Disclaimer: Harry Potter, plot and all her characters belong to JKR and her publishing companies, which's names I don't know. No copyright infringement intended. Don't bother suing, my "fortune" isn't worth the trouble. I only own the idea to this story.
Timeline: In their fifth year, I placed it 1995/1996
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: 3/15
Pairings: Draco/Harry, Blaise Zabini/Neville, minor Pansy/Seamus, Hermione/Ron, Goyle/Crabbe
Summary: At their first day at Slytherin the Gryffindor boys have to unpack, try to get along with their long-time Slytherin roommates while still enjoying the additional days off. Harry's first reunion with Ron and Hermione doesn't goes as well as it should and Neville bonds too much with Blaise for the taste of their friends.
Silver Snake
By Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)
Chapter three: Settling down? - Tuesday
Harry hadn't even changed into his pyjama when he fell asleep. Very few times before he'd been this tired without doing straining physical work. But this day had been even more straining, because it's exhausting his soul, his spirit…
The idyll was over way too fast for Harry's taste. Something ice-cold and wet was run over his face, his comfortably soft, warm quilt was crudely pulled away. He shot upwards by instinct, shouting, "what the bloody hell…?! Ron, stop it this instance, that's not funny!"
Draco was smiling amusedly. But as a precaution he snatched the washcloth away before Harry opened his eyes - and maybe slapped him with the face flannel. "Actually, it's me, Potter, not the Weasel."
"*Malfoy*! What are you doing in my dorm?!"
This got Harry a snicker from Draco, howling laughter from Blaise, smirks from Seamus and Neville.
"You know, Slytherin's really bringing me luck. Now I'm not anymore the only one who embarrasses himself", joked Neville. He's already dressed in dark-green robes and sat at his silver fourposter bed with Blaise. The moment he said his joke aloud, he realized he probably shouldn't have attracted any attention. If Harry noticed that he's almost sitting at Blaise's lap...
He did notice, of course. It's hard not to see that his roommates were virtually cuddling. "Neville, what are you and Zabini doing there?"
"They're studying for Potions, Potter. And they would appreciate if Mister Potter wouldn't talk about them like they're not present."
"Potions? No kidding? Your will-power is impressive, after last night I couldn't even study a comic book. But do you believe that will be of any use? Hermione tried for years to help you at Potions and she never had any success but that you didn't blasted Hogwarts. Snape wasn't impressed at all, so I suppose he'll also find a way to torture you even if you study all the time."
"Oh, but at least then I can say for sure that I tried everything and it's not my fault. I don't want to loose more House Points for Slytherin than inevitable. And when Blaise is anyway playing truant…" Neville threw another adoring look at his "study partner". Frankly, he's bored out of his mind after unpacking and would even go through Hermione's studying again as long as Blaise was with him.
Harry and Draco shared a knowing grin. But they're discreet and polite enough not to mention it. Seamus didn't showed the same consideration. "Awww how cute, Neville's having a crush!"
"I don't!"
"Let's continue studying in the garden, Neville, why should we listen to this crap?" Blaise grabbed Neville's hand and dragged him out of the room.
"I can't believe that Nevile Longbottom has a crush on a Sytherin!", exclaimed Seamus. "He's always teased by all Slytherins and now he's head over heels for Zabini… I really don't understand that guy!"
"I've to tell Ron and Hermione about that! No, they anyway won't believe me, I have to prove it to them. Malfoy, can you make some excuse up why they've to stay in the tower this afternoon? Ron and Herm visit me then."
"I'll give it a try. Just because I want to see Weasel's face when he finds out that one of his loyal Gryffindors is already having a crush on a Slytherin who belongs to one of the traditional, conservative families, that doesn't means that I approve of you inviting a Gryffindor and a Mudblood."
"Stop calling Hermione that!"
"And what are you going to do if I don't stop?"
"Well, let's see, how about I spread some nasty rumours about you? If I maybe would let slip by accident something at the Great Hall…"
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything." A nasty smirk appeared at Draco's still sleepy features, "I advise you, Mr. Potter to get out of bed now or I'll send you the advice-seeking first-years to a breakfast-in-bed audience…"
Harry looked through the opened green-silver - he'd never get used to that! - hangings at the wall clock. And received the shock of his life. It's half past eleven - brunch was over since ten o'clock and in half an hour the second meal of the day would be served. "Ow bloody hell, I forgot about that! Wait for me in the Common Room, Malfoy, I need you to lead the way or I'll never get to lunch in time."
"Maybe…" Draco "forgot" to mention to the panicking - and starving -
Harry that dinner would be served until two. Most of the students had no
classes, most of the others were truants, so the majority of the classes
had been cancelled for the sake of bonding…
When Harry finally was presentable lunch had started some time ago and his three waiting roommates were annoyed. The lock of his shower booth was stuck and he'd been forced to wait until another student came to free him with an unlocking spell. Of course the other boys made at their whole way to the Great Hall fun of Harry's mishap - he accused them of ganging up against him and enchanting the lock.
They sat down at the Slytherin table - after both former Gryffindors had to be kept from sitting down at their old table - still arguing about the shower incident. "Stop it, I don't want to talk anymore about it", declared Harry scowling. He'd have looked more intimidating, though, if he'd been able to contain his roaring laughter.
"No way, Potter! That's the most embarrassing materials I've had about you for the whole term, I would've to be stupid to waste it!"
"You *are* stupid, Malfoy."
Loud enough for the whole table to hear, Draco said, "at least I'm not stupid enough to lock myself up in the shower cabin."
"I hate you!", hissed Harry over the table.
"And I hate you. What's your point?"
"Has anyone seen Ron and Hermione? Maybe they're worried because I wasn't at brunch."
"I met Hermione at brunch and told her that you're still sleeping. By the way, she's doing fine at Ravenclaw, everyone is nice, she'll send an owl when she leaves for the dungeons, so you can let her in. But I'm worried. She said she's already been *before breakfast* for two hours in the library and with some other Ravenclaws she would go back until lunch."
"That is very worrying indeed, Seamus…"
Draco glared at his roommates. He hated, hated, hated not being the centre of attention! "I'm rather worried for Blaise. Longbottom has most likely turned him already into a turkey with his great magical skills…"
"Zabini doesn't looks like someone who's not able to handle himself. Besides, we established already that Neville is head over heels for him, he'll be careful. How do you think Ron is doing? Dean? Ginny and Colin? Hey, maybe we visit later the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw tower, with Neville. He has to miss Ginny a lot, her and Dean are his best friends with you, Seamus."
"Let's visit this evening Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tomorrow. Maybe we'll even get their passwords."
Just then the food appeared magically in front of the three students, together with handbills. Today's lunch was started by chicken and vegetable soup, main course were venison with gravy, carrots and deep-fried mushrooms, as pudding there's served plum pudding.
House Slytherin!
Wednesday all students interested in becoming a Quidditch player or joining the Slytherin team will be tested. Candidates have to be at the Quidditch pitch at eight o'clock in the morning. Friday evening our new player list will be published at the notice board in our Common Room. All players have to turn up for a first training in the new constellation Saturday at dawn sharp! If necessary, Quidditch robes and brooms will be handed out in the locker room.
Harry's good mood disappeared. "Charming, just what I need - an impersonal leaflet without any of the important informations! And how about some warning, Malfoy? We don't have a Hogsmeade weekend, so I can't even ask my friends to bring me some robes. What's that a way to start training for a new team anyway, at dawn?" He wasn't really annoyed by any of the reasons he'd said, though, he's fearing the revenge of his arch-rival. What better way to humiliate him than to fail him at the admission test?
"Unfortunately, we don't have the time to worry about your - no matter what pitiable - looks, Potter. Gryffindor has the next game against Hufflepuff in three weeks, we're going to play against Ravenclaw after two weeks training. Ravenclaw has had always some decent players and their team is virtually unharmed by the resorting. Only one member of the senior team's resorted, they're only 100 points behind us, we're 89 points behind Gryffindor…"
"Okay, I get it. They're unaffected, we're badly shaken and we have to win this game or the Quidditch Cup is lost another year."
"Yes." After a beat Draco added, "I would've told you about this, Potter, but you're asleep the minute you hit your bed."
"I'm going to apply also, by the way."
Neville and Blaise took their seats next to each other. "For what are you going to apply, Seamus?"
"Quidditch."
"Oh, that. Did you knew that Blaise will help at the testing? He's the
only senior player still here, so he'll assist Malfoy and Snape." All the
while Neville didn't took his eyes away from Blaise Zabini. So it was no
surprise that he didn't noticed when his handbill appeared directly over
his plate chicken broth. At least not in time. "Damn!"
After the delicious three course lunch Harry joined a guided tour an experienced - and surprisingly nice - seventh-year gave.
There wasn't much spectacular to be showed in the Slytherin territory, but at least now he knew the frequented short cuts to their class rooms, the Great Hall, Quidditch pitch and school grounds as well as some Slytherin history. And the arrangement of the dorms, probably the most valuable information at all. He really didn't wanted to repeat this trip into the girls dormitory, they're way too attentive at Spells and Transfiguration for his taste. He'd had a hard time throwing a curse off that made him believe he's a chicken and crow in the Common Room…
After he'd finished the tour and dropped in by Madam Pomfrey to get rid of the lime green tail that was growing him suddenly, Harry went back to his dorm. This time, to the right one. He still hadn't unpacked his stuff and was unable to reach his chest at the bottom of his impressive luggage mountain.
First of all he needed to reach his alarm clock or he would sleep through the Quidditch training tomorrow. For the same occasion he needed some Quidditch robes and for his beloved Firebolt he's already formulating an obituary…
It also would be nice to reach his empty rolls of parchment to write Sirius - he needed to explain about the resorting before Remus did it. Then he should write said werewolf an owl and explain to him that nothing would have to change between them and that he please tells Hagrid nothing, he wanted to talk to both personally as soon as possible. Oh yes, then he'd to reconsider where he spent his Christmas holidays. It'd been so easy when he still believed he would stay with Ron, Ginny, Neville, Fred and George at Gryffindor tower. But then again, he'd to talk about this with the Quidditch team, if they stayed for training, then he didn't wanted to be the egoist who let them down to celebrate Christmas with his godfather…
Harry felt like tearing his hairs out. All out of sudden everything was so complicated - even more complicated than his life had been before.
Just then the door opened and Ron appeared. Cheerful he asked, "hey Harry, how're you?"
"Ron, what are you doing here?"
Ron shot a hateful glare down the hallway before he closed the door. "Your "charming roommate" condescended to let me inside and show me your dorm. Bastard!"
"I already made myself experiences with Slytherin attitude, Ron", remembered Harry his best friend. "But unfortunately I'm now one myself, so I've to defend them… By the way, are you at the moment mad at Malfoy or Zabini?"
"Of course Malfoy. He's terrible! How can you stand living with that bastard?"
"I don't have much of a choice. And believe it or not, he's capable of being more or less civil if he tries really, really hard. Anyway, where's Hermione and why didn't you sent me the owl before you came? You wouldn't have had to ask Malfoy for help."
"As punishment for a pillow fight our dorm got collectively detention at the hospital wing. When she mentioned that you'd to get rid of a tail, I thought that you need some cheering up and chose to make a surprise visit. Would've been here earlier, but I'd to sneak away from Madam Pomfrey and that's not exactly easy…"
"Thank you, that's nice." Harry smoothed uneasily some wrinkles out of his green, embroidered bedspread. Like the green-silver linen and hangings it consisted of finest, handmade silk. He could only value the fortune this bedclothes had cost. "How do you feel about I show you our Common Room? I like it there and it's considerable more neat than the dorm. We… we could play Exploding Snap. Or chess."
"Yeah, that would be nice, I suppose."
Soon cheerful laughter filled the Slytherin Common Room. All tension was forgotten for Harry and Ron, they just enjoyed some carefree moments. Their good mood turned out to be catching and soon a spontaneous Exploding Snap and Wizard Chess championship was taking place at the Common Room - no matter what Houses they belonged to, the games were popular with all of them.
When Hermione joined them, all Slytherins were so busy playing that they didn't even complained about a muggle-born being in their Common Room.
Neville and Blaise entered the Common Room joking, flirting and holding hands. "Harry, Seamus, Malfoy, we… Hermione and Ron! Wow, that's a nice surprise!"
"Hello Neville. And you're… sorry, I don't remember your name."
"I don't remember you either", admitted Blaise with an a bit patronizing smirk. He didn't felt comfortable around so many Gryffindors, especially not Neville's old mates. Maybe he would change his mind and be rather their friend again…?
"That's Blaise Zabini, my boyfriend and roommate. Blaise, Ron Weasley, one of my roommates at Gryffindor and Hermione Granger, Ex-Gryffindor and current Ravenclaw. She always helped me studying."
Four pairs of eyebrows shot up to their hairlines. Three boys were too dumbfounded to speak, but Draco hadn't such problems. "Blaise, your *boyfriend*? I believe there's a lot you haven't told me, have you?!"
"It just happened, Draco. I can't explain why or when we started to like each other, we've known each other since the first year, but… Let's give our Ex-Gryffindors some time to sort this out by themselves and we go to our room, OK?"
"That's fine with me", beamed Neville. He's keen on telling his friends
everything and it's weird as long as Blaise was with him. As much as he
liked the other boy, he's still a Slytherin and Slytherin could sometimes
be just such horribly annoying with their sarcasm.
When two of his roommates were gone, Harry realized, "they fooled us! They got our quiet and *private* dorm and we've only the Common Room to talk…!"
"What did you expect? Malfoy and Zabini are simply evil together", suggested Seamus.
"Are you sure you're not exaggerating with your Slytherin-ness, Neville? I mean, if you're happy with Zabini I don't mind, but now you're also being all "best buddy" with Malfoy…"
"*You* are exaggerating, Ron!"
"But…"
"How could you possibly understand it? I just like Blaise, a lot. I can't help it and I don't even want to try. I mean, it's not like anyone has any reason to complain. We're both pureblood Slytherin, which erases the whole House hostility stuff and Blaise's family can't bitch about their heir being with a Gryffindor."
Seamus was beaming all over his face. "That's great, Neville, I'm sure you two will have a great relationship." And he'd won his bet!
"If that's the good news…"
"I don't understand how you can like such a person as Zabini. He's mean, evil, sly and ill-humoured like all Slytherin. But if he makes you happy…"
"What do you expect? I'm always the oaf who's cauldrons explode and who's no good at any subject. Blaise doesn't treats me like I'm highly dangerous because of my clumsiness and extremely stupid at the same time. He's just behaving around me like around other people and occasionally that isn't very nice, granted, most of the time. But he's not like this to me. And I don't really know how to explain you this, but I like him."
"But he's one of *them*, Neville. They laughed always at your mishaps and *made* your cauldrons explode."
"Trust me, before our next Potions class I'll have a very long and serious talk as well with Blaise as Draco. But I don't think any Slytherin will meddle with my cauldron now because I'll partner up with Blaise at all subjects we've together. That means, of course now the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw could do something."
"Don't worry, we don't do such stuff."
"We neither."
"Good. Harry, you didn't said anything, are you mad?"
"Nope, don't worry. Whoever makes you happy is fine with me. I'm just a bit shaken because I lost three gallons."
"You *betted* on my love life?"
"Yes, I betted against Harry and Malfoy that you and Zabini become within a month a public couple. Seems like I won 13 gallons…"
"If you keep that up, Seamus, the Malfoys will be impoverished soon", grinned Ron and rubbed his hands gleefully.
With mock indignation and an angelic face complained Seamus, "what are you thinking of me, Ron? How could I ever do such a horrible thing to my beloved room- and Housemate?" His performance would've been more believable hadn't his eyes twinkled mischievously.
"How about another game of chess, Harry?"
"That's fine with me."
tbc…
Next is the Quidditch test. But I fear this can take some time, I've written around three pages and now I've hit writer's block.