The Tree of Blacks (English version)

Snake, Rat, Stag

Alya joined in the chatter of her friends, laughing at their snide jokes about the students they deemed inferior - Muggle-borns mostly - and enjoying the sordid gossip uttered by Beth's inclement mouth. It mattered little to her that none of the tales proposed by her friend were even remotely true. The important thing was to cast haughty judgements on others, thus increasing their innate opinion that they were part of a privileged circle.

It was an excellent distraction, as they waited for their scheduled appointment with Pettigrew, made all the more pleasant by the unexpected arrival of Regulus. Alya had rarely seen him of late, busy as he was with sports training and studying. It was his O.W.L. exams year and every spare moment was spent on books.

Alya took the opportunity to chat with her brother for a while, planning together their return to Grimmauld Place once the longed-for Christmas holidays began. They joked and laughed together, until Regulus was seized by Nott and the other team members to discuss - again, Alya huffed, frowning - Quidditch.

"You can't talk about anything else?" exasperated Alya scolded them, seeing her younger brother being dragged away.

"Don't be sad, Black. As soon as we beat those Gryffindor yokels I'll be all yours!" replied Maynard Nott to her, winking mischievously. Melyssa and Beth dissolved into giggles. A shadow fell over Philippa's watery eyes, looking grimly at her envied mate. Alya went back to chatting with her friends, who peppered her with giggling jokes about her relationship with Maynard Nott. The blonde did her best to pretend to be part of the group, but it was obvious that the topic annoyed her. However, despite Philippa's discontent which she could hardly hide, time passed quickly and slowly the Slytherin Common Room began to empty. The intense hubbub soon turned into a faint buzz.

Although she flaunted nonchalance, Alya kept an eye on all the movements in the room, casting furtive glances at the clock that struck the hour above the marble fireplace. Alya's watchful eyes couldn't help but notice that someone else was also staring intently at the black, snake-carved hands of the clock hanging on the wall. Severus Snape, sitting as usual aloof on one of the wooden chairs in the corner near the large window overlooking the depths of the Black Lake, seemed to be waiting anxiously for everyone present to leave for their respective dormitories.

When the clock struck ten with a grave chime, the Common Room was almost completely empty. The buzz of sleepy voices vanished into thin air and even the last of the daredevils began to give in to the need to hole up under the covers. Philippa, followed closely by Melyssa and Beth, took her leave of Alya with wide, resounding yawns, dragging herself with difficulty towards their room. With the excuse of having to finish studying the last few paragraphs of a Transfiguration topic, Alya sat on the black leather sofa by the fire in the fireplace.

Now only she and Snape were in the room. A silence pregnant with impatience suddenly fell in the Slytherin Common Room.

Alya sensed the insistent glances Snape gave her from behind his book, of which he probably had not read a single line. The same ones the girl glared at him when he wasn't looking. It was clear they both wanted the same thing: for one of them to get out of the way as soon as possible.

Alya cast one last quick glance at the black wooden snakes that indicated the time: it was late and young Black could wait no longer.

Indignant at Snape's stubbornness, Alya threw the book into her bag and headed for her own dormitory as well, ignoring her companion's presence as if he were simply part of the room's furnishings. But it was only a feint: Alya didn't enter the room she shared with her roomates, she remained hidden in the darkness, watching Snape above the mahogany staircase.

Snape hesitated only a few moments, before darting stealthily towards the entrance to the Common Room. Alya heard the soft but unmistakable sound of the door sliding sideways into the stone wall.