Salazar's next great adventure

Salazar Slytherin turned toward the white statue and pronounced the command in Parseltongue that opened the way to the basilisk's lair. When the snake arrived at their feet, he was holding a green jewel that he placed delicately in Harry's hand. He then stood at his feet, patiently observing the scene he knew was about to happen.

'Do you know what this is?' Asked Salazar as Harry was turning the jewel in his hands to inspect it.

'I don't know… A precious stone?' Tried Harry. 'Emerald maybe?'

'You described it correctly,' smiled Salazar mysteriously. 'That's interesting…' He pointed toward the black streak near the fountain. 'Where did you get the idea of destroying Tom's diary three years ago? What made you think you could beat him this way?'

'Well, he was linked to the diary,' answered Harry. To be honest when he had taken the decision to strike it, he had just been bitten by the basilisk and didn't really know what he was doing. 'I don't know how I understood it, but somehow I believed the diary was Tom Riddle.'

'And he was Tom Riddle,' approved Slytherin. 'He was Tom Riddle's memory from 1943.'

Harry considered the Emerald more closely. It was no ordinary stone. It was almost like it was alive.

'Are you saying that this stone contains your memory?' He asked suddenly very aware of the jewel's brittleness.

'Mr Potter, do you know what an Horcrux is?'

'A Horcrux…' Repeated Harry searching his memory. The word was familiar… Somehow. And yet he didn't remember where he could have read it of heard of it. 'No, I don't know what an Horcrux is, Sir.'

'A Horcrux is an object where one can embedded a fragment of their soul. A memory of their own person, if you see what I mean,' said Salazar with a twinkling gaze. 'It can be used for many purposes such as lasting through time.'

Harry's eyes went from the jewel to Salazar and back on the Emerald.

'Is this… your Horcrux,' he said through his breath. He realised the preciousness of the true relic he was holding. 'I have never heard of this…' Something was wrong. He couldn't understand the point of desiring immortality as he didn't want it. However, he knew about wizards who had sought it. One wizard in particular, Nicholas Flamel. 'But then,' he continued, 'why isn't this magic not widely used?' He asked. 'Why would wizards and witches go as far as creating something like the Philosopher's Stone to survive through time instead of just… producing an Horcrux?'

'Finely observed, Mr. Potter,' approved Salazar. 'To answer your question, we must consider two… details about the process of creating this type of artefact. Surely you can understand that something that valuable has to come at a great price?' Harry nodded. 'Well, let me tell you about it. You can create as many Horcruxes as you want. But for each one, you will lose a fraction for your soul.'

'So, for those who wish to achieve immortality,' said Harry slowly, 'you could create several Horcruxes to make sure you survive if one of them is destroyed?' He glanced at the black streak. As Salazar had explained to him, his memory was of the same kind as Tom Riddle's. The diary had been an Horcrux. The puzzle was assembling in his head. Voldemort had made many Horcruxes. He had made sure destroying him wouldn't be an easy task.

'Is there a way to know how many Horcruxes have been created?'

'I see the quality of your inquiries is improving, young man,' said Slytherin with satisfaction. 'Which brings me to the second detail. The second part of the price. The first one was a fragment of your soul, the second one is life itself.' Harry's eyes widened in horror. 'Yes Mr. Potter, to successfully enclose your soul in an object you need to steal the life of someone else for the ritual to be completed. Therefore, you can't have more Horcruxes than the number of people whose life you stole.'

'I think the correct word is murder,' replied Harry acidly. He looked at the Emerald he was holding with disgust. 'And who did you kill?'

'No one,' said Salazar with a mischievous tone. 'I have always believed that rules are there to be played with. When I created the Chamber, my time was almost done. But I was curious. I wanted to see if my plan would work. If my legacy would be respected. The Horcrux was the best solution, but I didn't want just a fragment of my soul to survive through the ages. I wanted the best artefact as possible, and to fulfill this wish there was only one life worthy of the most powerful Horcrux of them all.'

'You took your own life,' realised Harry.

'Precisely,' replied Slytherin. He sounded quite proud of him. 'Which is a bit ironic. As time passed, I started to understand my mistake. Thanks to my basilisk I was observing my school, learning in the dark, improving my magical knowledge.' He chuckled, bitterness pointing in his voice. 'Blood has nothing to do with magical affinity. This is perhaps the greatest lesson I have ever been granted to learn.' He raised his gaze contemplating his Chamber. 'And because of it, I doomed my lineage to reproduce this fallacy over and over.'

Silence filled the room. They could only hear drops of water in the distance and the soft hiss of the young basilisk curled-up near Harry. The boy respected the quietness. He was feeling crushed by the significant task that was awaiting him. He still had one question though.

'Sir how can one find any Horcruxes at all?' He asked breaking the silence.

'Ah, that is the question isn't it,' replied Salazar. 'I won't lie to you, they will be hard to recover. However, Voldemort has a flaw. He is obsessed with powerful meaningful artefacts. Besides, to have the strength to hold a soul fragment, the object you choose must be of that sort of nature.' He paused a few seconds. 'If I were you, I would start with the House of his ancestors. The family of Gaunt. There is a precious ring he went to seek there while he was at Hogwarts. I wouldn't be surprised he used it to serve his purpose.'

The family of Gaunt. This name didn't mean anything to Harry. He would have to do his research. Another question rose in his mind but this one wasn't for Slytherin: should he involve Dumbledore? Should he warn him?

'Remember our deal,' said Salazar eventually. 'You bear my Heritage and as such I ask you to save Tom Riddle. Please.'

Green met green. Was Slytherin begging him, Harry Potter, nemesis of Lord Voldemort?

He had absolutely no idea of how he would proceed. But he had promised. Slytherin had respected his part, training him in the Chamber night after night. Patiently, progressively. He had given him all the knowledge he needed to succeed. He had given him Voldemort's secret. It was now time for him to step forward.

Salazar's humility humbled him. He was a Gryffindor, now Heir of Slytherin. Did he really have the shoulders to carry this responsibility?

The founder approached him.

'You won't be alone.' He lowered his gaze on the basilisk who hissed in approval. 'He will help you as you are now his master. As you are now the master and guardian of the Chamber of Secrets. You're the Heir I never knew I had.' He smiled. 'And when I will tell this to Godric, he will never believe me.'

Tell Godric… Harry raised the Emerald at his eyes level.

'You want me to destroy your Horcrux,' he said reluctantly. 'But then… then you'll be gone!'

'Which is the point of everything eventually,' nodded the founder. 'My time here is long overdue. Don't see this as way of ending me, but rather releasing me.'

He observed the young Gryffindor put the precious stone on the edge of the fountain, near the black streak.

'To destroy an Horcrux, as it is an object of consequential magic, you must use a magic at least as powerful.' The basilisk hissed while rising. He knew what his old master wanted him to do. 'I see our friend here understands what I mean,' laughed Salazar while looking at the snake affectionately. 'The venom of the basilisk destroys any physical matter that comes into contact with it.'

Harry looked at Salazar and then the snake. This is why he had inherited the basilisk too. Slytherin had not let any details slip.

'Well come on, young man,' said Salazar impatiently. 'You are in charge now and you have to give him the order.'

'But I am not ready to let you go!' Thought Harry with despair.

'Ah Gryffindors…' Sighed the old wizard when he saw Harry hesitate. 'Incorrigible Gryffindors.' He smiled again and the hint of tender in it led Harry to believe that it was for the snake again. But no. Salazar was looking straight at him. The founder raised his hand to his beard and grabbed the silver snake that was holding it. He handed it to Harry who took it delicately. As his hand closed on the trinket, it magically animated itself and went slightly above his wrist and gently rolled itself around it.

'A Slytherin never hesitates,' he declared in Parseltongue. 'I wouldn't be leaving if I didn't think you were ready. Through your actions, Gryffindor and I shall be eternal.' His eyes were intensely buried in Harry's look. But the boy didn't blink.

'Now, young man,' finally said Salazar Slytherin, 'if you don't mind, I am expected. And I would like you to be kind enough to not hold me any longer.'