Disclaimer : Just in case you're wandering I don't own Harry Potter…

A/N: Some were wondering about the creature Slytherin dubbed as the Prince of Darkness. This strange, warped, evil thingy is a concoction of my imagination. It has not place in the real world of Harry Potter. But seeing this is a fanfiction I'm letting my imagination loose. What it is – is not important. But rather what it was able to do.

Furthermore anything in BOLD is where the characters are in each other's minds communicating…

Chapter Fourteen Cunning, Clever and Courageous

Harry pulled his hand violently to his chest with gasp of horror. He reeled and fell backwards onto his backside. The shock of seeing Lucius Malfoy was almost too much.

Draco had said at the end of their fifth year that he would have revenge. But how did Malfoy senior escape from the infamous wizarding prison?

Sirius was the only one he knew of who had been successful… Had Fudge been so far into Malfoy's pocket that money had given him an escape from the prison…? or had the dementors turned to Lord Voldemort eager to feast on more souls?

An involuntary shiver went up Harry's spine the possibilities were to ghastly to think of and if the later was true were his friends, heck his world safe? And for how long would the tentative peace last?

Slytherin's face loomed over Harry his eyes glinting with something akin to silent acknowledgement.
"Someone you know?"
Harry nodded his head and stood slowly. "His being here is not good…"
"Why?"
"Because it changes the circumstances that I think is happening in the magical world in my time?"

Godric looked confused but oddly serene. "What you think is happening - don't you live in the magical world?"
Salazar glanced meaningfully at Godric. "He lives with muggles." Godric's only reply was to raise an eyebrow; he had the sense not to say anything more.

"He's at my place…" Salazar said crisply. "We should confront him."

Godric smiled, which was more of a conspiratorial leer, and rubbed his hands. "I'll let you do the honours."

It need not be said that Harry felt uncommonly uncomfortable hearing the two founders talk about killing Draco Malfoy's father with such evident glee. But in retrospect the medieval world was brutal and often very cruel. In this game it was kill or be killed and frankly Harry preferred to survive…

"Lord Slytherin," Harry squeaked almost inaudibly. Salazar turned his shoulders slightly, encouraging Harry to continue.
"Malfoy thinks he is a Slytherin," Harry gabbled quickly. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin tilted their heads to one side, clearly not understanding the flow of Harry's thoughts. "Could we not use that against him?"
"How?"

Harry sighed heavily and wrapped his arms around his chest, glancing about the ruins of the Hollow. "From what I understand, this 'army' against you is composed of mostly muggles with some connection to Hogwarts."
Slytherin nodded and Gryffindor frowned deeply.
"I think I comprehend that muggle parents of witches or wizards cannot be happy with their children's… magical abilities…"

Slytherin nodded, Godric however answered heavily, "We had an awful lot of trouble asking muggle-borns into the school and most half bloods…"
"And those that are in the school could be very well spies to ruin us, Godric… I had warned you all of this!" Salazar Slytherin hissed angrily.
"I know, my friend, I know. And we pay for that folly now."

Harry couldn't help but feel a pang of loss at the thought of so many with the ability to use magic being denied. It was like denying an eagle to fly… or a fish to swim. Wizards were wizards and there was nothing the outside world could do or say to change that.

"If they are teaming up with Malfoy. A man who prides himself in being pure blooded I can only come to one conclusion…"
Gryffindor and Slytherin looked to Harry waiting for his answer.
"They have come to hate and revile you so strongly for what you do to their children… that they no longer care for how they bring about your demise or who they use." Harry looked from founder to founder.
"This Malfoy is in a dangerous situation then…"
"Simple for him to bite off more than he can chew…" Slytherin chuckled heartily. "What pray, does this have to do with being a Slytherin?"

"Lucius is vain, greedy and above all ambitious," Harry explained, "He thinks that you left the school and wanted to destroy it…he may be looking for an ally."

Slytherin rubbed his beard in agitation but a smile started to blossom under his hand before he continued, "You want me to pretend to be friendly towards this man…"
"You might find out their plans," Godric commented thoughtfully.
"It wouldn't be hard, Malfoy would probably worship the ground you step on," Harry grinned, thinking of how Malfoy kissed the hems of Voldemort's robes and imagined him doing that on the Slytherin founder, who would be only too glad to be rid of him.

"And you have leverage," Harry continued gazing up at the two older wizards.
Salazar and Gryffindor looked blank.
"A bargaining tool. You could further use me to get practically anything out of Mr. Malfoy…anything…"

Slytherin's grin faded and he looked down on Harry. "You're certainly a very cunning, clever and courageous young man…but… I cannot…"
"I trust you…" Harry said, "And I offer freely."
"For which I thank you but… but – you're not a tool Harry. You're not something for me to manipulate and use…" Slytherin placed his hand on Harry's shoulder with a squeeze.
"But what will you use to?"

Slytherin grinned and laughed, "Good lord Harry! I am Salazar Slytherin himself, great lord of deceit, wit and resourcefulness…! I am sure I can think of something young sir!"

"Don't worry, Harry," Godric said in Harry's ear as Slytherin was still chuckling with himself and enjoying a great private joke. "Slytherin can look after himself…he has a lion watching his back after all…"

Slytherin entered his house with a purposeful stride. The front door he flung shut behind him and let it bounce off the wall announcing to anyone in his house he was home.

"MALFOY…!" he called. There was no response. "MALFOY… I know you are here. I know who sent you…"

As if in response there was a clutter and a clang from his living room. Slytherin managed a small smile and gracefully walked forward…

A blonde man, in long expensive robes looked up at him in fright, a large magic book in his hands. Slytherin felt a bubble of annoyance but refused it to show on his face; instead he sat airily in a comfortable chair, flicking his robes about him.

"Take off your mask… you have no need of it here. I have already seen your face."

Malfoy did as he was told immediately with shaky hands.

'Git…' (this was from Harry).
'Hush…Harry…,' Gryffindor chided.
'He can't hear us… Git…'
Slytherin caught a smile before it could creep onto his face. 'But I can…'

"Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy…attacking the Hollow was a grave mistake…"
Slytherin enjoyed the trepidation that spread across the stranger's face – and once more he could feel Harry jubilation in his mind. 'Git…git…git…git!'

"I admit I was somewhat surprised to find that my heir would send someone this far back to join with me…" Slytherin folded his hands regally on his lap.
"My – my – lord?" Malfoy stammered.
"You were here to aide me, were you not…?" Slytherin raised his eyebrows serenely.
Malfoy seemed to have gained some control over himself. "In a manner of speaking milord…"
"Pray continue…" Slytherin made a show of playing with a gold ring on his finger.
"This transportation was not erm…"
"Intentional…I know… I know so many things, dear Malfoy."
Malfoy sat stunned.
"I called you…" Salazar announced regally, "Welcome to my somewhat humble abode…"

Malfoy glanced about him and the curl of his lip did not go unnoticed by Salazar Slytherin; nothing escaped him.

'Use your knowledge of me….' Harry goaded in his mind…
'Harry shush…If I have to tell you one more time…' Gryffindor growled in reply.
'Both of you let me do this on my own…'
'Sorry….' Chastened Gryffindor withdrew partially so that only a small presence lingered in Salazar's mind. Harry however didn't move…

'Tell him you've got me… that you called me up as well… to do away with me as your heir has failed too many times…'
'Harry I am not putting you in danger.'
'Say that I'm in an unattainable place and Malfoy has not proven worthy of your regard as yet to know that secret…'
'Harry…' Gryffindor was growling again…

"I am somewhat unimpressed with my heir," Salazar commented bring Malfoy's attention back to him and not their surroundings. Malfoy, Slytherin noticed seemed somewhat shocked.
"Oh he has my resourcefulness but…"

'…he's not pure blood – say that…'

"…but his muggle blood lines seem to hamper his abilities at times."
Malfoy's eyes widened.
"You're master is…"

'…he's a half blood you stupid git…you worship a half blood.'

"A half blood but I have been very gracious and I have deliberately over looked that small detail. It would be easier to be forgiving of course if he had been able to – get rid of the little 'Potter' problem…"
"Lord Voldemort, has done everything in his power," Malfoy said quietly.
"Undoubtedly," Slytherin agreed, "That is why I called the boy here so I could – redeem the Slytherin name." Slytherin chuckled malevolently.

"And what has happened to the boy? My master would like to know."
"As of now, dear Malfoy, you are my servant and not my heirs. Of course you shall know, but alas I have not deemed you worthy as of yet to know of the boy's most – unfortunate fate." Slytherin chuckled again.
"He is dead then?" Malfoy goaded hopefully.

Slytherin could not help but feel disgusted with the stranger's obvious delight of hearing of an innocent boy's death, but he refrained from cursing him. "There are worse things than death my dear, Malfoy. As you will learn in time."
"Of course, of course…" Malfoy was nodded his head in excitement.

'Go on… worship your doom….'

"Now," Slytherin commanded standing regally, "You will take me to the army that awaits to destroy Godric and the other founders…"

Slytherin walked towards the door, without glancing over his shoulder. Sure that Malfoy would get ahead of himself and follow him to his own doom.