Waltz of Sinners

4

"Slytherin? Are you sure that was the right choice?" Dumbledore paced his study in uneasiness while the sorting hat sat on his desk. "It was the right decision?"

Dumbledore whirled around slamming his hands on his mahogany desk in anger, fixing the sorting hat with a stare "Just like sending Tom Riddle to Slytherin was the right decision?"

The sorting hat remained silent and Dumbledore gripped the edge of his desk tightly wishing to throw the damned hat to far corner. He might be old but he was still smart enough to recognize danger when he saw it and the girl that had come in front of him had not been what he was expecting. There was a shrewd glint in her, a hunger for knowledge, to be better. She reminded him of someone, of him, of Tom Riddle the dark lord. She remembered Severus visit when he had been sent to give the youngest Potter a tour and his anger had taken him by surprise. He didn't the man had a bone in his body to care for anyone that goes by the name Potter. He should have simply sent Hagrid but the letter had first reached Minerva and she had decided that Severus was the best choice to send.

When he had asked for permission to see the memories the man had sneered and refused so he hadn't dared to venture in to his brain. Not when he needed the man's trust to get the information about the inner working of Voldemort's court. So he had stayed his tongue clearly that was the wrong thing to do. He wondered if teaching magic to a girl far too similar to the dark lord was even right but he couldn't expel her without any proof; doing so would give Lucius Malfoy more fuel against him and while he could handle Lord Malfoy he wouldn't-couldn't handle the public back lash. So Dumbledore knew he was at a checkmate. A part of him wondered if it had been a mistake to bring her into this war but Albus stopped before he could venture further. He didn't have a choice. He knew that Tom was dealing with him and Dumbledore knew that if he wished for Nexus Witches to survive than he needed to do something. After all what is the cost of one life in front of many?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seraphina Black because there was no way she would call herself a Potter and she wasn't sure what to feel about the whole 'Hope Mikaelson' thing so she elected to ignore it for now, quickened her steps as she tried to keep up with the prefects who led them down a twisting path towards the commons. She knew that the Slytherin common room was situated under the lake in the dungeons of the castle but she was in no way prepared to navigate the labrynth to find it. She kept a vigilant watch memorizing the way the best she could. The prefects pointed out trick steps and false doors as they went and Sera listened carefully. It wasn't long until they came to a halt in front of a blank stone wall.

"The password to the common room changes every two weeks, you'll find it pinned to the notice board and do try your best not to forget it" the female prefect spoke sternly before she turned to face the wall.

"Facta, non verba"

The stone slowly slid apart to reveal the common room. Sera scrambled in with the rest of her year mates and looked around the common room with barely concealed awe and amazement. At the back of the room there was a large windows that looked into the lake, the light streaming from the open window cast a soothing green glow onto the room, black comfy sofas and leather armchairs were scattered across the room by a lit fireplace whose fore changed colour to green to silver to black, a coffee tables lied nearby and bookshelves lined the two common walls up to the ceiling that was enchanted to look like the night sky. The bookshelves were lined with thick books that looked like they have been used regularly. The grey stone floor was covered in plush thick black rugs to complete the sophisticated feel of the room.

"Welcome Slytherins, to your new home" the prefect, Laura as she had introduced herself spoke out a loud getting their attention quickly.

"I'm sure you are very tired and can't wait to go to your dorms but first we have to discuss some house rules" she said gazing at them all "Number One, what happens in this house stay within the house, We are hated by ¾ of the school and nothing is more important than sticking together. Number two, you are expected to represent the house well so make sure your grades do not slack, we have study groups if you think you need help. Number Three, as Slytherins we work differently than the other houses, you are here because you have what it takes to be one and so are house dynamics are tad bit ... competitive" she toyed with the word competitive as if it was both simultaneously the worst and the best description of their house. She saw the hidden amusement in her eyes and wondered just what counted as competitive in Slytherin "you have the first week to get settled in. Now a few words from our head of house" Laura took a step back picking up a steaming cup of mug resting on the side table and joined the others who were relaxing in the rest of the common room.