So if you please, could you choose your electives from the list and write them down by your core subjects, and of course there is always your extra-curriculum subjects it you wish to take any of those as well." My grandfather handed me a quill and two sheets of parchment; one blank, and one with the core, elective, and extra-curriculum subjects.
I thanked him and without another word started scribbling on the page while he watched.
----------------------------------------------CORE SUBJECTS
Astronomy
Charms
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Herbology
History of Magic
Potions
Transfiguration

ELECTIVE SUBJECTS
Alchemy
Arithmancy
Care of Magical Creatures
Divination
Muggle Studies
Study of Ancient Runes

EXTRA-CURRICULUM SUBJECT
Ancient Studies
Art
Frog Choir
Ghoul Studies
Magical Theory
Muggle Art
Music
Muggle Music
Orchestra
Xylomancy
...............................................
Aria Dumbledore. 5th Year

Core
Astronomy
Charms
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Herbology
History of Magic
Potions
Transfiguration

Electives
Care of Magical Creatures
Divination
Ancient Runes
Alchemy

Extra-Curriculum
Ghoul Studies
Magical Theory
----------------------------------------------

"That's rather a lot you plan on studying, my dear." The Headmaster observed.
"Yes, well I do need to catch up on a lot. In my last school I was never really interested in education but I want to be now, I need to a lot of practice." I said simply.
I wasn't really telling the truth, I just never really got the chance to learn and now that I did I wasn't sure I wanted to any more but I knew I had to say that to keep him happy and stop him from prying.
After my grandfather had proof read my choices and 'filed' them away with another bundle of papers, Filch returned with 4 professors at his heels.
Directly behind him was a tall stern faced woman with thick rimmed glasses and her grey hair was tied back tightly in a knot. She wore heavy long green velvet robes and a pointed hat to match. As she approached me I could tell under her strict demeanour she was really just a kind old woman. Following behind her was a tiny man, less than half the size of the average man, he wore a small tailored three-piece suit and a black bow tie to match. His slick brown hair was parted in the middle and as he hobbled along he looked up at me through his glasses. Next in came a rather dirty plump looking woman who was quite a bit smaller than average height for a witch of her age. She had a round face and her curly white-grey hair was tucked underneath her brown patched  up hat, which was rather similar to the first woman's. Her hair stopped at her rosy cheeks, and she had a large smile plastered on her face. She too wobbled her way in the office.
And lastly entered a tall man, at least 6", he was dressed entirely in black with only the cuff of his white shirt visible underneath his robes. His black flowing robes touched the ground, like a cape, giving him a bat like appearance. His many buttons were done up right to his neck, where his collar was peaking out slightly.
He had sallow skin that contrasted with his dark clothes, and a frown that seemed to be permanent. His nose was rather on the large side and he had shoulder-length black hair. As he walked by me our eyes met and that's when I realised who he was. He was the mysterious man I had watched from afar as he entered the castle. Seeing him now I was rather disappointed. To me he just looked like a grumpy old bat to sour to smile. He didn't interest me at all.
One thing did catch my attention though, his eyes. His dark piercing orbs stared right into the heart of me. They were like windows into the soul. So full of mystery and intrigue and I was curious to find out what made them loose their light, why they looked so sad. I couldn't stop staring into his eyes but eventually he broke the gaze and turned to my grandfather.
I stood and looked at the professors before me; all completely different people, but each of them as interesting as the next. I didn't know anything about these people but they looked at me as if they already knew me.
I shifted uncomfortably as they stared.
Slowly my grandfather approached me, sliding and arm around my shoulders. He then introduced them all to me one by one.
"My dear Aria." He smiled. "This."
He gestured to the first woman.
"-Is Minerva McGonagall, teacher of Transfiguration and head of Gryffindor House." She nodded kindly to me, smiling slightly as she shook my hand.
"Nice to meet you." I replied kindly.
"Filius Flitwick." He said moving on to the half-man. "Teacher of Charms and Head of Ravenclaw House."
I bent a little to reach his extended arm but he grinned all the same.
"Pomona Sprout." He gestured to the next woman. "She teaches Herbology, and is Head of House Hufflepuff." "Please to meet you." I smiled slightly and took her arm.
"And lastly this is Severus." My grandfather beamed. At first I didn't want to look, I was scared incase I got lost in his eyes again but slowly I brought myself to meet his gaze.
"Professor Snape." He corrected, moodily. I could tell he was not impressed.
The way he looked at me was intimidating and I did not like to feel inferior. I returned his glare but took his hand.
"Severus is the Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master here at Hogwarts." My grandfather chimed.
His grip was firm, so I gripped tighter, challenging him. I could tell we would not get along.
"Pleasure." Snape said sarcastically with a smirk, as he squeezed my hand harder.
"Charmed." I grimaced. Gripping tighter.
His eyes pierced mine and I glared back.
After a few seconds we could tell this had gone on long enough and we loosened our grip. His hand fell by his side but I took my own and cradled it in the other, rubbing it gently.
Snape saw this and his smirk grew, obviously pleased with himself.
"As you all know this is my granddaughter, Aria. She had just recently moved here from America and will be enrolling at Hogwarts at the start of this year." He announced.
"Well now that you've all met I think it's time for the sorting." He chuckled.
My grandfather has explained the sorting to me when I first came. There was four houses each of them with different traits to suit the students abilities and personalities. Essentially Gryffindor were usually the brave ones, Ravenclaw the more intellectual house, Hufflepuff were kind, and Slytherin were ambitious and more often than not it was always the cunning ones who turned to the dark side. (which explains Snape, obviously.)
As I was not a first year my grandfather thought it was best that I should be sorted separately and before the year began.
The sorting he told me was carries out by an enchanted hat.
The hat belong to the four founders of Hogwarts; Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin, the hat, he said, is able to look inside the mind if the student and determine where it's best suited according to their personality. Occasionally though that does take the students choice into consideration but it is not often recommended. The Headmaster brought out a small stool and took the ragged old hat off the shelf, immediately it started talking before it even touched my head.
"Interesting. Interesting." I grumbled. "I seemed to have been taken off my shelf earlier than usual, why might this be I wonder." I watched at McGonagall held the hat at arms length as it spoke.
"It's seems to me we have a late addition to the school, a young girl. From America?" It spoke.
The hat was placed on my head.
"Oh very curious indeed. A Dumbledore!" It exclaimed.
"I haven't had one of them in a great many years. Your obviously not a direct descendent of Albus am I correct child?" I nodded and the hat moved above me.
"Daughter of Evelyn Dumbledore, I believe, she was niece to Albus, so you must be his granddaughter." He rambled.
"Well you are a tricky one." He thought. I remained silent not knowing what to do. "You, child, are one of the few student who come along barely once in a generation, who posses the qualities of each house.
You are brave, braver than even you know, child. Your heart is kind and pure. You have a great mind, creative, intelligent. But most of all you are ambitious, your cunning, you could be successful. And one way or another you always get what you want I imagine. You are a powerful girl, Aria, you will do well in any house. But you shall thrive and be tested the most in Slytherin. So that is where I am putting you." It trailed off, closing it's eyes and once again become inanimate.
My heart was pounding. I didn't know how to react. The impression I got was that all the 'evil' minds get put in Slytherin and almost every dark wizard alive was put in that house, but deep down I knew they were all just stereotypes.
I was taken from my thoughts when I heard the singular clapping of my grandfathers hands.
"Well done, my dear, absolutely fantastic." He grinned. The others did not seem as impressed. McGonagall's face had reverted to its stern state and Snape in particular looked every bit at sour as he came across. I mean, you'd think he would be happy, considering it was his house, but he was not.
I forced a smile on myself, and let my grandfather do the talking.
He continued to ramble on about schedules, and staffing changes, and the Ministry while I slowly sunk into the background wondering what I could have done - or will do - to be placed in Slytherin.
Even though I was lost to my thoughts the whole time I felt the infamous black eyes staring at me.
When all the teachers began to leave my grandfather called me back over to him.
"Aria, as you know tomorrow I shall be leaving for the hearing at the ministry but school shall be starting in a few days time and you still do not have your supplies. I have arranged for you to go to Diagonal Alley tomorrow morning with Severus." He explained.
I objected. "But grandfather, I barely know the man. I've only met him once!"
"I know, dear, but I have no other option, you must go."
"What about another professor, McGonagall perhaps? she seemed nice. I really don't think Professor Snape will be willing to take me." I exclaimed.
"Severus is a good man, Aria. I trust him. He is a dear friend of mine. I will speak to him later about it, and he will not deny it. You are in his house now, when I am not available he will be responsible for you." My grandfather assured.
I knew there would be no point arguing again so I just agreed and I was free to leave.
Slowly I began to find my way back to my private quarters.