The Tangled World!

The Inexorable Passage of Time!

Theodore... really wished he felt more confident about this plan.

That his co-conspirator, Lisa Turpin, also lacked confidence in the plan didn't help.

Not that he expressed his nervousness. If he lacked confidence in his success, then he could definitely not let it show. The upper years would tear into them at the slightest sign of weakness. He kind of wanted to tell Lisa that he agreed with her, but, well, he really didn't want her to back out on him.

This would be so much easier if the Hat hadn't scrambled the sorting! If he could put together a united front of first years, then the older students would easily capitulate.

Alas, the Hat was insane, and he was stuck with several light families, and several notoriously stubborn grey families. And Turpin. At least Turpin was nice.

He'd have to thank her for putting up with this later.

Theodore walked into the common room. Seeing the smug expression on Smith's face didn't make him feel better about his odds.

Well, now or never.

Theo stepped into the centre of the room, and took a minute to ensure his voice wouldn't waver.

"Can I have everyone's attention for a moment?" Theo waited until the idle murmur of conversation died down. "Good, listen, with Malfoy going to Gryffindor and Snape leaving us be, Slytherin house lacks the united front that it has relied on for so long. Given the... oddities... surrounding the sorting, it's more vital than ever that Slytherin maintain itself against foes both within and without."

Well, that was the speech his father prepared. Now he just had to wait for the whole plan to go down in flames.

Flint and Selwyn moved closer to him... and that's it. No one else.

Damn, Theo didn't think that Smith would flex that much influence.

"Well," Smith stated, "what makes you think that you should be the one to dictate what Slytherin house should do? Perhaps this change is welcome for some of us? Perhaps some of us are tired of playing politics on our parent's behalf, citing rehearsed speeches, cozying up to people just for our parents' sake?"

Merlin, did Smith come up with this plan on his own? He probably wouldn't have taken a jab at the fact that Theo's speech wasn't his own, otherwise...

Then again, he could just be a hypocrite.

"Well, what would you know about Slytherin, Smith?" Theo retorted. "Your family has been Hufflepuff for generations. Perhaps you should leave the operation of this house to those who have legacies here."

"The Smith family has a far greater legacy that yours, Nott."

Theo found himself wishing he was sorted somewhere besides Slytherin. Stupid house and its stupid constant politics.

"But, perhaps a simple show of power would be fine? What say we duel, Nott? I win, we let the individuals of the house decide their own course, away from this 'united front' that everyone insists is so important. You win, and, well, I'll leave that to you."

Theo didn't trust that. But he also couldn't turn down the request without losing substantial face. Face, that... wouldn't really matter if he lost. Hopefully?

"Fine, I accept." Theo replied.

Time to see what Smith had planned.

Theo's wand was up in an instant.

"Contego! Somnium! Somnium!"

A foot and a half wide shield sprung up in front of Theo, followed by two invisible sleeping hexes. Hexes that Smith easily dodged before returning fire.