Well, PaviCalli, it's fairly traditional for the houses to miscall each other's traits; and a good Slytherin would tell you that a live cunning cautious fellow is better than a dead bone-headed hero and a timely manipulation of the truth saves a lot of trouble. The younger [and more Death Eater-subverted] members of this tradition are going to show as cowardly liars, even as Gryffindor cubs are going to show as brainless yobs, Ravenclaws as snotty show-offs, and Hufflepuffs as terminally unoriginal. As you will have seen, if you stuck with it, Severus leads his Marauder friends into alliances with members of Slytherin because he's traditionally Slytherin enough to believe that subverting to alliance is twice as effective as defeating. He hasn't exactly seen good examples in his Slytherin peer group to challenge the Gryffindor promulgated view, and at eleven years old, however independent a thinker he is going to be picking up some peer pressure in nomenclature. School stories are about growth and learning. Severus had his certainty in family tradition badly rocked on the train, but he has enough constancy from his grandfather to look further than happily embracing the beliefs of his new house and to lead Sirius away from total bigotry as well. A character who starts off wise, knowing, perfect and without any prejudices to fight against would be a bit boring, don't you think? Sev is neither totally rejecting Slytherin, nor is he going to be a Slytherin sorted to the wrong house. He is who he is.

Chapter 8

The four children who had been reluctant waited in a knot outside the ward, where they had been banished. They looked warily at the Marauders, and David Greengrasse's hand strayed towards his wand.

"We aren't here to jinx you," said James, haughtily.

"Let's do this properly," said Severus, bowing. "Mr. Greengrasse, as one of the major houses, we, the scions of Houses Black, Potter and Prince, and our adherents wish to negotiate."

Greengrasse bowed back; it was almost a conditioned response. All the children on both sides bowed and curtseyed.

"Speak, scion of the House of Prince," said Greengrasse.

"We note your reluctance to be drawn into the politics of the death eaters," said Severus. "Even in the harming of one of their number in the person of Avery, who is an egregious little tick, but might have learned the error of his ways."

"Unlikely but you never know," Greengrasse shrugged.

"Some people join gangs to avoid being ganged against," said Severus. "And if you let him hang with you lot, that's five of you against Mulciber's gang. And only three of them. Five opposing three is better than four opposing four, wouldn't you say?"

"I can add up as well as anyone," said Greengrasse. "And what's it to you?"

"We're opposing Death Eaters," said Severus. "And other bullies, for that matter. I know your house is traditionally neutral, Greengrasse, neither traditionalist nor liberal, but as you can see, we all respect the traditions without wanting to go as far as the extremes of the Death Eaters. Your family respects the rule of law; and they have placed themselves outside the protection of neutrality by disregarding the law and laughing at it. They killed an auror."

"That is true enough," admitted Greengrasse. "So what's the actual deal?"

"The deal is, you lot stand firm against those who want to be Death Eaters, and we Marauders will back you, and fight your corner if big people get involved," said Severus. "I can't see that a man of honour has anything in common with people who wand-burn a kid for, I presume, having been caught spying by us when we were talking. And yes, we jinxed him well as a matter of principle, but we won't stand by to see Mulciber and Malfoy take it out of his hide because we are cleverer than him. And if you can get him to run with your lot, it makes sense."

Greengrasse nodded.

"It does," he said. "This is not an agreement for my family to abandon neutrality or support liberal policies."

"No, of course not; my grandfather is neutral like your family, with conservative leanings, the Black family are traditionalist and the Potter family rather more liberal. Politics don't enter into it, it's a means to stop criminals who are holding our society to ransom and tainting the name of traditionalist houses through their actions," said Severus.

"Yes, you're right," said Greengrasse. "And I shall write to my father and tell him that those of us trying to remain within the rules are having to accept help from Gryffindors because members of our own house are traitors to society."

"Too right!" said James. They shook hands all round, and departed to leave the four Slytherin to exert pressure on Avery to leave Mulciber's gang and swing the balance of power the other way.

"So why did we make an agreement with the enemy?" asked James when they were safely back in Gryffindor tower.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"James, don't be crass! They aren't the enemy, they're little kids like us. House rivalry isn't the same as enmity."

"Exactly," said Severus. "You can't go about saying that all Slytherin are the enemy; suppose I hadn't met Malfoy on the train? I'd have gone there for loyalty to my grandfather, and you said you'd still have been friends. And the kids who don't know it's the house usurped by death eaters get put in there if they have ambition and a degree of cunning, whether they are death eater types or no different to us Marauders, 'cos we could all be Slytherin, you know! And more than ever, we need Slytherin who aren't Death Eaters to support the … the common good."

"Oh," said James, abashed. "I suppose so."

"He puts it more eloquently than I could, but I agree too," said Remus.

Remus said very little, but when he spoke up, they all generally listened, and no more was said about Slytherin being the enemy.

"Mr. Malfoy, you have already lost your prefectship, are you asking to be expelled?" Dumbledore looked over the top of his half-moon spectacles, and there was no jollity in his gaze.

"I … those Gryffindor kids interrupted a perfectly private peer punishment of a fellow," said Malfoy. "Normally such things are done in the privacy of the common room, and what happens in Slytherin stays in Slytherin."

"Ah, I see, you have been used to Professor Slughorn being lax in the matter of discipline of those of you from old and powerful houses," said Dumbledore, softly, but there was steel in his tone. "I have asked your House Master to be alive to such infractions, and as he was most shocked by your behaviour only a short while ago, I fancy he is keeping a close eye on you. He will be keeping a closer eye on you, Mr. Malfoy, for you are in detention until the end of term."

"Are you serious? It's only September still!"

"Oh, I am quite serious, Mr. Malfoy, and I will be more serious yet if you speak back to me in such a tone again," said Dumbledore. "You have proven yourself to be entirely untrustworthy, so you will hand your wand to your House Master over lunch and after school, and you will take your meals on a table which will be set up between the staff table and the main Slytherin table, and you will sleep in the guest quarters next to your House Master's own quarters. House elves are preparing all this as I speak to you. For safety reasons you will not be locked in to your new room, but if you attempt to leave it, a ward will be triggered, and you will be followed. There are lavatory facilities ensuite, so there is no need to leave your room. It will be no more luxurious than a dormitory room, naturally, but it is an improvement on being made to sleep for the rest of the term in the hospital wing, which I considered. At the end of this term, we shall review your behaviour to see if you might be permitted to sleep and eat with civilised people again. As to your detention …"

"There's more?" Malfoy was aghast.

"Oh, yes, Lucius, there is more. This is only about your living arrangements. After school you will be supervised while you undertake your preparation, and when you have finished, you will be filling this book for me," Dumbledore conjured a blank bound book, "In your best handwriting, repetitions of 'I should try to act like a respectable member of society, not like a criminal.' I trust that you will find that the lesson goes home."

"And … and the weekends?"

"Oh yes, thank you for reminding me. At the weekends, you must keep up healthy exercise, and not be stuck inside copying. You will run around the lake first thing after breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, and then you will finish any homework you have on the Saturday, and so that you are fresh for the new week, Madam Sprout and Mr. Filch will find you physical tasks about the greenhouses and castle to keep you occupied. Mr. Filch has only agreed to this on the understanding that a house elf is assigned to him to report any naughtiness on your part towards Mr. Filch, though I fancy, Lucius, as you have not studied wandless magic, you should find it easy to be a model student."

Lucius Malfoy ground his teeth.

Mulciber was also in detention until the end of term, for using a curse of deadly effect and for hurting a fellow student. His detentions were all with Argus Filch, but he was left his wand and was not moved out of his dormitory or of his table. As a younger boy, as Dumbledore told him, he had come under some bad influence, and had the opportunity to escape from it. His gang members would be in detention for a month.

The acid test, so far as the Marauders were concerned, would be over Avery, and whether he left Mulciber's gang or not. Greengrasse nodded to Severus as they met for potions. As families they ranked approximately equal on the social standings, so fewer niceties were required between them. After wishing each other 'well met', Greengrasse spoke.

"Avery saw the error of his ways; being hurt twice, once by your gang, and then by his own did not seem to him to be a good bargain. No man of honour punishes his underlings for failure, unless it was palpably their own fault, and it seems that as attitudes come from the top, this so-called Lord Voldemort encourages punishment for failure, regardless of the difficulty of the task set."

Severus managed not to blink at so pompous, and to his mind, Ravenclawish a statement, since he agreed with the sentiment.

"It might just be Malfoy and his influence, but I guess you're right," he said.

"I have heard a few things from my father as well," said Greengrasse.

"Ah, then that does rather clinch what he stands for, doesn't it?" said Severus. "Rule not by tradition but by bully."

"Yes," said Greengrasse, "And I'm writing to my father on the subject."

"Good," said Severus. "I'm sure he'll find much in common with my grandfather."

Malfoy was further ridiculed at his lone table when his family owl glided in and dropped a red envelope. Malfoy winced, closed his eyes briefly, and opened the Howler hurriedly.

"YOU IRRITATING LITTLE MORON! HAVE YOU NO SENSE? WHATEVER POSSESSED YOU TO START HARASSING LESSER BEINGS LIKE SQUIBS AND MUDBLOODS? YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE FAMILY IN CONSORTING WITH THEM IN ANY FASHION WHATSOEVER! YOU SHOULD IGNORE SUCH ANIMALS, EVEN AS YOU SHOULD IGNORE THE ELVES, AND NOT DAMAGE VALUABLE PROPERTY! AS I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS BEFORE I AM EVEN MORE DISPLEASED! YOU DESERVE ANY PUNISHMENT YOU GET FOR FORGETTING THAT A MALFOY IS ABOVE THE PETTY MINDED ERUMPANT DUNG PROMULGATED BY THAT JUMPED-UP HALF-BLOOD ARSEWIPE FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE! A MALFOY DOES NOT FOLLOW SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A NAME! NOW SHAPE UP OR YOU'LL BE NO SON OF MINE!"

"Well!" said Severus. "Time perhaps for my grandfather to talk to Abraxus Malfoy and seek some agreements."

"But he's horrible! He calls muggleborn and squibs animals!" said Lily.

"Sure he is, and he's a nasty piece of work looking on elves only as property, too," said Severus, "But when has politics ever been about liking people? Getting pure bloods on our side against Voldemort is good, right? "

"My mother thinks Voldemort is the works," said Sirius.

"Yeah, but we already established that your mother gives lady dogs a bad name and isn't too tightly wrapped, Siri mate," said James.

"Good point," said Sirius.

Severus also received letters. The first, in his mother's handwriting, he ripped open, in case it was unpleasant, to get it out of the way.

"My dear son,

My grandfather came to call, and your father was in one of his moods, and I confess I was glad to see anyone. Grandfather took one look at my face, and he did not even bother to take out his wand, he beat up your father using some unarmed combat technique he has learned. I have never seen Tobias so discommoded, as he was ready to sneer at any damage caused by wand and was preparing to send a letter to the ministry complaining of muggle baiting. However, he can hardly do so for being given bruises in the muggle fashion! I did not know my grandfather knew such things! I confess I was pleased to go with him, and be pampered by Tessi. I have missed living in a wizarding family, but I thought I loved your father, and I despised my father and grandfather for their prejudice. Your grandfather has said it can happen in families where both are from recognised families but one is very musical and the other tone deaf, and he assumes that it would be the same in such case with muggles too. I am sorry I have not been a better mother to you, but Granddad says that you will understand, and I hope that you do. Your mother,

Eileen Prince

House of Prince.

Severus' eyes misted with tears. He could not ever trust his mother to protect him, but now he was eleven, he could take care of her.

The other letter was in the forceful handwriting of his grandather.

"My dear boy,

I believe your mother has written to her, I went to see her and found that piece of dung which somehow managed to sire you using her as a punching bag. I have taken my time before visiting since I spent part of the summer, and the last few weeks studying intensively on muggle martial arts, since I would despise to soil my wand on the trash, or to be accused of muggle baiting. I believe any court would acquit me on the evidence of your mother's bruises, but even so, I felt it worth while taking him apart in a manner he could understand. I confess it is remarkably satisfying and I have recommended my teacher to the Evans parents, and you will also be learning from him in the holidays. Sometimes the unexpected can give you an edge.

You wrote me a hurried note about wanting to help a squib, and I will be coming to pick you up at Christmas, when I shall examine him. I confess that the idea of going down in history as a curer of squibs, and a co-curer of lycanthropy tickles my ego.

I am proud of your standings in class, and that you have managed to convince the runes teacher to permit you into her class. You might also wish to consider reading some works on arithmancy if you have time, as this aids with potioneering and spellcrafting as well as placement of runes for a better result. However, do not overdo the study, as all work and no play makes Jacobus a dull boy. The idea of making allies outside your house is a good one. I would have preferred you to have been leading that group, but I understand your reasons for avoiding such a prefect, though you say that was stripped from him, and quite right too. I have to say, from your descriptions of the young Malfoy, he sounds exactly like your father but with the advantage of magical powers. Don't let him intimidate you, you have a weapon to surpass him, as you inherited my brains.

Stay safe,

Your grandfather, Tiberius Prince,

Head of the House of Prince."

Yes, thought Severus, Lucius Malfoy did have that about him which reminded him of his father. He would write home and tell his grandfather all about the developments and how the son was not in his father's good books.