The ickle-firsties had been sorted (9 to Slytherin and 8 to Gryffindork, Sheraton couldn't keep the grin off her face) and dinner done, for that she was thankful. Now, she could delegate the dungeon tours to the other Prefects while she and Julian had a 'meeting' with their Head of House. It wouldn't be a very long meeting, she had complied and presented a list to her uncle when she had stayed with him in early August. They had worked out a Slytherin duties list for the Prefects and decided upon the fundamental rules for the year, making adjustments based on the events of the last term. The Tri-Wizard tournament and ensuing... events meant that Slytherins would have to tread a careful line this year - a line that Sheraton would police very closely. Professor Snape would most likely inform Julian of what they had worked out and field any of Julian's concerns or ideas for the year.
As she sipped at her cup of Darjeeling, she gave a soft sigh and rested her chin upon her hand. The tea was soothing her nerves, from her own private bag that the House Elves received from her mother at the beginning of each year - and she was the only one with access to it. Felicity Snape's (nee Avery) family had made it's fortune in it's Indian imports since the 19th century, and her tea parties were renowned through pure blood society, an invitation to which meant you were part of the close knit circle of wives that held so much sway in the wizarding world. All Sheraton wanted to do now was unpack, have a warm bath and go t obed. Not that she would actually get to do that. No, first she would Julian bouncing on her bed, then her 5th and 6th year Prefects would come for their duties schedules and voice their innocuous and generally irrational concerns - Merlin, there was another hour gone. Nor would it surprise her if some firstie had a nightmare and she had to deal with it. Such weakness of character wasn't encouraged in the Slytherin House though, within a few days they would learn not to advertise such baseless fears and emotions. Still there would be one homesick girl in her bed tonight, there always was - Sheraton just prayed it wouldn't be a bed wetter.
A major upside for this year was finally getting her own room. No more dealing with the pecking order of the girls' dorms. She loved her friends, but they were far too obsessed with social standing and up in arms over any perceived slight, be it a slipped word or stepping on someone's brand new nude stilletos. It had gotten old for Sheraton. They were Slytherins, by that virtue alone they should be above such low class bickering, no matter what those Gryffindorks thought. However, the politics of the house meant that not everyone was equal, the girls being no exception to that rule, although they did their best to keep the backstabbing to a minimum.
Not that there wasn't a few people Sheraton wouldn't mind seeing lying at the bottom of a flight of stairs... Her gaze slipped towards Cordelia Whitby, the tolerated member of their clique. The girl, whom Sheraton judged had probably put on a few pounds over the summer, was currently pouring her boyfriend a cup of tea and adding milk and sugar to his taste. 'Pathetic,' was Sheraton's internal comment as her eyes narrowed. Cordelia most definitely did not deserve Nathaniel, or Neil as most people knew him, Baddock. His family was longstanding in the community, a true Slytherin dynasty while Cordelia was barely above the pureblood line. She was nearly middle class even. Sure, Neil may be a second son but it was sad to see a good family be tainted so. It was obvious that now Cordelia had her hooks into Neil, she wasn't about to let go - the gleam in the girl's eye was definitely of the diamond upon an engagement ring. A big one. So big it would probably be vulgar. Sheraton looked forward to snickering at the ill-taste of it all.
"Oi, Sheraton!" Julian called to her from where he stood with the other Prefects. She noticed the Head Boy and Girl (a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, respectively, Sheraton was glad to know that at least she wouldn't have to kowtow to a Gryffindwhore) were martialling the houses out of the Great Hall.
"Right," Sheraton stood and began to snap orders as she strode towards the group. "Malfoy, Parkinson, take the firsties on a dungeons tour, Higgs and I have a meeting with Professor Snape. And remember the new password - belladonna." She turned to the 6th year Prefects, "Make sure the rest of the house gets down without much dawdling and hopefully no hexes thrown. Keep them all away from the Gryffindorks - excuse me, Gryffindors, for Merlin's sake. Then organize everyone into their proper rooms, solve any conflicts that may arise. Don't bother me until all that is sorted out. Alright then - all of you, off." She spun around and headed off towards her uncle's office.
"Snape, you bossy wench, hold up!" Julian grabbed her hand, yanking her physically around.
She glared at him, "Ouch," and rubbed her arm. She didn't take her hand back, but continued to walk, now dragging him behind her.
"Hey," Julian tugged at her again. This time he grabbed her shoulders to hold her still. He was pouting at her, his blue eyes twinkling at her.
"What?" Sheraton touched his cheek, her nail running along his cheekbone gently as they stood just outside the door of the Hall. "What are you pouting about, love?"
"Hello dear, how was your summer? I haven't seen you in three months, there is a possibility that I may have missed you." He pulled her into a tight hug and Sheraton chuckled against his chest.
"I missed you too, Ian, but I haven't had a moment to think about myself yet. We'll talk tonight, all right?"
He sighed, the pout coming back. "Later, it's always later. No time for me, your very best friend in all the world..." He continued to grumble as Sheraton laughingly pulled him down towards the dungeons.
Cordelia lowered her lashes as the two wandered out of sight, her eyes darkening with thought. Sheraton and Julian were now the effective leaders of the Slytherin house, while Edward may be King, the were prime minister and president, with the authority to keep the more impulsive members of the House in line. Yet, watching them right now - they had seemed so un-Slytherin. The guard that both had cultivated, the facade over emotions and intentions, alike to the one most Slytherins had, slipped away when they were together. There was a light in Sheraton's eyes that only lit when she was with Julian, and Julian was happier with her than he was even with his potions.
Cordelia turned back to her boyfriend, talking at joking with Christopher Warrington while the two boys finished off their plates of trifle. As Neil set down his fork, he easily dropped his hand down onto his lap for her to place her own hand into. She smiled at the sight. Neil Baddock was the greatest thing that had ever happened to her. Actually, he hadn't happened to her per say. She had chosen him midway through third year - and had made herself such a fixture in his life it had been a guarantee last year that he would invite her to the Yule Ball - since then, they had been an entrenched pair within the Slytherin House. He came from a well established and well off family, exactly the kind of legacy she had meant to marry into when she entered the Slytherin House six years ago. Cordelia expected to have a ring on her finger by the end of the year. He was a second son, so her own status, or lack thereof in the eyes of society, wasn't so terrible. As long as she produced a few children and was a perfect hostess, she would be accepted. She would be part of the powerful circle of Slytherins that ruled most of the business and society of England. Where she longed to be all her life. She wouldn't have to work like her mother had, taking children for piano lessons. It was a respectable occupation - but an occupation nonetheless. She would take tea and serve cocktails to her friends. She would rise above her own family. And not look back.
Neil glanced down at her, his blue eyes crinkling. "All right there, Cordy?"
She gave him a sweet smile and nodded. His gaze traveled to her own, untouched, plate of trifle. "Not hungry then?"
Cordelia shook her head. "I had a large brunch before we left, I'm still rather stuffed."
He shrugged. "Right then." She could probably stand to miss a meal or two, he reflected to himself. No wife of his would be anything but perfect, and Cordy did realize that. Which was why she was perfect for him. Perfectly devoted. He stood, pulling her with him. "Coming, Chris?"
Warrington looked up at the couple, from where he had been looking at a sheet of parchment. "In a minute, have to just finish this note and send it off."
"Who're you writing to?" Cordelia asked, twining her arm around Neil's.
Chris gave her a short smile. "My cousin. I promised I'd write her as soon as I got in."
"How close a cousin? Marriage material?" Neil asked, grinning in a slightly lecherous manner, earning him a poke from Cordelia. He only chuckled, pulling her against his side most closely.
Warrington looked back down at the letter. "No," he said softly. "Probably not marriage material."
Neil shrugged. "All right then - see you down there, but it'll be your fault if you get the bed by the drafty window." The two headed off, heads bent close towards each other. They were such a contrast -Neil was tall, lanky and light haired while Cordelia was short with raven dark curls, and definitely on the curvy, nearly chubby side.
Chris looked at the last few words he had written: '...miss you already. But - it's only one more year then. And then we'll be free.'
He snorted to himself. Free. How naive could he be. He'd never be free of this system, this way of life. He jotted down a short farewell and signed it, turning to stand just as he caught sight of pale blond head leaving the Hall, his heart clenching. He lifted his arm and his owl, Samantha, swooped down. He tied the letter to her leg - "You know who to take this to." With a soft hoot, the tawny owl launched herself from his arm and he made his way to the dungeons.
Severus Snape strode down the corridors of Slytherin House grumbling to himself. He had just come from a Heads meeting and McGonnagal was going to drive him absolutely batty this year. The supercilious woman, so convinced of the nobility and rights of the Gryffindors, especially Potter and his irritating sidekicks. The only one there was hope for in that House now was Granger, if she ever learned to shut her mouth when appropriate.
Snape was already in an unfortunate mood when he opened the door to the 7th year prefect's rooms and found the boy's side empty. He frowned and moved through the shared bathroom, to be greeted with the sight of Julian swinging Sheraton around as she giggled, his hands firmly planted upon the bottom of Snape's darling and favourite and only niece. A girl he had considered a daughter from the moment she had entered his life. He reached for his wand.
"Higgs - kindly remove your hands from my ward's.... ahem, posterior else I will not be responsible my actions and may not be inclined to offer any kind of antidote."
Sheraton grinned broadly and hopped down from Julian's arms. "Uncle Sevvie!!" she squealed and flung her arms around her uncle's mid-section.
Snape growled. The damn girl was only doing it to annoy him, but also knew that he found it extremely difficult to deny her anything when called 'Sevvie', as much as it was an annoyance. "It's nice to see you, Sheraton. I trust the end of your summer was entertaining?" he ground out, not returning her embrace but for a perfunctory pat on the shoulder.
She stepped back to grin at him, tossing her long black locks, so black they were nearly blue, over her shoulder. "Adequately amusing, Uncle. Just the usual round of parties with all the usual people -I have to say I'm grateful for the end of summer because I usually run out of polite topics to discuss with Mother's friends."
"You're braver than I child, I usually don't even try to be polite to your mother's friends." Snape crossed his arms and levelled a glare at Higgs. "Well then, I see you two have already settled yourselves in."
"Yes, sir," Higgs replied cheerfully, stepping up to shake Snape's hand. "Good to see you again Professor - I read your latest article in Ars Chemiclia over the summer, fascinating stuff."
The fact that Higgs was sucking up while sliding an arm around Sheraton's waist did very little to dispell Snape's current frustration with the boy. He was the most talented seventh year potions student, a boy he saw as his apprentice, but so help him, if the boy's hand moved any further south there would be trouble.
"Right then. It is an unfortunate feature of these quarters that the two prefects have a shared bathroom, but I certainly hope I can impress upon you, Mr. Higgs, the discretion and respect I expect from you in regards to my niece?" Snape leveled a glare that shook the knees of most first through fourth years.
"Of course sir, I am a gentleman to the core," Higgs protested.
Sheraton snorted beside him and then gave her uncle a sunny smile. Well, as sunny as a Snape could muster. A mildly bright smile. "You needn't worry about us, Uncle. You wouldn't have picked us if we weren't able to respect eachother's privacy."
Severus looked around, wondering if there were any areas he could have an extra wall or two erected in the next few hours. He sighed, giving Higgs one more glare. "I'll just leave this with a warning, Mr. Higgs - one I hope I needn't vocalize."
Higgs gulped slightly. "Of course sir. I understand perfectly." He finally removed his hand from Sheraton, to clasp behind his back.
Severus smiled chillingly. "Right then - shall we move onto business?"
They would have moved on to the required duties for this year if shouting hadn't echoed from down the hall. Snape turned and glared, then looking back to Sheraton and Julian who suddenly looked sheepish.
"That wouldn't be an argument I hear coming from our new seventh year boy's dorm?" he asked quietly.
"It, uh - may very well be, sir," Julian started as Snape swung around and stalked down the corridor, Sheraton running after him.
"Uncle I really tried to settle things between them, but they're both too pigheaded to listen to reason!" she lengthened her strides to catch up with his.
"Oh, they'll listen, Sheraton," he hissed.
He pushed the door to the dorms open with a BANG! and there was sudden quiet.
All the occupants of the room stopped and turned to stare, Pucey dropping his arm - not the only one in the room red in the face.
Snape moved foward slowly, quietly. His gaze never left Adrian and Edward as they stood next to one another - Warrington holding Adrian's other arm and Bletchley murmuring softly into Edward's ear. Baddock leaned against the wall next to his bed, prepared to watch a show.
"Is this the behaviour I can expect from my senior Slytherins this year?" Snape asked softly. "You'd think you were first year - Gryffindors even, for all the uncouth noise you've been making. What is the meaning of this?"
"Sir - " Edward began but was cut off by Pucey.
"He claimed the Captain's bed sir! He has no right to do so until an official vote is made as to whose to take over!" Pucey's eyes flashed as he fisted his hands.
Snape snorted. "Vote? Where did you get the erroneous idea you lived in a democratic House, boy?"
Pucey frowned, "But sir - the Captain still hasn't been decided and I'm just as likely a candidate as Montague."
"Are you? Displays like this tell me otherwise. I decide who'll be Quidditch Captain, Pucey - and I've already made my decision. Mr. Montague received a letter to it within his Hogwarts envelope. He has every right to take that bed." Snape gave the younger man a measured glance, then turned on his heel and stalked out, presumbably to check upon the other rooms.
If possible, Pucey turned an even deeper shade of red. He shook off Warrington's arm to move towards the farthest bed. The Quidditch Captain was traditionally given their own semi-private space, with a wall between it and the rest of the beds. Sheraton glared at Montague as he grinned cheekily and tossed his bag onto the bed, for the house elf to unpack.
"You could've used a tad more discretion there, Ed, " she told him, sighing.
"Sublte? Me? I don't know who you're referring to, Sheraton," he replied, raising an eyebrow at her. Then he suddenly realized who he was speaking to - and where. "Wait a minute! What are you doing in here? Girls aren't allowed in the boys dorms!"
She smirked, a near-perfect imitation of her uncle. "Seventh year prefects are allowed in any dorm they please to enter, so you boys had better be on your toes this year -you never know when I may stop in."
Warrington began buttoning up his Oxford, which had been hanging loose from his trousers. "But you'd give us a bit of warning, right Sher?"
She rolled her eyes. "That wouldn't be very Slytherin of me - now would it."
Edward was still digesting this concept. "You mean then - that Julian could go into the girls' dorms! The lucky sod!"
Sheraton favoured him with a stinging look, "Not if he knows what's good for him he won't."
Miles rolled his eyes at her, "And of course you two aren't together."
"Why does everyone think just because I can boss him around we're shagging? Merlin, anyways - I'll leave you boys in peace, visit around. I'll see you in the morning." Sheraton sauntered out to pause at the door, turning slightly with a grin on her face. "By the way, Baddock - those toad boxers are just adorable." She laughed as he choked, shoving them into the armoire he stood in front of. The other boys snickered, but Adrian slammed the door to his armoire closed and stormed out.
By the time Sheraton made it to the other seventh year dorm, Jasmine was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Jas?" she asked, reclining upon Aemelia's bed.
"Pucey stood at the door and bellowed for her a few minutes ago, sounded upset." Aemelia informed her, tossing a few lacy undergarments into the top drawer. "D'you know what about?"
"Uncle just informed him, and everyone else, that Edward was Quidditch Captain this year," Sheraton drawled. "He did not take it well."
Aemelia snorted. "No shit. Oh well, let's just hope we can keep those two from coming to blows on the pitch this year." She flopped down next to her friend, staring at the silk canopy above. "I wonder where Adrian took Jas."
Sheraton read her far too well and ensuring that Cordelia was sufficiently occupied organizing her shoes by colour, she rolled over to face Aemelia. "Don't be like that, 'Lia. There's no point. They'll never last, Mrs. Parkinson will throw a fit at first hint and betroth Jas off to the next suitable boy that comes along, then you can make your move. You just have to be patient." She traced the pattern upon the duvet. 'We all do...'
Cast of Characters (Just to help you keep people straight):
Edward Montague; first son of his family, an Import/Export empire, expected to take up the business upon graduation. Quidditch Captain: Chaser.
Jasmine Parkinson; first daughter, third child of the family - Pansy's elder sister, part of a Retail empire, expected to marry well upon graduating. Arithmantic genius, though very few people know about it.
Adrian Pucey; first son, minor gentry stock, general wealthy ne'er do well. Quidditch Player: Chaser.
Aemelia Flint; youngest daughter and child - Marcus' younger sister. Smarter than you would think. Wants to escape her family's reputation.
Sheraton Snape; only niece of Severus Snape and his ward. 7Th Year Slytherin Prefect. Very much aware of the realities of the coming war.
Julian Higgs; second son of a landed family, Potions genius and Snape's apprentice. 7th Year Slytherin Prefect.
Nathaniel (Neil) Baddock; third son of a banking family with large shares in Gringotts. Still sitting upon the fence, memory like an elephant.
Cordelia Whitby; only daughter of a slightly above middle class family, looking to marry up. Horror upon horrors, has a Muggle born witch as a great-great-great-grandmother.
Miles Bletchley; second son of a long standing gentry family. Quidditch Player: Keeper. Still waters run deep.
Christopher Warrington; third son of a merchant empire family. Quidditch Player: Chaser. The gentle and thoughtful Slytherin.