!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! *!*!*!*!*!* PROLOGUE 3

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3rd December: 11 years after the birth of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Far off in an isolated valley, shrouded between the dark trees lay a gravestone upon which the name "Salazar Slytherin" was whittled. Through years, the stone still silence hadn't ever been disturbed...Yet today the crust of the earth began to rumble and the decomposed leaves began to shiver...

Howls and screams were erupting into the air as if someone was in extreme agony...The clear azure sky suddenly began to get swathed with coal black clouds while lightening flashed without rain or even a hint of a storm...

A hand burst out from the grave of which the inscribed name lay... It was pure skeleton, adorned with caked blood stains on it. But in its grasp was an ivory white skull with a skeleton of a serpent jutting out of its mouth.

As the lightening flashed more fiercely, the skull along with the snake shot up into the sky to be immersed in the darkness. The black clouds began take shape of the emitted objects and soon there was a chilled haunting sound in the atmosphere as if the dead were awaking from their slumber...

"Myyyy heirrr issss readyyyy... Theee Deathhh markkkk willlll alwayyyys guidddde himmm..."screeched a voice that sounded like an out of tune violin, and it was accompanied by numerous hisses in agreement.

The Death mark lingered for a few moments before the clouds vanished as if an unknown force had sucked it in...

The crust on the grave divided and with a terrifying roar! The skull fell with its snake back into the yawning death bed and a bonfire of green flames exploded...

Out of the blaze materialized a huge black silver anaconda hissing dangerously...

"Ggggo aaaaanddd findddd himmm myyyy peeettt anddd instructttt hhhhim tttto fffolllow myyyy pathhhh tttto makkke me prouddd," hissed a hoarse accent in Parseltongue.

"Yesssss Masssster..." hissed back the enormous serpent as it sped through the thick vegetation.

The grave closed once more and peace was restored...

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"The sky!" screamed a witch purchasing some Butterbeer.

"What on earth is that?" questioned an old wizard tying a letter on his owl.

Terrified screams filled all over Hogsmeade as wizards and witches sighted a huge skull with a snake obtruding out of its mouth. The mark covered nearly the whole sky and rested over the town like a huge shadow...

Meanwhile Professor Dippet was talking to Professor Dumbledore in the Headmaster's chamber.

"Albus I always thought that Jim Keller was a trouble—"

"ARMANDO! WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME IS THAT?" yelled Dumbledore catching the sight of the Death Mark.

"Jim Keller is the Slyther—"

"No! Not Jim! Look at the sky!" cried Professor Dumbledore yanking Dippet's arm

Both of them stared outside, nearly falling out of the window... But the Death Mark was vanishing into the thin air until it disappeared completely.

"I think I'm too old for this job... My eyes are playing tricks on me," reported Professor Dippet sinking into a near by armchair placing his head in his hands.

"Armando, it wasn't an illusion... I saw it too and I bet that other people saw it as well."

"What do you think it was Albus? Could it be...?"

Professor Dippet swallowed... He was too fearful to voice out his fear.

"It is the Death Mark. It hasn't be viewed for over a two thousand years!" exclaimed someone from the door way and both the Professors turned to look at Daniel Kaiser, the Hogwart's Defense against Dark Art's teacher.

"Wasn't it two thousand years back that Salazar Slytherin tried to kill muggles, hoping to rule the earth with pure blooded wizards?" questioned Dumbledore.

"Yes... Salazar Slytherin was from Egypt; one of the ancient sorcerers in the world at that time. His powers in fact are still believed to be present in Deir-el-Bahri and Karnak. The Death Mark has been the symbol of terror in all their generations. It actually means death, power and resurrection."

"You're right Dan. Take the date of today for an example, it's 3rd December, exactly eleven years from the day when the centaurs predicted the future. Perhaps the Death Mark is a warning and a sign that its heir has been mobilized into full power..." replied Dumbledore with a sigh.

"Send word to other schools to look out. We must tighten security in Hogwarts as well. From the enrollment of first years this term, I want every teacher to be alert," commanded the Headmaster while his staff nodded.

"Before I forget to mention this; send escorts of Aurors to every child joining the first year. I'll write to the Ministry about it...

"Oh and Albus?"

"Yes Professor?"

"Please make sure to give me a complete testimony of their whereabouts, parents, behavior and personality..."

"You too Dan!" called out Professor Dippet. "Make sure you find out more about Salazar Slytherin and facts about his history. Search everything connecting to him in Hogwarts as well. I have an instinctive feeling that his heir would come here."

With that the Headmaster conjured himself a cup of coffee and the two teachers departed...

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In the darkness a cloaked figure lay hovering over a helpless man. The poor fellow was crying out for help but the phantom kept on stooping on him, until it drew back its hood and the man bawled in shock!

Lower and lower it bent, until its gaping mouth sealed on the lips of the petrified man. In time quicker than lightening, it sucked the soul and left the man lifeless...

Unexpectedly the paranormal fiend raised its head to gaze at the nearby foliage...A hoarse sound was calling out.

"Ahhhhh myyyy frienddddsss; comeee to meeee in my neeeeddd..." it echoed...

The well fed Dementor floated in the direction of the call and more of its kind followed its traces...

"Comeee....Comeeee..." cried out the voice, now more urgent and excited.

"Joinnnn myyyy heirrrr...Anddd allll of youuu shalllll feeddd for eternittttyy..."

Creaking and moaning like prisoners struggling to escape from chains, the Dementors entered into the forest, to be consumed by the darkness...

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