Post by Elienp on Aug 12, 2011 14:17:08 GMT -8
Title: Slytherin Pride
Rating: G
House: Slytherin
Word Count: 1963
Warnings: None – except for my English which I hope would not make your reading too horrible.
Summary: If the Slytherin mascot, the Great Serpent, could talk, he'd have a lot to say.
A pale green glow was giving to the room an atmosphere which would frighten the new students when they'd first enter it, it always did.
Fright, worry, anxiety, those were the usual feelings the kids' behaviour betrayed when they hesitantly walked in the dungeons, shivers running down their spine as their imagination went wild – what might have happened in that place would keep their mind busy at night. They wouldn't dare sit down on the black leather sofas, afraid they might be swallowed by them, nor would they dare stay in the middle of the room, where it was impossible to forget a lake was above their heads, tons of water which could fall on them, drown them. More shivers.
They never failed, in spite of their apprehension, to admire their mascot, the proud Serpent engraved on the walls, although it would take them time to come closer, for fear the magnificent reptile would suddenly jerk out of his support to attack them.
Years after years, the schema was the same. First year students would need time before feeling at ease in the Slytherin common room, with their belonging to Slytherin in general.
Many things could be said – were said in fact – about the Slytherin House. Many bad things mostly. The other Houses would always warn their own students not to trust any Slytherin.
Slytherin students were cunning, ambitious, selfish – they'd never hesitate to crush you if it was in their best interest. Everything to be at the top. Every easy thing to be the best, coward and lazy, they were believed to be. Why would they lower themselves to do something they could delegate to – force on – somebody else?
They'd never win fairly. It was common thought they didn't deserve a quarter of what they had in their possession.
Indeed, Slytherin students enjoyed a very strong reputation which led them to stay away from the rest of the school - or were they pushed aside by the others?
How many times had the Serpent's eyes witnessed distress? In the middle of the night, students would come out of their room, collapse on one of the heavy sofas and cry their heart out. Midnight was usually the chosen hour for nobody but the mascot's eyes would know of such a moment of weakness.
These kids would never dare cry in front of their fellow Slytherins. To belong to this House meant to be strong, strong meant no tears were to be shed, much less about such unimportant matters as the other Houses' opinions were. Their opinion wasn't worth bothering, at least not openly, indeed they all cared, each in their own way, but they did care about what was said about them.
Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, the Houses often made everyone forget that, before all, their representatives were only kids for who these years spent at Hogwarts were crucial. These years had the power to help them to build their self-confidence as well as the power to break them – although some would say their life hadn't really started yet.
The Slytherins were young and vulnerable too, but none – not even them – would ever acknowledge it. The Slytherins were mean and cruel, they couldn't possibly be hurt by rumours, or could they? Weren't they also human? It looked like they weren't. Then the Sorting Hat was very clever to put all the members of a new race - a wicked one - in the same House.
If the Slytherin Serpent was endowed with the power of speech, he'd denounce all that bullshit.
Truth was, if one day such opportunity was granted to him, he'd have a lot of things to say. He'd bring comfort to the most distressed students, lecture the oldest for their indifferent attitude and stand up for the reputation of the Slytherin House – something which had not been done for a long time.
If the four mascots of Hogwarts Houses were to meet, likely in the Great Hall not to offend any of them, they'd probably – and surprisingly – admit their mutual disappointment in their representatives.
Slytherin students might be publicly known to be cunning, and yet the other students showed the same characteristic. They ignored, avoided, whispered about, acted towards the Slytherins with so much mistrust that it was affecting the latter greatly, negatively it went without saying. Of course, Slytherins were also far from being innocent. If your imagination allows it, try to picture a Serpent, a Lion, a Badger and an Eagle, all four together in the Great Hall, shaking their heads in disappointment.
Hogwarts was supposed to be a place for kids to become wonderful wizards and witches, to build up self-confidence in order to fulfil their dreams, to accomplish great works. The Houses were supposed to help them, to be a support on which the students would always be able to rely, they were meant to be a second family for the kids, not a hindrance.
Indeed, a hindrance, at least for the Slytherins it had little by little become thus. To belong to this House raised pride behind which shame was carefully hidden. Shame to be in such an infamous – disliked – House, shame to be known as mean, sly people – without having the chance to prove the contrary – shame because, to be honest, even among themselves, among the Slytherins, they hesitated to trust each other entirely – self-preservation didn't include others' welfare. Slytherins themselves were brought to doubt their own nature. Wasn't it a terrible thing for a kid?
However, hadn't Severus Snape been ready to do anything for Lily, for a Gryffindor? Hadn't he sworn to protect her son, even though he wasn't his, even though he was probably going to lose his life – wasn't it what had happened? - in spite of the Slytherin self-preservation?
Some people would say he was the exception to the rule. Would the Serpent have been able to, it'd have sniggered. An exception, what a joke!
Severus Snape was seen as an exception pointedly because people knew him, as infamous as he might have been considered before, he was now a hero, if fame hadn't dawned on him, nobody would have known of his sacrifice. Nobody would have cared to change their mind. A selfish Slytherin he'd have remained in public opinion.
How many Slytherins were doing their best for the Wizarding World without any acknowledgement?
For one single Slytherin perfectly fitting the meanest description of what a Slytherin was expected to be, how many had to suffer from characteristics which weren't theirs?
Many, too many for the Serpent's liking.
If Salazar Slytherin knew what had become of his pride, of the pride his House was supposed to pass on to its students, he would probably- in fact it was better he couldn't know for that pride, so coveted, so hated at the same time, had little by little become a burden which, if it still allowed the Slytherins to reach the top, prevented them from knowing a full glory. Something would always keep them away from total satisfaction, a resentment, possibly, raised by their years of struggle at Hogwarts. Years of struggle, that was a pitiful fact to admit when you talked about a time supposed to be one of the best of your life.
The Slytherins should carry high the colours of their House, not with a scowl on their face, but with a defying smile. They should be proud, not ashamed. They should be considered by the other Houses with as much worth as any other students.
Of course, there should still be a challenge between the Houses, but an innocent and fair one. A game which wouldn't weigh so much on their shoulders, a game which should teach them all to be competitive and determined, not ruthlessly ambitious and prisoner of a continual fear of betrayal. Above all, Slytherin students should show an unbreakable solidarity to one another. A solidarity which absence Salazar Slytherin would be appalled to discover.
Things had to change, mentalities had to change, in the Serpent's opinion, if Slytherin didn't want to become nothing else than a hindrance.
First, the Slytherins would have to understand correctly what was expected from them, still aiming to be the best, the change had to occur in their way of doing it, what pride could you gain from something you had had no difficulty to obtain? To be cunning and resourceful meant to acknowledge any path which led to the top, and not necessarily to take the least tiring or the least dangerous.
Were the Gryffindors the only courageous ones?
Really, if the Serpent had the opportunity, he would immediately act. He would apply himself to restoring Slytherin's reputation because he knew that, in reality, the true pride of belonging to the Serpent's House was still lingering in its students' heart. A fierce and noble pride, the one with which Salazar Slytherin had built his dream.
Fortunately for the Serpent, for Slytherin, the downfall of the Dark Lord seemed to bring that so desired change.
Voldemort and most of the Death Eaters being Slytherins had dealt the House a great blow. However, the Slytherins, rather than giving in in front of the wave of hatred which had appeared with such deadly enemies, chose to raise their head, to stand up to public opinion – they weren't only Tome Riddle or Bellatrix Lestrange, they were all the former Slytherin students who'd fought side by side with the Dark Lord's opponents, they were the present Slytherin students who hadn't abandoned Hogwarts, who wouldn't let their House solely become the one which had supported the Evil, as for the future Slytherin students – because there would be a future for Slytherin – they would do their best to make things evolve for the best.
When the new scholar year started, the Serpent coiled with satisfaction.
Finally, the new students weren't entering the common room with fear, they didn't hesitate to come closer to the walls, to admire his representation, they watched in awe the lake above them, but they didn't fear it might fall on them, as for the sofas, they immediately tried them, beaming at how comfortable they were.
To sum up, they were proud of their House. And Salazar Slytherin would have been proud of them for that.
As for the matter of blood purity, it slowly, but surely, started to disappear, after what the Wizarding World had known, the young wizards didn't wish to risk the same thing to happen again. They hoped for a new and fresh start in which anyone, as long as they were willing to do their best, had their place.
Once the Sorting Hat decided you would be a Slytherin, then you were a Slytherin. Period.
Admittedly, it didn't correspond to Salazar's first desires but, if he knew, and had he been a man of their time, he'd have certainly agree with the necessity of such a change.
The relationship between the four Houses seemed to be recovering from a long sickness. If the four mascots were to meet again in the Great Hall they would, this time, tell how glad they were their wizards had finally pulled themselves together.
Hogwarts would see its fame raised, not because of what had happened between its walls, but thanks to its brilliant students. And, if among the four Houses, Slytherin were to be the most brilliant, it'd fairly be deserved.
The Serpent now coiled with anticipation. At last, he'd support great wizards, and not resentful and ashamed kids any more.
Rivalry would always exist, and the Serpent could not ask for more, for it was in adversity that the Slytherins showed their true worth.
Rating: G
House: Slytherin
Word Count: 1963
Warnings: None – except for my English which I hope would not make your reading too horrible.
Summary: If the Slytherin mascot, the Great Serpent, could talk, he'd have a lot to say.
A pale green glow was giving to the room an atmosphere which would frighten the new students when they'd first enter it, it always did.
Fright, worry, anxiety, those were the usual feelings the kids' behaviour betrayed when they hesitantly walked in the dungeons, shivers running down their spine as their imagination went wild – what might have happened in that place would keep their mind busy at night. They wouldn't dare sit down on the black leather sofas, afraid they might be swallowed by them, nor would they dare stay in the middle of the room, where it was impossible to forget a lake was above their heads, tons of water which could fall on them, drown them. More shivers.
They never failed, in spite of their apprehension, to admire their mascot, the proud Serpent engraved on the walls, although it would take them time to come closer, for fear the magnificent reptile would suddenly jerk out of his support to attack them.
Years after years, the schema was the same. First year students would need time before feeling at ease in the Slytherin common room, with their belonging to Slytherin in general.
Many things could be said – were said in fact – about the Slytherin House. Many bad things mostly. The other Houses would always warn their own students not to trust any Slytherin.
Slytherin students were cunning, ambitious, selfish – they'd never hesitate to crush you if it was in their best interest. Everything to be at the top. Every easy thing to be the best, coward and lazy, they were believed to be. Why would they lower themselves to do something they could delegate to – force on – somebody else?
They'd never win fairly. It was common thought they didn't deserve a quarter of what they had in their possession.
Indeed, Slytherin students enjoyed a very strong reputation which led them to stay away from the rest of the school - or were they pushed aside by the others?
How many times had the Serpent's eyes witnessed distress? In the middle of the night, students would come out of their room, collapse on one of the heavy sofas and cry their heart out. Midnight was usually the chosen hour for nobody but the mascot's eyes would know of such a moment of weakness.
These kids would never dare cry in front of their fellow Slytherins. To belong to this House meant to be strong, strong meant no tears were to be shed, much less about such unimportant matters as the other Houses' opinions were. Their opinion wasn't worth bothering, at least not openly, indeed they all cared, each in their own way, but they did care about what was said about them.
Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, the Houses often made everyone forget that, before all, their representatives were only kids for who these years spent at Hogwarts were crucial. These years had the power to help them to build their self-confidence as well as the power to break them – although some would say their life hadn't really started yet.
The Slytherins were young and vulnerable too, but none – not even them – would ever acknowledge it. The Slytherins were mean and cruel, they couldn't possibly be hurt by rumours, or could they? Weren't they also human? It looked like they weren't. Then the Sorting Hat was very clever to put all the members of a new race - a wicked one - in the same House.
If the Slytherin Serpent was endowed with the power of speech, he'd denounce all that bullshit.
Truth was, if one day such opportunity was granted to him, he'd have a lot of things to say. He'd bring comfort to the most distressed students, lecture the oldest for their indifferent attitude and stand up for the reputation of the Slytherin House – something which had not been done for a long time.
If the four mascots of Hogwarts Houses were to meet, likely in the Great Hall not to offend any of them, they'd probably – and surprisingly – admit their mutual disappointment in their representatives.
Slytherin students might be publicly known to be cunning, and yet the other students showed the same characteristic. They ignored, avoided, whispered about, acted towards the Slytherins with so much mistrust that it was affecting the latter greatly, negatively it went without saying. Of course, Slytherins were also far from being innocent. If your imagination allows it, try to picture a Serpent, a Lion, a Badger and an Eagle, all four together in the Great Hall, shaking their heads in disappointment.
Hogwarts was supposed to be a place for kids to become wonderful wizards and witches, to build up self-confidence in order to fulfil their dreams, to accomplish great works. The Houses were supposed to help them, to be a support on which the students would always be able to rely, they were meant to be a second family for the kids, not a hindrance.
Indeed, a hindrance, at least for the Slytherins it had little by little become thus. To belong to this House raised pride behind which shame was carefully hidden. Shame to be in such an infamous – disliked – House, shame to be known as mean, sly people – without having the chance to prove the contrary – shame because, to be honest, even among themselves, among the Slytherins, they hesitated to trust each other entirely – self-preservation didn't include others' welfare. Slytherins themselves were brought to doubt their own nature. Wasn't it a terrible thing for a kid?
However, hadn't Severus Snape been ready to do anything for Lily, for a Gryffindor? Hadn't he sworn to protect her son, even though he wasn't his, even though he was probably going to lose his life – wasn't it what had happened? - in spite of the Slytherin self-preservation?
Some people would say he was the exception to the rule. Would the Serpent have been able to, it'd have sniggered. An exception, what a joke!
Severus Snape was seen as an exception pointedly because people knew him, as infamous as he might have been considered before, he was now a hero, if fame hadn't dawned on him, nobody would have known of his sacrifice. Nobody would have cared to change their mind. A selfish Slytherin he'd have remained in public opinion.
How many Slytherins were doing their best for the Wizarding World without any acknowledgement?
For one single Slytherin perfectly fitting the meanest description of what a Slytherin was expected to be, how many had to suffer from characteristics which weren't theirs?
Many, too many for the Serpent's liking.
If Salazar Slytherin knew what had become of his pride, of the pride his House was supposed to pass on to its students, he would probably- in fact it was better he couldn't know for that pride, so coveted, so hated at the same time, had little by little become a burden which, if it still allowed the Slytherins to reach the top, prevented them from knowing a full glory. Something would always keep them away from total satisfaction, a resentment, possibly, raised by their years of struggle at Hogwarts. Years of struggle, that was a pitiful fact to admit when you talked about a time supposed to be one of the best of your life.
The Slytherins should carry high the colours of their House, not with a scowl on their face, but with a defying smile. They should be proud, not ashamed. They should be considered by the other Houses with as much worth as any other students.
Of course, there should still be a challenge between the Houses, but an innocent and fair one. A game which wouldn't weigh so much on their shoulders, a game which should teach them all to be competitive and determined, not ruthlessly ambitious and prisoner of a continual fear of betrayal. Above all, Slytherin students should show an unbreakable solidarity to one another. A solidarity which absence Salazar Slytherin would be appalled to discover.
Things had to change, mentalities had to change, in the Serpent's opinion, if Slytherin didn't want to become nothing else than a hindrance.
First, the Slytherins would have to understand correctly what was expected from them, still aiming to be the best, the change had to occur in their way of doing it, what pride could you gain from something you had had no difficulty to obtain? To be cunning and resourceful meant to acknowledge any path which led to the top, and not necessarily to take the least tiring or the least dangerous.
Were the Gryffindors the only courageous ones?
Really, if the Serpent had the opportunity, he would immediately act. He would apply himself to restoring Slytherin's reputation because he knew that, in reality, the true pride of belonging to the Serpent's House was still lingering in its students' heart. A fierce and noble pride, the one with which Salazar Slytherin had built his dream.
Fortunately for the Serpent, for Slytherin, the downfall of the Dark Lord seemed to bring that so desired change.
Voldemort and most of the Death Eaters being Slytherins had dealt the House a great blow. However, the Slytherins, rather than giving in in front of the wave of hatred which had appeared with such deadly enemies, chose to raise their head, to stand up to public opinion – they weren't only Tome Riddle or Bellatrix Lestrange, they were all the former Slytherin students who'd fought side by side with the Dark Lord's opponents, they were the present Slytherin students who hadn't abandoned Hogwarts, who wouldn't let their House solely become the one which had supported the Evil, as for the future Slytherin students – because there would be a future for Slytherin – they would do their best to make things evolve for the best.
When the new scholar year started, the Serpent coiled with satisfaction.
Finally, the new students weren't entering the common room with fear, they didn't hesitate to come closer to the walls, to admire his representation, they watched in awe the lake above them, but they didn't fear it might fall on them, as for the sofas, they immediately tried them, beaming at how comfortable they were.
To sum up, they were proud of their House. And Salazar Slytherin would have been proud of them for that.
As for the matter of blood purity, it slowly, but surely, started to disappear, after what the Wizarding World had known, the young wizards didn't wish to risk the same thing to happen again. They hoped for a new and fresh start in which anyone, as long as they were willing to do their best, had their place.
Once the Sorting Hat decided you would be a Slytherin, then you were a Slytherin. Period.
Admittedly, it didn't correspond to Salazar's first desires but, if he knew, and had he been a man of their time, he'd have certainly agree with the necessity of such a change.
The relationship between the four Houses seemed to be recovering from a long sickness. If the four mascots were to meet again in the Great Hall they would, this time, tell how glad they were their wizards had finally pulled themselves together.
Hogwarts would see its fame raised, not because of what had happened between its walls, but thanks to its brilliant students. And, if among the four Houses, Slytherin were to be the most brilliant, it'd fairly be deserved.
The Serpent now coiled with anticipation. At last, he'd support great wizards, and not resentful and ashamed kids any more.
Rivalry would always exist, and the Serpent could not ask for more, for it was in adversity that the Slytherins showed their true worth.