So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 99 A Very Different Hogwarts

Flitwick's smile was rather forced, 'thank you, Madam Umbridge, for that explanation. Now on with our feast.'

'Well, nothing we didn't already know,' Draco said helping himself to a helping of venison.

'What's the plan?' asked Greg as he poured gravy over his lamb.

Draco shot him a dark look. They should not be discussing anything sensitive where anyone could be listening in. Just because Dumbledore was gone didn't mean there wasn't Light-siders here - McGonagall and Weasley were still here. Draco was going to call a meeting of the juniors tonight.

'Not here,' Draco hissed.

- - - - - - -

Draco was waiting in the common room for Aurora Sinistra to arrive. It was going to be strange for them not to have Professor Snape as their Head of House. And whilst Sinistra wasn't a Death Eater, she had maintained neutrality throughout the war so she probably wouldn't look the other way at some things. It meant that they would have to be a little bit more careful.

Sinistra walked through the common room tall, handsome and wearing glorious emerald robes in house pride, 'good evening, Slytherins. I welcome you back for another year at Hogwarts.'

'Thank you, Professor,' the Slytherins chorused easily.

'Now, I am not going to rehash what was said about the changes in your letters or what Headmaster Flitwick has said tonight, instead I am going to ask if you have any questions?' Sinistra asked.

Theo placed his hand up in the air, 'what if we want to keep going with your three current optional subjects and continue Astronomy?'

Sinistra nodded smiling, 'you will have to choose which subjects you would prefer to take. Nothing will stop you from studying on your own, of course, but remember doing so might affect your other grades if you put too much time and energy into doing so. Naturally, I would recommend you continuing with Astronomy. But I would recommend you to go to the introductory sessions that will be useful in getting information on the uses for the different subjects.

'And I will be meeting with all of you individually over the course of the next week to discuss your options, as well as anything else you may wish to discuss - these conversations will be completely confidential.

'Now before I hand out second-year timetables I know that my predecessor allowed a lot of behaviour which is unacceptable. The rest of the school despises us because we are Slytherin - we do not give them reason to do so - that is only fuel to the fire. Outside our common room we do not voice things other houses will find morally questionable. And ff I find any evidence of Slytherins starting fights unprovoked I will be assigning detention immediately.'