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Well, the jig is up. If her House mates had any doubts about Sadde, they're gone.
...kinda. She's still young enough and androgynous enough that most of them think it's just a matter of changing her hair a bit and maybe some makeup and differently cut robes. It's not a belief that stands a whole lot of scrutiny, but given that most Slytherins give her a fairly wide berth, there's not actually been a whole lot of scrutiny.
She did find the Hufflepuff boy she spooked and tell him about it and offer to help him with his Potions homework. He was quite bewildered and suspicious because Slytherin so he didn't accept her help, but she told him to watch who she hangs out with so that he'd see she's Not Like Other Slytherins, and eventually he agreed, unable to see any way this could be a cunning plot. Which just goes to show that some people really couldn't be Slytherins.
Presently, it's Sunday, and Sadde would really like to talk to a certain Hat, which means she needs to talk to a certain Headmistress, and she suspects the most likely place she'll find her is the Head Table, at one of the meals. Breakfast is the first of those! Is McGonagall there?
I don't mean to say that policing ought to be eschewed entirely. Only that it will not curb misbehavior altogether, in any quantity. Your odds are poor but not negligible. But first you must impress them. Or trick them, if you can.
She grins. Oooh, those sound like good ideas! I bet I can impress them quickly. I'm pretty impressive, she sends, a tad smug.
This attitude will serve you well, says the hat.
She giggles. I know. Any other tips? Also can I status report in the future? And if McGonagall really likes me, would you mind too much if I came back just to ask you lots of questions?
I usually have little else to do, says the hat. Cultivate social capital in any quantity you can and spend it down as needed; it does no good hoarded and is your most valuable currency.
Wow, who'd have thought an ancient magical artifact would have so much wisdom! She's clearly jesting. Anyway, thanks for the advice. Hopefully I'll manage to get you some better candidates for Slytherin in the future!
Best of luck.
She unhats, and focuses on the other two witches.
"So, it said that I had to get really awesome so people would look up to me, and also that Slytherins and policing don't mix too well and trying to channel their efforts into productive stuff will work better than punishing unproductive stuff, but the punishment thing might also help some, there. Kinda carrots-and-sticks thing? Yeah. Also that I should try to cultivate social capital and spend it a lot, so lots of politicking, I guess. And I'm gonna unite all Slytherin firsties and be Queen Firstie!"
"I see," says McGonagall, who may be trying not to laugh.
"So, do you think there's any way you could help with that, Professor?" she asks innocently.
"About the channeling energy productively thing, maybe you could start some kind of club," Miranda says to Sadde.
"About which the standard guidelines and requirements for faculty supervision will apply," says McGonagall.
"I was mostly joking about the Queen Firstie thing, but yes I definitely will become impressive academically. I've got Potions and Transfiguration in mind so far, if I have lots of free time I might add Charms—definitely not Herbology. And a club... what kinda club would Slytherins want to actually join? Other than 'We hate muggles' club, that one didn't end well..."
"You could find out what clubs they're already in and see if any of them wish there were any other kinds," Miranda suggests.
"Good idea!" she says brightly. "I would actually be surprised if they were in many, what with the whole 'everyone other than themselves hates them,' but I guess it's worth looking into it. Hmm, I might actually have to be friendly to a lot of people who think I'm only marginally less contemptible than dirt they scrapped off their boots..."
"Slytherins are not, so far as I know, systematically hedged out of membership in ordinary clubs such as Charms or Gobstones," says McGonagall, "provided, as with any other entrant, they are interested in the subject and not disruptive."
She shrugs. "It's the 'not disruptive' part that I'm doubtful of," she says. "I think Jacob might actually be too terrified of the older years to ask, but sure, I'll see if he can do it. And if he won't, well, maybe I could befriend the other firsty snakes and see if they could do it. Ooooor I could actually be friendly to the older years, without being doormatty, that actually sounds like fun, too."
"...There's definitely no risk it will try to re-sort me?"
"Not in a way that will matter practically. It may continue to have whatever mixed opinion originally led you to wonder that."
"Then yes, please."
Miranda: meet hat.
I think this might be the first time two students I'd already spoken to come to me on the same day.
I see. Have you had a change of heart about your House? I'm afraid now there's nothing I can do to change it, if that's the case.
I still prefer Ravenclaw, but you might have wrangled me into Slytherin if I didn't come before Sadde in the alphabet. Maybe.
That's a shame, then. But alas, I cannot control what last names students have.
I know. But I still don't think Slytherin would have helped me. Me helped Slytherin, maybe, but Sadde's determined to drag me into that no matter what color trim I have on my robes.
You could have helped Slytherin help you. It would greatly benefit from your greatness, and you could reshape the Slytherins to come, who would in turn owe their own greatness to you. Not that you are unlikely to be great regardless of which House you find yourself in, but you will find fewer peers in them.
I didn't want to be distracted frontloading that kind of effort. On a political project, which is not my strength.