Disclaimer: Never was mine / Never will be mine I am making no money from this story. Everything belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros.
A/N 1: Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out, but as many of you know I have just bought a house and I have been so busy of late with everything. I promise to try and not let this happen again, as we are now nearly half way through this fic.
A/N 2: In this chapter there are many extracts from Slytherin's diaries. I have not put a bit in from each month from every year because that would take forever. So please just accept the fact that Harry has translated every month from every year. I have only put in little bits to move the story along, but the idea is that Harry is spending hours, days and even weeks doing this. Translating every page and every month and year. Thank you.
A/N 3: Warning – there are some anti-church / religious feelings in this chapter, this is not my own personal views, only the views of the character. I hope not to; as it was not my intention, cause anyone any offence. I am not anti-God, church or anti-religion because, after all, it is a free world.
Beta read by the dazzling JediCandy.
Chapter Nine – Salazar's Plans.
November 14, 957
The outside of the castle is all but finished; Rowena has come up with the idea of an ever-changing floor plan for inside. At first we all thought her to have gone mad, but she has persuaded us it will add an element of fun to the castle. As usual she has used her charm and wit to win us over. We are to begin spelling the rooms and staircases tomorrow. We have all had to choose parts of the castle that we want to customise to our own tastes, the two towers were the first to go. Godric chose the North tower and Rowena has chosen the west tower. That was no surprise because it is near the astronomy tower and that is one of her favourite pastimes, she is a real stargazer. Helga's love of food and cooking has led her to choose an area near the kitchens. For myself I was at a bit of a loss of what to choose, but my eldest son, Severus, helped make the choice for me. His love of making potions and magical drafts means he needs a cool environment and he suggested the dungeons, just below the great lake. It is a big space and has a lot of potential, so that is where I chose. I think it will look grand decorated in my family colours of green and silver.
Harry had been up most of the night, the adrenaline from the battle with Voldemort the day before was still running through his system. He had left Severus to sleep in his bed as he crept out. Not wanting to make any noise he decided to get on with his translation of Salazar's diaries. Harry stretched a little and ordered a fresh pot of coffee from a house elf. It was still very early, 4:26am, so he decided to continue working as there was nothing else to do.
***
June 9, 958
I don't know if it is the time of year or something else but Godric has again made a pass at me. For four years this has been happening almost like clockwork; June and October every year he tells me he loves me and wants me. I am married and happily so and the infuriating thing about it is he knows this. Now don't get me wrong, I am not against these pairings, a cousin of mine, one of the Malfoys prefers the company of his own kind. He is an insufferable prick but not because he prefers the company of men but because he is a Malfoy. The whole lot are insufferable pricks! But what is Godric up too? I don't know maybe I am reading to much into it, maybe he is just lonely, he has never been the same since his beloved wife died years ago, maybe this is just misplaced affection. On to happier news, my old chum and cousin Alwin Snape has gotten himself married to the fair and beautiful Emma. About time too, he is gaining on in years, I just hope he is able to keep up with his fine young wife. I know Alwin has always wanted children and they plan to start a family immediately. I wish them all the luck in the world; they have promised me all the Snape heirs shall come to Hogwarts when we open it as a school. Which we plan to do next year, almost all of the rooms and hallways has been decorated. Alwin has secretly asked me to be his firstborn's Godfather, I gladly accepted.
***
October 31, 958
As I said like clockwork Godric has made a pass at me and told me he wants me as his lover. This is the most direct he has ever been. I can handle Godric, I know his ways but the thing that has me a little worried is I have noticed him looking at my eldest son, Severus. This worries me for Severus is happily courting a local girl from Hogsmeade and she is lovely. Not as higher class as our family but I always promised to be lenient with my children in a way my father was not with me. Severus is a good boy and he deserves my trust, he will make the right decision. But I do worry for my Sons Severus and Aquilla. Severus is at that age where he is easily led at 17, and Aquilla is still very impressionable as he is now 11. My little gift, Lilly-Rose, is still as sweet as ever at 7. I am thinking of building a small chamber someplace within the castle so if my family ever feel threatened they will have a place where only they can access. I think I shall build this chamber of mine deep within the castle and make it only assessable if you are a parselmouth for that trait only runs in my line. It is not a gift my wife possesses but I shall work something out for her.
***
February 3, 959Our masterpiece is complete! It is staggeringly beautiful a castle fit for kings, or the next generation of wizards and witches. It has been a long haul for all of us, eight years in the making. Every room is fitted with desks and ink quills ready to be used by the eager minds of children. We have all agreed on what positions we would like to teach. Helga wants to teach Herbology after all she is a master botanist. There is no plant she cannot grow or plant she cannot nurture. Godric has decided to remain working with his furry and sometimes scaly friends. He will teach the children all about magical creatures and how to care for them and how to handle some of the more wild ones like dragons and thestrals. Rowena is going to teach Astronomy and Ancient Runes she is brilliant at both. For myself I am going to teach the Dark Arts and how to defend against them. It is a subject that has long fascinated me and I have just recently begun working on creating my own spells. Some of them are ambitious but I think with time I can prefect them. To my utmost pride Severus will be teaching Potions and Magical Drafts, I am so proud of him. Albus, Godric's eldest has said he will help his father, which I think is a good idea. Having caged dragons on the grounds means that a minimum of two people need to keep an eye on them, regardless of how brave Godric thinks he is, he can not handle a dragon alone.
Alwin has agreed to come and teach Charms for us, they really are his speciality; a pregnant Emma is coming to live with him at the castle. Rowena has a friend who is a seer and has agreed to come and teach the children all about her art. I always thought it was a load of rubbish until she came up to me and told me I must complete work on my chamber for it will be needed in the future long after I have gone. It spooked me a little that she knew, because nobody knew about it, not even my children. It is half complete and I have not worked on it for a few months because Godric has settled down again maybe because Severus has set a date to be wed. But at her warning I shall continue working on my chamber of secrets. I only wish I knew what was going to be so important about it in the future but she would not tell me.
***
September 30, 959It has been one full month since we first opened the doors to Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have to say it has been a complete success; we only have forty-one students but word is spreading of our school. Soon it will be filled with excited children eager to learn. I have had a breakthrough with my creation of a new spell! What I am trying to do is a kind of time reversal spell, what inspired me was I witnessed a young man die and he said his life had been miserable and he wished he had had another chance at life. I was later told he was abused and later killed by his own father, what sick creature could do that to his own child I have no idea. But it got me thinking, what if we really could turn back time for someone and give him or her another chance? Wouldn't that be something truly amazing! I am going to continue my work on this spell. I have created many other smaller spells that I have written in another journal, I am thinking of giving it to friends as a small gift. At the moment it is called 'Snake Magic.' All the spells are in parseltongue, so I am not sure weather they will appreciate it or not because they would need to be from my direct line to understand the language. I shall think on this some more.
One more thing, Alwin's wife Emma has given birth to a healthy baby boy. His naming ceremony was last week; I told Alwin he was to use the name Severus in his child's name as a gift from me. The name Severus traditionally has always been a Slytherin name so other families have always stayed away from it, I told Alwin he did not have to use it as a first name but maybe he could stick it in the middle. Alwin was so overcome he said he would name his son Severus also. So last week I became the proud Godfather of Severus Alwin Snape.
Harry could feel a soft touch across the back of his neck, he turned his head and smiled at Severus, and then he frowned. "What time is it?"
"A little after seven. Did you sleep at all last night?"
Harry found it very difficult to lie to Severus so he didn't even bother trying. "No, I tried but it wouldn't come."
"Not to be unexpected, you should have woken me I could have given you something."
"It's okay, actually I got a lot of work done." Harry said pointing to the diaries on his desk. "I managed to get through nearly three years of the diaries. Did you know your ancestors are mentioned in this?"
"Really?"
"How far back do you know of your family history?"
"For definite, seven hundred years give or take a few and a few hundred before that which is mainly based on stories because all records were destroyed around seven hundred years ago in a fire, why?"
"Well Alwin Snape was best friends with old Salazar, they were also cousins I believe. In fact they were so close that Alwin asked Salazar to be his firstborn's Godfather and as a gift Salazar gave them the name Severus, which belonged to his family first. Here take the first few years I have translated, you might as well take the originals also and I will pass on the rest as I get them done."
"It is an old family story that the name was given to us by Salazar, but there was no real proof, until now it would seem. Are you sure about the diaries Harry? They are very valuable and by rights they should be yours."
"Nah, where else should they be but with the Head of Slytherin House. That, and I think it would make Salazar happy to know they were in a family friend's hands, it's where they belong. I only ask that you make me a copy of the translated ones. I would do it myself but Hermione always did the duplicating for me, it was never a spell I could master for some reason."
"Of course I will. Thank you, Harry. If you don't mind, I will pass on copies to Nikolai, for I know he will enjoy reading something written by Salazar himself. Have you found anything of any use in them yet?"
"There have been a few mentions of spells he was trying to create, I think that is where the answer will lie. Pity old Salazar's portrait won't just give up the goods!"
"Maybe the portrait can't remember it all, remember he is only a facsimile of Salazar Slytherin, his essence and his spirit but not fully him."
"Yeah, that's a good point, but it would be nice if he could at least point me in the right direction."
"Remember he was the first Slytherin, we give away nothing for free, you must always work at it." Severus smirked at him.
"Don't you think I have put in my time working at getting what I want when it comes to Slytherins?"
"But there is always more work to be done." Severus silenced his rebuttal with a soft kiss. "I had best be heading back to my own quarters, for I have to get ready for class. I shall see you in the Great Hall for meals and if I don't you will wish you had."
"Yes, sir." Harry mock glared back, Severus disappeared within the floo connection joining their quarters and Harry headed to the shower, he was actually quite hungry because he had skipped lunch and supper yesterday and was looking forward to a hearty breakfast.
***
Harry was happily wolfing down his second helping of everything at the breakfast table, this had caused Nikolai who sat to his left to chuckle a lot, and made Remus who was sat to his right look on in disgust. Charlie who was sat next to Remus just laughed at Harry's display. But he was beyond caring, he was famished and once he had smelt the food he had gone from hungry to staving. Harry made a solemn vow there and then never to allow old Voldie come between him and his food again.
"You should slow down Harry, you will give yourself indigestion."
Harry looked at Remus and smiled. "What's the point of knowing such a fantastic Potions Master if you can't take advantage now and again?"
"Here, here." Nikolai chuckled next to him, then he leaned over to Severus who was on his right and spoke quietly. "You best have a indigestion potion handy, I think it may be needed soon." Harry could here Severus give out a snort of laughter and then hand him something. Nikolai looked at it and smiled and passed the small vial to Harry. "I think this is what you may have been after."
Harry laughed, "Nikolai, I knew there was a reason I liked you so much. You're smart, funny, handsome and you really know what to give a guy." Harry took the vial with a smile, though he felt fine now the indigestion might kick in later, especially as he was piling up his plate for the third time.
"Harry, your appetite could put anyone's to shame." Charlie laughed at him.
"Not Ron's though, he can still eat more than me."
"Potter I'm going to kill you!" The Great Hall went silent at the screaming voice.
"Sorry Draco, where you talking to me? They didn't quite hear you in Outer Mongolia, maybe next time you could be a little louder." Harry was surprised with himself for not bursting out laughing.
"Potter, I'll kill you for this." Draco was stood up in his own seat at the head table on the other side of Minerva. Every inch of him was flashing red and gold and had dancing lions running around, face, hair, clothes, hands, everywhere! It wouldn't even matter if he changed his clothes, the charm would just move with him to a new outfit.
"Well you could always look on the bright side, Draco."
"Bright side! I can see no bright side!"
"Well the Gryffindor Quidditch team have a match on Saturday and you would make a wonderful new mascot."
"That's it, Potter, outside, you and me now."
Albus also looked as though he was trying not to laugh, as was every other member of staff at the table including Severus. "Now, now boys this is nothing but a bit of harmless fun, there will be no taking this outside." Albus was good; he managed to contain his laughter.
"What!"
"Calm down Draco, it will wear off in a week." Harry said to him.
"A week, you mean I'll look like a bloody mad Gryffindor for a week?" He actually looked a little desperate, Harry almost felt sorry for him until he remembered the green and silver hair. "Well that was how long my hair was green and silver. All is fair in love and war Draco."
"I'll get you, Potter, just you wait!"
"I look forward to it and may the best man win."
"A Gryffindor will never beat a Slytherin on his day."
"We shall see, Draco, we shall see." Harry returned to his meal and tried not to laugh. The hall broke out in loud chatter and laughter.
"Tell me, Potter, how in Merlin's name did you do that?" Severus said across Nikolai who also looked very impressed.
"Lets just say I had a little help from an old Slytherin."
Severus smirked at him, and looked forward even more to reading the translated diaries of Salazar Slytherin. "Bravo Mister Potter, very Slytherin of you."
"Why thank you, Professor." Severus got up from his seat and left the hall with a final look at Draco and a definite smirk on his lips.
"I must say Harry, it is not easy to impress Severus, you really have made an impression on him."
"All for the better I hope?"
"Most definitely. I shall see you at lunch Harry, Remus, Charlie." The vampire swept from the hall with his usual grace that Harry envied. Harry noticed a good number of the students watched him leave with goofy expressions on their faces, he had been right, Nikolai was popular with the student body, but then again why shouldn't he be he was talented and very beautiful.
"Do you fancy taking a walk, Harry? I have to patrol the grounds anyway."
"Sure, Remus, why not?"
***
"So how are you feeling after yesterday, Harry?"
"Good, considering every time I have faced Voldemort in the past I have spent days, sometimes weeks in the hospital afterwards recovering. I think I did pretty well to only walk away with a few scratches and bruises."
"Yes you did, you have grown a lot stronger since we last spent time together."
"Thank you."
"And more confident."
"Thank you again, Remus."
"And has Severus played a part in the new you?"
"Remus." Harry said warningly giving him a sideways glance.
"I mean no disrespect Harry, it is a mere curiosity. You just seem so grown up now."
"That's because I am, Remus, I did many years ago. I had to or else myself and many others would have died by now."
"It just all seems so wrong, you should be out there enjoying life. Not cooped up in a musty old castle putting all your dreams on hold."
"I came to terms with that a long time ago. Hogwarts is the only home I have ever known and I love it here, yes in theory it is a prison but its one hell of a prison!" Harry said with a fond smile. "And I'm not unhappy here, I have Severus here, Albus too and Minerva, Hagrid, Charlie and now you too. It's not such a bad life and it's not forever, I have plans and dreams and one day I shall make them all come true."
"And you want Severus to be there also?"
"Remus!" Harry growled warningly.
"Harry, I'm trying honestly I am. I just want to know if this is a fling for you or if you see this as something more permanent?"
"As of right now I can in all honesty say I see it as forever. I love him with everything I am, sometimes I think I love him too much and I need to pull back but I can't. I am consumed by him. It's like he completes me and compliments me perfectly. He is so passionate, intelligent and beautiful."
"Well I never thought I would hear Snape, sorry Severus, described as beautiful in my life time anyway." Remus said with a rueful smile.
Harry looked at him with a small glare. "He is to me, he may not be your classic beauty like say Nikolai or Cho Chang but to me he is perfect."
Remus gave a little sigh, "Harry, you have it real bad don't you?"
"As bad as you can get." Harry said with a slightly wicked smile and glint in his eye. "Come on we better get your patrol finished."
"Just one more thing then I promise to let it go forever."
Harry looked at him suspiciously. "Go on."
"Has Severus ever spoken to you of your parents?"
"Why?"
"Please Harry, has he?"
"No, I know they didn't get on and I have seen a few of his memories of that time, it was not a happy time for him. We have spoken very little on the subject. Lets say we have an unspoken agreement not to bring it up, if I want to know something I go elsewhere. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
"Why?"
"I just wanted to know if he was trying to corrupt the memory of your parents or not."
"Severus wouldn't do that, not to me, not anymore. Remus please try to see that."
"I will Harry, I promise. Not another word will pass my lips on the subject again."
"Good, now come on this patrol won't finish itself and we have to meet up with Charlie by the Quidditch pitch."
***
Severus was glad the first double period was over, he had fifteen minutes to relax and he retreated to his office for some peace and quiet. He was about to pick up the first translated book of the diaries when there was a knock at his door; he let out a small growl of frustration. "Enter." Severus couldn't stop the roll of his eyes as the wolf walked in. "What is it now Lupin?"
Remus cast several silencing and privacy spells. "I want to ask you a few questions then I shall go and I won't bother you again."
"Fine, spit it out and go."
"Are you in love with Harry?"
"That is none of your business."
"Please answer my questions, I am just looking out for Harry."
"He doesn't need you looking out for him, wolf."
"Harry has just told me how much he is in love with you and how he wants to spend the rest of his life with you, I just need to know that he is not heading for a fall. Are you involved with Harry for a mindless fling or do you love him?"
Severus ground his teeth; he really did not want to have this kind of conversation with the werewolf. He was a lot closer to Albus and he didn't even tell him such personal information. It was private and none of his business! Hell even Nikolai didn't pry and he was his closest friend. "Leave me alone wolf, that is none of your business."
"Fine, next time I see Harry I might just have to tell him that he is wasting his love on a heartless git that is incapable of returning his deep level of emotion!" Remus turned to leave, Severus didn't know if it was the threat of the wolf telling lies to Harry or the fear that Harry might believe him that made him jump up from his seat and race across and grab Remus by the throat and point his wand right at his heart and slammed him into the wall. Severus spoke very quietly.
"Listen very carefully werewolf, you try and come between Harry and I even as little as an inch and I will kill you, do not think that I won't do it because I will, trust me I am very capable. This is not some mindless fling as you so eloquently put it, you can try and degrade it as much as you like but it will never work. Even you, the last remaining of the moronic marauders, cannot destroy what we have, because it is pure and I will fight to keep it that way. Do you understand?" Remus nodded a little under his grip. "Good, because I do not make confessions of love to anyone but the person I love. Maybe I am guilty of not saying it enough but he knows how I feel about him. He knows that if he were to get hurt I would feel his pain, if someone was foolish enough to do him wrong then he knows that I will fight to put it right. If someone is unjust towards him then I shall seek his justice. If someone were to slay him, then I would seek vengeance in the most violent and cruel way imaginable to man and then I would die because life would become unbearable without him in it. Do I make myself clear, wolf?" Severus spat out, mere centimetres from Remus' face, he didn't wait for an answer, and he dragged Remus along his office and opened the door and threw the werewolf onto his ass in the corridor and slammed the door in his face.
***
Harry had finished the diary that contained the opening of Hogwarts, 959 AD. There had been a few more mentions of this new spell he was working on but no incantation or any more hints than what he had found earlier. But it had been interesting to read about the creation of the Chamber Of Secrets. Salazar had built it to protect his family, not to do some noble work as the young Tom Riddle had claimed. Harry was tempted to either send Voldemort an owl, but he was afraid for the bird, or take out a full page add out in the Prophet just to gloat that he was wrong. He wondered if this sick and twisted part of him had reared its head after his sixth year or if it had always been there? Then he remembered wishing Dudley had a broken leg just so he could gloat about him not being able to go to the park anymore, so it seemed as though it had always been there then. But it would be nice to see Riddle's face though! Harry laughed aloud and picked up the next diary, and started to translate it hoping he would find something of use to him other than a history lesson.
April 14, 960
Easter is a muggle religious holiday that wizards have adopted. We do not see it or celebrate it in any religious way, for many years now we have made it a fun holiday, a time for our children to have an excuse to eat far to much chocolate and play fun games like an Easter egg hunt, we have even created a being called the Easter bunny to deliver our children the mounds of chocolate they so desire. For us it is a fun time, I have enough respect for muggles to leave them well alone especially at such at time. I believe their God was crucified, so it is a solemn time for them. That I understand and I respect their wishes enough to be respectful should I have dealings with one. Which is very rarely, even though we decided to accept muggle born witches and wizards into our school. (We made it easier for ourselves by charming a quill and parchment to write down the name of every magical child born; so each year or we have to do is check the list and write off their letters.) Now in theory I have no problem with this. I will admit I am a bit of an elitist, I prefer the idea of pureblood wizards; it just seems a little more natural to me, but I would never hold ones blood against them. A couple of my best students are muggle born or half blood children. At the end of the day, children are innocent and cannot be blamed for their parents or lineage.
But the one thing I do not like about muggles is their preachy nature. This is why almost the entire wizarding world has pulled away and hidden itself from muggle view. We no longer wish to be called abominations and devil worshipers. I never have and never will worship any one of the nine devils in any of the nine hells! They were forever trying to force us to read and follow their holy book, the Bible I believe. Even then it seemed as though they couldn't decide on which God to actually follow, and some of their fellow muggles were persecuted like witches and wizards were for following the wrong version of God. Merlin help us all!
Then the other day this world entered our school. Two children were in the Great Hall; they were seated at the student table and we at the professors' table when two children started to argue.
"Your people killed our Lord and saviour!"
"What?"
"The Jews, you are responsible for the Son of God's death."
"No we weren't, he wasn't the Son of God! He was just some prophet!"
"How dare you, you heathen!"
Then the children started fighting like common muggles, fists flying everywhere, hair being pulled. It was most distressing; we managed to pull them apart and abruptly reminded them their schooling was against everything both of their Gods held true to, that shut them up. It seems such a silly thing to fight about. Really! If they want something to believe in then they should believe in Merlin, at least we all know he was a good guy that never persecuted anyone!
***
Harry stretched out the muscles in his hands, it was lunchtime and he had promised Sev he would show for every meal. He didn't think Sev would accept that he had eaten four breakfasts and wasn't hungry at the moment. He took another look at the diary he was currently working on; it had a couple of interesting things in it but nothing else on these spells he was almost finished with it now, he only had a few months of 960 AD to go. Then it was on to 961 AD.
***
It was Saturday afternoon and Harry had just gotten back from the Quidditch match, it was a good match even though Gryffindor had lost to Ravenclaw by sixty points. It was shaping up to be a very close championship this year and if Harry was a betting man and not currently involved with one Severus Snape he would place his money on Slytherin to take the cup. Last year it had been a two horse race between Slytherin and Gryffindor and Gryffindor won the last match against Slytherin, in doing so claimed the cup. But Gryffindor had lost several of their key players from last year. Their seeker was new; Ron, Dean and Lavender had also graduated so they had four new players out on the pitch, but with some practice and time Harry believed they might be contenders next year. Then again, Slytherin was a young team and they were good and if they kept up the same level as they had in their first match against Hufflepuff, they could be a force to be reckoned with for a few years. Severus would never let him hear the end of this; he thought fondly, he would just have to remind his partner in crime and so much more, of all the defeats Slytherin had suffered at his hands. Harry returned to his desk and picked up his quill again and went back to the page he had left off at.
August 12, 962
Why do people not understand me, I blame Godric for this, he is always causing trouble for me. I don't hate muggles or muggle born witches and wizards, I have the utmost respect for them because they are entering a world of which they thought was the stuff of fairytales and have to learn from scratch what a lot of us take for granted. What I don't like and what I have no time for and I refused to have in my school is Christianity! It has done nothing but persecute us for years. It goes around telling young people that magic is the work of the devil so children are too scared to come to school here believing that we are evil. They are allowing these priests to frighten children with bad stories. I have even heard stories of children being bled in hopes of freeing them of the 'heresy' of magic! I tell you it has gone too far, we are sending letters out to muggle born children and it has become a kind of folklore now that if you receive such a letter you are cursed and the priest will visit you. Most of these children don't even survive this barbaric procedure.
All I suggested was that we hold off inviting muggle born children into our school until the muggles become more enlightened. Of course Godric has turned this around into me being a muggle born hater, I have never hard such rot! My son Aquilla is now fifteen, and he has fallen in love with a lovely girl he meet on his travels to Glasgow last summer. He is with her again this summer he has told me he plans to marry her by next summer I have given him my blessing. I have met her and she makes Aquilla's happy so I like her. She is called Jane and she is a muggle, she knows of our heritage and it does not bother her, and by allowing this marriage I have forever mixed our blood with muggle blood. No matter how many generations or centuries my line continues we will forever have muggle blood running through our veins and it does not bother me. Jane makes my son smile like never before, that is all I care about.
But because of Godric I am now known as the muggle hater, Helga has sided with him, that's because she likes him a lot! Rowena for the moment is staying impartial but even I know that will not last, not as we have more students arrive each year. Rowena came up with an idea to help us manage the students better. She thought we should put them into different groups place them with like-minded people. Godric suggested we sort them into different houses and each of us could be the head of a house, one of his better ideas. He even gave us one of his hats to do the sorting for us. We each spelled it to give it some form of consciousness; I think it worked to well, even if it does have a very cheeky attitude. We each then had to tell it what we looked for in an ideal student so it could seek out the student for us. Rowena was the first to have a go, she asked for all her house members to be keen learners with keen minds that enjoyed nothing more then a good book to learn from. It was very Rowena. Godric went next, I was glad, I wanted to know what he required so I could protect the ones from my house against him. He asked for exact copies of himself, brave, loyal, daring, good soldiers and students that were strong. Typical! Then it was my turn, I asked for intelligent, cunning and logical students, all things I believe everyone should have. Before I could stop them both, Godric and Helga added "and pure of blood." I can only hope the hat did not hear. Then it was Helga's turn, in her typical loving everything fashion she said she would take all the rest and give them a home. All students old and new will be sorted on September 1st into one of the four new Hogwarts' houses.
I am not happy at what Helga and Godric did to me but I will show them, I will take my students and teach them how to be the best. My children have all now nearly grown up and do not need me so much, so I think it is time I give myself over to what I truly love -- creating new magic. I will show Godric not to mess with me when I become one of the most powerful wizards known to man. Not for power or for glory, but just to prove I could do it.
Harry took a deep breath, this diary was really going to piss a lot of people off. It was starting to paint a picture of Godric Gryffindor as being nothing but a bully. Harry didn't know what to do with this information, should he publish it? He would come under a lot of fire for it; he would be called a traitor again like in his second year at Hogwarts. Or he could give it to Albus and let him decide what was best to do with it, but that felt wrong. No, he would continue as he was doing, passing it along to Severus. Harry truly believed that is what Salazar would have wanted; his best friend was Sev's direct ancestor. If Sev wanted it published then he would gladly put his name to it for him, but for no one else. Not for Salazar, not for Albus, but for Severus.
***
It was a nice Sunday morning and Sev was lounging, which was an unusual sight to see such a stiff man lounging, but there he was lounging on Harry's sofa reading one of the translated diaries. He smiled at something he had read.
"Something funny?" Harry asked softly as not to startle him.
"Mmmm, I just read the part about Salazar being happy that his son is marrying a muggle girl because she makes him happy and that it doesn't bother him that there will forever be muggle blood in his line. I was just thinking about anonymously sending the Dark Lord a copy. It would give me a sick satisfaction to see his face fall in horror."
"I'll tell you a secret, I thought about doing the same thing, but instead I wanted to take a full page add out in the paper and tell him the Chamber Of Secrets at first had nothing to do with noble work! That would really piss him off."
"Indeed it would. From the looks of it, his whole philosophy has been based on a lie. Not that that would change anything, he is far too gone."
"Yeah, can I ask you to look at this? I think it's a potion of some kind but I can't work it out. I think his son created it to help out his big project; I just wish he would tell me what his big project was. What kind of man keeps it a secret from even his own diary which is in a language very few people can read?"
"Obviously Salazar Slytherin did. What was it you wanted me to look at?"
"This," Harry handed him the book, which he was translating the latest diary into. He had come across something he guessed to be a potion because his eldest son had made it and a few of the items on the list looked familiar. The rest of it might as well be in double Dutch. Severus sat down on the chair on the opposite side of his desk and looked deep in thought, Harry got on with the next paragraph while Severus worked it out. He knew given enough time Severus would work it out even if it meant he had to disappear into his lab.
What seemed about an hour later Severus finally answered him, "Harry, the reason you have never heard of most of these ingredients is because they are usually very rare, some are possibly no longer available and extremely dark, shall we say? We do not teach the students about them, if they so desire to take potions further they will learn of them at the end of their training."
"Why, what do most of them do?"
"Nothing very nice usually."
"What do you think they do?" Harry asked pointing to the bit of paper Severus had copied the list onto so Harry could have the book back to continue working.
"I could be wrong..."
"I doubt it."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence but I wouldn't hold your breath. It looks like some kind of soul vanquishing draft." Harry looked absolutely horrified. "Indeed."
"Could you make it?"
"If I had to and I had the correct ingredients, though a few of the ingredients might need to have substitutes."
"Well you might have to."
"Do you believe this is what Salazar was leading you too?"
"I don't know." Harry answered quietly.
"It would effectively end the Dark Lord's reign, he would not be dead but he would be incapacitated."
"I don't understand."
"He would become a shell, he would be like a Dementor, a soulless creature that would have to be looked after until his body gave up and died."
"Who would look after him?"
"I don't think there would be an awful lot of volunteers."
"No, there wouldn't. I'm sure I am missing something; I can't see why Salazar would give me the information to turn his only remaining heir into a zombie. It doesn't make sense!"
"The answers may lie in these books somewhere." Severus pointed to the huge pile yet to be translated and Harry gave him a tired smile.
***
Harry was suffering from midweek blues, it was a damp Wednesday around midmorning and he was tired he was spending every spare moment translating the diaries, he was getting quicker with the more practice he got. But it was hard doing all of this and his own course work; Severus and Minerva had both been Godsends in helping him with his studies. He had now finished translating ten years of the journals, 954 – 964, and he was only now getting clues as to what Salazar was trying to tell him.
January 27, 965
I have to admit that for the last few years the house system seems to be working and everything is now settling nicely into place, leaving me with more free time to work on my project.
After showing Alwin what Severus and I have come up with he is happy to help us. I know in theory I will need some powerful charms and who else better to help me create them than a Charms Master. I know what I want them to do, but most attempts on my part have failed. I am not bad at charms but it is not my speciality. I have explained to him that I need a form of a healing charm or maybe a more appropriate term would be cleansing charm. I wish to clean a man's soul, and from the research I have done, a charm is the best form of magic to use. Alwin agrees and said he will set to work on it immediately. I know how to remove the soul and Alwin is clever, he will find a way to cleanse it for me; my next problem is how do I get it back into the body?
***
August 17, 966
We, myself, Severus and Alwin, have the first two steps complete and this summer break has been most productive. For the last three months the three of us have been working closely and we think we have come up with a solution. Part Potions, part Dark Arts and part Charms. We believe if we forge a weapon by our own hands and each use our gifts we can pierce a hole and re-enter the soul and cleanse the aura at the same time. The spells would be tricky and to give me the greatest level of control of my magic I will have my incantations in parseltongue.
***
March 4, 967
First things first, my eldest son and his wife after many years of trying are expecting their first child. I am so happy for them, in what little spare time Severus has he worked tirelessly on creating a magical draft for his wife so she may be able to carry a child. He had told her it would not be the end of the world if they couldn't conceive but she so desperately wanted a child he didn't give up.
Now on to business, we have forged our weapon. Severus thinks he is near completion of his potion. Alwin thinks he has finished his charms and I have almost completed my part of it. I have worked out that first the weapon would need to be charmed, so as not to kill the person on impact. Then it needs to be covered in the potions to stop any bleeding and open up the aura so it can be cleansed. Then as the sword is driven in the final curses in parseltongue need to be chanted to clean the aura of all marks.
We are so close I can feel it; my worry is how do we test this complex series of charms, spells and potions?
Harry pushed back form his table and stood up, his mind racing. Could it be possible that he was reading this right? There was only one place to go to find out, to the man himself, well his portrait anyway. Harry raced from his room almost slamming into Draco on his way along the corridor he yelled, "sorry," over his shoulder and the next person he bumped into was Albus.
"Harry, why the rush?"
"Can't talk, I will need to speak with you, Minerva and Severus in about five minutes. Its very important!" Not waiting for an answer Harry ran back off in the direction of the staff room.
***
Albus hurried back to his office and fire called Minerva and Severus, they came immediately. "Albus, whatever is the emergency?" Minerva asked him clearly concerned; it was not everyday the three top members of staff were all present for an emergency meeting.
"It's Harry..."
"He's alright isn't he? Where is he?" Severus asked alarmed.
"Everything is fine Severus, calm yourself. It is Harry who has asked for us all to be here, he should be joining us soon."
"Albus do you know what this is about?"
"No Minerva, my dear, I don't. I can guess it has something to do with Slytherin's diaries as he was running to the staff room when I bumped into him."
There was a sudden frantic knocking on the door, it burst open and a slightly breathless Harry was stood in the doorway. "Call an Order meeting for one hour's time, I need to get my paperwork together. Oh, and top-level members only, the ones you would trust with yours or my life. No others, and I want Ron and Hermione here also." Harry left the office again before he gave anyone a chance to reply.
"And since when have we taken orders from an eighteen year old pipsqueak?" Severus asked sardonically.
"Since he started giving them I believe, Severus." Severus rolled his eyes and gave a small smile. "I had better get around to placing some calls. Minerva, can I ask you to go and collect Filius and Hagrid? And Severus, can I put upon you the responsibility to contact Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? Your fireplace will be connected to theirs by the time you reach the dungeons."
Both Minerva and Severus left his office and Albus set to making some fire calls.
Next Chapter: Harry has his meeting.
I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking with this fic. I would say that we are almost halfway through this story now. I hope everyone continues to enjoy it and special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review, it means so much to me.
AriadneElda – Thank you, the Vampire protection will be explained in a later chapter in lots more detail.
Deliverance – Thank you very much, I am glad that you like both fics and that you like the OC's I know they can be difficult to like but I worked hard to make them seem like they fit and I'm so happy that it seems to have paid off.
Immortal Memories / ahappyjtm / Tazthedevilman / SandiBebop / athenakitty / Orlando's Gurl / dudems / Pam Briggs / lunakatrina / draconias / Menecarkawan / Dragon Star / Sweet-Schizophrenia / Sakura Snape.
