Author's Note: I would like to dedicate this to the Kestral team in general! Just as the Founders created Hogwarts and gave those students happy memories and connections, so have the Kestrals for me. They've all been very sweet and welcoming, though I'm a newbie. And in all honesty, I've only gotten this far based on their helpful advice and their lovely selves! If anything, they've made me strive to be a better person overall. I would also like to thank my betas, davros fan and Kat-nee. Please read and review if you have anything to say!

Warning for lots of profanity!

Asking for Recompense (How Navy Blue Scares Him So) by ValkyrieAce

'Fuck, what have I done?'

Salazar Slytherin ran through the halls of Hogwarts, tripping over his feet at least twice in fear of his pursuer. He turned at the end of the hall, his feet leading him instinctively while his mind panicked over his abominable mistake.

He'd purposely messed with Rowena's magical architecture plans while she was taking a walk by the Great Lake. He'd only meant to help her by adding a 'bang' to her finished plans, signing his name in her navy ink with a proud flourish.

As it would turn out, it ended in fucking disaster.

The stairs, while in working condition, had flattened and joined into a circular slide, taking her down for a long and bumpy ride. By the time she'd reached the end of the slide, she was utterly furious, had lost her wand, and was covered in dust. What made it even worse? The slide didn't transform back into its original form, leaving her alone in the darkness.

When the other Founders arrived to see her final masterpiece, she'd shrieked his name, the incarnation of righteous fury portrayed through her voice.

Of course, he did what he did best. He hid as a snake would.

Even now, he could hear the echo of her scream in his mind.

He'd reached the Library, immediately launching himself at a dark and dinky corner. He shuddered and panted as the adrenaline finally wore off, and breathed deeply.

"Bloody hell!" he yelled, his hands reaching over to clap over his mouth tightly. He was doomed.

Rowena was going to murder him.

But if she wanted a fight, she would get a fight.

"So, this is where you've been hiding, you pathetic little shite."

Salazar sat up with a shout, taking notice of the figure standing in the darkness. The figure walked into the light, and his eyes widened.

In front of him was Rowena in all her incandescent glory, her navy blue dress shimmering as the lights of the hallway engulfed her. Her eyes were narrowed and her fingers were tapping on her wand.

Fuck.

She'd found her wand.

He thought he was safely hidden in the shadows. At some point after the adrenaline had wore off, he'd fallen asleep while hiding.

'God damn it. Shite!' he thought.

Salazar jumped onto his feet and whistled innocently.

"Oh, hello there, Rowena! You're looking very comely tonight!" he spoke, offering her a curtsy and a smirk.

He watched as she narrowed her eyes and redied himself for the backlash.

"How dare you, you fucking wanker! You are a real arse, you know? You cocked up my entire plan! I've got to do it all over again!" she screeched, her anger still present in her voice.

Salazar unsheathed his wand and stepped back until his back hit the wall.

"Calm down, bint!" he said, realizing it wasn't the right thing to say as soon as the words spilled out of his mouth.

"Bint?! Why you, bastard..." she started, her wand poised in front of her, ready to attack if need be. Her eyes darkened as she stepped closer, her wand poking at his chest.

"You have no right to insult me at this moment!" she yelled, poking her wand into his chest a few more times for good measure.

His eyes shifted over to a speck on the wall behind her, afraid to see what he would find in her eyes if he had only looked.

"I'd thought that you were only trying to help. That you were showing a sense of compassion where you usually do not, and I thought..." she said loudly, "I thought you were helping me because you finally accepted me as your friend. I trusted you!"

Salazar looked deeply into her tear-filled eyes, taken aback by the statement. It was true that he had never vocally accepted their friendship, but he was sure that his actions made up for his inexcusable words. To see Rowena's emotions spilling forth only brought him remorse.

"I'm sorry..." he muttered silently, surprising Rowena out of her reverie.

"Well, sorry doesn't cover it. You're fixing my plans. Tonight," she emphasized. He gave a small smile, and she responded with a cheeky grin. As she turned to exit the Library, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder.

"Also, you're paying for that one," she said cheekily. It was only now that he'd noticed her wand still staying unsheathed.

'Bugger!' he thought.

"Tarantallegra!" she yelled, pronouncing it properly as her wand moved precisely at the right moments. One could easily tell she was focused. She wasn't skilled in Charms by luck alone.

In the end, she'd made him dance all through dinner in front of the other Founders, his knees and shoulders aching in pain when she finally cancelled the charm. He knew it could've ended in a worse outcome, but he could keep his mouth shut and accept that their friendship was more important to him.

At least this way, no one would ever know how the colour navy blue scares him so.

Fin

Word Count: 842

Additional Prompts:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Assignment #11 – Notable Witches & Wizards: Notable Nasties, Task #9 - Write about Salazar Slytherin.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Holmes Mystery Challenge – (colour) Navy.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – Return of the Chocolate Frog Cards Club Challenge - (Silver) Jarvey

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – The 365 Prompts Challenge – 61. Colour - Navy

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry – The Insane House Challenge – 369. Word - Comely