Slytherin Mentorship
It was supposed to be a quiet break between classes. Harry had met up with Ron in the courtyard, finally getting a moment to breathe after another strange morning surrounded by Slytherins who wouldn’t even look at him. They sat on one of the stone benches, their bags tossed at their feet, the late morning sun filtering through the crisp September air.
“So,”
Ron said, chewing on a leftover piece of toast he’d pocketed from breakfast,
“how’s life in the snake pit?”
Harry snorted.
“Oh, you know. Everyone either ignores me, stares at me like I’ve grown a second head, or runs away like I’m about to curse them.”
Ron frowned.
“Told you they’re all dodgy.”
Harry rolled his eyes, though he didn’t entirely disagree.
“Some of them are just scared. Or confused. I mean... I don’t exactly scream Slytherin, do I?”
Before Ron could respond, a group of Slytherin students passed by the courtyard—two older boys and a girl, none of whom had spoken more than two words to Harry all week. As they walked by, one of them muttered just loud enough to be heard,
“Bet he got sorted into Slytherin to spy on us. Typical hero complex.”
Another snickered, adding,
“Or maybe he begged the Hat, the way he begged for attention during the war.”
Ron was on his feet instantly, face red and hands clenched into fists.
“Say that again, you slimy- !”
The group paused, glancing over with smug expressions, but didn’t reply. Harry stood too, placing a firm hand on Ron’s arm.
“Don’t,”
Harry said, voice low.
“But they can’t just say that about you!”
Ron snapped.
“They’re acting like you didn’t save the entire wizarding world!”
Harry exhaled slowly.
“And what would hitting them change? I’m trying to be one of them now, remember? Slytherins don’t make scenes- they plan, they wait. They strike when it matters.”
Ron looked incredulous.
“So you’re just gonna let them walk all over you?”
“No,”
Harry said quietly.
“I’m going to make sure they can’t. But not like this.”
There was a long pause. Ron’s jaw worked as if he wanted to argue more, but then he looked at Harry, really looked at him, and his shoulders slumped slightly.
“You’ve changed,”
He muttered. Harry gave him a half-smile.
“Not really. I’m still me, I just… have to think differently now.”
Ron looked off after the retreating Slytherins and sighed.
“I still don’t like it.”
Harry clapped him on the shoulder.
“I know. But thanks for caring.”
------
After the near altercation, Harry and Ron walked back toward the castle in silence, both lost in thought. Harry's head was buzzing with everything he’d been trying to process since the resorting ceremony. He was no longer the hero, no longer the golden boy of Gryffindor. But here, with Draco's words about Slytherin echoing in his mind, Harry knew he had to be more than just his past reputation.
They parted ways as they entered the school building, and Harry made his way back to the Slytherin dungeons to gather his things. As he approached the common room, he spotted Draco lounging casually on one of the chairs, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just come from class.
"You're late,"
Draco remarked, not looking up from his book as Harry walked in.
"I’m not late,"
Harry countered, slipping his bag off his shoulder.
"I just didn’t feel like rushing."
Draco glanced up with an eyebrow raised, clearly not convinced.
"Whatever you say."
Then, after a brief pause, he added nonchalantly,
"I heard what happened outside."
Harry froze, his heart giving a slight thud.
“What? You heard?”
“Pansy’s loud. And so are a lot of the others,"
Draco shrugged, clearly not all that concerned.
“They’re Slytherins, Harry. They’ll always find something to make a scene over. But the real trick is ignoring it.”
Harry blinked.
"Ignoring it? You mean like how you just… don't care?"
"Exactly,"
Draco said, a small, smug smile curling on his lips.
"Slytherins don’t waste their time on petty drama. The more you react to it, the more it controls you. If you’re going to survive here, Potter, you need to learn how to block out the noise. Focus on what’s important, not the little things.”
Harry nodded slowly, finally understanding what Draco meant.
“I think I’m starting to get it. But it’s harder than it sounds.”
"Of course it is,"
Draco said, closing his book with a soft thud.
"But you’re getting there. At least you didn’t let Weasley ruin your temper for you."
Harry chuckled despite himself.
"Yeah, well, Ron still thinks everyone’s out to get me."
Draco smirked. "That’s because he doesn’t get it yet. But you? You’re learning. Slowly, but surely."
Harry looked at Draco, a small but genuine smile tugging at his lips.
“Thanks.”
Draco merely shrugged, as if it was no big deal.
“Don’t thank me yet. You’ve got a lot more to learn.”
With that, Draco went back to his book, leaving Harry standing there, feeling a bit more settled in his new house and with his new perspective. It wasn’t going to be easy.
------
The Slytherin common room was eerily quiet as Harry walked in, the usual murmur of chatter and laughter absent. It felt like he had walked into the eye of a storm, and every pair of eyes seemed to follow him. The low fire in the corner crackled, casting long shadows across the dark green walls. The heavy atmosphere made it feel as though every single Slytherin in the room was waiting for something to happen.
Slughorn, who had taken over as the new Head of Slytherin House after Professor Snape's departure, was standing at the front, his usual jovial demeanor nowhere to be seen. He cleared his throat as Harry entered, his eyes flicking between the young wizard and the group of students.
"Ah, Potter, glad you could join us,"
Slughorn said, his voice tight, like he wasn't entirely sure how to address the situation. Harry could feel the tension hanging thick in the air. Some of the older Slytherins sneered, whispering to one another. One of the younger students, a first-year girl, audibly gasped when she saw Harry.
A voice broke through the silence from the back of the room, dripping with scorn.
“What is he doing here?”
Harry’s heart sank. He had known this was coming, but hearing the words still stung. He turned slowly, facing the speaker- an older Slytherin boy whose name he didn’t quite remember. He had that typical air of superiority that so many Slytherins carried like a badge.
“I’m here because I’m a Slytherin,”
Harry said coolly, his voice steady. It was the first time he’d addressed the question head-on, and he wasn’t about to show any weakness.
“Is that a problem?”
A few students shuffled uncomfortably, clearly not expecting Harry to speak up. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, but Harry held his ground, staring down the older boy. The boy sneered but didn’t respond, likely unsure of how to react to Harry's calm, controlled demeanor.
Draco, who had been leaning casually against one of the stone pillars, straightened up and shot the boy a glance, his silver eyes sharp and calculating.
“You know, some of us have learned to adapt,”
He said, his tone so nonchalant it was almost dismissive.
“Maybe you should try it too.”
The room fell into a brief, awkward silence before Slughorn cleared his throat again, attempting to steer the meeting back on track.
“Yes, yes. As I was saying- Potter here is now one of us, and whether we like it or not, he’s going to be part of our house. So we must learn to work together.”
Harry couldn’t help but glance at Draco, who gave him a subtle nod, almost like a silent approval for how he’d handled the situation. It wasn’t much, but it was something. The meeting continued, but Harry couldn’t shake the feeling that the entire room was still sizing him up. He could tell some of them were still uncertain, but Draco’s quiet support in the background had planted a seed. Maybe- just maybe- he wasn’t completely alone in this.
-
The meeting dragged on, but Harry barely heard any of it. His mind was still swirling from the earlier confrontation, trying to readjust to the constant scrutiny of being the odd one out in his own house. Slytherins were calculating, always watching, always assessing. Harry felt like he was being sized up with every passing second, like every glance was part of an unspoken test.
But the more he thought about it, the more it clicked. This wasn’t about him being Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. This was about him being a new member of Slytherin- a new player in the game. And, for better or worse, Slytherins valued power, ambition, and cunning. Harry had plenty of that, even if it didn’t look like it on the surface.
As Slughorn continued talking about the upcoming year and the “Slytherin advantage,” Harry’s thoughts drifted to Draco. The way he had subtly backed him up in front of everyone, without making a scene. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but it was enough to let Harry know that not everyone was against him.
“Potter,”
Draco’s voice cut through his thoughts, and Harry looked over, surprised to see Draco was addressing him.
“You might want to listen to this.”
Slughorn had moved on to something more practical- schedules for upcoming events, what the Slytherins were expected to represent at the next school function. Harry tried to focus, but it was hard with all the eyes on him. Draco, sitting near the back, seemed to notice the discomfort in Harry's posture.
“I’ll catch you later,”
Draco said under his breath, his voice low but clear.
“Don’t let them get to you.”
Harry nodded, but before he could respond, Slughorn's voice interrupted once again, this time calling attention to the “new member” of Slytherin.
“Now, Potter,"
Slughorn said cheerfully, his smile forced,
"I expect you to represent Slytherin House with pride. And I know the other students have- ah- some reservations. But let’s be clear: no one gets into Slytherin without potential. All of you will prove your worth this year, and you’ll do it as a team.”
Harry couldn’t tell if that was supposed to reassure him, or if it just made things worse. There was something off about Slughorn’s tone, like he was trying to make it all sound easier than it was. But Harry didn’t miss the way the other Slytherins glanced at him, some with skepticism, others with quiet curiosity.
After a few more minutes of talk about house points, upcoming Quidditch matches, and an optional “team-building” event that Slughorn was overly enthusiastic about, the meeting finally began to break up. Students slowly started to file out, chatting among themselves, but there was still that thick air of tension hanging in the room. As the crowd thinned out, Draco finally stood, stretching lazily as he moved toward Harry. He leaned against the stone wall next to him, looking for all the world like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Don’t take them too seriously,”
Draco said, his tone a bit more sympathetic now that they were alone.
“Most of them are all talk. It’s part of the game here. You’ll get used to it.”
Harry gave him a sidelong glance.
“I don’t know if I want to get used to it.”
Draco raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You don’t have much of a choice. But you’re doing better than I expected. I thought you’d crack by now, honestly.”
Harry rolled his eyes.
“You’re a right charmer, you know that?”
“I do my best,”
Draco replied with a shrug, not even remotely bothered by the sarcasm.
“But seriously. You’re learning the Slytherin way. Ignoring the little things, making your moves in silence. You’re adapting quicker than anyone else could have expected.”
Harry felt a little thrill of pride at that. Draco’s praise wasn’t much, but it was something.
“I’m not trying to become a Slytherin,”
Harry said, after a pause.
“I just want to survive here.”
“Same difference,”
Draco quipped.
“If you make it through this year without completely losing your temper, you’ll have earned your spot. You might even come to enjoy it.”
Harry snorted.
“I highly doubt that.”
Draco just shrugged again, clearly unconcerned with Harry’s skepticism.
“Time will tell, Potter. Time will tell.”
------
The class had been a blur of murmurs and shuffling papers until Professor Slughorn’s voice broke through, announcing a new project for the semester.
“This will be a House-based assignment, students,”
He said, eyes twinkling as he scanned the room.
“You’ll be working in groups with your Housemates- together, you’ll create a potion, a spell, or an artifact to demonstrate the power of Slytherin ambition.”
Harry’s stomach did a little flip at the thought of being grouped with only Slytherins. As much as he was trying to settle in, there was still something about being isolated in the House that didn’t sit well with him. He glanced at the list of groups that Professor Slughorn had written on the board.
When he saw his name beside Draco’s, Pansy’s, Blaise’s, and Theodore’s, Harry couldn’t help but groan inwardly. He was stuck with all of them. He had expected something like this to happen, but seeing it laid out in front of him made it feel far too real.
As he walked to the group’s table, he noticed the awkward glances everyone shot him. Theodore and Blaise were trying to act casual, but the discomfort was evident in their stiff movements. Pansy was openly glaring at him, though she didn’t say anything. Draco, on the other hand, didn’t bat an eye. He nodded at Harry as if it were just another day in class.
“Potter,”
Draco said with his usual drawl,
“we’ll need to come up with something ambitious for this. I suggest we focus on a spell. Something that shows real Slytherin ingenuity.”
Harry looked around at the others. Blaise was tapping his fingers against the table, clearly irritated by the whole situation, while Pansy continued to fume silently. Theodore looked mildly curious, but his gaze shifted uncomfortably whenever it landed on Harry.
“Right,”
Harry said, sitting down at the table.
“So, what’s the plan?”
Draco raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting Harry to speak up so easily.
“Well, first we need to decide on what kind of spell. It has to be useful, efficient, and show real potential.”
He glanced at Pansy, who looked like she might explode at any moment.
“Pansy, do you have any ideas?”
Pansy opened her mouth, ready to respond, but before she could speak, Harry cut in.
“Why don’t we do something practical? Something that could be useful in a fight, maybe. A defensive spell that helps with protection... something that could be used to shield against curses.”
Draco looked at him, surprised. It was the first time Harry had spoken up with an idea, and though it wasn’t revolutionary, it was practical, and it made sense.
“That’s not bad,”
Draco said, nodding.
“A defensive charm would work. We’ll need to fine-tune it, of course, but it’s a solid start.”
Pansy snorted, rolling her eyes.
“Of course Potter would want to go with something ‘heroic.’”
Harry didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he shrugged.
“Well, it’s a suggestion. I’m just trying to help.”
For the next several minutes, the group bickered over the finer details. Theodore and Blaise seemed to warm slightly to Harry’s idea, as he started contributing more, speaking up with suggestions for how they could perfect the spell. There were a few uncomfortable silences, but slowly the others seemed to realize that Harry wasn’t going to just sit there in silence, waiting for them to tell him what to do.
Finally, it was Blaise who spoke up.
“I’ll give you this, Potter,”
Blaise said, glancing at him with a small smirk.
“You’re not as clueless as I thought.”
Harry felt a flicker of pride. It was a small comment, but it was progress. The others might not have warmed up completely, but for once, there was a slight shift- a small step toward them accepting him, even if it was just in this project.
Draco’s eyes met Harry’s briefly, and Harry could’ve sworn there was the slightest hint of approval in them.
“Looks like you’re learning, Potter,”
Draco said, leaning back in his chair.
“But remember, Slytherins don’t do things half-heartedly. This better be good.”
Harry smirked, feeling the weight of Draco’s words but knowing it was the beginning of something. He had started small- by speaking up, by showing some initiative, and maybe, just maybe, that was enough to earn a flicker of respect.
------
As Harry continued adjusting to life in Slytherin, he found himself spending more time with Blaise and Theodore. They weren’t as eager to take him under their wing as Draco might have been, but they had their own way of teaching Harry the ropes.
One day after class, Blaise and Theodore were waiting for him by the entrance to the common room. It was clear they had something planned, and Harry, feeling a little less out of place than before, approached them cautiously.
"Alright, Potter,"
Blaise said with a smirk.
"You’re not getting by in Slytherin just by hanging around like some lost Gryffindor. Time to learn how we do things here."
Theodore nodded in agreement, though his expression was more serious.
"You need to understand how to hold yourself. Slytherins don’t just talk ambition; they live it. They make things happen."
Blaise raised an eyebrow.
"And it starts with knowing how to carry yourself. Confidence is key. And don’t listen to the whispering. That’s just the way of it. Half the time, it’s nothing personal, but that’s Slytherin for you."
Harry nodded, taking in their words. Blaise, noticing Harry's attention, leaned against the wall casually.
"Draco... He’s not like most of us. You know that, right?"
Harry’s brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Blaise paused for a moment, considering how much to say.
"He sees something in you, Potter. Something that the rest of us don't understand about."
Harry chuckled, though it was a little more self-deprecating than he meant it to be.
"Draco probably just saw me as Harry. The Gryffindor who is in desperate need of help when it comes to slytherin"
Blaise let out a short laugh, shaking his head. Theodore, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice low and measured.
"Not what he meant, Potter."
Harry blinked, confused.
"What do you mean?"
But before either Blaise or Theodore could offer any further explanation, they simply exchanged glances, and Blaise shrugged.
"Figure it out yourself, Potter. You’re Slytherin now. Start thinking like one."
Harry stood there for a moment, staring at the two of them as they turned and walked into the common room. He couldn’t help but wonder what Theodore had meant, but the more he thought about it, the more questions piled up.
What did Draco really see in him?