A smile touched her lips a moment before the impact. Their lips collided and a gasp was emitted form them both as their bodies smashed together. As quick as a wink, their bodies went limp. They collapsed in a tangle of limbs. News travels fast in an institution of that size. On that day Rowena and Salazar Slytherin gained a son...and lost a daughter.


Lady Lividia smiled at Helena, "Your brother will be strong, and you, my dear, will have influence on his allegiance." Helena looked at the nurse with confusion. "He is the son of Salazar Slytherin, the only founder who disdain toward those of non-magical heritage. He has the choice of acceptance or rejection of those with no magical family. You are his sister; you can influence his decision greatly," Lady Lividia said.

"He will not listen to me. For his early years, he will not understand. His childhood will be of listening to only our parents. His teenage years will be of defiance. And once he has grown to be a man, he will have already made his decision and will have likely acted on it," Helena said as she realized of how little importance she will be to her brother.

Lady Lividia giggled, "I suppose it is the thought that counts."


Anthony stared out over the lake, watching the mermaids flip through the air and gracefully disappear under the waves, just tempting the other teenage boys gathered around the lake. Anthony rolled his eyes. Being one of Salazar Slytherin's students gave him reason to believe that all they wanted was attention and if and when teenage boys stopped admiring the topless, scaly women then they would eventually return to their lake bottom city.

"Oi, Baron," Xavier Dalton said striding up to Anthony with an aura of self-importance about him. Anthony slowly looked up from his book.

"What do you want, Dalton?" Anthony asked as he slowly stood up. With the hand he had in his pocked, he gripped his wand tightly. With a smirk he added, " The seventh year girls are supposed to be here to join the mermaids shortly." Xavier gave Anthony a hard blow to his lower lip.

"Don't you dare say that! Zinia is in that group," Xavier said cracking his knuckles, prepared for a fight.

Wiping the blood from his busted lip, Anthony replied, "Don't get your knickers in a twist; I just figured your posse here," he gestured to the four boys behind Xavier, "would want to keep up on the gossip about bare-breasted women."

"Levicorp-"

"Protego!"

"I'll get you next time, Baron!" Xavier shouted. Anthony smirked, shrugged, and sat back down to read his book.


Helena sighed. Sure, once her brother was born she would have diapers to change and toys to enchant, but she would never be able to make him see reason about their father's mindset against muggles. A tear fell from her eye and hit the stone with a surprisingly loud sound. It was then that Helena realized that she was alone in the large corridor. The large window allowed her ample space to see the lake, the merfolk, and the boys watching in awe. But what truly caught her attention was a pair of boys in a argument of sorts. The shorter, stockier boy wearing the red and gold tunic worn by those taught by Professor Gryffindor was shouting angrily at a tall, thin boy about a year older than her who, judging by his ring carved in the shape of a serpent, was taught by her father. One might call him handsome. Helena shook her head to clear it.

No, Helena thought, this is not the time to start falling for a boy. And he is taught by Father, there is not possibility Father would be agreeable to that.

The shorter boy quickly struck the taller black-haired boy across his face. Outraged at the violence, Helena strode into the courtyard. As she passed the boys with their gazes fixated on the lake, they turned to look at her, a new specimen to the majority of them. From behind her there were whistles, whispers, and even a bit of howling. Helena was oblivious to it. Helena strode up to the stocky red-head and said...


"What was that for?" the girl snapped at Xavier. Anthony could not help but grinning. Helena Ravenclaw, he thought, bemused, come to my aid even though I have already beaten my assailant. "...What is your name?" she was saying, "I will have you sent directly to Professor Gryffindor!"

"Yeah?" Xavier said looking down his nose at her, "You and what army?" An odd look crossed her face, one of astonishment, outrage, but yet also a hint of intrigue. Xavier smirked and stared into the distance.

"Are you really thick enough not to know me?" she asked questioningly.

"I know you, illegitimate daughter of both Ravenclaw and Slytherin. I know who you are and how powerful your father wants you to become, child of then unmarried fools," Xavier said, eyes misting over. "Two deaths and one love shall result from you two, a painful silence from the love-struck fools." Anthony and Helena looked at each other in disbelief and only looked up when Xavier hit the ground. Helena slowly walked back toward the castle, perplexed over the prediction. Anthony sunk to the ground and opened his book, staring blankly at the pages. What could this prediction mean?


Helena frowned to herself as she walked down the corridor. Death, she thought, and love. Between that boy and I? I do not even know his name! But I suppose he was rather charming, Helena thought. When Helena looked up she saw her mother striding toward her.

"Mother!" Helena exclaimed with surprise.

"Dear, who was that boy you were aiding by the lake earlier this afternoon?" Rowena asked her daughter. Helena stared at the stone floor of the corridor. She glanced back outside toward the lake where the boy was sitting against a large tree, reading his book.

She looked up at her mother, "I do not know his name, but it just outraged me that one boy hit his face." I could not allow his handsome face to be so severely mauled, Helena thought. Rowena sighed, "You have become your Aunt Helga." Helena smiled ashamedly.


Anthony trudged down the stairs in his muddy boots. The rain had arrived so quickly that he hardly had time to get inside before it soaked him through, to the bone. Xavier's friends had enchanted the mud to pelt him until he got indoors, so his hair and tunic was drenched in mud and his lip was still dripping blood. Lightning flashed outside, bathing everything in a blue white light for an instant. He looked out the last window before reaching the Underground. As his eyes rose to the sky, they stopped on a single figure looking out a window in the southernmost tower. It was her! He rushed to produce a cleansing charm before her eyes saw him and of what a mess he looked. Her eyes drifted down and met his. She blushed and looked away. His heart soared. What reason would make her blush and look away other than a feeling for me? he wondered. The shutters slammed shut on her window a second after he saw the face. The face of his professor glaring down at him. With a jolt, he ran from the stairway, weaving deeper and deeper into the Underground. He wound his way toward his secret corridor, the once underneath all of the school's levels. His ragged breathing turned to the sound of a snake's hiss and the wall slid open to reveal a room. There was water that dripped from the lake above all covering the floor. The hole in the back wall would be a prison and tomb for any who entered. Any, except for Anthony. Anthony know this place like the back of his hand, only this place held far more mystery than the back of his hand ever could. The flooded tunnels held refuge for Anthony. The rocks were a safe place for ambush if ever there came a time when ambush would be a necessary precaution. He would be ready. Like him, Professor Slytherin knew the language of snakes. Anthony would be prepared.


Xavier felt like he was drowning. He sat up quickly, coughing and sputtering. When he had fallen he hit his head. He remembered now. Baron and the Ravenclaw girl. She had helped Baron' stood up to him, Xavier Dalton! They will pay, Xavier decided, both of them.