Bab 38: Chapter - 38 : Beneath the Surface
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"Ahem. Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's eyes lingered on the Weasley twins, which somehow didn't surprise me. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
I blinked. "Is he serious?"
Daphne looked just as surprised as I was. "Must be."
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Suddenly, the teachers didn't seem quite so thrilled with the situation.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
The Weasley twins were the last to finish the song, singing the words to a funeral dirge. Dumbledore cheerfully conducted them for the last few measures with his wand. I had settled safely on 'God Save the Queen' for a tune, and by the end I was smiling.
Silly as the song was, it was fun. I actually quite liked singing. It just never got to do it. I remembered when I tried to sing along to the radio one day in the kitchen. Aunt Petunia had swatted me about the head with a kitchen towel and told me to 'stop wailing like a dying cat!' Since then I kept my singing confined to our cupboard late at night when Harry or I was having trouble sleeping or, occasionally, in the bath.
"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
A pair of older Slytherins, probably about fifteen, stood up. The boy cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed down the table, "Right, first years, follow Amelie and I. We'll take you to the Common Room. Pay attention, because I won't show you the way again, and I don't care if you get lost. We've lost students in the dungeon before, we'll lose them again."
Our little knot of first years stood up and hastily followed Amelie and her partner from the Great Hall. I was full and happy, and starting to get very sleepy. I was highly anticipating collapsing into bed. However, I didn't doubt that our leaders would, in fact, leave us to fend for ourselves, so I forced myself to pay attention and watch for landmarks and turns.
We descended into the dungeons, the air getting cold and damp around us. I tugged my robes more tightly around myself, but I wasn't terribly concerned. In fact, it almost reminded me of the reptile house at the zoo. It was a soothing kind of coolness, and I smiled at the memory of the snake I'd set free. Now I was in a house represented by snakes.
I wonder whatever happened to that boa…
The prefect stopped in front of a section of stone wall. It looked unremarkable, except that when the light from a torch flickered just right, I saw a small, coiled snake carved near the base of it. I figured the marker would be almost impossible to see if you didn't know it was there. I'd only noticed it because the light moved in the exact right way to catch in the carved lines.
Amelie turned to face us. "The password changes every fortnight, so check the notice board. No password, no entry. Boy's dormitories are to the left, girls to the right. Salazar. Night all, I'm bushed."
The wall behind her ground open. There was a short passageway that opened up into the Common Room. Amelie and her companion strode through easily and vanished into two rooms off to the side that must be dorms, but the rest of us first years stopped and stared for a moment.
The Slytherin Common Room was exactly as I had expected in some ways, and completely opposite in other ways.
I wasn't terribly surprised by the greenish lamps or the dark wood cabinets. The low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas and plush green armchairs seemed to fit perfectly with what the image of Slytherin seemed to be. So did the skulls and snakes carved here and there on the walls and ceiling. The whole place was grand but held the chill of the dungeons, both in temperature and atmosphere. The only warmth came from a fireplace on the opposite side of the room.
What startled me the most was that it seemed to be under the lake. The windows had to be reinforced, because I could see the water lapping at them from outside. We seemed to be very far down. It was too dark to see outside, but I imagine that when it was light out you could probably make out the shapes of whatever lived in the lake. The water made the light seem slightly green, which was appropriate, considering the Slytherin colors.
"It's perfect," I heard Lily whisper.
I nodded in agreement.
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