"Sure, that's why the metamorphmagi are spies before they impersonate everyone! So they can learn all the things!"

"It'd be really impractical to man a conspiracy entirely with metamorphmagi, though."

"The metamorphmagi are just the field operators! It's a shadow conspiracy, there's lots of people in it!"

"You seem to have thought about this a lot."

"If you like conspiracy theories, subscribe to the Quibbler."

"I'm just reacting to the things you're saying," she giggles.

"Sure, sure."

Sadde grins. "You know, you would actually make a fine Slytherin," he comments.

"You probably think you're complimenting me."

"I mean a real Slytherin, like me!"

"As opposed to what, fake Slytherins?"

"Yeah! You know, like those who aren't even consistent enough to oppose muggles and then not go ahead and use primitive muggle methods of conflict resolution. Those are totally fake Slytherins."

"There are only four houses, I'm not sure you can use such a rigid standard and still expect a roughly even split."

He shrugs. "Sure, but apparently the Hat has decided to put the people who don't mind being associated with Slytherin rather than those that really should be Slytherin. Or the blood purists, or whatever. I mean, you can't really say any of them has exactly embodied any of the virtues of Salazar for like forty years." Someone's been reading his war history books.

"Salazar did actually care about blood. It was a thing."

"Yeah but it wasn't what his House was about."

"Are you sure?"

"Well not sure sure, I guess I'd have to look at some history book or something, but it sounds... incongruous with the whole theme the Houses have going on: bravery and determination, wit and learning, hard work and loyalty, cunning and hating muggles."

"Traditionalism," suggests Karen.

"I don't think that's one of the things, I could totally see Slytherins defending that if it was and they don't. They go mostly the cunning and ambition way, those sound pretty neat already, I don't think Traditionalism makes a lot of sense there." He shrugs.

"It's a long held association and was one of the original considerations of admission even if it would not make a top two list. Your aesthetics for what the lists should look like are not necessarily Salazar's anyway."

"Fine, but they're what I'm gonna reform Slytherin into anyway, so there." He lizard-tongues at them.

"Well, good luck."

"I'm still gonna pick your brains about it!" he warns.

"I tremble in fear."