Note: This story was written in response to LeoGryffin's Challenge #9 on Thirty-Minute HP Fic Challenges (30minutefics) at LiveJournal, which was:
Someone in the Harry Potterverse is deliriously happy.
Someone else is furious. And is plotting to kill the happy one.
You have 30 minutes - but - also a 1,000 word limit.
Who, and why, and what happens, is up to you.
Title: Serpent's Honor
Rating: PG-13
Pairings (if any): Implied Salazar Slytherin/OC
Author's Comments: In the time of the Founders, an
eager Muggle-born student is admitted to Hogwarts. Slytherin protests.
Gryffindor reminds him that he is honor-bound to teach all students of
Hogwarts. Slytherin decides that, perhaps, there is something he wishes
to teach the boy...
Word Count: 1000 words exactly. (*phew!*)
Full disclosure: I stuck to the 30-minute challenge rules (i.e. thirty minutes only for plotting, writing, and editing) in writing this scene. However, this story is based on a history of Salazar Slytherin and his House that I am creating for another (as yet unpublished) fic, so that bit of thinking was done in advance.
Disclaimer: Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Hogwarts and anything else you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling, not me. I'm just playing with them.~~~***~~~~
A student bearing news of Geoffrey Grover's return from his travels disturbed my breakfast. I immediately made my way to the Great Hall, seriously disquieted. For Geoffrey had not returned alone, but with a child in tow. A Muggle-born, no doubt, with hopes to enroll at Hogwarts.
Godric Gryffindor, apparently unmoved by recent events, was already welcoming the boy with open arms. I remained in the shadows, watching the scene in anger and disbelief.
"Well, young Perry. It seems you have endured much in order to join us here at Hogwarts." He had his hand on the boy's shoulder, surveying him with a broad smile.
"Yes sir. Geoffrey speaks true. And he has told me much of this place. I would have faced many more dangers, just to come to this haven. In truth, I was just glad to learn I was not possessed by the Devil, and gladder still to be free of everyone who thought I was."
Gryffindor's smile faded into a hard line at the child's words. Perhaps he was finally reminded of what the boy represented. But, being Godric, he would not heed that warning.
"Perry, there is much we can teach you here at this school. But let this be your first lesson: Magic is a part of nature; in itself it is neither good nor evil, but simply is. It is a source of power that may be used as you see fit. It is up to you to choose if that will be for the good."
The boy nodded gravely. "Yes sir."
"Well then, lad. You have traveled far and are in need of food and rest. Geoffrey here will lead you to your new home. In my House, I think, Geoffrey. The boy has already shown great bravery."
The boy looked pleased with this decision. "Thank you, sir. I'll not disappoint you," he said with boyish earnestness.
The child was positively beaming as Geoffrey led him away toward Gryffindor Tower.
Godric stared after him a moment. "Let us hope you will not, child."
After another moment, he turned and saw me standing there. "Salazar-" he began, no doubt noting the extreme anger evident in my countenance. I cut him off.
"So. You mean to continue your experiments with Muggle-born children, do you Gryffindor? Despite all that has happened, you would continue to bring the Muggle threat under our very roof?"
"That child comes to us to escape the very dangers you speak of. You would ask that we turn him away? He, like all Magical children regardless of their circumstances of birth, is welcome here."
As he well knows, it is not for the mere fact that the children are born to Muggles that I would refuse them. I would have no objection to a child born to Muggles who has been raised entirely as a Wizard. If we are to teach the Muggle-born, we should be removing these children from their parents' homes as soon as we are aware of their existence. Eleven is too late to rescue them from the taint of the Muggle world. These children are lost to us by then, and worse, they bring their pathology with them.
Gryffindor continued his sanctimonious moralizing. "We cannot blame all Muggle-borns, or indeed all Muggles, for the prejudices of a few. That would make us no better than those who would seek to harm us for what we are."
He paused a moment, then added softly, "Gwendolyn would not have wished for us to close our minds, Salazar."
Gwendolyn. Lady Slytherin. His daughter. My wife. Godric would lay the blame for her fate solely at the feet of her murderer, and would say that Gwendolyn has had her justice. A life for a life.
But her killer was only the agent of the true menace. My wife, a pureblooded Witch, was murdered for saving a Muggle woman's life with a potion, thereby transgressing Muggle laws of which she was unaware. Killed by a Muggle-born Wizard who once was once welcomed and trained here in this very school. But his Muggle heritage had a stronger hold upon him. He returned to live among them, becoming enraptured by their religion. Despite all he had learned at Hogwarts, he became convinced that the source of all Witchcraft and Wizardry was the Devil. Conveniently, this did not include his own powers, which he imagined were a gift from his God - given to him so that he might eliminate Witches and Wizards from the world.
The true source of his power was, of course, no different from my wife's. This did not stop him from taking her life and calling the act Righteous.
That wretch died by my wand and those of my sons, calling loudly upon his God to save him. But the threat to our kind did not die with him. The Muggles fear us, and would eliminate us if they could. But they are no match for Wizards. The true danger comes from Muggle minds bearing Wizard powers. I cannot prevent Magical children from being born to Muggle parents. But I can refuse to teach a Muggle-raised child to wield a wand.
"I am supposed to take this... tainted child, and teach him to use his power? So that he may return to the Muggle filth from which he sprung fully armed?"
"You will teach him, and every student who comes to this school. That is our agreement, and that is your bond."
Of course, Gryffindor. You would appeal to my honor. You forget that I am also honor-bound to ensure the welfare of the Wizarding children in my care. Am I to allow the introduction of a dangerous sickness among them? Or should I rather remove the disease before it takes root?
This child will learn what becomes of those who are a threat to anyone under my protection.
Oh yes, I will teach the boy.
I will protect this school, and our way of life. By whatever means necessary.