…Sorry? I really suck at this updating thing, don't I? Ah well, I finally have another chapter. Hope it satisfies you.

Dobby's Polka-Dotted Sock

Chapter Four:

Smelly and Important

Dear Diary,

It's the early, early god-forbid-anyone-be-up-now hours of the morning, diary, and I'm sopping with Circumsero pus. Would you like to know why diary? Of course you do.

You see, I was awoken suddenly from my bed by some of the older years. I recognized them as fellow SNAKE members so I followed them quietly without question. The led me and some other new SNAKE members out of the common room, through a few dungeon passageways, and into a large room somewhere deep within the school. Bellatrix, Rudolphus Lestrange, and Lucius came forward.

Lucius: Ok, everybody, now it's time for—

Rudolphus elbowed him in the ribs to make him shut up. Clearly this was something important and more menacing than Lucius could ever dream of being.

Bellatrix: All right. Tonight is your official initiation into the ranks of SNAKE. There will definitely be no going back after this moment. You should consider it an honor, a privilege, a duty, a-

Rudolphus gave a little cough to inform her to get on with it. She looked a little put out, but continued nonetheless. She waved her wand and a puff of gray smoke emitted from it in the shape of a serpent posed to strike.

Bellatrix: You will have this mark branded onto your arm by either myself or SNAKE executives Rudolphus and Lucius. Wear it with pride, but secrecy. If beyond this point you are found to be committing treason against the most powerful Dark Lord, righteous punishment will be brought upon you without hesitation. Your name will be considered as filthy as the Mudbloods and muggles that roam freely in the land, your possessions will be destroyed beyond recognition, your family hunted down and murdered devastatingly, your-

Rudolphus gave another cough, seeming to be pointing out some of the terrified looking new members. I wasn't among them. She gave him a look, and then spoke again.

Bellatrix: Form three lines in front of each of us and join gratefully into our world of purity. The Dark Lord is pleased with your service.

We all rushed to form lines. I ended up in the one in front of Bellatrix. She would perform the spell and give the new member a gracious smile usually only reserved for high-standing purebloods. Lucius would wave his wand with a flourish then say, "Welcome fellow member!" in a high-pitched and extremely overly friendly voice. I was glad I wasn't in that line. Rudolphus would point his wand then nod and move on to the next one. That's it, diary. No thanks or welcoming words. He doesn't say much, Rudolphus Lestrange.

It was just about my turn, diary. This was going to be it. My glorious moment. I would be accepted into the group that shared my ideals; that would support me. I was practically hungry with longing.

But then disaster struck, diary. In the form of the FFFF. I don't know how they knew we were there, or how they managed to sneak in, but they did. And magically dumped a huge basin of Circumsero pus all over everyone. Including me. The initiation ritual has been postponed until further notice. They ruined my moment, diary, and I'm going to find out how.

So now I'm standing in line waiting for the shower to get this sticky, smelly pus off of me. It'll make me stink horribly for the next two weeks, so I'm going to be made fun of and avoided for a while. I just hope I don't run into Lily.

Looking for a clothespin,

Sev

Dear Diary,

I haven't touched you since writing that piece of information for fear of the smell permanently getting all over you, but nothing much has happened. I suppose even idiots like those four have to take a break every once in a while.

Normally this would be good, diary, but since I'm trying to figure out how they sneak around the school I need them to do something bad. Pull a prank. Whatever.

Anyway, Lily of course saw me during the stink period, but she was really nice about it and still hung out with me even though she did cover her nose. That's one of Lily's good points; she's willing to stand beside the man of her life even in not so great times.

If you really want to know diary, I've decided that first year isn't really good enough for me. I'm excelling in every class along with Lily. Unfortunately, so are Potter, Black, and Lupin. But at any rate, it's not much of a challenge for me at all; in fact, first year is incredibly boring. I don't think most first years notice, but we're not allowed to do practically anything! We can't have brooms, we're not allowed to take extra-curricular courses, we can't go to Hogsmeade (even though the FFFF somehow still manage to get pranking supplies), we can't join some of the clubs that use more advanced magic, and we get picked on and shoved around by everybody. That's how SNAKE is different. They accept everyone, except those beneath us like Mudbloods and blood traitors of course.

I've got to go, diary, Bellatrix is coming this way.

Frantically searching for a place to hide you,

Sev

Dear Diary,

Sorry about the short entry. Bellatrix was informing me when the rescheduled SNAKE initiation was taking place. It was last night. I'm finally in, diary. I'm sure Lily would be proud that I've joined a club, but of course I can't tell her about SNAKE. Not just yet.

Now that I'm a part of SNAKE, I can really tell the difference, diary. The older years stick up for me when others tease me, and Bellatrix even sent a Gryffindor to the Hospital Wing. I have more friends so now I don't have to looking around for Lily all the time. She says that I look happier, too. Life is looking up.

Of course, the FFFF are still being their usual obnoxious selves, but now I'm not alone in the struggle against them. Bellatrix has made it part of her personal agenda to subdue Black using force if necessary, and eventually get rid of him if he proves to resist. It sort of sounded like she was talking about a dog or some kind of wild beast, but that's what Black is. He is absolutely crazy. I still cannot understand how he and the Black girls are related. You know, diary, it's sort of sad; if Black had grown up to be a wiser person, like the rest of his relatives, we probably would've have been friends. But, he drew the line by being sorted into Gryffindor, not me.

It's starting to get chillier up here, diary, and I might be starting to catch a cold. I hope I don't, they're just bothersome, really. And besides, I have important SNAKE business to complete. This is not the life of a sloth, diary, but I will rise to the challenge.

Feeling incredibly important,

Sev