Next Time Around

Hello, mister Potter

Author's note:
Thanks to you all for reading! We're over three thousand reads and I think that's honestly incredible. For something that just started out as a little idea to improve my writing, I think I sure have come a long way. So yeah. Thanks I guess.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Enjoy!

It was silent. Dead silent. All the older classes were up in their dorms and the first year Slytherins were gathered up in the common room. The common room was, though quite fancy and tastefully decorated, not very light, and it didn't really help that a rather severe looking Snape stood in front of them, silent as well.

'So.' He started, pacing slowly back and forth, 'you all have been sorted in the noble house of Salazar Slytherin. You might have heard some things about it already, but I assure you, if you don't listen to what I say right now, your chance of survival in Slytherin is nihil.

'First of all, our most important rule. Don't get caught. I don't care what you are up to and what illegal trinkets you have up in your rooms, but I will not have you shame our house. We are Slytherins. We work in the shadows, not in the open like a brash Gryffindor but quiet and unnoticed; like a true snake.

'The second rule: we group together. I don't care what kind of rivalry you have within our house, outwards we present a solid front. If you have problems inside the house, they stay within the house. If you can't handle it on your own, you tell some prefect or teacher and they will work it out.

'My third and final rule is no ratting out anything that happens within these walls. The Slytherin common room is a safe place. If you tell people a secret in here, no one will dare repeat it later. If you do something illegal, there will be no peeps. Understood? No tattling. If you do, there will be repercussions.'

Harry glanced around. Most kids were frantically nodding at the man, trying to keep their composure. A couple, the ones who knew Snape already, merely looked on and memorized the rules. There were none, except for Harry, looking at the rest of them.

Whilst Snape was going on about house pride, Harry felt a movement in his neck, and then a voice in his ear.

*parseltongue*

'What isss that human going on about?'

Harry let a lazy smirk slide onto his face and replied, from the corner of his mouth:

'That isss a Professor. He isss talking about honor and pride, the hypocritical bassstard.'

'...I can bite him?'

Harry huffed out a small laugh. 'I'll think about it. For now you ssstay here.'

Another bit of movement, and Harry's snake was back under his robes. Changing his position a bit to accommodate the snake in his sleeve, he focused back on Snape, who by now had started on the dormitories.

'... the first-year boy dormitory up the stairs the first hallway to the right. The girl's dormitory is up the the stairs on the left. Settle down for the night, and though I know there is an annual tradition, go to bed at a reasonable time. I will not hesitate to hand out detentions to my own house if I see you dozing off in class.'

Which that he abruptly departed, leaving Harry to wonder what this tradition was, and if he still had time later this night to do some business of Elias's.

What, you thought that he was just going to quit after years of building up his reputation? No thanks! Elias would stay, or at least, that was the plan.