It's a cool morning in Hogwarts. As I sit at the Slytherin table, eating my eggs and bacon, I can't help but feel... that something is not quite right... I look around me to see whether I'm the only one burdened with this feeling, but everyone's just talking normally. I frown.
"What's up Albus?" Rus asks from beside me. I shake my head, twisting around to look for James and Rose. James is busy talking to some of his Gryffindor friends, and I can't help the wave of jealousy that washes over me. I should be in Gryffindor! But what's done is done. Dad told me in the first letter he sent that he received a letter from Hogwarts telling him what house I made it in. He's not disappointed, in fact, he says he's proud to have good Slytherin in the family, I just rose an eyebrow at that letter. It's always been the way, that all Slytherins grow up to evil fiends, well, Slytherin may teach me how to act and may corrupt my 'innocence,' but I'll try my hardest to keep the goodness in me. As I sit here, I sigh as I watch my brother laugh with his friends, when I feel another pair of eyes watching me. I turn to see Rose, who offers me a slight, comforting smile. I smile back as she nods her head, smile becoming an all out grin. I know what she's trying to tell me, that things will be alright, and I desperately want to believe her. Suddenly the Great Hall fills with hundreds of owls, all of different shapes and sizes and colourings. In front of me, one such owl drops a small package. Opening it up, I find a small box of chocolate frogs from my Nana Weasley. A smile breaks out over my face. Molly Weasley, much beloved mother hen, has always been smothering us all with gifts and treats since the day we (me, Jame, Lily, Rose, and the rest of us) were born. I look up at a rather loud thud to see something land in front of Scorpius, who calmly begins to open it, when a blinding flash fills the hall. A scream erupts once the flash dies down, I spin around curiously, only to find my vision blocked by students trying to get a better look. I stand up and walk numbly to the place of the hysterical girl, pushing through the gasping, shocked people to get where I want. However, once I get through the crowd of people, I have half the mind to erase my memory, or at least ask one of the teachers to do it for me. What I see is a girl lying limp against the table, still seated, but her head against the table top, eyes staring ahead. I move until I stand before the girl's eyes. Dead. They still contain a strange bright, living look to them, like as if this girl isn't dead at all. Perhaps just cursed to lose the ability to move her muscles... But no. This girl is certainly dead. As her blank teal eyes continue to stare at me, I turn my eyes away, unable to look anymore at the pale, pretty face that will never smile or laugh again. I ever knew this girl, and I know I never will... My eyes turn to look at the table in front of her, where they find a parcel, partially unwrapped. I frown at the sight before me. So somebody enchanted the package with some kind of killing curse... I don't get to look at the girl or her package anymore, though, because just then the teachers seem to get over their shock and jump into action. Everybody's shooed out and away from the scene, while being informed that all classes are canceled for the day, but we are still all in a state of shock as we wander through the near endless corridors to our common rooms. Once inside, the whole of Slytherin house seems to deflate into the arm chairs provided, and those who can't sit on the floor, backs against the wall.
Nobody in the house of Slytherin talks, since besides our reputation, nobody truly wants to watch a person die.
"Does anybody know who that girl was?" a third year girl whispers. Everybody shakes their heads slowly, except one.
"She was a fourth year Ravenclaw girl. I believe her name was something like Nova," says a fifth year boy. "Yeah. Nova Brendyl. Smart girl, but obviously not smart enough." The shock is starting to wear off, as is shown through the cold masks the Slytherins are starting to put in place, and the dry scoffs others are voicing out.
"Yeah. Not smart enough..." Scorpius mutters, eyes shuttered and expression none existent.
The rest of the day goes by slowly, with us all just thinking about what had happened at breakfast, while having the whole day to just contemplate. None of us Snakes leave the cave where we dwell, we remain in the common room, talking about the girl's sudden death, asking each other what we remember of the incident, who actually saw it and who would do such a thing. Slowly our talk turns to the Dark Lord of my father's time, and people wonder just what this means.
"Do you think it's some copycat You-Know-Who?" a fellow first year- Jordan- asks with a quivering voice.
"Perhaps," comes a voice from the fire place. We all turn to look, only to meet the eyes of Penance. "It could be anyone. It could have been her boyfriend, her friend, a sibling, it could even have been her own mother for all we know. But chances are yes, it's a stranger who caused her death. After all, you wouldn't have to do much research to find that that girl was Muggle-born." There is uneasiness throughout the room as the words sink in.
"So, you think whoever it is might have a thing against Muggle-borns, because I am a Muggle-born!" The boy who spoke this- a third year- cries out. There are a hand full of nods throughout the room, their owners looking on with either frightful or determined eyes.
"Yes," Penance says calmly with a slight nod. "It seems that this person might be going after Muggle-borns, however, one dead Muggle-born is hardly enough to raise alarm."
"May I make a suggestion?" a voice asks hesitantly from the direction of the entrance. We all turn and gasp in unison. There a silvery male ghost stands tall and proud in Slytherin Hogwarts uniform. The ghost smirks. "Honestly. Haven't you seen a ghost before? My name is Kal, most of you most probably never heard of me. I was one of the unfortunate ones who had Death Eater parents and so was forced into picking the wrong side. Guess you can blame my parents for my present position. Also, don't be so surprised to see a young ghost, after the Battle of Hogwarts, you'll be surprised to see just how many of us there are. Now, let me tell you all now that I knew the Dark Lord, don't cross out the idea that this might be him, resurrected, reborn. After all, he was a powerful man with powerful followers, there might still be people out there who follow his cause, it all started with one person, after all. That, or it could just be some person unhappy with what that girl might have done, but we may never know. Anyway, I am going to leave now. We seem to have a new member to welcome," he says slyly as he walks (bare in mind he's a Slytherin, and Slytherins do not float) through the door after mumbling the password. We stare after him for a while.
"Well, I still think it's a You-Know-Who copycat..." Jordan huffs, and half the common room mumbles in agreement.
The next few hours are spent talking about the ghost boy, Kal, and wondering what stories he might have to tell.
"I wonder if he were a spy..."
"Nonesense, I'm sure he was just a stuck up brat with parent issues!"
"Do you think he ever killed anyone?"
"Do you think he did the killing curse?" At this point the whispers were starting to get unsettlingly enthusiastic. Makes you wonder about the rumours that Slytherins are evil. At lunch, the food is brought to us via house elf, as is the same with dinner, by which point we are sick to death at seeing each others faces and are near breaking (or should I say rip, tear, Avada etc.)point.
"Oh! So you really think that I stole your quill?!" Yeah... the conversations, as you can see, really started to take a turn for the 'what the- seriously.'
"Oh, well who else could've taken it, you leech!" In the corner of my eye, I can see Penance, the patriarch of Slytherin, messaging his temple.
"Did you just call me a leech?!" The second year girl screeches.
"Oh, yes! But you know it's right! Look around, Leech, nobody's denying it!"
"Why you-"
"Silence!" Penance shouts at last. His eyes are clouded with anger and frustration as he attempts to calm his breathing. "Now, let us eat, and then after we have eaten, we shall retreat to our dorms and sleep." Everybody nods solemnly as we eat our dinner quietly. Afterwards, we all make our way to the dorms, me staying behind a little to finish off a particularly spectacular sponge cake. Once I make my way upstairs, I find the first year boys' dorms empty and silent. I frown. As I walk down the corridor, I nudge open each year's dormitory door, only to find them empty. Finally I reach the fifth year dorm, I open the door carefully to find what looks like all the male Slytherins, settling down in this one room. I frown in confusion.
"Well, hello, Potter," a voice says from beside me, I jump and spin around, only to come face to face with Penance.
"Hello, Penance," I return, only to make the amusement in his eyes shine brighter. In response to my questioning look, he sighs.
"I know you most probably grew up with horrible tales of the dreaded Slytherin house, but let me tell you now. Do you know why all these kids are sleeping in this room?" I shake my head, still confused. "Because they need someone to trust, and need to feel protected. These are the kids who have never felt protected or safe in their lives. These are the kids with the darkest of secrets and the heaviest of hearts. Now tell me Potter, are you going to join us and trust us with your sleeping back turned to us? Because in that room, there are people who feel worse off than you, but the days of You-Know-Who were bad ones, and what happened today only served as a terrible reminder. So choose, Potter. Be a solitary Snake- the lone wolf, if you'd prefer- or bask in safety among us." Penance narrows his eyes at me, as if daring me to decline, but with my head held high, I look him straight in the eye.
"Better go get my stuff then," I say, as I turn to my dorm and collect my things. The fifth year dorms are a full and cramped with people, even though an extending charm had been placed on the room, but still, we all settle down for an uneventful night, and as for the rest of the week, well, mountains of homework aside, and besides Professor Hurshawl's panic attack half way through the week (must be hard to be doomed to die), the rest of the week went by uneventfully.
