The Tree of Blacks (English version)

The Slytherin Locket

"Alya, it's you! I thought I would never see you again!" exclaimed Merope, giving Alya a look full of relief.

But Alya was unable to reply. She looked at Merope with a horrified gaze. On her friend's face were the clear signs of violence. One eye was bruised and swollen, circled by a livid, purplish halo.

"But what happened to you? Who --?" she stammered in terror, pointing a trembling finger at Merope's face. The latter lowered her gaze, almost in shame.

"M-my brother," Merope confessed in a whisper, trying in vain to hide her face between her knees. "This morning I broke a plate -- I'm not very good with the levitation spell --" she explained sadly, as if that were a plausible justification for the blows she had suffered.

"Your brother? Your brother did that to you? That's horrible!" ranted Alya, scandalised.

"Don't shout, they might hear you!" Merope implored, casting a frightened glance at the wall beside her.

Alya knew that Merope's father and brother shared the room next to hers: at that moment, they were probably sleeping on the other side of the wall. Alya had never seen them, she only knew their names: Marvolo and Morfin. However, she could imagine them perfectly; in her fantasy, they both looked shady and had a malevolent expression perpetually painted on their disproportionate and grotesque faces.

Judging from Merope's stories, neither her father nor her brother spared themselves from bullying her whenever possible, regarding Merope as the scapegoat for all their frustrations.

Alya felt upset about it; the idea of that unknown boy unfairly mistreating his sister and making her suffer was very close to home. Without realising it, Alya's thoughts went to Sirius and the hateful words he had spewed at her in the woods, during their summer stay at Arcturus Black's estate, then on the Hogwarts Express, just two days before.

Apparently, the two girls had something in common besides their names. Alya perfectly understood how her dream friend felt about her brother.

Merope, who didn't seem inclined to pursue the matter further, quickly glossed over the topic.

"So you got into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! You must be thrilled." she commented with a slight smile.

Alya was interjected.

"How do you know I attend Hogwarts?" she squeaked in puzzlement. She hadn't had a chance to say anything about it yet.

"Well, your uniform --" retorted Merope, pointing her finger at Alya.

The latter automatically looked at her clothes: Merope was right. Alya was wearing the school outfit, consisting of a jumper, shirt and skirt and black stockings, including the silver-green tie. Although she was in a dream, the uniform appeared identical to reality.

"And you're a Slytherin, I see. You must be proud." Merope said smugly, alluding to the colours of the tie.

"Yes. So is my whole family, after all. Everyone in my family went to Slytherin. Everyone, except my brother."

"Slytherin is a great and noble House. As is its founder, Salazar Slytherin." as she spoke, Merope's black pupils glowed with remote pride.

"I never told you this, but my mother was a direct descendant of the great Salazar." she added with a changed look. The memory of her deceased mother always made her very sad. But Alya didn't mind this time. She was much more impressed by what her friend had just said.

"What? Your mother was descended from Salazar Slytherin?" she exclaimed in amazement.

Merope nodded shyly. She reached out her slender arm towards the bedside table grabbed a large jewel and showed it to Alya, proudly. It was a locket, very similar to the one worn by Alya's mother, except for a few, but significant differences. Merope's pendant was made of gold, as opposed to Walburga's, which was made of silver; moreover, instead of the engraving of a branch, a serpentine S appeared on the surface, studded with green diamonds, Salazar Slytherin's unmistakable initials. It was an object of inestimable value, whose opulent form contrasted with the poor and ragged appearance of its owner.