Author's Note: This idea came to me a few weeks back. I don't really have the available brainpower to turn it into a full story, but it's here if someone else wants to take the idea and run with it. Just be sure to link it to me when you finish, cause I would love to see it.
Ghostwheel
Godric's Feather
Hogwarts
The Great Hall
Approximately 1,000 years ago
Summer had come at last to Hogwarts, and the students had returned home to their families. The Great Hall was empty with the exception of three of the founders. Two of which were having a heated debate about the remaining founder, who was busy elsewhere.
"It's lunacy!" Salazar exclaimed angrily. "Absolute lunacy. I'd threaten to leave, but that would give your little golden boy a unanimous vote, which I cannot possibly allow!"
"He's not my 'golden boy', Sally." Helga retorted hotly. It was very rare that she would stoop to Salazar's level and have an argument, but this occasion left her little choice. If Salazar had been wiser, he would already have been running for his secret chamber under the school. "You're just mad that we gave you all the ambitious and cunning students and now you can't keep them in line!"
"At least my house isn't prided on being blind followers of the status quo! Honestly!" Salazar was close to the point where his last strand of patience snapped and he started murdering people. "Are really so stupid as to entrust the sorting of all our future students… to a hat? It smells worse than a burnt stomach-pumper draught and looks like it's held together by little more than patchwork and prayers!"
"So it doesn't live up to your standard of cleanliness. You're only angry that he isn't making it out of freshly shed basilisk skin!" Helga shot back.
"Basilisk skin has many powerful magical properties and would easily withstand the rigors of time! But that is not where my anger lies. My anger lies in your blind acquiescence to his stupid plans! He has duped you both and wants you to dedicate yourselves to the defense of his own immortality! I saw the killing, and I heard the spell with my very own ears! The man is a murderer and is using the darkest of magic to preserve his soul in the hat!"
"Absurd!" Rowena added, speaking for the first time. "I have had enough of your warmongering and lies, Salazar. Godric is a brilliant man and astounding in the bedroom. You may hate him, but he is not evil. He has been lenient and has given you hundreds of opportunities to redeem yourself, but you have shunned them all!"
"Redeem myself? He wanted to give me a public flogging! His obsession with Muggle methods of torment disgusts me!" Salazar snapped. "Rowena, you are a Goddess when it comes to potions and magical theory. You know perfectly good and well that even if it was possible to 'put brains into a hat', it would need the person whose brain it was to still be alive, and it would require a fragment of the caster's soul. There is only one way to split one's soul, Rowena and you know perfectly good and well what it is. He murdered a little girl. I watched him with my own eyes."
"Salazar, there has yet to be any proof of this save only your word. That and three Knuts will buy you an apple." Helga retorted.
"You are simply being difficult because you can't take the fact that he's better than you! New spells are being invented and discovered every day. You are an obstacle to progress. An old man with his head stuck in the past. Move on, Salazar. Godric's patience will not last forever." Rowena added.
"I offered to testify under the strongest truth potions! I will show you the memory in my Pensieve! How can you both be so blind to the truth? Unless… no…it can't be!" Salazar's eyes were wide, and they looked at the two personalized necklaces that Godric had made the two female founders. "Deprehensio veneficus!" He whispered under his breath. Both necklaces were absolutely covered in spells. However, he found what he was looking for within three seconds. An Imperius and a powerful Confoundus charm. Both women were under Godric's complete control.
Salazar made a wild grab for Rowena's necklace, and attempted frantically to pull it off her neck. Then, a voice rang out across the hall. The very last voice he wanted to here.
"Unhand her, Salazar!" Godric boomed. His wand was in his hand. His eyes flashed red for a brief moment as he sprang across the hall, covering the distance in seconds.
Reluctantly, he released the necklace. Grabbing it had been a last ditch effort on his part anyway. He already knew that his fate was sealed.
"What happened here?" Godric demanded in his usual heroically pompous manner.
Rowena flung herself into his arms and cried "Oh, Godric! It was terrible. He had his hands around my neck and was trying to remove my clothing. He was going to take me right here in the hall. I could see it in his eyes."
Godric turned his glare on Salazar. "Salazar." He said. "Go get your things. You are henceforth cast out from this castle. Your students will be henceforth be chosen by me. I have tried to be patient, and deal with your antics. This was the last straw. You have one hour, before I call the Aurors."
Salazar contained his rage and left the hall. While he wanted to kill Godric, and suspected he could do so in a fair fight, he knew that the bastard was sly enough to never end up in a fair fight. He went to his quarters and moved his things to his secret chamber under the school.
In his chamber, he made a single Portkey, so that he could return for his things whenever he needed them. Then, without a word to either of the other founders, he left.
Three years later
Salazar's Manor
Dumfries, Scotland
The materials for the ritual had finally been assembled. He had worked tirelessly just to make sure that this night went perfectly. Salazar stood at the center of the pentagram and began to chant.
The ancient language of snakes flowed from his mouth as he recited the words. He'd taken the ancient "Declaration of a Vendetta" ritual and modified it, changing the chant so that it met his needs.
"The man who thrice betrayed me,
The one who was once my friend,
The one who made the rift between us,
Impossible to mend.
"Now my foe, nemesis and Achilles heel,
I take the pain you gave to me,
And give it to you, to feel.
"This fight between us will not end,
Until my will is done,
My descendants shall kill yours,
Every last bloody one!
"But my children shall not be,
As ill equipped as I,
I give them these magic gifts,
To make it so you die!
"First I give the language,
Of snake, drake and lizard,
Allies they shall always be,
Until they kill that Wizard.
"Next I give them power,
Strength, cunning and hate,
For just to kill one of your kids,
Would make them known as 'great'
"My children will kill you,
Every last one,
Until at last you are all dead,
And my will is done."
The criteria of the spell defined, he said the final incantation and felt the pain wash over him indicating a successful spell completion.
'I did it.' Salazar thought, before exhaustion overcame him.
Seven years later
Hogwarts Castle
The Chamber of Secrets
Salazar entered his chamber and found it completely undisturbed. His portkey was still functioning, despite his ten years of absence. He released the basilisk hatchling from its cage and it slithered off into the darkness. He figured that if he failed tonight, which was likely, it might prove to be a valuable ally to one of his children in the future.
Speaking of Children, he knew he had quite a few. He spent the last few years since the successful completion of his spell breeding almost frantically with every witch he could persuade. He even visited a colony of magic users across the ocean to the west, in a land the muggles had yet to discover. They worshiped a magical creature known as the Coatl. He thought it was a fitting place to leave a few heirs, and did so.
He bid goodbye to his pet Basilisk and made his way up the passageway and into the castle.
He navigated the hall's passageways and at last found his way to Godric's chambers. He scanned the area for security spells and found none. He opened the door and crept inside.
Godric was asleep in bed, Helga slept to his left, Rowena to his right. Slytherin raised his crossbow. The bolt was still wet with basilisk venom. He pulled the trigger and the bolt soared… and missed. Godric was awake and rolled out of the way of the bolt.
"Welcome back, traitor." Godric spat. He twirled his wand and Salazar's crossbow disintegrated. Helga and Rowena awoke. They rose like zombies and helped surround him.
"I'm not the traitor." Salazar retorted. "I've never committed murder."
But Salazar had been watching Godric, not Helga or Rowena. The older women lunged, grabbing each of his arms and holding him tight.
"I know." Godric whispered. "and you never will. But what you didn't know is this. That girl died for nothing. She was merely a test. I didn't even use her to put my soul into the hat. I decided to save that for a more… significant death. Yours."
"They have a special place in Hell for people like you." Salazar growled.
"I know. Thankfully, I am about to become immortal. I don't ever plan to die." Godric replied. Godric reached onto a nearby shelf and grabbed the unfinished Sorting Hat. "Avada Kedavra Horcruxus!"
The last thing Salazar saw was a flash of green light.
End of One Shot
Author's note: OK, so I like the idea of a thousand year old, evil Godric Gryffindor walking the Earth. Is that a crime? As I said, you are welcome to bring Godric as he is in this story (or differently, whatever) into your fic. Maybe he'll have a change of heart over the years and decide to tutor Harry. Maybe he'll kill Voldemort and replace him. I dunno, it just sounded cool. See you around
Ghostwheel
PS. The title is a terrible pun referring to the "feather in his cap." I was kinda running out of ideas on that front. Don't hurt me too badly for that one.