Apples and Snakes

Queen of Slytherins

After Dumbledore's speech about the tournament and everything, the little snakes decided to slither into the dungeons, past quite a few of my graffiti displays.

"Who keeps painting these stupid things on the walls?" A fresh voice snarked. I whipped around, to see the little pipsqueak. Mafalda Prewett, Ginny Weasley's cousin.

"That would be me, Prewett." I retorted. The little girl looked up at me with icicle-blue eyes.

"You're Alice Potter." She said reverently. I rolled my eyes.

"The Boy-Who-Lived is in Gryffindor." I said shortly, coldly regarding her. She was slightly smaller than average, much like I was when I was eleven. Her reddish brown hair was in two braids adorning her shoulders, and she had a blaze of freckles on her face.

"I know, but I've heard stories about you," Prewett said slyly. "Is it true that you're a Parselmouth?"

Heads turned, particularly Draco's. I'd forgotten that he turned out to be a Parselmouth as of our second year. He hardly ever talked about it, and he never used it, although rumor had it that he was creating a lexicon so people could learn Parseltongue.

"Yes, I'm a Parselmouth," I hissed. I could hear rasping hissing noises instead, though, and the first-years looked at me in fear, a few eyed me greedily, but most gave me stares of respect. Unlike half the Slytherins, I was already a legend, sure to be remembered.

"Come on, we're almost to the common room," I said to the silence. I marched ahead, twisting and turning, until I came across the bare wall, the dead end every experienced Slytherin knew well.

"Open, house of Slytherin." I hissed. I never needed to remember passwords again- as long as I could speak Parseltongue, I could get into the common room, since it seemed to understand the language of snakes just like the very Chamber of Secrets.

Home, sweet home, I thought as I stepped into the common room. A fire was crackling in the hearth, a stake contrast to the cool blue-greens of the common room. I stepped down into the main part of the room, and plopped into a navy armchair, and crossed my legs in the ladylike way. It was a show of elegance and power. Two things a Slytherin loves.

"Hey, Potter!" The fifth-year prefect called. I scowled. I hated it when anyone referred to me by last name.

"What?" I demanded from my armchair. Another politic game. Will he give up and move, or will I? That's how everything's played in the Slytherin common room.

"Will you give a speech, seeing as all they've done so far is ask questions about you, Queen of All Slytherins?" He snarked.

"Fine." I got to my feet, and descended the steps. I looked at the twenty new first-years. "Welcome to Slytherin. As I'm sure you know from Mafalda Prewett's outburst, I'm Alice Potter. Slytherin's a fun place to be, much more fun than some of the other houses," I explained.

"Our motto here is 'Dark isn't Evil.' We don't care nearly as much about our reputations as your Gryffindor classmates do, but we care a bit more than the Hufflepuffs. Part of Slytherin is walking the wild side, playing a few pranks, trying out a few jinxes you found in the Restricted Section on your rival. If you're a Slytherin, however, you're sneaky, you're powerful, you're cunning. In Slytherin, you'll learn how to control your bad side, and how to channel it for the greater good.

"You have inherited Merlin's legacy, you've inherited Slytherin's legacy. Both are extremely powerful, and great wizards to look up to." I took a deep breath. "I know you've heard of the blood-purity myths- guys, the thing with Slytherin is that he had a little sister he loved very much. She was burned at the stake when she was eleven. Slytherin merely distrusted muggle-borns due to the experience- in fact, if you're not a pureblood and you're here, that means that you have the greatest seeds for greatness."

I looked around at the little wide-eyed Slytherins. Another one, a little boy, raised his hand.

"Yes?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

"Is the legend of the Chamber of Secrets true?" He piped up.

"Very true." I said. "It was actually re-opened in my second year."

The first-years exchanged nervous glances. "Do you know where it is?" Prewett asked.

I arched an eyebrow. "What makes me think I'd tell you?" She looked quite ashamed. Then I grinned. "I'm pulling your leg. It's in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. You need to be a Parselmouth to get in, though."

Excited murmurs went through.

"So you've been in it?" Another kid called out.

"I've even seen Slytherin's monster." I bragged. "It's a basilisk. Now, if you don't have anymore questions, girls' dormitories are on the left, boys' on the right. Enjoy your stay in Slytherin."

I went to sit down, on a sofa next to Draco.

"You're good with the firsties." He commented.

"Thanks." I replied primly. I crossed my legs again, and observed my realm, as the girl that everyone respected and feared. The Queen of Slytherin. And, as far as those naive firsties know, the very Heir of Slytherin.

Professor Snape came into the common room. "Lights out in ten minutes. I will expect everyone in their dormitories." He then flicked his cape in a vampiric way, and came over to me. "How is my goddaughter?"

"Wonderful, Godfather." I replied, the image of innocence.

"By the way, both your parents expressed their delight at your little display on the train." Severus continued. "'Long Live Evil...' Great for reinforcing the image that all Slytherins are of a darker morality. Nonetheless, quite creative."

"Oh, I would say that what those pesky Gryffindors consider 'dark' can be used for the greater good." I replied, even more the image of ultimate innocence and benevolence. "All the same, I understand, professor." I added. "I'll find better messages before I sneak into the Gryffindor common room and spray it over a better shade."

"That would do quite well, Alice. Now, run along to your dormitory." Severus said. I nodded, and followed Pansy, Millicent, Tracey, and Daphne to the dormitory that we shared. It had a glass roof, so we could see the lake above us, and if you were quiet, you'd hear the movement of the lake, the lapping of the water, and even the singing of the merpeople. There were beds with silky emerald hangings, and smooth sheets that felt like fabricated water, and tapestries of famous witches and wizards, such as Merlin himself, hung from the walls.

I set my trunk down at the foot of my bed, and began to unpack some of my things onto the dark oaken dresser that I shared with Tracey, and checked my reflection in the mirror. I was still quite keen on the purple hair, and I thought that it complimented my green eyes and the green environment around me. I grinned at my reflection, and stowed a bottle of navy-blue nail polish onto the dresser, separate from the flamboyant coral that Tracey was so fond of. Last year, we'd mixed up nail polishes, and it had ended up with some rather nasty hexes being exchanged in the confusion.

I changed into an Ireland t-shirt, and baby-blue shorts that were a bit too short to be worn in public, and flopped onto my bed. I slipped my spellbook under the covers of the bed, and waited until the lights out and when Pansy finally stopped secretly rolling her hair into curlers. I pulled the covers over my head, and opened my spellbook.

Light emitted from the pages, making them readable, and I read through my many different hexes and jinxes. The spellbook was a diary I'd enchanted with all the jinxes, hexes, and curses that I knew that would be useful in achieving my ends. When I heard or saw a useful spell, I'd write it down on my hand, to remind myself to write it down in my book, later.

My eyelids drooped, and I shut my book. Oh yes, I had plans for that year.