The Good Slytherin

   



     Rowena Aryabella was just like her mother: long straight dark hair, as well read as her and quite clever.  She was sure she would be sorted into her mother's house..in fact she was named after Rowena Ravenclaw so every one expected it.  Her father was of house Hufflepuff.  She suppose it wouldn't be so bad to be sorted there, but even her father was sure she would be in Ravenclaw.
"My dear not only are you the spitting image of your mother you are just as clever as she was...oh and of course still is I mean."  Her mother always calmed her stuttering father with a hand on his and that look with her very slight smile.  Rowena was an only child and she wondered if she had a brother if he'd be more like her dad.
       
           She stepped up to the hat when name was called and sat proudly waiting for her house...Ravenclaw...to be announced.  But the sorting hat grumbled and mumbled to itself for awhile that even the head teachers looked concerned.."Yes..Yes...sorry everyone, this one took some time....SLYTHERIN!!"    She was so shocked her eyes bugged out of her head and she couldn't say anything.
She was asked to hop down and hurry to join her house...Slytherin? Neither of her parents had anybody in Slytherin..while her father's had a lot of Hufflepuffs there were a few Griffondores and maybe one or two Ravenclaws but never a Slytherin...they are such bullies arent' they?  So many dark wizards came from that house...what was she to even DO there?

         Rowena went to her house table...all the older ones snickered at her.."I think the hat made a mistake...you don't even act 'Slytherin'."

Rowena replied politely, "You're right, I don't, but what's done is done and I shall do my best for our house."  For some reason this made everyone laugh.  Fine then, she could handle it.  She knows the stories from her other friends of other houses and families...the great Harry Potter, and especially Luna who was of house Ravenclaw, and was teased but never let it bother her.  She looked around at her new housemates, wondering if anybody could be a possible friend..well..she may be in Slytherin but she could still make friends outside of her house.  Then she decided that's what she would do.  She would be the nicest Slytherin in the whole house..and a part of her that just was hidden came out, her competitive desire to prove her strength.

         To be sure the other Slytherins did NOT make it easy for her.  But because she was constantly helping the others, from those struggling with mastering simple charms and spells (especially ones from Muggle families) it stunned the teachers who awarded her points for her kindness.  The fact that House Slytherin was racking up a lot of points because of her they left her alone, they didn't become friends, but they left her alone.  One of the older ones, Evacia Blackwatch was having a time with potions, "May I assist you?" Rowena asked gently.  Evacia was not used to kindness and was about to just tell her off but remembered that THIS one was clever, and it was good to allow at least a little help...all to get ahead of course.  "Very well then, though it's not often a first year can help an older one." 
   "I've done a lot of reading."
  The girl scoffed, "oh a regular Hermoine then?"
She shrugged,  "just about, she was going to be sorted into Ravenclaw, she asked the hat to put her in Gryphondore."  then she stopped.."OH why didn't I think of that!!  I was so shocked I didn't even remember that bit..oh dear"
  "Well, as they say, what's done is done, so are you going to be able to help me on this?"
Rowena smiled, "yes I am, and gladly so."  She helped first organized the order, noticed one of the lables was not correct which was part of the confusion, and they both went on in fixing the mixups.
Evacia, not normally warm hearted, started to like the girl..who was indeed too good and kind for Slytherin, and eventually took more of a shine to sit with her.  Her other friends were shocked at that, but in time they started to go to Rowena, at first more as a strong study partner, then realizing how much she knows with her reading ahead and how helpful she was they kept coming to her.
   Rowena continued to help others, including teachers, and was always kind and polite, gentle and thoughtful.  Many of the Slytherins were from old families that demanded perfection..very few felt the kindess and love that Rowena offered..and soon they started being a little more kinder..they were awkward at it, but when a teacher noticed they awarded points...which made an impact on them.  They wanted to win the house cup...and they copied Rowena's way of doing it but though they were doing it for the points, the fact they were doing kindness at all had an impact on their own hearts even their parents noticed.  Not sure what was going on they finally made inquirers and found out about the young lady who was in Slytherin but did not ACT Slytherin..at first they wanted to have her placed in a different house..they felt her kindness was like a plaque that needed to be snuffed out.  But seeing that their house was going to win house cup they decided to just leave it alone..it's only 7 years anyway, and perhaps for the first time with a girl like that, Slytherin will win 7 years in a row perhaps?

She was so curious as to why that sorting hat put her there that she asked the head mistress if she could ask the Hat itself.  "Of course my dear!"  and she lead her to it..resting, slightly snoring she asked the hat..."excuse me?"  the hat snorted and straightened up..."sooo how is the GOOD Slytherin." 
"Just fine, but I was wondering why you even put me there...I'm not the least bit like them."
The had chuckeled..ohhh you are...you are very ambitious..just not about the same things they are, and I figured they could use a good lesson."
"on what?"
"the ambition of being GOOD for a change...that's what you had in you, deep inside."
"Oh!" she thought about this..then, looking back at everything she felt really proud of her year there, and she wondered how much more she could do...like shine up the House's reputation a bit.  Not all Slytheren was bad.  Her purpose there was to remind others of that fact, and her small acts were having a big impact..and this was just her first year.  She thanked the hat, stood up straight, tall and had a smile to each and every one she met.  She was the GOOD Slytherin after all.