As the golden desserts vanished into thin air, Dumbledore rose once more to announce a handful of rules, among them a strict ban on entering the Forbidden Forest and the assurance that class schedules would be distributed by the Heads of House the following day.
Then, with cheerful enthusiasm, he declared the start of the school song and encouraged everyone to pick their favorite tune.
The hall dissolved into joyful chaos. Henry hummed the lyrics quickly and subtly to the melody of "God Save the Queen," while Draco and several upperclassmen sang a slow, somber, elegiac version that suited the green-and-silver banners overhead.
During the song Henry noticed that the fifth-year girl named Gemma Farley did not join in the laughter. She stood quietly instead, chin slightly raised, posture as upright and unyielding as a young poplar.
The silver-green prefect badge on her chest gleamed spotlessly, catching every flicker of candlelight from the Great Hall.
Even though she kept herself perfectly restrained, Henry sensed a quiet, burgeoning ambition in Miss Farley—the same steady drive he had observed in ambitious young officials back in his former world.
"Slytherin freshmen! This way!"
The authoritative female voice rang out precisely on time.
Farley already stood at the end of the long table, her gaze sweeping over the first-years quickly and accurately—not as though she regarded children, but rather as if she assessed valuable assets about to be stored away.
After confirming their number, she turned briskly, flicking the hem of her robe with a stylish flourish.
"Follow me. Keep quiet and watch your step."
Henry thought he might have imagined an upperclassman from some house whispering, "Miss, step on me."
Miss Farley led them through the hallway, down the stone steps, and into the dimly lit underground corridor.
Footsteps echoed between the walls while the air grew cool and damp, carrying the mingled scents of earth and ancient stone.
"The password will change from time to time, so keep an eye on the notice board. The current password is 'Pureblood.'"
Before a bare stretch of stone wall she spoke the words clearly, and a hidden door slid open, revealing the Slytherin common room to Henry for the first time.
His first impression was one of deep stillness and elegant desolation; even the flames in the fireplace burned a cool green.
Beyond several large arched windows lay the eternal darkness of the Black Lake. Light filtered through the thick water and turned into a blurry, shimmering dark green, as though the room rested at the bottom of a giant aquarium.
Occasionally, strangely shaped shadows glided past, making it impossible to tell whether they belonged to the giant squid or some other bizarre creature.
The furniture throughout the common room featured intricate carvings of snakes and vines. Sofas and armchairs upholstered in heavy silver-grey and dark-green velvet perfectly matched Slytherin's house colors.
Many older students already occupied the space—some reading, others conversing in low voices. The arrival of the new students drew only brief glances before attention returned to their own affairs.
"The boys' dormitories lie to the left, the girls' to the right," Miss Farley explained succinctly. "The names and roommate assignments appear on the doors; most rooms hold two or three students. If you wish to change rooms, you will need your new roommate's permission and then submit an application here."
With that, she walked toward a group of upperclassmen.
Draco immediately became the center of attention among the first-years. He straightened his robes and told Crabbe and Goyle in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'm leaving."
Then he turned to Henry, adopting a friendly expression. "Good night. Perhaps we can have a good chat tomorrow."
"Of course," Henry replied gently.
He noticed that Draco had not mentioned their dinner conversation in public. This caution, running contrary to his instinctive desire to boast, only confirmed Sir Arnold's earlier judgment of the Malfoy family's style.
They continued down the corridor. The dormitory assignments revealed themselves quickly, perfectly reflecting the unspoken hierarchy and kinship rules within Slytherin.
Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle's names appeared side by side on one door.
Draco glanced at the list, seeming both to take the arrangement for granted and to feel subtly bored by it, while Crabbe and Goyle awkwardly pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Blaise Zabini received a double room to himself; the space for his roommate's name remained blank.
He showed no surprise and strolled into the room with leisurely ease.
Henry's name stood alongside Theodore Nott's on a door farther down the corridor.
The boy who had remained unusually silent throughout the Great Hall now waited quietly by the door. His grey-blue eyes regarded his new roommate calmly, offering no greeting.
This pairing made Draco's brow furrow. Zabini's solitude stemmed from his unique family background, but Nott—this taciturn and unassuming figure—placed Henry in a position that felt deliberately isolating.
He belonged neither to the inner circle nor to the truly solitary like Zabini; instead, he occupied a spot meant for observation.
"Looks like everything's arranged," Draco said to Henry, his tone still warm. "Get some rest."
Henry nodded and turned to his roommate.
Theodore Nott gave only a slight nod before pushing open the heavy wooden door.
Inside, the room embodied Slytherin aesthetics even more thoroughly. It was not large, yet the high ceilings prevented any oppressive basement feel.
Two four-poster beds stood on opposite sides, their dark hardwood posts carved with coiled snake patterns—exquisitely crafted yet never ostentatious.
Heavy, flowing dark-green velvet curtains embroidered with simple silver scrollwork hung around each bed, all looking brand new.
Hogwarts—or at least Slytherin—would never allow first-years to sleep in bedding or use curtains previously occupied by others.
Henry's bed sat by the window, overlooking the dark waters of the Black Lake that swallowed every trace of light.
His suitcase already rested neatly on a special low stool at the foot of the bed, placed there by a house-elf.
Nott's bed stood nearer the door, and he had already begun arranging his few belongings—a few books with neatly trimmed edges and a simple crystal bottle—his movements quiet and efficient, producing no sound.
Henry placed Mercury's cage on the brass perch by the window. The snowy owl blinked once in the dim light.
He did not speak at once. Instead he began tidying his own books and stationery, granting each other space to settle into the silence.
He could sense that Nott was neither unfriendly nor hostile, simply a little introverted.
Having such a roommate promised no noisy chatter, and Henry felt quite satisfied with the arrangement.
As for being observed?
When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
The one being watched was equally the watcher.
Before he drew the curtains, he heard Draco's lowered voice in the corridor. The tone carried the clear weight of an order rather than a discussion.
"…Early tomorrow. Don't dawdle…"
The recipient was obviously Crabbe or Goyle.
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