Getting Along

When his gaze swept over Breeze, standing in the farthest corner, he paused... Then he drawled slowly, his face expressionless. "You should understand what it means to be in Slytherin. Perhaps you come from wealthy, distinguished, and famous families, but once you're here, everything comes down to ability. Of course, I can't deny that family background is a kind of ability, too, but this isn't a place for you to show off your ancestors' glory... Remember this: don't make mistakes."

"If you need help with anything... As long as your brains aren't malfunctioning or stuffed with Fluxweed, making you come to me with some utterly useless question, my door will be open to you..."

Breeze was starting to feel dizzy from standing there. Snape sure could talk.

"Right!"

"Now, go to bed... First-years don't have a duel for the title of Head of House. You should be grateful that Slytherin has left its Little Snakes a sliver of warmth and given you time to grow. Not much, but it's precious all the same. You can't expect you to wrestle like Trolls and use your wands as clubs."

"Prefects, get them settled."

When Snape finished speaking, the fifth-year Prefects, a boy and a girl, stepped forward. The girl was Jennifer Carrow. She led the first-year girls away through the passage on the right, while the boy said, "I'm Bennett Wilder. Follow me."

The boy said little and didn't seem to dislike Breeze particularly, but Breeze's roommate didn't seem very friendly.

Slytherin dorm rooms had two beds. Perhaps because Slytherin had been wealthy from the beginning, the dormitory named after him had never become cramped. It was even a little luxurious. Breeze's unfortunate roommate was Blaise Zabini, the well-spoken, dark-skinned boy who followed Malfoy around.

When the dormitory door opened, Zabini walked straight in without paying Breeze any attention.

Of course, that was for the best. Breeze had no energy left to worry about his roommate's attitude. After a whole day of being put through the wringer, he didn't want to talk anymore. He just wanted to wash up and get some rest. Damn Tuesday. And tomorrow was Wednesday, when Breeze had classes.

The Slytherin common room was decorated mainly in green, with silver accents. The dormitory was the same, with comfortable green-and-silver curtains and beds... Breeze actually liked green and silver and hated red and white. Silver and white were different colors, and shouldn't be lumped together.

But he didn't like it here very much, because the Slytherin common room was on the lower floor, which made him feel stifled. A huge window of glass separated it from the lake outside. Through it, he could see fish and shrimp swimming in the depths, and sometimes even a giant squid. But the Fantastic Beasts living at the bottom of the lake rarely came near the window. There was magic here.

He still preferred Ravenclaw's tower. Back at the Orphanage, he'd liked going up to the top floor to feel the wind, even in the coldest winter, rather than curling up under a blanket like a snake and staying perfectly still.

He could only hope tomorrow would be a good day.

Breeze unpacked the luggage the House-elves had already brought to the dormitory and took off the shoulder bag he always carried. After washing up, he lay down on his bed. His roommate had already started writing a letter at his desk, probably to his family.

Breeze didn't write to Emmeline. They were already over; all they needed now was to remain on the most basic friendly terms. He didn't take out his diary or textbooks to study ahead, either. He just pulled the timetable from the bedside table.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, he had Herbology at nine in the morning. The class was taught by Professor Pomona Sprout in the greenhouses outside the castle, and there was another lesson in the afternoon so they could observe the plants' growth more closely...

Well, Breeze liked Herbology. It was his strong suit. He'd already memorized most of what was in the textbook, so he could rest easy.

As Breeze fell asleep, Zabini set down his letter. He glanced at Breeze in silence and gave a cold, quiet laugh before heading to the washroom to get ready for bed as well.

The next morning, Breeze stretched and rolled over, ready to go back to sleep. Then he suddenly remembered something.

"Yes, I've started school, but I think..."

Breeze's muttering in bed disturbed Zabini, who had been sleeping lightly. He got up in silence, washed, then quickly left with his Herbology textbook and the letter.

Quite a few students were up early in the Slytherin common room. Among them were Jennifer Carrow and Bennett Wilder, the fifth-year Prefects from the night before. Fifth-years had an important exam coming up—the Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.s)—which would affect their futures as wizards, so every fifth-year class was busy. Seventh-years had their own exam, the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.T.s), and were even busier. Generally, students in those two years rarely took part in extracurricular activities. Most kept their heads down and studied—or crammed at the last minute.

Jennifer Carrow frowned when she saw Blaise Zabini come out, but quickly relaxed. Beside her, Bennett Wilder remarked with amusement, "Looks like your eye for people is off, too."

Bennett Wilder gave her a teasing look. "I wonder why you helped that Muggle-born. Is that your type? He's only eleven!"

Jennifer Carrow rolled her eyes and lightly brushed back her hair without answering.

Bennett Wilder clicked his tongue.

"Honestly, I hope the kid can stick around."

Zabini heard the two of them but paid them no mind. When he spotted Parkinson on the sofa across the room, he greeted her and headed straight out.

Inside the dormitory, Breeze slowly crawled out from under the covers and shook off his grogginess. Then he checked the clock, got up, and washed. He didn't expect much from his roommate; he just hoped the boy wouldn't get in his way, and that Slytherin would be a little more tolerant.

Of course, Breeze was disappointed. He had just finished washing and picked up his textbook, ready to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, when trouble found him before he could even leave the common room.

"A Muggle-born can get into Slytherin? They should kick him out already. He's got the nerve to carry around that old shoulder bag, even the House-elves can't stand it. Hmph."

Two second-year boys blocked Breeze's path. They'd kept shooting him dirty looks at the feast last night, and now they couldn't hold back from confronting him in person.

Breeze looked at them, already feeling irritated. He just wanted to get something to eat.

"Ockham, Gus, it's only the first day of school." An older girl gave Breeze a cold glance, then turned to the two boys. She was obviously warning them not to be so blunt, not trying to help Breeze.

But the boys clearly had no patience for playing cat and mouse with him. They exchanged a look, and one said, "Oh, I think you should be worrying about your N.E.W.T.s, not us, senior."

"Hmph." The witch smiled and paid them no further attention.

Jennifer Carrow frowned beside them.

The others watched in silence, but none of them seemed inclined to step in.

Breeze lowered his head, a faint red glow in his eyes. Then Draco Malfoy came out of the dormitory passage. Parkinson, who had been waiting on the sofa, put down her beauty book and addressed Breeze with undisguised disdain. "Get out of the way, you sneaky Muggle-born!"

The two hulking boys following Malfoy came out behind him. When they heard Parkinson, they both stepped forward and shoved Breeze aside.

Parkinson looked at Malfoy with a radiant smile. "Draco, I've been waiting ages for you. Let's go enjoy breakfast. I hope these people haven't spoiled your mood."

Malfoy nodded and smirked.

"I'm in a great mood."

Malfoy glanced at Breeze, a gleeful look in his eyes. He snorted and lifted his chin arrogantly. "We're pure-blood wizards from noble families, Pansy. Mind your language. Don't talk like some Half-blood or Muggle."

He grabbed Breeze by the shoulder and said coldly, "You'd better watch yourself, too. No one here will help you, freak... Slytherin will devour you without leaving a trace."

Then he turned to Ockham and Gus. "I hope you two aren't thinking of doing anything stupid, either."

At Malfoy's words, the two boys blocking Breeze's way immediately stepped aside. They looked unsettled and angry, but didn't dare argue. They could only let Malfoy and his group leave the common room.

The leaves were eaten by insects, and the insects by birds. That was Slytherin for you. Tch. A bunch of proud peacocks?

The red glow in Breeze's lowered eyes had faded... He wasn't familiar with this place yet. He'd have to wait a little longer... Was there something wrong with his eyes? Was Malfoy warning him?

A freak?

"All right, that's enough." Jennifer Carrow stood up. As a Prefect, she couldn't keep quiet now; it wouldn't look good if this reached the Head of House. She didn't want to lose her Prefect badge over something so trivial.

Bennett Wilder teased, "Keep it up and the kid's going to cry. Hahaha—cough, cough."

When no one responded, he coughed awkwardly twice.

Jennifer Carrow glared at him, then turned to Breeze and said with some disappointment, "This is your final warning. I don't believe the Sorting Hat would put a spineless waste in Slytherin. This isn't Hufflepuff, where people can bully you while you just take it without a care."

Bennett Wilder raised an eyebrow. "Jennifer, are you his mother? You're awfully concerned about him."

"Shut up, Bennett. Don't forget you're a Prefect, too. He's still a Slytherin."

Bennett Wilder shrugged helplessly, though inside he was enjoying the show. But he looked at Breeze coldly and said, "Fine. Then, Mr. Ockham and Mr. Gus, please step aside and let this little Muggle-born gentleman out."

"Heh, of course."

At the Prefects' instruction, Ockham and Gus moved aside resentfully. Breeze glanced at them.

Ockham and Gus suddenly felt a stabbing pain in their eyes. A burst of magic obscured their vision.

"Ah!"

Ockham and Gus were kicked hard in the stomach. They angrily tried to pull out their wands, but the common room door had already shut.

The other Little Snakes watched without helping Ockham and Gus.

Jennifer didn't care what happened to the two of them. She said coldly, "He's still under protection. He can go after you, but if you attack him, you're challenging Slytherin's rules!"

"I'm sure Head of House Snape will have a nice talk with you."