SILENCE {Draco Malfoy X OC}

Make Allies

Professor McGonagall now footed forward clasping a lengthy roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and settle on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails staggered out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes and sat down. A moments pause --

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right applauded and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

Verena saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving heartily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; numerous Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he united them.

Verena noticed the hat yelled out the house at once, but at others, it took a little while to decide.

"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione almost sprinted to the stool and fastened the hat eagerly on her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!" screamed the hat.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who maintained misplacing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.

The hat took a long moment to determine with Neville.

When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville jogged off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

"Malfoy, Draco"

The hat had scarcely brushed his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking satisfied with themselves.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls.

"Snape, Verena"

Verena strode up to the stool and fixed the hat on her head.

"My, my, my," she heard the voice in her head, "Miscellaneous amount of proficiency, Ravenclaw would do very well for you...... Though you're parched to prove yourself...... Plenty of courage... Ah! Cunning one too you are, better be..."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Verena heard the hat cry out the last word to the entire hall. She removed the hat and trod to the Slytherin table.

One of the perfect stood up and greeted her.

"Austen Chesterfield," he shook her hand, "welcome,"

She settled herself near a faux haired girl.

Verena glanced over the teacher's table to spot her father.

He gave a firm nod to her.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet.

He was beaming at the pupils, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have cheered him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a fresh year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our meal, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.

"Is he mad?" The faux girl asked Verena.

She didn't respond but just peered at the dreadful ghost sitting there, with vacant staring eyes, a gaunt expression, and robes smeared with silver blood.

He was right next to Malfoy who, Verena noticed was sitting in front of her.

"That's Bloody Barron," the faux girl said, "looks gory, doesn't he?"

"He surely does,"

"Daphne Greengrass," she offered a handshake, "You must Verena Snape,"

"Make friends and allies, you never know when you're going to need them," Snape placed a sausage beside her salad on Verena's breakfast plate.

"Do not get too attached,"

"Yes, father,"

"It will all go by so rapidly, to slow it down make memories,"

"Even if you do something disastrous don't get caught,"

"My role will change at Hogwarts and so will yours, I won't be your father I'll be your professor,"

"You appear to be far more stressed than I," Verena remarked sipping her tea.

Snape sighed, "I'm just worried that's all, I don't want your years at Hogwarts to be a horrendous part of your life, I don't want you to look back and regret it all,"

"Me neither,"

He placed the tong down and wrapped her in a warm hug.

"You're growing up so fast," he caressed her hair, "Make good friends, I adore you for eternity my Elixir to Induce Euphoria,"

She accepted her hand, "Yes I am,"

She glanced over the table to see scorch beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, warmed potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy and ketchup.

At last, the meals vanished, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.
The hall fell silent.

"Ahern -- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's sparkling eyes flickered in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

A few laughed at his joke.
Verena was aware that it was far from a joke. Her father had been busy in the first few weeks.

He had been receiving a lot more letters than he usually did.

She had heard him speak to Dumbledore through the fireplace.

She overheard something about a "Philosophers Stone," "Cerberus."

From her limited knowledge, she did know that the red stone could turn any metal into sacred gold.

More importantly, it could establish the Elixir of Life, a potion that would make someone drinking it immortal.

Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone.

Snape was aware of her knowledge about all this, but he chose to remain silent and see what Verena would do.