The first years followed the prefects down the seven stone steps into the cavernous, green-lit common room. The air was heavy, cool, and carried the unmistakable, faint scent of lake water and ancient stone. Vanessa Greengrass, graceful and composed, stepped onto the lowest step, turning back to address the collected students, her dark brown hair reflecting the eerie light of the Black Lake outside.
"Welcome to your home, Slytherin," Vanessa began, her voice calm but carrying clear authority. "I am your Prefect, Vanessa Greengrass. Pay attention: the common room password changes every two weeks to maintain security. The current password is 'Ouroboros.' Any future changes will be posted immediately on the notice board located next to the main entrance."
She let her gaze drift over the students, lingering slightly on the younger ones. "At Hogwarts, we are Slytherins. We do not reject ambition—it is our very foundation—but we channel it with discipline. We demand quiet competence, dignity, and grace. We always remain calm and honourable, even when dealing with the ridiculous drama of other Houses. For too many years, Slytherin has been distracted by conflict, losing sight of the true prize. We have not won the House Cup in nearly a decade."
Vanessa's tone sharpened marginally. "I expect you to focus on your studies, prioritize our House's honour in class, and rise above the petty squabbles of the other Houses, especially those impulsive Gryffindors. Your points are for the House, not for personal ego."
Her words were met with silence, the students absorbing the message of controlled ambition. But the silence did not last. A tall, blonde fifth-year, standing prominently near the fireplace, scoffed loudly.
"That's rich, Greengrass," the boy drawled, crossing his arms. "Winning a meaningless school trophy with good manners? We can't allow those self-righteous fools in Gryffindor to think they're leading the charge in the wider world. Now is the perfect time for Slytherin to assert its rightful place. The world is on the cusp of change."
Vivian, seated next to Anduin on a dark leather sofa, immediately leaned in and whispered, "That's Rory Yaxley. Fifth-year Prefect. He's always been... intense. He was only made Prefect this year, likely because his family demanded it. He's one of the hard-liners."
"Enough, Yaxley!" Vanessa's voice cracked like a whip, cutting through Rory's veiled political rhetoric. Her composure, which had only been slightly strained, now showed firm resolve.
"You came to Hogwarts to study, not to recruit for outside factions. The duties of a Prefect are to maintain order and focus on academics, not external conflicts. You will not bring your off-campus politics into this common room."
She immediately turned away from Yaxley, effectively cutting off any further debate. "Alright, everyone, you are dismissed. Your trunks have been magically delivered to your rooms, and your class schedules are already waiting on your desks. Your names are inscribed on your door plaques. Find your rooms and get settled."
As the students began to disperse, Yaxley, furious at being publicly rebuffed, did not let the matter drop entirely. He spoke loudly enough for the entire common room to hear.
"Hmph. We are born noble. It is Slytherin's responsibility to protect the purity of the Wizarding World! Look what this House has become under this kind of meek leadership! I even hear Muggle-born wizards are being assigned here now!" Rory Yaxley roared, his final words a thinly veiled, direct condemnation.
The younger students exchanged nervous glances, and several pairs of eyes shifted toward Anduin, but no one dared to intervene. Anduin, however, showed no outward reaction. He observed the exchange, cataloging Yaxley's hostility and Vanessa's clear, if difficult, desire for neutrality and academic focus.
The internal divisions were stark: one faction, led by older students like Yaxley and likely supported by figures like Travers, was zealous, aligning with pure-blood ideology and anticipating the Dark Lord's inevitable rise. The other, represented by Vanessa, sought prudent self-preservation, emphasizing academic success and the avoidance of dangerous political entanglement.
Anduin silently approved of Vanessa's stance as the safer operational approach, but found Yaxley's reaction predictable and informative. He rose and walked past the lingering Yaxley with a detached indifference that was more dismissive than any direct insult, heading down the corridor that branched off the main common room.
As Anduin walked, he refined his immediate strategy. His entry into Slytherin had not just confirmed the House's political tensions; it had made him a designated target. His Muggle-born status, combined with his undeniable magical potency, made him an ideological affront to the pure-blood core.
"We must maintain a low profile, prioritize safety, and ensure operational readiness," Anduin thought, his analytical, military-trained mind taking over.
"I cannot rely on the House for protection, nor can I expect these pure-bloods to remain stable. The magical world is volatile, and its politics are deadly. My focus must shift immediately to superior firepower and personal resilience. I must prioritize mastering self-defense and offensive combat magic as soon as possible, preferably without attracting attention."
His eyes, which had been passive and observing, now took on a determined, sharp intensity. In his mind, he was not a first-year student; he was an operative in hostile territory.
He soon found his name inscribed on a simple wooden plaque next to a heavy, iron-studded door.
One of the unexpected benefits of the dungeon architecture immediately became apparent: since the Slytherin dormitories were converted dungeon cells, each first-year had a single, private room. Anduin felt a surge of professional relief. Solitude was a luxury he cherished, far superior to a crowded, noisy dormitory.
Upon entering, he was greeted by a lavish, almost medieval comfort. The polished stone walls and floor provided excellent insulation and silence. A massive, intricately carved four-poster bed draped with emerald green and silver fabrics dominated the room.
Heavy, opulent medieval tapestries hung on the walls, depicting complex, stylized scenes of Slytherin descendants in legendary exploits—a constant, visual reminder of the House's ancient glory. The desk and bedside table were illuminated by elegant oil lamps and candles, providing a warm, steady light.
Most dramatically, two narrow, deeply recessed windows looked directly into the Black Lake. The murky, green-tinted water served as a constant, mesmerizing backdrop. Occasionally, dark shapes—a school of fish or something larger and more indistinct—drifted past the pane, giving the room an otherworldly, aquatic ambiance.
"There is even a thick rug for sound absorption. As for the amenities, there are absolutely no complaints," Anduin conceded. The aesthetics and security of the room were undeniable assets, slightly offsetting his deep ideological misgivings about the House itself.
He efficiently unpacked his trunk. His training manuals and notebooks were carefully hidden beneath a false bottom, his non-magical supplies organized, and his wand and staff placed within immediate reach. He reviewed his schedule for the next day.
Today was Tuesday. The morning consisted of two back-to-back Charms lessons (9:00 AM to 11:00 AM), separated by a brief bell-ringing recess. The afternoon held two consecutive lessons of History of Magic (starting at 1:00 PM).
With his bags settled, Anduin set his internal clock for his customary early-morning routine.
Castle Reconnaissance: Mapping the Labyrinth
The next morning, Anduin was awake at 6:00 AM. He dressed meticulously, selecting a simple, high-collared shirt beneath his robes for maximum freedom of movement. His immediate objective was clear: scout and map the castle layout before the morning rush. Orientation was a tactical necessity.
The common room was silent and empty. The green light was softer now, dominated by the diffused, cold morning light filtered through the lake water. He paused at the recessed window to observe the view one last time.
Above him, he could clearly see the gigantic, dark shape of the Giant Squid gliding lazily across the common room's curved, submerged ceiling window. It was a serene, breathtaking sight that momentarily distracted the scientist in him.
He exited the dormitory and began his ascent. The first hour of exploration was a confusing mess of dead-end corridors and unexpected architectural twists. The staircases, in particular, were maddeningly temperamental, moving and shifting their destinations at random. It was less a building and more a capricious, semi-sentient organism.
After nearly being disoriented for the third time, Anduin abandoned conventional navigation. He retreated to a secluded, empty landing and drew his wand. Focusing intently, he used a discreet series of Obstacle Charms and minor Transfiguration spells to create stable, temporary handholds and magical platforms. By essentially cheating the physics of the castle, he was able to maintain his trajectory and jump directly to each floor, overriding the chaotic will of the architecture.
This allowed him to map the castle with methodical precision over the next two hours, separating the labyrinth into four major functional sectors:
The Main Tower & Central Core:
This was the eight-story central structure containing the bulk of the classrooms for core subjects (Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, etc., though Potions was located far below).
The famously temperamental Moving Staircases were housed here, dominating the center of the tower.
The very top floor housed the Headmaster's Office.
The Courtyard and Peripheral Towers (Residential):
A massive, connecting courtyard-style building radiated from the Main Tower.
This sector included the major residential towers: the Ravenclaw Tower (high above the western facade) and the Gryffindor Tower (high above the eastern facade).
The courtyard building possessed a main Drawbridge that led externally to the base of the Astronomy Tower, the highest point for star-gazing lessons.
The West Wing (Learning & Grounds Access):
Beyond the central Courtyard lay the next major sector, defined by its utility.
This included the Central Tower, the darker Black Tower, and the large, functional Clock Tower.
These towers were connected by another, slightly older courtyard structure.
Crucially, this sector contained the Library, accessed via its own long corridor.
The Central Courtyard itself was the heart of the lower ground level. Past the courtyard and the Library, a door led out to the lower grounds and the cluster of large Greenhouses for Herbology lessons.
The Dungeon & Entrance Sector (Lowest Level):
This sector encompassed the Entrance Hall (where they were Sorted), the adjacent Boathouse, and the lower corridors.
The Slytherin Common Room and Dormitories were deep in the dungeons below the Entrance Hall level, below the Black Lake.
Two critical bridges connected this sector to the rest of the school:
A massive Stone Bridge spanned a chasm, connecting the outer courtyard buildings to the sides of the Main Tower, serving as a high-level shortcut.
A lower path connected the grounds near the Greenhouses back to the Entrance Hall.
Anduin meticulously sketched a crude but accurate map in his mind, cataloging the fastest routes between his dungeon home, the Great Hall, and his morning Charms classroom (likely located in one of the central towers). The sheer size and structural chaos of Hogwarts had required a strategic mindset, but the result was satisfying: he was no longer lost.
He checked his pocket watch. 8:30 AM. He had a full thirty minutes to spare before class. This early reconnaissance had bought him a crucial tactical advantage in an environment that seemed determined to surprise its inhabitants at every turn.
He silently slipped his wand back into his robes and began the final, now-familiar, quick walk toward the bustling upper levels of the castle, ready for his first academic morning.