Choosing a book had been difficult, but both Eris and Avril decided to research more on the unicorn and what a warning from one would mean for them. They didn't really pay attention to the clock that Avril had wished into being on a far wall for emergencies, but Avril herself could feel in her aching muscles and tired eyes that it was late. She had wondered if Eris ever slept, as the girl never seemed the least bit sleepy.

So instead of worrying over the fact that Eris seemed to be an insomniac, Avril diverted her attention to taking notes on magical facts on the unicorn. It wasn't very useful, really.

"The unicorn - a magical animal with the body of a horse, cloven hooves of a goat, and one spiraling horn atop its head - is said to be the purest of all magical creatures. For this known reason, the unicorn will only approach a virgin maiden, or one young girl who is just as pure as the unicorn. The unicorn has been known to communicate with the maidens, but what is expressed between them is unknown.

"For additional information, flip to 'Horned Animals of Natural History', Page 59."

Avril did flip, but very little was said about the unicorn there. The rest of the information was basic and she already had it memorized.

So unicorns could communicate with young girls pure of heart, but what did they want to tell them? Eris and Avril may be pure, but they still couldn't hear the unicorns - they hadn't met one up close yet…

Avril thought it best to bring this point up another night.

She searched other books but came up empty handed.

When the clock struck four in the morning, Avril stretched and closed another large volume on magical beasts (one that had been no more resourceful as the previous). She looked over to Eris and asked, "Can we leave now?"

Eris didn't look up, but replied, "I suppose... It's what, 4 o'clock?"

Avril stared at her in irritation. Eris said it so flippantly. She was definitely an insomniac.

"Yes. I have three hours of sleep to get if I'm lucky. And I'm never lucky."

Avril hated losing good sleep. She needed at least eight hours a night, and Eris was quickly turning that into a luxury of the past.

"Three? That's a dream. Now…" Eris closed her book as well, but instead of putting it back on the shelf, she slid it into a pocket in her robes. "Let's go to the kitchens."

Avril sighed. Is she still on about that? she wondered to herself, but said, "Why do we have to go to the kitchens all the way below the Great Hall? When we can just wish food into being here?"

"I want chocolate cake for breakfast."

"Of course you do." Avril groaned as she imagined having to traverse even more stairs. "Fine. But I'm going to ask for coffee in the morning then."

"You may wanna hurry then. Honestly, why you made us wait so long I'll never know." Eris gave Avril a wink and a smirk and then went into the corridor.

"Yes blame me." Avril followed into the hall and they started down the stairs, the door to the Room of Requirement disappearing behind them.

Avril took a moment as they walked to actually look at the portraits they passed. They had four flights of floors and stairs to cover, so she spent her time as she normally would. Examining things that were intriguing. She came upon one portrait of two men that seemed to date back a long while. She stopped - Eris stopped shortly after - and took notice of every detail. She soon remembered that the pictures in this castle tended to move... One of the men, the one with a long black beard and a startling dark expression, glowered at her and tried to speak something. The other man stopped him by making a gesture boldly. He was a very robust man, with golden hair and red robes. He had a cordial face, but a strong expression. Avril then realized that these two men were Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor! The founders of Avril's and Eris's Houses! "Eris! Look!"

She pointed excitedly.

"Bloody... You can't be serious. Godric and Salazar. Best of friends turned enemies... Willingly in a painting with one another."

Avril nodded, in shock as well. "I heard that they have never been seen in a portrait together since they became enemies." She looked back up at the portrait in amazement.

Thought they didn't look happy about it, the two founders were bearing each other's company.

"But, why would they share one now?"

The darker wizard, Salazar, glared at her and shuffled his black robes ominously. "What a day and age we have stepped into. Young witches forgetting their places in the world. Tsk, tsk."

Godric let out a harsh laugh. "As if that wasn't how we first became friends, Salazar! I stepped straight up to you and began to speak, just as this one!"

Salazar still glowered. "Too bold for anyone's well-being. But that isn't why we're stuck here in this portrait and it is getting us really far, isn't it? But do go on, I just love wasting my time with snippy first years."

Avril stuck her nose in the air primly. "We aren't snippy, thank you. We are just wishing to know why you together when everyone with a brain knows you are enemies."

Eris glared firmly at Salazar. "I'll have you know that we're perfectly not snippy. We're perfectly us. You, however, seem as though something is wrong. So, tell us: who pissed in your corn flakes?"

Godric gave a bold laugh and thumped Salazar firmly on the back. "You're going to lose this battle, Sal! It won't be the first, mind."

Salazar looked as though he could spit fire, but instead of answering he rubbed the wand in his hand thoughtfully. "'Tis a shame not to be able to procure magic through canvas isn't it, Gryffindor?"

Avril decided to get back on the task at hand like any good productive Slytherin would do... And wait... She was a Slytherin... A Pureblooded Slytherin! Witch or not, if she could get onto Salazar's good side, who knows what she could dig out of him!

She smiled up at the picture and the older wizard must've taken it as a sign that she enjoyed his cynical remark and thus set a proud look on his face. "I was wondering, Sir," she began. "Do you know why the Slytherin Commons stay so wonderfully warm when we're under a cold lake?"

Salazar looked shocked but then skeptical. "Am I supposed to discern that you are in the Noble House of Slytherin?"

Avril glared. "Oh course I'm in Slytherin! What do you take me for? A Hufflepuff? Well! I'll have you know! I am a Zetta and my mother was a Nott and-"

Salazar held up a pale hand. "Say no more. Notts are most welcome in my House. Zettas as well, as long as they are truly Slytherin at heart." He cornered her with a strong gaze. "But don't think I don't know what you're doing, Young Zetta. Anyone who would be wise enough to try and delve into my sources of knowledge and power are, of course, true Slytherins. You shall do well."

Avril beamed at such praise, even if it was from a long passed and extinct wizard.

"Does that mean you, too, are Slytherin?" Godric questioned, his eyes boring down on Eris. "What is your name?"

"Eris Black. I'm -"

Salazar was practically out of the frame with pride now. "A Black in our midst! Oh, that line never fails me! As long as we are not mentioning that horrid rebel that you were telling me of, Gryffindor. A Black and a Nott in Slytherin!"

Avril cleared her throat. "Zetta."

But Salazar didn't hear. "If only this canvas weren't my prison! I would rule the school! Dear Young Black, what-"

"-Gryffindor. I'm not in Slytherin." Eris held her head up proudly, clearly unashamed. "I am nothing like my family. Their hearts were cold and they were cowards. I'm not."

Avril thought that Salazar would burst through the painting to choke Eris out of her - or maybe, to her - senses, he seemed so livid.

"Ha! A member of the Black family in my House! Very nice... You must be the daughter of Sirius Black. He was the first Black to ever be in Gryffindor... Yes, you look like him..."

Godric turned his stare to Salazar. "Tell me, Sal," he began.

It looked like Salazar wanted to punch him.

"What do you think of the fact that I have a member of the Black family? The... how many are there of you?"

"I'm the only one," Eris said slowly, looking a bit unsure. Or, more exactly, like she was trying not to think of something. Avril knew that Eris knew well enough that Sirius Black was in Azkaban. But Avril kept quiet about that subject.

Godric frowned. "You? The only one?"

Eris shifted her weight to the side. "Yep."

Godric decided not to dwell on this and turned back to Salazar. "What do you think, Sal? I have the one and only heir of the Black name. How does that curdle your stomach?"

Salazar straightened in a purposeful way. "You may have her. Well, the Blacks were to run out sometime or another, I suppose. See that their line will end in your House - it brought them to ruin."

Avril was wondering where this was taking them, and why they hadn't told Avril and Eris why they were here.

"Excuse me," she tried calmly, and all attention was transferred to her. "You still have not answered our question. Why are you here? Together?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" Godric smiled down at the two. "There are two of us - there are two of you. One a set of the past... One a set of the present."

"Okay, so me and Avril are friends like how you and Sal over there were." Eris placed her hands on her hips. "Meaning what exactly? We're just like y - Avril!"

Eris turned quickly on her heel, her wide eyes landing on the blonde. "Our wands! They connected! Ollivander said it'd happened before... But he never said who."

Eris turned back to the portrait, a look of excitement all over her face. "It was you! Your wands connected like ours, didn't they?"

Salazar narrowed his black eyes in distrust at Eris.

Avril gasped too. "That would make perfect sense! Ollivander said that he'd never seen it happen, but had heard of it! It has to be you two."

The patriarch of Slytherin crossed his arms defiantly. He wasn't responding. So Avril turned to Godric Gryffindor.

Godric was staring intently at Salazar, as if waiting to see if he would say anything. After a moment, Godric looked back at the young Slytherin in front of him. "It was us, all those years ago. We were the best of friends - we never dreamed that we'd separate the way we did."

"Why do you think this is happening after all these years?" Eris asked.

"Not too long after the two of us parted ways, there was a prophecy stating that things would be repeated. It said that several things would be repeated in the years to come. We knew at once that this would be one of the things to happen. We've been awaiting your arrivals for quite some time, young ones."

Salazar scoffed. "Yes, but I was predicting it would be two young wizards that would step forward. But, no. We have to instruct these two."

Avril really wished she could prove her worth, but thought the better of it and said to Gryffindor, "But, what role do we play in this? We are just two girls."

Salazar glanced at her, as though assessing whether she was worth his time and effort before saying, "Let's just say that your roles are nearly the size of the foretold Potter's is..."

Avril gaped. "I - I doubt that highly, Sir."

"The Potter family? You can't be serious. Harry killed Voldemort. What did we do that was so special?"

"It's not what you did do... Even though you said He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named's name... Voldemort has played a part in one of your lives already. He will play a part in it again." Godric gave them a look that gave away very little of what he was thinking.

Avril looked down at her feet. It wasn't hard to determine who Godric had been discussing when he said "In one of your lives already..." Eris had had a hard life - that much was true. And Avril often felt dirty in her presence for having a father and a mother and a family. But then, she couldn't pity Eris, she would never pity Eris. The girl would hate that beyond words. And when Avril made a friendship, she tried her best to keep it, and to keep it strong. So instead of dwelling on that saddening realization that Gryffindor had professed, Avril asked, "So our futures are determined then? We have to do something... Be it lowly or not, we'll do it."

Salazar raised a dark eyebrow. "Do I detect a spark of bravery in you, Young Zetta? That is most uncommon for a Slytherin."

Avril sneered up at him, just about fed up with his retorts on her characteristics. "Spare me your judgment and spit out our orders."

"Ah, she's got the bravery you lack in your old age, Sal! Clearly she's the perfect Slytherin for the job."

"What do we have to do," Eris asked. Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Your fate is decided already," Godric told her. "You need only follow it's path."

"And what if I don't want to?" Eris's voice was becoming as fiery as normal. Her stubbornness firing up within her again.

Salazar rolled his eyes and went to stand up. "This is an obvious waste of my precious time, so, if you don't mind-"

Avril ran up to the portrait and nearly yelled into it to grab his meandering attention. "We DO mind, so please sit and explain. How do we follow the path?"

"Tell us... Or I'll lock you in that portrait forever." Eris held up her wand, pointing it straight at Salazar's face. "And don't underestimate me. I know more magic than you think."

Salazar eyed the wand that was drawn on him and stroked his beard in a pensive, absent state. Before he sat down he jerked his hand away from his beard and growled. "Preposterous portrait..." Then he sat, but with a thump and a sneer.

Avril nodded and urged Eris to put her wand away then said politely. "Your cooperation is most appreciated. Now, answers."

Salazar aimed a long look her, then at Godric, and then at the ceiling above them, which was actually the night sky, as though they were either outside or that they were currently sitting casually in the Great Hall this very moment. It was tempting to go and see if they were there, but Avril knew that the ceiling there changed back to normal when not in use. And that this whole portrait before them seemed a bit suspicious to begin with. So why would they be in the Great Hall? It made no sense. They wouldn't wan to be in a painting together, so why were they here. The thing from the "past" and "present" was starting to wear on her nerves. Why couldn't they be dealing with the one time that she was associated well with - the future. But she still had to know why these two founders showed themselves to two young girls. And if there was a prophecy to be foretold, Avril was there.

So she merely pulled up a chair. "Do try and make this quick, please."

She sat and watched as Eris sat in her own chair like... A monkey? She was perched on her toes with her chin near her knees, as though squatting. Avril shook off a comment and said to the portrait, "It's nearly 4:30 and the professors wouldn't fancy finding us out here. And I still want some sleep." She crossed her legs primly.

"Losing sleep doesn't bother me…" Eris said, her face set in a determined way. " But I have to sit with her for the rest of the day, so if she's going to be grumpy, I'm coming back to destroy this portrait. So talk quickly."

"Well, Sal, you had best speak quickly." Godric sat quite still, staring at the other beside him.

Salazar sighed. "The prophecy told us that two children, a Slytherin and a Gryffindor, would bring the school, the Wizarding world, and, if done properly, some of the Muggle world, out of turmoil. (Why you would want to help those pathetic excuses for human beings, I will never know.) The two were each to have powers that were known only to themselves - powers far different from that of the other, but powers that go hand in hand and help the other significantly. Hogwarts will thrive after these two unite their powers and forget their differences. Their fates are intertwined and will be so forever.

"That was all the prophecy said," Salazar finished anticlimactically. "The end. Lord, I feel as though I'm telling two children a bedtime story."

Avril yawned. "Oh, yes, please tuck us into... Oh, sorry. We're in terribly uncomfortable wooden chairs we found in a broom cupboard. Lovely."

Avril returned her chair to its original place in the closet, then turned to Eris. "Can we skip the kitchens?"

Eris pouted. "I want my chocolate cake."

Avril sighed. "One stop by the kitchens, just for our coffee and cake."

"Yes!" Eris bounced lightly on her feet, clearly the least bit tired. "Onwards, Child of Slytherin!"

Avril shook her head, but smiled anyway. Behind them, Salazar made a disgruntled noise. "Am I related to her? Are we related to those two? Godric! Answer me!"

"No one related to me could be from a Slytherin family," Godric said. He cast a withering look at Salazar before rolling his eyes. "Then again, anyone can be born from us. We were around several hundred years ago. Perhaps those fiery twins are in fact your several times great grandsons?"

Eris turned to look at them. "The twins?"

Salazar glared. "This discussion is deemed finished. Run along, now."

Avril glared back at him for treating them like five year olds, and then tugged Eris away.

"Wait, how did they know about Fred and George? This stretch of corridor's useless... Why would they be up here?" Eris glanced back at the portrait to see Godric and Salazar silently fussing with each other

Avril shrugged helplessly. "I wish I knew. I really do..."

They made their way down to the kitchens and after a few quick words about the odd subject, they came to a picture of a fruit bowl.

"After you," Avril said.

"Don't mind if I do. I've always wanted to tickle a pear." Eris reached up and placed her fingers lightly on the pear, moving them lightly yet quickly. After a second or two, a door knob appeared. Eris twisted it and pushed it open, allowing herself and Avril entrance.

They spotted all the elves, still running around, cleaning and prepping. Elves were not unusual for Avril, whose family had owned one for a brief time before Aquarius deemed them unnecessary and dirty and expensive. The last bit was shocking, as most Pureblood families never pay their slaves. But, through his rough exterior, Aquarius Zetta had a soft heart. Avril knew this and though she seldom saw it, she knew it was there. So they had let Binny go, for her own sake and theirs. And from then on, a regular maid did the housework, or Avril herself did for allowance. Avril now smiled at the elves as they rushed up to help.

Eris spoke first.

"Aloz! I haven't seen House Elves in... A while. We'd like to ask a for a few... Special things to be added in the mornings from now on." Eris smiled at the House Elves, who looked eager to hear their requirements.

"Yes and if it wouldn't be too much trouble not to mention this to any staff..." Avril kneeled to the elves' levels to whisper. "I would like freshly brewed coffee each morning, strong and black, no cream or sugar."

"And chocolate cake. The more chocolate, the better."

The elves nodded and a few bowed. Avril and Eris thanked them and promised a favor in return, which was of course turned down with frowns. They left, very pleased.

"Well, I guess we go back to bed now, and its nearly-" Avril checked her nonexistent watch. "Almost five."

"Most likely 5:15." Eris said. She cracked her fingers as they walked. "Yep, it feels like 5:15."

Avril rolled her eyes. "You would know. Well, I need rest, unlike some, so, goodnight, Eris."

"Goodnight, Avril."

Avril tried to imagine the best way to fall asleep and get maybe two hours of rest and still look and act refreshed in the morning. But for all the ways she thought up, none seemed worth the effort.

They parted ways to their dorms, but their thoughts remained in the same place: What about Salazar and Godric and that prophecy?

As Avril walked down yet even more stairs to the Slytherin Common Room, she couldn't help but wonder about that prophecy, not to mention the unicorn. Her mind was swirling with questions that needed answers. But she was just one eleven year-old girl. Maybe she was nowhere near normal, but she was still only eleven.

She got into her bed as quickly as possible after preparing for sleep. When rest finally did come to Avril in that span of three hours before sunrise, it was not a calm slumber. It was one with black and white dreams, running as if on an old film. They were in slow motion and quite fuzzy. Voices came out silent and sounds were muted. All in all, they were exactly like a movie from the early century.

And when Avril awoke, it was seven thirty, loud noises erupted outside her room, and someone was yelling through her door.

"AVRIL! It's time for breakfast, it is! Don't ye be sleepin' me time away!"

Stephen. A frustrated Stephen with his thick brogue coming out.

Avril ignored his shouting, and got out of bed. After she rubbed sleep from her eyes, and blinked a few times she tried her voice. It was scratchy and came out small. "I'm up." It was a whisper; Stephen would never hear it.

Of course he didn't hear it, and kept bellowing through the door. "It's sleepin' ye luv more than yer blasted coffee, I'll wager, then!"

Another muffled voice came through as Avril went to respond. "Leave her, O'Neil."

It was that Flint boy. Mitchell. He was a leech, if Avril every saw one.

So Avril threw a shoe at the door. "I'M UP!"

It went dead quiet after he outburst, then:

"God's nightgown, woman!" Stephen nearly squealed. "It's about ruddy time!"

Avril rolled her eyes at the old saying and started her day. But any day that began with a good earful of yelling from an Irishman was to be a long, loud one.

As she prepared herself for classes, Avril tried to bring back the dreams she'd had. They were evasive, though, and the more she tried to recall them, the less their existence seemed to be real. They slipped right through her fingers like sand, or smoke. She grappled for them, but never had the upper hand on them.

'Why,' she wondered, 'is it that I can remember a vision quite clearly, but dreams never stay with me?'

'Maybe because my visions are only colors and shapes! Primary objects that a two year-old can remember!'

'Shut up! The dreams were black and white, I know that much…'

'Black and white or precision color, doesn't matter. The dreams were defined shapes.'

'Sure, but what shapes?!'

'If I knew, I wouldn't be asking that to myself, would I?'

'Maybe I should ask someone who would know more than me?'

'That's an idea, but is it a logical one? Wouldn't I find more answers in a book, or-'

'What about dreams are even logical? Minds invent dreams.'

'True. Dreams are merely illogical yearnings, as Grandmother would say.'

'And Grandmother is always right, I know.'

'But who would I even ask?'

'…'

'I am so helpful…'

'Just don't tell Eris. She already thinks something is of with me…'

'There is something off with me…'

'Hang on, Grandmother also advised me that when it came to visions, I should ask the Headmaster.'

'Dumbledore? He's a bit out there, though.'

'So are my visions and dreams.'

'Visions and dreams are not nearly the same thing. Big differences.'

'Yes, but I should still ask Dumbledore, I think.'

'You think, wonderful.'

' "Hello Headmaster. Have you had any black and white dreams, perhaps? Or, maybe, dreams you cant even remember? How do you recall a dream if you need to?" '

Avril sighed. How would she bring questions such as those about?