Nighttime Talk in Slytherin

After dinner, Su Yu led the Slytherins back to the common room.

He sat on the sofa in the common room, Kurama in his arms, looking at everyone standing before him—from first-years to seventh-years, crowding the entire hall. They stood there, some nervous, some expectant, some with their heads lowered, not daring to look at him. Su Yu swept his gaze around the room and spoke to them all for the first time.

"I know you chose me because of my strength. My strength is so great that it frightens you, and because you are afraid, you intend to attach yourselves to me. Whether you mean it sincerely or are merely going through the motions, it does not matter. From this moment on, I am Slytherin's prefect."

The hall was so quiet that they could hear the crackling logs in the fireplace. No one spoke. No one moved.

Su Yu leaned back into the sofa, his voice soft.

"Then let me tell you what I think. First, I believe this world is wrong. They call several spells we commonly use the Unforgivable Curses. That is wrong. Does power have a right or wrong? Only strength determines right and wrong. Weakness is the real wrong."

Several upper-year students exchanged glances, but none dared to speak.

"We are Slytherin. Every one of us has been exposed to magic since birth, and our resources far surpass theirs. But what about you?" Su Yu's gaze fell on Malfoy. "Malfoy, you are still taking delight in dumping a bag of candy sent from home onto a table with a clatter, then mocking Harry."

Malfoy lowered his head and said nothing. Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him, playing with their fingers, looking exactly like two dim-witted fools.

"If I recall correctly, ambition, desire, elegance, and nobility are the hallmarks of Slytherin, aren't they? But bullying the weak is not among them."

Malfoy lowered his head even further.

Su Yu continued, "I do not think being ambitious is a derogatory thing. Is putting profit first wrong? The other houses all say Slytherins are Dark wizards—but they forget that famous Dark wizards all came from Slytherin. We merely tend to produce some wizards who stray down the wrong path. Those evil wizards care only about achieving their goals by any means necessary, but they do not deserve to call themselves Slytherins. We have ambition and will stop at nothing, but our greatest strength is still our proud hearts."

He paused, and his voice turned cold.

"Like Voldemort? He even looked down on his own father just because his father was a Muggle? After killing his father, he did not even dare write down his own name?"

A sharp intake of breath rippled through the hall. Several younger students took a step back. Cedrian's expression changed, but no one dared interrupt him.

Su Yu ignored their reactions.

"Whether his father was a Muggle or not, he did not even dare face his own father. Can someone like that still be called a Slytherin? He is a disgrace. What was his ideal? To play terrorist every day and create some black humor for Muggle families? Or to hide in a dark, stinking sewer while waiting for revenge? Look at those pathetic things he did—a Dark Lord, a Dark Lord! What did he lead your parents and elders to do? Sneak around like thieves every day?"

Kurama raised his head in Su Yu's arms, glanced at him, then lay back down.

"And your fathers," Su Yu said quietly, each word driving into their ears like a nail, "you take pride in them for swaggering around at Voldemort's side. But did they know never to put all their resources in one basket? Where did Slytherin's principle of putting profit first go? Did it go into dragging their entire families into rebellion? The whole family became Death Eaters—how ridiculous. They had no brains; do you have none either? Are you going to follow them down one dark road to the end? What does family even mean in your eyes?"

No one spoke. Several faces had already gone pale.

"I know Slytherins value family bonds. But especially at times like this, shouldn't you be thinking about your families? But what about you? Being fence-sitters? Joining them because you cannot beat them?"

Su Yu's tone became even colder.

"Do you know the families of East University? Whenever they encounter a major crisis, they divide their families apart, and each chooses a different faction. They wholeheartedly support the faction they chose. Even if they end up facing one another with swords drawn, it does not matter. In the end, no matter who wins, they win. That is why they have endured for a thousand years. And you? You are short-sighted, caring only for tiny immediate gains. Where did all your connections, your wealth-buying, and your manipulation of rules go? What is your current style of doing things? Simple and crude, methods laid bare, image ruined, abnormally irritable, acting entirely on instinct, never considering the consequences or the cost."

He glanced over everyone.

"Tell me, how many of you actually have brains?"

Silence.

"Oh, I am not targeting you two, Crabbe and Goyle. You can keep playing."

Crabbe and Goyle raised their heads and exchanged bewildered looks, as though they understood, yet also did not. But they were happy, because the prefect had mentioned them! Then they lowered their heads and continued playing with their fingers.

Su Yu rose from the sofa. Kurama jumped from his arms to the floor and sat by his feet, its nine tails swaying gently behind it.

"In short, you are Slytherins, not a bunch of gangsters. Remember, your hearts are proud. No matter when or where, you must preserve that pride—that heart that cannot be weak or lose its fighting spirit no matter what happens! Even if one day you have nothing left, you must not change that heart! Always remember—"

His voice was low and powerful.

"We are born noble! We are naturally elegant! We are full of ambition! We crave power! Greatness breeds jealousy! Jealousy breeds resentment! Only when you can bring me benefits do you have ability!"

He paused, his eyes passing over every face.

"Let the students of the other houses see what a true Slytherin is."

The hall fell silent for three seconds.

Then, no one knew who started it. One, two, three—all the Slytherin students, from first-years to seventh-years, from Malfoy to Cedrian, dropped to one knee one after another.

Their right fists pressed against their chests, their heads slightly bowed, their voices so unified that they sounded like one person.

"By your will, Prefect!"

At that moment, every Slytherin was willing to accept him as their prefect.

Gemma Farley knelt among the crowd and looked up at Su Yu. Her eyes shone a little unnaturally bright, her lips slightly parted, and two unnatural flushes rose on her cheeks. Her hand clenched the hem of her robe until her knuckles turned white, and her thighs pressed together involuntarily for a moment.

This was the boy she should devote herself to.

Cassandra Vole knelt beside her, her gaze never leaving Su Yu's face. The usual sharpness and cunning were gone from those green eyes, replaced by something she had never revealed before anyone. The corners of her lips curved upward slightly, but the smile was different from usual—not mocking, not appraising, but one of pure, heartfelt admiration.

This boy was unbelievably handsome.

Su Yu stood before the sofa, looking down at the Slytherins kneeling all over the floor, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He had finished speaking. Then he turned and left.

Kurama followed at his feet, its tail held high.