Beta'd 1/22/2021 by FalconHonour
When they reached the Common Room - you had to stand by a particular sconce, facing a particular stretch of wall and say the password, which this week was "Lacewing Fly", to get in - the older Slytherins were waiting for them. And not just them. Snape was looming by the fireplace too.
"The Slytherin House rules," he drawled dramatically, before the First Years could take more than a step into the room, "Are few and far between, so I would expect even the most idiotic of you to be able to remember them." The new arrivals stared at him in alarm, and he held their gaze for a moment, before his hard exterior cracked into a wry smile. The first years all relaxed instantly, much to the rest of the house's amusement. "First, the most important rule is that Slytherins are united, within and without these walls. I don't care if they pissed you off by throwing childish insults or if they pushed you over when you were five. That ends now. It's us Slytherins against the world and as such we cannot afford to have infighting. You will fight together. You will stand up for each other. You are all Slytherins. The second that the Sorting Hat put you in Slytherin, you became, first and foremost, a Slytherin. Moreover, that will not end when you leave Hogwarts, but rather will last until the day you die. Slytherins help Slytherins. Do you hear me?" The first years nodded their heads frantically.
"Good. Rule Number Two, don't get caught. I will rescue you if you get yourself stuck in a situation that you caused yourself, but you will be scrubbing my cauldrons, chopping flobberworms, grading Gryffindor Potions papers, or doing something equally as awful, for two weeks straight to make it up to me. I do not want to have to bail you out, and you do not want to wade through Percy Weasley's essay on the use of Poppy Head that rambles on for 3 feet of parchment longer than I assigned. So, for all our sakes, whatever mischief you may take it into your heads to do, do not get caught.
"Third, if you are going to do something intrinsically dangerous or stupid, such as use an artefact that you've picked up from Merlin knows where, or brew a dangerous and/or illegal potion, or try to form a covenant, or whatever, please, for the love of Salazar, come to me first. I would like to save you from your stupid ideas, as far as I can, but there is only so much I can do on the fly.
"Rule number four. I expect you all to be competent. This means studying ahead in all of your classes, understand? If you do not get a spell within the first seven tries in class, you will be tutored in that spell. If your grades fall below an Acceptable in any of your classes, you will be tutored in those classes. There is parchment in each of the dorms listing which upper level students can provide tutoring for each specific subject and at what time they have agreed to offer their help. First years will be paired with fifth years, second years with sixth and third with seventh. Fourth years, help each other out as best you can. If none of you understand something, come to me and I will arrange a House refresher on whatever you are struggling with. The tutoring system is mandatory if you are below an A average, but even if your grades are higher than that, you may join in on any sessions you wish. And I should warn you, I will be taking note of who joins in voluntarily and who does not. Our average grade as a House is an Exceeds Expectations. This is significantly higher than that of any of the other Houses, and I do like to gloat about it to the other Heads of Houses. Do not ruin that for me."
Snape paused, glancing round at their rapt faces and drew in a breath, his lips quirking upwards for the briefest of instants, "Those are all the official rules. Unofficial rules and tips will be held in a dorm of your year by your year's corresponding Prefects, and if you are Fourth Year and above, they will be with me." Snape cracked a grin, "And if you tell any of the other houses about my differing personalities between class and as your Head of House, I will deny it vehemently and then I will drop you into the Black Lake to play with the Giant Squid when he is hungry." Everyone in the common room cracked up, though Tracey looked a bit nervous.
"Don't worry," Daphne whispered, "He's just joking. But seriously, keep Our Snape a secret and leave Everyone Else's Snape in the classroom." Tracey looked relieved and laughed softly as Snape waved them away.
Once again, Carrine and Thomas corralled the first years, but this time they took them into a dorm on the Eastern side of the Slytherin Common Room, each sitting down on one of the four-poster beds.
"Ok," Carrine clapped her hands together, "Unofficial rules. Thomas, you want to start?"
"Sure," Thomas grinned, "Let's start out with this. How many of you believe in Lady Magic?" He looked around to see that all the first years had their hands raised, "Ok, that's good. I didn't really want to give a crash course in 'What is Magic' tonight and explain to you guys that blood rituals aren't dark and it's all about intent and there is no such thing as Dark Magic, just dark intentions and blah blah blah. Next item of the agenda, some of you are in betrothal contracts. Don't break them. Lady Magic has a reason, and if She didn't think the betrothal contract had a reason, She wouldn't've allowed it to be sealed. You don't want to piss Lady Magic off just because of some fleeting crush on a Ravenclaw, when She decided that your betrothed was who was best for you. Andromeda Black Tonks is the only Slytherin I know of that has broken a betrothal contract and not been horribly unlucky for the rest of their lives.. If, however, you are not in a betrothal contract and you do have a crush on anyone, feel free to come to one of us, and we can try and help you out there."
"For example," Carrine interrupted, laying a hand on Thomas's shoulder, "Thomas here had a thing for me in second year, and I didn't even realise until our Prefects played Cupid."
"How'd that work out?" Vincent asked.
"Pretty damn well, I'd like to say," Thomas grinned, slipping his arm around Carrine's waist and kissing her on the cheek. "Our parents finalised our contract a few weeks ago. It's all signed and sealed and everything."
"Also, come to us if you need to learn contraceptive spells. I'd really rather not teach them to you until third year, and Merlin knows I don't want you to use them until at least Fourth,but if you're going to do it, I'd really rather not any of you get pregnant. And if any of you girls start your periods this year, come to me for more direct help on that. There are various spells and potions for comfort, pain, or if you just want a supply of chocolate from Honeydukes. I'll hook you up," winked Carrine.
"Now we have a couple of little gifts for you that every Slytherin gets when they get sorted here."
They each conjured a pile of books. Some of the first years groaned, but Hermione's eyes gleamed.
"None of that," Thomas said as he started handing out the books, " Now. These are mandatory reading, but they're going to help you out, and half of these will be more useful than your textbooks. For example, this," he held up a book on Potions, "Is a Slytherin-exclusive book written by our wonderful Head of House, and it has saved my butt in Potions so many times. When I started school, I was the worst brewer I knew, and I ended my first year with an Exceeds Expectations. It not only goes into each potion, but it details each step and each ingredient-why they work, why they don't, what you can substitute in if you out of, say, fairy wings. And if you're a Potion prodigy like Carrine, you can mess around with the potions to try and improve their efficiency and get creative if you want, although good luck with that. Professor Snape's personal recipes are in here."
"One of my favourite Slytherin secrets," Carrine added, "Or at least something every Slytherin knows about, is the Room of Requirement. It's on the seventh floor by the tapestry with the trolls doing ballet. You walk in front of it three times and think about what you want the room to be like and you'll get a door to that room. Each year gets the room for one specific day of the week, and you can go in during the other days as long as you've been invited. The First Years get the room on Fridays, second years on Tuesdays, third on Wednesdays, fourth on Thursdays, Mondays for the fifth, Sundays for Sixth Years and Saturday for Seventh" Carrine said.
"That's… a weird order,"Theo said slowly, blinking in confusion.
"Oh, it changes around year on year, although First Years are always a Friday. It's based on schedules and whichever day each year has the most free or elective periods that day of the week. Like you firsties-lucky bastards, I say-never have a class on Fridays. Well at least not Slytherin firsties, I don't know about the other houses," shrugged Thomas.
"Speaking of schedules," said Carrine, "Slytherin schedules for the first two years are charmed to have a map of the castle on the back. It's kind of you tap the day of the week at breakfast, it'll know what class you have next and can direct you from one room to the other. Just watch out for the moving staircases and trick steps and doors. It can't always work those out. Something about the two magics not being fully compatible."
"Right," Thomas stretched, "Before we go and let you find your rooms, do you guys have any questions?"
Millie looked up nervously, "Yeah, I didn't really get much to eat tonight at dinner, 'cause I'm a vegetarian?"
"Oh, so am I!" Carrine's face broke out into a grin, "Don't worry about that. I'll tell the House Elves to put some vegetarian options by where the first years sit."
"Hannah Abbott is too," Pansy said. "She's in Hufflepuff. She looked miserable at dinner tonight because she really didn't have much to eat. Can you have the House Elves put some vegetarian options by her at the Hufflepuff table too? She hates potatoes though."
"Sure," Carrine smiled, "Are you going to try to make her an Honorary Slytherin?"
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, it's when someone from a different house is really good friends with people in Slytherin. If you want them to be allowed into the Slytherin Common Room, there has to be a unanimous vote within your Slytherin year mates. After a year of their being allowed in the Common Room, you can petition for them to become an Honorary Slytherin. That's a whole House vote and at least two thirds of the House has to vote to let them in. If you're an Honorary Slytherin you get all of the fun benefits that come with being a Slytherin - like the books and help with getting your crush to like you back, but you also have to keep up with the responsibilities of being a Slytherin like maintaining good grades and going to tutoring, although we're a little more lax about how often they come, given they may have a different timetable to the rest of us."
"What if they're your sibling?" Daphne asked.
"Oh, if they're a sibling, they're able to bypass the year waiting period and go straight to the House vote. Terrence Higgs-he's the Head Boy and the Seeker and Captain on our Quidditch Team-has a little sister in Ravenclaw named Chloe. She became an honorary Slytherin a month into her time at Hogwarts."
"Has a Gryffindor ever become an Honorary Slytherin?" asked Theo.
"One. Lily Evans Potter," said Thomas, "She was best friends with Professor Snape when they were in Hogwarts, practically siblings. She got voted in, although it was by the skin of her people were berks about her being a Muggleborn. Once she was in, though, they accepted her. They had to, because of the Slytherin rules. The Gryffindors gave her a lot of flack for hanging out with Professor Snape and the Slytherins, so they staged this big public fight at the end of their fifth year, so they could hang out in private in sixth and seventh year without anyone giving them a hard time about it. Actually, that reminds me, she wrote your Slytherin charms book."
"Ha!" said Hermione, "I told you she would've made an incredible Slytherin, Daphne!"
"You read the new book from Flourish and Blotts on her too?" Carrine perked up.
"Oh Salazar help us, there's two of them," groaned Thomas, "Well enjoyable as this conversation will be, First Years have to be in bed by 9:30 on schoolnights, and it's already 8:45 and they haven't unpacked yet.. So, anyways, the House Elves will help you with unpacking. This is a guys' dorm, as is the one next to this room. The next room has three beds. The girls' dorms are arranged the same way, just across from this dorm and the other boy's dorms. Your trunks will appear in your rooms once you claim a bed. You do that by tapping it with your wand."
Daphne tugged on Hermione's arm, who reluctantly turned away from her rapid fire discussion of the Lily Evans Potter biography with Carrine. "Come on, let's go claim our beds and unpack." They headed towards the three-bed dorm, where Pansy, who had shot out of the room as soon as Thomas had mentioned where the girls' dorms were, had already claimed the bed closest to the door. One of the walls was completely glass and Hermione could see the Black Lake, and what looked to be Merpeople swimming idly through the water.
"Dibs on the bed by the window!" Daphne said before Hermione could speak. Running over to the bed, she tapped it with her wand. Her trunk appeared on the bed, and Daphne opened it, starting to unpack.
Hermione grinned before claiming the middle bed. Her trunk appeared on her bed. A moment later, she heard the telltale crack of the arrival of a House Elf, and spun around.
"I's be Polly," the House Elf grinned, "Polly's be helping yous unpack and decorate. Polly's even be bringing glowy string lights for Little Misses. Polly's be Little Misses' House Elf this year, she is. She's be excited too's, her mummy had all of Little Misses Mothers! They be rooming together, just like Little Misses be!"
"Thanks Polly!" Hermione grinned, "You're going to be a real help. Between the three of us, I hope the closets are big enough. And I really hope there's more than one, I think that would get confusing."
Polly snapped her fingers and three doors appeared, "Little Misses be each having their own closets now!"
Daphne's eyes were wide, "How did you do that?"
"Polly be specially close with Hogwarts," she whispered, "Sees, Polly be's making sure Dumbledore not be's finding out that Elves celebrate Samhain and Beltane. We's be believing in Lady Magic, so we's be celebrating her. Hogwarts be linked with Her, so Hogwarts rewards Polly's work for Lady Magic."
A House Elf blessed by Lady Magic and Hogwarts. That certainly wasn't something you saw everyday.
"Well, Polly," Pansy cleared her throat, "We are certainly very glad to have you as our Hogwarts House Elf. Do you want to help us put up our decorations we brought from home?"
Polly's eyes widened, "Little Misses want Polly to decorate their room?"
"Yeah, if you'd like to," Daphne said.
"If Polly be liking to?" Polly's eyes started watering, "Polly be loving to decorate Little Misses room! Polly's be saving little trinkets for special Little Misses to come along one day! Polly's be right back!" She popped out of the room, and the girls all looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"I love her!" Hermione giggled, "I didn't even know we got House Elves, Mum never said a word!"
"I wonder if she can get a shelf for your books, Mia, instead of the chest at the end of the bed," Daphne thought aloud.
"I'm just glad I have a closet! I mean, can you imagine keeping our robes in trunks? Mrs. Malfoy would skin Dumbledore alive, I think!" Pansy snorted.
"I cannot believe you are forcing these children to walk around like vagabond ragamuffins," Hermione did her best Narcissa impression, "Wrinkles in any Witch's or Wizard's clothing is shameful! They should not have to use an ironing charm on the daily! Why, I am going to start an organization for this!"
"Merlin above, she would!" Daphne laughed.
Hermione had just opened her trunk and started grabbing hangers from the closet when Polly popped back into the room, her arms full of knick knacks and strings of light and throw blankets and pillows and Merlin knew what else.
"Miss Miney needs not be doing that!" Polly chided, before snapping her fingers. Hermione looked down to find her trunk empty of clothing, which had been moved to the closet, "Polly's be unpacking Little Misses trunkses for them. Little Misses can start getting ready for sleep. They's first day of classes bes tomorrow, oh yes. Polly knows her Little Misses are smart like Little Misses' Mummies."
Hermione grinned as she, Daphne and Pansy were corralled into the bathroom. As Hermione started braiding her hair, Pansy looked at the twins. "I hope Hannah's doing ok."
"She'll be alright," said Daphne, "We can check on her during breakfast tomorrow to make sure she's okay, if you want, but if there's someone who can get through anything, it's Hannah. And it's not like it's the end of the world or anything remotely unexpected, she was just sorted into Hufflepuff. We all knew she would be. And you heard Carrine. We can get her into the Common Room in no time. Theo, Draco, Vince and Greg aren't going to say no. Tracy and Millie are both from Ministry families. They'll know better than to refuse us anything. I don't know about Blaise, but I'm sure we can talk him round."
Pansy grinned, "Yeah, you're right."
Hermione yawned and that started a yawn chain that rolled through the three girls until they were all laughing and yawning and then laughing some more.
"Merlin, I'm tired," Daphne laughed.
"Me too," Hermione said, "Didn't even realize how tired I was until I was yawning. Let's go see what Polly did to our room and then I know I'm going to flop into bed," She left the bathroom and walked into the dorm room to find it completely decked out-it looked like a studio apartment, with small couches and throw blankets and string lights hanging from the walls. There was even a large bookshelf holding Hermione's small library.
"Polly, this is amazing!" Daphne gushed.
"Well," Polly looked shyly at the ground, "Polly's be waiting and preparing for her special little Misses to come along for years." She looked up, back to business, "Now Little Misses needs to be getting to sleep. Polly's be waking them up in the mornings at seven so theys can be ready for breakfast at eight and theys first classes at nine."
Each of the girls climbed into their beds and Polly tucked them into the covers before turning the lights out. "Good night Little Misses," she whispered, a smile on her face, "Sleep tight and yous be dreaming good dreams."
Friday updates! I've included my tumblr down below if you want to ask me any questions about Snakes and Sunflowers and you don't want to comment or for whatever reason you may have. I also post fanfictions that I read and really like there, so you can check it out for some fic recommendations as well if you want :)