Flicker Through Time

Chapter 3: Hogwarts Again

        Dahlia let out a sigh as she recognized the inside of her isolated compartment on the Hogwarts Express. She had some explaining to do, and by that she meant lying.

        "Dahlia?! Where have you been?" Harry shouted as he engulfed his sister in a hug. "I was so worried about you! You leave without an explanation and don't come back for hours?! Our train to Hogwarts arrives soon!" Harry pulled back from his sister and looked at her questioningly. "What are you wearing?"

        "Wow, Harry," Dahlia quipped. "Finished with the monologue yet?" As she took a few deep breaths, Dahlia grabbed the textbook she dropped on the train's floor three years ago or a few hours ago, depends on how you look at it. She turned back her brother and waved the book in his face. "I just came to read. You and that redhead were being very loud and headache inducing.

        Harry actually looked sheepish as he apologized. Dahlia then ushered him out of the compartment and she locked the door. Then, she leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked down at the now too big Slytherin uniform she was wearing. She really should get changed because she couldn't show up at Hogwarts like this. She still had to be sorted, again.

        All through the journey up to the sorting stool, Dahlia remained blank of emotions in the face. After all, she had seen all of this before. The only thing that really caught her attention was the looks she was getting from the professors, most of which she had encountered fifty years ago during her time at Hogwarts. The only exceptions were Professors Quirrell and Snape, both of whom were staring at her in a different way. Quirrell's face held interest as well as a bit of nervousness while Snape looked both aggravated and sad along with angry.

        Unbeknownst to anyone else, Quirrell found Miss Potter intriguing because of his master's unexplained infatuation with her. It was for that same reason that he also feared the girl. To him, anyone capable of earning the Dark Lord's respect was someone to be weary of. Though he himself had to admit that she was a very bright student. He just didn't know why she was so important to his master. Just as he thought that, Voldemort's angry voice hissed in his mind, "She is ssso much more sssssspecial than you can imagine. Sssshe is everything." At that, Quirrell once again turned to the sorting.

        Severus Snape was going mad, or at least that's what he thought. Here before him stood the two children of the woman he loved and the man he hated. When he looked at the Potter boy, all he saw was James. Yet the girl, she was different. Not only did she look a lot like Lily, but she also didn't look anything like James. She was different. "No!" Snape thought. "She's still James' daughter... a troublemaker no doubt." Even as he built up his walls to distance himself from the green-eyed girl, he watched her approach the sorting hat and stool. She didn't even look nervous. In fact, she looked bored. Interesting.

        As she sat down on the stool, Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat once more on her head. As soon as it touched her head, Dahlia heard the hat's voice in her mind, "Ah! I was wondering when I would meet you again, Miss Potter. Yours is a rather unique case."

        Within her mind Dahlia responded sarcastically, "Noooo. I was sure you getting time traveling students was a regular occurrence. Weird."

        The hat chucked and spoke softly in her mind, "Still as sarcastic and witty as ever, I see. Now, where to put you?"

        Irritated, Dahlia snapped at the hat, "What do you mean by what house? Slytherin, of course, like last time.

        "Ahhhh," the hat replied. "You see I have specific orders not to place you there. Otherwise, I assure you that is where you would be placed."

        "Orders?! From whom?!" Dahlia questioned.

        The sorting hat sighed then said cautiously, "Alas. I cannot tell you. Now, if not Slytherin, where?" The hat paused while thinking. "You have a very bright mind, but your ambition makes Ravenclaw a bad fit. Hufflepuff is out too, so I guess there is only really one option."

        At that, Dahlia sucked in a ragged breath. Surprising all those in the hall who were growing restless and whispering, Dahlia spoke out loud in a frozen, deadly calm voice, "Don't even consider it you over glorified piece of headwear."

        In response to her underlying threat, the hat paused, but it eventually spoke in shaky hesitation. "W-Well, Miss P-Potter, better be... GRYFFINDOR!"

        As opposed to the usual enthusiastic clapping, everyone, especially the Gryffindors clapped hesitantly and looked unsure among themselves.

        Dahlia stalked down to her new house's table and sat beside her brother. Dahlia looked pissed. Harry looked confused. Quirrell looked fearful. Snape just showed no emotion.