Verus

twentyone

Hogwarts Castle, Scottish Highlands.

The Dungeons were nothing like Harry remembered.

Still dank and gloomy, sure. But also now very- green.

Not that the green was a massive problem! Because that would be stupid. Just, the Dungeons were already too different and the green made it that much more obvious.

Harry wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming amount of decor too, thinking back to much simpler times and how Sal would have baulked at the sight of it all.

The hissed whispers were what pulled him from his thoughts though, something that had grown all too trying in the little time he'd had since entering the common room. Theo had stuck by him, warding off any oncomers with a scathing glare the second the notion occurred to them, but he couldn't do much about the way the rest of them appeared to silently watch him. Especially the older crowd.

A booming clang erupted soon after the First Years had entered, few of them looking pale, whilst others oohed and awed. The lot of them jumped though when the bang rang out across the room and a looming presence shrouded in a dark cloak strutted inside, taking up space by the embering fireplace.

"Snape." Theo muttered under his breath when another hush of whispers followed the entrance, but Harry already knew of the Professor.

"Silence."

And did such silence follow. Harry's keen gaze scanned the length of the common room, watching as even the eldest of Slytherin raised their chins to him, the Head of House had obviously earned their respect.

Severus Snape. Both Remus and Sirius had mentioned the man here and there after that first heated discussion they'd had in Grimmauld's kitchen- though the latter still did not speak of him too kindly- and so Harry knew that when the teacher's gaze finally dragged over to him that he should be prepared for some amount of emotion to have settled there. Though the anguish he did see when their eyes finally met surprised him.

Oh, this wasn't going to go over too well, he deemed, and was appreciative, though a tad amused, when Theo took a protective step towards him, obviously having witnessed the unusual look too.

Snape's eyes lingered on the Nott boy too, ever brief as it was, then he was back to glowering at the entirety of the room. Harry listened half-heartedly to his rant on classes, teachers, as well as the rules and requirements that came along with being a part of the most hated Hogwarts House.

"Let it be known, that should you decide to isolate yourself from the rest of your housemates," Those cold eyes swept towards Harry again, "That you will only greater the burden you have been shouldered with. Matters and debates that occur within Slytherin House stay within these walls. If I see any spectacles being made outside, within the castle or its ground, between any of you, then it shall be made known and dealt with in a way I see fit. Stick together. Do not let loose lips or certain loyalties jeopardise the way Slytherin has always been seen." He paused, making sure the point hit home, then pivoted, " Now, I will leave the rest of you in the hands of your Head girl and boy, if any matters arise, find me in my rooms before curfew. Mr Malfoy, Ms Parkinson, if you will."

Malfoy, they let Malfoy play at being Head boy? Harry thought. Only- hang on, "What's with the hierarchy- the positions?" Harry whispered to Theo under his breath. "Is Malfoy chief prat or something, did he do anything to earn the title?"

Theo, to Harry's surprise and mirth, snorted at the ask, but before he could answer-

"Potter. Are we interrupting you?" Malfoy's voice rang out through the common room, causing Harry to look up to find that Snape had since departed and left Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson to take up his place by the fire.