**Dark Corridors and Deeper Loyalties**

Mia made her way through the dimly lit corridors of the dungeons, her prefect badge gleaming in the faint torchlight. As she turned a corner, she bumped into a group of older Slytherin students, their robes a deep, dark green that seemed to absorb the light around them. The air was thick with the smell of damp stone and mold, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the passageway. At the center of the group stood her brother, Marcus, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. "Mia, what are you doing down here?" he asked, his tone a little colder than she was used to. Mia's heart sank as she took in the look on his face. She had always known that Marcus, a Slytherin through and through, didn't approve of her friendship with James and the other Gryffindors. "Just making my rounds, Marcus," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite the sudden flutter in her chest. "As a prefect, I'm supposed to make sure everything is in order." She glanced around at the other Slytherins, their faces a mixture of curiosity and hostility. Marcus snorted. "You know as well as I do that the only 'order' that matters is the kind that keeps our house on top." The other Slytherins murmured in agreement, their eyes flashing with a cold, calculating light. Mia's eyes met those of one of the older Slytherins, a tall, lean boy with piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into her skin. Evan Rosier, she remembered, a name that had been whispered in fear and respect by the younger students. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at her, a gaze that was almost... intense. "And what about you, Mia?" Evan asked, his voice low and smooth, like silk gliding over stone. "What do you think about the... inferiority of certain houses?" His eyes seemed to gleam with a malevolent light, and Mia felt a shiver run down her spine. Mia's face grew hot as she realized that Evan was trying to needle her, to get a rise out of her. She kept her cool, though, her voice steady. "I think that every house has its strengths and weaknesses, just like every individual." She met Evan's gaze, her eyes locked on his. Evan's smile was like a crack in the stone wall, cold and unforgiving. "How... diplomatic of you, Mia," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But I think we all know that some houses are more... tainted than others." The other Slytherins snickered, their eyes flashing with hostility. Mia's heart sank as she realized that Evan was one of those people who believed that blood traitors - Gryffindors with non-magical or 'tainted' blood - were somehow less worthy. She felt a surge of anger, but she kept her cool, her voice steady. Marcus placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip tight. "Let's just say that some alliances are more... desirable than others, Mia," he said, his eyes glinting with a warning. "You'd do well to remember that." The group of Slytherins seemed to close in around her, their faces a mixture of curiosity and hostility. Mia nodded, her face set in a neutral mask. She knew that she had to tread carefully, especially with her brother and his friends watching her every move. But as she turned to leave, she felt Evan's eyes on her, boring into her skin like a cold, dark weight. She shivered, despite the warmth of the dungeons, and quickened her pace, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere and the watchful eyes of the Slytherins.