Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

I'm glad you're still enjoying the story! I want to thank everyone who put me on their "favorite stories" lists. I really appreciate it!

As for Harry and Ron's friendship, my one reviewer is right when he/she points out that Harry shouldn't trust Ron again this soon. But, he is a forgiving soul, and he does know Ron might not react well to the prospect of talking to Slytherins. You'll see that your prediction is proved right in this chapter.

Also, some of you may think that Harry acts way, way older than 14 in this chapter. I'm inclined to agree, but I like writing him this way, because I think his experiences with the Dursleys truly opened his eyes to the cruelty and prejudice of the world. I never understood why this was not touched upon more in canon, but Rowling wrote her story the way she wanted to write it, and I can't fault her for that. After all, she's the one that gave us this fantastic world to play in, right?

Chapter 26: S.A.N.E: Slytherins are Not Evil

"You might as well just forget it, mate," said Ron as soon as Harry explained his idea a few days later about talking to the Slytherins. "Just look at the bunch of them. Loads of them are children of Death Eaters, they'll just become mini-Death Eaters themselves."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed angrily. "That isn't always true! You see, I've been thinking, and I think the reason why so many Slytherins become Death Eaters is because they're not accepted anywhere else. Everyone else thinks they're evil, so they end up proving them right. Some people become what society makes of them."

"Well, you can talk to the Slytherins if you want," snapped Ron. "Count me out, though."

"Fine," growled Harry. "I just wish you'd grow up."

"Excuse me?" Ron spluttered. "Grow up?"

"Yes, Ron," said Harry. "Don't talk to me anymore right now."

"Fine." He stomped away, giving him and Hermione glares over his shoulder.

Harry was tired of Ron's prejudiced attitude. It was just as bad as Slytherins being prejudiced against Muggle-borns and Muggles if Gryffindors were that way against Slytherins. Harry had not forgotten his idea about pranking Ron that he had had when they were still not talking. But right now, he was too frustrated even to prank him. Just when he thought their friendship was looking up, Ron had to go and pull this bull.

Cedric told Harry that he'd already talked to Cho, and she was up for the idea. Hermione definitely sounded like she was ready to try it, and Neville and Ginny were very happy about it. So it was later that day that the whole group of them knocked on Snape's door.

When the Potions professor opened it, there was a quick expression of shock that flitted across his face. But then it changed to one of frustration. "What business do you have, interrupting my work?" he sneered.

"Excuse me, Professor," Cho said, "but we've all been thinking. We'd like to talk to the Slytherins, to see if they'd like to be friends with us. We want to try to change the rivalry that's been rampant in Hogwarts for so long."

"Yes," said Neville, bravely looking at Snape. "We don't think they're all evil, sir."

"A likely story," Snape snarled. "You've been against them from the beginning."

"Please, Professor," Harry said.

"Ah, Potter, should've known your hero complex would be in on this too," Snape drawled. "You never stay out of anything, do you?"

Harry kept eye contact with Snape, not letting his words dissuade him. "I know I've been stupid in the past," he admitted. "But I want to try to change things. All Slytherins can't be automatically evil. Professor dumbledore says Voldemort might-"

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Snape shouted furiously.

"Er, sorry, You-Know-Who," Harry amended. "Professor Dumbledore says You-Know-Who might return, and we want to tell the Slytherins they don't all have to join him, that there's a better way. We realize that the reason so many Slytherins join him is because of their struggle for acceptance in the wizarding world."

Another look of surprise stole across Snape's greasy face. He looked at all the students with a long, piercing gaze. "Fine," he snapped. "You may talk to the Slytherins. We'll set up a time, and any Slytherin who is willing to listen to you will meet you in the Potions classroom at the verified time. If, however, I hear that any insults or nasty hexes have been traded between you, I will take more points from the house of the perpetrators than I've ever taken before. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," everyone chorused.

"Very well. Now get out of my sight. I will let you know what I decide when I decide it. Do not bother me again."

xxx

It was a few days later when Snape cornered Harry after Potions class. He told him that he and his group could meet the Slytherins at eight o'clock that night in the Potions room.

So at about seven forty-five, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville left Gryffindor Tower, Ron saying a grumpy goodbye and a "Good luck, see you in the hospital wing when you've been cursed to death," to them. "That stupid wanker!" exclaimed Ginny as they walked. "He's an example of what's wrong in today's society!"

Harry couldn't help but agree. Hermione was so angry she didn't even bother to chastise Ginny for her language.

When they reached the dungeons, Cedric and Cho were already there, and they smiled at the Gryffindors. "Are you ready for this?" Cedric asked.

"Yes, I am," Harry answered. "No matter what anyone says, let's remember to not let their words bother us."

"Yes, exactly," said Hermione. "They'll probably be harshest to us Gryffindors, but that's because we've unfortunately fed into the prejudice for so long."

"Some of them might even call you ... that word, Hermione," Cho warned.

"I know," Hermione sighed. "But I'm not going to get angry with them if they do. Children of Death Eaters are probably taught to use that word to describe Muggle-borns."

"I promise I won't hex any of them," said Harry. They continued to the Potions classroom, and they stepped inside. They were happy to see that there were many Slytherins sitting at desks. Some were even standing. Draco Malfoy was not among them. In a way Harry was glad, but in another way, he was disappointed that Malfoy wasn't even willing to listen to what he and his friends had to say. Crabbe and Goyle were also not present, and neither was Pansy Parkinson. But Millicent Bulstrode, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, and Blaise Zabini were there, along with many Slytherins from other years. There were especially a lot of younger ones there, first-years and second-years. "Hello, everyone," said Harry, standing at the front of the classroom as a teacher would, the others standing alongside him. "How are you all today?"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" Theodore Nott drawled. "Professor Snape told us to all come here, that you want to be nice to us. He's observing this from his office, you know, in case you decide to hex us or something."

"No, this is no joke, Theodore," said Hermione promptly.

"And what right do you have to call me by my first name, you filthy little mudblood?" spat Nott.

"Now, now," said Cho patiently, "there's no need for that. We really do want to be nice to you. This is definitely no joke."

"We've decided," said Cedric, "to reach out a hand to the Slytherin population. We realize that the majority of Hogwarts is against your house."

"Yeah, because the other houses can do no wrong," interrupted Blaise Zabini, glowering. "Even that old codger Dumbledore thinks so."

"We want to try to fix that," said Harry, trying his hardest not to let the insults against Dumbledore and Hermione get to him. "I'm sorry I've been such a prat in the past, thinking you're all evil. See, when I first came to Hogwarts, I knew practically nothing about the wizarding world. I only went by what others told me, and I didn't want to be a Slytherin because I was informed that all dark wizards came from that house. The Sorting Hat actually said I'd be good for Slytherin."

"Are you serious?" Daphne Greengrass questioned. "Harry Potter, You-Know-Who's downfall, in Slytherin?"

"Yes, Harry Potter in Slytherin," he smiled. "I should've seen it right from the start. All Slytherins can't be evil."

"I think the reason why so many dark wizards come from your house," said Hermione, "is because of the struggle for acceptance that you go through."

"And what do you know, mudblood?" said Nott furiously. "How could you have changed your mind so fast? What possessed you to start pretending to be nice to us?"

"Please, we're not pretending," Hermione said pleadingly. "Please listen to us, we'll explain everything."

"Well, it's really Cedric here who deserves the credit," Harry said, smiling at the Hufflepuff. "He said at my birthday party that a quarter of wizards can't be all evil. And I think that if we accept you more, you'll feel less like rebelling and doing bad things."

"Yes," agreed Neville. "We want there to be house unity at Hogwarts. Because of the Death Eaters escaping from Azkaban and the events of the Quidditch World Cup, we need it now more than ever."

"And Professor Dumbledore says Voldemort might return," said Harry, causing many of the Slytherins to gasp.

"Don't you dare say the Dark Lord's name, Potter!" Nott snarled.

"Why not?" Harry questioned, making direct eye contact with Nott. "It's just a name. Why do you give him so much power?"

A look of absolute fury crossed Nott's face. He looked like he'd been holding something in for a long time, and suddenly, it all seemed to pour out of him. "If you must know, my parents are Death Eaters," he roared. "They never went to Azkaban because they claimed to be under the Imperius Curse. They want me to join him if he returns."

"That's not going to happen, Theo," said Millicent Bulstrode. "The Dark Lord won't be coming back."

"We don't know that, though," said Harry. "Dumbledore says there are ways he could return. And you don't have to join him, Theodore. Why do you think you have to?"

"Maybe because I don't have a choice?" spat Nott. "My parents told me that they'd disown me or even kill me if I didn't join."

Underneath all the anger, Harry could detect fear in Nott's voice as well. Why had he even told them his parents were Death Eaters? He must know that Harry might tell Dumbledore, and his parents might get arrested. But maybe that was what Nott wanted. "Why did you tell us about your parents, Theodore?" asked Hermione gently. "It isn't right that they threatened to disown or murder you just because you might not want to do what they're doing."

Nott stood up, staring with unadulterated hatred at Hermione. "Do you even want to know what living in my family is like?" he exploded. "I was taught to call Muggle-borns mudbloods, Granger. I was taught that all mudbloods and Muggles are scum, that there's nothing better than eliminating the whole lot of them. And do you want to know what happened at the Quidditch World Cup? Do you really want to know?" he shouted, his voice becoming louder and louder. "Tell me you want to know, and I'll tell you!" The other Slytherins, especially the younger ones, were gazing at Theodore Nott with wide eyes.

"What happened at the World Cup?" asked Cedric, compassion in his honest gray eyes.

"My parents made me wear a mask and march with the other Death Eaters!" Nott howled. "And I watched my father-MY OWN FATHER-kill those two children! I thought I'd enjoy it, that's what I'd been taught all my life, to enjoy killing and torturing, but I hated it! It was horrible! Do you understand now? Have you ever watched the life just disappear from someone's eyes? Are you going to be nice to me anymore? You disgust me!"

Harry was shocked. He'd never thought that any Slytherin would pour their heart out like Theodore Nott just had. The group were all looking at him, and Harry said, "Of course we're still going to be nice to you. What your parents made you do wasn't right."

"No, it wasn't," Ginny agreed. "Parents shouldn't do that to their children, and make them watch stuff like that." Amazingly, she could see tears brimming behind Nott's eyes. She walked over to him, followed by the rest of the group, and Cedric put a hand on the boy's shoulder. Nott violently tried to swipe the hand away, but Cedric didn't give up. "I think you should talk to Professor Dumbledore," he said softly.

"NO!" wailed Nott. "I don't want to go to Azkaban!"

"What makes you think he'll send you to Azkaban?" asked Hermione. "You didn't like what you saw, and sometimes seeing things firsthand really cements in our minds the fact that we don't like them. Come on, I'll take you to see him. He's a very kind man, he'll understand."

"Fine, you disgusting little mudblood," yelled Nott, but everyone could see he was just trying to keep up pretenses now; he didn't really mean it. "Take me to the old codger. Where the hell am I supposed to live after my parents are arrested? Do you realize that if they escape, my life will be in constant danger? And I'll be disowned!"

"Dumbledore will protect you. He is a very powerful wizard," Cedric said quietly.

"Do you have any other family?" asked Cho gently.

"Yeah, I have an aunt, but she wants nothing to do with my parents!"

"Well, if she knows you're not like your parents, she'll probably change her mind about you," answered Hermione. "We won't know unless we try, right? Come on, Theodore." She took his arm. Nott tried to struggle, but eventually all his strength left him and Hermione led him out of the classroom.

The others just stood there, shocked. Poor Nott. He was usually such an impassive person, one who kept his resolve at all times. This meeting had just really brought all his hidden feelings to the surface. Harry wondered if Snape had listened to that entire confrontation, and what he thought. He also wondered if Nott could make a friend in Sirius. Sirius had definitely been more rebellious than Nott, because Nott had thought he had no other choice than to go with what his parents wanted for him, but Harry thought it still might be good for the two to talk.

"Well, then," said Cho, "Theodore was our example. It just goes to show that not all Slytherins are bad."

The first-years were looking at the group in awe. One girl timidly raised her hand. "Yes, what's your name?" asked Cedric.

"My name is Helena," said the girl. "So you're saying, you don't think I'm evil? I mean, it seemed like as soon as the hat yelled Slytherin, everyone was glaring at me."

"Yeah," said Bulstrode. "It's like everything you guys do is automatically good, and everything we do is automatically evil."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "But my friends and I are going to try to do everything we can to get rid of that stereotype."

"Malfoy hates you," Zabini told them. "He heard about you coming to see us, and he completely refused to come and even listen to you."

"I think he wants to be a Death Eater," Helena said quietly.

"Well, that will be a shame if Malfoy decides to go down that path," said Ginny. "But all we can do is try to persuade him that there's a better way. You guys can definitely help, if you want. If people in his own house are saying he shouldn't support You-Know-Who, maybe he'll listen."

"You do realize what you're doing, don't you?" drawled Zabini. "You'll probably cause tension between people of our own house."

"We realize that," said Cho sadly. "We'd hate to cause that kind of atmosphere, but if we try to break the Slytherin mold, it will probably work out better in the long run. If any Slytherin tries to hurt you or bully you for coming here today, come to us, okay? Or go to Professors Snape or Dumbledore."

At that moment, Hermione came walking back into the room. "Theodore's with Professor Dumbledore," she announced. "They're sorting everything out. I do hope he's all right."

"Thanks, Hermione," said Harry. "We'll catch up with him later. And guys, make sure you tell Theodore the same thing, okay? If anyone tries to tease him or give him a hard time about his decision to turn his parents in, he can come to a professor or to us. He shouldn't have to put up with that kind of behavior. He's going through a very difficult time right now. Tonight was probably one of the hardest nights he's ever had, but it seems he's been keeping that inside for a long time. We must all try to support him."

Helena nodded, along with lots of the other first-years. Even some of the older ones looked as if they were understanding what the group was saying.

"I think we should call ourselves something," said Hermione. "We should ask Professor Snape if we could meet every once in a while, and get to know each other better."

"I'm up for it," said Helena, giving them a shy smile. "What should we call ourselves?"

"I was thinking," said Cho, "maybe an acronym for something. Something about you guys not all being evil."

"I've got it!" said Harry, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Hermione. "S.A.N.E.," he said. "Slytherins Are Not Evil. If you take just the letters, it spells sane, like we're sane for thinking there's good in everyone."

"I love it," said Hermione, understanding why Harry's eyes were twinkling; he was thinking of how she loved things like that. That was where she'd gotten S.P.E.W. from, after all. "I'll make some badges," she added. "All Slytherins who'd like to be involved can wear them. They'll say S.A.N.E. on them, and underneath that will be what it stands for. I'll get on that immediately after the meeting."

"I'll help," Cedric offered.

"Me, too," Cho agreed, with the others nodding.

"How about we meet again next week?" Harry asked. "We'll talk to Professor Snape again, and if he says yes, we'll meet in here at the same time."

All the Slytherins began to move, preparing to leave the classroom. Helena walked over to the group. "Thank you," she said, looking at them as though they were heroes. "Thanks for trying to help us."

"You're welcome, Helena," said Neville kindly. They could tell by the look on her face that now she didn't feel so ostracized by the whole school. As she and the rest of the Slytherins left the room, some of them voiced their thanks, while others just gave them looks. Some still looked doubtful, but Harry hoped he and the others could convince them that they were here to help.

Finally, it was only Blaise Zabini standing in the room. "Blaise, do you need something?" asked Ginny.

"I just wanted to, uh, thank you," Blaise said, a blush creeping onto his face. The group could see how difficult it was for the boy to voice this. "Thanks for what you did for Theo. He's been ... not right this year. I always wondered what was the matter."

"That's what we're here for," said Cedric, putting out a hand for Blaise to shake. He shook it, and then left the room, embarrassed.

"Wow, that was interesting," said Neville, once the group was alone.

"I knew we could do it," smiled Hermione. "Let's go to the library and get started on the badges, okay?"

At that moment, Snape came out of his office. He looked at the students long and hard, and said in a slow voice, "You may meet next week." With that, he was gone.

"I think we shocked him," said Neville, gazing after Snape's swirling black robes.

"I think so, too," said Harry. "Okay, let's go to the library."

So they set off, thinking about S.A.N.E., Nott's predicament, and everything else they could do for the Slytherins. House unity at Hogwarts was on its way to beginning.