Never-Lasting •~H.Potter AU~• (ON HOLD)

2 |the new student|

HARRY POTTER WALKED INTO THE GREAT HALL, his nose still a bit bloody as he spotted his friends Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Harry sighed. He had missed another sorting ceremony. All the new faces he saw looked around the Great Hall, mesmerized by the beauty of the Castle. It reminded Harry of when he first arrived at Hogwarts, infatuated by the world he was beginning to learn about.

Harry stared curiously at the tables, which were absent of food. He turned to Hermione and Ron, who looked equally confused.

"Why isn't the food out yet?" Harry asked, making Ron groan.

"I'm starving." Hermione rolled her eyes as she faced Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore took Professor McGonagall to the back after the Sorting Ceremony. No one knows why." It sure was confusing why Dumbledore would so that in the middle of the first day of school. Harry turned his head over to the table in front of the hall where all the Professors sat. Both Dumblesore's and McGonagall's seats were empty, while Horace Slughorn, the new teacher, sat in his button shirt next to Severus Snape, the Potions teacher, the same one who fetched him from the front gates of the castle after he had stayed back from certain events in the train. Of course, he gave Harry a penalty; 70 points from Gryffindor.

However, an extra seat was present next to Snape's. A girl with bright blue eyes and golden blonde hair caught Harry's sight. He found it strange that she was up there. She looked far too young to be a teacher.

Finally, McGonagall and Dumbledore emerged again. Even weirder, Professor McGonagall placed the stool and Sorting Hat once more at the front.

Dumbledore stood, catching the attention of all the students.

"Good evening students. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for the supper but please do give me a bit more time." Ron groaned even louder, the whole hall hearing him. A bright red spread on his freckled face.

"Yes thank you, Mr. Weasley. I too do feel that way. I would just like to introduce Professor Slughorn as your new Potions teacher. Professor Snape will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Slight whispered could be heard around the hall. Everyone knew Snape had been wanting that position for many years.

"I would like to introduce a new student. Normally a new student at Hogwarts would be sorted during the sorting ceremony. However, that is for the first years. This year we have a transfer student, who will be attending Hogwarts as a 6th-year student. Professor McGonagall, if you may." Dumbledore handed McGonagall a piece a parchment. As she stood straight in front of the students to read the name, her eyes widened. 

In a strange moment, the professor, sped her way to Snape, showing him the name on the parchment. Snape nodded, answering McGonagall in a whisper. No one was able to hear what they were saying. The girl next to Snape looked at Snape when McGonagall walked her way slowly to the front again. A light smile formed on the girls' face as she sat straight.

All the students at Hogwarts became curious. What was going on? Finally, the professor lifted the parchment, and in a loud voice said:

"Aliana Snape."

Not a single voice or even the sound of breath was heard in the hall. The blonde girl who Harry saw before stood up from her seat, making her way elegantly to the front. She sat on the stool and with her eyes closed, let the Sorting Hat touch her head. Everyone sat silent as the minutes passed by. The sorting hat must have been struggling in deciding which house to place her in. Finally, after 7 minutes, the sorting hat finally yelled out a house.

"GRYFFINDOR." 

Usually, claps would begin throughout the hall, especially from the house the person was going to be in. However, only the claps from the Professor's table could be heard as Professor McGonagall took the sorting hat off the girl and she sat at the farthest end of the Gryffindor table. No one dared to congratulate her.

It was because of her last name.

Snape.