"Anything from the Trolley, dears?" An elderly lady asked from the doorway. They all brought something different and had fun trading and trying out the different treats.
As soon as the train had left Platform 9¾ Severus had disapparated back to the Leaky Cauldron and flooed directly to his quarter and immediately changed back into his teaching robes. He was expected to meet the carriages when they arrived at 5:30. He also had a staff meeting at one o'clock. Apparently Dumbledore had arrived back from wherever he had been most of the summer just this morning.
At one Severus entered the Headmaster's office his robe billowing out behind him. He poured himself some tea, took one of the sandwiches from the plates on the buffet, but ignored the plates of sweets, and took a seat at the table next to Filius. He hated staff meetings and hoped it would be a short one. He wrinkled his nose at the strong odor of garlic wafting over from Quirinus Quirrell, the new DADA professor who was sitting two seats down from him.
Albus cleared his throat. "Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a relaxing summer because as you already know it will be a busy year."
"I hope your still not considering hiding the Sorcerer's Stone here, Headmaster?" Minerva said sharply. "And needlessly putting the children in danger."
"It's already been done. Hagrid removed it from Gringotts this morning and I've already hidden it, but I will need all of you to place the security measures we discussed at the end of the school year last year in place. Don't worry, Minerva. I will issue a stern warning at the feast tonight about staying away from that corridor.
Severus snorted loudly and Albus looked at him with an expression of mild reproof. "You have something to say, Severus?"
"If you issue this 'warning' I can guarantee you will have a herd of students trampling each other to get up there to find out what is there. Do not issue any warnings of any kind."
"I'll take your suggestion under advisement, Severus," Dumbledore said.
Severus almost snorted again. It was obvious to him that Dumbledore had no intention of taking his advice.
"Now, as you all know Harry Potter will be starting Hogwarts this year, but I'm worried. I had asked the Molly Weasley to keep an eye out for him and take him under her wing to make sure he got on train all right, but I got an owl from her saying that neither she nor any of her children saw Harry…"
Severus smirked. So Harry was the one the Weasley's were looking so ardently for this morning.
Minerva interrupted. "Excuse me, Albus, but I had an owl from our Head Boy just before I came here, telling me that Harry was on the train and safe."
"Well, that's good. Being James' son he must have figured out how to get through the barrier on his own."
Severus about gagged at that! Albus was still worshiping the ground his golden boys had walked on! He acted as if Harry has had sprung directly out of James' head like Athena out of Zeus' and Lily had no part whatsoever in Harry's birth.
Once the staff meeting was over, Severus hurried back to Slytherin House to do a last minute check and make sure everything was ready for the returning students and the new students. He appeared outside the front entrance at 5:30 on the dot. The carriages should be coming into sight any time now.
Harry and the others got off the train at Hogsmeade leaving their trunks and familiars for the elves to transport up to the castle. Neville had found Trevor under his seat and he now resided safely in Neville's pocket. They heard a gruff voice announcing himself as 'Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts' and directing them to line up behind him. He led them down to a fleet of small boats waiting by the shore of what looked like a huge lake. Harry, of course had seen the lake when he was flying with his dad, but figured it must look scary at night to anybody who had never seen it before.
"Only four to a boat," Hagrid called. "Don't wan' them tippin' over now!"
Harry got in a boat with Draco, Greg, and Vince. Each boat had an oil lamp on a pole in the front of the boat held by one of the students. Greg held the pole in their boat. Hermione and Neville stepped into the one next to them with two others. As soon as the boats were all filled they began moving smoothly across the lake with Hagrid's in the lead. They were able to get their first view of the castle. Harry had never seen the castle at night from a distance and thought it was the most beautiful view he'd ever seen. They disembarked in an underground cavern and followed Hagrid around to the front entrance where Hagrid pounded hard on the wooden doors three times.
The door was opened by Professor McGonagall. "All here and accounted for, Professer."
"Thank you for bringing them safely across the lake, Hagrid."
Hagrid nodded and hurried off so he wouldn't miss the sorting. He was anxious to see James and Lily's son sorted into Gryffindor.
Minerva led them into the corridor outside the Great Hall. She gave them a brief rendition of the houses and the rules before leading them inside.
Harry had not seen the Great Hall previously as he and his dad always ate in their quarters. He thought it was wicked! He heard Hermione telling another girl that the ceiling was magicked to look like the sky outside and she'd read it in Hogwarts: A History.
He saw his dad sitting towards the end of the table so he could keep a wary eye on his snakes. He was seated next to another teacher wearing a ridiculously large purple turban and he was grimacing.
Severus saw Harry walking in and talking to Draco, an unknown girl, a boy who he recognized as Alice and Frank Longbottom's son, Vince Crabbe and Greg Goyle. He covertly glanced over at Albus who looked shocked to see Harry not walking in with Ron Weasley.
There was a battered old hat sitting on the stool in front of the high table and to everybody's astonishment, a slit opened in the hat and it suddenly began to sing.