Chapter 4, Welcome to Slytherin.
The Start-of-term banquet continued, Harry was enjoying his plate of delicious food while a few of the other Slytherins talked to each other, Malfoy was finally being quiet after Gemma had told him off.
It was clear to Harry that Draco Malfoy was not a nice person at all, for a moment he had been worried that all of the Slytherins would be the same but it seemed that they wasn't, most of the Slytherins seemed like perfectly normal people and quite a few of them was clearly annoyed by Malfoy as well.
Just as Harry took a bite of roast beef a rather frightening looking ghost floated next to Malfoy, much to the blond boys displeasure, "So your our new first-years, I hope that you'll help us win the House cup again this year, we've won for the past six years now" said the ghost.
"Don't worry Baron, I'm sure that they'll contribute" said Gemma, "Baron? Wait your the Bloody Baron" said Malfoy, the Baron gave Malfoy a very cold look "That's Mr Baron to you boy" he said in a voice that sent shivers down Malfoy's spine and then he floated away.
Harry looked to the teachers table and saw Hagrid drinking wine, McGonagall was talking to Dumbledore, and Quirrell was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair who Harry didn't know.
Suddenly Harry felt a sharp pain in his scar, Harry winced and held his head, "Are you OK" asked Gemma, "I'm fine" said Harry, the pain that he had felt was already gone and Harry wondered if he had just imagined it.
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell" asked Harry, "That's Professor Snape, he's head of Slytherin house, he teaches potions, but everyone knows that he would be much better at Defence against the dark arts, honestly I don't know why Dumbledore won't let him have the job, he's wanted it for years" explained Gemma.
At last the feast came to an end and Dumbledore stepped up, "Now I have a few start-of-term notices to give you" he said, "First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils".
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term, anyone interested in playing for their house should contact Madom Hooch" continued Dumbledore.
"And finally I must tell you that this year the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death" said Dumbledore, Harry laughed at this, but he was one of the few who did.
"He not serious is he" Harry asked Gemma, "Unfortunately he probably is, I wish he'd tell us why we can't go there, now people are going to get curious" answered Gemma before her face became more sombre, "I just hope that it's not another one of those curses" she muttered.
After this everyone sang the school song and was then sent to bed, Harry and the other Slytherins followed their Prefects out of the Great hall and down the stairs into the dungeon, Harry wondered why the Slytherin's dorm was in the dungeon but he was too full to question it.
The Slytherins was led through what felt like a labyrinth until they reached a blank stone wall, once there one of the Prefects stepped forward, Harry noticed that this boy was wearing a badge with the letters HB on it just under his Prefects badge.
"This is the entrance to the Slytherin common room, to reveal the entrance you will need the password, the current password is serpentis" said the boy, at his words a stone serpent rose from the ground and create an archway to an entrance that appeared out of nowhere.
"The password is changed every fortnight, the new password will be posted on the noticeboard, if you forget the password then ask a Prefect or wait for someone else to let you in" explained the boy before he led everybody inside.
The Slytherin common room had rough stone walls and the ceiling was the same, there was green lamps all around and there was large windows that didn't let in much light, after a second Harry realised that these windows showed the Black lake.
While the other students went to bed Gemma stepped up and spoke to the First-years, "Congratulations, I'm delighted to welcome you to Slytherin house, now there are a few things you should know about Slytherin and a few you should forget" she said.
"Firstly you might have heard rumours that we're all into the Dark Arts and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was famous, well you don't want to believe everything you hear from competing houses".
"I'm not denying that we've produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses they just don't like admitting it, also nowadays you'll find plenty of people in Slytherin who have at least one Muggle parent" Gemma looked at Malfoy during this last part.
"One thing you all need to know is that the other houses may hold being in Slytherin against you, so remember we Slytherin have to stick together, when your out in the corridors some people will throw anything at you" said Gemma, based on her face Harry suspected that she may have been speaking from personal experience.
"If any of you ever have any trouble come to me or another Prefect, don't go to Professor Snape unless there's a real emergency, he doesn't like to be bothered for petty reasons" said Gemma coming to the end of her speech.
"Now all of you off to bed, you have classes tomorrow and Slytherin has a winning streak to continue" said Gemma as she showed the First-years to their dormitory.
Perhaps it was because of Gemma's speech or simply because he was in a unfamiliar place but Harry was the last one to fall asleep, when he did sleep he had a terrible dream where Ron started to attack him while calling him a Dark wizard.