Chapter 272 - Slughorn and Snape (1/2)
The ride to Hogwarts was the weirdest ride among all rides to Hogwarts. Chris was staring out of the window to get a glimpse of the Thestral, Luna and Neville were explaining about their first time Thestral witnessing incident, and Hermione was confused that she should be happy or sad for not witnessing any death.
Their carriage was the last one to reach Hogwarts, because of the exchanged between Chris and the Thestral. They were late when the coach stopped just inside the metal gates of Hogwarts. Chris noticed that the gate locked after them and chains wrapped around it.
”Planning a grand entrance?”
A cold voice said standing beside the carriage as they climbed out. Chris whipped around to face the uplit hooked nose and long, black, greasy hair of Severus Snape.
”Well, now that there are no flying cars available you decided that bursting into the Great Hall after everyone has seated will give a dramatic effect,” Snape sneered at Harry, who clenched his fist, glaring at Snape.
”We are not that late, are we?” said Chris coolly.
”Quite enough late, Miss Norton,” Snape turned to Chris. ”I had to come down to look for the last carriage which was unusually late.”
Snape's black eye glint in the pale moonlight, Chris didn't lower her gaze, she wanted Snape to know that she had mastered Occlumency. Snape glared at Chris for a long time before turning back to the castle.
”I guess you will get sufficient attention if you walk into the Great Hall, now,” spat Snape. ”Or our heroes want to be a little more — ah, more fashionably late?”
No one spoke and followed Snape into the castle. Neville looked a little fearful and the others just took turns to glare at the back of Snape's head.
As they reached the entrance hall, the oaken front doors of Great Hall swung open, a burst of talk and laughter and of tinkling plates and glasses greeted them.
”No Cloak. You can walk in so that everyone sees you, which is what you wanted, I'm sure,” said Snape to Harry before marching straight to the staff table at the end of Great Hall.
”I am already regretting this,” whispered Hermione. ”We shouldn't have been late.”
”What's done is done, Hermione,” said Ginny. ”We didn't do anything wrong, no need to be scared.”
”Come on,” said Chris holding her head high and keeping her body straight.
The Great Hall, with its four long House tables and its staff table set at the top of the room, was decorated as usual with floating candles that made the plates below glitter and glow. As soon as they stepped inside people turned to them. But Chris didn't look, any one of them, she walked ahead, to the Gryffindor table. From the corner of her eye, Chris noticed Jason sitting beside Astoria on the Slytherin table, he looked up as Chris passed. Chris also noticed Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, removing the Sorting Hat and the stool, meaning the sorting had finished. Luna, who was from Ravenclaw sat on the Ravenclaw table just at the start of the term, so she went to sit there. By the time Chris reached near Hufflepuff table, the students were standing up to get a better look at Harry. After a few more minutes of people ogling at them, Chris finally dropped on the Gryffindor table with a sigh.
”That was way more exhausting than I imagined,” she said.
The others took their seat as Chris turned to her left and saw a small dark boy with black short hair staring at her.
”Hi,” she smiled guessing the boy had just sorted.
The boy's eyes widened and he went scarlet on the face and fumbled with his spoon. A girl, beside the boy (smaller than him), with shoulder-length curly blonde hair, piped up seeing Chris smile.
”Hi,” she grinned widely. ”I am Katrina Harrington. You are Christina Norton.”
”Yeah, I guess I am,” Chris chuckled and extended her hand.
The girl's round grey eyes widened more as she took Chris' hand to shake.
”Nice to meet you, Katrina,” said Chris. ”And congratulations on making to Gryffindor.”
”Thanks,” she said tentatively then her eyes spotted something behind Chris. Her eyes —if possible—grew wider. ”He is Harry Potter!”
Chris turned to look at her right and saw, beside her was Hermione and after her, indeed, was Harry, he was looking at Chris and the first years.
”Yeah, he is Harry Potter,” Chris smiled back to Katrina. Chris glanced at Harry and he waved a little to Katrina. Chris could swear Katrina looked she might faint then and there.
”This is Wes,” said Katrina after a moment, she pointed at the boy, who first looked at Chris.
”Hello,” said the boy looking shyly at Chris.
”Hi,” Chris laughed and finally started eating some roasted chicken.