Disclaimer: I don't own any thing from the Harry Potter world… only my psychotic imagination at work here!

Chapter Fifteen: The Rescuers

Flashback

"STUPFY……"

The clearing became littered with spells flying around immediately. Harry pressed himself down the ground.

'NO STOP!"

Earven took guard of Harry and Helga standing over them as spells crashed about. Godric shield Rowena, who was displeased by his protective actions. Rhodderyk took up a defensive position, but there were so many spells that he did not know which way to turn.

'No, no, no…' Harry thought, 'NO!'

End Flashback

The forest soon became still. Harry raised his head up slightly and spat out mud and leaves. Helga rubbed his back and then she looked up also.

"Move away from him…!"

Hermione stood barefooted, Harry could see mud streaked almost up to her knees. Her long white lacy nightie flapped about her feet as a small wind stirred. Her long bushy hair was loose and floated listlessly like a war banner. Her normally kind eyes hardened in pure determination. She lifted her wand higher up into Earven Slytherin's nose. "Move Slytherin."

Earven looked at the tip of her wand then casually turned towards Harry. "Well, are you going to introduce me, to this lovely lady?" He asked unconcernedly.

Hermione wand inched higher… Harry thought she looked like a very determined Amazon warrior.

On shaky legs, Harry stood slowly and stepped forward and pressed his palm against the point of Hermione's wand. "I would not have you kill my rescuers," Harry murmured.

Hermione flicked her busy hair out from her eyes flustered and turned to look at the others in the clearing. "Rescuers?" she asked huskily. "Rescuers…?"

Harry nodded. "Earven, this is Hermione Granger, one of my dearest friends."
Earven took Hermione's free hand and brought it to his lips. "Pleasure, milady."

Hermione could not hide her surprise; her wand fell uselessly to her side. She glanced towards Harry and then to Ron who had crept closer to Harry.

"Hermione, this is Earven Slytherin… Salazar's son." Hermione squeaked incomprehensively.

"WHAT?" Ron looked outraged.

"Cool," Regin commented who was eying the end of Rhodderyk's wand. His band of first years including Bree, Willow, Royce, Thorne and Myles, had gone in attack of Rhoddy and Godric only to find themselves staring at the points of the grown ups wands. Harry ignored Earven and stepped in-between Rhodderyk and the first years.

"What are you doing here?" Harry demanded.
"You told the elected to make preparations to guard the common rooms right?" Royce volunteered a matter-of-factly, but one of his eyes was trained on Rowena Ravenclaw intently.
Harry nodded.

"Well they were excluding us!" Thorne snarled as it was a terribly insulting.

"They asked me to hide," Willow nodded empathetically. "In the broom cupboard."
Bree snorted and looked to Regin, who seemed to be the ring leader. "And it was not satisfactory arrangement," she said with a nod from Regin.

"And you didn't say anything about not helping you once I woke up the Fifth House," Regin reasoned still eyeing Rhodderyk with wonderment. "Can you tell him to lower his wand now?" There was a pleading type tone from Regin.

Rhodderyk looked to Harry who nodded. "My apologies young sir, all you had to do was ask."

Regin stepped away quickly and flashed a smile at Harry. "So here we are." Harry shook his head… he was never so careless in first year. Yeah Right!

"We should get back to the castle…" Harry murmured, rubbing his scar.
Hermione looked back at the ward, concern flickered in her eyes. "Harry, what happened?"

Harry shrugged haphazardly and looked to one of the three founders to explain. When no answer was forth coming he asked. "It was him?"

The group froze, Harry watch unfeeling as the horror swept through them.

"Him?" Regin squeaked, "Here?"

"The one and only," Harry replied dryly.

"Why would he be here?" Willow glanced about, doing a three sixty as if expecting Voldemort to appear.

"We're at war," Throne drawled, "he was going to turn up sooner or later."
"Yeah well I prefer later," Myles muttered, wrapping his Slytherin cloak about his shoulders.

Godric swept past the first years. "Voldewart?"

Despite the tension, the first years giggled at the mispronunciation of the powerful enemy's name.

"Voldemort – yes, Lord," Harry replied. Godric nodded, biting on his lips.

"What is going on here!" Harry had been expecting to hear this voice, ever since he recognised the other founders.

"Magister Slytherin!" Harry turned to see himself staring into dark fathomless eyes. Behind Salazar Slytherin, there was someone else Harry was not happy to see: Professor Snape.

Slytherin ignored the stares of the founders and the exclamation of Earven. "Father, where have you been?" and strode confidently to stand over Harry, disapproval evident in his eyes.

"Have I taught you nothing?" Salazar barked harshly, taking Harry by the shoulders. Harry shuddered at the emphasis on the word nothing.

"Get away from him!" Both Ron and Hermione threatened Salazar Slytherin with their wands. Salazar's lips parted in amusement; with a listless wave of his hand, Hermione and Ron lost their wands. Salazar pocketed their wands. "Why thank you." And turned back to Harry. "What were you thinking?"

Harry shook his head. What had he been thinking? "I don't think I was thinking, Magister Slytherin," Harry murmured, knowing that to lie would not be worth the trouble.

Snape snorted indistinctively, but a hard stare from Slytherin stop any unwanted comment.

Slytherin sighed heavily, "What am I going to do with you, boy?"

Harry didn't answer he fingered the cuff of his robe.

"You could have been killed!"

"At least I couldn't burn(see notes) myself again," Harry murmured and shivered at the awful feeling of his power literally being burned from him when he had rescued his ancient mentor.

"I never said it couldn't," Slytherin commented wryly. "Come we have spent too long out here."

Slytherin turned on his heel and Harry knew he was expected to follow. Without glancing at anyone else he followed his mentor back up to the Hogwarts castle.

Harry kept his head bowed down and stared attentively at the heels of Slytherin's boots. Even as he did so he could feel the two holes burning on the back of his head where he was sure Snape was staring. 'Perhaps he is trying to read my mind,' Harry thought whimsically, 'Yep I'm definitely in trouble.'

'What do you think you were doing boy? Slytherin's essence cut through Harry's mind. Harry kept still inside himself, he knew by the founder's scathing tone he was not expected to answer. 'You could have been killed!'

Harry sneezed loudly and rubbed his nose before looking back over the first years and his best friends.

'Harry do you want me to take him out?'

'Get out of his mind boy, we're having a private conversation,' Slytherin commanded before Harry had a chance to reply to Ron's inquiry. Ron, to his credit, refused to move.

'Out!' Slytherin snarled.

Ron stood his ground.

'I said OUT!'

Harry grabbed his temples and motioned Slytherin to stop. Ron was a few paces behind eying the older wizard suspiciously. Snape held out his hand to stop Ron from moving closer to the founder. He was looking from Harry, to Slytherin, and Ron and back again curiously. Harry knew he had a lot to explain to the Slytherin head of house.

"Ron, it's okay," Harry insisted out loud, still rubbing his temples, "he is no danger to me."

Ron sniffed as if he didn't believe Harry, and then pushed past Snape in a huff. "If you say so…"

Harry sighed and looked apologetically to Slytherin. "It is who I am that bothers him."

It wasn't a question but a statement but Harry nodded his head slightly. "It went better than I expected."

Slytherin sorted and pattered Harry's shoulder. "Sarcasm is the lowest form a wit Harry."

Harry grinned and nodded wearily. "But it's great."

Slytherin laughed and then abruptly sobered. "You are fortunate to have come from the serykah curse lightly."

Harry glanced up to look into Slytherin's dark eyes and saw a flicker of pity beneath their murky depths.

"I thought I was dead…" Harry confessed feeling his throat constrict.

"You were close to it," Godric Gryffindor commented sternly, "You have no concept how fortunate you are to be alive – and walking."

"Two to four bouts before we had but an end to it," Rhodderyk added, "Many have gone mad from less."

Harry shivered involuntarily and Slytherin looked even more stern. "How many times Harry?" he asked in an undertone. "How many?"

Harry looked away too embarrassed to admit to his mentor what had happened, although he knew a simple mind read would not leave him any secrets. Instead he turned and when to walk up the front stairs of Hogwarts. Slytherin, however, caught him just above his elbow.

"Harry…" Pity flooded the pools of Slytherin's eyes. "It's okay… I know. Lord knows I've done plenty foolish things in my life… I, too, have felt this curse…"

Harry smiled thinly. "I can't tell you how many times, Magister… I was too busy screaming to take notes."

Slytherin's face cracked into a mighty grin. He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders jovially and cried. "I've missed you Harry!"

Harry let Slytherin lead him up the stairs and replied cheekily, "I've almost missed you too, sir!"

Slytherin slyly looked to Harry, "Bet you have some questions…"

Harry nodded his head fervently. There was much he had never thought of asking the founder. Now that he was back…

"Well you're going to have to wait for the morrow." Harry groaned and Slytherin clapped his shoulders almost sympathetically. "Now it is time I send you to the 'hopstickal wing.'"

Harry's frowned deepened. "I don't need to."

"Nonsense, boy… I say yes, you do, yes?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. I swear it I'm fine."

Earven hearing the conversation called out. "I told you he has gotten grumpy in his old age!"

Harry looked over his shoulder. "Nothing's changed!"

Slytherin pretended to swat Harry over the head for his insolence.

"Milords, Miladies… welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard in the Modern Era…!"

Harry groaned loudly as Peeves swept through the party cackling madly.

"And some things do change…" Rhodderyk commented to Helga as they watched Peeves sweep away still chuckling madly.

"Count yourselves as lucky," Thorne replied thinly and he looked to Myles, "Better go before the Bloody Baron turns up."

Author's Note

A/N: Earven Slytherin is Salazar's eldest son – introduced in History – Retold.

Quote: "At least I couldn't burn myself again." – Harry is referring to the instances in History – Retold where in an attempt to protect Salazar Slytherin he released to much magical power, which resulted in 'burning'.

Flash back History – Retold
Rhodderyk Gryffindor caught Harry as he collapsed. The over exertion of power and magic had been know to permanently 'burn' a wizard. The prospect that Harry could have involuntarily 'burned' himself distressed Rhodderyk. For burning oneself was almost as bad a death. A wizard who had burned himself had wiped his body of power and sometimes it did lead to death…
End of Flashback

And the quote about sarcasm is from my father and is somewhat a family joke since I am known for my sarcasm and wit! I love that quote… I live and breath it!