Right, I DO have an excuse for not updating sooner! Basically, I wrote this chapter, had it all figured, ready to post - when my data stick I had stored it on decided to crash on me! (which is also why there might be a delay in some other fanfictions as well!) But here you go! Chapter 10 - again!

Chapter 10: The other side

Hermione and Piper pelted down off the hall, but Rosie had evidently had more practice in running in long skirts than they had, for she was disappearing down corridors faster than they could turn them.

"Hold it!" Piper stopped Hermione. "We'll never catch her like this!" she flicked her hands and once again, Rosie disappeared in bright blue orbs, before coming together again, looking slightly fazed. Hermione and Piper took advantage of this and raced to her side, Hermione grabbing one arm and Piper the other.

"Alright, alright, you got me." Rosie told them, a little resentfully. "I won't go anywhere!"

"Promise?" Hermione asked, warily.

"Yes!" Rosie agreed, instantly. "I promise!"

"Okay then!" Hermione let Rosie's arm drop. Piper looked at her, a frown crossing her face but dropped Rosie's other arm as well. Rosie instantly raised both hands to her head and massaged her temples.

"I wish you wouldn't do that!" she groaned. "It throbs like hell."

"I'm sorry, you didn't really give us much of a choice." Piper pointed out, her arms folded.

"How did you figure it out in the first place?" Rosie demanded.

"Well, it wasn't so much me as Hermione." Piper said. Hermione waved.

"Sorry, Mehitabel inadvertantly helped." she apologised. Rosie sighed.

"Well, that's just great! If a kid can discover that I am a White-lighter, it's a matter of time before the demons will. Ah! They're going to kill me!" Hermoine turned a deaf ear to her usual reference as: 'kid'.

"Oh, up there, huh?" Piper asked, nodding her head, understandingly.

"Yep, sons of bitches all of them!" Rosie muttered darkly. Hermione's eyes widened at this other side of Rosie. Whatever she was, she was a damn fine actor!

"So, are you here to watch over us or someone else?" Piper demanded.

"I was assigned a charge a couple of years back. A Wicca-Witch, living in the fort. You two coming along was just a coincidence - or fate. Both of them meaning more work for me."

"Well, Piper can take care of herself, she's got an invinsible baby in there!" Hermione pointed out, gesturing to Piper's belly. Rosie looked indifferent.

"No, I've still got another Wicca-Witch to look out for." she said. Hermione could see Piper's eyebrows knit together in confusion, but before Piper could open her mouth, Hermione felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She screamed, whirled around and flung out her arm. Although her hand made no contact, everyone turned to see a figure flying at full-speed towards a wall, hitting it with a sickening crack.

"Whoa." was all Piper said. "Hermione, did you -?"

"I don't know." Hermione answered, staring wide-eyed. Piper raised her eyebrows but pressed her lips together and went cautiously forward. "What did I do?" Hermione asked, directing this question to Rosie.

"That, my young charge, was a rather impressive display of telekenesis." Rosie answered.

"Telekenesis? What -"

"You're a Wicca-witch. Rather powerful one as well. Your powers have been lying dormant for a while. I guess meeting up with Piper and then being in a situation of unknown woke them up. My guess: they're triggered by fear or panic." Hermione nodded, her mouth dry. She looked over to where Piper was bending over the figure, which was now stirring. She crouched down and heaved it (or rather him) to his feet, before moving a short distance away and raising her hands defensivley.

"Alright, any sudden moves or tricks and your manhood suddenly might disappear." Piper warned him. "Or rather, be blown to the 21st Centuary." the guy let out a rather corse, but netherless slightly familiar laugh to Hermione's ears. She gasped.

"You!" Salazar looked up and raised his eyebrows.

"You."

"Wait, you two know each other?" Piper demanded, looking between them.

"Know of each other would be the more appropriate phrase." Hermione muttered.

"Well, could you maybe enlighten us?" Piper prompted. Hermione sighed and opened her mouth.

"Oh no, allow me!" Salazar declared. "I am Salazar Slytherin, the lowest, meanest and most prejudice founder of Hogwarts. I am known infamously for my slyness and deception, having built a secret chamber in Hogwarts that houses a monstor that was sent to kill all the Muggle-borns, my relations have spawned what seems to be the darkest wizard of the age. I am lying, evil, malicious and in short: not to be trusted man."

"This is not the appropriate time to joke." Piper told him, frowning.

"Really? But those are the lines of the description, your young niece gave me, upon making my acquaintance yesterday." Salazar said, cooly, looking at Hermione, who flushed. "Though, I doubt it's her fault. It is merely how I have been represented by my co-founders. Though, I have to say my dear, none of us were as powerful as you. I believe there are few Wicca-Witches who can still wield a wand."

"You know she's a Wicca then?" Rosie asked. Salazar nodded.

"Yes - ever since she first talked to me. Wand-Witches and Wizards don't smell of magic as much as she does."

"You smelt her magic?!" Rosie demanded. "Oh bloody hell!"

"Is that bad?" Hermione asked, worriedly as Rosie was now pacing the floor, agitatedly.

"Hermione, you're more powerful than you know. All that magic stored up inside you, like a dam waiting to burst, it's radiating out waves just to releave the pressure." Rosie explained. "And that's what the demons smell -"

"The more powerful the witch," Hermione cut in, realising.

"The more powerful the demon." Piper finished, going over to stand by Hermione and squeezing her hand.

"You got it." Rosie nodded. "Which is why, I am a tad stressed. Three extremely strong Wicca-Witches in one place at the same time is like shining a light in the dark! They'll come, you realise," she added to Piper. "And we can't even borrow some glamour to cover it up!"

"So, what do we do?" Piper asked. Rosie thought.

"The way I see it," she began. "Is that Piper can pretty much take care of herself. My original charge doesn't even know she has powers yet but Hermione needs to learn - and fast!"

"Learn what? How to be a Wicca?" Piper thought for a moment. "I can teach her that, but I think that she should still learn Wand-magic as well. She's more confident in that."

"True." Rosie agreed, shrugging. "I guess that isn't a problem." she looked over, pointedly at Salazar, who raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry, can't help you." he said, flatly.

"Why not?" Rosie asked. "You don't exactly have anything to loose!"

"I'm beginning to like this side of Rosie." Piper whispered to Hermione who smiled slightly.

"I left Hogwarts to stay away from teaching, not to pick it up somewhere else!" he retorted.

"Well, put it this way." Piper broke in. "That threat about your manhood still stands and you know I can do it too!" Salazar glared, coldly at her, but before he could answer, there were footsteps from the corridor outside.

"Lady Piper?" came Arthur's familiar, polite tones.

"Oh no!" Rosie squeaked, orbing out quickly, the blue lights just disappearing through the ceiling as Arthur entered, Lancelot and Bors either side.

"You alright?" Lancelot asked, looking at the two with concern, evidently picking up on Hermione's flushed face and Piper's pale one.

"Yes, we're fine. Just, the weather you know." Piper told them, off handedly. All men nodded and suddenly caught sight of Salazar.

"And who's he?" Lancelot inquired, his tone suddenly harder.

"He?" Piper asked, flawed for a second, she turned to face Salazar, who kept his eyes to the floor. "He," she said again, turning back to face the three men. "He is my long lost brother, back from the wars." There was a loud crick as Salazar's neck shot up in surprise and Hermione nearly fell over. Arthur, who seemed to not notice this behaviour seemed convinced and went over to Salazar, shaking his hand warmly.

"You are welcome here, sir. Any friend or relation of Piper and Hermione's are welcome here."

"Thankyou my lord." Salazar said, looking Arthur straight in the eye like an honest man.

"No, thankyou. I bid you come and dine with us tonight, you will be our guest." Arthur invited him.

"I... will. Thankyou, I am very much obliged." Salazar agreed eventually.

"Good. I will see you ladies later?" Arthur directed this towards Piper and Hermione.

"See you Arthur." Piper said, curtsieing.

"Yes, see you Arthur." Hermione agreed, giving a short wave and smiling. The three men smiled back and left without another word.

"Right, well, come on Hermione. We have some work to do." Piper said, decisivley, turning to go.

"Wait!" Salazar, called. "Why did you do that?"

"What, get you invited to dinner?" Piper shrugged. "I figure I'd lay the guilt down on you a bit. You know, we do something nice for you, you do something nice for us sorta thing." Salazar frowned.

"And how did you know it would work?"

"Well, I didn't, but I'd say that threat of blowing up your manhood had you pretty convinced already!" Piper smiled. "Which still stands by the way. Come on Hermione." and with that, she swept out the room, Hermione beside her, Salazar's snort of: 'women' following them out.

Phew, glad that's over! Now chapter 11 - and there won't be a shorter delay this time!