The others were always nice to him. Especially Gryffindor. The eighteen year old looked at him with his warm brown eyes and this sparkle in them every time Salazar succeeded in casting some difficult spell or brewing a new potion.
He didn't know when Gryffindor became Godryc or Slytherin became Salazar, but he noticed their friendship blossoming into something far more intimate.
They met in the night under the stars. They shared their first kiss with only the moon as a witness. It tasted sweet and gave him a giddy feeling that didn't let him sleep for the rest of the night.
Their relationship was kept secret. Salazar was okay with it as was Godryc. They loved each other and that was enough for them.
Salazar knew that Godryc wanted an heir. The man was from noble blood like him, and as such was expected that he would marry a woman and start a family. Salazar saw the slight sadness in his eyes about the fact that he was a man and as such couldn't get pregnant. He started planning to change that to make the other happy.
He spent much time in his lab or the chamber of secrets, inventing a new potion, that would make the impossible possible for him. He didn't get much sleep and didn't eat much, too occupied with his potion brewing.
The day they found out about his dark heritage they turned their backs on him and wanted him out of the school. Even if Helga didn't say anything, he knew she was disappointed in him, as was Godryc. He left with a broken heart and the last cruel words of his love in mind.
The mansion was hidden from wizards and muggles alike. He liked it this way. His apprentices, seven to count, liked it too. They had their peace from the world. Nobody judged you because of your heritage or your parents. They were a family in all but blood.
Sora was a nice child. After he had an accident with one of Salazar's potions that let him age about ten years, the twelve year old followed the other students everywhere. He was a fast learner and magic came to him like it was as easy as breathing. Salazar still worried about him. Sora never got to experience his childhood, but the kid still saw the world like every other child his age would do. Salazar spent much time seeing that Sora got the childhood he deserved.
They had found his refuge from the world. Whispers about a secret place to train dark wizards had reached the school and they acted on their instincts to protect the light side. Salazar had been away on a trip to gather herbs when they slaughtered his students, his family.
He saw his old friends standing over the dead bodies and knew he couldn't live on. He was never meant to have lived after he was found out as a dark wizard. The older students seemed to have fallen first, protecting the younger ones. Sora lay motionless next to them, the brave kid he had been. Tears flowed down his face and the dark wizard fell to his knees. His hand went to caress the soft brown hair, so similar to his lost love's. Eyes that were like his in color, but would never open again.
Salazar took his short swords, silver with smaragds, and slit his wrists deep. Red blood flowed from the wounds. He sunk down next to his apprentices and smiled at the burning sensation of the basilisk venom cursing through his veins.
The muscular arms of the brunette he still loved with all his heart held him while he awaited death and he could see the other's tears and hear a whispered ‚I love you' before he lost conscious and was taken to the other side.
Three friends stood on an island near Hogwarts and the lake, mourning their friend. They had seen the fault in their actions too late and the price had been too high.
Sora grew to be one of the greatest wizards of all time, following in his fathers' footsteps. He knew his father had saved him, giving the rest of his life force to him to heal his wounds. He wouldn't betray his father's gift. Sora got to know his other father as well. Godryc Griffindor was a noble man, but he was stricken with grief for nearly killing his own son and from the suicide of his love, Salazar. Sora forgave him. He had lost his family once, he wouldn't lose it again.