The Sign of the Serpent
DISCLAIMER: The Harry Potter series of books was created by Joanne K. Rowling. I'm just playing in her precious and delightful garden, and I solemnly swear to leave it as neatly in order as I found it. (Well, I lied about that and went to write an AU.) If you haven't read these books yet, go and do it now. Then, if you still want more of the same, come back here. Everything you recognize (and I'm afraid you will recognize a lot) is obviously not my creation, and I don't claim it.
Hermione felt numb, exhausted from all that had happened in one day, and quite scared by Neville's tales of current life at Hogwarts. But here she was, walking straight into that wonderful-turned-horrible place, and Dumbledore's Army still recruiting filled her heart with a strange hope. After all, they were not yet alone.
The passage opened into a vast room. With all the bookcases bulging from the wood-panelled, windowless walls, and well lit by many lamps, it might have been converted from a library. Next she knew, Hermione, Ron and Harry were engulfed by at least twenty people, who wanted to shake their hands or pound them on the back. Hermione was even hugged by Parvati Patil, and with a small stitch of jealousy she watched Parvati's sister ruffle Ron's hair. But of course most of the affection focused on Harry.
"There is a snake," whispered Ron, who was the least crowded.
Hermione tried to get more glimpses of the surroundings between the many faces, familiar and unfamiliar alike. Thinking about it, all the multicoloured hammocks strung between the walls and pillars made the room look rather like an ancient sail ship's sailors' quarters, if it had not been so colourful, and so high-ceiled that it even got a balcony set on those pillars.
"Okay, okay, calm down!" Neville called.
As the crowd backed away, Hermione got finally a better view of the large wooden-cased wireless set in one corner, a few broomsticks propped against the walls, and most prominently, the bright tapestry hangings that covered the dark walls between the bookshelves or were hung from the balcony's banister. There was the gold Gryffindor lion, emblazoned on scarlet, the black badger of Hufflepuff, set against yellow, the bronze eagle of Ravenclaw, on blue, and –
"Why is there a snake?" asked Ron.
– far to the right, on a sole green banner, the silver serpent of Slytherin.
Hermione quickly turned left and seized Harry's hand, before he could draw his wand. "Neville," she said as calmly as possible, "why did you take in Slytherins?"
"I didn't. The room let them in when they were on the run from the Carrows. We just couldn't throw them out."
"The room?" asked Harry. "Where are we?"
"Room of Requirement, of course!" said Neville. "Surpassed itself, hasn't it? The Carrows were chasing me, and I knew I had just one chance for a hideout: I managed to get through the door and this is what I found! Well, it wasn't exactly like this when I arrived, it was a load smaller, there was only one hammock and just Gryffindor hangings. But it's expanded as more and more of the DA have arrived."
"And the Carrows can't get in?" asked Harry, looking around for the door.
"No," said Seamus Finnegan, whom Hermione had not recognized until he spoke: Seamus's face was bruised and puffy. "It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here, they can't get at us, the door won't open. It's all down to Neville. He really gets this room. You've got to ask it for exactly what you need – like 'I don't want any Carrow supporters to be able to get in' – and it'll do it for you! You've just got to make sure you close the loopholes! Neville's the man!"
Hermione felt Ron groping for her other hand. "What's about the unsupportive rotter who shall not be named?" he whispered. "Or Death Eaters who are after the Carrows' jobs?"
"I hope Neville got the self-supporting monster and all his followers covered and Seamus just tried to avoid saying the name."
A bulky, black-haired figure approached behind Harry's back. While Hermione watched her warily, Ron, in response to something Neville must have said, showed that he actually remembered Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration and at least one of its five exceptions. Hermione felt so proud of him; she didn't even care when Lavender Brown joined the conversation.
The approaching girl bared her teeth. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione let Harry's hand go to reach for her wand.
"Don't fret," said Millicent Bulstrode. "I just want to shake hands, like everybody else."
"No headlocks?"
"No ripping hair off from my head?"
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione, "but I had to try."
"I was so scared, forced to duel the best witch of our year." Millicent raised her empty hands in a placatory gesture. "After all, you were rumoured to perfectly cast every spell you'd seen once, or only ever read about. And then you put up this evil grin."
"Hey, that was meant to be a friendly smile! And I was scared when you didn't smile back."
"Baring my teeth at you? I wouldn't have dared."
There was a smattering of applause and a few whoops; somebody had mentioned the dragon. Millicent bared her teeth again, but this time Hermione realized that it was actually meant to be a smile, and that knowing this made Millicent's face look much nicer. Finally, she stored her wand and extended her hand.
"It's good to have you here, Millicent."
A/N: When the plot bunny bit me, it only required to provide an on-page appearance of Slytherins who chose to fight the forces of darkness. That would be easy, but to make it a story that can stand on its own rather than being a copyright infringement not covered by Fair Use, I had to do a bit more. And I always wanted to recontextualize that big, fat red herring.
I wish to thank my beta reader, Iximaz of the Protectors of the Plot Continuum.