Ron made his way down to the hall, still smiling from last night. Every Slytherin had smiled or winked at him, to congratulate him on pissing off Snape.
Draco walked by his side, they chatted away about today's lessons, they didn't have Snape today.
Getting a place at the table wasn't as hard as it usually was; everyone was willing and happy to sit next to Ron, who had annoyed Snape so much.
Ron was happily munching away on his 3rd piece of toast when...
'Oh shit!' Yelled Ron; an old looking tawny owl had just flown into the Great Hall, it wasn't the owl that bothered Ron but what it had between its talons. A bright red howler!
'Oh Ron! You told her then,' Percy shouted from Gryffindor, he felt Ron's anxiousness, 'I'm sure they won't mind that much,' Percy didn't sound very confident.

Finally Errol managed to find Ron, he hooted merrily; he had always favoured Ron.
'Hello Errol! How you been? Guessing that's for me,' Smiled Ron feebly, the owl hooted contently and dropped the howler on to the table. 'You best go, I don't know if you could survive another of Mum's howlers,' Said Ron half-heartily. Errol flew above Ron's head twice then flew away.

Ron cautiously picked it up.
'Do I have to open it?' Sighed Ron, he really didn't want to open it.
'It would be for the best. They become worse the longer they stay shut,' Replied Percy sadly from the opposite side of the large room, 'and hey, don't worry about her. Charlie, Bill and I are fully behind you being in Slytherin, it is the perfect place for you,' Beamed Percy.

Ron peeled open the envelope, the howler ruptured open...

'Ah Ron...' It was his father's voice, he laughed. His father didn't have a temper, 'Me and your mother got your owl...' he couldn't finish, Molly had cut across him.
'RON...' This didn't sound very good.

'How is everyone treating you? Hope they are being nice, so you are friends with Ma...Draco, how nice! You must invite your new friends over for Christmas; well that it is of course if they wish to spend it with us,' Molly's speech was quick but that didn't trouble Ron; she didn't sound angry at all, she sounded delighted.
Weird.
'Ah...now even over my many years of using these damn things I still have not managed the art of getting them to go to someone else. So could you please go and stand behind Fred and George? When you're there just say "Here", thanks honey,' she asked politely, but the names of the two people she wished to talk to were whispered, so that they wouldn't try and make a run for it.

Ron got up and coolly walked over to the Gryffindor table, everyone's eyes following him. He stood behind Fred and George, said "Here" and waited.

'Err what are you doing?' Started Fred
'It's for you Snake,' finished George spitefully. They were not going to be nice to him; he was a Slytherin, even if he had pissed of Snape.

'YOU HORRID LITTLE PAIR! HOW DARE YOU BE SO MEAN TO RON? HE IS IN A FINE HOUSE, YES OK IT IS NOT GRYFFINDOR BUT HE IS HAPPY! HOW DARE YOU INSULT HIS FRIENDS AND HOUSE? THAT WAS A CRUEL LETTER THAT YOU WROTE TO ME ABOUT HIM! IT WAS HIS JOB TO TELL ME, NOT YOURS. I EXPECT YOU TO APOLOGIZE TO RON AND SLYTHERIN!" Roared the letter, it seemed that Fred and George had dug themselves an extremely deep hole, and weren't going to get out painlessly or easily! 'WHO CARES IF HE IS A PARSELMOUTH? BEING ONE IS A HIGH AND A PRIVILEGE, ONLY A FEW PEOPLE EVERY CENTAURY ARE BORN AND BLESSED WITH THE ABILITY! IF RON, PERCY OR ANYONE ELSE OWLS ME TO SAY YOU HAVE BEEN CALLOUS, CRUEL OR INSENSITIVE TO RON OR SLYTHERIN, I WILL PERSONALLY GET YOU TWO THROWN OUT OF HOGWARTS AND PUT IN SEPARATE SCHOOLS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!' It bellowed, they really were in trouble now, but it hadn't blown up let, maybe it wasn't finished.
'Ah, and Percy dear. Hope you have been enjoying your role as Perfect! Once again, well done and thank you for supporting Ron, me and your father are very pleased,' It finished, sounding very proud and positive.

BOOM!

The howler blew up in green flames, in front of the Twins faces'.
'You said what about my house?'
'Err, well you see-' Started Fred, but Ron wasn't asking for excuses.
'What?' asked Ron, his voice was threatening and incredibly angry; you could hear why he had been placed in Slytherin.
George and Fred mumbled something but it was too quiet for Ron to hear.
'WHAT!' Ron yelled between their heads; Ron certainly got his temper from his mother.
'We said they were disgraceful,' started George...
'Horrid,'
'Nasty,'
'Spiteful,'
'Worthless,'
'Shitty little,'
'Death eaters,' finished Fred, his voice sounding proud. However they wouldn't like to admit it but they were terrified of Ron and the power that he now had over Slytherin.

'Slytherin, what do you think of that?' Ron's voice full of detest and fury. Every Slytherin stood up cracking their knuckles, wands ready, their faces full of wrath.
'Oh I see. The same as me! You two better keep your wits about you; Slytherin are after you!' Ron laughed spitefully and nodded to Slytherin, on his command they all sat down in unison. That boy had power over them!

'So you told Bill and Charlie?' Ron's voice had completely changed; it was calm with a bit of nervousness mixed in.

'Err...' Percy knew his brother had a huge temper and he knew Ron could change his emotions in the blink of an eye, but still didn't expect the voice that came out of that boy's mouth, 'yeah, I didn't know if you would remember. Hope you don't mind, they were really pleased though,' grinned Percy.
'Na not at all. I hadn't forgotten, was just gonna do it after I owled mum and got a reply,'
'Oh, and before I forget, they sent you congratulation presents,' chuckled Percy.
'Really?' Ron was shocked, he didn't realised they were this...proud.
'Well that was what I said wasn't it? Here you go,' Percy had reached down and pulled out three small boxes from his pocket, but then transformed them to their right sizes.
'There are three,'
'Well done, you can count,' chuckled Percy, 'one from Charlie, Bill and I,'
'Aw thanks,' beamed Ron, he gave Percy a tight hug.

Back in the common room, before first lesson he opened them; Percy had given him a book on all types of Snakes; Bill a dragon hide jacket (which were very expensive; Ron decided either Bill had had a pay rise or he had bought on impulse, Bill had done this on many occasions and each time the gift always turned out to be for Ron): Charlie had been the moron that Ron loved and had brought him a emerald snake!

Ron's had a few thoughts on the last present: was the snake legal or not? Would he be able to keep it? Where would he keep it? What would he do with it?

Ron was just admiring the snake's beauty and grace, when someone came up behind him.
'What do we have here then?'