Into the snake pit
Chapter 4- Into the snake pit
“Are you sure he isn't senile”? Blaise asked Theo with a furrowed brow.
Theo shrugged as he spooned some peas onto his plate “If he was- then he's been senile since father attended Hogwarts”
Daphne gave a small snort “Well it's either that or colorblind-"
Harry was half listening, watching as his friends and the rest of the table filled their plates with food but he felt frozen in place.
“Are you like Halal or allergic or some shit”? Someone spoke and Harry looked up.
A boy just a little bit further on the table was looking at him, he had short brown hair and dark brown eyes with heavy eye bags but they strangely fit his face. A boney hand gestured out and his eyebrow was lifted with a mix of exasperation and concern.
Harry shook his head “No no, I just- it's a lot, no clue where to start you know”?
The boy gave a soft hum “Well you better eat something- no offense but your tiny as hell”
Harry lifted a brow and Blaise sat up, beaming a bright smile at the guy- a hand landing on Harry's shoulder almost protectively “He's fine-”
The boy snorted and shook his head “No need to bare your fangs at me Zanbini” He looked over at Harry but the eyes felt more curious than gawking, it wasn't as bad.
“You know i'd never thought i’d see the day Harry Potter sits among us- but I guess you'll be full of surprises” With that he turned away and went back to talking with the other upperclassmen Harry didn't recognize.
Another boy who sat just across from him shot him a scowl then turned to Harry and his friends “Ignore him- he likes pretending to be dramatic, I'm Adrien Puncey and that's Terrance Higgs-”
Terrance scowled at Adriens words but he seemed to ignore his friend.
“I remember seeing it my first time too- of course it was even more overwhelming being brand new to magic” Adrien confessed and Harry couldn't help but feel just a little bit relieved to have someone who understood his position.
He pointed to a pile of meat just a few inches from Harry's empty plate “Its Roast Beef- I definitely recommend trying, and besides you can graze as much as you want until you're full, no need to fill your plate with what you might not eat”
Harry nodded, shooting a grateful smile as he scooped up just a little bit of the beef and placed it on his plate. Adrien gave him an encouraging smile as Harry lifted the fork to his mouth and practically melted. It was some of the best food he'd ever tasted.
Manners aside, he quickly began getting just a little bit of every single option he could see- especially with the help of Daphne and Theo who were more than happy to help him dish out a portion from what he couldn't reach.
“There we go- the House elves do amazing work, hard to resist” Adrien said with a smile as he returned to his own meal.
So house elves huh- he definitely wanted to learn more about them, maybe he could even meet one in person to ask.
Blaise had finished first, seemingly mostly loading up on any of the fruits available and some chicken. But his energy kept up as he began chattering while the rest of them ate in peace, occasionally chiming in between bites as they savored the feast.
Harry was just overwhelmed with the variety and being able to pick and choose whatever he liked without hassle, he did still force himself to eat whatever was on his plate he didn't enjoy, not wanting to get in trouble for wasting. He just wouldn't get another serving when he went back for seconds.
Their happy conversing was unfortunately cut short by Draco letting out a loud laugh and speaking just a bit louder than before as he proclaimed to a heavier set girl whose face was contorted into thinly veiled anger and embarrassment.
“Honestly Bulstrode- I wouldn't be so pompous about my family if my line was one step away from being infested with Mudbloods” he sneered.
The girl's face turned beet red, and she said something in reply. But Harry didn't hear- his attention was caught by the loud clatter of silverware just down the table.
Adrien was looking down at his plate, fork and knife now laying on the porcelain as he was frozen in place. Slowly, his posture tightened like an overwound bow and he slowly turned to face Draco, the warm smile he’d been giving Harry was replaced with something sharper, more dangerous.
“Hey- You’re Malfoy right”?
“Yes I am - Draco Malfoy, and who are you”? Draco seemed unaware of the literal landmine he'd just stepped on.
Harry noted as it seemed his own friends were silently watching the interaction. He glanced at Terrance, maybe to get a better sense of Adriens reaction.
The boy simply lifted his chalice to his lips, looking at Adrien and Draco with nothing but amusement.
Well…Malfoy was a git anyways. He just wondered who would inherit estate number 5 in his stead.
Adrien lifted a finger and beckoned him closer, Dracos smug expression lessened as his self preservation instincts finally seemed to start kicking in. “Listen to me closely okay kid? First years are off limits- I cant touch a hair on your precious little head, but I can make your life a living hell if you even consider calling someone that again got it-”?
His voice barely lifted above a harsh whisper, but it seemed half of their table had fallen silent, or at least lowered their volume to listen in.
Dracos smug look was gone, now replaced with a bit of genuine fear- his jaw half dropped “Wha- I'll have you know I could write to my father about this”!
Terrance apparently decided this was his time to rejoin the conversation and gave a small snort “Go ahead little snake- but your dad was a Slytherin, he knows how the politics work, and I don't think he would appreciate it if his son is too weak to hold his own in the den”
Draco paled, gaping almost like a fish as he looked between the two upperclassmen.
Adrien's smile twitched “Malfoy- do you understand? Yes or no.”
Draco visibly moved away, though he couldn't go far stuck between Crabbe and Goyle “Y-yes”
It was almost unsettling, the way Adrien rolled his shoulders and his threatening aura was shrugged off like a coat. Now replaced with a placid expression “Now then- finish up dinner, well be heading to the den soon”
He grabbed a cookie off one of the trays and handed it to Buldstrone who blinked before muttering a small thank you. Adrien smiled in turn and shot one last glance at Draco before entering a hushed conversation with Terrance.
“And that right there is exactly why Ellie chose to be a Ravenclaw” Theo commented as he finished chewing a piece of bread.
“What- she couldn't handle the heat”? Blaise asked, half leaning over the table- or as much as he could without being in the food.
Theo snorted “Yeah no she could definitely hold her own- she just doesn't want to deal with politics 24/7 for seven years straight”
He picked up his goblet and swirled it in place “I mean it's both a bonus and downside to being Slytherin”
“I know you guys are heirs to political power- but I don't see how that translates here unless some of our upperclassmen are heirs as well” Harry asked
“Ah ah we are heirs, your one of us Potter” Daphne corrected with a smirk
“Besides- we do have some upperclassmen heirs, but what Theo means is politics of hierarchy, Slytherin makes your true friends- but friends are your most powerful allies as well”
Harry tried not to wince at the sudden memories of his Uncle Vernon's lectures on “networking” too Dudley had overheard more than possibly necessary. It was the one thing he wasn't jealous of, his cousin's business lectures.
“But you'll give yourself a migraine worrying about all that right now- enjoy some dessert and maybe if we're lucky we might run into Theos elusive cousin” Daphne pat his shoulder as she returned to her own meal.
Harry was already beginning to get full, but he'd never said no sugar, and he wasn't about to start today. He grabbed a cookie off the table and continued scanning the room- once again spotting Professor Quirrel, the man he met with Hagrid- and the crow man.
He reached over Theo’s shoulder and tapped Terrance's shoulder, the other boy was mid bite of what looked like a giant chicken leg.
“What's up Potter-”? He asked as soon as he swallowed
“Um- who's the guy in all black? At the professors table”?
Terrance got a look of understanding and gestured over to the table “That there is Professor Snape, hes our resident Potions Master and teacher, he's also head of Slytherin house”
Oh just great- the man who wouldn't stop glaring at him taught his favorite subject and was head of his house.
“He looks scary but he's got a soft spot for his snakes- so don't get your panties in a twist” Terrance reassured. Harry had no idea what that meant but the way Adrien reached over to punch his shoulder he imagined he wasn't meant too.
A loud scream caught his attention, and he looked up to see Ronald Weasley on the floor, a plate of food upturned and scattered as a translucent fellow floated up from the table. He listened to the conversation, once again privy to Hermione's lack of tact that caused the ghost to show off his near decapitation.
“Oh Hello Baron-” Terrance greeted with a smug smirk.
The baron was yet another ghost but dressed much more extravagantly, though his layers of ruffles and robes were coated in a layer of silvery blood.
The Baron curled his lip at the boy, those blank eyes seeming to glare down at them all “Its Bloody Baron, and I expect none of you will be an embarrassment to your house lest face the consequences”
Theo had wide eyes, and both Daphne and Blaise were trying to scoot as far away from the ghost as possible even after he flew away.
“Ah I love that man- a true legend” Terrance said with a proud smirk.
Blaise shot Harry a bewildered expression that made him chuckle.
Though before they could start up their conversation again Dumbledore stood up from his chair and with a wave of his hands all the food vanished from the table.
“Now then- dinner time is over, first years please follow your prefects- light out at 8pm sharp goodnight to you all”!
Terrance and Adrien, as well as most of the other Slytherins immediately got up and began walking off out of a different set of doors from where they had been led in and disappeared. Harry went to follow them, but was stopped by Daphne grabbing his shoulder and gesturing to two students that remained.
A tall bulky looking guy with sharp features and deep set eyes stood with his arms crossed, looking over the Slytherins with almost boredom.
Next to him stood a girl who was just a head or so shorter- with a short ,darker blonde bob. She had a very passive look on her face.
Her hands began moving in the air and Harry watched, ready for some sort of spell to appear, but none came.
The tall guy spoke “Hello everyone I am Olympia Sanscott, your 6th year prefect- im deaf and use sign language to communicate, the person talking is Cassius Warrington, he is not a prefect but my fellow 6th year prefect is currently in the medical wing fighting off the latter end of a flu. So he is stepping in to interpret me for you all”
She stopped signing and then gestured to Cassius who spoke once more “ Like she said, Im Cassius Warrington- now keep close and keep up, I won't be held accountable if any of you go missing on the first night”
Olympia just smiled, and beckoned the group forward as she began leading them out of the main hall.
The castle was stunning, it felt as ancient as it looked and it was as if the walls themselves were admitting an all too familiar buzz.
Blaise had to keep a hand on Theos shoulder to stop him from falling begins, he seemed just as enamored to get a look at everything as Harry felt. Daphne might have been impressed, he couldn't tell, she kept quiet except for reminding Harry and Theo they had seven years to explore this place.
It felt like the pictures of Ancient Rome he'd seen in his books, every room looked like a painting with beautiful detailed carvings. Even the tiles on the floor were positioned in a colorful array and stunning patternings. Not to mention the entire place seemed unfathomably large, yet was filled to the brim with detail.
After far too many staircases for his liking they opened a pair of doors that looked like they could fit an elephant and were suddenly outside. The surrounding area was beautiful, lush greenery clinging to every crevice of stone. It was hard to make out completely seeing as it was night. He could see they were only a hundred or so feet from the lake which didn't help the fact it was already a bit chilly.
“Our common room is half built under the great lake, so there are areas with enchanted glass where you can see under the water- I always love talking to the merfolk, they are great sign language teachers if any of you want to learn” She turned to the group with an impish smile and even Cassius chuckled as he interpreted “Don't listen to their dating advice though, they'll just tell you to drown someone-”
Theo looked a bit unnerved by the whole being half underwater thing, but Harry had read in his books that the castle was several mellineums old, and no doubt that the glass was more than safe. But he wanted his friend to feel reassured and he raised his hand.
Cassius looked a bit confused but Olympia quickly pointed at him and gave a gesture of go ahead.
“Um- is it safe being under the lake and all, it just seems a little scary”
Olympia nodded and began signing as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
She nudged Cassius “Oh right sorry- It's perfectly safe but if it's truly a concern it's only the common room your dorms are safely away from the water- and like I said most youll see is just swaying seaweed and friendly creatures, think of it more like a fancy fish tank”
Harry nodded and continued following, though paused when he felt Daphne tap his shoulder.
“Why did you move your hand like that”? She sounded confused, and well now he felt confused.
“I- had a question? Is raising your hand another muggle thing”?
Blaise shrugged “I mean- most people raise just a finger, or if they do raise their hand never above your head, it just looks silly”
Theo shoved his shoulder and Blaise raised a brow, turning to Harry “Oh sorry-”
Harry quickly shook his head “No no- id rather you tell me now before I look like an idiot” he already had too many eyes on him at once, it was unnerving, knowing his every motion was going to be scrutinized.
“Fucking finally-” he heard Cassius mutter, only for Olympia to shove his shoulder.
But he ignored her, reaching to the doors just on the other side of the short bridge and pushing them open “They normally open themselves, but the spells are under maintenance- should be fine by the morning though”
This room was much smaller than the grand halls he had seen so far, but not any less stunning. The stone walls were adorned with large banisters and tapestries that depicted all sorts of snake and dragon like creatures.
“Come along now- watch your step” Cassius ordered as he ushered the group down yet another staircase and into a large open area, several spiraling pillars that looked fairly plain in contrast to what else he had seen so far. But the floor was the most gorgeous tiling he'd seen yet- it looked like a complex knot but instead of rope it was made entirely of scales. Like snakes interwoven into a grand design, but he couldn't see their heads or tails. A never ending snake- it sounded vaguely like a story he'd read before but he couldn't recall the name.
Olympia stepped over to the head of the room, only two large pillars holding fire pits sat against the otherwise blank stone wall and began signing again “Now here is the entrance- all you need to do is say the password to be let in, check the notice board every week for the new password do not write it down and do not share it, we haven't had anyone but a snake in our common room in over a decade and we prefer to keep that streak”
Cassius stepped up to the edge of the tile patterns, facing the stone wall, and spoke with a loud commanding tonne “Ambition-”
The moment the word left his mouth, Harry heard a loud rumbling, and he watched with bated breath as the shape on the outside started to move. Suddenly a golden serpent slithered to life, lifting its metallic body up and arching just where Cassius stood, now a door located just below.
“Alright- come on in, and keep up- we got even more stairs” The excited gasps were now replaced with a few groans, but Cassius ignored them, Olympia took the lead as they marched inside.
“Woah- mermaid fountain huh, I could get used to this” Blaise commented, gesturing to the two beautifully sculpted stone figures right inside the entrance.
Daphne scowled “Don't be a perv Zanbini-”
“Hey it's not pervy- im just admiring the art” He tried to defend himself, but she simply continued down the stairs.
Harry followed suit, sticking towards the back of the first year huddle with Theo. Especially since malfoy and his gang seemed to insist on heading the pack. It was probably some weird attempt at showing superiority he didn't have the time or energy to try to defend.
Besides it meant he could take that much longer to observe in wonder at the common room. The stone was now covered in moss, he reached out to touch and jumped when he felt the plant physically recoil. “Oh sorry-” Almost as if hearing his apology, it shifted back into place.
They approached a tapestry that depicted a kraken dragging a ship into the depths when Harry heard the sound of rushing water, turning quickly to his left he couldn't help but gasp at the stone pillars now turned a gorgeous jade like color. Water was freely falling between them and down to the bottom of the staircase.
Maybe that put just a little pep in his step.
“Oh Merlin- I'm never leaving this place” He heard Blaise mutter as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Harry was inclined to agree.
The jade-like color spread to the rest of the room that now opened to a cavern. The stone ceiling adored with more moss as the pillars spiraled down onto marble like floors. The fountain from the staircase flowed into a small pond at the bottom with a creature's stone face that reminded him of a demon. Several lily pads floated across the water.
Even the furniture was extremely tasteful and gave off an aura of extreme elegance, every single part of the room looked out of an antique shop and he could spot even more art and decor adorning various shelves and bookcases throughout the room.
What caught his attention the most were two giant banners at the front of the room, a man and a woman with snake-like creatures that had wings like a dragon. Only reason he didn't assume they were dragons was the distinct lack of legs.
Olympia stood at the center of the room and Harry forced himself to pay attention as his gaze drifted to yet another statue just behind her. “Down both of these halls are the dormitories, girls on the left, boys on the right- due to the amount of students this year it will be three to a dorm, so two boys rooms and one girls- your stuff is already in there but if you wish to move feel free and you can ask an upper year for help”
Cassius cleared his throat “Now then- your free to go settle in, or wander to your heart's content within the dorms but all of the rooms behind doors are most likely dorms except for the bathrooms at the end of your halls, and the library and study which are by the statue of Salazar Slytherin”
He gestured to the other side of the room where the marble statue stood proudly at the head of the staircase, bathed in sunlight. “For those of you who are unaware- Salazar is our founder”
Olympia nudged him and Cassius continued “Oh yeah- be back here in an hour, we have a meeting at the fireplace to introduce you all to the rest of the house as well as house rules and answer any questions” he looked over the crowd then sneered “Okay i'm done- Dimitri owes me for taking his place, now all of you scram”
“Well he doesn't have to ask me twice- I want to explore” Blaise said excitedly, already hurrying over to a glass case and staring in wonder at a beautiful horse like skeleton.
“You three enjoy- I'm going to freshen up, first impressions are very important especially among our house mates” Daphne said, adjusting her robes.
“Have fun-” Blaise waved her off before basically dragging Theo over to one of the couches.
Daphne rolled her eyes but smirked, waving at Harry before turning heel and making her way down the hall to join Pansy and Bulstrode in the dorms.
Harry walked around the corner and paused as he saw the light change, odd reflection of light stretching out across the floor. He followed it with his eyes and then froze. Three giant archways with cathedral-like windows stood in the circular room shining light across the floor.
He approached and as he got closer the more he could see. It was definitely underwater, magic aside he didnt think something could be so realistic otherwise. It was a forest of seaweed and other underwater plants he didnt recognize. He couldn't see any creatures, not that he would likely recognize them anyways if even the plants here were different.
“You alright Theo”? He heard Blaise speak, he turned to see both boys stood just a few feet behind him. Theos gaze was locked onto the center most window as he took a few steps forward and pressed his hand against the glass.
“It looks beautiful- and I suppose ill have to get used to it regardless” he said as he recoiled his hand.
Blaise nudged his shoulder against Theos with an impish smile “Come on then- we have only an hour to explore”!
They traveled every nook and cranny of the common room, Blaise learned the hard way the stairs turned into a slide if you tried to go to the girls side. But overall it was a wonderful adventure and Harry just grew more and more excited to spend his future inside these cavern walls.
Especially when he got his eyes on the Slytherin library, it was far more organized than Flourish and Blotts, but less of the books had names. Most of them looked ancient if the discolored pages and crackled spines were any hint to go by. But of course he didn't have the time now to begin digging through the shelves.
Theo looked equally as thrilled at the library, Harry and him insisting on spending at least a fair bit of their hour in the room much to Blaise dismey. Though he did seem infatuated with a banner of a giant family tree labeled “Slytherin” though the bottom half of the banner looked to have been severed off completely.
“Do you think it's actually destroyed”? Theo asked as Blaise ran his hand along the frayed bottom of the tapestry
“I mean- it looks pretty broken to me, and if magic could fix it I think they would have restored it by now” Harry thought out loud.
Blaise thumbed several green and gold threads between his fingers “Well- It could be enchanted to appear damaged to hide the identity of the current heir of Slytherin”
“I thought the Slytherin house died out”? Surely he remembered reading the only active founder house was Hufflepuff, and even then they had not claimed heirship due to a lack of matriarchal first borns.
Theo shrugged “Blood is eternal- magic exists in blood, and such powerful blood is bound to have found its way to continue to flow through the veins of a worthy heir”
That was something Harry was unfamiliar with, hed figured out blood held some importance but most books glossed over it outside of mentioning “purebloods”, “half-bloods”, and “muggleborns”
“What does Mudblood mean”? Harry asked, though he regretted it the way both of his friends stiffened and shared a tense glance. They seemed to have a silent conversation for a few moments and he felt just a tad annoyed he wasn't involved.
“Well-” Blaise began though his voice sounded strained “It's a- different way to say Muggleborn, but I don't recommend using it like ever its a very blood extremist phrase”
Harry only felt more confused “So it's… a curse word”?
Blaise sucked in a breath through his teeth “You know what- ask Daphne, she has more tact than Theo and I combined and this is a topic that needs tact”
Ah so he accidentally breached one of those unspoken avoided topics, well at least he would still get his answer, even if it was later. But if Adriens reaction was anything to go by it was definitely a big topic he wanted to be informed on, lest he want to get hexed for his ignorance.
“I think its been an hour- we should head back before we get in trouble, Daphne would never give it up if we were late” Theo proposed as he put back the book he had been examining.
Harry knew a subtle conversation redirection, but he let it happen and put his own book away.
The trio left the library, walking down the flight of stairs and past the statue of Salazar. From here there was a clear group of students gathered by the fireplace area that suddenly had almost double the amount of furniture than before.
Daphne had taken a seat at one of the white leather couches, and sat next to a girl with a short black bob. The moment she spotted the trio she beckoned them over.
“Potter, this is Parkinson-” Daphne gestured to the girl who smiled. Where Daphne had his respect from her elegance, Pansy’s presence seemed to demand respect.
“Pansy Parkinson, Heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Parkinson” She held her hand out palm facing down and looked at him expectantly.
Harry froze, every bit of reading over pureblood greetings seemed to have left his mind in an instant.
Pansy raised her brow and then turned to Daphne “Greengrass, I thought you said he was one of us”?
Daphne nodded “He is- but unlike us, he's only been at this for a month at most- not his whole life”
Her lips parted and she gave a small nod in understanding before turning to Harry “Your meant to touch your forehead to my hand, if I had my heir ring you would kiss that instead- but unfortunately i'm still two years out”
Harry nodded, he took Pansy’s hand in both of his and gently touched his forehand- though he jerked back a bit when his glasses slid forward.
Pansies dark eyes looked over him as she pulled her hand back “Needs work- but I was most pleased to watch your interactions with Draco”
“Are you not his friend”?
“He is fun when he isn't so pompous- but sometimes he needs a reminder when hes being especially crass” Pansy snorted “Hopefully he will manage to make a better impression of himself yet- he should know better than to make enemies so early”
Pansy was definitely witty, and Harry was definitely intrigued by the girl. But he watched as a few other students stepped into the room and it seemed any other conversation would have to wait.
Harry sat with Theo and Blaise next to Daphne and they waited patiently as the room continued to fill out with students. He saw Adrien and Terrance sit with another boy who seemed to be content scowling at th ceiling.
Olympia stood at the center of the group alongside Cassiuss and they waved everyone to attention “Alright then lets get started, first and foremost I am Olympia Sandscott and I am your 6th year prefect, there are normally several prefects in a year but after the war there have been less kids in general, so less at Hogwarts so my position is split between myself and Dimitri Whitequill who is a 7th year”
She gestured to Cassius who shook his head strongly in turn, only for her to continue gesturing with more dramatic motions each time until he loudly groaned and spoke “Like I said before- I'm Cassius Warrington, not only am I here because I'm fluent in sign and can interpret for this crazy lady here, but because I am the current den mother”
Harry felt his brain short circuit a little bit, looking at his friends' equal level of confusion did not help the issue. Thankfully Cassius continued.
“Despite the name, Den Mother is not a gendered role, in fact the last two den mothers outside of myself were men- what it means is basically you take the most responsibility for little hatchlings such as yourself. It is not an elected role, instead the castles magic chooses you”
Cassius gestured to the ceiling and seemingly out of nowhere the lights brightened “The castle is more open to my requests as a result, helps me fulfill my duty or some shit.
Anyways I didn't pick this position nor can I get out of it until someone else is chosen. But against my better judgment i'm informing you all so you know i'm not just some random asshole, i'm a gifted asshole- big difference”
He turned to Olympia with a scowl “Happy”?
She shot him two thumbs up in return and then began signing quickly.
“Okay now back on topic- we’re going to go over the house rules- each house has different ones, some more or some less, these rules are kept private and only among your fellow snakes am I understood”?
A series of small confirmations and Olympia began again as cassius spoke “Listen were all a bunch of hormonal teenagers and preteens, drama will be unavoidable- but throw magic and house politics in the mix and these rules are important for a reason”
“Rule one- Snakes stay together, this place is called a den for a reason, it will be your home for at least the next seven years and we will be like your family- you can hate someone's guts but outside this cavern and among other houses you will act at the very least civil” Cassius shot a glance over to Terrance who held his hands up with a smug smirk.
“Rule two, Like I said, we present a united front in public- be careful, and never walk down the halls alone, especially without another snake by your side” He didn't elaborate, but Harry saw some of the other students' expressions darken.
“Rule three, this is a rule Malfoy learned the hard way” Olympia pointed at the boy and shook her finger in a mock scolding “Keep blood bias to yourself, but the reverse is you all need to respect each other's beliefs- any fights can be resolved with a duel”
Some students shifted at his words and Harry glanced over at Theo and Blaise who seemed to be pointedly avoiding his gaze, it seemed the whole blood thing was more important than he'd given it credit for before now.
“Continuing on the dueling topic is rule four, duels are allowed in the common room but you must have an upperclassmen present, no Terrance doesn't count, and no spells that require a visit to Pomfrey or cant be healed overnight”
Olympia began pacing as her hands moved- her expression clearly showing her tone of what she was trying to convey, which definitely helped against Cassius level monotone interpretation.
“Rule five, No summoning house elves willy nilly- they do important work and dont need to be at your beck and call, if you do summon them avoid doing it in front of other house students”
Olympia's expression turned fierce and her hands moved with a much more purposeful motion, Cassius' angry tone helped reflect this “Rule six, any pranks, bullying, or revenge plots are forbidden to involve any harm to people's pets or other passive creatures in or around Hogwarts.”
Cassius got a small smirk “Rule seven, your snakes- don't get caught. Rule Eight is if you do get caught, make sure if you decide to try and blame someone else, never throw another snake under the bus”
Olympia stopped signing and crossed her arms, clearly gesturing for Cassius to finish up alone
“Rule number nine, if any of you little shits decide to fuck around with magic you probably shouldnt be, take notes. Dont leave them in an obvious place to an outsider, but Fregga forbid you fuck up and get hurt we can figure out what you did to reverse it”
There seemed to be more left unsaid, but the idea of experimenting with magic was definitely appealing, though many of his books referenced the danger behind it. What was discovery if not a little bit dangerous anyways?
“Lastly and most importantly- Always. Tell. Snape. I don't care if you hate his guts, when it comes down to it, he can and will help you- and none of you would be the first” Cassius spoke with the most emotion he had so far, which still wasn't much but Harry could tell he meant every word.
A voice in the back of his head whispered, would Snape help him? The man already seemed to hate his guts, not the other way around. No one had helped him before, his friends being a rare exception. Hagrid and Percy had as well, but their influence was limited.
“Seems my lectures on the importance of punctuality have not been… completely fore- not” a low voice seemed to echo in the room, snapping Harry out of his mental spiral and he watched as a figure seemingly melded out of the shadows.
Professor Snape briskly walked- the click of his shoes sounding as he made his way to the center, just in front of the fireplace, scanning over the students with a scowl. “Would anyone happen to know the location of Mister Whitequill and Mister Flint”?
“Dimitri is still with Madame Pomfrey and Marcus went to go check on him, but don't worry- Cassius took his place helping Olympia dealing with the snakelets, not that she would need any help otherwise” A girl with long black dreads who was leaning over the back of one of the chairs spoke up.
“Thank you Miss Windlow, now then- where did you leave off”?
Olympia started signing and gestured to Cassius. Snape gave a small hum and then turned to the group of first years “Yes indeed- as mentioned before this is your second home and family, and for some of you might be your only one, that is why it is my duty to ensure your safety while also encouraging you to life up to the Slytherin name and become someone worthy of the greatness our house preaches”
“Since the upper years explained the unwritten house rules, I shall explain the rest. You are all to be within the common room no later than 8pm without exception, unless taking Astronomy, and in that case Professor Sinatra or Myself will escort you back down here after class” Professor Snape moved his hand, his coat swaying by his feet.
“Breakfast is from 4 am to 9 am, you may choose when and how long to attend before class- lunch will be shown on your times table schedule but is no later than 1pm. Dinner is a requirement for students of all grade levels to attend and begins at 5:30pm sharp and end at 7”
Snape lifted his chin “I preach punctuality, but considering the nature of this castles… uncooperative layout, you all get a bit of leeway, though any purposeful dilly dallying will not be tolerated”
“Also, I live on campus grounds, you can find the door to my office just down the hall outside the common room, but I prefer to be left alone unless a pre scheduled summonance or appointment, of course unless an emergency”
Snape continued to run through rules of times tables, the notice chart and some general what to do in x scenario that Harry tried his best to listen to, but couldn't help but feel a bit sleepy. He didn't have any clocks but it had already been mid to late evening when they left the train, and surely a few hours had passed since then.
“Ah Mister Potter, our new resident celebrity, am I boring you with my instruction”? Snape's monotone voice was now scathing enough to make Harry almost flinch, he blinked away his exhaustion and looked up at the Professor who was glaring down at him with restrained fury.
Heck the whole room was seemingly looking at him. His mind was screaming danger, but he didn't feel any buzz under his skin, not that that helped edge away his panic “N-no, sorry sir” he muttered.
Snape stared at him a few moments longer before continuing his long winded speech.
It was another twenty minutes before he finished, telling them to address a prefect with any further questions but to be up and ready at 8am to eat breakfast and go to their first classes. With that he quickly left the room, cape flowing behind him.
Harry was still stiff in place, his mind having entered survival mode as soon as Snape directed his attention to him. Thankfully most of the Slytherins quickly headed down their respective halls and to their dorms, only a select few staying behind.
“Harry- you want to wait till tomorrow to ask about your glasses”? Blaise asked, thinly veiled concern on his face.
Oh yeah- he'd forgotten about that.
“No no- better now before I forget, you guys head to bed and ill meet you there”?
Blaise looked like he wanted to protest, but Theo quickly grabbed his hand and began dragging him off, and Daphne had already long gone with Pansy hot on her tail.
Looking to see who was left he spotted Cassius with his arms crossed in front of his chest, speaking to Adrien and Terrance. He didn't really want to interrupt, but at the same time he didn't want to go back to the dorm room having not gotten his glasses fixed in the first place.
Terrance spotted him and his lip twisted into a cat-like grin “Oh Hello Potter, whats up”?
Cassius and Adrien both stopped speaking, turning to look at the first year.
“Um- could one of you fix my glasses? I have them put together with some tape but the stickiness is running out and I didnt want to bother someone in the morning, if not it's okay I can ask um I guess Professor Snape” God he sounded so nervous, but he was. After being chastised by Snape in front of the whole house he felt on edge.
Cassius pulled out his wand, it was an almost reddish wood with a clear wood grain but the handle had a few circular indentations for his fingers but no other clear design. “Yeah let me see kid-”
Harry stepped closer and closed his eyes tightly as Cassius held his hand out to his face, not wanting to freak out anymore. He heard Terrance snicker “You can open them Potter”
Slowly he pried his eyes open, a little bit of light registering to him and suddenly his eyes shot wide. He- oh god he could see. “W-what did you do”!? Harry looked at Cassius with wide eyes.
“They seemed old, so just a quick prescription check- I didnt think youd need it but I guess not, is that better”?
Harry couldn't stop staring, he was in stunned silence as he looked at the trio. Cassius was starting to look just a tad annoyed, Terrance smug smile slowly turned curious, and Adrien-
“What are those dots on your face”?
Adrien blinked, pointing at himself and when Harry nodded his expression twisted up
“I- my freckles”?
“THAT'S what freckles look like”?
That was apparently the wrong thing to say as all three of their expressions twisted and Cassius spoke slowly, as if he was trying to figure out exactly what to say “Kid- when's the last time you got your prescription updated”?
Harry furrowed his brows together “Um- well my Aunt Petunia bought these at a corner store because the teacher was mad I kept getting up to read the blackboard”
“Your Aunt did not cast any charms to fit them for you”? Cassius sounded a bit worried now, that wasn't good. But he could fix that.
“Ah well you see- I was raised by Muggles, so no she couldn't just magic them- but it's fine, besides they're better than nothing, I mean without them i'd probably run into walls non stop”
It was Terrence who spoke next, his playful expression now replaced with something unreadable. Harry didn't like unreadable “But- your Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived”?
“Again, that's not a great name, but yeah what does that have to do with me being blind”?
Terrence went to speak again but was stopped by Adrien holding a hand out “Your right, he's just being silly- “ he looked at Terrence with wide eyes, once again a silent conversation he wasn't privy too.
Adrien seemed to win whatever debate they were having and Terrence shoulders dropped.
Cassius stepped forward, putting himself directly in front of Harry, who took a half step back. Thankfully he didn't react, and did not try to move closer again. “Potter, it's late, and I could tell earlier you were half falling asleep- you were raised muggle yeah? Today has probably been eventful and exhausting all at once- so go get some sleep and we can talk tomorrow”
A way out, and one Harry was grateful for.
“Thank you again and you can just call me Harry” Harry knew he needed to show his gratitude
But cassius just smiles, though it looked just a little pained “Okay Harry, now get some sleep”
Harry didn't need to be told twice, he waved to Adrein and Terrence, though only Adrien returned the gesture. He turned heel and walked down the hall towards his dorm.
“Took you long enough” Blaise muttered, already spread out on top of one of the beds.
Theo looked up from his place on the ground, kneeling next to his trunk. He stopped what he was doing and waved at Harry.
Harry gaped, quickly moving forward and looking at Theo “Oh- you have face spots too”!
Theo looked a bit bewildered “What happened”?
“Cassius fixed my glasses- but apparently I needed to have a prescription or something? I don't know- but I haven't seen this good ever is this just what everyone sees everyday”?
Blaise had now sat up in his bed and was looking at Harry “Well that's- a revelation, and Theos face spots are called moles, and they're very pretty aren't they Theo”?
Theo turned to look at Blaise and scowled but the turned back to Harry “Well if you were truly that blind, im glad you got them fixed before the first day of classes”
Oh shoot Theo was right, Harry hadn't even considered what it would have been like trying to learn magic for the first time half blind. Then again Olympia did it deaf, which he really wanted to ask her about.
“Anyways we should head to bed- according to Ellie the curtains when closed have silencing and light dampening charms, so we can leave the furnace running” Theo said as he closed his trunk and gestured to the furnace in teh center of the room.
Now that he mentioned it, it was much toastier in here than outside “Yup- Goodnight” Blaise half sang as he untied his curtains and closed them shut.
Theo followed suit and left just Harry. He took off his glasses and set them on his nightstand before he undid the ties on his curtains and let them draw closed, reveling in the sudden silence as he laid back. God- this was the most comfortable bed he'd ever been in, he could actually stretch his legs out all the way, he hadn't been able to do that in years.
Comfortable bed, in a toasty room, with a full stomach, and the lack of threat for his aunt or uncle to burst in the middle of the night. He was finally able to relax.
He did have to worry about doing good in class tomorrow, he hadto succeed or risk being kicked out and forced back to the Dursleys, and back to a life without magic. But for now, he could enjoy the most comfortable sleep hed had in a long time.