PROLOGUE:
Aria heard the cries of the towns people coming closer. Their voices cried out for blood...her blood. She raced around the small hut, trying to find her wand. Her son's cries from the center of the room only frustrated her.
"Hush, Salazar, and help mummy find her wand." She beseeched kindly.
The two year old's sobs only grew louder as the mob came closer. Off in corner in a the small bed came the cries of her new born son, joining those of Salazar's. Her wand no where in site and her two children in need of her, she resigned herself to her fate. She engulfed Salazar in her arms and sat on the bed next to her unnamed infant.
"Salazar, mummy is going away." She fought back the tears that were fighting to be released.
"But why?" Her small boy asked through sobs.
"The people here don't like mummy, and they want her to leave."
A sudden banging on the door interupted Aria. She continued quickly.
"Remember, my son, who you are. The charm I put on you and your brother will cause the villagers to take no notice of you. Once word gets out what happened to me, someone will come and collect you. I want you to behave yourself when they do, alright?"
She looked at her son, a single tear making it's way down her cheek. She kept her gaze on him, as if to memorize his soul in her heart. She scooped her infant in her arms, kissed his cheeks, and placed him back on the bed. She straitened her back as the door burst open and three angry looking men, one with a torch, barged into her hut.
"What do you want?" She asked calmly, not giving her fear away.
"Madame, you are accused of bewitching this town." The man with the torch bellowed, his grizzled features made him look like a huge bear.
"That's right, and we'll be takin' yer to the church council." Another man said.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Aria shot back, still looking cool and calm.
"Yer a witch!" One man shouted, and that seemed to set the mob off, as their cries for blood continued.
The three men enclosed her and forced her to her feet. The mob seemed to take no notice of her sons' cries, for not one of the men even glaced towards the frightened little boys.
The mob was a sea of unrecognizalbe faces, though Aria knew people she had helped in the past were hidden among them. She was directed to the center of the town square. Her bootless feet sank deep into the mud. The shouts and cries surrounded her and she finally gave into her fear. She wondered what had she done. Nothing but good, came the reply within her. She had helped her neighors with their planting by giving the vegetables a little help with magic. She saved the town from an epedimc with a potion she brewed. Then why were they treating her like she was some filthy thing, needing to be rid of?
Suddenly the noise stopped, and Aria could see the crowd part. A man came through, a very tall man waering gray robes and a tall hat. His features were unreadable, and his hands were clasped together in front of his chest, holding a tall cross. Aria knew who he was and despised the fact that she also knew her life was in his hands.
"Aria, daughter of Morvolo and Winifred, wife of the late deceased Malcolm, you are here by charged of witchcraft." A small gleam in his eyes unnerved her. "There are some who blame you for the recent deaths of their children, and demand a sentence of death." He came close to her ear, so only she could hear his next words. "However, my lovely, I could arrange for your life to be spared if you'd rethink my offer."
"I'd rather burn than marry a warlock like you." She spat in his face.
He rubbed the spittle from his cheek, and his lip curled in a cruel twisted smile. The crowd cried louder for her death, and the tall man gave the signal. In a mad rush, piles of dry kindling and logs were placed at Aria's feet. Before she knew it her hands were tied, and the wood lit. As the waves of flame drew nearer, she stared at the man. She knew he had some of the people under the Imperius Curse, and only she could see that the cross he held between his hands contained his wand in the middle.
The flames licked Aria's legs, and crawled up her clothes. She gave an ear splitting scream, and the crowd no longer cried for her blood. Some were even trying to put the fire out, but it was too late. The ashen body of Aria lay unmoving on the ground. She was dead.
* * *
Salazar's sobs had stopped, and something penetrated his being. It was as if a small blanket that had once held him protectively was lifted off, and he felt the reality of the cold world. He looked up in the doorway and a figure was silhouted in the entrance. He came to Salazar and he saw the man's dark hair halo his pale face. Unfeeling eyes sized him up, then turned to the babe on the bed.
"I knew my sister would end this way." He spat. "Trying to live among inferiors. Those Muggles should be gotten ride of." He gave a great sigh, then lowered himself so his eyes were level with Salazar's. "Do you know who I am? My name is Skyler Slytherin, and I felt your mother's death by fire." He gave no reguard to the boy's eyes widening. "Those ruddy Muggles killed your mother! And I am here to take you and your brother to live with me, to learn and grow."
He arose, scooped the infant in his arms, and headed for the door, but there was someone blocking him from leaving. Salazar stayed close to the long black robes of Skyler, looking up at the new intruder.
"Raghnall." Skyler spoke the words as if they were poison in his mouth. "So you know what those cursed Muggles have done to our sister?"
"Yes, I felt the pain." His words were a bit kinder and more sorrowful. His blond hair was tied behind his head. He was dressed in animal skin, and a kelt of dark red fabric. The brothers standing beside each other resembled day and night.
"Do you still feel that we should live as equals, hmm? After what they have done? I say we take revenge and kill the lot of them." His eyes glowed with an evil glimmer.
"No!" Raghnall stood firm. "I believe darker forces were at play here. Skyler, you must believe me, do no harm to the innocent Muggles."
"Innocent!" Skyler shouted, shaking the very roof. "They burned our sister! Do you know what it's like to have your skin melt at the touch of hell's fire? To smell your own hair burn, smoke making it impossible to breathe? Pain! Unimaginable pain!" Skyler grew silent, his chest heaving.
Raghnall looked at his brother in pity, which caused Skyler to grow more angry. "Brother, I cannot pretend to understand why this is happening, or the pain that our sister and your beloved felt. But I sense a stronger magic in this area, stronger than our sister's. Don't be so quick to pass judgment."
"Well, you do what you feel is right, and I'll do what I feel is right." Skyler began walking towards the door, but Raghnall stopped him.
"You're taking Aria's children?" He asked. "Let me take them, Skyler. The northern mountains are no place for children. I'll take them to Southern France where they can grow in warmth. There's an all magic village there, and--"
"And you'll raise them to love those filthy Muggles. I won't have it!"
"Skyler." Raghnall's voice was no longer sympathetic, but now held a sort of authority.
Skyler knew he was no match for Raghnall. He was always able to put up a good fight, magical and physical, but in the end Raghnall had always come out on top. His eyes moved from the infant to Salazar, then to Ragnall.
"Here," He thrust the infant in Raghnall's arms. "You take the child, he'll have no memories of Aria. Salazar, however, will become useful to me."
Before he could protest, Skyler took the boy in his arm and grabbed hold of a broom standing outside the door. In one quick motion he stradled the broom and kicked off into the sky.
Raghnall looked down at the sleeping baby, and love shown in his eyes.
"Little baby, I'll make sure whoever did this to your mother is delt with, but the innocent shall not suffer." The baby gave a little acknowledging whimper, causing Raghnall to smile. "I'll name you...Godric. Godric Gryffindor."
Aria heard the cries of the towns people coming closer. Their voices cried out for blood...her blood. She raced around the small hut, trying to find her wand. Her son's cries from the center of the room only frustrated her.
"Hush, Salazar, and help mummy find her wand." She beseeched kindly.
The two year old's sobs only grew louder as the mob came closer. Off in corner in a the small bed came the cries of her new born son, joining those of Salazar's. Her wand no where in site and her two children in need of her, she resigned herself to her fate. She engulfed Salazar in her arms and sat on the bed next to her unnamed infant.
"Salazar, mummy is going away." She fought back the tears that were fighting to be released.
"But why?" Her small boy asked through sobs.
"The people here don't like mummy, and they want her to leave."
A sudden banging on the door interupted Aria. She continued quickly.
"Remember, my son, who you are. The charm I put on you and your brother will cause the villagers to take no notice of you. Once word gets out what happened to me, someone will come and collect you. I want you to behave yourself when they do, alright?"
She looked at her son, a single tear making it's way down her cheek. She kept her gaze on him, as if to memorize his soul in her heart. She scooped her infant in her arms, kissed his cheeks, and placed him back on the bed. She straitened her back as the door burst open and three angry looking men, one with a torch, barged into her hut.
"What do you want?" She asked calmly, not giving her fear away.
"Madame, you are accused of bewitching this town." The man with the torch bellowed, his grizzled features made him look like a huge bear.
"That's right, and we'll be takin' yer to the church council." Another man said.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Aria shot back, still looking cool and calm.
"Yer a witch!" One man shouted, and that seemed to set the mob off, as their cries for blood continued.
The three men enclosed her and forced her to her feet. The mob seemed to take no notice of her sons' cries, for not one of the men even glaced towards the frightened little boys.
The mob was a sea of unrecognizalbe faces, though Aria knew people she had helped in the past were hidden among them. She was directed to the center of the town square. Her bootless feet sank deep into the mud. The shouts and cries surrounded her and she finally gave into her fear. She wondered what had she done. Nothing but good, came the reply within her. She had helped her neighors with their planting by giving the vegetables a little help with magic. She saved the town from an epedimc with a potion she brewed. Then why were they treating her like she was some filthy thing, needing to be rid of?
Suddenly the noise stopped, and Aria could see the crowd part. A man came through, a very tall man waering gray robes and a tall hat. His features were unreadable, and his hands were clasped together in front of his chest, holding a tall cross. Aria knew who he was and despised the fact that she also knew her life was in his hands.
"Aria, daughter of Morvolo and Winifred, wife of the late deceased Malcolm, you are here by charged of witchcraft." A small gleam in his eyes unnerved her. "There are some who blame you for the recent deaths of their children, and demand a sentence of death." He came close to her ear, so only she could hear his next words. "However, my lovely, I could arrange for your life to be spared if you'd rethink my offer."
"I'd rather burn than marry a warlock like you." She spat in his face.
He rubbed the spittle from his cheek, and his lip curled in a cruel twisted smile. The crowd cried louder for her death, and the tall man gave the signal. In a mad rush, piles of dry kindling and logs were placed at Aria's feet. Before she knew it her hands were tied, and the wood lit. As the waves of flame drew nearer, she stared at the man. She knew he had some of the people under the Imperius Curse, and only she could see that the cross he held between his hands contained his wand in the middle.
The flames licked Aria's legs, and crawled up her clothes. She gave an ear splitting scream, and the crowd no longer cried for her blood. Some were even trying to put the fire out, but it was too late. The ashen body of Aria lay unmoving on the ground. She was dead.
* * *
Salazar's sobs had stopped, and something penetrated his being. It was as if a small blanket that had once held him protectively was lifted off, and he felt the reality of the cold world. He looked up in the doorway and a figure was silhouted in the entrance. He came to Salazar and he saw the man's dark hair halo his pale face. Unfeeling eyes sized him up, then turned to the babe on the bed.
"I knew my sister would end this way." He spat. "Trying to live among inferiors. Those Muggles should be gotten ride of." He gave a great sigh, then lowered himself so his eyes were level with Salazar's. "Do you know who I am? My name is Skyler Slytherin, and I felt your mother's death by fire." He gave no reguard to the boy's eyes widening. "Those ruddy Muggles killed your mother! And I am here to take you and your brother to live with me, to learn and grow."
He arose, scooped the infant in his arms, and headed for the door, but there was someone blocking him from leaving. Salazar stayed close to the long black robes of Skyler, looking up at the new intruder.
"Raghnall." Skyler spoke the words as if they were poison in his mouth. "So you know what those cursed Muggles have done to our sister?"
"Yes, I felt the pain." His words were a bit kinder and more sorrowful. His blond hair was tied behind his head. He was dressed in animal skin, and a kelt of dark red fabric. The brothers standing beside each other resembled day and night.
"Do you still feel that we should live as equals, hmm? After what they have done? I say we take revenge and kill the lot of them." His eyes glowed with an evil glimmer.
"No!" Raghnall stood firm. "I believe darker forces were at play here. Skyler, you must believe me, do no harm to the innocent Muggles."
"Innocent!" Skyler shouted, shaking the very roof. "They burned our sister! Do you know what it's like to have your skin melt at the touch of hell's fire? To smell your own hair burn, smoke making it impossible to breathe? Pain! Unimaginable pain!" Skyler grew silent, his chest heaving.
Raghnall looked at his brother in pity, which caused Skyler to grow more angry. "Brother, I cannot pretend to understand why this is happening, or the pain that our sister and your beloved felt. But I sense a stronger magic in this area, stronger than our sister's. Don't be so quick to pass judgment."
"Well, you do what you feel is right, and I'll do what I feel is right." Skyler began walking towards the door, but Raghnall stopped him.
"You're taking Aria's children?" He asked. "Let me take them, Skyler. The northern mountains are no place for children. I'll take them to Southern France where they can grow in warmth. There's an all magic village there, and--"
"And you'll raise them to love those filthy Muggles. I won't have it!"
"Skyler." Raghnall's voice was no longer sympathetic, but now held a sort of authority.
Skyler knew he was no match for Raghnall. He was always able to put up a good fight, magical and physical, but in the end Raghnall had always come out on top. His eyes moved from the infant to Salazar, then to Ragnall.
"Here," He thrust the infant in Raghnall's arms. "You take the child, he'll have no memories of Aria. Salazar, however, will become useful to me."
Before he could protest, Skyler took the boy in his arm and grabbed hold of a broom standing outside the door. In one quick motion he stradled the broom and kicked off into the sky.
Raghnall looked down at the sleeping baby, and love shown in his eyes.
"Little baby, I'll make sure whoever did this to your mother is delt with, but the innocent shall not suffer." The baby gave a little acknowledging whimper, causing Raghnall to smile. "I'll name you...Godric. Godric Gryffindor."