Yen made a set out of these... and they all look that much better for it.

The Head of Slytherin

"Albus, there is no way I can agree to this!" Archibald Griffith spun about to glare at the Headmaster sitting behind his desk. He totally ignored the Potions Master who was sitting, almost hidden, in the wing-backed chair near the fireplace. That the man had made not a single sound since this meeting had begun made it that much easier to forget him.

"Archibald, Severus is the one I believe should take this position." Albus' soft tone still carried the weight of a decision made. "You have already turned in your resignation and it has been processed."

Minerva cut in, her attention also solely focused on the Headmaster. "You did not consult me. Normally you would talk to me about these types of decisions, yet you did not when you hired Snape, when you promoted him to temporary Head of Hufflepuff, and now, you neglected to do so when you promoted him to the Head of Slytherin. Is my opinion worth that little?"

Albus looked over at Severus, knowing that his arbitrary decision was forcing the young man to hear things that he should not be subjected to, before focusing on Minerva. "Minerva, your opinion is always valued, but in this instance I did not wish to cause Severus any more stress this past year. If you knew that he was going to take over for Griffith, you would have treated him differently. You have always had a healthy rivalry with the Head of Slytherin, and I fear I did not trust you not to start while the next Head of House was still learning the ropes."

"He is only a fourth year teacher! I was confounded by your decision to make a Snape the temporary Head of Hufflepuff, but now you are implying that you knew he was going to be the next Head of Slytherin since the beginning of the school year?" Griffith shook his head, his grey hair moving about his shoulders. "Slytherin will eat him alive. They are nothing like the Hufflepuffs. Those Puffs are nice and easy to get along with. They lack the cutthroat mentality that makes controlling Slytherin so difficult. It takes a Slytherin, a true Slytherin, to manoeuvre in the house. To handle what these children will face and what they will be like. Snape is too much like a Hufflepuff to handle them."

"Archibald, the day you handed in your resignation, before school even started this year, I decided that Severus would be your replacement." Albus noticed that Minerva just stared at him, flabbergasted at the length of time his decision had been made. Glancing over at Severus, he noticed that the boy was contemplating the fire, but he knew that he was paying attention to every word said.

"Why do you think that Severus is like a Hufflepuff?" Albus let his attention turn back to Archibald. "And who do you think should be your successor?"

Griffith compressed his lips together before answering. "Even though she is a Ravenclaw, I think Vector could handle it. As for Snape being a Hufflepuff, he successfully ran that house for an entire year. He has to be like them for them to be fooled into thinking he was one of them. And there was not one word of discontent from them. These are Puffs! They whine about anything. They need cuddles, they need pats on the back, they need someone to tell them that they are doing well, that they are worth something. He had to do all those – which makes him more like a Puff than a Slytherin. My house knows this and will do whatever they can to make his life horrible." He shot a glare over at the wing-backed chair. "Personally, I think that they will succeed easily, and he will run crying from the position, begging you to let him out of it, like the Puff he truly is."

Albus caught the tensing and then relaxing of Severus shoulders, but the boy didn't say a word in his defence. He didn't even turn his gaze away from the flames.

"Minerva, do you think Severus would have a chance with the Slytherin House?" The hard look he received from his Deputy assured him that his late asking would not save him from the argument to come later, when they were alone.

"Severus … If you had asked me last year, I would have said no. He is too young, he hasn't developed enough skills to handle the group. But this year, after seeing how he conducted himself with the Hufflepuff House and with Vector, I think he might be able to. One of the attributes of Slytherins is ambition as well as the cunning to achieve their goals. You told Severus that he had to succeed at being the Head of Hufflepuff to become the Head of Slytherin, correct?"

When Albus nodded she continued. "So, he would have done all in his power to make Hufflepuff succeed – and they did. They barely lost the Quidditch cup, won the House cup for the first time in years, and they were fine with him. All this making Severus Snape out to be a Hufflepuff is based on one jealous professor attempting to stir the waters."

Griffith snorted and shook his head. "Don't go whining when you fail, Snape. They think you are weak and will do their best to exploit it."

Severus turned in his seat at last, his eyes landing on the former Head of Slytherin. Black eyes were as frosty as his tone when he said his first words since entering the Headmaster's office. "I don't whine when I fail, Griffith."

§§§§

The Welcoming Feast came with Pomona happy to be back. Severus sat next to her so that he could easily observe the Slytherins who were now in his care, and still keep an eye on the badgers that had been his. Vector sat on the other side of him.

"Do you honestly think you can go from Hufflepuff to Slytherin?"

Severus bit back a sigh. It was the same thing she had asked every day since they returned from the summer holidays. 'Calm, you are not going to let her mess with you. You shall be just what you need to be, a Slytherin.'

Sneering at her, he answered her question. "Do not start your petty mechanisms this year. Surely, you learned last year that they get you nowhere."

Shifting his attention back to the tables, he watched as the children filtered in. The Slytherins looked about, hunting for Professor Griffith. Not finding him, they started contemplating the Professors that were at the High Table. The Hufflepuffs spotted Pomona the moment they settled at the table, and smiled, then they shifted their gaze to him, and they smiled again.

Pomona turned slightly towards Severus. "I hear that the House Cup in residing in my office because of you."

Severus looked at the house of the badgers and then back at their leader. "They earned it. I just watched them do it."

A small smile flitted across her face, and Severus wondered if the children would tell her the tale of last year: of the study groups, of the plan to make the house of Hufflepuff act like Slytherins for one year. Deciding to face that when it came, he turned his attention back to his snakes. They were as he observed last year. Most were settling into their known positions in the house, preparing to meet the new ones. Good first impressions were to be made as they carried so much weight.

The rest of the Welcoming Feast was a repeat of the last several years up to the point that Albus introduced the new professors. Professor Mary York was named the new Defence Professor before Severus was named the Head of Slytherin.

Looking at the mixed expressions of his snakes, Severus knew that he had his work cut out for him. He almost hexed Vector as she leaned closer, her spite lacing her voice as she spoke, not even bothering to whisper.

"Looks like they don't want you either."

Turning his head slightly, he let a slow cruel smile curl his lips as he answered her. "They don't have to. They just have to survive."

§§§§

Making sure his frown was very evident, Severus strode into the common room. He knew he had to make a strong first impression as the Head of House, which was going to be more difficult since the rumours from last year were tainting his reputation.

The door thudded shut behind him and he surveyed the members of his house that were clustered about the seating area near the fireplace. "Mr Parks and Miss Winterborne, go retrieve all the other members of this house. There are items that we need to discuss before you retire for the night."

The two seventh year prefects jumped up and headed for the dormitories. It took less than a minute for the rest of the children to settle in the common room.

"As you heard tonight, I am now your Head of House. You were selected to be a member of this house for a number of reasons, the foremost being you are ambitious and cunning. Those are two characteristics that mark any member of Slytherin. Use those traits to the best of your ability to succeed in all your endeavours, especially here. You should also rely on another trait - subtlety." Severus let a heavy gaze settle on each of the students, especially the known troublemakers.

"This house was once known to present a united front outside of the common room, and it shall be so again. All in house competitions shall happen here and the rest of the school shall never be privy to them."

He waited until the upper years, especially the prefects, nodded. They would remember the House as it had been under Slughorn.

"Also, you shall not dishonour Slytherin house by costing us points or gaining a detention. This is where your ability to be subtle and cunning comes into play. If, and I mean if, you must handle an issue with a member of another house do so in a way that will not harm our standings or dishonour the name of Slytherin."

A second year snorted slightly and called out. "And what will happen if we do? More points off?"

"Mr Tilburne, you did not ask to speak. Do not interrupt me while I am speaking." Severus hissed out as he glared at the boy, letting the full weight of his displeasure be felt. The older students sitting next to the boy shifted slightly away from him.

Hiding his smirk, Severus continued. "If you are such a poor example of this house as to put yourself into this untenable position, you shall not only serve the detention already assigned you, you shall also be assigned punitive work somewhere in the dungeon or restrictions to your motions. Possibly both, depending on the level of infraction you committed. As I am your in loco parentis, I have the ability to take whatever actions necessary to correct your misbehaviour."

A number of the children paled slightly after thinking about what he implied.

"Also, I will not typically remove points from Slytherin for your wrongdoings, but understand you are not getting away with acting out. You shall be punished here in any manner that I deem fit for the infraction."

He watched as the upper years took on a calculating look while the lower years looked as if they were given permission to act as a fool. They would learn soon enough. "Lastly, if you need me at night, you will find me in my laboratory before midnight and in my quarters after that hour. They are located in the second corridor on the right from my office. The door that you will find me behind will be the one that you can see. If neither is visible, I will be on patrol. A ward on the hall will alert me to your presence and I will be there shortly. First years, you will be shown where this is tomorrow. Are there any questions?"

A third year raised her hand and spoke when Severus acknowledged her. "You were the Head of Hufflepuff last year. Which house were you a member of when you were a student?"

"I was a member of this house, Miss Flinn."

Nathaniel Tilburne rolled his eyes as he called out. "Then how did you succeed in working with those Puffs?"

A sneer curled Severus' lips. "By knowing how to achieve my goals, Mr Tilburne."

The room fell silent, only the crackle of the fireplace sounding behind them.

"If that is all for the evening, then I will see you at breakfast with your schedules. We will have another house meeting in two days. Good night." Spinning on his heel, Severus strode out of the common room.

§§§§

After breakfast the next morning, Severus swept into his sixth year NEWT class. He glided to the front of the room before spinning about sharply to face the mixed class. Making eye contact with each student, he started his opening speech.

"You have succeeded in making it into this class by showing that you have learned enough about potions to demonstrate a basic competency in the skill of brewing. As such, I will not be explaining OWL level material."

A few of the Slytherins' eyes widened; there was uncertainty reflected on the Gryffindors' faces; the Ravenclaws just nodded, and he could see the determination in the Hufflepuffs' expression. With a casual flick of his wand, he caused the directions for the potion he was assigning to appear on the board.

"Your books shall remain closed for the entirety of this class period. You are to individually brew the potion on the board exactly as it is written. Begin now." He waited as the students retrieved their ingredients before walking about the room, observing the skill level of the class.

Clarissa Munns carefully added the next ingredient to her cauldron before stirring it with just as much care. The feeling of eyes watching her had almost made her mess up at least three times during the potion, and she was very grateful that this was the end. Cancelling the fire, she waited two minutes before bottling a sample. It was only then that she allowed herself to look about in an attempt to determine who had been staring at her. 'The Slytherins. They are staring at all the Hufflepuffs in the class. I wonder if they have a question about Snape?'

Resting her gaze on the Professor, she fought a grin. One did not grin in Potions; it would call attention to you and make Snape more likely to hover over your work. 'Those Slytherins are confused. They have no clue what to make of Snape, I bet.'

The smile won out as she took in the black robes and the strict expression that filled the man's face. Most of the students here had never had the pleasure of watching that expression melt away into contemplation. Black eyes met hers and an eyebrow lifted in an inquiry. She glanced over at the staring Slytherins and then down at her own potion.

"Bring your sample to my desk and then clean up your stations."

It was over at the sink that Clarissa was confronted by one of the Slytherins.

"How was he as a Head of House?" Milton Thatcher leaned closer to the sixth year prefect, hoping to learn something.

Clarissa moved over to give the Slytherin prefect room next to her. She knew Thatcher would truly listen to what she said, he had a good reputation in the Hufflepuff common room. "He was good, strict but good. Don't play around. He tolerates that less from the house he is charged with than he does in class. It would be good to have a goal and work hard to get it. Of course he might be different with you, there are differences between our houses. He is good at getting you to work with your skills to achieve goals."

Milton felt the blue eyed gaze resting on him contemplating something before she continued.

"Don't cross him and don't demand things of him. Ask, request, tell him what is needed, and you will receive all the help you need. At least he was always available when we needed him, no matter the time of day or what he was doing. He is also willing to listen to suggestions, he might not accept them, but he listened."

"That doesn't sound very much like a Hufflepuff." The words were barely out of his mouth before Clarissa snorted and rolled her eyes.

"That is because he is not one. He's a Slytherin. Told us that the first night. We were worried that he wouldn't understand us, but he did. Admittedly there were some tough moments … study groups are in your future, but I can't be sad that he was the one chosen. We learned a lot last year."

"You learned a lot? About what?"

"About what to do when we get out of here. How to get a master, how to plan and achieve a goal, how to succeed at something that we set our minds to do. He is the youngest professor here, he just recently received his Mastery, which means he knows more about how the process works nowadays than the others."

Milton narrowed his eyes slightly as they walked back to their stations. He had some thinking to do.

Severus watched as the two prefects talked. Observing their expressions, especially those of Thatcher, he decided that his sixth year prefect had potential. He was gathering information and making decisions. 'If he is smart he will parcel it out to the other prefects and soon word will make it around the house. It shall be interesting to see how they react to it.'

§§§§

Milton leaned back into his seat and stared into the fire that was dancing from log to log in the common room's fireplace.

"Thatcher, come on, we are meeting." Aaron Parks strode out of the common room, sure that the sixth year prefect would follow him.

The door closed behind them as they entered the unused classroom that the Slytherin prefects had taken over as a meeting room. Parks sat next to Melissa Winterborne and nodded to the others.

"We are all here." His light brown eyes swept over the five other people before he continued. "Snape is our Head of House, and I do not know what to think about it. What are your opinions?"

Melissa shifted slightly before she spoke up. "We don't know enough about him, or rather we don't know enough of how he was as a Head of House."

"We know that he acted in a way that the Puffs weren't bothered by him. He fit in... that is what Professor Griffith said." Bethany Murdock, the fifth year prefect stopped the frown from marring her forehead as she contemplated how a Slytherin could fit in with Hufflepuffs.

"But he doesn't act like one. I mean, take his speech last night, and how he has always been in class." Elaine Lambert, sixth year prefect, sighed. "It is a puzzle. He acts cold, calculating, and out-and-out cruel. But Hufflepuffs would not take to that well. They would be unhappy, very unhappy."

"And we heard not one word of complaint last year from them." Albert Forbes, the other fifth year prefect, narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand the impossible. "How could we not hear it if they were? No one in the entire school heard them complain."

Milton let the side of his mouth curl into the semblance of a grin. "Because they are Hufflepuffs." He rolled his eyes when the rest of them pinned him with demanding looks. "Honestly, they are loyal and toil under any circumstances. They work hard and will do what is needed. It says so in their list of house traits. Most people have the wrong idea about Hufflepuffs here. Get out in the world and you learn how wrong people are about that house. The people who typically make it? They are the Hufflepuffs or the ones who are supported by them. That is why I have been cultivating my connections with the members of that house for the last five years. I am going to succeed in my goals."

"You have connections? What do they tell you about Snape?" asked Aaron.

"That he was a good Head of House who was stricter with those in his direct care than he is in class. Munns, their sixth year prefect, says that as long as we ask, he will consider doing things for us. She said that he will take care of us as long as we do not … force him to despise us."

"Griffith said that he fit in with the Hufflepuffs. Surely for Snape to do so, they couldn't know that he was once a Slytherin." Bethany waited to see what Milton would say to that.

"Munns said that he told them the first night that he was a Slytherin, and that they were very worried that he wouldn't know how to take care of them. She also said he succeeded, though there were rough moments. I think we shall be seeing some of those rough moments as well. Snape is not the easiest to get along with, but if the Hufflepuffs can work with him, we should be able to." Milton watched the others' faces, hoping that they would understand.

Melissa's mind slipped back to Snape's speech last night. "He told us last night how he succeeded with the Hufflepuffs – with ambition, cunning, and subtleness. He had a goal – to be a Head of House, and took the opportunity given him and did his best."

"And he obviously succeeded, as he was made our Head of House." One of the fifth year prefects chimed in with the other following up their words in a knowing tone.

"Obviously – they won the House cup, and came close to getting the Quidditch cup. They did it without drawing the least bit of suspicion. They showed ambition and cunning."

"And subtleness." "He showed them how to be Slytherins," chimed in the sixth year prefects.

Milton thoughtfully added, "And if he can teach Hufflepuffs traits that are not typical of their personality, what can we learn from him?"

Melissa joined in, her expression serious. "Hard work maybe?"

Milton nodded. "As long as it is towards a goal, we should be able to do so."

Parks looked at the gathered leaders of Slytherin. "Then we are agreed, that Snape will be a good Head of House?"

"We agree that we can give him a chance."

§§§§

Severus stood before his snakes his arms folded as he waited on the last few to arrive from the library. The last two second years slipped past him to join their housemates. Glaring at them, he started in. "When I call a house meeting, you are to arrive promptly. I do not tolerate tardiness." The last line was hissed out, the warning clear. "You shall be confined to the common room unless you are in class or meals tomorrow."

His snakes stared at him in disbelief. Ignoring it, he continued on. "Starting tomorrow, you shall have organized study sessions. As of this moment, I have not assigned you specific study groups; I will do so as the term progresses. No one is excused from these meetings. They shall take place an hour before dinner. If I see the need, I will increase the study period to two hours."

A glare raked over the children who were squawking in outrage. They quieted down. "Also, all sixth and seventh years will see me during the next two weeks to determine if you are on track for you career choice. Third through fifth year, you shall look over the chart that is now posted on the bulletin board. You shall alert me if you are in the wrong OWL courses so that they may be changed to match the requirements needed to achieve your ambitions. This shall be accomplished in the next two days."

A number of the children glanced at the chart before returning their attention back to him. "Are there any questions?"

The silence stretched out until it was broken by a falling log. "Good."

Sweeping out of the quiet room, Severus was pleased at the progress he had made. They at least feared him. He could change that fear into respect faster than he could change ridicule.

Bethany Murdock stared at the chart. She was sitting next to the bulletin board, so all she had to do was look up. She did not expect to see a chart that plotted out the courses needed for several types of professions. It took her less than a second to find her choice and to verify that she was in the right classes.

Moving to join her fellow prefects she gave a half smile. "Go check it out before the others mob it. I wish that I had seen it years ago."

The other five walked to the chart, their eyes widening when they realized what it was. They automatically checked out their career's expected classes.

§§§§

"Miss Barton and Mr Tilburne to my office, now." Severus waited until he saw his second year snake obey and then followed them.

He closed his office door quietly as he glared at the two children. "Miss Barton, explain why I saw you with your wand in your hand in the corridor."

Emma Barton glared at Tilburne as she answered. "He won't stop! Everyone of us has told him to stop, we have explained again and again that he is a dunderhead of the highest degree if he believes what he is spouting, but he won't stop."

"And this was a good reason to pull your wand?" The question was asked in a silky low hiss.

Emma swallowed heavily as she shifted her attention to her former Head of House. "He pulled his first, I was defending myself."

Severus shifted his attention to Nathaniel Tilburne. The boy was the most Gryffindor of Slytherins that he ever had the displeasure of meeting. The second year hadn't changed his tune since the first night – he still believed that Severus was not worthy of being the Head of Slytherin, no mater what the evidence showed. "Mr Tilburne, why did Miss Barton feel it was necessary to defend herself from your wand?"

Tilburne smirked, his smug expression echoing in his voice. "I told her just what I thought about you – how you must be just like them – a duffer. Sure, you are trying to act like you are a Slytherin, but we all know it is just an act. She got mad and told me to stop being a dunderhead. I don't accept being insulted, not by the likes of a Hufflepuff. So, I pulled my wand to hex her."

Severus compressed his lips tightly together as he considered what to do. For the last month this boy had been nothing but a thorn in his side, but this was the first time he had stepped out of line in a way that he could punish him. Shifting his attention to Miss Barton, he decided to deal with her first. "Miss Barton, you shall be confined to my classroom for the two hours before dinner for the next week. Bring your materials and study group if you are in one."

Emma nodded slowly. "Yes, sir. We will be there."

"You may go. I will see you this afternoon." He watched as she slipped out the door, no doubt off to tell her study group of the change of location.

Shifting his attention back to Tilburne, he noticed the surprised look on his face. "Mr Tilburne, you are confined to the common room and the dormitory when you are not in class or at meals for the next week. You are dismissed."

As he watched the boy saunter out the door, he knew he was going to have problems out of him. An evil smirk curled his lips. The boy had no idea what he was about to get himself into.

§§§§

Nymphadora Tonks followed Emma into Snape's classroom with the three other members of their study group. With a light frown marring her brow, she set her books onto a cleaned table and approached the front desk. The group had decided that she was the one who should talk to Snape to see how the professor wanted the House of Hufflepuff to handle the rumours and blatant disrespect they had been hearing.

"Sir." While she waited for the dark eyes looked up at her, she noticed the yellow and black quill along with a green and silver one standing in his quill holder. Snape finally looked at her and she continued. "we, that is all of the Hufflepuffs, would like to know …" Twisting her fingers together, she tried to think of how to ask him. "You have to know the rumours running about the school. Well, they are not just speculating, they are being outright disrespectful. We hear them all the time. It doesn't feel right to ignore them. You were not bad as a Head of House. You helped us, took care of us, and did everything that we might possibly have wanted. It is wrong of them to be able to take pot-shots at you like that and get away with it."

"Miss Tonks," Severus broke in, stopping her from continuing. "I knew that this would be the repercussions from being your Head of House. I was and am prepared to deal with them. You and your fellow house mates do not need to defend me to the rest of the school. Your indifference to their accusations is defence enough."

He shifted his attention to the other first years. "You all do your house justice, showing your loyalty to me even when it is not needed. Just stay low and let everything fall the way it will. Trust me, I have this issue taken care of. It should be over by Christmas Holiday at the latest."

The tension leaked out of their faces and small smiles curled their lips.

"Now, you have studying to do. Get started."

"Yes, sir!" The Hufflepuff second years settled and started discussing their potions homework.

It was during the last ten minutes of the study session that Mr Park walked into the room, his gaze taking in the Hufflepuffs before landing on Professor Snape. "Sir, Tilburne has left the room."

Snape's eyes narrowed before a smirk curled his lips. "Thank you, Mr Park. I will handle this from here."

§§§§

Severus stopped behind Tilburne as he was walking through the Great Hall. "Mr Tilburne, as you have seen fit to ignore my assigned punishment, you shall now be spending your evenings and afternoons in detention with me for the duration of your punishment time. Report to my classroom directly after dinner. If you do not appear, the consequences will be dire."

Sweeping off towards the High Table, Severus was very aware of the snakes watching him and the conversation that was following in his wake.

Milton Thatcher glared at the second year. "You think you are worthy of being a Slytherin? You – you are worse than any Gryffindor. Snape told us not to dishonour our house, and that is what you have become. It is such a disgrace. Report to Snape's classroom after dinner, or you will face the displeasure the house you are in."

Tilburne frowned, his eyes stuck to his plate. He honestly had no clue how Snape knew that he had left the common room, but this unfair detention decided it for him. He would write his parents.

§§§§

Severus didn't even bother looking up when the door opened. The tracking spell his had placed on Tilburne allowed him to know exactly who had rudely entered his room. "Knock before you enter a room, manners are not something you should ignore. Now, you may begin with the stack of cauldrons in the sink. Once they are done, there are a number of jars that need to be organized. Get started."

"I have homework to complete." Tilburne crossed his arms and glared at Snape.

"You should have considered that before you rejected the punishment I had previously set for you. As you could not see fit to accept confinement, you shall now accept the punishment I typically deem necessary for your set of actions."

"A little extreme, aren't they?"

That question had Severus lifting his head and pinning a dark glare on the child. "Insubordination and threatening another student with hexes in the hall – no I think you are getting off light. Now. Get. Started."

Stamping across the room, Tilburne obeyed.

§§§§

Nathaniel Tilburne stared at the parchment in his hand, his eyes wide in shock. "HE wrote my parents! How dare he write them?! I was going to write them!"

The prefects looked at each other before surrounding their troublemaker.

"Sit, Tilburne." Winterborne gestured to a chair and as the boy followed her order, the rest of the prefects moved until they were all facing the second year.

Aaron Parks started first. "Professor Snape is our Head of House, and as such, has every right to send home a letter to parents."

"But … but he is a Hufflepuff! I know he is! There is no way he would do something like this." The parchment crumpled in the small hands as he mumbled. "At least he shouldn't."

"This is the root of your problem." Elaine Lambert's voice was ice cold, her disapproval laced through it. "You are intent on believing rumours that have never been proven. You are letting the jealousy of one professor win out over your ability to see through plots and make them work for you. All the other members of this house have learned, or knew, that Professor Snape is without a doubt a Slytherin and a Head of House that will do us good."

Bethany Murdock sneered at the wide-eyed boy. "You haven't listened to the news in the House, instead you've been off spouting the idiocy of the jealous. If you had listened you would know that Professor Snape stood trial as a Death Eater. That many of our parents still are not sure exactly which side the man supported."

Tilburne blanched before he sneered. "How can they not know? Did he plead that he was Imperiused like the others? How is he still teaching here?"

Milton Thatcher snorted and shook his head. "No, he was cleared as a spy for Dumbledore. So, that means that our Head of House either had the cunning and guts to lie to You-Know-Who or to Dumbledore and never got caught."

"I and a number of the others believe that the Professor wasn't supporting either side, but playing both so that he would always win. That is the ultimate Slytherin thing to do." Albert Forbes crossed his arms as he rested most of his weight on his left leg. "You, on the other hand, are acting the least like a Slytherin. Reconcile who you are to you house. Be the snake you are supposed to be."

Parks glared at the now downturned head. "If not, then be prepared for the House to disown you. It will be a public disownment. Slytherin has never accepted those who dishonour our house."

With that last remark, the prefects returned to their groups, leaving the second year to think of his options.

Tilburne watched them walk away before shifting his eyes back to his now crumpled letter. His dad was on the prefects' side. He very clearly warned Nathaniel to not make Snape mad. It seemed as if the man had a number of well-placed connections that could end his career ambitions before he even stepped a foot out of Hogwarts.

§§§§

Albus looked over his staff as they settled around the table. Severus was still sitting away from the other Heads. No matter how much he attempted to convince the boy that it was fine for him to switch seats, his Potions Master was content where he was. 'Which shouldn't surprise me, he is typically resistant to change. It takes a force, as strong force, to cause it to happen.'

"Let's get this meeting started so that we can return to our Christmas Holidays." With twinkling eyes, Albus listen to the reports on the classes and students. Of course, he reminded the Heads to prepare the Career counselling for the fifth years.

Watching as Severus left the room, Albus settled back into his seat. Yes, naming Severus as Head of Slytherin was a good thing. The man proved Griffith wrong, he hadn't failed, nor had he run. No, Severus had become the Head that the Slytherins needed.

At the end of last term something unprecedented had happened. Hufflepuff and Slytherin had worked together without a professor leading them. 'Well, maybe not leading them, but one did cause the collaboration. Septima has finally stopped making derogatory remarks about Severus.' It had happened just outside of the Arithmancer's classroom. All the Slytherin and Hufflepuff Arithmancy students were there. The moment Septima came to let her third year class in, her room was filled to capacity. What happened next, according to the portrait that hung next to a window, was such a blend of Hufflepuff's demanding need for justice and Slytherin's ability to manipulate and control events that Septima was locked into a legally binding agreement to end her denouncing of the Potions Master.

Switching his attention to Minerva, a chuckle slipped out. Not only had Severus succeeded in getting two houses to work together, he had also succeeded in being an adequate rival to the Head of Gryffindor. She was still fuming at some comment the man had said. "So, my dear Minerva, do you approve of our Head of Slytherin now?"

A smile curled her lips. "I think he is … adequate, Albus."