Dave chuckled. "My dad always jokes that every Slytherin ba feels like a family reunion—everyone’s reted somehow!"

  Vivian tapped her , thinking. "Gamper, Gamper… Wait, wasn’t there a Minister of Magic with that name?" Her face lit up as she remembered. "Yes! Ottaline Gamper! She had a great reputation, didn’t she?"

  Dave nodded, his cheeks turning pink with pride. "Yeah, Mitaline Gamper was my aor. She created a ittee to study Muggle intelligend showed that Muggles are a lot smarter than wizards used to think. She was respected for being open-minded."

  Viviaement grew. "That’s right! She was one of the few Ministers who reached out to Muggles. Her work ged how a lot of wizards viewed them."

  Dave smiled, looking a little embarrassed as Vivian tio praise his aor. "My family’s been studying Muggles ever since. My grandmother even married one. We live in a Muggle neighborhood, and I actually went to a Muggle kindergarten."

  As Dave spoke, he seemed to rex. "I made a lot of Muggle friends when I was little," he added, his smile growing.

  Their versation was interrupted by a sharp voice. "Your ideas are dangerous."

  They turo see Wilkes standing nearby, tall and sneering. He shot Alex a disdainful look before fog on Dave. "Muggle-borns are nothing but inferior creatures. Gamper, remember your pce. Don’t waste your time with certain… types," he said, gring at Alex.

  Dave looked startled, his gaze darting nervously between Alex and Wilkes. "But… some of my Muggle friends are really clever. They’re just like us," he said hesitantly.

  Vivian wasn’t fazed. She smmed her hand oable. "Wilkes, why don’t you mind your own business a us enjoy our dinner?"

  Wilkes sneered. "I’m a prefect, Vivian. It’s my responsibility to keep an eye on the youudents and make sure they don’t fall in with the wrong crowd."

  Vivian stood up, anger fshing in her eyes, but Alex pced a calming hand on her shoulder. "Let it go," he said softly, pulling out a small notebook with a dramatic flourish. Flipping through the pages, he locked eyes with Wilkes. "If you’ve got more ‘advice,’ feel free to share. I’ll be sure to write it all down."

  Wilkes paled, his fidence shaken. With a huff, he turned and walked away. Vivian smirked, crossing her arms. "Coward. He’s probably scared you’ll report him a him kicked out of his prefect position."

  Alex shrugged and turo Dave with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Not the best introdu to Slytherin life."

  Dave shook his head quickly. "No, it’s okay. That was… intense. Is he really a prefect?"

  "Unfortunately, yes," Vivian said, rolling her eyes. "But don’t let him get to you. Wilkes is only good at being a bully."

  Dave nodded, still looking a little overwhelmed. His gaze lingered on Vivian, who still seemed ready to fight.

  The s ceremony ended, and the tables were suddenly filled with a gra. The students eagerly dug into the delicious dishes, sav every bite. Afterward, Dumbledore led everyone iraditional school song, and the lively singing filled the Great Hall. As the night came to an end, the students made their way back to their on rooms, buzzing with excitement.

  In the Slytherin on room, Yaxley, the head of the Boys’ Student Union, called for everyone’s attention. His voice cut through the chatter as he stepped forward with an air of fidence.

  "Good evening, everyone. I’m a Slytheri and the president of the Boys’ Student Union. On behalf of Slytherin House, I’d like to officially wele our udents." He led a round of appuse, his words polite but formal. Then his tone shifted, and his expression hardened. "Slytherin House is special. We are born into privilege, known for our ambition, ing, aermination. Being in Slytherin is an honor."

  Yaxley’s eyes swept over the room. "But with that honor es responsibility. We are the guardians of wizarding purity and tradition. The wizarding world is being overrun by intruders—lesser beings who think they’re our equals. They take our jobs, our spaces, even try to lead us. This is uable."

  A wave of appuse erupted among the pure-blood students. Others cpped hesitantly, gng around nervously. The udents, unsure of what to do, joined in, swept up in the moment. Yaxley raised a hand, sileng the room. "Here in Slytherin, we lead the charge in proteg acy. We must sever ties to Muggle society." He gestured to three students standing nearby. "Wilkes, Osbert, Travers, step forward."

  The three stepped up, their expressions serious. Yaxley tinued, "We’re f a new group: the Purity ittee. Its role is to monitor any Muggle-reted activities at Hogwarts. The four of us will lead it, and everyone is expected to follow its rules." He stepped back, giving the floor to the others.

  Travers smirked as he addressed the crowd. "Remember our faces. This ittee will watch everything that happens in Slytherin. We’ll decide who’s following the rules and who isn’t. Uood?"

  "Uood," the pure-blood students echoed enthusiastically. Others mumbled along, uneasy uhe ittee members’ watchful eyes.

  Travers gestured to Wilkes. "Meet the chairman of the Purity ittee, senior Wilkes. Show him the respect he deserves."

  "Hello, senior!" The response was scattered, but Wilkes smirked, stepping forward with a look that demanded obedience.

  "Iure, Slytherin dormitories will undergur iions. Students from all houses are strictly forbidden from hiding Muggle items. Any such items found will be fiscated, aance will result in punishment. Furthermore, students will be categorized by their blood status. Half-blood students will enjoy certain privileges depending on their lineage, while those of higher mixed blogle-born status..."

  Wilkes paused, letting his eyes linger on Alex and Vivian for a moment before tinuing. "...will serve the noble pure-blood students. They will handle all ing and mainteasks in the dormitories. Anyone refusing orders will be seen as disrespeg Slytherin and punished severely."

  Wilkes sed the room, raising his voice as he shouted, "Pure-blood supremacy!"

  "Pure-blood supremacy! Pure-blood supremacy! Pure-blood supremacy!" The younger pure-blood students immediately echoed his t, thrusting their arms into the air with fervor. Those with less enthusiasm—some pure-bloods and lower-ranking half-bloods—hesitated before joining in, their voices low and uain. Meanwhile, a small group of half-blood students exged uneasy gheir faces pale, but they dared not speak out.

  Alex remained impassive throughout, his expression unreadable. He’d expected this, after all. But beside him, Vivian was visibly furious. Her face turned red as Wilkes tinued his speech. Being a Squib-Muggle hybrid made her feel the sting of his words acutely. To make matters worse, Wilkes' decree about banning Muggle items would mean the end of her beloved poker club, for which she had retly ied in several new decks.

  "You ’t do this! This is btant discrimination! I’m rep you to Headmaster Snape!" Her protest barely left her lips when another voice rang out.

  "This is a crime!" A figure emerged from the crowd, climbing onto the steps and gring at Wilkes. "I won’t stand for it!"