Chapter 2.  Salazar Slytherin's Library

Lupin followed Snape up through the empty corridors of Hogwarts.  The students had left yesterday for their Christmas break, so the old building felt echoingly empty.  They walked down so many corridors and up and down so many staircases, that Lupin was rather lost by the time they came to a stop before a particularly ornate door tucked into a corner of one of the towers.  The stonework surrounding the door was made up of entwining serpents that seemed to move in the wavering light of the wall sconces.  The overall effect was quite eerie.

Lupin found his pulse racing a bit in anticipation.  Could the answers he'd craved for so long, really be on the other side of this door?  One glance at the smug look of expectation on Snape's face should have told him something, but he was too much the eternal optimist to notice. 

Gryffindors are so easy, thought Snape as he threw open the door and stepped back to let Lupin precede him quickly into the room.

Lupin rushed in and turned around slowly, gaping at the huge silent room.  Nothing but dust graced the green marble floor and the barren floor to ceiling shelves.  There was a rather impressive stain glass window of a huge menacing serpent, done in shades of green and yellow with silver and black accents, but other than that, the room was absolutely, completely, and echoingly…

"Empty!"  Thundered Lupin, as he turned to confront Snape.

Snape was absently perusing the naked shelves and spoke in a contemplative tone.  "Yes.  Quite a waste, actually.  I did ask Albus if I could make use of the room once, but he never would give me a straight answer.  It seems a pity for all this shelf space to lie empty.  I rather like the window, too.  It adds just that necessary touch of color, don't you think?  A nice rug, a few chairs, I think it would be quite cozy.  What's your opinion, Lupin?"

Lupin was staring at him with a dumbfounded look on his face.  "You knew the room was empty.  You knew, and you dragged me all the way up here anyway!  This is important to me.  This is my life!  What kind of a sick twisted person are you anyway, Snape?"

Snape rolled his eyes at Lupin.  "Oh, please!  We really don't need to go there, do we?"

Lupin sighed in aggravation, stared at the floor, and tried to get a hold of his temper.  "Okay, Severus.  You've had your fun.  Now tell me, did Slytherin have any other libraries at Hogwarts?"

Snape sighed in disgust.  "Really, doesn't anyone ever read 'Hogwarts: A History'?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"  Lupin exclaimed in exasperation.

"Do you know what happened to Salazar Slytherin?"  Snape inquired patiently.

Lupin frowned in confusion.  "Uh, not really.  Why?"

Snape sighed again and began brushing the settling dust off his immaculate ebony robes.  "You do know that Hogwarts was founded by four wizards, correct?"

Lupin nodded impatiently.  "Of course!  Every school child knows that."

Snape glared at him.  "I'd have expected every school child to know how it all turned out, as well!  After a period of chummy togetherness, it finally dawned on Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff that Slytherin didn't exactly share all of their high moral standards.  After a rather nasty blowout, Slytherin packed up his toys and left…destination unknown.  Did you really think he was going to leave his private books and papers behind him when he left?  I hadn't truly thought you simpleminded, Lupin.  I guess I must revise my opinion."

Lupin pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment.  Sparring with the Slytherin was giving him a headache.  "So what you're telling me, in your infinitely kind and helpful manner, is that if that manuscript page did come from a library belonging to Salazar Slytherin, that library is not to be found at Hogwarts."

Snape smiled in satisfaction and bounced his fingertip on the end of his prominent nose.  "Got it in one, Lupin!  I guess there's hope for you yet."

Lupin sighed wearily.  He felt as if he'd been swimming upstream against a fast current.  Why is conversation with Snape always such a chore?

"Okay, Severus.  Do you have any knowledge at all about where Slytherin went after he left Hogwarts?"

Snape shrugged.  "Rumors, innuendo, nothing substantiated.  There was a school of thought that had him throwing in his lot with Durmstrang, but frankly, I think he'd had enough of teaching small minds.  There are ample examples of his works on his social theories concerning the superiority of purebloods that postdate his tenure at Hogwarts.  I think he took himself off somewhere in a huff and devoted his time to writing and pursuing his study of the dark arts.  He could've done that anywhere, but my guess would be Eastern Europe.  Similar ideologies abounded there in Slytherin's day."

Lupin snorted shortly.  "Well, that certainly narrows it down, doesn't it."  He sighed deeply and stared up at the room's vaulted ceiling.  "Today started off so promisingly.  For a short time, I actually felt some hope that I could attain a life long goal.  That maybe, just maybe, I could truly find a way to have a normal life, instead of this horrid half-life.  That finally the moon would no longer rule my existence.  A fool notion, I guess.  Well, at least you've had a good laugh at my expense, so I guess the day hasn't been a total loss."

Snape regarded him soberly, and then gave an exaggerated sigh.  "I know I'm going to regret this, but I have nothing pressing on my calendar at the moment, and the notion of actually finding Salazar Slytherin's private library is rather intriguing."

Lupin looked at him hopefully.

Snape rolled his eyes at the ceiling.  "All right, Lupin, you win.  Exactly where were you when you found this promising manuscript anyway?"

Lupin grinned broadly.  "Thanks, Severus.  You won't regret this!"

"I certainly hope not, but I have grave doubts."

Lupin shook his head.  "It'll be fun, you'll see.  Think of it as a quest, if you will.  The search for Salazar Slytherin!"

Snape gave him a disgusted look.  Lupin raised his hands, palms out.  "Okay, okay, just kidding!  I found the manuscript in the back of an old bookshop in Knockturn Alley."

Snape's eyebrows rose.  "Really?  Whatever were you doing in Knockturn Alley?"

Lupin smiled and shrugged.  "It seemed like the logical place to go for information on curses and dark magic."

Snape nodded.  "I suppose so.  What was the name of this shop?"

Lupin shrugged.  "I don't remember off hand, but I know exactly where it is.  I can take you there."

"I suppose that'll have to do.  Shall we?"  Snape gestured for Lupin to precede him out of the room, which Lupin did with a renewed spring in his step.

                                                                     ******************

Author's Note:  Thanks to all for reviewing my little tale.

S:  Thank you.  Hopefully you'll like how the story progresses.

Kits:  Thank you.  I'm glad you find the idea of Slytherin's library interesting, so does Snape.  Lupin just wants to get his hands on that book!

Veresna Ussep:  Thank you.  Oh, yes, Lupin has Snape interested, even though he's not quite ready to admit that.  I'm glad you approve of my characterization of Lupin.  Sometimes I find him harder to do than Snape.  There aren't as many distinguishing features to his personality.

Rose Rovente:  Thank you.  I'm glad you are intrigued.  I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Phoenix Tears Type 6:  Thank you.  I'm glad you like it so far.

Starr:  Thank you.  I'm glad you like it.  I hope you enjoyed the second chapter.