FANTASY. WRITTEN BY GIRL-WHO-LOVES-GETTING-REVIEWS!
Note: As there is barely any information on the four founders (and if there is some, I couldn't find it), I am afraid I have had to make up most of it. In this chapter, I have said that the four founders have actually taught at Hogwarts (although this has not officially been said in the books), therefore, they were not only founders, but also Professors. Please be aware of this.
Disclaimer: Oh yes, I own absolutely everything. That's why I'm sitting in a semi-detached house using the slowest Internet connection ever made because that's so obviously more enjoyable than ruling the world. In case you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic. Now get lost or read the story. Thanks!
Chapter Fourteen: Salazar's Bride
"Ugh," grunted Hermione.
She had been rudely interrupted from her sleep at only five-thirty AM. She yawned, looking around the room to see who had woken her. There were three - Professor McGonagall, Ginny, and Luna.
"We apologise for waking you so early, Miss Granger," whispered McGonagall quietly. Hermione noticed that Parvati and Lavender seemed to be sleeping soundly. "Your lessons for the day have been cancelled. Come, get changed as quickly as you can, we shall wait for you in the common room."
Professor McGonagall pulled Hermione out of her bed and left the room, with Ginny and Luna close on her tail. Although she had no idea what was going on, Hermione quickly began to get dressed. She didn't bother with any fancy muggle clothing, as it was school policy to dress in school uniform all the time - unless told otherwise. Afterwards, she made her way quickly down the steps and found McGonagall, Ginny, and Luna, waiting for her,as well as Harry, Ron, Draco and Snape. She frowned and was about to ask for an explanation, when Snape and McGonagall told them that they would explain later. The task now, was to get to Professor Dumbledore's office, where more people would be waiting for them.
No one spoke as the two Professors led the way down the moving staircase and along the corridors. It seemed to Hermione that everyone was either too tired or too confused to speak. She was both.
It was not long before they reached the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. McGonagall muttered the password and the gargoyle sprung aside. They ascended the stairs, all competing to get in front of one another. Harry won, following the Professors first. Then came Ginny, then Luna, and then Ron and Draco. Hermione thought it petty and immature of them and decided to fall behind.
The door to the office was open when they arrived. By the door was one hard wooden bench and behind it were three armchairs, one of which was already occupied by Cho Chang. The two Professors sat on the two remaining armchairs, while the six students settled themselves onto the wooden bench.
"I am terribly sorry, all, to have woken you from your slumber," said Dumbledore, peering at them through his spectacles, "And at such early hours too. But this is so very important that I must be sure that every single one of you will hear this. I am aware that not everyone in this room will know about our plan." Hermione frowned. She certainly didn't know about this plan. She looked around and was surprised to find that the only other person who seemed confused was Draco. "But this plan is all we have to help Mr Potter. This plan must not fail, for we shall lose everything if it does. Of course, I am speaking of the plan to defeat Lord Voldemort - to give Mr Potter the strength to defeat Lord Voldemort. And at this moment, I have some news about this plan of ours."
Dumbledore faced Hermione. "Miss Granger, I must apologise to you, especially. It was on my orders that Mr Potter and Mr Weasley have not been on speaking terms with you – but do not fear. For soon, they shall return to you." Hermione glanced at her two former best friends. They were looking directly at Dumbledore, as though waiting for his orders. She did not understand why Dumbledore had told them to do this, but he was a wise old man and she knew that he must have had a very good reason.
"Professor, if you don't mind I'd like it if you could get to the point already." Draco complained, shutting his eyes in annoyance. He looked much more tired than everyone else – almost as though Snape had (literally) dragged him from his bed.
A small smile crept onto Dumbledore's face. "I cannot, and will not tell you the full story. But, Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, I trust that both of you are intelligent enough to figure out this plan of mine sooner or later. However, what this plan is, exactly, is not important at this moment. Voldemort knows of it and he has tried to stop us from succeeding – which I am very happy to say, he has not."
"How did he find out?" Hermione asked - unaware of what this plan had to do with her.
"Voldemort is a very cunning wizard." Dumbledore replied. "He used a spy – a student – to steal the essay that you and Mr Malfoy wrote about the four founders and it became clear to him what our plan was, and what, or rather, who, it involved. Last night, the spy failed his task. It is now clear to both the spy and Voldemort, that we know about their plan to rid ours."
"Professor, shouldn't the spy be caught?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Surely, he's going to get away."
"No, no." The old Headmaster shook his head and smiled. "You do not understand, Miss Granger. The spy has nowhere to run. If he tries to escape, Voldemort shall capture and kill him without a second thought. If he stays within the walls of Hogwarts, he is safe from Voldemort's clutches, but not from ours. But what would you do Miss Granger? Be killed immediately by Lord Voldemort, or wait and beg for mercy from us?"
Hermione sat, silent for a while. Ginny spoke. "Who is this spy, Professor?"
Dumbledore gave a smile that meant he was telling no more. "Wait, and you shall see. Now, last night was a huge success. Miss Chang, you did an excellent job in waking your sister from her trance."
"You mean . . . those things you said . . . about your mother . . . they weren't real . . ." Draco said thoughtfully. Cho smiled.
"You see," Cho began, "I received a letter from Professor Dumbledore, asking me to help him. And when I found out that my little sister was in trouble, I was more than happy to help. The Professor suspected Madeleine to be held under the Imperius – controlled by You-Know-Who – and so, he needed someone close to her to snap her out of it."
"Miss Chang is to stay hidden, to ensure her safety while we finish this plan." Dumbledore added.
Suddenly, there was a small knock on a door that Hermione had previously assumed had led to Dumbledore's personal chambers. It opened slightly, as Madeleine peered around it. It was like Hermione had seen her for the first time. Her hair was ruffled and messy, as though she had only just risen from her bed and her face was pale, with only a few freckles dotted across her nose. She looked real.
At the site of the number of people in the room – including Draco – her cheeks began to flush. Dumbledore gave her a reassuring smile. "Good morning, Miss Chang. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, thank you, Professor." She said, giving a polite nod. "I overheard you all talking and I, well, I wondered if I could talk to, erm, Hermione, please?"
Dumbledore nodded and smiled, gladly giving permission for Hermione to join Madeleine. Hermione stood and made her way towards Madeleine. Once she had entered the room, the door behind her closed and the two girls stood awkwardly in front of one another.
"I hope you don't mind but I'm just going to go and get changed. I promise I won't be too long." Madeleine smiled and hurried through another door on the other side of the room. Hermione sat down on one of the armchairs and waited. The room was small – much smaller than the common room, or the dormitories. However, it was just as comfortable. Hermione almost fell asleep in the chair - that was, until she heard a loud, manly scream coming from the other side of the door.
The manly scream had, in fact, come from Draco Malfoy, who in his hurry had almost knocked over the wooden bench with his fellow students still perched on it. He stood, his eyes wide and his mouth open.
Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "I see Mr Malfoy has finally figured out what, or rather, who, this plan of ours involves."
Hermione, on the other hand, did not know of what Dumbledore's plan was truly about, nor did she know that Draco knew. She continued to wait for Madeleine and thought nothing more of the cowardly scream. It was not long before she began to get tired of waiting. It was then that she noticed a painting on the wall by the fireplace – a grand painting that she thought was spectacular at a glance. She got up for a closer inspection.
Hermione could not be sure whether this was a muggle painting or a wizard painting. The woman in the picture didn't move, but was painted so magnificently that she looked as though she could walk out of her framed portrait and straight into the small room. Her eyelids were closed and she had long, dark eyelashes that matched her long dark hair. She wore an elegant dark green robe that fitted her well.
"Interesting combination of colours." Hermione mumbled to herself as she inspected the painting further. The dress underneath the robe was long and graceful, but what astounded her the most were the colours of the dress – green, with a gold and red edge, Slytherin and Gryffindor colours. The woman was sitting calmly in her chair, looking so peaceful that Hermione wished she were in the painting too. Around the woman were bookcases and bookcases filled with at least a thousand books – possibly ones that even Hermione had never read. The painting was simply astounding and for the first time, the Gryffindor realised that this wasn't a muggle painting at all. She could see through a window, the birds were flying – soaring – through the clear blue skies.
"Why, hello there." Hermione jumped. She was so absorbed that she hadn't even noticed the woman open her eyes.
"Oh, hello," said Hermione, feeling almost shy, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't realise you could talk. I was just admiring your painting. It's simply wonderful! I can't imagine what artist could have painted something so beautiful."
The woman smiled at her, her smile perfect in every way. "Yes dear, it is rather marvellous."
"Do you happen to know who painted it?" Hermione asked eagerly.
The woman's eyes looked down towards the bottom right hand corner of the painting and Hermione's eyes followed. She knelt down to read it.
'To my darling Amie,
I have given you all that I can, and yet I feel like I owe you so much more. I could not think of a gift you would like more than a portrait of yourself and the things that you love, hand painted by me. This way, I will know that you are always safe and shall never forget me. You shall find that if you ever need me, you can move from this portrait to a portrait of me, located somewhere else in Hogwarts. You shall never know how happy you made me that day you became Mrs Amie Helena Slytherin, although you have always said that you were mine the day you fell in love with me. You understand that I will never change my ways, and I cannot believe that you love me for who I am today. For that, I love you for more than anything.
Your dear husband,
Salazar.'
Hermione couldn't help but gasp as she finished reading the message scribbled at the bottom of the painting. This beautiful fair maiden in front of her . . . was Slytherin's wife? It was almost impossible to accept as the truth.
"You mean, you're Slytherin's bride?"
The woman (who Hermione now knew to be Amie) laughed – a kind of chuckle that could ease one's nerves. "Why, yes! Is that really so hard to believe?"
"Well, yes – I mean, no! That's not what I meant." Hermione said, feeling her cheeks flush a little. "I read about you when I was researching the four founders. It was a task set to me by the school librarian and she said that I must work together with this simply terrible, pathetic, idiotic, absolutely self-obsessed Slytherin boy." Hermione couldn't help but describe Draco in detail. She couldn't stand him. She couldn't stand how he was so ignorant and how he was so childish. Yet at the same time, she couldn't stand how he was so charming and so unaware of her feelings towards him.
Amie smiled knowingly, as though she knew everything. "Oh I see. How very interesting. Your description somewhat reminds me of Salazar."
"Have you been to see him, in his other portrait I mean?" Hermione asked, pushing her thoughts aside for a moment. "I must admit, I've never actually seen his portrait anywhere in Hogwarts."
"I wouldn't expect you to have seen it," said Amie, "But yes, I have visited it."
"Why would I have not seen it? I've been in this school for almost seven years. I think I would have passed it."
Amie looked down at Hermione who was staring rather indignantly up at her. She laughed heartily. "Of course you wouldn't have seen it. Salazar chose a very secret place for his portrait. Judging by your appearance, attitude and, not to mention, manners, I would say that you're a Gryffindor. His portrait is in Slytherin. Might I add that it is hidden in the boys' dormitory and you certainly don't look much like a boy. The only way to reach his portrait is through the Slytherin dormitories, or through a hidden room that Salazar built. I can't quite remember where it is – Salazar was always very good at building hidden things."
"But wouldn't the Slytherin boys have told someone?" Hermione asked, eager to know more. "I mean it isn't often that you find a portrait of Salazar Slytherin – one that talks, walks and has visitors."
"I'm sure Godric would have loved to meet such a fiery Gryffindor as yourself." Amie smiled graciously. "The passage only appears to Slytherin males if Salazar wishes for them to see. Mostly, he spends his time spying on them, or perhaps listening in to one of their new schemes. I don't think he's ever shown himself to any student, actually." She pondered for a moment.
"But that's only because he doesn't think they're worthy." Amie added, noticing the expression on Hermione's face. "I know what you think, young lady. I've heard all those things that have been said about my Slytherin. That he was vile, foul, that he caused all the arguments between the four founders. Yes, he was short-tempered, he wasn't always righteous, but inside himself, there was a man – a good man."
"I wonder . . . did you like him for what he was? I mean, what he was inside, perhaps?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Almost." She smiled shyly. "He hated muggle-born witches and I am a muggle-born witch. I remember my first meeting with him. The first day I entered Hogwarts, when the school was barely a year old. Of course, he was older than me – I was eleven, and he was at least twenty. He hated me from the time our eyes met on that first day and I won't deny it, I hated him too. That constant look of gloom on his face made me shudder with sadness. But, I don't quite know when it started." She stopped and Hermione could see the redness of her cheeks.
"Do go on." Hermione insisted. The story seemed rather intriguing.
"Well, I was older, when I first noticed him properly. Of course, he was one of the founders of the school, so everyone knew him but I hadn't thought about him that much until I was about fifteen. I noticed that it seemed the founders had had an argument once again. Although Rowena and Helga and Godric always pretended there was nothing wrong and continued with their teachings, Salazar was much less discreet. He would hide away in his room for a while – probably plotting something like building yet another secret room, or hiding a snake somewhere for his successor when he was to die. He always thought about his death. Sometimes it felt as though he was waiting to die . . . waiting for something to kill him . . ." She sighed.
"I noticed that he was hiding in his office again. And so, I decided to visit him. I remember knocking on his door and waiting for him to give me permission to enter – which he never did. So, I simply pushed the door open and entered. He was asleep at his desk and I had never thought that a man of such power as he could sleep so peacefully. Until that day, I wasn't quite sure that he slept at all. And I suppose it was that little bit of pity, that persuaded me to get closer to Salazar, to approach him more and to raise my hand to ask and answer questions in his lessons, to find out all I could about this strange and most extraordinary man. My friends were so shocked. They said that I had a crush on him, which I denied furiously! Imagine that! Amie, a Gryffindor, having a crush on Salazar Slytherin?Although, I have to say, my friends were much more disturbed by the age gap thananything else."
Hermione nodded. She could see Amie's eyes sparkle as she spoke. "It wasn't long though, before I realised that my curiosity had grown into something else. I'm not sure when he started suspecting something. But it was quite obvious. I'd hang around after his lessons to ask some pointless question, which I knew the answer to already and I'd stare at him in the Great Hall while he ate. It was after one lesson that he told me to stay behind. I gladly obeyed. He told me that he thought it was wrong of the other three founders to have chosen me to come to Hogwarts and that I was a muggle-born and I didn't belong in the world of magic."
"It's as though he was deliberately trying to hurt you." Hermione said quietly. Amie nodded.
"I told him that it didn't matter to me. I knew I was muggle-born and if I didn't belong then I didn't care. I remember saying that I didn't regret, in the slightest, coming to Hogwarts. And then he looked at me. He sat down behind his desk, and just looked at me."
"'What do you think of me?' He asked me. And I replied, 'I think you are a great man, Sir.' And it was then that I saw him smile. I had never seen Salazar smile before. The feeling that arose in me was . . . beyond words. He asked me, 'What do you think I think of you?'" Amie looked at the floor of her portrait. "But he didn't give me time to answer. 'A muggle-born Gryffindor and nothing more.' He said. I remember feeling my heart breaking. I tried to reassure myself. That it was a silly crush anyway and that I was foolish in even thinking such things about my muggle-hating Professor who wasn't particularly keen on Gryffindors, when I myself was a muggle-born and a definite Gryffindor."
"How did you end up marrying him?" Hermione asked.
"Luck." Amie laughed. "No, it was on the night of my graduation. No matter how hard I tried, I could not stop myself from admiring Salazar Slytherin and feeling such things for him, although I tried to forget them. It was luck on that night of my graduation ball that the Hall was dim. My face was burning when I gathered the courage to ask him to dance. I expected him to refuse; after all, he'd made it clear that he wasn't interested. I don't know. After that dance . . . I guess he felt it too."
"It?" Hermione asked. She knew, of course, what 'it' was, but she wondered what Amie might say.
A small smile was playing on the lovely lady's lips. "The L-word. That little four-lettered word that can cause so much trouble. I'm sure that if you haven't felt it already, you will one day."
"After I left Hogwarts, I received a letter from Salazar. I thought that it must be something urgent – why would he write to me? You can imagine the shock I was in when I read it and realised that he wanted to see me again." Amie beamed, her eyes shone like bright stars in the night and her smile was one of pure happiness. Hermione almost envied her. Amie laughed. "Oh I am so rude. I've been ranting all this time and I haven't even asked your name?"
"Hermione Granger. Pleasure to meet you."
"Hermione! What a delightful name." Amie paused. "You remember you told me of a Slytherin boy that you knew? The one that you loathe?"
Hermione nodded, although reluctantly. She wished that she didn't know him.
"He sounds interesting." Amie said, giving Hermione a suspicious look. "I'd like to know more about him, like who he is, perhaps."
"His name is Draco Malfoy." Hermione stated, her voice flat and meaningless. "Pureblood, just like the other Slytherins. Not much to say, really."
It was at that moment that Madeleine chose to re-enter the room, this time, looking much more awake. "Good morning, Amie." Madeleine said politely. "I'm sorry for taking so long and if I disturbed anything. You can carry on talking if you like, but I don't suggest you do it for much longer. Professor Dumbledore must be tired of waiting by now."
"Wasn't there something you wanted to speak to me about, Madeline?" Hermione asked. She had almost forgotten that that was why she was there in the first place.
"Well, actually, there wasn't really anything I had to speak to you about." Madeleine smiled, glancing at Amie. "Amie asked me to bring you here. After everything's that's happened, I was feeling awful last night. I was exhausted, miserable and afraid of what I had done. And so I told Amie of all I could remember. I told her about Ginny and Luna, and Flewington, and even about you, and Malfoy too."
"Oh." Was all that Hermione seemed to be able to say.
"I would love to know why you detest this boy, Draco Malfoy." Amie smiled mischievously. "I assume he's outside. If he has anything to do with Professor Dumbledore's plans then he must be. Could you possibly call him in, Madeleine?"
Madeleine nodded and opened the door leading to Dumbledore's office. She closed it quietly behind her. Hermione could hear Draco complaining from behind the door, but before long, the door flung open and she saw both Harry and Ron throw the young Slytherin inside the room. They slammed the door shut as Draco stood and grumbled under his breath.
"Bloody Potter and Weasley," he muttered. "Any excuse to get their hands on me."
Draco looked up and noticed the woman in green, gold and red almost immediately. He smirked. "Who's this, Granger?" He bowed to Amie in such a gentleman-like fashion that Hermione couldn't help but snort.
"That's not very polite of you, Granger," said Draco, as he continued to smirk. He eyed the painting with interest. "Not very lady-like at all - unlike this beautiful maiden in this here painting. Chang said you wanted to see me. Spit it out, we don't have all day."
Hermione glared at him and folded her arms across her chest. She glanced at Amie and saw her doing nothing more than smiling – rather gleefully – at both her and Draco. It was as though she were inspecting them.
"I dare say that you two would make a simply delightful couple!" She smiled happily, clapping her hands together with joy as the two students gave one another a look of such hatred that it had to be fake.
"I didn't want you to come in here, Malfoy," said Hermione bitterly, examining her nails, "It was my dear friend here, Amie Slytherin, that wanted to see you."
Draco frowned and coughed a little. "Slytherin? You mean to tell me that the great Salazar Slytherin was related to this woman?" He stopped and looked at the painting once more. After a while, he appeared to smirk with satisfaction. "I should have expected it. I dare say, Miss Slytherin, that you have a grace about you that resembles Salazar Slytherin – although I have never truly met the man."
"Well that's certainly rather odd," said Amie, looking thoughtful, "Considering that I'm muggle-born, and have no relation to him apart from this wedding ring on my finger."
Draco was speechless, his mouth was open and his eyes were wide. "You - you mean - the great Salazar – Salazar Slytherin - married - married you?" Although the words were spoken with a hint of loathing,the smile on Amie's face did not even flicker.
"Yes, Mr Malfoy, and don't use that tone with me. It's not only rude but alsopetty and extremely pointless." Amie stood and gave a polite curtsey to the two. "It was a pleasure meeting both of you. You're welcome back any time." Her smile grew. "And I do hope that you come together."
Hermione and Draco spat at one another.
"Now hurry, go! Professor Dumbledore must be getting impatient by now."
Edited Version: 27th August 2005