Silent Night
Headmaster Severus Snape's eyes bore into Jason. Amycus and Alecto Carrow stood behind him to his left and right. "So he told you he was a half-blood?" Snape finally questioned, shifting in his chair in his Headmaster's office. "That's funny, Mr. Crowe, your old record documents you as having two magical parents. Excuse me for assuming, but you do know that two magical parents makes you, as it were, a pure blooded magical wizard."
Jason bit his cheek. How much could Snape actually know about his parents? "I guess in the States this kind of information doesn't carry much weight. Moxie must have--"
"I do not care what Vivian Moxie may or may not have done. I will give you one more chance to redeem yourself. Are you or are you not of pure magical blood?" Snape snapped. His greasy hair rose from his forehead as he lifted an eyebrow.
Jason looked away from Snape and out the window. The moon was high and bright. There had been no housing ceremony or grand feast. All first years were Slytherin. Anybody not smart enough to lie about their blood status was put into Slytherin. Now Snape and his deputies were investigating anybody suspected of lying, starting with Jason Crowe. Jason stayed silent.
Snape's lips curled in disgust, "Very well, then. I have no choice but to leave you in charge of what's left of the other houses. Liars taking care of liars, oh how times have changed. If you all insist on staying in such unworthy houses, who am I to argue?" Snape was smiling at his own logic at this point. Jason wanted out of here.
"Alecto, escort him out. I trust as Head Boy he knows where his new duties lie. The Gryffindor password is Unworthy, in case one of your little friends hadn't already told you," Snape said dismissively, waving Jason and his chaperone out of the room.
Alecto couldn't hold her comments to herself once she and Jason were halfway down the staircase, "You're going to get yourself in an awful lot of trouble this year, aren't you? Yeah, Severus 'as told us all about you. Says we've got to keep a close eye on you, that's why he made you Head--"
"Mr. Crowe? Professor Carrow. How nice to see you out and about at this time of night," Professor McGonagall called from down the hall, "I trust Jason has not already gotten himself in trouble?"
"The Headmaster just finished--" Alecto began to croak
"Oh, wonderful. Severus explained that Jason would be assisting me as well as the other Heads of House. Mr. Crowe, come with me. We have schedules to deliver. Come along," Professor McGonagall interrupted, urging Jason to come with her.
Alecto stared with her mouth open as Jason followed the Professor. "Thank you, Professor."
"Oh, don't thank me. We really do have schedules to deliver. Miss Parkinson insisted that she was far too tired to assist," McGonagall spoke quickly. She disappeared into the Staff room and reappeared with a bundle of scrolls under her arm. "I have already taken any Gryffindor schedules to my office. I will head to the Hufflepuff commons, you please deliver this bundle," she handed Jason the largest bundle, wrapped together with an emerald ribbon, "to Professor Slughorn. Afterwards report directly back here and I'll send you to bed with the Ravenclaws'."
Jason nodded quickly trying to remember the route to the dungeon. He turned and sped down the hall, stopping only to hear Professor McGonagall's last instruction, "And Mr. Crowe--do be slient about it."
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