Hidden Slytherin

Chapter 22 That's Just The Tip Of The Yikesberg

They had all moved to the library to work on essays and read up on anything that caught their interest. Jane had had a small breakthrough with the levitation project. It wasn't like wizards and witches hadn't already figured it out before but Jane also wanted a full understanding of what she was working on. She had started with how to lighten her body mass and use the wind but now she was working with the more magical aspect. It was really a mix between physics and magic. She was basing her research off of the Wingardium Leviosaspell taught in charms, but instead of applying it to an object, she would apply it to herself.

As she was pulling out another piece of parchment for writing the structural breakdown of the spell there was a crash. Jane whipped her head around. Her hearing had been strengthened but she had gotten distracted by the research.

"EVERYONE," Crabtree boomed, "To you house common rooms now. Any perfects in the room, please lead your fellow house mates." With a wave of his wand books shot into bags and chairs ejected students.

Everyone was moving. Racheal got pulled away by another Ravenclaw as she called back, trying to ask what was happening. Roman grabbed her hand and pulled her along. She quickly looked back and saw Draven right behind her with Neryssa being dragged too. They all seemed to be racing down the stairs, while others fought to go up. Jane trusted Roman to lead her and let her hearing heighten painfully.

A group of Gryffindors were moving up the stairs as they went down and Jane caught some snippets.

"-a Gryffindor-"

"-dead snake-"

"-wrong house-"

Too soon the conversation was swept away. She tried to focus on the words snake, even as her stomach twisted. Was a student dead? She caught a bit more, from a pale faced Hufflepuff this time.

"-eating its own tail-"

"-how could someone-"

"-skull-"

"-could he be back-"

Jane was pulled away, loosing track of the conversations and following the flow of students into the dungeons and then into the Slytherin common room. The four of them commandeered a couch and huddled together. The tension in the air was skyrocketing as murmurs broke out in the crowd. Jane listened to what the groups were whispering, her mind catching on a certain word.

She leaned over to Roman, whispering her question. "Hey, please tell me Death Eaters aren't what I think they are, right?"

Roman visibly paled, and his eyes looked like they'd pop out. "What," he gasped.

"Someone said something about a snake with a skull and another mentioned something about a Death Eater."

He looked nauseous.

Jane reached over and held his hand. It was shaking just barely. She had read about Death Eaters in books on the last war, knew that the wizarding world was still recovering with the fear still fresh in their minds. They had been followers of Voldemort apparently better known as You-Know-Who. Apparently he was this world's equivalent of an extremist, a purist obsessed with blood purity and the eradication of muggle and muggle borns. She also knew that even though they had lost the war, not all the Death Eaters had been captured.

Thoughts of the Birth Giverand Step Failurecame unbidden and she found herself squeezing Roman's hand. He squeezed it back, his eyes shifting around the room. The Head Boy and Girl, along with the perfects were keeping everyone in the common room. It felt like hours but Jane was sure it was only minutes before Professor Crabtree marched into the room. Everyone quieted the silence tense in the air.

He wore a blank face, but the worry showed through in his slight scowl. Behind him Severus Snape looked down right murderous.

"I'm sure you've all heard something by now, nosey little shits you are." Jane was personally impressed that he could say that without any actual venom in his voice. "So I'll be blunt. A series of packages have been delivered to students. Today at lunch a third one was delivered to the Gryffindors," at this Crabtree's voice held a slightly bitter edge. "The school is being searched, and the perpetrator will be punished." He let that thought hang in the air for a moment. "Due to the packages contents, Slytherin will no doubt be singled out for... particular attention. So I will clarify. We take care of our own. You have a problem with a fellow Snake, you deal with it in here and it does not affect you're relations outside this room. You want to do something questionable, you do not get caught. Stick together. You are Snakes, resourceful, respectable, and most importantly we are cunning. Do not give anything away for free."

He looked over the crowd before continuing. "The rest of the weekend will be spent within the common rooms. Meals will be brought in at the regular times and allowances will be made for incomplete work on Monday. However, classes will be doubled for this next week. Schedules for that will be handed out by the Head Boy and Girl on Monday. That is all." With that he turned and left.

Whispers erupted from the students, the noise steadily growing louder. The normally stoic Slytherins all had to get in their opinions and wanted to know more. Jane leaned her head against the back of the couch. This was going a be a long weekend.

Jane had taken to waiting for Roman before heading to the great hall since the beginning of school but now they weren't the only students to start doing this.

The Snakes began to move in groups. Even Jane and Roman had started waking up Neryssa and Draven respectively so they could all walk together.

When she had a second to think Jane found the whole thing irritating. What was the motive even. To scare them? They had accomplished that. If it was the thief, could they have been after the Room of Requirements treasure? Did this person think the Blackthornes had them? If not then what? A good threat had two parts. If you don't do A I will do B. Was it a distraction? Look at the pretty lady while I make this rabbit disappear. But if that was the case, then why the symbolism? The more it happened the more frustrated she got. Jane didn't like being in the dark, it made things unpredictable.

Her family obviously had an idea about what was going on and had started sending even more letters, demanding her to send letters daily, just making sure she was ok.

Classes were slowly getting back to normal, although the new schedules were still in effect. It seemed as if the teachers believed that if the perpetrator was a student then the increased workload would mean they were too busy to get another package together.

Jane just hoped it was true.