In a cone-tipped tower high above the ground, a pair of glimmering, emerald orbs gazed out at the land below. The owner of said orbs was a young male, a male in his late teens with messy black hair and bright emerald eyes, hidden below the fringe of his messy hair was a peculiar scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.
This teen was Harry James Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, Wizarding Apprentice, Knight-in-Training and most recently, Heir of Slytherin.
"It's been so long." Harry spoke, a wistful sigh escaping him as his eyes glazed over in thought. "I wonder if the others even miss me, we weren't really friends but we shared some good times..."
It had been five years? maybe six?...
It had been a long time since he'd found himself trapped in this land, stranded so very far from home.
It had all begun during his second year as a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened and the Monster of Slytherin was released.
Despite being sorted into Slytherin house in his first year, Harry had never shared the more intolerant views of his peers, namely the blatant racism and prejudice propagated by his more extremist housemates. Still, after a first year full of humiliating pranks, devious sneak attacks and outright assault against his more aggressive housemates, he had gained a reputation as someone not to be messed with, so much so that his second year was going quite well without any attacks from his fellow Slytherins.
Then some fool went and opened the Chamber of Secrets and began attacking muggleborns.
The year had spiralled downwards from there, as a majority of the school believed him to be the one behind the attacks, especially after he'd been outed as a parselmouth by Draco Malfoy, his self-proclaimed rival.
The crowning moment of what was turning out to be his worst year ever was the kidnapping of Ginny Weasley, the younger sister of one of his most fervent enemies. It was this final event that had motivated him to find the chamber and go after the girl, not to be a heroic and headstrong Gryffindor but to clear his name before he ended up in a cell beside the school groundskeeper.
Sliding down a grimy pipe and slogging through a trail of animal bones, he'd found the girl unconscious, the ghostly form of her attacker standing above her body and the monster, a massive basilisk, coiled around the leg of a large stone statue.
Words were exchanged, the attacker revealing himself to be a younger Lord Voldemort, -the most powerful dark lord in a century somehow managing to sneak into the safest place in Britain for the second year in a row- before the basilisk was set upon him.
The following events were still a fuzzy blur to him, just a long stream of running through pipes and avoiding the poisonous maw and deadly sight of the massive serpent. At some point during his mad scramble, he'd found and picked up a weapon of some sort, a grimy short sword with some letters etched onto its side and dirty emeralds dotting the hilt. It was this sword that had saved his life when the basilisk finally caught up to and swallowed him whole, the blade allowing him to land a lucky blow from inside the creatures' mouth, piercing its brain and killing it instantly.
The minutes following his crawl out of the snakes' mouth were the fuzziest, an indistinct mess of images and feelings. He remembered stabbing the diary that the spirit had been bound to with the bloodied sword, which had released a blast of magical power that had sent him flying into the basilisk's form and caused some symbols carved into the statue and floor to start glowing.
Things were mostly a dark blur after that, there was a bright flash of fire followed by cheery birdsong and hurried footsteps, another great surge of magic from the glowing symbols and then... darkness again.
When he'd woken sometime later, he had been curled up at the basilisk's side but he was no longer in the Chamber of Secrets, the room he'd found himself in was much smaller than the chamber and while there had still been snake effigies strewn about, the large statue of Salazar Slytherin had been missing.
He'd stumbled around for several minutes, dirtied sword in one hand and wooden wand in the other, before he had managed to find an exit. It was at that point that he'd discovered he was inside a castle, one that was most assuredly not Hogwarts, a fact that was proven when he'd met the castles sole inhabitant...
~What are you doing boy? ~ a voice hissed out, startling him from his thoughts. ~It's almost time for your lessons, come along. ~
Harry sighed as he turned to face the speaker, his face blank of emotion despite the cheerful gleam in his eyes. The creature before him may have once been considered a man but that was no longer a fact, what had once been a powerful and stern man built of muscle and flesh was now nothing but an eerie abomination, a walking skeleton covered in rotting flesh and dressed in moth eaten robes.
At one time, this had been Salazar Slytherin, Lord of the Most Ancient and Cunning House of Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts and father of modern day magic. Now he was simply Salazar Slytherin, Undead Lich and one of the two inhabitants of a dirty old castle.
He was also the adopted father of Harry Potter, now known as Harrison Slytherin.
~Yes, father. ~ Harry replied, following behind the skeletal form of his mentor and caretaker.
It had been quite a shock for both he and Salazar when they had first encountered one another, an encounter that had led to an hour-long chase through the large castle before the two had finally gotten the opportunity to speak.
Harry had been shocked to find out that he was no longer in Britain, in fact, he hadn't been on earth at all. Somehow, he had been transported to an alternate realm, ending up in Slytherin's castle on the main continent of the planet; Westeros.
~The runes in the chamber were of my own make, they were originally meant to facilitate quick and efficient travel from Hogwarts to my family home on the mainland but after my falling out with Godric and the ensuing fight, I was forced to activate them prematurely. Due to some error in the rune matrix, Godric and I were both transported to this strange land and I used the ensuing confusion to escape from him, running into a nearby forest before he could give chase. ~ Salazar had told him, his lack of vocal cords only allowing him to hiss out the magical tongue of serpents. ~He and I met many times after that, he having found new comrades while I had manged to enslave some thralls and forge a few tenuous alliances with the local muggles. Our battles were the tales of legends in those day, the Mighty Lion Gryffindor and the Cunning Serpent Slytherin, two of the few capable of wielding the powers of the gods. ~
The lich released a wistful sigh at that, remembering times long past.
~Eventually, I retired from the battlefield and had this castle built, seeking to study the surrounding location and perhaps find a way to return to my proper home. ~ Slytherin continued, gazing at the stone walls around them. ~A difficult task as I lacked the proper tools and knowledge to conduct such an investigation, my specialty had always been in potions and duelling, the more exotic magics had always been Rowena's field of study.~
Harry listened intently as the story was told, this was a tale coming from the mouth of one of the most famous wizards in wizarding history, there was no way he wouldn't pay attention.
~Godric soon learned of what I had done and knowing what I planned, he attacked with his comrades, hoping to also find a way back to our homeland. ~ Salazar continued, glancing over to see that he had the younger boy's undivided attention. ~The siege was long and arduous, Godric had made many powerful allies within the Houses of Westeros and all were willing to back such a powerful Battlemage, either out of fear of his power or respect of his character. ~
He paused for a moment, inclining his head in respect to his onetime friend and greatest rival.
~In the end, I was forced to raise the most powerful wards I knew, sacrificing the lifeforce of dozens of my thralls in order to withstand Godric's attempts to shatter my wards. ~ Salazar explained, making a distasteful sound deep in his rotting throat. ~It was barely enough. ~
Harry shuddered at that, he could just imagine the many that must have died in order to power wards strong enough to hold off a Battlemage like Godric Gryffindor as well as enough forces to lay siege to such a castle, it was not a pretty number.
~Undisturbed for a time, I continued my research, carving hundreds of different rune schemes in an attempt to remake my original work, it was to no avail. Without my tomes and grimoire to consult, I was very limited in what I could accomplish, forced to rely on the barest knowledge stored within my mind. ~ Salazar sighed, shaking his head mournfully. ~Time passed and before I knew it, I was a frail, old man, the last years of my life wasted on an impossible project but I just couldn't give up yet. ~
He paused once more, his bones cracking as he clenched his fist tightly.
~In an effort to gain more time, I delved into the blackest arts, sacrificing the lifeforce of others in order to prolong my own life. That lasted for a time but it was only a delay, I needed something more. ~ Slytherin continued, speaking of such old and lost magics as if they were trifle matters. ~After a time, I resorted to a desperate act, I created a Horcrux, a container to hold one half of my soul. While my body rotted away over the ages, my soul remained chained to the world, my magic serving to power my decrepit old form. That was over five hundred years ago. ~
Harry couldn't decide whether to be disgusted or awed.
Everything he had read about magic and the soul in the Slytherin house library pointed to this being a disgusting and horribly obscene act, maiming a soul in such a way was so sickening that performing such act on another would have led to the Dementors kiss for the perpetrator and a trip through the veil for their corpse.
On the other hand, this was magic that was so old and powerful that few could perform it in this day and age, not even the great and mighty Dumbledore had performed magic this powerful. Yes, it was dark and illegal but he was a Slytherin, you get used to hearing about such things after a year in that house. Still, his housemates had never spoken about anything close to this, the knowledge and power required to do such a thing, to achieve a form of immortality; well, it was quite impressive and awe-inspiring.
~So you've been looking for a way back all this time? ~ Harry asked, eyes wide in wonder, he was barely managing to keep on topic after hearing of Salazar's deeds.
~No, it has been far too long, there is nothing for me back there except for some unknown descendants. ~ Salazar replied, shaking his head. ~Besides, without my tomes I lack the knowledge to remake what was essentially an unlucky accident, any efforts to do so would likely land me in a worse environment. ~
~Then why are you still here? You can't really leave the castle looking like that, not without an unhealthy dose of glamour's anyways, why not move on to the next life?~ Harry asked, pushing his disappointment away. He was a little upset to hear that he couldn't return home but like Salazar, there was nothing for him back there.
His three best friends, Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis, were loose acquaintances at best, that was the most you could hope for in Slytherin.
He had spent the past year being shunned and hated by the other three Hogwarts houses, there was little chance of him making any friends there. Not to mention his unearned fame and popularity with the rest of the wizarding world, he could definitely do without that.
As for his family... well, the Dursleys would probably throw a party once they learned he was gone.
A new start in a new world wasn't as terrifying as it should be, it was actually a bit of a relief.
~I have been waiting, waiting for you. ~ Salazar replied, earning a wide eyed look from the young teen. ~Well... not you per se but someone like you, I have spent the last three centuries searching for an heir. ~
~An heir? ~ Harry asked, his eyes wide and glimmering in excitement. 'Is this going where I think it is?'
Salazar nodded.
~I am the Lord Slytherin, lord of one of the most premier pureblood houses, my duty prevents me from passing on without knowing that my house will thrive once I am gone. I lost the ability to sire an heir long ago, so I have spent decades searching for someone with both the power and cunning required to lead House Slytherin. Many have come and gone but none have met my expectations, until now. ~ the lich explained, staring right into his eyes with its hollow pits. ~Every year there are fewer and fewer born with the ability to wield magic, those with the potential squander it in a life of mediocrity and the talent is eventually bred out as they continue mixing their blood with muggles, I had almost given up hope of finding a proper heir. Had you not come along, I would have been forced to choose the next magical child I could identify, a most displeasing eventuality I assure you. ~
Salazar paused to closely examine the boy before him, the teen was very interested in the offer.
~I can tell you are powerful for your age, the fact that you managed to slay my basilisk speaks volumes of that and while you may lack the proper training, there is much potential for greatness within you. ~ the lich continued, unknowingly echoing the words of a certain wand maker and tattered old hat. ~The colours of your robes and that patch on your chest also show that you were sorted into my house, meaning that you hold the traits of a true Slytherin, the cunning and ambition require to excel in all that you set your mind to. ~
Salazar paused once again, his head cocked to the side as he considered something else.
~The fact that you're also a parselmouth adds credence to my case, it is highly likely that we are related on some level. If I remember correctly, the Potters and the Slytherins are both descendants of the Peverell line, making us very distant cousins.~ he continued, scratching his bony chin in thought. ~I am not sure about your mother's line however, the genealogies have likely changed a lot after such a long time, there are probably more than a hundred houses that did not exist in my time. Still, you will make a far better heir than any of the riffraff on this continent, I would consider taking one of Godric's descendants before touching any of these Westrosi.~
Harry stared back in awed silence, a chance to learn from one of the founders? This was a dream come true for any modern-day witch or wizard, how many times had he heard Malfoy and many others bemoaning the fact that the founders had never left portraits to learn from? This was not a chance he could pass up, there was so much he could learn from this man, things he would have never learned in Hogwarts or wizarding Britain.
It was at this point his Slytherin cunning, honed from years of manipulating and dodging his hateful relatives, kicked in.
'I should probably keep my blood status a secret, if he wants to believe mum was a pure-blood then let him.' Harry mused, coming to a quick decision. There was very little chance that Salazar would refuse to teach him because he was a half-blood, the man had already said that he didn't have a better choice. Still, such knowledge might spoil their future relationship, making his time here more unpleasant than it would be otherwise. 'Hmm... I probably shouldn't mention anything about Slytherin house either, being weighed on the same scale as Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy and the others would do very little to help my case.'
~ So, do you accept? ~ Salazar asked after a few seconds of silence.
Harry beamed and nodded vigorously, there was no way he would pass up such an opportunity.
There would come a time when he would regret this decision, then he would shake his head and get back to work before Salazar caught him daydreaming.
