Password Protected

Password Protected
(AU)
"I'm not saying it," Stiles said definately, "Me neither," Allison replied, leaning against the wall, none of the other students spoke up and it seemed to be a shared sentiment between them, "I can't say it, my Elphie is a half-blood, I haven't said that word in three years," sighed a blonde girl, Galinda, as she slid down the wall and wrapped her arms around her nees, "So.... what do we do?" Stiles asked awkwardly as he leaned against the wall, "What are you all doing just standing there?" Jackson huffed as he marched up the stairs towards them, "The door won't let us in," Allison frowned, "What? You guys got the new password didn't you?" Jackson frowned as he approached, "Yeah but we're not gonna USE it, it's bigoted," Stiles huffed back, Jackson stared at him, snorting, "It's a WORD, although I can see why you'd hesitate Stillinski," he mused, Stiles' eyes narrowed as Galinda stood up, stepping closer, "You aren't going to say it are you?" "As opposed to WHAT? Standing out here like an idiot? No thanks," "Isn't your GIRLFREIND a half-blood?" she challenged, "Yeah, and she's also smart enough to realize that a password is a PASSWORD, it's not like I'd just drop it in general conversation," "Although it doesn't stop you from doing that," Stiles quipped, Jackson glared over his shoulder, squinting and staring at the door before clearing his throat and saying the word, "Mudblood," The door opened and he smirked, walking in as the others started to walk as well, only for Jackson to suddenly push the door closed, "Jackson!" Allison shouted in frustrated shock, rushing and hammering her fist on the door, "If you guys won't say it, you don't belong in here," he howled back with a snicker, and, realizing that there was no use in arguing, the rest of them stayed back, slowly making their places on the floor

~+~

"What are you guys doing on the floor? Did you get locked out?" Allison looked up slowly and rubbed her eyes tiredly, doing homework scrunched up between twelve other people on the floor was less than enjoyable, "Kira!" she smiled brightly, the Hufflepuff tilted her head innocently, helping Allison off the ground, "The door is being a racist peice of trash today so we're waiting until someone else bigoted like Jackson comes along and opens it for us," Stiles huffed, "He shut the door on us when he found out why were out here," Galinda grumbled, Kira frowned, chewing her lip, "Then your password is-" "The 'm' word yeah, and ofcourse we have to wait it out for it to change," Stiles grumbled, "And you're all refusing to say it?" Stiles jumped, turning and looking up to see Derek towering over him, "You need to stop just appearing out of thin air, it was cool ONCE but now it's just creepy," he huffed, Derek rolled his eyes, shifting slightly to adjust his messenger bag, "I applaud you for standing up for the right thing," "Or sitting down in our case," Allison smiled, "This is horrible that you guys have to wait out here... what about when you need to sleep?" Kira frowned, the students all glanced at eachother and gave a somewat cohesive shrug, "This is rediculous... just come back to our dorm with us," Derek said with a sigh, "Seriously? But isn't your's like the most secure in the castle?" Stiles asked in surprise, "I've been a Hufflepuff for seven years, you really think I'd invite you if I couldn't get you in?" he rolled his eyes, "I guess but the teachers won't like it," Allison mused, getting up and wiping off her skirt, "Then I guess they'll just have to change the password for us," Galinda smirked, swooping up her belongings and starting for the stairs, "You sure about this Big Guy?" Stiles asked, groaning as he stretched his legs, "I'm sure," Derek confirmed, Stiles smiled, and for the first time that day, felt something other than completely aggrivated

~+~

"Did you guys really sleep in the Hufflepuff dorm last night?" It was the first question of the morning and really, Stiles was too tired to answer it, ofcourse he bunked with Derek but the beds weren't made for two people and most of the night was spent trying desperately to get comfortable in a bed that was too small and eventually he ended up having to just sleep on top of Derek, lovely.... "Yeah, we did," Stiles yawned, grabbing a muffin from the bowl in front of him and starting to spread some pumpkin butter over it, the rules of Hogwarts had changed considerably since the big war from the 90s and now houses socialized in the Great Hall with other houses, there were more common areas throughout the castle too, but going into another house's common room- and especially staying in their dorms- was still highly against the rules, "Wow.... how come?" Scott asked in amazement, "Our dorm is somehow still stuck in the dark ages when it was ok to be a prejudice lump of owl pellets," Stiles snorted back, grabbing an apple from one of the plates and shoving it in Scott's mouth, "Our password was .... you know and we refused to say it," Allison sighed, nibbling on her toast, Scott's mouth fell open, apple tumbling onto the bench, "THAT was your password? I thought the headmistress-" "Well some rooms are tempermental, house materials and rooms take after their founders, Salazar Slytherin was such a pureblood enthusiest that it seeped deeply into the dorm, past the point of repair," Derek mused, picking at his eggs tiredly, "I guess but.... ther'es gotta be something we can do..." Scott mused sadly, "I know Buddy, and there is, we're staying out of there until the password changes to something reasonable," Stiles shrugged, nudging a pear onto Derek's plate, the Hufflepuff glared slightly at him but didn't refuse it, "That's just another good reason why Ravenclaw has riddles," Lydia hummed as she sat down next to Allison, "Oh come ON, riddles are a stupid thing to have as a password! If you're exhausted you'll never get in, if you're nursing a headache you'll never get in, if you're in a hurry you'll never get in, and what about if you have a little wine one day?" Stiles snorted, "That's why we always travel in PAIRS, in case one of us is impaired," Lydia hummed as she glanced to her side, "Ravenclaw basically has Designated Riddle Answerers," teased Caitlin, "I still think Hufflepuff's system is the best, it never changes and it doesn't require anything verbal so deaf students aren't effected, and even blind students get used to it quickly enough that by the time first year is over they're able to find it without a problem," Kira smiled, "Yeaaaaah you know I've always found it awfully FUNNY that Hufflepuffs are supposed to be the kind, passive ones but your system is the only one with repellent," Stiles snorted, "Who says we're passive? Our symbol is a badger, have you ever met a badger?" Derek asked, "Um, no?" "Badgers aren't passive,"

~+~

That evening was no different, after classes the same group of Slytherins tried- and failed- to get into their dorms and this time even encountered a simaler, slightly smaller group already waiting outside, "We're not saying that word, we got in yesterday because someone held the door open for us but... now the door is shut," sighed one sixth year with chesnut hair and a frustrated look, "The Hufflepuffs are letting us stay with them until this all blows over, come on," Allison encouraged, only to pause suddenly at the sound of shoes tapping down the hall, upon turning her face lit up when she saw a small gang of Ravenclaws marching their way with Lydia in front, "Move," she hummed, pulling her wand from her sleeve and clearing her throat as she raised it to the door, "Mutatio verbum transeat," she commanded, nothing happened, pursing her lips, she tried again, "Mutatio verbum transeat ad anguis," and once more, nothing, "Let me try," Danny offered, stepping forward, "Mutatio ad anguis," nothing still... Stiles took a deep breath, leaning against the wall, "Mutatio anguis!" Danny huffed, "Um... can I try?" chimed a tall girl with green skin as she headed to the front of the line, she cleared her throat, placing the wand tip against it and hummed, "Ah... ah... ah... ah...," until her voice was a deep, male register, "By order of Slazar Slytherin I command you to change your password," she said deeply, Stiles glanced at Lydia, who looked pensive, and then, shockingly, there was a clicking sound from the inside of the door, gasps were heard and Galinda jumped up excitedly, "Elphie you did it!" she cried, hugging her girlfreind excitedly, only to pause suddenly wen a gush of water suddenly flew out from the vents and sprayed them all, "Or not," grumbled the brunett from earlier

~+~

"If WE couldn't get in, what makes you think YOU could get in?" Lydia challenged with frustration as she dried her hair, "Maybe you're just over thinking things, did you try taking the door off the hinges?" Scott asked with a gentle smile as he and the rest of his trope of Gryffindors headed for the door, "It's not going to work," Lydia sighed as the Gryffindors marched forward, "You never know until you try," Scott chirped, Lydia rolled her eyes, this could only end badly...

Lydia's prediction, as it were, was correct if the hospital wing full of Gryffindors said anything about it, it was just lucky that the nurses were too busy trying to get them to stop groaning and grunting to question why they were trying to take the Slytherin door down to begin with

~+~

"Hey the Slytherins are back!" Shouted one chipper, curly-haired Hufflepuff as he leaned over the side of the couch, "Hi Slytherins," waved a girl with honey blonde hair as she looked up from her book, "Hi Max, Ella," Stiles greeted, what did it say about him that he now new the residents of Hufflepuff better than half of his own house? Ofcourse, the only members LEFT in Slytherin's dungeon were the ones that Stiles hated to be associated with so it seemed to work out, roughly half of their house had migrated to staying with the Hufflepuffs and it was starting to get severely cramped to the point that the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were starting to discuss letting some of the Slytherins into their dorms as well, "Hey Derek, did you understand Transfiguration today?" Stiles asked as he walked over to the arm chair Derek was sitting in, "Yes, do you want my notes?" he asked, "Yeah, do you want me to help you with the potion homework?" he offered, sitting under the window and looking up at the daisies and grass outside, as much as he loved the underwater veiw of the lake that the dungeon had, he had to admit that the Hufflepuffs had a pretty sweet set up, and his dorm got so cold so often but this place, even in the dead of winter, seemed to be radiating warmth and comfort, "No wonder you people are always so happy, I would be too if I lived in here," he mused to himself, hell just in the week he had been here he was already calmer and more peacefull at any given time, he and Derek had found a compromised sleeping position and there was nothing better than curling up on one of the couches after a long day and gnawing at some of the various snacks the Hufflepuffs left laying around as he studied, he may not like the constant light in the basement that stayed until the sun went down but atleast it was a warm, comfortable light, "I'm always happy?" Derek snorted, "So there are exceptions but you have an excuse," Stiles shrugged, reaching over and grabbing a biscuit from the coffee table, breaking it in half and handing half to Derek, "I don't want-" Derek began to sigh, but Stiles persisted so he took it, he was always doing this, always doing little things that people in passing wouldn't pick up on that silently said "I care about your well being", forcing food on people and carrying bandaids in his bag and copying his notes three times over... it was endearing even if he was blunt about it sometimes, but then, that was Stiles' way, and Derek found himself inching closer to the Slytherin despite it

~+~

"Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap CRAAAAAAP!" Stiles groaned as he hurriedly crawled through the tunnel out of the dorm room and into the common room, "Derek how do you get out of here every morning!?" he shouted as Derek crawled after him, "Years of practice," Derek grunted back as they both ran towards their first class of the day, it was lucky that Hufflepuffs and Slytherins shared herbology class... they raced down the hall, each pulling on their robes and straightening their ties as they rushed past people and into the green house, "We're not late we're not late we're not late!" Stiles shouted as he shot into the green house and nearly beaned himself against one of the potted plants, if it hadn't been for Kira grabbing his sleeve and holding him still, "Nice clothes Stillinski," Jackson snickered, Stiles blinked, looking down and blanching, he was in Hufflepuff robes.... and he was wearing Derek's clothes.... after bitterly realizing that he wouldn't have access to his own belongings for an undefinable amount of time Scott let him borrow some of his clothes so Stiles didn't have to keep magically cleaning his own- wich took alot out of him surprisingly- but in the rush to get dressed this morning he must have accidentally put on some of Derek's clothes.... oops..... "I was in a hurry," he huffed, "Yeah I'll bet," Jackson quipped back, "Well maybe he wouldn't have been if you would have just let him into the common rooms in the first place," "Why would I? Besides it's not like he'd get in any other day," "But atleast he could have gotten some of his-" "Mr. Stillinski," they heard, turning their attention to Madam Sprout as she walked into the green house, "I hope you don't mind my asking.. WHY are you wearing Hufflepuff clothing?" she asked, Stiles just blushed, clearing his throat and casting a charm to change the robes to Slytherin colors and fit the clothes better to his form, "Just a mistake Professor, and might I say you look LOVELY today?" he laughed nervously, flattery didn't seem to work

~+~

"So that's it then? For over a week Slytherins have been staying with the Hufflepuffs? Why didn't you just tell me that you were having trouble getting into your common room?" Headmistress McGonogal said with a long sigh, "We didn't think of it," Stiles replied honestly, "Besides, no disrespect Headmistress but I'm not sure that there's anything you can do, an entire gang of Ravenclaws tried and couldn't get it to work and if even Lydia Martin couldn't crack the code...." Derek added quietly, McGonogal pursed her lips, risisng from her chair, "Thank you for helping your fellow students Mr. Hale, fifty points to Hufflepuff, and thirty to the Slytherins for standing up for wat they believe in," she said as she began marching out of her office, "THIRTY?" Stiles huffed, "It WOULD have been fifty as well had it not been for Mr. Whittemore and his freinds continuing to keep you locked out, I'll be speaking to him privately about that," she mused, Derek and Stiles exchanged looks but didn't argue, this nightmare- that turned out not to be all that much of a nightmare at all- was starting to come to an end

....

Except that it didn't for another month, even McGonogal couldn't get the door to change the password and eventually the head of Slytherin house confirmed that they would have to wait it out, unlike Gryffindor's passwords wich changed wenever a staff member asked, Slytherin's codes were firmly set in place by Salazar Slytherin and wouldn't change before the propper time had elapsed no matter what, it was stubborn that way, but they did manage to get into the house long enough to pack a few of their things and the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws opened their common rooms to them as well, in fact, for the rest of the year there was an intermingling of students, even after Slytherin's password changed to "Mermaids" and they could get in, the other houses had become so accustomed to showing eachother their dorms that it was nearly impossible to stop them all from inviting eachother over on any given day, even Derek had to succomb to the urge to see the Slytherin Dungeon eventually and stayed there for a few days, ah well, Stiles would suppose as he found himself in the Hufflepuff common room again, inched over half onto his boyfreind's lap and leaning against Derek's shoulder, maybe the stupid door actually had done something good for once, all of the students at Hogwarts were closer than ever, and they all lived happily ever after...... until the second game of Quidditch season wen the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were feuding over the last play so badly that Scott and Lydia invaded the little "love nest" (Lydia's word, not their's) that Stiles and Derek had crafted for themselves in their favorite corner of the Hufflepuff and Slytherin dorms on any given day and disrupted the alone time that the two had just started getting... that's when the war began.....