Severus watched for a reaction in Dumbledore’s eyes at Draco and Harry’s interaction, but the only notable difference was a dimming of the light that had shone there since Harry had entered the doors to Hogwarts. He grunted and pulled Dumbledore back as Harry slid into his keep.

“Happy, Albus?”

“I’d be lying to you if I said I was, Severus. But what must be done must be done.” Dumbledore’s eyes looked dull now, the eternally bright optimism fading and admitting defeat. “He has detention with you tonight, I believe?”

“Indeed, he does.”

“Bring him up to my office and we shall re-Sort him then.” Dumbledore gloomily swept by the stoic Potions Master who turned to watch the Headmaster vanish up the stairs before grinning, a triumphant chuckle forming in his throat.

“No son of mine is going to grow up a Gryffindor.”

Silence filled the room as the door to the potions store shut and locked. No students would walk the aisles of the Potions lab for two days. Checking the classroom one last time, Severus muttered a quick Nox, closed the door, and began walking through the seemingly endless maze of hallways that made up the dungeons.

Supper had ended only an hour ago, most of students were dozing over homework, and most of the teachers had shut themselves into their quarters for the night. But not him; the job of the Slytherin Head of House was never done.

He slid silently into his Common Room, watching as his Slytherins continued to talk, completely unaware of his presence. He glided along the wall, eavesdropping to see what the students were up to.

“The Weasel twins are planning something.” Gregory muttered to Vincent as they stuffed their faces with candy from their parents.

“Dyed my hair pink, Professor McGonagall transfigured it back though.” Kimbley snorted, crossing his arms with a huff.

“Merlin, I cannot stand the little twit!” Pansy snorted as she picked through a small box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavoured Beans.

Severus smiled gently and continued around perimeter of the room until he had reached the stage. Raised only a single step off the ground, it was just high enough to be able to see the entire room, and all its occupants... and for all the occupants to see him.

Draco was the first to spot him standing there, hands folded behind his back, waiting. He nodded and whispered to Pansy, who looked up and then whispered to Kelly, who blinked, looked once and passed it on to Jackson and Kimbley, who passed it on to Gregory and Vincent, and so on and so forth until the Common Room had quieted and everyone looked to him.

“Good-evening, my Snakes.” He offered them a small smile. “I have two announcements and then I shall leave you to your studying and other pursuits.

“First, un-altered cats within the school are becoming an issue.” He glanced at all the shifting cat owners in the room. “The Headmaster requires that you have your familiar either spayed or neutered as appropriate at the earliest opportunity as we do not need kittens running around the castle.

“Second, a new Slytherin may be joining us tomorrow evening. I expect you to welcome him with open arms. You all know what he has been put through so far this year and he needs no more punishment for being who he is. I suspect you all know to whom I refer.” He watched as his Snakes nodded, and a few even smiled, the prospect of having Harry in their midst somehow exhilarating them.

“That is all, then. Good-night.”

"Good-night, Professor.” They chorused as he walked out the door. He halted outside and smirked when a babble of voices immediately broke out behind the closed door.

His house might not have the best reputation, they weren’t the easiest to handle, and they might not be the nicest of people. But in the end, the seven years of watching them grow and learn made it all worth the pain.