Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, not me. All characters and plot that are in her books are hers.
Chapter 3 - The Pit of Snakes and the Den of Lions
Authors Note: Parts of this chapter have been quoted from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
-Hermione's POV-
Everyone was silent, staring at her as if she was a madwoman.
Hermione ducked her head, her face turning as red as Weasley hair. There were a few snickers as she quietly got back to eating and realized her food was gone - replaced by desserts. Her anger popped like a bubble, embarrassment filling up the space where it had been. Oh goodness - was Professor McGonagall going to remove her from being Head Girl?
People began to chatter again, and Hermoine peeked up at the Head table. The professors were all acting like nothing had happened - thank goodness. Her gaze swept over to Professor Slughorn to - the empty DADA chair?
BOOM.
Hermione, along with a handful of others, jumped at the sound that was coming from the door.
BOOM.
Harry had his wand out, pointing a shaking hand at the door -
BOOM!
-which promptly blasted open to reveal-
ALASTOR MOODY?
Hermione's thought was echoed aloud from the students. Where the doors had been before was a man with gray hair, a mechanical leg, and a whirling electric blue eye. But that couldn't be - Alastor was dead.
"Of course not." The man said, "I'm Jason Moody. Alastor's brother." His electric blue eye focused on Harry, who was the only Gryffindor with his wand out. None of the Ravenclaws had their wands out, and neither did any of the Hufflepuffs. The Slytherins, on the other hand, didn't have a single wand stowed away. Instead, all of them were pointed at Jason Moody.
"So now that Voldemort's gone," James Moody sharply continued, eliciting a few gasps at the name, "The majority of you are slacking? CONSTANT VIGILANCE, THE LOT OF YOU!"
Over half of the student population jumped, including Hermione.
Then James Moody walked over to the Head table, his mechanical leg creaking, and sat down in the seat of the DADA teacher.
"This is Professor Moody, your new DADA professor." Professor McGonagall said over the slowly loudening murmurs. The Slytherins and Harry still had their wands aimed for the new professor.
"Good work, laddies, but I'm who I say I am. Look - no Polyjuice Potion. Now, to the rest of you - CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Professor Moody commented.
The same people jumped again, and Professor Moody was quiet. Hermione looked at the spot where Bartemius Crouch (disguised as Alastor Moody) had kept his flask of Polyjuice, but it was nowhere to be seen. Harry and the others sat down (though rather reluctantly). Student began talking and eating once more.
"Harry." Hermione scolded very very quietly, seeing that he still had his wand in his hand and one eye on Professor Moody, "Put it away."
Harry looked back at her for a second before going back to watching Professor Moody.
"I don't know Hermione, he seems pretty suspicious - I mean, if he's actually Mad Eye's brother, than why does he have the electric eye? The mechanical leg? And why haven't we heard of him before?".
"I'm sure Professor McGonagall looked into that." Hermione matter-of-factly stated, taking a bite of the food.
"Hermione - I'm not alone in my thinking." Harry commented exasperatedly, "Look at the Slytherins."
Indeed, all of the Slytherins had stopped eating and were watching Professor Moody like hawks, their wands at the ready. Hermione was about to open her mouth to tell Harry that two wrongs didn't make a right when the desserts disappeared and Professor McGonagall stood up.
The hall fell silent.
"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have one more start-of-term notice to give you."
Headmistress McGonagall's eyes flashed in the direction of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were all looking surprised at the familiar words. All arguments with her friends had removed themselves from Hermione's mind, now completely focused on their Headmistress.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Headmistress McGonagall cried.
She gave her wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into elegant, cursive words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," Professor McGonagall said, "and off we go!"
The Great Hall filled once more with the noise of students:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Everybody finished the song at different times. When the last person finished, a third (or perhaps fourth) year Hufflepuff, the students turned back to the Headmistress for more instruction. Hermione noticed that tears streaked down Headmistress McGonagall's face as she quoted the end of Headmaster Dumbledore Start-of-Term speech from Hermione's 1st year. Tears were falling down many of the student's faces who had heard those words before, each remembering their old Headmaster. Hermione touched her cheek and realized that it was wet with tears.
"Ah, music," Headmistress McGonagall ended, wiping her eyes, "a magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The students all stood up and started moving towards the stairs. Hermione, thankfully remembering her duties on time, quickly wiped her eyes and called out:
"First years this way! First years!" Until all of the first year Gryffindors had gathered around her. Hermione, seeing that Ron had somehow forgotten to do his Prefect duties, reminded herself to give him a talking to tomorrow.
"Alright," Hermione said to all of the curious faces, "follow me and try to remember the way - we're going to the Gryffindor common room."
She waited for all of the first years to either nod or say yes. A rather excited first year whose name Hermione recalled to be Susanna Branham went so far to say:
"Yes, Ms. Hermione Granger!"
Hermione smiled at Susanna, and, seeing the copy of Hogwarts: A History, was reminded of herself.
Hermione turned and led the first years to the common room, smiling at all of the oohs and aahs.
"Here we are!" Hermione said as they readed the Fat Lady's portrait, "Now, listen closely." Hermione was again reminded of herself as Susanna leaned forward, "You must tell the Fat Lady the password to get into our common room. The password will change, however, put all changes will be posted on the notice board inside. Here's the password for now - the golden snitch."
The Fat Lady swung open to reveal the cosy, round common room full of squashy armchairs. Hermione stepped inside, making sure the first years were following her.
When the last of the group cam in, the portrait swung shut and Hermione directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. She watched them go up the spiral staircase and then smiled, fondly remembering when she was one of those students.
Then she remembered.
Cleopatra Flamel.
-Cleopatra's POV-
Cleopatra Flamel followed the rest of the Slytherin seventh years down into the Dungeons. The Slytherins walked in an orderly group: the first years and the Prefects in front, the second years next, the third years behind the second years, and so on, the seventh years at the back. Cleopatra gave an approving nod at the sight.
Once they reached the snake on the wall, Heir Malfoy, a Prefect, speaking the password: "Wormwood".
The group stepped inside the Slytherin common room, which was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and round, green lanterns, which hung from the ceiling. The room was furnished with green chairs and tables. A crackling fireplace adorned with snake, vine, and fruit carvings was on the wall that was directly across from the entranceway. Above the fireplace, the wall was decorated with a stone snake that had a green eye and came out of the wall.
Heir Malfoy, who was standing by the fireplace, dismissed all of the years except for first, seventh, and the Prefects. The first years stood a reasonable distance away from him, the seventh years stood behind the first years, and the other Prefects stood behind Heir Malfoy.
"I'm Prefect Draco Malfoy, Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Malfoy, and I'm here to welcome you to Slytherin." Heir Malfoy began with a drawl, "Our emblem is the serpent, the wisest of creatures; our house colours are emerald green and silver, and, as you've seen, our common room lies behind a concealed entrance down in the dungeons.
"Now, there are a few things you should know about Slytherin.
"Firstly, you might have heard a rumour about Slytherin house – that we're all into the Dark Arts. Well, don't believe everything you hear. We've produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don't like admitting it. Some of you might even be aspiring Dark wizards - and if you are, than be quiet about it to the ones who aren't. But one thing to keep in mind - whatever happens in Slytherin stays in Slytherin." Heir Malfoy gave the first years a pointed look at that, and would not continue until they nodded in agreement.
"Here's something that the other three houses don't bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, I've already said that." Heir Malfoy added to the astonished faces, "Now, do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin, or would you rather sit at the old desk of that illustrious ex-Hufflepuff, Eglantine Puffett, inventor of the Self-Soaping Dishcloth?"
The first years looked disgusted at the prospect at choosing the later, so Heir Malfoy continued:
"Now, listen closely. Slytherins play to win. We will win the House Cup, or else. Anyone of you who loses the house more than twenty points in a week will be sorry. Remember that you are only first years, and are at the bottom of the ladder." He gave the first years another pointed glare. They nodded back a little bit too emphatically.
"Now, you can break the rules, but don't get caught. We are like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, cunning, ambitious, and frequently misunderstood.
"Slytherins look after our own – which is more than you can say for Ravenclaw. Apart from being the biggest bunch of swots you ever met, Ravenclaws are famous for clambering over each other to get good marks, whereas we Slytherins are stick together." Heir Malfoy didn't even have to glare for the first years to nod. Cleopatra approved: he had already trained them.
"The corridors of Hogwarts can throw up surprises for the unwary, and you'll be glad you've got the Serpents on your side as you move around the school. As far as we're concerned, once you've become a snake, you're one of ours." Heir Malfoy continued, "Cover for each other when needed if it will help our house. If the chances of your cover being blown are high - do not do so. If you need help, seek out one of the seventh years, but only if you absolutely need it. We aren't here to babysit you."
The first years nodded again, understanding.
"You've been chosen by this house because you've got the potential to be great. Salazar Slytherin chose his students for that potential. The Sorting Hat sorted you all for the same thing. Not everybody has the potential for greatness.
"Speaking of people who aren't destined for greatness, I haven't mentioned the Gryffindors. They like beating us only slightly less than we like beating them, but they are more reckless, and frankly, go about it in disgusting ways." Heir Malfoy looked all of the first years in the eye, "They will target you and come in numbers. So be prepared. Look in books and ask around for spells and curses to defend yourself. And never ever go out of the common room alone."
The first years looked a little scared, but nodded nonetheless.
"A few more things you might need to know." Heir Malfoy continued,
"First, our house ghost is the Bloody Baron.
"Second, the password to the common room changes every fortnight. The new password will be posted on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or even speak of the password outside of the dungeons. No outsider has entered our common room for more than seven centuries, and we're going to keep it that way."
Another nod from the first years.
"That's all for now." Heir Malfoy finished, "Now go to your dormitories - boys on the right and girls on the left. The first years are at the top of the stairs. And remember - we are destined for greatness."