HIGHLY IMPROBABLE


Chapter 5: Sorting Hat, White Beard, And Tales


*~~~*~~~*

Clancy had barely seated herself in Professor Dumbledore's office, when a small voice called out, "Did you enjoy my ceremony tonight?" Perplexed, her eyes searched the room.

"Over here, on the desk. Come closer, I won't bite. I haven't any teeth."

It was the Sorting Hat. Clancy moved closer. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm new around here, and this day's been a trifle overwhelming."

"Would you like to try me on and be Sorted?"

"I'm not a student, I'm a visitor," Clancy replied, surprised to find herself having a conversation with a hat.

"Oh come on. It's just for fun. It gives me something to do."

"Well, all right," she agreed reluctantly, placing the Hat on her head.

"My, my. You do have a lot going on inside. There's plenty of Ravenclaw in you, but there are signs that point to Hufflepuff, as well. You could be great you know, if you'd just work on those high notes -"

"Ah, Miss Norgard! Welcome to my humble chapeau."

She started. "Professor Dumbledore?" she asked sheepishly, removing the Hat from her head.

"I hope you'll forgive my shameless pun. I don't get the opportunity to use that line too often, and I couldn't resist. Hillary told me you enjoy wordplay, as I do. May I call you Clancy?"

Professor Dumbledore's pale blue eyes gazed at her warmly from behind his half-moon spectacles. Clancy couldn't help but stare at his unusual appearance. His robe was actually dark violet, and he was wearing high-heeled buckled boots. She watched as he ran a lean finger down his silver beard to flick away a custard tart crumb. She liked him immediately. "Yes, certainly, Professor Dumbledore," she replied.

"Please call me Albus," he said, seating himself behind his desk. "Was your trip here a pleasant one?"

"Yes, very. There's been so much to take in! I've seen so many things today that I don't fully understand -- food appearing out of nowhere, people moving in portraits, and were those actually ghosts floating about in the Great Hall?"

"Welcome to the Wizarding world, Clancy. In time, all this will seem quite commonplace to you, if things work out as I expect they will. But, just now, you look very tired. I am going to have Professor McGonagall show you to your room. We'll have a nice chat tomorrow."

Professor McGonagall returned. As Clancy followed her out of Dumbledore's office, she wondered what he'd meant by, "if things work out as I expect they will."


*~~~*~~~*

Clancy slept in late the next day, still weary from her journey. When she awoke, a breakfast tray was waiting for her on the bed table. She helped herself to tea, an assortment of muffins, and coddled eggs. There was a note on the tray from Professor Dumbledore. "I regret that we do not stock instant oatmeal and Diet Dr. Pepper," it read. "I hope this will do. Come to my office at 1:30 this afternoon, and we will become better acquainted."

The appointed hour arrived, and Professor Dumbledore greeted her warmly. "You must have many questions," he said, waving her to a seat.

Clancy nodded. Where to begin? "On my way here, I overheard a group of students discussing a flying car. Is such a thing really possible?"

"Quite possible, though not particularly prudent. Molly Weasley's son Ron, and Harry Potter missed the Hogwarts Express. They flew here in a charmed Ford Anglia, then crashed it into a rare and venerable tree."

"Oh yes, I met them on the platform," she remembered. "Is the Potter boy famous for something? Mrs. Weasley seemed to think I should know who he is."

Dumbledore paused for a moment in thought. "Perhaps we'd better discuss that another time. It's a very long story."

"I'm anxious to meet Severus...I mean, Professor Snape. Could that be arranged soon?"

"Patience, Clancy," Dumbledore chuckled. "It will happen soon enough."

"Can you tell me something of him? What is he like?"

Dumbledore paused again, as if trying to weigh his words. "How much did your aunt tell you about their relationship?"

"Only that her father opposed her marriage to my uncle Ziggy, and wouldn't let her see her sister or Severus again. I know you've kept her updated over the years, but because her father threatened her, she's never contacted Severus directly."

"Yes, but there's more to the story, I'm afraid. Hadrian was a cruel man. He instructed Severus’ mother to lie about Hillary, and tell Severus that Hillary no longer cared for him. Once, when Severus was young, he referred to Hillary, and Hadrian beat him."

"How did you come to know all of this?"

"I have the ability to see people's thoughts, if I choose to. I've learned quite a lot about Severus that way," Professor Dumbledore explained.

Dumbledore could see thoughts? Clancy mentally added that fact to her list of Hogwarts wonders. "Then, Severus hates Aunt Hilly? Did she know this?"

"No, I never had the heart to tell her. I didn't lie to her, though, Clancy. I just emphasized the good things and left out the bad. There are dark periods of Severus' past that would have destroyed her if she'd known about them. As for him hating her, I don't know. It's more a case of him trying to block out a painful memory. He's a very complicated man -- astute, brilliant, and gifted beyond measure, yet at the same time, quite insecure. You'd never be able to get him to admit that, though."

"Is that why you invited me here, so I could tell him the truth?" Clancy asked.

Dumbledore smiled. "I'm guilty of not always planning things out methodically," he admitted. "I thought it might be interesting if the two of you met. I know Hillary wanted that. Sometimes it's best to just throw two people together, and then sit back and watch what happens."

"Then, when do you plan to introduce us?"

"Again, I would advise patience. When the time is right, things will come together as they were meant to."

Clancy wondered if Professor Dumbledore was being purposely evasive, but she was reluctant to press the matter.

"But, what of you, Clancy?" Dumbledore inquired, trying to redirect their conversation. "What kind of life will you be returning to without Hillary? Are you happy living in Pasadena?"

"It's been a sad time for me, a hard transition," she revealed. "I suppose I'll have to learn to adjust."

"Perhaps you might consider staying on here and putting the Hogwarts choir back on its feet. It was disbanded nearly a decade ago, but I've always wanted to see it up and running again. Hillary often reproached me for the lack of musical education at Hogwarts. Would you be interested in such a position?"

"You mean that you'd like me to direct the choir, not just be someone's assistant?"

"Why, of course. Hillary wrote me many times telling me what a lovely voice you have." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows playfully, then added, "With the exception of a few discordant high notes."

Clancy's fluctuating self-esteem made her cringe at Dumbledore's last remark, but she could tell by his benevolent expression that it was meant only as a good-natured jest. "May I think it over for a little while?"

"Certainly. Take all the time you need. You might grow to like it here. Everyone needs a little magic in their life."

Clancy spent the rest of the day exploring the castle and its grounds, while mulling over everything that Dumbledore had said. She had the most unsettling feeling that Dumbledore really did plan methodically, and that he already knew what her answer would be. But, how could he know, when she didn't know herself?