Once Again Like Once Before| R.J.Lupin

Chapter three: 282

"Merlin, don't you look familiar," The ghost mumbled clutching his chest as he drew closer to her blank face, the young witch was getting really tired of that sentence as of late.

"But I can't seem to place you." He said, getting even closer to Winona's face while rubbing his chin as he tried to figure out why she looked so familiar.

"I know you, you're Nearly Headless Nick." A first-year boy said from across from the annoyed witch, finally taking the ghosts' attention away from the young girl.

"I prefer Sir Nickolas if you don't mind." Sir Nickolas said to the boy, turning his nose up as he promptly floated away, thankfully forgetting Winona.

After the confusing interaction, the young witch was finally able to finish her food in silence before waiting patiently for what was to happen next.

-*

"First years this way!" The Slytherin prefect yelled out while standing at the end of the Slytherin table.

For the first time since the young witch arrived at the castle, she was at the front of the first-year group, mostly because the rest of the first years were still eating because they were too busy conversing with one another to eat anything.

After the rest of the first years had finally joined, the young first years began their journey down to the dungeons towards the Slytherin dorms, and Winona made sure to watch her surroundings so she could remember her way back to the Great Hall.

After the first years finally made it down to the Dungeons, the prefect suddenly paused in front of a wall, turning towards the awaiting young witches and wizards.

"To enter the Slytherin common room and dorms you must speak a password to get in." He told the awaiting group of first years, gesturing towards the wall.

"The password is 'Basilisk', which you mustn't tell anyone." He told them as he walked closer to the wall, whispering the password.

Soon after, a giant brass snake came up from the floor, forming an archway that revealed a beautifully carved door, evoking gasps from the first years.

Winona's eyes widened at the beautiful sight of the Slytherin common room's serpent-carved door as she and the other first years walked in.

Instantly, the first thing the young witch noticed was two swimming mermaid statues, floating above a water fountain, along with stone benches sitting on either side of the fountain.

The first years observed their new surroundings some more before following the prefect as he led the group down a stone stairway that spiraled around marble pillars with water falling down the middle.

As the young group walked down the winding staircase, Winona noted the many tapestries and lanterns lining the walls.

She hadn't even seen the common room yet, but she could tell that it would be beautiful, she liked it already even though she couldn't get past the metallic smell of metal.

As the first years got closer to the end of the steps, the stairway began to open up into the main part of the common room.

When the first years finally made it to the bottom of the staircase, they were met with a small, shallow pool that gathered the water from the waterfall.

Winona stopped walking when she noticed the prefect stopped at the large bulletin board that was sat next to the water feature.

"This board is used to display any announcements that you need to be aware of such as a change of the password, or things of the such." He informed the group of first years, pointing toward the board before putting his hand in his pocket.