Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Salazar JK Rowling does...

Chapter Six In the Serpent's Mind

Salazar Slytherin soon established a routine to the days. Harry was expected to wake up early and prepare breakfast under the steady watchfulness of his mentor. Other more mundane tasks were completed with a whimsical wave of Salazar's hand.

Harry thought Salazar Slytherin a hypocrite, for his first day he had comprised of 'muggle chores.' He didn't complain because it left him free of work and had the whole day to be taught by Salazar.

When Harry dished up breakfast they would sit and eat together. Slytherin had a habit of barking out all sorts of questions (apparently he was eager to learn almost everything about the modern world –it was knowledge denied to the other founders and he coveted it relentlessly).

Harry had learned early to answer quickly, for Slytherin demanded a timely response to all his inquiries. Harry of course obliged for Slytherin's steely stare outstripped even Professor Snape's. And Slytherin seemed to have no concern for Harry's privacy.

"You blew up your Aunt?" Slytherin asked incredulously as he raised his eyebrows elegantly. "Why?" He had wanted to know about the underage wizardry rule and penalties and Harry had been fooled into telling him about the encounter with Aunt Marge.

Harry's lips tightened as he remembered how much he had hated Marge in those moments. "I was sick of being put down – angry that she should make a mockery of my parents' murder. It's not considered polite to rip apart a dead person's life just because she didn't understand them..."
Slytherin made no attempt to reply but Harry noticed the approving light in his dark eyes.

A moment later Harry felt Slytherin's essence in his mind.
"Ah I see…glad you did it lad."
"She deserved it!"
"That she did," Slytherin replied (a rare occasion that he would agree with a Gryffindor, "But it was wrong – and dangerous."
"I didn't mean to blow her up," Harry snapped.
"Gryffindors and their short tempers…it was amusing all the same…great lump of muggle…"

Slytherin broke contact and Harry blinked in surprise. That had been the first time Slytherin had touched his mind without touching his temples or with Harry practising to relax and closing his eyes…Slytherin had continuously clicked his tongue at the end of a day's work and commented wryly that Harry just was not ready.

Slytherin however unconcernedly returned to his meal, without giving Harry a second glance.

Slytherin waved his hand and the two chairs in the living room moved together as if they had legs. And then he beckoned Harry into the living area.

"I think we will practice in comfort today..."

"How do you do that?" Harry meant how did he use magic without a wand or incantation.

Slytherin gazed at Harry imperiously and sat in the sitting chair. "I will teach you sometime…but you are not ready – yet."

"Will I ever be ready?" Harry whined to himself.
"Typical Gryffindor always making a fuss."

Whenever Harry did something that displeased Slytherin he was branded a Gryffindor, but on the rare occasions he did something right Slytherin would comment that he should have been his.

As Harry had heard all of Salazar's complaints about the Gryffindor persona he bit back a reply and sat in the chair next to Salazar and waited for the founder to make the next move.

"Today boy I will teach you how to access another wizard or witch's mind."

Harry stared openly. Was Slytherin implying what he thought he was implying?

Slytherin met Harry's gaze levelly and smiled thinly, although it looked more like a grimace from Harry's viewpoint. "Yes," he said dramatically, "I will allow you to access my mind."

Slytherin allowed Harry a few moments to comprehend what a special privilege he was offering and the possible implications that would ensue if Harry displeased him. Pleased that Harry understood the gravity of his offer, Slytherin held out his hands.

In turn Harry offered Slytherin his hands albeit wryly. "We'll start hand to hand – that way if you get lost in my mind, I can control the situation quickly and rescue you…"
"Lost?" Harry gulped he did not like the emphasis Slytherin had put on the word. Salazar Slytherin however waved the issue aside. "The mind is a very complex maze my boy…"
Harry squirmed in his chair…Salazar's words held very little comfort for him.

"Now," Slytherin commanded lowering his voice and squeezed Harry's hands slightly, "Access your power as I have taught you…"

Harry did not know how much time passed before he gained access to Salazar's mind. But he found an opening like his mentor had described and stepped through.

The essence that Harry had learned to recognise as Salazar filled his senses. It much like the smoke and incense in Professor Trelawney's classroom or after Aunt Petunia had cleaned the bathroom…or the smell of the hospital wing.

The speculation that ebbed from Salazar immediately turned into elation and this shocked Harry.

"Hello Harry…I had wandered when you would come." Harry immediately felt Salazar's pride – he was the first apprentice Slytherin had taught to successfully achieve access into another's mind.

"What shall I show you?"
Harry racked his brain, what could Salazar offer to show him…
"The other Founders…" Harry queried hopefully.
"Godric in particular I suppose?"
"Yes…" Harry could not hide his eagerness…

"Very well – I thought you would ask…"

An image of a tall wizard in red and gold robes filtered to Harry's mind, his red brown hair had been pulled back and tied with a leather strap and glinted in the firelight. In the next instant Harry was that Salazar's memory was in a crowded wizarding tavern. Godric suddenly laughed heartily at some joke, his honey gold eyes shining mirth.

A cool intelligent witch in a blue robe, whom Harry recognised as the witch who had casually handed him over to Salazar on that fateful first day, smiled thinly and rolled her eyes.

"The Lady Ravenclaw…always too sombre…her friend the Lady Hufflepuff"

A younger witch with long, blonde curly hair and grey eyes, whispered something into Ravenclaw's ear, which brought a small smile to the sombre face. Hufflepuff clapped her hands merrily and chuckled to herself.

Gryffindor then said something in gaelic and glanced to where Harry assumed Salazar must have been sitting and then burst out laughing.

"You were good friends…"
"Godric is still a good friend…ah our days of glory when we were still young…"
"You still are…admittedly you're approximately a thousand years older than what I am. But still that is no reason to call yourself old…"

Surprisingly Harry's comment made Slytherin chuckle… "You're every bit like Godric sometimes, boy…"
"Really…"
"The mind does not lie boy…now what else can I show your curious mind…"

"Do you have any family?"

Harry's question stunned Slytherin and for a moment he let his careful guard down. Images of his late wife, Briona, her long gold hair down to her waist…of Saxtyn and Earven, tumbling over each other in play… Darcy and Salome – their village burning… people running – dying slow and painfully. Then Saxtyn as a young apprentice, Newlin his friend… both pale and weak – tossing and turning in their nightmares….

"Out! Now, Boy!"