Prologue
A snake slithered through the undergrowth, smelling the scent of the boy before he even heard it. Through the grass the snake neared the gate of the field, where the boy laughed and was chased by a screaming girl, the two giggling at their games.
And suddenly the happiness faded to fear; the boy saw the snake and whimpered, crying out for the girl and his mother.
"Amarante! Mama!" he shrieked, turning to run from the snake but he tripped and fell, the snake gliding towards him. The girl, Amarante, turned to scream as the snake struck, sinking its fangs into the boy's soft neck, feeling utter satisfaction as the toxic venom flowed from its teeth.
"Mama! Mama!" screamed the girl as the snake disappeared from sight, "Papa! Mama! Léonide's been bitten by a snake! Hurry!" the girl ran to the back porch of the little villa, screaming for help as the boy moaned in pain.
"Amarante..." he muttered helplessly and the girl turned back to him, running to his side "Am I dying?" he whispered and she felt the blood drain from her face.
"No!" she exclaimed in terror; Amarante Gryffindor was fifteen years old but with this utter fear of her younger brother's fate she felt as small and helpless as a five year old "No, no darling" she whispered, holding him to her and realised with horror that his skin was icy, shaking.
"I think I am" he whispered and their father ran from the back door.
"Oh god! What's happened!" he shouted, running to his children, falling to his ten year old son's side, his face turning ashen "No...No, Léonide..." he gasped and his wife, Gabrielle, followed from the house, near collapsing at seeing her son dying.
"Don't fret mother..." Léonide gasped in pain "I'll be fine..." but suddenly he stopped shaking, Gabrielle's hand upon his cheek and she gasped as he fell utterly still, eyes gazing up at his family, pulse gone.
"Oh god..." she began to sob, leaning over her son's body "Léonide..."
But Godric Gryffindor stood, staring across the field; it had been a holiday before Léonide was to begin his first year at Hogwarts. It had been a holiday in the South, where it was warm by the seaside. Anger burned in him and he turned to stare at Amarante.
"What happened?" he asked coldly and she shuddered with her sobs.
"We were just playing but Léonide...he saw this snake in the grass...he turned to run but he tripped" she wept and Godric felt his blood boil; a snake... "But" she continued "It was odd; the snake...it merely slithered all the way across him, as if it were looking, and struck him on the neck, as if..." she sobbed in confusion and Godric did all he could not to shout or scream or transform.
"Salazar..." he growled and Gabrielle looked up at him.
"No...he wouldn't..." she gasped and Godric stared at his son's body, the snakebite glaring at him mockingly.
"Yes he would"