Severus Snape stares at his new members of his house over his hooked nose. They look back at him with the mixture of fear, defiance and respect that accompanys most into the halls below the dungeons, remaints of their upbringing. He sighs mentally as he sweeps his gaze over the older students, who gaze back to him with a little less defiance and fear, but a little more respect and understanding. A small first year girl in the corner is looking around her with an air of unmistakable excitement. Wonderful, an enthusiast, just what this house needs.
"Welcome to Slytherin" he begins, tracing over the words he has uttered for the past eleven years with a sort of reverence.
"A little bit about our history, which most of you undoubtedly know already. We are the house of salazar slytherin, who was the first wizard ever known to converse with snakes, we are the descendents of great wizards and witches, no matter how pure your blood line is, or who your parents are. Let it be known, I do not care how much influence or power your father has. In this room, you are just another student to me, and you will be treated as so. There will be no preference and I will hold no student above one another. Here, we are equals, understood"
The usual looks of shock and rebellion appear on the first years faces, while the elders nod in agreement. Snape watches young Draco Malfoy's face closely, and is not surprised by the look of anger and defiance.
"Now, we get to the sprit of things. You are Slytherin.
You are hated. You are despised. You will be picked on, degraded by the others, mocked and ignored. You will be discriminated against – no matter if it isn't your fault. No matter that you did not do it. Unless someone actively sees someone else commit the crime, it will be your fault. After all, every dark wizard has come out of our house has it not?" He watches the murmer of agreement.
"Wrong" Ah, there they are. The shocked looks. Snape smiles bitterly – what an society, where even young ones are taught that evil only springs from snakes and purebloods. Barring the virtuous weasley family of course - but hadn't Fred and George sent many a student of his crying to the infirmary? And what of James Potter, Gryffindor's golden boy and tormentor of his?
"No matter what people say about that, Dark Wizards have come from other houses as well. Believe me on no, Slytherin is not where evil originates from. However, those simpering, idiotic imbeciles in the other house will never believe you.
This is where I request you listen most clostly. In slytherin, you will take care of each other. I care not for personal quibbles if I hear that a member of our house was attacked and you did nothing to stop it, there will be consequences you will not want to live with. Here we are safe. You can trust in the fact that members of this house, no matter how old or which grade they are in, will have your back should you get into trouble. Forget interfamilial fights, they matter not.
Slytherin is your new family. Take pride in the fact that we are loyal to each other. In these rooms, we are family.
If you protect yourself, and protect each other, you may live to see seven years in our hallowed halls"
With that, Snape nods to his new charges, and sweeps out of the room, followed by the clapping of his older students and confused whispers of the new ones.
He smiles grimly. Welcome to Hogwarts.