My Father's Only Rule

Chapter Six: Welcome To Slytherin

September 1994 - Hogwarts

The Slytherin Common room was a burst of vibrant green. Draco got way too excited to show me around, but he couldn't take me to the dorms. So Jane took over. I found that my trunk was already by my bed, which was next to Jane's.

"Snape," I heard a voice say. I turned around to see Pansy Parkinson. But I wasn't threatened by her anymore.

"Pansy," I said.

"So I see you've joined Slytherin."

"So you have eyes," I said, casually folding my clothes. She scoffed and Jane laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" she snapped.

"Grace's joke," Jane said. "Did you not hear? Don't you have ears?" We both laughed.

"That's not funny," Pansy pouted.

"Pansy, is there something you want?" Jane finally said. "You wanna tell us where you were at dinner?"

"If you want to tell me where you and Draco were on the train," she said, redirecting her attention toward me. I laughed.

"I don't have to tell you anything," I said.

"Well if you're joining our friend group we may have to get used to talking to each other."

"You're not in our friend group anymore, Pansy," Jane said. "You only ever talk to Draco and you never hang out with us." Pansy stared at Jane.

"So I see you've found a new best friend, Jane," Pansy said. Then she gasped. "AND she's got my wand!"

"What?" I asked.

"That's my wand! The first wand I bought from Olivander's!"

"The wand that accidentally set fire to the broom cupboard in first year?" Jane asked. "Yeah, I think it's better in Grace's care."

"Alright Jane," Pansy snapped. "Replace me. See if I care." She stormed off.

"Are you guys friends or something?" I asked Jane.

"We were best friends until last year," Jane explained. "The whole group, really. But we were the only two girls, so we were close. But she's obsessed with Draco. Practically drools over him." She looked around to make sure nobody was around. "If I tell you something will you swear to never tell anyone?" I nodded eagerly. "I'm the only one at school who knows this, but her brother went to Azkaban."

"No way," I said.

"Yeah. I tried to be patient with her. But she started acting weird so the whole group decided to drop her. But she still talks to Draco a lot."

"Is there something going on between them?" I asked. Draco told me there wasn't, but I wanted to make sure.

"We always thought there was," Jane said. "He knows she's obsessed with him, but he only sees her as a friend." I sighed out of relief. Then Jane smiled. "Why?" she asked. "Are you two-"

"No," I said quickly. "Absolutely not."

"You're blushing," she said, excited. "Is that why he ditched us for you on the train?"

"No, I swear. Maybe he was just avoiding Pansy."

"Best friends tell each other things," Jane said.

"So we're best friends now?" I asked.

"Well let's look at it logically," Jane said, sitting next to me. "You're new, and in need of a best friend. You've got Draco, but let's be real. He's a guy, and he'll drive you crazy at times. Me and Pansy are through just in time for me to meet you. It's perfect." I smiled.

"Well if something develops between Draco and I, you'll be the first to know," I promised.

"Snape!" Pansy hollered at me from outside the dorm. "Your dad wants you!"

Jane and I walked into the common room to see my dad at the bottom of the stairs. He was a little surprised to see us together.

"Miss Baldwin," he said. "Thank you for showing my daughter around. If you wait here I'll return her to you in just a moment." Dad led me to a hallway on the far side of the common room. There was a door at the end of it with a slender woman in black on it.

"Password?" she asked.

"Gaudium Patris," my dad said. The door opened slowly. I couldn't really get a look at my dad's wing because he took me quickly to my room.

"This is an apparition door," he explained. "First you must choose your password." My door had a beautiful fairy on it.

"Tell me what you want your password to be, love," the fairy said. I thought about it, then I smiled.

"Password," I said. My dad rolled his eyes and I chuckled. The door opened and I noticed my room was significantly nicer than my dorm. But that didn't mean I'd be spending more time in there. I still wanted to be amongst the other students.

"I just wanted to show you how to use this door," my dad explained. All you do is grab the handle and announce where you want to go." He gestured for me to try it. I grabbed the handle.

"Slytherin common room," I announced. When I opened the door, it took me through a door that was in the common room. Then a small fairy appeared on the door.

"And now you, and only you can apparate back to your room. Touch the fairy," he said. So I did. And the fairy came to life on my door.

"Password?" she asked.

"Password," I said. I opened the door, and I was in my room. I turned to my dad.

"This is cool," I said, laughing.

"Every door you apparate to from here will have the option to apparate back to your room, just like you did in the common room," he explained. "And if you want anyone else to have access to your door, just give them their own unique password. So if you and Miss Baldwin want to come in here to get away from everyone, I suggest you help her set up her password."

"Right," I said. "Thanks, dad." I walked through the door and back through the common room. "Jane," I said when I saw her. "Come here." I took her through the door to my room.

"You have your own room?" Jane said, shocked. "So if we ever get sick of sharing a room with Pansy, we can sleep in here." She laughed. I looked at the fairy on my door.

"I'd like to give someone access to my room," I told her.

"Name?" the fairy asked. I gestured at Jane.

"Jane Baldwin," Jane said.

"Password?" I looked at Jane. She shrugged. Then I came up with one for her.

"Grace's best friend," I said.