"There is no bloody way that girl is my umm wife?" the man asked his gruff voice shaking as he ran his hands through his short hair. The dull black shirt shifting around with him. "Actually she is your slave. I am afraid!"
"Slave wow even better." he muttered, angrily when Harry felt his heart grow heavy watching the girl sleep. He watched her breath in and breathe out quietly before stepping out to read the letter. Tears filling his eyes as he tried to read the letter she had addressed to him for some time.
Dear Harry,
If you are reading this it means you have found out that I am not human. It also means that the history has put up its ugly head again. There is a memory in my room it is more than ancient. Please go through it whenever possible, if possible with that man who is destined to be my master for lack of better word. No - I don't like it either but there is nothing I can do. Hopefully I will be saved soon but if he objects to my relationship with you it ends right there.
Meya Riddle.
P.S Will show itself in the one place you won't go in the language we alone speak.
The note was simple beyond words but explained a lot to him. Sighing he walked up through the halls of Hogwarts and stopped at the portrait of an ancient roman lady holding multiple colours of roses. Her hair was long and trailed down to her waist, brown and curly. She had large brown eyes and a sharp set of eyes almost like the girl laying in a coma. She was dressed in a long toga of white typical of that time... had he not specifically been told the painting had been done during the founders time. His eyes focused on the green grass snake at her feet, as he spoke in parseltongue, "Open."
The door slid away smoothly, allowing him inside the room, it was a perfect mixture of ancient and modern. The wall attached to the door was filled with a large bookshelf filled with books. Right next to it a large cream color bean bag and coffee table set. Right behind it a little away from the corner was a window with a seating area. The wall was painted in was set in a messy blue like the sea. The window had been painted white, the seating area was set with a jute mat and dark blue cushions for resting her back. The window itself was spotted with small glitters, everything was neat and clean. Even the desk she used to study, opposite the door, in teak wood, several draws on either side, a large one in the center. A silver antique decorated ink holder on arms length of the soft armchair which matched the table. It was curvy and designed with a neat style made specifically for comfort, the window above allowing a lot of air and light in! Finally, last corner had a built in minnibar the other corner a kitchenette with almost everything needed to cook a meal for a small family or just a single person based on certain utensils and vessels. Sighing, smiled lightly seeing the glass vase, a bouquet of different coloured daisies set there. It was clean to the point that it seemed new. He knew it was not so, sighing, his eyes traced the circular staircase which she had spoken about. Going up carefully he felt the smooth texture and the occasional snake cuts in the metal. After a few steps he jokingly muttered in parseltongue, "Take me up... Upssstairs... oh... oh I was kidding."
He smiled lightly as the stairs began moving up on their own accord. "Really I was kidding."
The room was beautiful, filled with windows facing east. A swing bed was handing from the roof and set neatly with a cream bedspread and light blue cushions. The window still had a sitting area with light green spread with red shiny thread work. The rolling cushion though where red with green thread work matching that of the spread. A little away near the window where wall shelves. Only, very personal, on the bottom was a rolled up yoga mat. Above, right was a white jug with multi colored polka-dots. Next to it a matching glass, water filled in it. A little above towards the right was a small digital clock - black with red. Again moving up, rightside, there was a journal with a ballpoint pen. Moving further up, was a goblin made sword fixed neatly with the holders. Finally on the last point where paint, brushes, a small jug of water towards the right. Towards the left a canvas with a painting she was working on, the entire piece filled with black. Everything neatly arranged, brining further notice to the free standing punching bag and bands which had been almost broken down. On the other side, a towel hanger with a fresh white towel. A little away where room dividers with light mesh work made of teak wood clearly ancient. Sighing, he went behind the curtain and looked around. "Aah..."
"Wow." there was a bathroom and an open closet if one could call it so. It was open cupboards across the walls with everything in its place. Normal clothes, party wear, shoes, belts and finally a small dressing table in the corner with a full size mirror. Despite which it was not extravagant but set with the basic needs with several small and long draws. Behind the opaque wall was the bathroom and shower, which he entered tentatively only to gasp. The entire place was simple, yet beautiful. Just as he walked in was the bathtub similar to that of the prefects bathroom. On the right was the simple white sink set against the light magenta walls. The dark rose wood mirror and a small wall shelf with her toothbrush, paste and mouthwash. On the wall was a rail with a towel, a simple bamboo basket for dirty clothes. Right above was a long thin window letting in natural light, with a window which was stunning. What he came for though was in the tall thin cupboard though was the stuff that made him mutter, "I can't believe I am doing this."
The place was neatly set with towels in various colours on the top shelf. The second was set with several things related to beauty treatments - hair oil, body oil, face packs, raizor, shaving gel, moisturizer, bubble bath, sponge, shampoo and deodorant. Everything neatly organized according to need including the personal things at the back. Next was a small counter filled with nail polish bottles on a pull tray. Finally, at the end was a small pull over stool which he recognized as having a foldable extension to set his feet on to make the work easier. "Book work eeh? No one can tell if they see this place."
Turning around he smiled sadly at his Remus Lupin, "Yeah there seems to be a lot more to her than what meets the eye."
"You can say that again Moony. Where is Padfoot? He was suppose to be here right?" he asked, "Sorry cub but he is umm kind of busy. What exactly are we looking for here?"
"She said that the bathroom had a secret parseltongue vault. She said it was in her bathroom undergarments cupboard." when Remus raised his eyebrow surprised, "One place I will never go near and the one language both of us speak. Aah... all right I guess, open..."
As he hissed the last word a piece of the cupboard came loose. It was a small chipped box where she could mostly hide a pin or a broach. Taking out the pendent Remus looked at him surprised, "Why would she take so much effort to hide a simple seashell pendant?"
"Clever girl it's not a pendant. It's a VPN drive pendent, it has a link which will open up a lot of details related to the little racket she was running. I think one of the boys can give me the webpage." Harry smiled lightly, Remus Lupin looked surprised before he asked, "I thought you never spoke to her recently."
"Girl is smarter than she appears." he shrugged, "She mentioned it in passing once. I did not get head or tails then but now I do."
"Really? Good to see that you seem to know your sister so nicely." joked the elder man patting his cheek lightly as the younger pocketed the gold and silver seashell pendant with the silver and gold chain. "I wish I did Moony. Umm... can you hit the library for me? See if there is..."
"We are already on it, Charlie is working towards getting a list." he added, Harry sighed and left the place followed by the elder man, "We have more researchers on hand now, someone who will actually help us. It's working Harry what we finally having enough resources to get the needed work done without bureaucrats pushing us around. The real war is finally being dealt with thanks to Meya Riddle."
"Meya Riddle still getting used to that name, no longer Hermione is she." he sighed, "She never was Harry and you know it."
Before Harry could reply a female house elf popped up looking at Harry, "Mister Harry Potter sir Winky is looking for you. Winky has something to give you sir."
"What is it Winky?" he asked bending down to her level looking into her sad eyes, it was clear she had been recently crying a lot, she silently handed him a bottle with dark black liquid. It was clearly old and sealed "I will get Dumbledore to help me with it."
"Its Albus Harry." came a voice making him look up sadly, "Though I would prefer if you call me Gramps. I think it's best I accompany you through this, come on my office Ginny too please. Now with regards to this memory if both of you can pay attention children, this is a memory which belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw also she was a witness of a very important time in history. That point when the two founders began having a fall out."
"Fall out?" Harry looked at him, his green eyes filling with wonder as he asked, "As in the famous fall out?"
"Yes this was the first of the entire history. Chocolate frogs." Albus Dumbledore stated as Ginny joined them at the gargoyle which jumped out of the way allowing them to go up the stairs as the older man continued speaking, "This particular memory had been recorded with care, it was also witnessed repeatedly since the portraits of the founders have refused to speak. None of them ever move, not once. Even when they tried with the chocolate frog cards they was not much done."
"Oh." muttered Harry as Ginny took a deep breath, "Yeah she mentioned, like something had suddenly happened. She was very concerned about the whole thing. I did not think much of it then but... yeah!"
"Ahem now that all of us are in the same page let us get strait into it." he added opening the door to his office and setting a stone bowl with several marks all over it. Opening the memory he poured it in, taking Harry and Ginny inside with him...
The stone walls around them where new and the doors still drying up. There were not so many paintings. As Harry looked around, the room was a grand potions lab. The woman was dressed in a long blue set of robes. Her long hair had been left loose as she stared away from the window sadly. The room though was decorated in various shades of green with touches of silver. A few spots of gold and bronze all over apart from the small plants in wall shelves. Most highly maintained with care, rustling lightly when the door opened suddenly. "Roweena I am so sorry to have kept you waiting."
"It's fine Salazar. Though I want to know what where you doing in Helena's room yesterday night?" she demanded looking into his eyes anger blaizing, "I had been there to comfort her, ensure that she is fine. The magic she was facing had been making her go out of bounds. I had no other choice and for Merlin's sake she is my niece. Just because he betrayed you..."
A sudden snap came in the air and the lady was breathing heavily when the man was holding his cheek sadly, "Neither you nor that family has any rights over my daughter she is a Ravenclaw and will always be a Ravenclaw."
"She is my friend and she will always be my friend!" snapped the girl,
"I know." he sighed rubbing his cheek in pain, "I know that but apart from being your daughter she is also my student and my daughter's best friend. I will never ever touch her the way you fear. Nor will I let anyone touch her, it was bad enough we had to see you go through that incident."
Just then a knock came on the door making both of them turn around. Inside a girl not older than sixteen or seventeen, dressed in lilac dress robes with lace pullovers in the same colour. The sight of her made the two younger members watching the memory gasp, "She looks exactly like Hermione!"
"Yes she does Harry. She is after all Meya Riddle's ancestor and Salazar Slytherin's daughter. Her name was Cassandra Slytherin. Many know her as Zandra." replied Albus Dumbledore to his outburst, Ginny stared speechless, the girl had her hair pulled up in a ponytail. On her right hand was a wand holster and on her left shoulder a sword holster strap moving right. Over her shoulder was a simple sword which he recognized as the same one she had used during the war. On her feet where wrapp up black wrap up boots, on her right was a dagger and on the left was a set of ninja blades. Around her neck was a chain with silver and gold mixed. Ginny left a cold breath, "Wow it's like I am seeing her all over again."
"Shhh listen." said the headmaster, as she opened her mouth, "Sal, aunt Row what happened?"
"Yesterday night your father -" snapped the lady but she sighed and said, "Was with us not her alone. Even I was in the same room as Sal please Row, stop suspecting every single man in the world so much."
"I don't suspect every single man." Rowena replied, the younger woman rolled her eyes, "I am sorry but that bloody baron is not considered as a man in my view. He is an angry, uncontrollable prat not a man in any way."
Slytherin snickered despite the glare of the co-founder, "Sorry. She is right."
Before they could say anything, the door banked open and in came a large man with a large man with thick red hair and beard. The thick dress he wore thick red robes that reached mid thigh with black thick trousers and ankle boots. His robes where flying behind him, so was his hair, "Salazar!"
"Godric, I was just clarifying to Roweena I was not doing anything of that sort. The girl is perfectly safe with me." the larger man did not let the smaller one finnish but bellowed, "DON'T YOU DARE RUN YOUR LEGILIMENCY TRICK ON ME."
"I DON'T NEED TO I KNOW YOU ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING." yelled the man filled with anger when suddenly the entire castle shook. Cassandra was the first to speak, "El again. I am going to her!"
"You stay away from my daughter. I shall deal with this personally." snapped the founder stomping out followed by the red headed male as father and daughter stood there stumped for a minute... just as they stepped out there stood a silver beaver, "She broke the wards and left Roweena I am sorry I tried to stop her. Philip had everything set for her already."
Salzar's eyes filled with anger as he said, "It's the fault of the mud blood. He caused the entire trouble. I told you we should never let them inside, no pureblood would have ever done such a terrible deed!"
"No pureblood! NO PUREBLOOD SALZAR? HOW DARE YOU TAKE UP YOUR ARGUMENT ON BLOOD STATUS AS SUCH A TIME WHEN I HAVE JUST LOST MY DAUGHTER? HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY POOR MOTHER WHO HAD NO MAGIC IN HER VAINS? SHE MARRIED FOR LOVE AND ALL YOU CONTINUE TO SEE IS YOURE BLOOD PURITY? YOU SLYTHERINE'S ARE ALL THE SAME."
Thus ending the memory, "What is that mean?"
The headmaster pointed towards the armchairs as he poured out tea, "Ravenclaw was raped by Salazar Slytherin's brother! Her daughter was raised as an illegitimate child. Raised by a m other who saw her as a symbol of a terrible night. The father was never in the picture, ever, the girl had only her mother so it meant simply say yes to whatever I say. She felt trapped in the relationship and it was painful too but uncle Salazar and cosine Zandra where her biggest support systems in the mess. It helped that the girl was close to her age. She was the initial cause of rift between the founders but it later became a bigger issue - the issue related to blood status. When Helena ran away with the diadem hoping to become as brilliant as her mother a little after that incident... umm a muggle born student had also disappeared. Slytherin had suspected they were lovers..."
"It meant he became very angry. Upset even to an extent that after some time, he started demanding that muggle borns should not be allowed to the school at all. He blamed the muggle born boy for Helga going away. After all she did stay in a muggle part of the town... but that was not the real problem. In this whole thing one person's heart broke to a thousand pieces. Mason Slytherin, Salazar's eldest son he loved her, wanted to marry her. She left on the day of the wedding, cheated him out of some money too. That seemed to be the last straw, shortly after Slytherin and the other founders had began fighting, a lot. Ten years later Godric Gryffindor and sent the man out of Hogwarts with such a fanfare that we still remember it. Only when he was leaving did he mention the chamber of secrets to the founders but yes before that there were several times when he would disappear for hours together… at times even miss out on classes. All the house elves loyal to him where removed from Hogwarts, in large numbers – for the first and last time…"
