There was once a small village in a small island country. It was a simple time, a time of farms and kings and jesters. It was also a time where magic was not hidden from the world, dragons flew amongst the Muggles and wizards were well known across the land. It was also the time where four children were being brought into the world. One brave, one clever, one evil, and one humble.
The four did not meet until later in life, but two happened to be brothers. The story of the Gryffindor brothers is a short one, but it will be told…
Young Godric Gryffindor was just three years old when his mother and father brought home a baby brother, Salazar. Godric, in his small baby mind, thought it was odd for his parents to be bringing home another baby no older than one year old. The small Salazar had black hair and grey eyes full of wonder.
At the age of nine, little Salazar was sitting in the shade of a tree watching the leaves fall, for it was autumn. The young man didn't notice the snake that was approaching until it was right next to him, and Salazar acknowledged the snake with pity.
"Poor little snake," Salazar said sadly. "You haven't an arm or leg to spare. You have been left to slither around in the dirt and eat mice."
"It is not that bad, actually," the snake replied, which caught the young wizard by surprise.
"You can speak?" Salazar asked, stunned.
"You can understand me?" The snake asked, just as bewildered.
"Yes, I can!" Salazar exclaimed.
"Are you talking to a snake, Salazar?" came a voice, and Salazar looked up to see his older brother, Godric, standing over him. Godric couldn't look any less like Salazar if he tried; his red hair was long and curly while Salazar's was black and straight. Godric's green eyes shone with a brilliant light while Salazar's grey eyes were dull and seemingly lifeless.
"As a matter of fact," Salazar said haughtily. "I am. And we were having a very nice conversation before you came along."
Godric sighed, his brother never did seem to like him, but Godric took it as a brotherly feud. "Well," he said, "mother just wanted me to inform you that supper is ready."
"I will be there soon," Salazar said, not looking at his brother.
Godric left and Salazar looked down at his snake friend, but the limbless reptile was gone. Salazar sighed and stood, he walked toward the family's little wooden hut to eat with the family, not knowing that his speaking to snakes would be the most unique thing in the world…
At the age of seventeen, Salazar and Godric were given magic wands by their parents. In these times it was customary that the parents wield the family wands until the children were of age. Of course, Godric got their father's wand a year earlier than Salazar got their mother's wand.
"Come," Gregory Gryffindor boomed, his greying red beard moving as he spoke. "Let us see a duel between the two boys, eh?"
Godric and Salazar both got into position on the field behind their house. They bowed to each other and got into their poses, Godric holding his wand out in front of him like a one handed sword while Salazar had his wand poised over his head like the stinger of a scorpion.
"Begin," Gregory boomed.
Godric shot a stunning spell at Salazar, who deflected with a stumble and sent a disarming spell in returned. Godric slipped out of the way and used a binding spell and lifted Salazar into the air.
"Come, brother," Godric called. "You must do better than a disarming spell!"
Salazar broke free of his bonds and landed hard on his back. He stood and turned to his brother and shot his arm out, shouting, "Serpensortia!" and a snake leapt out of the tip of his wand. It was a snake like the young Salazar had never seen before; it had a wide upper head, as if it were a pharaoh of some sort.
"I could finish him here and now," the snake hissed. "One strike, one bite and I could take his life."
Godric, who was stunned at the sudden appearance of the snake, started to regain his wits.
"No," Salazar said to the snake. "He is my brother; I cannot let you kill him!"
"Suit yourself," the snake said as it wandered toward the forest.
"Salazar," Gregory, who looked as stunned as Godric, said. "Where did that snake come from? And what were those strange sounds coming from your mouth?"
"Strange sounds?" Salazar asked. "I was speaking plain English, father."
"I have lived in England my entire life," Gregory said. "I have never heard English like that before."
"So you mean you could not understand that snake?" Salazar asked.
"Understand a snake?" Gregory asked with a laugh. "'Course I couldn't! Who would be able to understand a bloody snake?"
Salazar's face grew red as he walked back to the house, followed only by his father's booming laughter.
Godric sighed as his brother walked away, he knew things were hard for his brother, but he couldn't help feel a little agitated that he was so short tempered.
One of these days it's going to get him in a lot of trouble, Godric thought.
When Salazar hit the age of twenty one, his mother and father called him into the sitting room of their hut. Salazar sat down in the chair he had always sat in while his parents looked at each other with a worried look in their eye.
"Salazar," Gretchen Gryffindor said solemnly. "We have something to tell you."
"What is it mother?" Salazar asked, noting the sad look in her eyes.
"Salazar," Gregory said. "You are… not our child."
The news took a moment to sink in, but when it did Salazar's face drained of any color it had to begin with.
"I beg your pardon?" Salazar asked.
"You are not a Gryffindor, son," Gregory said rather bluntly.
"Not a Gryffindor?" Salazar asked, chuckling slightly at the absurdity.
"We found you in the back of our carriage when we stopped off at the village. There was a note with your name and a crest," Gretchen reached behind her and pulled a small piece of parchment and handed it to Salazar. The writing was in green ink and read, Salazar Slytherin, and there was a crest, family crest no doubt, that depicted a snake in front of a shield of sorts and the word "Slytherin" on a banner above the snake.
"So… you are not my parents?" Salazar asked.
"Of course we are," Gregory said firmly. "We took care of you, raised you as our own, that is all a parent is, is it not?"
"I suppose," Salazar said dully.
Gregory smiled and nodded, not realizing that his son wasn't exactly taking the news well. Salazar got up and walked out of the house as Godric came running up to him.
"There you are," Godric said, panting slightly. "I have been looking for you everywhere, brother!"
"I am not you brother," Salazar snapped.
Godric was taken aback and said, "Salazar, what are you talking about?"
"Do not act like you haven't always known, Godric," Salazar hissed. "Mother and father just told me that I am not a Gryffindor. You have always known, deep down."
"Salazar," Godric said, sadness evident in his big green eyes. "I honestly hadn't a clue, honest!"
"Of course you didn't," Salazar said sarcastically as he stormed past. He grabbed his flying broom stick and took off. That was the last time for a long while that Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin saw one another.
Godric sighed and turned toward the Gryffindor home. He pushed the door open and stepped inside to find his parents standing at the window. They had seen everything.
"Is it true?" Godric asked his parents, his green eyes hopeful for the answer he had hoped.
"Yes," Gretchen said, to Godric's disappointment.
Godric sighed, but Gregory patted him on the shoulder and said, "Do not worry, lad. Everything will work out for the better. Why don't you head on down to the village and grab us some beef, hmm? We can eat well tonight, and tomorrow we can take a trip to the Quidditch field and see a practice." He threw Godric a small sack full of shillings and sent the young man on his way.
Godric grabbed his broom and shot off toward the small village just north of the Gryffindor home. He landed on the outskirts of town, hid his broom in a tree using magic to keep any unwanted animals from getting to it, and started to walk toward the road.
Godric wandered around for a little while, trying to waste enough time that he didn't have to go home so soon. He needed time to clear his head, finding out that your brother isn't really your brother and then that brother getting angry and flying away.
Godric was so lost in his thoughts he wasn't paying much attention to where he was walking until he had walked into a young lady.
"I am so dreadfully sorry," Godric said, shaking his head. When he looked up, the sight before him was something to take his breath away. There, standing before him, was a woman with long black hair, she was wearing a blue dress and her dark eyes seemed to hold a lot of wisdom for such a young woman.
"Worry not, sir," the woman said in a Scottish accent. "It was I who bumped into you."
"No," Godric said, trying to suppress the foolish smile that was trying to cross his face. "It was I who bumped you. Terribly sorry, just have a lot on my mind I am afraid."
"Well, whoever's fault it is, we should make it up to each other," the woman said.
"Aye," Godric said with a smile. "My family is having dinner tonight; would you care to join us?"
"I would love to," the woman said with a smile.
"My name is Godric, by the way. Godric Gryffindor."
"Rowena Ravenclaw," the woman said with a slight curtsy. "Nice to meet your acquaintance Godric Gryffindor."
"To you too, Ms. Ravenclaw," Godric said with a nod. He held his elbow out to her and she locked arms with him. They walked to the butcher's shop together to buy dinner for the Gryffindor family, laughing and already enjoying each other's company…
Godric and Rowena arrived at the Gryffindor house by the time the sun was reaching the horizon. Gregory, who hadn't seen Godric's new friend, said in his loud voice, "Where in the bloody hell have you been, son? It should take that long to…"
"Father," Godric cut across his father before he could say more, "this is Rowena Ravenclaw. I invited her along for supper I hope you don't mind."
"Why would we mind?" Gretchen said sweetly. "There is always room at the table for a pretty girl such as her at our table."
"Thank you," Rowena said, blushing slightly at the compliment but smiling nonetheless.
"Aye," Gregory said, smiling wide at the thought of his son being with a woman. "I shall cook the food; you may sit in the sitting room until it is ready." Everyone started to move out of the front room, but Gregory asked Godric to stay behind. With an apologetic look, Godric nodded to Rowena and turned to his father.
"Son," Gregory said in an undertone as to not be heard by their guest. "Come sit with me." Godric sat in the armchair opposite from his father.
"What is it, father?" Godric asked.
"You haven't told her you are a wizard, eh?" Gregory noted.
"No," Godric said, looking at the floor.
"Why not?" Gregory sat back, his arms resting on the arm rests.
"I did not want her to feel intimidated or influenced by my magic," Godric said.
"You mean to say, you thought she would be either frightened for power hungry?"
"Aye," Godric said with a nod.
"Godric Gryffindor," Gregory chuckled and shook his head. "It is evident that this girl likes you, and she does not look to be a fool like most women are at that age, I am sure your power would have no influence over her."
Godric smiled slightly, he knew it was true; he couldn't hide such a big part of himself from the girl.
Gregory seemed to be debating something, finally he said, "Godric I want to give you something." Gregory got up and walked to the coat hanger and grabbed an old pointed wizard's hat that Godric's father wore in public to hide his bald spot.
"Your hat?" Godric asked, surprised. "But why?"
"This hat is a family heirloom, my father gave it to me, and his before him. Now it is my turn to pass it down." Gregory smiled at his son and clapped him on the shoulder.
Godric smiled at his father and stood up, he crossed into the sitting room, where Rowena and Gretchen were both sitting, talking politely.
"Oh yes," Rowena was saying. "I am quite fond of him. To be honest, when he bumped into me I felt something, as if I could spend the rest of my life with this clumsy man."
"That's very interesting," Gretchen said, smiling. "The very same happened with Gregory and myself. I was walking down the street of my village when this big buffoon of a man came lumbering down the road on this bloody broom stick. You could say he swept me off my feet."
"He was on a broom?" Rowena asked. "Oh, so you're all…"
"Wizards," Godric finished, startling them both. "Aye, we're wizards."
"Godric, you didn't tell her?" Gretchen looked surprised.
"No," Godric said, nodding. "I was afraid of how she would react. It was foolish of me to try to hide who I was and I apologize. I was just coming in to tell you, actually."
"Well I'm glad you're a wizard," Rowena said, relief glowing in those dark eyes of hers. "Or we wouldn't be much of a match." She protruded a wand from her dress and smiled at Godric.
"You're a witch!" Godric so stupidly pointed out. "Well that is quite a great surprise!"
Rowena smiled at Godric, and he smiled back. The feeling was mutual, the feeling of Rowena feeling she could spend her life with Godric. They all went back into the front room as Gregory was finishing up the meat. He chopped it up and put it into the soup that Gretchen had been making while Godric was down at the village. They all sat down and started to eat; the chair that should have been empty without Salazar there was already taken up by Rowena. Though Salazar was still on Godric's mind, he missed his brother, even if his brother didn't miss him…
Salazar continued to fly along, seething with anger. How could they have not told him he was a Slytherin before? Did they enjoy his suffering? His sadness? Another part of him was trying to reason with his anger.
"They could not have known you would take it this way," the Gryffindor in him said.
"I care not," the Slytherin in him hissed. "They never did love me like they loved Godric," the voice practically spat his brother's name.
"They loved you both equally," Gryffindor reasoned. "And Godric loved you more than anything, you can't just abandon them!"
"Ha!" Slytherin scoffed. "He always hoped I would vanish, and now I have given that to him."
"He never wanted you to leave!" Gryffindor bellowed, but it was no good. The reasoning side would not win this battle, for they were interrupted by the broom Salazar was riding on breaking.
Salazar fell from the sky and seemed to hit every branch on the way down. He landed hard on the forest floor and groaned. He heard a hissing and the sound of scale on dirt and sat up to see he was surrounded by snakes.
"Well, will you look at this," one of the bigger snakes hissed. "Another fool who thought he could wander in our forest and live to tell the tale."
"What should we do with this one, Slither?" a smaller snake asked.
"There's only one thing we can do," the snake called Slither said as he approached Salazar. "We'll eat him."
Salazar's eyes grew wide as all of the snakes hissed in agreement.
"Wait," came a familiar sounding hiss. A snake approached, but it wasn't just any snake. This was the snake that Salazar had first communicated with as a small boy. "I know this human. Yes, he is larger than he was but he is familiar. I once had a conversation with this human."
"A conversation?" Slither scoffed. "Humans cannot speak, little Venom."
"Human," Venom said, looking back to Salazar, "speak; it is the only thing that will save you."
"It is true," Salazar said in the tongue of the snakes, and all hissing stopped as the snakes looked to Salazar. "I did have a conversation with this snake. I even summoned one from the tip of my wand when I was of age to use a wand."
"Then are you the one the king had been awaiting?" Slither asked more to himself than Salazar. "Human, come! We shall take you to our king."
Salazar stood and followed the slithering hissing snakes as they made their way under trees and fallen branches. They passed spider webs and hawk nests, the occasional hawk would swoop down and swipe up a small mouse and take off again. Salazar was about to ask how much longer it would be until they reached the king when he fell through a big enough hole for him to fit through. He slid down a tunnel and skidded out into a small cavern that was full of snakes. The amount of hissing would have been deafening to many people, but to Salazar it just sounded like hundreds of conversations at once.
"Follow me," Slither said as he slithered along through the crowd, which parted for Salazar so none got stepped on. They walked the full length of a Quidditch field before they got to the end of the cavern. And there, standing tall at the end was the very snake Salazar had mentioned, the pharaoh looking snake that came from his wand. Slither and his gang of snakes all bowed to the snake; apparently this was the king they had spoken of.
"King Cobra," Slither said, straightening. "This human can speak in our tongue."
"I know this," the King said, nodding his great head. "I have met this human, he is the reason I have been brought here."
The snakes all gasped and looked to Salazar with a newfound respect.
"You brought us our king?" Slither asked.
"Er… yes, I suppose I have," Salazar said with a nod.
"What can I do for you, Salazar Gryffindor?" the King asked proudly.
"My name is not that, King of Snakes," Salazar said bitterly. "My name is Salazar Slytherin."
The Snakes all gasped yet again, the King even gasped at this. Salazar must have looked very confused because the King said, "Dear Salazar, do you not know what your name means?"
"I have but just learned of this name's existence," Salazar told the snake the story of the Gryffindors telling him his legacy.
"Slytherin in our tongue means 'Ruler of Snakes,'" the Snake King said.
"What?" Salazar asked.
"Yes," the King said. "We all heard tales of a human king of snakes, but never have we thought it would be true."
"Ruler of Snakes, eh?" Salazar mused. A wicked grin crossed his face as the last of the Gryffindor in him slowly died away inside him…
Salazar made his way through a small town, the little snake Venom over his shoulders and he walked toward a large field where there were six poles with hoops atop them. The poles were separated into two sets of three on either side of the field. They were all next to one another with the middle of the poles being taller than the other two. In the middle of that field were a group of large men with broomsticks.
"We need another," one of the men said in a gruff voice.
"There aren't any others," another groaned.
"Such a shame," said a red headed man with an Irish accent. "It looks as though you lads are forfeiting the game."
"Forfeit?!" One of the burly British men exclaimed. "You listen here, you Irish bum, the day the Warted Hogs give up is the day snakes talk!"
A plump woman approached the group of me and said, "I can play, father! Let me play please?"
"Go on and find your mother, Helga," the biggest Englishman said. "Let the men play their game."
"But I'm getting really good," the girl named Helga groaned.
"Go on," the man shouted.
"Well hold on, now," the Irishman said, grinning. "You might as well let the lass on your team, boy-o. Your team is full of women anyway." The other Irishmen all laughed loudly.
The English man snarled at the Irishmen, he turned to his daughter and said, "Now Helga, I don't want to hear another word of it. Get going now or so help me Merlin I will not hesitate to lock you up in your room for the rest of the year!"
"Hold on there, my good sir," Salazar, who had seen enough, said. "I would like to see this girl play. What's at stake, really? You either let her play or you forfeit. The worst that could possibly happen is you lose."
"And who are you to be telling me what to do with my team, eh?" the English man asked.
"Just an innocent King's man who doesn't want to see the red heads win," Salazar said, and then he turned to the Irishmen and added, "No offense."
"None taken, lad," The Irishman said, still smirking.
The English man seemed to be thinking hard, and then he sighed and said, "Blast it all. Helga, grab a broom." Helga clapped her hands and jumped up and down, her red curls bouncing about. She looked at Salazar with her dazzling blue eyes and smiled wide.
"Thank you, sir," the woman said. "What is your name?"
"Salazar," said the wizard. "Salazar Slytherin."
"It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Slytherin," Helga said. "I'll never forget this!" Helga ran to grab a broom and shot up into the air. Salazar smiled and turned to walk away when someone called for him. He turned to see the Irishman who had been giving Helga's father a hard time.
"Sir, I would like to thank ya," the Irishman said. "You did us a service getting this bloody game going. I'd like you to have me broom."
"Your broom?" Salazar asked, shocked.
"Aye, I have another one, so I want you to have this one." The Irishman held out his broom for Salazar to take.
"Thank you," Salazar said with a smile as he grabbed the broom. "And good luck with your game."
"Thank ya, lad. And good luck in whatever travels you may be going on." The Irishman nodded and ran to his other broom.
Salazar turned got onto his broom, he shot off into the air and headed south, going who knows where…
Godric, Gregory, and Rowena arrived at the Quidditch field just in time to see a group of Irishmen and English men reach their side of the field ready to play a game.
"Look at that," Rowena pointed at a rather round English man on a broom. "I think that's a woman."
"A woman on the Quidditch field," Gregory snorted. "Now I've seen everything, eh Godric?"
Godric chuckled as the game was started. You must remember that in these times the balls of Quidditch weren't as sturdy and hard as those today. The Quaffles were just rocks with cloth sewed around it while the Bludgers were just… rocks. The only real wonder was the Golden snitch, which back then was still, just a rock, but it was painted yellow and was magically given wings.
The Beaters were given large sticks to hit the Bludgers with, so they had to be larger men so they could hold a branch large enough to withstand the stone hitting it. The Chasers, too, had to be build larger so that the stone didn't hurt them too much when they caught it. The Keepers were usually larger but could be smaller even though they had to catch the stones. The only real person that could be smaller was the Seeker, for the snitch was very small and fast. That was who the plump woman on the broom was, she had to catch the snitch and she was already on it by the time the first goal was made.
The woman weaved through the Irishmen and English men alike, the speed she got was enough to stun both sides, who obviously didn't think she could move that fast. The Irish Seeker was so stunned he didn't even notice she was chasing the Snitch. By the time the rest of the Irish team snapped out of it the English team had already gotten 10 points!
The woman was so close the Snitch was at her fingertips, she turned her head to the right and pulled her broom back as a Bludger shot past her head.
"Sorry about that, lass," and Irishman said with a wink.
The woman shot forward again, but that Bludger attack had caused the Irish Seeker to catch up and now they were neck and neck, making up for lost time. The Snitch shot straight up into the air and the two Seekers followed suit. The Irishman rammed the woman who rammed back. The Irishman was launched to the right, he sneered and put all of his weight into his next charge, but the woman predicted this because she pulled back and the Irishman missed her and was sent hurtling down, trying to regain his composure. It was too late though, because the woman wrapped her hands around the Golden Snitch and stopped where she was.
"Oh boys," she called down to the other players, who looked up and saw her waving the Snitch over her head. Everyone, English and Irish, gaped as she descended to the ground.
"Blimey," a larger man with an English accent. "I cannot believe it."
"What's wrong, father?" the woman said, beaming. "Did you think we would lose because you had a woman on your team? I told you, I had been getting better."
Gregory walked onto the field clapping his hands and laughing. "Blimey, Harold! Never thought your girl would be able to outdo your Seeking!"
"Gregory, my old friend!" the man named Harold bellowed. "How are you?"
"I am good, very good," Gregory said, looked to the woman. "And is this little Helga? She has certainly grown since the last time I saw her."
"You're Mr. Gryffindor, aren't you?" Helga asked, obviously reaching back to her childhood memories.
"That is correct," Gregory said, smiling. "And this is my son Godric and his lady friend Rowena."
"It's nice to meet you," Godric said with a nod.
"Pleasure," Helga said returning his nod.
"Godric, why don't you two take Helga and get to know each other?" Gregory suggested. "I have got some things I need to talk to Harold about."
The three new friends walked down into a field and started to talk.
"So what's your full name, Helga?" Rowena asked. "I didn't catch your surname."
Helga blushed, "It's a pretty silly name, really."
"Mine is Ravenclaw," Rowena said with a small smile. "It can't be much worse, can it?"
Helga sighed and said, "Hufflepuff."
"Pardon?" Godric asked, who thought this was a new curse word of sorts.
"My name," Helga groaned, "is Helga Hufflepuff."
Godric and Rowena stood there for a moment, and then Godric snorted and laughed aloud. Rowena punched him in the stomach.
"I think it's a lovely name, Helga," Rowena said sweetly.
"You are too kind," Helga said. "I'm used to people laughing though; it is rather silly, isn't it?"
"It is," Godric chuckled, Rowena glared at him. "What? I was just agreeing. Listen, a name is a name there is no changing that so why not be able to laugh about it?"
Helga smiled at that, this was the start to a friendship that would surpass any other…
"Godric," said a thirty five year old Rowena Ravenclaw. "I have been thinking… the wizard children today do not get the education they should about magic and how to do spell properly. I was walking by a doctor's office just the other day and I saw that there were many older children who suffered from spells gone wrong!"
"Yes," Godric Gryffindor agreed. "They need an educational facility, I think; a place where they can go and learn spells and wizarding history."
"Exactly," Rowena said, nodding.
There came a knock on the door, and Rowena opened it to reveal Helga Hufflepuff.
"Godric," Helga said, smiling. "Rowena, it is so good to see both of you!"
"Helga," Rowena said. "Just in time for us to make you a proposition." She explained to Helga the school they wanted to start for young wizards and witches to learn more about spells or history.
"The only problem," said Godric, "is that we need a place that is big enough for thousands of students to learn! Where are we going to find a place like that?"
"I happen to know a man," Helga said, thinking hard. "I believe I have heard he is doing quite well… he even has a magical castle in Scotland we could probably use if he agrees to help us."
"Who is this wizard you speak of?" Godric asked.
"Oh his name slips my mind," Helga said, thinking hard. "All I know is that he is currently residing in a forest near London."
"He owns a giant magic castle but he lives in the forest?" Godric scoffed.
"He does not live there, Godric," Helga rolled her eyes. "He must be doing research on the wild life around that area."
Godric sighed and said, "Well, we might as well find this wizard and ask him about his castle."
Godric held out his arms hand the witches grabbed ahold of them as Godric disapparated…
Godric, Rowena, and Helga apparated in the forest near the new city of London. They all looked around, there were giant spider webs and birds were caw cawing and tweeting. They heard a lot of hissing and turned to see a clearing full of snakes. And within those snakes stood a man with long slicked back black hair and long green robes.
"Excuse me," Helga called.
The wizard turned and saw the three of them, his eyes settled on Rowena, then Helga, and then…
"Godric Gryffindor," the wizard said, his grey eyes filling slowly with nostalgia and hatred.
"Salazar?" Godric said, stepping into the clearing.
"Oh yes, that was his name," Helga said, snapping her fingers. "Salazar Slytherin! I remember now. You helped me out a decade or so ago, do you remember?"
"Aye," Salazar said, nodding. "I got your father to let you play Quidditch. And now you have joined my… old friend here."
"Salazar, we are brothers!" Godric yelled.
"We are not brothers," Salazar hissed. "We never were and we never will be."
Godric sighed and said, "We have an idea to help wizard children learn more about the wonders of magic. If you will not help me as a brother, at least help us for the children."
Salazar Slytherin thought long and hard before nodding his head and saying, "Very well, Gryffindor. I will help you, not for you but for the sake of the wizarding world. In fact, I even have a brilliant idea. We could separate the school into four houses, one named for each of us; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor," he spat the last name. "The students can be sorted into these houses."
"And we could hold Quidditch games!" Helga exclaimed joyfully.
"Indeed," Salazar said with a nod.
Godric nodded solemnly, "Thank you," he said.
Salazar glared at Godric with contempt but said no more on the subject.
Two years later the magical school was opened to the public. They named the school after Harold Hufflepuff's Quidditch team, the Warted Hogs. And so Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded, though it wasn't to be as peaceful as the founders had thought.
They sent out letters to those students who exhibited magical ability, even those who had Muggle parents. This was fine to all except for one founder; Salazar Slytherin.
"We are letting in Muggle-borns?" Slytherin asked.
"Yes," Godric said. "Everyone should have a chance to use magic, not just those from magical families, Salazar."
"Oh, and I am sure we will allow Squibs to come to this school as well?" Salazar asked.
"Why not?" Helga asked. "What I mean to say is, they have every right to understand their history, do they not?"
"I cannot believe what I am hearing from you all," Salazar hissed. He stormed off to his office on the second floor.
"Allow those dirty blooded beasts into my castle will they?" He said as he spoke the word "open" in the tongue of the snakes. "I shall show them," said Salazar as the floor in front of his desk opened up to a tunnel. "Venom," Salazar called behind him, a small snake slithered out from the shadows and up onto Slytherin's shoulders. Salazar jumped into the hole and used magic to control his descent.
He landed in a cavern deep underneath the dungeons and walked along like he had done for years, even before the school was thought of. He got to a door with an elaborate design. He spoke the word "open" once more in the tongue of the snakes and the door opened to reveal a secret chamber.
The chamber was a straight walkway with water on either side and wooden pillars with snakes entwined. At the end of the walkway was a tall statue of Salazar himself, he looked up at himself with an evil grin. He crouched to allow Venom to climb to the floor.
"Where are we, my lord?" Venom asked, looking around.
"I call this the Chamber of Secrets, my dear snake," Salazar said wickedly. "Those fools think they can allow mud blooded students into this school with no repercussions? Well, they will not be alive to see the fall of this school."
"What do you mean, lord Slytherin?"
"I have perfected a spell to turn a snake into a beast I call a Basilisk who can kill just by looking a man in the eye. He shall target only those with mud blood and kill only those who oppose my rulings." Salazar pulled out his wand and held it over Venom while chanting in the tongue of the snakes. Venom started to twitch and grow, his features grew darker and his eyes grew red. The snake's mouth started to fill with razor sharp fangs, as if he could tear into the thickest of cows.
"Now hear me," Salazar said to the newly grown Basilisk. "When my heir comes to this school he shall be able to communicate with you. When you are free I want you to target every mudblood in the school until they are all dead or this school is closed down. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord," Venom the Basilisk hissed.
"Go into the mouth of the statue," Salazar ordered. "That shall be your hide away until the day you are released."
The Basilisk turned and slithered toward the statue, it wound its way up into the mouth and there it stayed until it was released. Salazar turned, sweeping his robes, and walked from the Chamber, and as he exited the door he said "close" in snake-tongue and grabbed the broom he had left down in the chamber and flew back up to his office. He said "close" once more and the floor panel closed up.
"Professor?" Came a voice and Salazar turned to see a small pale plump boy who must have seen Salazar appear from within the floor.
"Oh my boy," Salazar said grimly. "I am so sorry."
"Sorry?" The boy asked, terror making his voice shake.
"I cannot kill you," Salazar said dully. "But I can do this…" He muttered an incantation and the boy dropped and twitched and writhed. His skin turned as white as a ghost and his school uniform turned to outlandish clothes and atop his head appeared a pointed hat covered in bells. The boy rose and looked at Salazar.
"You are Peeves," Salazar said, grinning wickedly. "Your soul purpose is to wreak havoc and cause mayhem everywhere within the school. You can fly and turn invisible; you are also able to move through solid objects much like a ghost. Serve me well, my little Peeves."
Peeves shook his head and then grinned widely, he rose from the floor and shot through the doorway and started throwing things at students who all screamed.
"One last parting gift," Salazar said wickedly as he walked from the office with the broom and walked out the great doors and climbed on his broomstick. He shot off into the air and flew away from his castle, still rather upset about leaving his castle full of Muggle-borns. They would get what was coming to them, though. They all would…
Godric watched his brother fly off from his office, not knowing what he had done, but still sad nonetheless.
He sighed and said, "Oh Salazar, what has happened to you."
Rowena approached from behind and put a hand on Godric's shoulder. She said, "Godric, I'm sad to say it, but maybe Salazar leaving is a blessing in disguise."
Godric sighed again and turned to look at Rowena, but he looked over her shoulder and saw a little man throwing parts of a suit of metal armor at students.
"What in Merlin's name…" Godric approached the little man and said, "What in the world are you?"
The little man turned to Godric and smiled wide. He removed his hat, which dinged with every movement, and bowed to Godric. He said, "I am Peeves! I am to wreak havoc and cause as much mayhem as possible!"
"Who sent you here?" Rowena asked suspiciously.
"I was not sent, mistress," Peeves said politely. "I was created by Professor Slytherin."
"Salazar," Godric groaned, and then he looked more closely at the little man named Peeves. "One moment… do I know you? You look awfully familiar."
"As I should," Peeves said brilliantly. "I was, after all, a student in your house!"
Godric's face grew red with anger as he stormed out of the office and out the great doors. He raised his wand and shouted, "Accio broom" and a flying broomstick was upon him. He climbed on and flew after Slytherin.
Godric made great time as he soared over the forest they had deemed forbidden for the creatures within were deadly. He could see a small speck flying ahead of him, and he knew it was Salazar Slytherin. He flew faster and harder toward his brother until he was within range, and then he shouted, "Stupefy!" and a jet of red light shot from his wand. It hit Salazar before he had a chance to react and the broom fell apart, dropping Salazar into the forest below.
The Ruler of Snakes landed hard on the forest floor and tried to stand, but his leg was broken. Godric landed behind him and Salazar looked up at the great man and grimaced.
"What?" Salazar asked. "Come to kill me where none of your disciples can see?"
"You destroyed a child, Salazar," Godric shouted. "What would mother and father think if they saw what you have become?"
"I never knew my mother and father," Salazar bellowed, picking up a stick and using it as a crutch. "But I am sure they would be proud."
"You are a monster," Godric said, finally giving up hope for his brother.
"What are you going to do about it, Godric?" Salazar mocked. "Hmm? Are you going to kill me?"
"No," Godric said, looking away from his brother. "I cannot."
"Come on," Salazar said. "Strike me down! Avada Kedavra!" Green lightning arced out of the Snake Lord's wand.
"Expelliarmus!" Godric bellowed and blue lightning arcing from his wand. The two spells collided and seemed to battle each other. It was a game of will for now, who could hold on the longest.
"Why do you not just give up," Salazar hissed. "I have you surrounded, brother."
Godric looked around to see the small clearing they were in fill with snakes.
"I will not give up," Godric said. "Not with the world at stake."
"Not the whole world, Godric," Salazar said, his grey eyes flashing with an evil light. "Just the Muggle world. With you dead there will be no one to stop me from making Muggles the slaves of our race. The Muggles will be lesser beings, even smaller than those wretched House Elves."
"No," Godric said, holding back the green lightning. "They will not!" Godric pushed with all of his might and his spell broke through Slytherin's until it reached his wand. Salazar was hit with a blast that sent him flying back. He hit a tree that had a low hanging branch that now protruded in the snake lord's chest.
The snakes all hissed as they watched the life leave their master's eyes. They all turned toward Godric, hissing loudly. Godric took this as a sign that it was time for him to be going and he climbed on his broom and flew away just as the snakes were converging on him. He hovered in the air and watched as the snakes all moved to Salazar's body. They pulled him free and dragged him away, to Merlin knows where…
Godric returned to Hogwarts with a heavy heart, he had lost a brother that day, and now he was responsible for telling that brother's wife. He walked to a classroom labeled "Potions" and knocked on the door. He opened the door and stepped in to find Professor Glinda Gaunt teaching a class.
"Professor Gaunt," Godric interrupted, everyone looked up to Godric and turned back to Gaunt.
"Yes?" Professor Gaunt asked irritably. Her husband must have shared his hatred and turned her over to that cause.
"May I speak with you?" Godric asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly.
Gaunt followed him out of the room and shut the door behind her. She crossed her arms and glared at Godric.
"What is it?" Glinda asked.
"Glinda," Godric started but she cut him off.
"Mrs. Slytherin, if you may," she snapped.
"Er… alright," Godric said. "I, um, I regret to inform you that your husband…" Godric choked on his words, he began tearing up.
"What have you done to my husband?" Glinda asked in a whisper.
"He corrupted a student, completely killed him to create a new being," Godric tried to explain, but Glinda wanted none of it. She slapped Godric Gryffindor and stormed off. She packed up her things and headed down to the small village and was on the first train back to London. What no one in the school, not even Salazar, knew was that Glinda Gaunt was pregnant with a boy.
Rowena approached Godric later and said, "What happened, Godric?"
"I confronted him and he tried to kill me," Godric said, he explained everything that had happened.
"We should strip his house from this school for what he had done," Rowena said finally.
"No," Godric said solemnly. "Keep his house, and let it be a reminder of what happens when wizards decide to practice dark arts."
Rowena Ravenclaw didn't like the sound of that, but it had been an unspoken truth that Godric was the leader of the founders, so she went with it. Slytherin house remained in the school to stand as a reminder, though today not many people are reminded much…
Many decades later, when Godric Gryffindor was at the age of 50 years, he went on a little trip away from school. He traveled to the goblin mines beneath the city of London on urgent business; he heard of a dragon terrorizing the poor goblins and knew he had to help. You see, dragons are the one thing that goblin weapons falter at. A dragon could bite through a goblin sword like it was freshly baked bread.
Godric arrived in the goblin mines and found the dragon resting in the goblin's gold room. He took to surveying the situation and found a stalactite hanging right above the dragon. He raised his wand and said, "Stupefy!" and the dragon's eye opened wide at the sound. It was too late for this dragon to do much, however, because the second it stood up the stalactite dropped onto its head and killed it. A dragon tooth had jumped from the dragon's mouth and landed before the great wizard who took it as a prize. Until the day he died he wore that dragon tooth around his neck as a necklace.
Godric returned to the Goblin King and told him the job was done. The Goblin King was so happy he rewarded Godric with a goblin made sword. This was a very special sword, for it was right off the king's belt. This sword was crafted from pure silver and was inset with rubies, it was goblin made and would therefore never dull, never get a chink, and never break.
Godric returned to Hogwarts with the sword and dragon tooth. One day, however, he was attacked in his office by three goblins sent by the Goblin King who insisted that Godric had stolen the sword. Instead of killing them, however, he uttered an incantation, bewitching them.
"Tell your lord and king that I show mercy this time, but if he ever tries to assassinate me again I will personally return to his kingdom and behead him myself." When the goblins left he took the dragon tooth from his neck and etched his name into the blade. He then enchanted the blade to only appear to those Gryffindor students who showed the properties of being a true Gryffindor.
Gryffindor then returned the sword to its case and returned to his work as if nothing had happened.
Godric was growing old; he was now one hundred and fifty years old and knew that his days were coming to a close. He was in charge of sorting children into houses but could not do that in death; he turned and grabbed the old hat his father gave to him. Godric never had a chance to pass it down to his own son who now had a son and daughter of his own.
He enchanted the hat with knowledge of all four founders so as to sort future wizards effectively. But it did more than that; the hat seemed to form its very own personality! Godric put the hat upon his head and the hat came to life instantly.
"Well," the hat said. "This is quite a noggin you have got here Mr. Gryffindor; so full of wonder and knowledge. Are you sure you are not supposed to be in Ravenclaw?" The hat snickered at its own humor.
"Merlin's beard," Godric said with a chuckle. "I seem to have created my own little being! I must test you out, my dear Sorting Hat." Godric ran to the Great Hall where a group of first years were awaiting a sorting from Godric.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Godric said to his students. "I regret to inform you that I shall not be offering a sorting to any first years." This caused quite a ruckus as you can imagine, first years thinking they wouldn't have a place in the school. Godric tried to quiet the crowd, and when they were finally quiet he said, "I am old and weary, and am coming close to my end. I would like to introduce, instead, a new sorter that is of my own design." He pulled from behind his back, the Sorting Hat. He summoned an old three legged wooden stool from thin air and placed the hat upon the stool.
The stitch in the middle of the hat opened up and the Sorting Hat began to sing:
Twas just moments ago that I was plucked from a shelf,
Godric Gryffindor fashioned me himself.
If it were up to me I would sort you all to he,
But you all have a destiny, you must see!
This year you will be tested, and taught and learned,
But be very careful in potions to avoid being burned.
The lion is correct, his time is near,
For the one he once faced will rise to instill fear.
Listen hard and listen well,
This school shall be the center of an unwanted hell.
Tis the year of the snake,
And make no mistake…
This year shall be the year Godric Gryffindor dies…
"What in the world was that?" Rowena Ravenclaw asked Godric Gryffindor in his office moments after the Sorting Hat finished his song.
"I believe," Godric said, staring at the hat, "that was a prophecy."
"A prophecy?" Helga Hufflepuff asked sternly. "Great, so this hat is a Seer now, eh? Seen the death of a great wizard and decided to share it with a room full of children?"
"I could not have known this hat would be psychic, Helga," Godric sighed, running his hands through his greying red hair.
"No," Helga said sarcastically, "you could not. But I suppose it is alright you have plenty of time to figure it out. Oh wait; this hat foretold your death, Godric! Your death!"
"I know!" Godric shouted. "Do you think I do not know this, Helga? I know very well that my days are numbered! And worse yet, it will be at the hands of a man I had thought long since dead!"
"Do you really think Salazar could still be alive?" Rowena asked.
"I cannot know for sure," Godric said, shaking his head. "I only know that it is the year of the snake as the hat said. If Salazar is alive, though, I must find him before he finds me."
"Too late," came a hissing voice from the doorway, Godric turned slowly to find his brother standing in the doorway.
"Salazar," Godric gasped.
"What is the matter, brother?" Salazar asked with a yellow, wicked grin. "Afraid of ghosts?"
"I saw you," Godric said, wide eyed in horror. "You were dead, Salazar."
"I was on the brink, actually," Salazar said, walking into the room, he looked around. "You've redecorated. I would have died, yes, but luckily I had a little… fallback plan?"
"Fall back?" Godric asked. "What do you mean?"
"Let's just say that there is something in this world holding me here," Salazar said wickedly.
Godric's eyes grew wide. "No," he whispered. "No, it isn't possible."
"What isn't?" Rowena asked. "Godric, what is it?"
"Yes Godric, what is it?" Salazar asked, glaring with absolute wickedness.
"You have made a Horcrux," Godric whispered.
"Oh yes," Salazar said wickedly. "One that no one will ever find."
"No!" Godric bellowed, he charged his younger brother and grabbed him by the collar and disapparated. They landed in a most familiar field and they both fell to the ground.
"Is this what I think it is?" Salazar asked, looking around and standing.
"Home sweet home," Godric growled.
"My, my," Salazar said, inspecting the overgrown home they had both grown up in. "You certainly let this place go, eh?"
"It's time we finish this," Godric snarled, his eyes formed those of a lion.
"Oh my," Salazar said in mock terror. "Do not tell me you have made yourself an animagus!"
"That is right, brother," Godric said, and he began to change into a lion.
"What a coincidence," Salazar said, he blinked and his eyes were those of a snake. "So have I!" Salazar turned into a King Cobra the size of a small pine.
Godric charged at Salazar, and Salazar at Godric and the great snake lord entwined the lion. "You can kill me, Godric," Salazar hissed. "But I can just keep coming back!"
"Aye," Godric said in a snarl. "You could do that; which is why I did not plan on killing you."
"What?" Salazar asked.
Godric shouted, "Petrificus stoneus!" And the great snake lord began to turn to stone.
"No!" Salazar bellowed. "What is happening?!"
"You are living forever," Godric snarled.
"And what of you, Godric?" Salazar gasped. "Surely you cannot escape a stone snake's entanglement."
"Nay," Godric said grimly, the spell started to affect him as well. "We shall live as a statue for the rest of eternity if that is what it takes. Good bye, brother."
Salazar continued to struggle until there was no more struggle in him, the great snake lord and the great lion were entrapped in a statue forever…
It is no great surprise, I'm sure, that the village near the Gryffindor home was soon renamed Godric's Hollow in respect for the great wizard. And I am also sure that no one will be surprised to hear that Salazar Slytherin's one and only Horcrux was none other than Venom the Basilisk, which was struck down by Harry Potter using the Sword of Godric Gryffindor.
There is no one in the world who knows exactly where the statue of Gryffindor and Slytherin now resides, but where ever it resides I am sure you are aware that even if broken, Salazar Slytherin shall remain dead, as will Godric Gryffindor.
I am sure, though, that if Godric Gryffindor could see the end of the second great wizard war he would be proud that the school was able to withstand the evil he too had stood against. Please, take this knowledge and know that even in the darkest of times, even in the worst of situations, good can, must, and always will triumph over the wicked. To believe otherwise would to give up hope…