This was her first time inside the Slytherin common room and at first, it was honestly unsettling. It was unnaturally cold in there and green light lit up the room from the lanterns that were hung by chains from the ceiling. The walls and floor were made of stone and built into one of the walls was an elaborately carved fireplace, giving the center of the room where the heat emitted warmth. The furniture was fancily detailed and looked very expensive to her. Plenty of matching tables and chairs were set up with chess games and other activities, so people had places to sit and things to do when they weren't in class. Johanna spotted the chaise lounge sofa placed near the fire and thought about how nice it would be to fall asleep in front of the fire in the dead of winter, wrapped in a blanket on it's delicate velvet cushions. As she was noticing this, something else caught her eye and she felt herself gawking at it once she figured out what it was.
In a row on the wall was what looked to be at least eight windows, all with old unbreakable stained glass that kept water from spilling into the room. Something huge in the water was moving, and after eyeballing it for a moment, the thing peered in at her and then swam away as quickly as it had appeared. It had been the eye of a giant squid that inhabited the lake that had been peering inside at the new students it had never seen before. The windows gave a beautiful underwater view of the lake and though you couldn't see too far through the murky waters, it was teeming with life below the surface.
"They say sometimes if you're lucky, a mermaid might come by and sing for the students. They only sound good under water." A girl said to someone next to her and as Johanna overheard this, she hoped that if she were lucky, maybe she would get to see a mermaid. The older boy who led them down the staircase and to the common room had long white blonde hair and sharp facial features. His icy grey eyes pierced through all of them like daggers.
"Alright, this is the Slytherin Common Room. To your left is the staircase for the boys dormitories and on the right are the girls. And don't even think about going up the wrong staircase, because you won't be able to, even if you tried."
The students now started to go about the room and explore, some even going to look out the window like they were at an aquarium. Johanna on the other hand, wanted to go and check out where she'd be sleeping at. She started for the staircase, when suddenly, the white blonde haired boy stepped in front of her,
"Going so soon? Why don't you stay behind? Relax a little. This is your first year here isn't it? Even though you aren't a first year..."
His icy grey stare made a cold chill go through out her body and she nodded her head nervously,
"Just thought I'd get my things organized."
He was much older than most of the other students. This was obviously his last year here before he graduated and judging by how he led the first years around the common room, he was more than likely either a Prefect or quite possibly Head Boy.
"You know, you'll never get far in Slytherin with a bunch of Gryffindor's as your friend. Take it from me. I'm a Prefect."
She didn't even have to guess. His ego was already so inflated that she didn't even need to ask.
"I think I know how to pick my own friends-"
"Don't waste your time, Lucius. She's a half blood anyways. She'll never fit in." Emma called from across the room and Johanna felt herself go up the stairs before he even had time to respond.
She knew their type. They were just like Pamela, the girl who bullied her back at home. Superficial and mean. Luckily, she was able to put her things away in peace and clean up her own bed area nicely.
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"You did not tell a table full of Slytherins that your dads a muggle." James' eyes were serious and Johanna sighed shakily,
"I didn't think they'd have that sort of reaction. In the states, people aren't so judgemental towards muggles."
"Well, unfortunately enough, things are different here." Sirius looked like he genuinely felt bad for her and Peter shook his head,
"It probably didn't help that you started off talking to Snivelus."
"Severus? Was he one of the people who were mean to you? If he was I'll-" James started to spout and Johanna was quick to stop him before he got too heated.
"No! He was one of the only people to actually talk to me at the Slytherin table. He seemed nice enough..."
In all actuality, Johanna wasn't sure who she could trust when it came to her house. Almost every Slytherin already seemed to hate her before they even got the chance to know her. James shook his head after hearing Johanna jump to Severus's defense,
"He's not a nice person, you know. He hangs out with all the wannabe dark wizards and does whatever they want so they'll like him."
"Well, I like to judge people on my own accord. Not by what other people have to say." Johanna tried to explain but James simply huffed and crossed his arms over his chest,
"Don't say I didn't warn you. Come on Sirius."
James and Sirius walked away and Peter was hot on their heels, very eager to follow their trail. Remus lingered behind, but only for a moment to say,
"It's very kind of you to judge others by your own experiences and I know you mean well by it... just be careful, that's all. Don't let your guard down."
He too then turned and went off in the same direction as his friends, hurrying to catch up with them. Johanna stood there, confused over what she should do. Severus seemed like the nicest Slytherin she had met so far, but the other boys she had made friends with seemed to really not like him. At the same time, that might've been for a good reason, but there was no way to know for sure.
Johanna was now walking on the balcony, above the courtyard and suddenly, she heard someone cry out,
"Blimey! Briar Potts is hanging from that roof!"
Everyone below suddenly seemed to scatter in that direction, wanting to watch what was going on. Johanna stayed put and tried to see if she could spot the girl... after squinting her eyes for a moment, she suddenly spotted her. Briar was the small Ravenclaw first year she had seen in the Great Hall the other day, and with her little arms, she was holding onto the edge of the roof for dear life.
Teachers started to arrive at the scene now and Johanna could see the little girl losing her grip. Down below she could see a few people she knew in the crowd. Everyone was terribly shaken, visibly afraid that she could get hurt badly or even killed. Johanna then thought about the small piece of cloth she had in her pocket. She could use it possibly if needed... it had never failed to get her out of a jam before. The girl's hand started to slip now and before she knew it, Johanna leapt off the balcony, and in her hands was a small cloth, the size of a hand towel.
Suddenly, almost at magic speed, the cloth grew into a full sized carpet, just large enough for Johanna to sit on, plus a little more room in the back. It was a rectangular, fluffy orange and brown shag rug, with a sunflower design printed all over. Johanna gripped the front of the rug with one hand and then with her other arm, dove for the girl, who was now free falling through the air after her other hand let go.
The girl was so small, winging it, Johanna was able to snatch the girl out of the air with one arm, while still hanging onto the rug with the other. At full speed, the girls sped towards the ground and tumbled when they hit it, rolling a couple of times before finally stopping. The students and the staff were now running to the two girls and when the teachers saw Johanna, they looked fearful.
Briar sat up, looking almost dazed.
"What happened?"
"Ms.Potts, can you please explain what you were doing up on that rooftop?" Professor McGonagal almost looked angry and Briar looked confused even more,
"I was on the roof?!"
"You don't remember how you got up there?" McGonagal asked questioningly and Briar shook her head. Murmurs erupted from the crowd of students behind the teachers.
Professor McGonagal now eyeballed Johanna with surprise and amazement,
"Is that a flying carpet?"
"Yeah, my mom made it herself." Johanna was breathing quickly out of excitement and that's when Professor McGonagal turned to the group behind herself,
"Alright. Go on then, give the girls some air. Go about your business."
The crowd disbursed now and McGonagal looked down at the girls with a sigh.
"Briar, you come with me. Ms.Beetle, Slytherin is awarded five points for your act of heroism today. But I must tell you, since you're from the States, magic carpets are banned in Scotland and most of Europe. I won't confiscate it because you didn't know any better, but I will ask that you keep it packed away for the rest of the school year. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." Johanna nodded her head, very respectfully and Professor McGonagal gave her a quick nod before walking off with Briar. The rug in her hand shrunk down now, back to the size of a hand towel. It's design was now gone and it looked nothing more than a raggedy dish towel. Johanna folded the fabric up neatly and then stuck it in her pocket, giving it a happy pat afterwards. Carpet never ceased to amaze her.