READ THIS!!!!!!!!! IF YOU DON'T READ THIS YOU WON'T GET CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE!!!!!!! Okay, now that I've got your attention I have a few things to say. I've been considering posting chapter twenty-five a little while after this. It depends how many people review and tell me if they want me to in the time I'm still online – about two hours from now in Australian time. That makes it at ten to two in the afternoon when I get off. If I do stick it up I probably won't update for two weeks after that so that I can get a little ahead again. I may update, but I will probably wait two weeks. It's your decision.
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Chapter Twenty-Four
Harry blinked. "And you are…?"
The tiny figure scowled even harder, if that was possible. "You don't even know who I am? And you're supposed to have beaten a Dark Wizard!"
Harry sighed. "Listen closely, I'm only going to explain this once. I was a baby. I have no idea what happened. I didn't defeat him either, I just nearly did. There's a difference. And if I have to explain this to you again, little man, you will regret it." Harry's voice had sunk to a low whisper that still managed to project through the whole room, and his eyes seemed to have turned into shards of green glass, glinting dangerously.
The apparition bristled. "Who are you calling a little man, hmmm?"
"You."
That seemed to stump him. "Oh. That wasn't the answer I was looking for, you know."
Harry smirked. "I know that, would you believe. That's why I said it."
The little figure rolled his eyes. "You're as bad as bloody Gryffindor, you know. He used to always twist what I was saying too. And they say I was devious. Hah!"
He was rewarded with a blank look. "Oh for pity's sake! Do I really have to introduce myself?" He glanced at them and when they made no move to say anything, he sighed, then bowed extravagantly. "Salazar Slytherin, at your service."
Harry blinked. "Are you? Why are you here then?"
"Because I've been following you around trying to get you to notice me for the past three days! I'm surprised, actually – You haven't said 'You can't be Slytherin' or 'I don't believe you' yet. Why?"
"Withholding judgement," Harry said simply.
"Ah. A normal person wouldn't bother with that, you know."
"You said it yourself – I'm supposed to have defeated a Dark Wizard. Do you think anyone can be normal with that kind of reputation?"
"If they try hard enough," Salazar said absently. "Anyway, the point is I have a gift for you, and you've been ignoring it."
"Why would you have a 'gift' for me, and what is the catch?"
Salazar shot him a look of mock-hurt. "Can't family give gifts to each other without raising suspicion any more?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Family? Explain."
"You mean you weren't told? You're related to me on your father's side. You also managed to acquire the Parseltongue ability, which makes you my heir."
"Voldemort seems pretty set on being your heir. He's killed several million in you name, in fact," Harry observed.
Salazar shifted uncomfortably. "Well…I suppose he could be, but what he's been doing is unacceptable! Just because I don't want Wizards from muggle families in Hogwarts doesn't mean I want them killed. I just think they shouldn't be taught magic – it would put them in danger if some muggles found out."
"And they'd be in danger anyway because they wouldn't be able to control their abilities."
Salazar shrugged. "That's not what we're here to discuss anyway. You're my rightful heir, so you get the scales. There's no way I'm going to let Mr. Let's Kill All The Muggles get a hold of them." Slytherin hopped off the scales gestured at them.
"I already have a pair of scales, thanks."
Salazar scowled. "Don't go getting smart with me, young man! These scales are special. They don't just weigh potions ingredients, you know!"
"What do they weigh then?"
Salazar winked conspiratorially at him. "They weigh souls."
"Wow. And I want to do that…why?"
"You're completely ruining this, you know. I was supposed to appear and hand you the scales and you were supposed to be happy and grateful and amazed. I hope you're satisfied. The scales weigh the amount of integrity in a person's soul. That's why I don't want Voldemort getting them, and that's why you're getting them. They should be safe with you, and they'll help you next time you see our dear Dark Lord."
"Uh huh," Harry said sceptically.
"You don't think I'm telling the truth, do you? Try them out. You'll see," Slytherin said, smirking.
"How?" Harry asked.
Salazar shrugged. "How should I know? They were created specifically for you, only you can use them."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Then how do you know they will work?"
"I don't," Said Salazar cheerfully. "Now go ahead and try them."
Harry sighed and looked at the scales.
"Salazar. Slytherin. Hogwarts. Wizard. Witch…" He began to list words, still staring at the scales.
"What are you doing?" Slytherin asked, blinking in surprise.
"Seeing if you put a password on these things and forgot."
"There aren't any passwords and I wouldn't have forgotten it if I had put one on!"
"Well if you had decided to figure out how the bloody things work before handing them over – "
Harry stopped and glared at the scales, before slamming them down onto the side of the bed closest to him.
"You've obviously made a mistake. I'm not related to you, and the scales aren't meant for me," He announced.
"You won't know until you try them, will you? Now stop being such a child, pick them up and give it a go."
Harry glared at Salazar for a moment, decided it wasn't worth the effort, and picked the scales up again.
"Alright, let's give it a go," He sighed.
He held the scales out and studied them, noticing all the intricate carvings on the side.
"What are these?" He asked, pointing at them.
"Hmm? Oh, they're the inscriptions that say who the scales were made for. Everything points towards you," Slytherin answered absently, staring around the room in fascination.
Harry wasn't paying attention though. His eyes had clouded over and his expression had become vacant. He slowly raised the hand holding the scales towards Madam Pomfrey, who was looking at him strangely.
"Show," He whispered, his voice so quiet it could have been mistaken for the wind if the three others in the room had not seen his lips move. A bright ray of silver and green shot out of the scales and hit Madam Pompfrey, before fading away. The scales were not the same, however. On one end – the heavier end by far – was a glowing feather, and on the other end was a lump of metal that looked like lead.
"What happened?" Madam Pompfrey asked quietly, staring at the scales.
"He figured out how to use them. I knew he would – he'd have to have some smarts after all, being related to me," Salazar answered her, a faint look of pride on his face.
The blank look on Harry's face faded, and he sank back onto the bed behind him, staring at the scales. After a moment he looked up, seemingly realising that the three adults were still there.
"I'd like to be left alone for a little while, if you don't mind," He whispered hoarsely. Madam Pompfrey swelled.
"You most certainly won't be left alone! We need to inform Headmaster Dumbledore of this at once!"
Snape, who had watched the proceedings with a quiet interest, grabbed hold of the irate healer.
"He needs to be left alone, so we'll leave him alone," He said. Madam Pompfrey began to say something, but stopped when Severus leaned forward and whispered something in her ear.
"Fine. You can stay here for a little while, but then it's off to classes with you. I have some errands to run and I expect you to be gone by the time I get back," She told him, moving out of the room. Snape followed quickly after her. Salazar watched them go, before turning back to Harry.
"You've done me proud, Harry. I have to go now, but remember that you have the strength of Slytherin behind you, and with that nothing can get in your way unless you let it…" Slytherin told Harry, fading away as he did so.
Harry watched him go quietly. When the room was finally empty he slowly lay down on the bed, and curled up into the foetal position. After a few minutes he began to cry.
