How I Changed Fate-Chapter 7: A Day with Slytherin
Since my first week back was mostly with Gryffindor, I decided to switch houses on a weekly bases and spent a week with the Slytherins. Now, I am in no way a fan of bullies and I was worried how the Snake pit would take to me. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with a party upon entering the Slytherin common room. Not only did I get a party, everyone of the Slytherins in my year gave me hugs, hugs! I never expected for any of them to hug me. By the end of the hugging chain I was met by Draco Malfoy, who instead of hugging me gave my hand a kiss, and suddenly a memory appeared in my mind.
I was turning eleven years old this year but just before the day I needed to go to the train my Mhamó* told me a strange secret. It was also one of the few times she ever called me by my first name. "Louise, mo stór*, you know that neither your parents nor I have ever put you into an arranged marriage but there maybe many of the pureblood children who are in them. Since most purebloods are in Slytherin I am going to tell you a secret about that house that nobody outside of those in Slytherin knows which is that the house of snakes rejoices any new additions to their house. They don't actually hate the other house but tell every new comer that the other students that are older hate on them because of the numerous amounts of evil that has come out of Slytherin. They are all children who have seen how everyone looks at them as villains, and defend themselves by putting up a group mask that few have the privilege of seeing behind. Know this, mo bhláth, should you ever find yourself in a situation where your life is threatened; Slytherins protect there own till the death and if you are one of them will always be by your side." I don't think I could ever forget the look of absolute certainty in her eyes when I left for bed.
I was now one of them. I was a snake, a badger, a crow, and a lion. The founders have said I am now all of these, but also none of them. They all knew this but they still threw me a party where they greeted me with a hug and a kiss. I was awe-struck at the amount of love each one of them had for me that I cried as Draco brought me into a one-handed hug. It was strange that this place might one day be filled with sadness like their sixth and seventh year must've been like. Draco held me as I cried not asking anything, he didn't seem like the whiny, cowardly, emotionless, jerk the books and others put him as. I began to wonder if previous years they did something similar when I first joined them and I saw glimpses of 'my' past indicating that they did. I sat there watching them all dance to great music that wasn't to loud all the while Draco held me as we where both on the couch. He spoke way before I thought he would. He winked at me before he opened his mouth. "Surprised? I thought we'd finally have one year where you wouldn't cry when you saw the party. Pansy was so sure that you wouldn't that she bet ten galleons on it. We were glad that you gave us a week to plan it this time instead of a day like last year. Theo had us prepare gifts for you, and Blaise made Cassata Alla Siciliana* (Really nice sounding cake that must taste delicious) when he remembered you wanted to try an Italian cake. I had to stop Crab and Goyle from eating it first. We all pitched in to give you this party, can't you feel how happy we are you're here?"
I was speechless. These people emitted love and joy, I could see and feel it all around the room. I couldn't help but look at the sling on his arm. I put my arm gently on it. "I'm so sorry. I could have pushed you out of the way."
"Are you kidding?" He asked shocked. "This," Draco sighed, "my father told me to try to get Hagrid fired this year to put forth a teacher who tried to get the job but Dumbledore denied saying the grounds keeper could do it. The professor was furious saying very few people can actually teach it well, and said students could get injured if it wasn't taken seriously. He was right, barely a day into classes and he takes us to see a Hippogriff without even teaching us safety procedures or telling us about the creatures we would be seeing this year! I didn't want any of the first years to get hurt and they had class later, so I did." He smirked before he continued. "Does this make me look cool, grá mo chroí*?"
I froze at the endearment. It was in Irish, he called me his beloved*. I looked at hose around us, they were giggling at the endearment. Luckily Pansy saved me from answering. "You can tease her later Draco. How are you doing bláth beag*?"
I smiled at her. "Shouldn't I ask you that? You are after all the bláth*." She laughed and Theo spoke. "Seriously, Draco? You don't have to brag about your freedom by keeping the Banphrionsa* all to yourself."
Draco pretended shock. "Theo! Are you jealous that my parents are giving me the choice of bride? Why do you hate Pansy so?"
Pansy spoke up. "That's not what he meant Draco! She is all of our friends', you aren't the only one allowed to hold her. Plus, she's has to spill the beans about her new friends."
Blaise finally spoke his Italian accent sending shivers down my spine. "Yes, bella signora (Pretty lady), please tell us how you made friends with Potter?"
I sat there unsure of how much I could tell them. I looked at Draco, saw his encouraging smile and decided that no matter what I told them they would be okay with it. "Mhamó and I had finally decided to let me try and get school supplies in the alley with her this year. I was so excited, but just before leaving that day I had this feeling that I had to go to the Leaky Cauldron. We went to the Leaky and they were all there. The whole establishment radiated anger, all I could feel was someone else wishing for death, and I was terrified. It was coming from a rat that Ron Wesley was holding at the time. There was no way a real animal would be wishing for death with such anger. Mhamó could feel it too and when I said something, she took it away to the Ministry to see if it was an animagus. So, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George and I all sat and talked because my Mhamó put my safety in the hands of the Wesley's. Harry had never met me before and asked to shake my hand. Draco, I felt every emotion he had ever felt, I felt them all and cried. He has never known the love of family. I spent an entire day speaking with the five of them where we learned everything about each other. Did you guys know he was raised by muggles and didn't know about the wizarding world until he was 11? Anyway, when Mhamó came back the rat was not with her and she told me she had to do more talking with the Ministry about Harry since they found something that shocked them. Her last letter told me that she got permission from the ministry to be his guardian unless someone else could be found. Harry is now a ward of the Regan household."
It was quiet for a long while after that. I could feel Draco's emotions all throughout it because he still hadn't let me go. He was feeling so sad and angry, but despite that he was the first to speak. "Grá mo chroí, for the sake of our friendship what would you ask of the Slytherins?"
I froze. They all looked at me with the same question in their eyes, and that's when I realized, I was the Queen of the Slytherins. Any move they made was a request I gave them. They listened to me as their leader and this was Draco asking as the proxy leader what he should do and show to the younger children. "Go raibh maith agat*," I said, "I would ask that you all stop hating and bullying them. In fact, from now on I wish to ask the Slytherins to never strike first when it comes to future encounters with bullies. I wish to come forward with me as the leader of you all."
They froze, but I couldn't help it, these children deserved to be saved as much from Voldemort as any of the students did and the only way, I could think of saving them was leading them as they needed to be. Pansy spoke first. "Are you sure about that? You know what that would mean right? There is a reason why we decided that Draco would be proxy leader. We all knew what it would mean for the last of the Regan's to come out as the Slytherin Queen, but you were the only person we could all agree to follow so we hid you behind a pretense. Losing that now could mean your seclusion." Draco's arms tightened around me. I felt a rush of certainty in his emotions, he wasn't going to let that happen but let Pansy continue. "Are you certain of your wish Banphrionsa?"
Before I even spoke Draco lifted me from his lap, stood up and placed me on his seat before standing in front of me. He spoke, pride in his voice. "Malfoy, they have never bowed to anyone unless they feared the one, they bowed to. My ancestor wrote in a diary that a Malfoy should never be forced to bow, and should they feel forced their magic will respond poorly; but if a Malfoy were to bow to one worthy their magic will forever empower them. Every pureblood in school knows that a Malfoy will never bow, that I will never bow," He flashed a smile as he continued, "I would be honored to show them all how wrong they were. I, Draconis Lucius Malfoy, give you, Louise Eavan Regan, the power over my magic so long as I am in this world. So mote it be." He didn't bow then but, on his arm, appeared a tattoo, the arm that in the future would have been marred by a different mark, it looked like a Celtic knot formed in the compass rose but instead of the four inner directional points there was a Celtic Dragon design. I was amazed, I had probably just saved Draco from his future but I wouldn't know for certain till later. No one else moved as he walked toward me yet again and continued to speak. "I now ask you would you lead us back into the light where we belong?"
I stood unafraid. "Solas na gréine* would never say no to those who long to see it again. I will lead you back into the light." The whole of Slytherin cheered and started to dance again. I took a moment to sit thinking what I could and should do now. I now had something Dumbledore would never expect me to have. I was also going to save more people now than I thought I was going to. I am also backed by the whole of Slytherin who would do anything for me. In that moment, I realized the true weight of the power I hold. I also knew what I was going to use this power for. Watch out Hogwarts because here comes you're An Bhanríon* and she is willing to save you all no matter what.
An Bhanríon= Queen, Solas na gréine= Sunlight, Banphrionsa= Princess, Go raibh maith agat= Thank you, Grá mo chroí= My beloved, Mhamó= Grandma, bláth beag= little flower, mo stór= my dear. Hi! It's me again! I know two chapters in two days wow! I felt like the last chapter was way to rushed and the first posting of it had the wrong name of the character. I knew I had to do better so here is better. Congratulations! This is the longest chapter I have written for this story. I am so excited I just might write another one today! Also, I wanted to say again I don't know any of the languages in this chapter so please, if you know any of them and there proper translations tell me! Also, the tattoo is a combo I made up using pictures from the internet I hope they show up but if not TELL ME, and I will find URLs for them b oth.
