The group reached the cold stone corridor that led to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. The flickering greenish light from the torches cast eerie shadows on the walls, but Florian didn’t flinch.

  Snape stepped forward and uttered the password. The wall slid aside silently, revealing the dimly lit common room filled with green and silver furnishings. The sound of hushed conversations and crackling fmes immediately ceased as the imposing group entered.

  Every pair of eyes turned to the newcomers. Whispers rippled through the students as they recognized the Greengrasses, Dumbledore, and McGonagall.

  Daphne was sitting near the firepce, a rge book in her p. At the sight of her parents, Daphne immediately stood, her expression neutral but her eyes betraying a flicker of unease.

  Harry and Bise exchanged a quick gnce, both sensing the tension in the air.

  “Daphne!” Florian’s voice rang out, cutting through the silence.

  Daphne squared her shoulders and faced her father. “Father. Mother.”

  Florian didn’t waste time. “Care to expin why I received a letter informing me that you are living with two boys in a private room?”

  Daphne didn’t flinch. “Because it’s safer.”

  Florian blinked. “Safer?”

  Eleanor stepped forward, her voice softer but no less firm. “Daphne, expin yourself.”

  Daphne’s tone remained even and calm. “Slytherin House is not like the others. It’s cutthroat, ambitious, and full of rivalries. Everyone looks for weaknesses to exploit, and I refused to be one of them. I allied myself with Harry and Bise because they’re strong, and together, we’re untouchable.”

  Florian sputtered, “But—”

  “Harry’s wards are the best in the house,” Daphne continued. “No one can touch us. Nothing improper has happened, and it won’t.”

  Snape crossed his arms and smirked. “Sound familiar, Florian?”

  Florian flushed again but pushed forward. “This arrangement is unconventional, and it reflects poorly on our family!”

  Daphne’s eyes narrowed. “Reflects poorly? You always taught me to lead and not follow, to be cunning and resourceful. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

  Dumbledore finally spoke, his voice gentle yet commanding. “Mr. Greengrass, while I understand your concerns, I see no viotion of school rules here. The arrangement is unusual, yes, but not forbidden. Your daughter has shown maturity and intelligence in securing her safety and alliances—qualities Slytherin House encourages.”

  Daphne turned to her parents with a calm, almost challenging look.

  “Would you like to see my room?” she asked, her voice steady but with a hint of defiance.

  Eleanor’s expression softened slightly, but Florian’s face remained hard and skeptical.

  “Yes,” he said firmly. “I would.”

  Without hesitation, Daphne turned and walked toward Harry’s private room, her chin high. The onlookers—students in the Slytherin common room—whispered excitedly as the Greengrasses followed her.

  But just as Florian stepped forward, Snape smoothly stepped in front of him, blocking his path with a swirl of his bck robes.

  “What is the meaning of this, Severus?” Florian demanded, his voice sharp with irritation.

  Snape’s dark eyes glinted. “The meaning, Florian, is that this room is not just any room. It’s protected by wards—very powerful wards—designed by Harry Weasley himself.”

  Florian looked incredulous. “A first-year designed those wards?”

  Snape smirked. “That’s right. And those wards are advanced—impressive enough to keep out even a skilled seventh-year, as many have discovered the hard way.”

  Florian’s eyes narrowed. “Then let him take them down. I demand to see where my daughter is living.”

  Snape raised an eyebrow. “You don’t demand anything in my house, Florian.” He gestured toward Harry, who had just appeared at the entrance to the room.

  Harry stepped out, his wand in hand, and looked up at the gathering crowd. He immediately spotted Daphne’s parents and met Florian’s intense gaze without flinching.

  “Harry,” Daphne said softly, “can you allow my parents in?”

  Harry hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “Give me a minute.”

  With precise, practiced movements, Harry began to trace patterns in the air with his wand, muttering incantations under his breath. The air around the door shimmered faintly as the wardstones embedded in the walls responded to his commands.

  Everyone—students and adults alike—watched in rapt silence. Even Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

  The wards pulsed with light and slowly unraveled, leaving the door free of protections.

  “It’s done,” Harry said, lowering his wand. “You can enter now.”

  Florian stepped inside, closely followed by Eleanor. Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged gnces before deciding to enter as well. Snape lingered by the doorway, smirking at the other students who craned their necks to catch a glimpse of what y beyond.

  The Greengrasses froze the moment they stepped inside.

  What they saw wasn’t the cramped, single-room setup they had envisioned. Instead, they found themselves standing in a magically expanded space that rivaled the size of a small apartment.

  The room had four separate bedrooms, each with its own door, a cozy living area with plush sofas and armchairs, a dining space, and even a kitchenette tucked neatly into one corner. A rge bookshelf lined one of the walls, stacked with books of varying sizes and topics.

  But the most awe-inspiring part was the gss wall that revealed the depths of the Bck Lake. Light filtered through the water, illuminating schools of fish and strange magical creatures that swam past.

  Eleanor gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth.

  Florian, however, looked torn between awe and frustration. “This is… impossible.”

  Eleanor turned to Daphne, her voice trembling slightly. "Why didn't you tell us.”

  Daphne smirked. “Would you have believed me if I had?”

  Florian’s eyes snapped to Harry. “And you built all this?”

  Harry shrugged. “It took some time.”

  “Some time?” McGonagall interjected, her voice sharp. “Mr. Weasley, this is far beyond the level of magic taught at Hogwarts. Who taught you?”

  Harry hesitated, then said, “I taught myself most of it. My older brother,Bill. He’s a curse-breaker. He taught me warding, enchanting, and I just kept improving from there.”

  Dumbledore chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling. “Improvement, indeed. This is remarkable work for someone so young.”

  Florian, however, wasn’t ready to let it go. “It’s still highly improper for an eleven-year-old girl to live with two boys, regardless of how expanded this room is!”

  As the professors and guests explored the room, Harry leaned against the transparent wall and let his mind wander. Watching the underwater world felt strangely calming, yet his thoughts drifted back to the years he had spent learning to build something like this.

  The memories pyed out vividly in his mind.

  Long before Hogwarts, long before he ever held a wand of his own, he had spent countless hours in the Weasley Cave system—digging, testing, failing, and trying again. Bill had been his first teacher, showing him the fundamentals of warding and magical expansion. They had turned learning into a game.

  Bill would break Harry’s wards, pointing out fws in their structure, and Harry would rebuild them stronger each time. It started as a simple project, a distraction from their lives at the Burrow, but over time it became Harry’s obsession.

  He spent days pouring over Bill’s old books and scrolls, learning ancient runes, experimenting with sigils, and testing spells meant to fortify magical defenses. The cave became his sanctuary, a pce where failure didn’t matter because there was always time to try again.

  When Bill left for his job in Egypt, Harry continued alone. He pushed himself harder, driven by the need to prove that he could do it—not just to himself, but to everyone who doubted him. And in the process, he had created something extraordinary.

  The underwater world beyond the transparent wall glowed softly, illuminating the room with a mystical blue hue. Fish swam in synchronized patterns, occasionally darting away as rger creatures passed by. A merman appeared suddenly, wielding a spear, and gave chase to a silvery fish, his movements swift and graceful. The room fell silent as everyone watched in awe.

  Professor McGonagall, who had initially been scandalized by the entire arrangement, finally broke the silence.

  “This is… absolutely remarkable,” she said, her voice filled with reluctant admiration. “I’ve never seen enchantments this advanced from someone so young.”

  Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling as they reflected the aquatic scene. “I must agree. Such ingenuity and craftsmanship deserve recognition.”

  Snape crossed his arms but gave a small nod. “For once, I can’t argue with that.”

  McGonagall turned toward Harry, her stern expression softening slightly. “Mr. Weasley you’ve dispyed remarkable skill and dedication. Fifty points to Slytherin for your magical proficiency.”

  Harry opened his mouth to thank her, but Dumbledore interrupted, smiling. “And an additional fifty points for creativity and resourcefulness.”

  The trio’s eyes widened as a collective gasp echoed in the room. One hundred points in total.

  Daphne leaned toward Harry and whispered, “You just single-handedly secured Slytherin’s lead.”

  Bise grinned. “We’re going to dominate the House Cup.”

  McGonagall’s gaze shifted to the vish furnishings—the ornate armchairs, intricately carved bookshelves, and plush rugs.

  “These furnishings,” she began, “where did they come from?”

  Harry’s response was casual, but it left the room in stunned silence.

  “A house-elf helped.”

  “A house-elf?” McGonagall repeated, clearly not expecting that answer.

  Harry nodded. “He brought them from storage rooms scattered around the castle. Most of them belonged to the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors who, well… didn’t st long.”

  Snape’s lips twitched as though he were suppressing a ugh, but McGonagall gasped.

  “Harry!” she scolded. “You can’t just—”

  “Actually,” Dumbledore interrupted gently, “he can. The furnishings left behind by previous professors revert to Hogwarts property unless cimed by their heirs. Given the state of disrepair in many storage rooms, I’d say Mr. Weasley simply repurposed them rather than let them rot away.”

  Harry gave an innocent smile. “I made sure the house-elf only took abandoned items.”

  McGonagall sighed but didn’t argue further. Snape, on the other hand, looked at Harry with newfound respect—or perhaps wariness.

  Florian and Eleanor Greengrass, who had been silent observers for most of the discussion, finally spoke.

  “You said you built all this because you wanted safety,” Florian said, his tone gruff.

  Harry nodded. “Slytherin House is competitive. I didn’t want to depend on others for protection, so I made sure my space was secure. Daphne and Bise felt the same way.”

  Florian’s lips twitched slightly, betraying the faintest trace of pride. “You’ve certainly succeeded.”

  Eleanor stepped forward and hugged Daphne tightly. “Just promise me you’ll be careful,” she whispered.

  “I will, Mother,” Daphne replied.

  Florian extended his hand to Harry. “You’re ambitious, resourceful, and talented. That’s exactly the kind of company I want my daughter to keep. Look after her.”

  Harry shook his hand firmly. “Always.”

  Later that evening, after the professors and the Greengrasses had left, Harry, Daphne, and Bise sat together, reflecting on everything that had happened.

  “You just won 100 points for Slytherin,” Bise said, grinning. “You’ll go down as a legend in the house.”

  Daphne smirked. “Not to mention, you survived an interrogation from Dumbledore, McGonagall, and my parents. That’s more impressive than the wards.”

  Harry ughed, finally allowing himself to rex. “We’re not just surviving in Slytherin. We’re thriving.”

  Bise raised an imaginary gss. “To alliances and ambition.”

  Daphne raised hers as well. “To power and safety.”

  Harry grinned. “And to breaking all the rules in style.”

  The three of them ughed, secure in the knowledge that they had carved out a pce for themselves in Hogwarts—one that no one would dare challenge anytime soon.

  The next morning, Harry woke up to a loud knock on the door. Before he could even rise from his bed, Daphne burst into the room with an excited grin, followed closely by Bise, who looked equally eager.

  “Get up, Harry!” Daphne said, pulling the bnkets off him.

  “What’s going on?” Harry grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  “You’re not going to believe this,” Bise said, his voice filled with amusement. “All the professors are here. They want to see the room.”

  Harry groaned. “Are you serious? Can’t they just leave me alone?”

  “Nope,” Daphne replied, already fixing her hair in the mirror. “And you’re not turning them away, Harry. Think of the house points!”

  Harry sighed and sat up. “Fine,” he said reluctantly, “but only because I don’t want to give Slytherin a reason to compin about me.”

  Minutes ter, Harry stood at the entrance of his enchanted room, waiting nervously as the professors entered one by one.

  Professor Flitwick was the first to step inside, his eyes widening as he took in the magically expanded space. “Oh, my stars!” he squeaked, practically bouncing on his toes. “This—this is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!”

  Professor Sprout followed close behind, her sharp eyes scanning the area. “This is far beyond the level of an eleven-year-old,” she said, clearly impressed despite herself.

  Snape, of course, remained in the background, his expression unreadable, though Harry caught the faintest flicker of approval in his eyes.

  Professor Quarrel stepped in st, his eyes widened as he surveyed the underwater view through the transparent wall. A giant squid drifted zily by, momentarily obscuring the light from the ke.

  “Quite a remarkable achievement, Mr. Weasley,” Quarrel said, his voice filled with admiration. “It seems Hogwarts has gained a rather resourceful student.”

  Professor Flitwick, clearly fascinated, walked around the room, inspecting the wards and tracing the magical runes embedded in the walls. “Advanced rune work,” he muttered, taking out his wand and casting diagnostic spells. “Self-repairing wards, yered protections… This is graduate-level magic!”

  Harry shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. “I just—practiced a lot,” he said, avoiding Flitwick’s wide-eyed gaze.

  Professor Sinistra turned to him, her expression softening. “Practice or not, Mr. Weasley, this is exceptional work. Twenty points to Slytherin—for magical craftsmanship.”

  Daphne and Bise exchanged excited gnces.

  Flitwick waved his wand at the walls, his excitement growing. “And another twenty points for spellwork ingenuity!”

  After inspecting every corner of the room, the professors finally prepared to leave. Kettleback cpped his hands lightly.

  “Well done, Mr. Weasley. I have no doubt this will be the subject of many discussions in the staff room for weeks to come.”

  Flitwick, still beaming, turned to Harry. “If you ever wish to pursue advanced charms work, do let me know. I’d be delighted to mentor you.”

  McGonagall gave a slight nod. “I’ll be keeping an eye on your progress, Mr. Weasley. Don’t let this talent go to waste.”

  Snape said nothing but gave Harry the briefest of approving nods before sweeping out of the room.

  When the professors were finally gone, Daphne colpsed onto one of the sofas with a triumphant grin.

  “Forty more points to Slytherin!” she said, punching the air.

  Bise smirked. “We’re practically unbeatable now. Gryffindor doesn’t stand a chance.”

  Harry leaned back, letting out a relieved breath. “I guess it wasn’t so bad after all.”

  Daphne shot him a look. “Not so bad? You just turned our room into the most famous spot in Hogwarts!”

  Bise grinned. “You’re officially a legend, Harry.”

  Harry smiled faintly, staring at the gss wall and the ke beyond. He wasn’t sure about being a legend, he felt like he truly belonged in Hogwarts.