(𝟬𝟬𝟮.) ceteris paribus

CHAPTER 2 | CETERIS PARIBUS !           

            SOMEHOW, KENNEDY BISHOP FOUND HERSELF STICKING TO JUDE VERNIER. The kid was endearing, she'd give him that. All wide-eyed and eye-creasing smiles, Kennedy wouldn't have had the heart to push him away, even if she wanted to (her not wanting to was odd in of itself). He grasped onto her hand tightly as they and the rest of the batch of incoming students marched towards the castle under the guidance of a tall, tall man named Hagrid.

At the sound of the sniggers of about three boys standing a couple rows behind them, Jude startled a little and looked guilty, like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Kennedy turned around and stopped abruptly, the crowd meandering around them to walk on towards the castle. She allowed the boys to walk to her, holding onto a puzzled Jude's hand.

"What's so funny, hm?", she asked, sugary and tooth-rottingly sweet. She walked in step with them, holding onto Jude's hand and did not look at them or acknowledge them in any way apart from her pointed words. "Seeing as I'm not quite a jolly soul as you three, I'd just love to know what's amusing you so?"

She heard a stuttering squeaky voice come from her left side, "Uh - we just. You know... "

"I don't know, actually. That's why I asked", her smile glinted like an arrangement of knives.

"Well, it's just a bit of an odd sight, you know. A younger boy holding an older girl's hand"

"And it's funny, why?", she cocked her head to the side slightly, her gaze held steadfastly forward.

"Because, um. Because..."

"Is it unmanly to you that he's holding my hand? Is my hand shameful to hold? Does it look stupid to your little eyes?", she asked, rushed and unhurried as she took her while to structure her sentences and mold them on her tongue.

A second voice joined the first one in their attempt to save their skins, "No, no... that's not what we meant".

"Then, what did you mean?", Kennedy inquired, coy and playing innocent as Jude stepped and stepped beside her. His chubby hand remained intertwined with hers.

The two boys were silent. Kennedy allowed the silence to stretch for a beat long enough before the group of students stopped at the gates of the Great Hall.

"Learn to mind your business, boys. Surely you wouldn't want to be punished before you've even been sorted?", she turned towards them for the first time, looking down at their pathetic, mousy faces.

"N-no" and "Of course not" were their embarrassed replies.

Kennedy smiled at them, wide and unnatural before immediately dropping it and facing Jude, "If anyone laughs at you, you come to me, okay?".

Jude stared up at her in admiration, but the doors of the Great Hall opened before he could give a verbal answer.

A witch with a tight bundle of hair upon her head and thin, pursed lips placed a wooden stool on the ground before them. On top of it sat a threadbare, muddied wizard's hat. The incoming students and the rest of the hall stared at it, a hush of silence overcoming the room. A long tear near the brim of the hat opened wide and the hat broke into a folky song that spun a tale of the founders and founding of Hogwarts before finally concluding with its main purpose - sorting the students.

Loud applause accompanied the end of the tune.

It was the Sorting Hat, that much was obvious to Kennedy as she had already grilled her father on common procedures at Hogwarts before departure from her home so as to not be caught by surprise. It seems Jude had not had that foresight however, and he stared at the hat in wide-eyed wonder.

The professor who set down the hat was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment. "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she announced, "When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table".

"Ackerley, Stewart!", a boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

Stewart Ackerley took off the hat and hurried into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, where everyone was applauding him.

Student after student went before it was Kennedy's turn. She was getting quite bored despite the fact that her surname would be one of the earliest to be called given her surname starting with a "B". Poor Jude though, he'd be standing there forever.

"Bishop, Kennedy!", she walked forward confidently, thriving under the inquiring gazes of a thousand eyes. "Who was this girl?", "Why was she older than the other first years?", "Was she a transfer student?", were all questions she could pick out of the hushed whispers serving as the soundtrack to her picking up the hat. She giggled to herself quietly.

The hat barely touched the top of her braids before announcing, "Slytherin!".

The Slytherin table cheered and cheered as she made her toward the table with emerald green and silver decorations. She made sure she waved at Jude before going though and gave him a reassuring smile.

She sat down at a seemingly-random seat but she knew what company she wanted to establish herself in - and she obviously needed to start the moment she arrived. She made her way towards the loudest, most boisterous part of the table where the girls' ears glinted with precious metals and the boys' sniggers sounded out together, cocky and arrogant. Her presence announced itself before she even sat down. Students turned towards her and fired off questions but she just smiled at them, flipped her braids off her shoulder, mouthing "Later" before re-focusing on the ceremony.

Now wasn't the time to announce her presence, she needed to simmer in their minds for a bit longer to really make an impact.

The sorting continued on and on with the two other kids in her boats being sorted - Cerqueira, Reginald and Jung, Charlotte both going to Slytherin. She sat there, observing her surroundings, until she heard a name that piqued her interest.

"Vernier, Jude!"

The young boy made his way to the sorting hat before placing it atop his head.

"Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table cheered and this time, Kennedy's voice was one of the loudest. He walked towards his new house table with a wide smile and a slightly-mussed afro before sitting beside the Reggie boy from the boat.

Name upon name was called out until with "Whitby, Kevin!" being sorted into Hufflepuff, the Sorting had ended. The professor with a too tight bun picked up the hat and stool and strode away to put them who knows where.

An old man in half-moon glasses - Professor Dumbledore - took to his feet. He smiled as his arms opened wide in welcome to students new and old. His deep voice resounded around the hall, "I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in!". With those words, a burst of chatter erupted in the hall as the food materialized in the empty dishes, a sparkle of light reflecting on the bronze plates and through the House ghosts as it did so.

Immediately, the people near her took to her, asking her questions. She elected to answer the girl seated to her immediate right whom she had already taken an interest in. Her skin was lightly-tanned and her hair a golden blonde. Upon her head sat a green and silver colored headband and on her hands were black mesh gloves adorned with emerald rings. The girl was stylish, and Kennedy could appreciate style.

(That's what she was appreciating. Right.)

"What's your name?", the girl asked her with a blinding smile.

"Kennedy Bishop", Kennedy smiled, her mind racing and never settling on a single thought. She was frazzled in a way that was truly confusing. The girl was gorgeous and it seemed Kennedy's brain couldn't take it. "What about you, love?"

The girl giggled at the affectionate name, "Pet names so soon?"

"Well we ought to get started somewhere, haven't we?" Kennedy leaned into her space.

"Daphne Greengrass", and rather embarrassingly Kennedy had to ask her to repeat herself. "Oh, Greengrass?", Kennedy thought for a second, "I think my father's done business with a Greengrass. Does anyone in your family deal with potions equipment?"

"My father does, it's one of his passion projects", Daphne confirmed. "Your father's Achille Bishop, right? The alchemist and potions-maker?"

"That's him", Kennedy smiled at the mention of him. She wondered if she'd see him soon. Perhaps he would be introduced later.

They had both taken to eating their food when Daphne suddenly paused, placed her gloved hand over her mouth as she chewed before asking, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you come in with the first years? You're certainly not their age mate but I've never seen you around before".

"I guessed this question would come up much sooner than later", Kennedy said with a flourish, knowing that multiple ears were listening into their conversation as they spoke. "I'm a transfer student actually, I've been homeschooled my whole life until my arrival here".

"Why's that?", Daphne wiped gravy from the sides of her mouth, the napkin taking some of her pink lip gloss with it. ("Lucky bastard", Kennedy thought.)

"Homeschooling or my recent transfer?"

"Both, if you'd please"

Kennedy chuckled a little at her oh so polite phrasing, "You'll find out in a second".

And really, Daphne did find out in a second. For Professor Dumbledore stood to his feet, and the chattery of the Hall ceased like a flame whipped out. The only sound to be heard was the howling wind and pounding rain outside.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and EverBashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.

He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.".

Briefly, Kennedy wondered if she would be forced in with the first years. Surely, she wouldn't be, right? She'd already begun studying the standard learning material and more for the fourth year of British wizarding education.

Unknowing to her inner deliberation, Dumbledore continued on, "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

At that, horrified gasps echoed around the hall. Obviously Kennedy knew Quidditch was a big deal, and briefly wondered why it would be canceled until she remembered the revival of the death tournament - the reason she was there in a hall full of students instead of cozying up in her former bedroom with Sawyer playfully pawing at and stepping all over her.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

A loud shuddering groan from the doors of the Great Hall sounded out as thunder struck and a shrouded, cloaked man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long black staff.

Every head in the Great Hall swiveled towards the stranger.

Perhaps this cloaked man had something to do with the death tournament.

To Kennedy, Dumbledore looked not surprised or alarmed, but welcoming and calm. But in an odd kind of way. Like he had expected a grand entrance and was waiting for the spectacle to be over with.

From the ceiling dropped down a fork of lighting which illuminated the cloaked stranger. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to stride forward confidently, weaving through the aisles between the four tables, not taking a look at any one of the students as many of them stared at him in a peculiar mix of awe, confusion and apprehension.

With every step, a dull clunk echoed through the Hall. He reached the teacher's table and limped towards Dumbledore. A crack of lightning struck down, once again. But, this time, the man's face was illuminated clearly to the whole room.

The man was... unique-looking and startlingly familiar. Kennedy knew his face but for some reason or the other could not put a name to it.

His face looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. It was weathered and beaten with jagged scars carved into his skin. His lips were thin and permanently crooked to the side and upwards, making his mouth look like a diagonal gash. Most peculiarly, the tip of his nose was also missing. There was cut-off in his nose with a somewhat healed over stub of cartilage, instead of a nose tip.

But really, it was the man's eyes that intrigued Kennedy the most - his right eye in particular. His left eye was small, dark, beady and ever-shifting. However, his right was the size of a coin and a vivid electric blue. It reminded her of one of her father's ingredients - a ghoul's eye, usually used for heightened endurance and durability potions because of the ghoul's spectacular eyesight.

Perhaps it actually was a ghoul's eye.

Ghoul eye or not, the eye moved ceaselessly, without blinking. It rotated this way and that and shifted from left to right, left to right before it rolled over, hiding its pupil and exposing only whiteness.

The ghoul-eyed man extended a scarred hand to Dumbledore, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering presumably kind words that no one else could hear. He seemed to be asking a question, however, and the man simply shook his head in response and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.

The stranger took his seat and shook his mane of thin gray hair out of his face. Immediately, he pulled a bronze plate of sausages towards him, raised it to the stub of cartilage that was his nose, and presumably sniffed it. He proceeded to bring out a small knife from his pocket, speared a singular sausage to the end of it, and ate most of it in one bite. His normal eye was fixated upon the sausages, but the ghoul's eye was still bobbing and rotating its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. "May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?", he spoke into the silence and gestured to his right, "Professor Moody."

Kennedy expected some kind of applause from the students, but was met with silence from them as only Dumbledore and Hagrid clapped, the sound echoing in the silence.

They stopped rather quickly.

Kennedy turned to Daphne, "Are the students usually such a tough crowd?"

Daphne answered her, her eyes fixed on their new teacher, still a little surprised from his sudden appearance, "Not at all. Everyone claps usually - especially when there's a new staff member. But, everyone's a little off today".

Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome. Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his traveling cloak, pulled out a flask, and took a long draught from it.

"As I was saying," Dumbledore began, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed on Moody, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

A loud voice shouted from the Gryffindor table, "You're joking!"

The tension that had filled the Hall since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said before going on about a joke he had heard over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun in a bar.

Daphne glanced at her, "Is that why you're here? For the tournament?".

(She could feel the ears listening.)

Kennedy gave a blinding smile, "Something like that, I'll explain later".

(She could feel them interpreting and twisting the information they just heard. She could feel it.)

"Some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely".

Now, in this situation, Kennedy had two options. She could a) let her attention wander freely or b) observe her surroundings and pinpoint her next people of interest.

Kennedy being Kennedy, she elected to do both.

She checked out at the most basic of information about the tournament and instead spent the time observing her surroundings. Three largest European magic schools, begun many years ago, friendly competition, etc. etc. She knew this already.

"A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"Death toll?", she heard Daphne ponder aloud, "What could they possibly be doing?".

"Certainly not Wizard's Chess", came a deeper voice. Kennedy turned towards the source of the sound to find a brown-skinned boy with a rather tall high top and a single diamond stud nestled into the cartilage of his left ear. Beside him, the palest boy she had ever seen let out a chuckle. He looked familiar though, perhaps her father had done business with one of his family members like he had done business with the Greengrasses.

The two boys looked interesting in the way that they were very clearly important, but still clearly stuck together as a unit. Kennedy tagged them down for later and focused back on Dumbledore.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger". Dumbledore looked to the students, eyes twinkling to placate them.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. Rules and regulations for aids allowed in the tournament will be announced once they arrive by the tournament's Potions and Herbal Aids Regulation Officer. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

Judging by the excited looks on the student's faces and the hushed whispers floating around the hall, her father was right - teenagers really did flock to promises of money and eternal glory.

But then, Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This"- Dumbledore was cut of by a loud surge of outraged responses from the students.

He raised his voice slightly and re-started his sentence, "This is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." His light blue eyes twinkled as they seemingly flickered over to some specific students seated at the Gryffindor tables. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen".

Somehow Kennedy doubted that anyone would be taking note of that last sentence.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

With those words, there was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall. Kennedy had not yet stood yet as Daphne was speaking to another girl and they had already made hushed plans to walk to the Common Room together. However, those plans were nipped in the bud as the witch with the too-tight bun approached them and said, "Ms. Bishop?".

Daphne and her friend turned to the sound of her voice and looked a little surprised to see her standing there.

"That's me", Kennedy turned in her seat and beamed up at her.

"My name is Professor McGonagall. I am Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor house and the Transfigurations professor", she stated. "Seeing as you are our new transfer student, I thought it appropriate to give you a guide to Hogwarts, so to speak. If you could please accompany me to my office...", Professor McGonagall trailed off and began to walk away, expecting Kennedy to follow.

Kennedy looked to Daphne and asked as she climbed out of her seat, "We'll catch up later?". Daphne eagerly nodded as her friend waved to her. Kennedy smiled and waved back, making a mental note to speak to her at some point as she quickened her steps in order to catch up with Professor McGonagall's long strides.

Professor McGonagall took a left down a corridor to a puzzle of intertwining stone staircases. "I was told this is your first time in a formal school setting. Is that correct?", she asked, striding forward and not turning to look at her as she seemed to move on autopilot through the maze of staircases.

"Yes, Professor, I've been homeschooled my whole life", Kennedy politely replied.

"There are general rules and a code of conduct at Hogwarts that I would hope you uphold, but I'm sure that would not be an issue".

Kennedy was sure it would certainly be an issue, but she would come to know that soon. Most of her practices most certainly did not align with the school's rules.

"Of course, Professor", Kennedy beamed with a glint of mischief in her eyes that Professor McGonagall most certainly noticed given her barely-there sigh, silently mourning yet another bit of her sanity.

"Setting aside the little things like dress code and conduct, I'd like to be straight-forward with you in your introduction. After which I will introduce you to and hand you over to your House Master so you may be shown to your common room and dorm", McGonagall brought out her wand to open the door to her office.

McGonagall fiddled with the lock and stepped through the threshold, expecting Kennedy to follow. She did.

Kennedy was met with a large classroom with rows upon rows of chairs and tables lined up neatly, and a black chalkboard at the front of it. The room was lit up by candlelight, giving it a warm glow.

"It will likely be an uncomfortable experience transferring to a school in your fourth year versus joining in your first like everyone else did", Professor McGonagall paused before continuing, "Actually, I can't remember a student in recent memory ever doing such a thing".

Kennedy however didn't get to admire the classroom for long - the classroom was not the destination, it seemed. They continued forward until a large door to the side of the classroom. McGonagall fiddled with the lock again, opening the door to a sizeable office - presumably a personal one.

McGonagall filed through stray pieces of parchment on her desk, clearly searching for something. "I'd like to assure you that you will not be grouped in with the first years and will be with your correct year, regardless of anything. I know how people your age can get about things like that".

McGonagall was quiet for a second before letting out a quiet sigh of annoyance, it seemed despite her fiddling, she did not find what she was looking for. She leaned against her desk and turned to face Kennedy.

"You already know your chosen subjects, I presume?"

"Yes, my electives for this year and the next are Care of Magical Creatures, Divination and Arithmancy", Kennedy replied.

"Do you have your Hogsmeade permission slip with you, by any chance?", McGonagall asked. Kennedy reached into the pockets of her robes and handed over her permission slip, signed by her father.

"Because of your signed permission slip, you will be allowed to visit Hogsmeade Village on selected weekends occurring once every month", she explained, "First and second years are not allowed but, given you are a fourth year student, you will be allowed to go".

"Professor", Kennedy called and Professor McGonagall made a sound of acknowledgement, "I don't necessarily mean to be rude. But why did you bring me up here?"

McGonagall shifted and folded her arms. "Mainly so you would know where you can come for help from. Like I said, transferring smack in the middle of your education will be a polarizing process, and I hope to make it smoother for you if need be, whether that would be through help in your lessons or general advice".

She paused for a second and thought before continuing, "But, I doubt you would need it honestly".

"Why's that, Professor?", Kennedy cocked her head to the side, feigning ignorance at the intended effect of her own posturing.

"You're rather...", McGonagall trailed off, "Settled in compared to the other incoming students. But perhaps that would be the age gap".

"Perhaps", Kennedy ominously replied, beaming as she did so.

Professor McGonagall stared at her for a second, squinting at her, trying to make her out before seemingly giving up and saying, "I think you're rather well-acquainted with the location of my office now, and me subsequently. Let us go and find your head of house".

She pushed herself off of her desk and sauntered past Kennedy, once again expecting her to follow. Kennedy followed, ensuring she quickened her pace and widened her strides to keep up with her.

"Who is my head of house, Professor?"

"Professor Severus Snape - he's also the Potions Master", Professor McGonagall answered simply. Despite her short answer, it seemed that McGonagall respected him a great deal. Kennedy couldn't really articulate what made her think that, even to herself.

"Who are the heads of the other houses?", Kennedy asked, to scope out Professor McGonagall's perception of Snape by juxtaposing her introduction of him to the introduction of the other house heads.

"Professor Pomona Sprout is the Head of Hufflepuff House and the Herbology Professor", a small change in tone, still very respectful however, so nothing of much use to Kennedy.

"And Professor Filius Flitwick is the Head of Ravenclaw House and the Charms master. Both of them will be teaching you as they teach essential subjects, so you will become well-acquainted with them once classes begin". Kennedy made a sound of understanding in response.

McGonagall was respectful to them in the way everyone was respectful, but something a little deeper was there for Snape. Perhaps he was an admirable man.

Hopefully his potential admirability wouldn't make him too fussy so he'd give Kennedy some leeway to execute her future plans, whatever form they may take.

If he didn't give her leeway, she'd poke and poke at his sanity and slip through the cracks while his back was turned. Easy.

"Professor Snape", McGonagall called out to a tall, dark figure at the end of the hallway, "On your patrolling duties already".

Professor Snape nodded curtly with not a suggestion of a smile on his face. "And... would this be the transfer student?", he asked, slowly with a drawl to it. Kennedy thought his voice sounded gooey - his words seemed to stretch on and on past their perceived capacity.

"You are correct, Professor", Kennedy chirped, knowing the question was aimed at McGonagall.

He turned to her slowly like an owl would turn it's head. "Cheeky", he noted.

McGonagall spoke up, "I brought her to you so you may show her to the Slytherin Common Room and speak to her as her new House Master".

"Very well. Minerva, if you'd please take over my shift until I return"

"Of course, Severus", McGonagall agreed before turning to face Kennedy, "I look forward to seeing you around, Ms. Bishop".

"I do too, Professor McGonagall", Kennedy beamed at her, knowing they'd be seeing a lot of each other - and not necessarily for pleasantries.

Snape piped up and strode down the corridor, "Follow me, Ms. Bishop".

"I assume Professor McGonagall has already informed of you of Hogwarts's general rules of conduct", Snape said.

"She has already"

"Then I suppose I would just be showing you to the Common Room", Snape took a sharp left down a corridor and Kennedy hurried to follow him.

"The Slytherin Common Room lies behind a concealed entrance a stairways down from the castle's dungeon. I'd hope you'd get used quickly to the great deal of walking you will be doing once classes begin".

"The password to the dorm changes every fortnight and the new password will be posted on the noticeboard on the inside of the Common Room. I implore you to check it every time you are leaving the room so you are not left wanting. I am the one to administer the password change. Should you ever forget it, ask one of your house mates, or come to me directly".

"You are certainly not allowed to bring students from other houses to the common room or reveal the password to students in other houses. Breaking of this rule will result in grave punishment. Am I clear, Ms. Bishop?"

"Crystal", she curtly replied.

He's certainly a fussy one.

They descended the first level of stairs into the dungeon in silence until the flight of stairs leading to the floor of the Common Room. "Your luggage and your pet have already been transported to your dormitory. You will be sharing a dorm with..." he trailed off and fiddled with his robes before bringing out a piece of parchment with tables upon tables of names inked upon it, "Daphne Greengrass, Rachel Minks and Pansy Parkinson".

At least she got to share a room with a whole Daphne Greengrass.

"If you hadn't noticed before, Ms. Bishop, we are currently standing in front of a bare stone wall. The entrance to the Slytherin Common Room is concealed and will only be revealed once the password is stated clearly and audibly".

"Like so", Snape said before saying, "Ceteris Paribus!".

At his words, the wall shifted and shifted until a stone passage leading to a large ornate door revealed itself.

"The current password is Ceteris Paribus", Snape began to explain but she cut him off. "All things being equal?", Kennedy asked.

"Ironic", she thought, but decided to hold her tongue.

Snape looked surprised at her understanding the Latin. Well, as surprised as he could look. It seemed he didn't have too wide a range of facial expressions.

"Yes, "all things being equal"", he drawled, "I hope you'd do well to remember it".

"Thank you, Professor. Have a good night", she beamed at him as the door revealed itself and opened. He merely quirked his lip up in response before departing with a swish of his robes.

Certainly dramatic too.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE!

yall i accidentally typed K3 instead of Ke while i was typing out kennedy's name and whew K3NN3DY is such a cool username






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