Chapter 15 - History, Heritage and Prophecy

Kathy had been so deep in thought that she almost walked straight past her mum's office, but quickly realized. She stood looking at the large wooden door. What exactly was she going to say anyway? She lifted her hand and knocked loudly.

The door opened it was Lupin who was trying to make himself look half decent wrapping a towel around his waist. "Oh for goodness sake give it a break." She said before asking if she could come in.

Her mum had quickly dressing in a bathrobe and looked slightly flustered. Lupin mumbled something about some assignments he had to mark and taking a pinch of floo powder walked through the fire back to his own quarters.

This left Kathy and her mum alone. Kathy told her mum what the hat had said and sat patiently waiting for an explanation.

"Oh well erm, let me see, why did he do that, he knew what it would say?" Kathy looked slightly bemused and wondered whether McGonagall was talking to herself or Kathy. "Yes" she said looking Kathy in the eye, "We are both Slytherins by blood, but not by the way we act, do not let it get you downhearted for the hat still put you in gryffindor, I mean come on I'm even afraid of snakes, we're not like them that was a long time ago." Kathy stared in disbelief.

"Do any of the other professors know about you being a Slytherin?" Kathy asked rather astonished.

"Erm no, well Professor Dumbledore does but that's it." She said with a sigh. Kathy giggled "What?" her mum asked looking slightly put off.

"A Slytherin for head of Gryffindor. That's original." Kathy grinned even more broadly and ended up just hugging her mum and giggling together.

"Yes well, I'm a gryffindor at heart and I'd be very grateful if you didn't tell any one about this ok."

"Ok she agreed."



Some time later Kathy was back in Gryffindor tower playing a game of wizard's chess with Ginny. Hermione was sat beside them doing her History of Magic essay while Harry and Ron were out exploring the castle.

Neville made his way over to their table and smiled shyly at Ginny. She stood up and they left the common room in total silence holding each other's hand. They were now officially a couple. Ginny turned her head just before they climbed through the portrait hole and gave a wink to Kathy mouthing 'don't wait up for me' before leaving.

Kathy leaned over the table and looked at Hermione's essay "Salzar's lot!" she read aloud from the textbook "What's this about"

Hermione looked up from her work and started to explain "It's a prophecy that is said to lie on the Slytherin family, cast upon Salzar Slytherin himself, no one really understands what it means but there are a few suggestions that's what I have to write about, possible meanings. Here" She said handing a piece of parchment to Kathy "This is the prophecy see what you make of it." Kathy took the parchment with shaking hands and read:



Salzar's lot.

A line of mystery, evil and kind, Once argument lost, he enters a bind. Leaves through hogwarts gate, Now founders number three. For all that has once been has been And all that will be, will be. A bind that promises evil and good, For when both stem from one line This brings evil to be no more.

The bind itself upon number four, Means descendants cursed by truth, A noble house that can only bore, Twins for malice, pure Slytherin. It says by say that this shall pass Growing eviler each lot. Salzar himself be long gone and Still this curse shall pass, shall pass.

'Till two be born That differ in thought This curse will then be torn. And offspring of theirs No longer in pairs Take reason to the extreme One evil heart Darkest mind The other pure from sin

By this point, recognition distort, For there be no more Slytherin. From good child be A line that can see The wrongs in the ways of the past And evil capt', shall be Banned from child Downfall shall come From the non-evil one and That of their first-born child.

Once good kills evil And evil kills good Slytherin blood be purified And the line can start again

Kathy looked at Hermione and swallowed "What's it mean?" She asked in a weak voice.

"I'm not totally sure" She confessed "I don't understand the part where it says that there's no more Slytherin but its still talking about his descendants and they've already said that Salzar himself is dead so i don't think it's that. It's wildly believed that the evil child is Voldemort as he is a descendant of Salzar Slytherin. But that means that this good child is the only way that he can be killed and their first born child but still that means that Voldemort has a cousin. But he's supposed to be the last remaining Slytherin." Hermione stopped and looked to Kathy for help. She decided to throw her cautions to the wind and started to speak.

"Well when it says that their is no more Slytherin maybe it means that they are no longer called Slytherin but they still are, you know married out, the name doesn't exist any more?" She paused and looked at Hermione who nodded approvingly and made a note of it on a spare bit of parchment. Kathy went on. "And what if no one knew that there was another slytherin or two because 'recognition is distaught'" she quoted and looked at Hermione who still seemed slightly confused so she elaborated "Say the good child was a gryffindor," after having not a bit of light on Hermione's face she stuck her foot in it. "Like my mum for example. She's a Slytherin by blood, but gryffindor by nature."

Hermione's face fell into a shocked expression "Professor McGonagall is a Slytherin."

"Oppose!" Kathy said as an afterthought. "Don't tell anyone will you?"

"No of course not. You don't think she could be Voldemort's cousin do you cos if she is then this whole enchantment makes sense. Hey and you'd be the first born child."

This thought had hit Kathy as well "We're gonna hafta see professor Binns" Kathy said while Hermione nodded her agreement.