******I do not own Harry Potter or Yu-Gi-Oh. This is merely a fun story started by my sleep deprived mind that took a life of it's own.******
******It is not finished and I will warn you all I write slowly at times so I may not update often. Feedback is appreciated and I hope you all enjoy this weird world I threw together.*******
Starting out my life with no memory before age 6 is odd, but I'm glad I was found by such a kind man. Professor Snape found me in the corridor outside his rooms. I wasn't wearing much more than rags. He took me into his rooms to warm me up and cast some spells to make sure I'm healthy.
Next thing I remember is being carried to the hospital wing while he cast a spell sending a silver doe calling for a man named Albus to meet him in the wing. Most of that night is a blur of worried people, but I do remember Professor Snape was by my side the whole time making sure he knew exactly what was going on and what I was given. Spells were cast, potions were given either by mouth or magicked into me if I couldn't handle the taste, and the whole time I only remember him and the fear that gripped me from some unknown past which caused me to doubt I would be kept.
I was in and out of sleep the following week, but I remember that every time I woke, he was within sight, clearly worried and upset. The man named Albus, a tall old man with a long white beard and hair, was often nearby as well talking to Professor Snape. They often seemed to be in a disagreement, and I hoped I wasn't the cause. A gentle elderly lady named Madam Pomfrey was nearly constantly telling them to "Shhh" or leave the wing, which Professor Snape refused to do. My first time being awake for more than a few minutes was perhaps the most dramatic and traumatic.
I woke shortly after the sun began to set, and once again heard soft voices from nearby. I looked around and for once didn't see Professor Snape, but his voice was one of the three coming from the other side of the screen nearby. They clearly did not realize I was awake, as I soon found out I was the topic of their discussion.
"Albus, I insist she is kept in my care." Professor Snape stated, tone showing no other option was acceptable.
"She clearly has a family, and we cannot simply keep her from them." Albus had this grandfather like tone.
"She was very obviously abused. Badly." Madam Pomfrey worriedly added on Professor Snape's side.
"We can't assume her family did anything. She might have been taken by the dark or some other unknown events likely happened." Albus was obviously not going to listen. "We will find her family and that's final." He walked away after that.
"Severus, what are we going to do? She can't be taken back. It's obvious that the abuse has been likely since birth. She's lucky to be alive."
"I'm not sure what we can do..." Professor Snape sighed.
At this moment I jumped out the window next to me, which was open for fresh air. I realized a moment later I never checked how high we were and found it lucky we weren't too high. I hurt my leg a little but was still up and running to the trees nearby. Looking back, I saw Professor Snape's head out the window, a scared look upon his face, then it vanished passing windows in the direction of the door. I didn't stop until I was past a few trees, and I hurriedly climbed one. My leg was burning by this point, but I ignored it and after a moment I felt a tingle past along my leg, after which the pain stopped. I took a few deep breaths and finally calmed enough to be able to look around and think. I don't know why I ran, but simply thinking I might be returned to a home I don't remember, but I can remember the pain I got there, simply terrified me.
"Where are you? It's not safe in the dark forest, little one." I heard Professor Snape call out from not too far away. "I'd call your name, but I don't know it." He mumbled from right next to my tree.
"I won't go back." I called down. "And it's Salazar. My name is Salazar. You never asked so if course you don't know."
"I can't do much about Albus, but I would like to know why you don't want to return. Can you come down and talk with me? I might be able to help if I knew more." Professor Snape called back up; a soft understanding filled his voice.
"You come up here. I don't want to come down because if I do, that Albus could find me." I got a soft laugh in response and a minute later he was sitting on a branch just a slight below me. "I don't remember anything before you found me. I don't know where home was, or who my family might have been, but when I heard I might go back I remembered pain. I remember only knowing pain where I was before. I only know my name, and I have magic. I know that's why I was always in pain though, and I got a few flashes what seems like memories, but I don't know how they could be, since in them I'm much older. I do know that the other 3 in the flashes are my friends, but I don't know how I know that."
"Do you know the three people's names?" I nod. "Do you remember your last name?" I nod again. "Is there a flash like memory that seems more recent than the others?"
"Yes. But it's also where my friends and I are the oldest. So, I don't know why it feels more recent." Professor Snape gestures for me to continue. "Please let me finish before saying anything. None of it makes sense." He nods. "I remember my name is Salazar Slytherin. My friends in the flash memories are Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. In the flash we're in my potion's lab, I'm working on something to help combat the effect of time on the mind, Helga had just brought in a plant I needed, and Rowena was looking into runes that could help stabilize the potion, as I had long started using runes alongside my potions. Godric ran in, something in his hand I assume he wished to show me and tripped over a broom which fell at some point before. Whatever it was in his hand fell into my cauldron and is exploded. The flash turns to black with only the voices yelling my name, and the last thing before the flash ends, the oddest part, is I hear you asking if I'm ok."
Professor Snape looks deep in thought by the time my story is over, and it's clear what I said bothered him greatly. "If I were to ask you to come with me to Gringotts, the wizard bank, so the goblins can run some tests, would you come? I think your flash could be a memory, but they are the only ones who could tell us. If you're really who I think you are, there's no way to send you home. They can also start helping you find a place to live and a family to take you in."
"And if I want that family to, be you? I know you never left my side. I feel safe around you." I look at him hopefully.
"I've never taken care of a child, but your hardly like most children, so if that's what you truly want and they agree it's best, then I would gladly take care of you. I don't think I'm the best choice but your correct in the fact I haven't stopped worrying about you since I found you, and I already care about your safety." I nod and smile at him. "Let's head there now then. They will be open even though it's late." He climbed down and held his arms out to catch me. I jump into his arms and giggle before wincing as he set me down.
"I hurt my leg jumping out the window. I forgot about it since the pain stopped." I look at the ground nervous.
"Next time your hurt, tell me right away. I can't help if I don't know." Professor Snape shakes his head before casting a spell. After which my leg feels like it's back to normal.
I follow him to the gate and after we pass it, he takes my hand, warning me that this might be uncomfortable before we apparate from in front of the gate to in front of a grand marble building. I follow him into the building, unsure if he realized he never let go of my hand. He tells a teller, which I'm informed is a goblin, that he needs some tests run including an ancestry test.
Another goblin appears and leads us to a room with a desk and a few chairs, as well as a large empty area. The goblin goes to a cabinet and grabs papers and a bowl along with a small dagger, after which he sits at the desk and motions for us to sit in the chairs.
"I'm Grifhook, I will be running most of the tests. Some tests might require others, but we will see. I understand you need a bloodline test for this young one?" The goblin seems more polite than when in the main chamber.
"Yes. This is Salazar, and she seems to have very little to no memory, but also seems to have memories of events that would have to have taken place nearly 1,000 years ago, one of which starts in such an event but ends with me finding her just before she lost consciousness. So, we need to find out who she could be and how these memories relate to her. She says she knows her name is Salazar Slytherin." Professor Snape states in a calm and even way.
"Very well. We will test for anything relating to such possibilities." Grifhook looks at me curiously.
"Might I ask, what are the possibilities of her being Salazar Slytherin? After all, she's female..." Professor Snape looked at me, as if trying to show he's only asking for his own curiosity.
"As was Lord Slytherin. Many do not know now that Lord Slytherin went by male titles simply because it was her preference. Respecting that all the other founders called Slytherin him and he, so soon so did the rest of the world, as Slytherin was happy with. If she is indeed Lord Slytherin, I would assume she'd prefer to be called he?" Grifhook looked at me, to which I nodded.
"I would prefer to be addressed as if male, even if I'm not Lord Slytherin." I added quietly.
Professor Snape smiled at me and nodded. We were there for about an hour, during which test after test was run but no results were shared. It clearly both bothered Professor Snape and worried him. After the last test was run, we were back at the desk and Grifhook had only just walked back in when another goblin came hurrying to him.
"Albus is here asking if we've seen Severus or the little girl. I told him I was unsure as I'd only just returned, and I would ask you." The goblin looked at us. I looked at Severus and he clearly saw the fear in my eyes, as did Grifhook.
"Tell him that, as he's aware, we are unable to share privileged information about clients and unless it's Hogwarts business, then he should find his missing professor elsewhere. If he insists it is, tell him we have not seen them, and wish him luck in finding whatever it is that's important." Grifhook said, his teeth showing in a smile which was very disturbing. The goblin agrees and hurries off mumbling about self-important wizards butting into private business.
"Now that that's taken care of, let's get the rest of this settled." Grifhook sat at his desk. "This child is indeed Lord Slytherin. His body has somehow been returned to age 6, and there is significant damage to his mind. Only time will tell if he ever regains all his memory. Whatever happened somehow not only altered his body but threw him into our time. It isn't only by looks, but he is entirely back to how he was at age 6, and if this is correct, he turned 6 only a week and a day ago, so based on the timing, you found him the day of his birthday. Which would have been based on history his actual birthday, June 13th. As he is 6 now, we'll put down that he was born in 1980, as I'm sure you'll want us to make proper paperwork for him. After all, we can't let others know who he really is, am I correct?"
"Yes please. I'd also like to file paperwork to legally adopt him, and if possible, do a blood adoption." Grifhook raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm aware it's illegal but it'll not only prevent others from finding the truth but prevent Albus from forcing me to give him up. I can simply say that Salazar turned out to be a love child of mine and somehow ended up outside my quarters, which would make it more believable as that's where I found him. All that will need to be added is that his mother died early, and he was homeless. Him ending up here was his magics last effort in helping him survive."
"You have made an interesting and nearly fool proof story. Most importantly it's believable and easily true, adding a blood adoption would make it even more confirmable, but filling adoption paperwork would contradict what your story says. File a claim of parentage, and we'll simply not tell anyone about our work here." Severus was about to speak when Grifhook held up his hand. "All of this will be off the books. We'll keep goblin files of course but no one else will know. Lord Slytherin was one of few who aided us and was the first to suggest we open this bank. Though the suggestion was one with spite in mind. He commented that, as goblins are good with money, we open this bank and let wizards open vaults and work with them. He pointed out that when everyone banks through us, we truly are the ones with the power as we hold all that is dear to the wizards. He was not wrong, as we now are keeping safe priceless items and family heirlooms, as well as many irreplaceable belongings. So, we will do this for him, no charge, in return for all he did for us. This is still not enough in honest." Severus looked at me speechless, as I looked at Grifhook with a grin. He was right. Nothing about that plan was flawed and it clearly worked.
"Cunning and ambitious are understatements if that was common logic for you." Severus finally said.
"It might be. Not like I'd know." I smiled at him.
That next morning, I was tired. We left Gringotts late and stayed at the inn to let the changes that were next to non-existent settled before returning to Hogwarts. Grifhook had created all the needed documents and I was now Salazar Snape, Sal for short, daughter of Severus Snape and a random unknown mundane woman he had a drunken night with. He changed all my vaults to my new name and removed Severus's Dark Mark and an oath mark, which Severus promise the stories behind later. I got him to agree to remove a mark from someone named Lucius Malfoy as I recalled Severus talking about him and being worried about the return of some dark lord.
"Let's go to the dining hall, dad. We didn't eat yet since we were out so late." I smiled at my new dad.
"Of course. Albus should be there too. I should tell him what we found out, shouldn't I?" He smiled back. We walked in, Severus holding my hand, and got many looks from all the staff.
"I was so worried about you, child." Madam Pomfrey hurried over to us, looking us over like we might have just fought a dragon.
"I'm sorry ma'am. I was afraid I would be forced to the streets again." I looked slyly at the ground.
"I took a long time convincing her to go to Gringotts to do a bloodline test. Turns out she's right where she belongs." Severus looks at Albus, a smirk on his lips.
"What do you mean by that, Severus?" A woman sitting next to Albus asks, worry only second to curiosity.
"It seems that night, shortly after Potter's wedding, you remember me showing up drunk?" She nods encouragingly. "I only now find out I ended up meeting a mundane woman for the night."
"I don't understand what you're saying." Albus had a cold tone nearly hidden in his voice. The rest of the staff were mixed between not understanding, not believing, and shocked.
"Then let me make this simple. Allow me to introduce my daughter, Salazar Snape. And just a word of advice, Sal prefers to be referred to as if male. So, I hope you all welcome him kindly." He glares at Albus during that last part. I wave shyly at them.
"Merlin help us. How could you not have known? And why Salazar I wonder." The woman was clearly thinking in overtime.
"Mom said father mentioned someone he respected by that name. So, I would be named after that person, as she only knew dad's last name." I smiled at her.
She walks around the table as kneels next to me. "I'm Minerva McGonagall. It's nice to meet you, Sal. Where's your mother now?" She smiles at me.
"Mother passed on a while back. I don't know when really. I've been on the streets for a while... Nice to meet you too, ma'am. Your names hard to say." I tell her honestly. I have problems saying names I don't know well, but as I'm 6 it makes sense.
"You can call me Minnie if that's easier. I'm sorry about your mother. Do you know how you got here? I heard you just showed up outside your father's rooms."
"Ok Minnie. I don't really know. I know I fell hard since I wasn't well, hadn't been able to eat in a little, and everything was going dark. I thought if only dad was here, he could help. Mom said he could do anything. Next thing I know I was here."
"Her magic... I mean his magic brought him to his father. Albus you should have let me run those tests when I asked. Then we would have known all along. Poor thing nearly died. He was dying when he was brought to me." Madam Pomfrey was on the verge of tears.
Severus and I shared a look, both glad she hadn't run those tests. All the other staff finally seem to come to terms with it all and started to introduce themselves.
"As much as I'm glad to see everyone welcoming my son, he does need to eat, as do I. So, unless you can allow that here, we will have to return to our quarters and dine there." Everyone muttered sorry and we all ate. Albus still clearly not happy but he had a resigned look.
After breakfast, Severus and I went to our rooms and started setting up me a room, which didn't take long as Hogwarts seemed to have most of it ready. The next day, Severus floo called the Malfoy family and they had agreed to meet up at Diagon Alley to do some shopping, as we didn't have any clothes for me nor anything else really. Severus transfigured some clothes to fit me from what other children had forgotten when they left for the summer, and we told some of the staff, not including Albus, that we'd be gone.
When we arrived, Severus led me to a tall blonde man, a thin blonde lady, and a blonde boy who seemed to be my age. Severus sat down at the same table, which I then realized was at an ice cream parlor, and I failing to be subtle, moved my chair a little closer to Severus' before sitting down.
"Severus, it's good to see outside of those walls of your lab," the blonde man said.
"As you know, my work is never done with that sugar loving fool asking for more every day. However, I find myself with reason to ignore him and leave more. Allow me to introduce my son, Salazar Snape. Son, this is Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, and their son, Draco Malfoy." Severus pointed at each in turn.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord and Lady Malfoy and Heir Malfoy." I smiled at them.
"The pleasure is ours. I insist you call me Nissa, or Aunt Nissa if you must. As the son of our close friend, we can't have you being so formal." Narcissa smiled at me.
"Only if you call me Sal in return." I smiled back with a wink.
"He will get all the ladies when he grows up with that kind of attitude." Lucius chuckled. "Severus, my friend, since when did you have a son? Why were we never informed? And where is his mother?"
"Sal is 6, but I only just found out about him a little over a week ago. I'm sure you remember as much as my colleagues, shortly after Potter's wedding I was, let's just say living in a haze, and it seems one of those nights I had a mundane lady join me. Seems I spoke about respecting Salazar, and so she named him after the person I respected. Sal was nearly dead when his magic brought him just outside my rooms as I was leaving them. The goblins were the ones who informed us he was my son, as Albus refused to allow us to do a bloodline test. As for his mother, she died around a year ago and Sal's been on the streets until now." Severus looked at me, and then at the ice cream I kept glancing at. "Son, have you ever had Ice Cream?"
"No. It looks good but I don't need any." I looked away from it, somewhere I still fear asking for things.
"Father, buy my new friend some ice cream." Draco was staring at me, a look of shock on his face.
"I think that would be acceptable, however, you haven't said anything to him. What if he doesn't want to be your friend?" Lucius asked, getting up to go buy some.
"Who wouldn't want to be my friend? Aside from mud bloods." Draco stomped his foot indignantly.
"I don't want to be friends with anyone who uses that word." I said, my voice cold. Severus told me what a mud blood was since I had overheard it yesterday, and I knew my original parents were mundane, which made me a mundane born, or mud blood.
"Why not? It's not like they are worth anything, right father?" Draco looks to Lucius who had just returned.
"Draco, I think it's best you do not use that word around Sal. Clearly it makes him unhappy, and that will do you no favors in being friends." Lucius has a stern, yet unreadable expression.
"I think no one should use it. Ever." I add, my voice still cold. "Dad, my head is hurting. I think I will need a rest after this." My head feels like it's about to split but with that pain is returning memories of my childhood.
"Sal, dear, are you ok? You seem to be greatly affected by this argument." Nissa asks, her voice nothing but worry.
"I'll be fine, Nissa. I just have a thing I deal with..." I look to Severus, who nods agreeing to go along with whatever I say. "When we were with the goblins, they told us I have an old soul, but it's a rare type called an active soul. So, I can gain memories of my past lives. I know one of my past lives, I was mundane born. I was also one of the most powerful of wizards during that era. So that's why I hate that word."
"This is of course meant to be a secret. He gets headaches when past memories surface." Severus gives a warning look to all 3 Malfoy's.
"Of course. I couldn't imagine being able to remember past lives. That seems like it would get confusing." Lucius shoots his own warning look at Draco. "I'm sorry, Sal. I will strive to not use those words anymore. I was taught by my father and never put any thought into it."
"Out of curiosity, do you know the names of any of your pasts?" Nissa asks softly.
I glance to Severus, who nods. "I only know one. The one I mentioned earlier being mundane born." Draco rolls his eyes. "And I think the reason I started remembering it so early is because I share a name with that life." I look at Lucius.
"What? You were a Snape before?" Draco scoffs.
"Not that name. I was named Salazar before." I glare at him, feeling my eyes shift to resemble snake eyes.
"Salazar... and powerful... You don't mean Salazar Slytherin, do you?" Nissa's eyes grow wide.
I look at her, my eyes still like snakes. "I do indeed, Nissa. I was him, a mundane born named Salazar Slytherin whose parents beat and tried to kill me. I only survived thanks to my adopted brother, whose father adopted me after he drug my half dead body into his castle. There would be no Slytherin house is Godric hadn't saved me." I smile fondly at the memories of sword fighting with Godric that soon fill my mind.
"No way. Slytherin was no mud blood. You are nothing but a liar." Draco slams his hand down, only to bring it up in pain, glaring at me as I laugh.
"I hate to tell you otherwise, but the goblins confirmed that one while Sal was being checked over. They actually chuckled at the fact he had the same name again." Severus looks at Lucius. "Now, I hate to leave so soon but, as you have parenting of your own to do, I think we will take out leave. Oh, Lucius. The goblins would like to talk to you, alone, regarding a matter Sal here arranged for you. I think you'll like what he managed to do."
"Bye Nissa and Lucius. It was nice meeting you both." I waved and took Severus' hand as he led me to a clothing store. I feel him casting a secrecy charm on them as we left which has me sigh with relief.
"I apologize for that, son. I hadn't even thought of how casually that word is used by them and the circle we are around." Severus looked at me.
"I think it'll be alright after the headaches stop, but until then, maybe I shouldn't spend time with Draco alone? I'm afraid…" I looked at him, then a silver shirt caught my eye, and I was looking around the store.
Severus chuckled at my quick shift of focus; clearly happy I was not thinking of the interaction anymore. I was quick to point out my favorite colors, silver and emerald followed closely by forest green and pewter. Severus got me several outfits in each color, from robes to night wear, adding a few black sets as well. He got me mostly open robe types, after finding out they were my preference, but insisted on a few closed sets, which I relented to. Leaving the store with our bags shrunk, we ran into Lucius alone waiting for us.
"Sal forgot his ice cream, so I had it put in a container and placed a stasis spell on it for him." Lucius said, handing Severus the container before turning to me. "Sal, I don't know how you did it, but I cannot thank you enough for that. I hope you can allow me to stop by and discus this later today. I would like to go ahead and tell Nissa what you did for me first."
Severus looked at me, and I nodded that he could visit. "You are welcome by my rooms later this evening, however we are shopping for everything Sal might need, so perhaps I can floo call you when we return."
"That would be acceptable." Lucius replied before walking to the floo station.
"That was odd." I said, Severus laughing lightly. "Can we look at books next? I want to pick up potion and rune books, the ones you don't have of course. I would also like to grab some herbology and spell creation books if you don't mind."
"I don't mind at all; however, I should warn you I might not be able to buy everything you want on this trip."
"If it's money issues, I can tell you I have plenty. I would like to stop by Gringotts before the bookstore anyways. Something came to mind while we were talking to Lucius." I looked at Severus, a glint of mischief in my eyes. He agreed and we went into the bank, quickly informing them I wanted to talk to Grifhook, and we were led to the same office as before by a very shocked goblin.