Although he repeatedly reminded himself to adapt to local customs, he still instinctively felt out of place. Now, he only believed in his own strength, protecting only himself and those he valued. He would no longer accept orders from anyone. Consequently, unless a relationship was close enough for him to help for free, everything else came with a price.
"Are you so sure I can bring change to Slytherin?" Alan asked in a flat tone, showing no reaction to Snape's mention of honor.
"I can see the changes you've brought to William, Evan, Charles, and Bill. Excluding Vivian, of course, whom you seem to have only helped gain over ten pounds," Snape remarked. Seeing Alan unmoved, he let out a sharp, sarcastic huff. "There are even two Gryffindor students among them, so it seems you haven't fully considered yourself a part of Slytherin, have you?"
*Slytherin? I actually wanted to integrate at first, but the 'good' students in this House didn't seem willing to accept me,* Alan thought mockingly. *Alright, since you're talking to me about a sense of honor, I'll let Slytherin know what true honor is.*
"In that case, I agree to your request, but..." Alan's lips curved into a thin smile, his gaze sharpening instantly. "Since you want me to manage Slytherin, it must be done my way. If I'm going to lead, I won't do it halfway, and even you cannot interfere."
"It seems you are very confident." Snape smirked, recognizing that this wizard was finally taking the bait.
"Since you trust me, I will naturally deliver a perfect result. I can assure you that from now on, the House Cup will only appear in the Slytherin common room." Alan let out a short, cold laugh. "This is your choice; don't regret it later."
"I hope so," Snape said, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. The boy certainly had the nerve to boast; he only hoped it wasn't empty talk.
For Alan, agreeing to Snape's request was partly to settle their wager and partly to repay the favor of the Sectumsempra counter-spell Snape had provided. That curse was far too useful to ignore; its casting speed and destructive power had made it his preferred offensive spell.
After leaving Snape's office, Alan began to calculate his next move. Since he had given his word, he would do his best. For the coming period, he needed to observe the underlying problems within Slytherin. Previously, he hadn't cared enough to pay attention. William, Evan, and the others rarely discussed House politics in front of him, and Vivian only ever offered stray bits of gossip she'd picked up in the halls.
"The common room is most lively at this hour. That's where I'll start," Alan decided, heading toward the dungeons.
At the stone entrance, he encountered a female student from his House carrying a heavy stack of books. She appeared to be a half-blood a year below him—Mona, if he remembered correctly. Mona clearly hadn't expected to see Alan and looked at him with startled eyes. She gave him a stiff, nervous nod, not daring to strike up a conversation. Alan returned the nod with a polite smile and followed her inside.
In the corridor leading to the lounge, they passed several students who were chatting and laughing. Alan recognized one of the girls immediately: Milly Osborne. Her companions were also pure-bloods, though not among the group that paid him monthly "protection" fees.
When the group encountered Mona, there was no reaction; they didn't greet her or even acknowledge her existence, passing by like strangers. However, when Milly Osborne spotted Alan behind Mona, her face paled. She immediately lowered her head, avoiding his gaze entirely. She scurried past him and rushed out of the stone door as if fleeing for her life.
*Am I that terrifying? She doesn't seem at all grateful for the beauty treatment I gave her last year,* Alan thought, shaking his head.
The common room was bustling. Some students were gathered around the coffee table by the fireplace doing homework, while others played wizard chess against the wall. There were even two tables where students were playing a loud game of mahjong. As Alan walked in, every head turned. Many had likely never spoken a word to him in three years, and they were clearly curious about his sudden appearance.
Alan ignored the stares, walking directly toward the dormitory without speaking to anyone. The other students didn't dare interrupt him. However, once inside the dormitory, Alan immediately cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and slipped back into the common room.
He intended to observe them without the interference of his presence.
Though everything seemed normal on the surface, Alan's sharp eyes noticed the invisible barriers. The students were divided into isolated, independent clusters. These groups weren't just split into pure-blood and half-blood factions as he had expected; the House was fragmented into several tiny cliques of varying sizes.
One group buried themselves in books; another laughed loudly, oblivious to their surroundings; a third gathered to gamble over cards and chess. There was almost no eye contact between these groups, and any accidental glance was met with a distinct, icy coldness. They treated anyone outside their immediate circle as if they were ghosts.
Alan took out his notepad and began to categorize his findings. *The internal division is even more severe than I imagined. It seems the turmoil from last year left a lasting scar. This is turning into a rather interesting social experiment.*