Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter's world, the characters or my car…

Chapter Sixteen: Introductions

Thorne and Myles left chattering excitedly down the corridor, with Snape glaring at the two boys. The other first years were sent scampering to the common rooms with a characteristic scowl from Snape before he too swept down the darkened corridor, leaving Harry alone with Hermione with the founders.

'Tell the rest of the Fifth House everything seems to back to normal. Don't say Voldemort turned up – I don't want a panic… let the first years know to keep their mouths shut.'

'Wise…'

Hermione nodded and with all the dignity she could muster turned on her heel.
"She's a catch," Earven murmured to Rhodderyk.

Rhoddy smiled and sighed, "I've got a girl."

"I don't…I've always had soft spot for Gryffindor ladies…"

Rhoddy rolled his eyes in reply.

Harry forced his face to remain expressionless. The irony of Slytherin's son being impressed with Hermione was bordering on hilarity.

"It's this way to the hospital wing…" Harry announced, glancing back at Rhodderyk and Earven, the later who was still eying the passage where Hermione disappeared.

Albus Dumbledore was waiting for Harry in the hospital wing. Upon seeing his young pupil he stood up from the chair and spread his arms wide. "Mr. Potter, I see you have returned to us safe."

Harry nodded and grimaced as Poppy Pomfrey listlessly came in from the office, tying the loose belt of her knighting gown. "Oh it's you," she mumbled as she immediately started to fuss over Harry.

Rhodderyk raised an elegant brow.

"What can I say?" Harry said in away of explanation, "But I always land up here."

The mediwitch snorted loudly, "That you do, Harry, that you do."

"Nothings changed then?" Earven commented loudly in the corner.

Noticing Albus Dumbledore eying the strangers with something akin to curiosity, Harry realised that he had not introduced the founders. He turned his head slightly to see Godric Gryffindor also looking at Dumbledore with the same curiosity.

"Is this Double – door?" Gryffindor asked, finally unable to keep his questions silent.

Pomfrey dropped the bandages onto the floor and ignored them as they rolled away.

Harry looked quickly to Albus Dumbledore, whom normally seemed to know what to do in embarrassing moments.

Seeing Harry's silent request, Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Poppy, could you excuse us for a moment."

Poppy frowned and slowly bent to pick up her bandages one by one. "As you wish," she commented listlessly as she swished out of the room.

Harry watched the handle of the office snap shut and glanced nervously to Salazar, who had been starting intently at Harry ever since they had entered the Hospital Wing.

"Professor Dumbledore…" Harry started licking his lips, although not as drastic as telling Dumbledore he had been sent a thousand years in the past, he was unsettled at having to introduce the founders to his Headmaster.

Salazar forced the thin smile that threatened to creep onto this lips, he was enjoying every moment of Harry's uncomfortable situation.

"… Lord Salazar Slytherin…"

Salazar lifted his chin every so slightly, it was a mannerism that his underlings found deeply troubling. Dumbledore seemed calm; his periwinkle blue twinkled mischievously as his lips parted, "Pleasure." He nodded his head ever so slightly.

"Lord Gryffindor," Dumbledore stepped forward offering his hand to Godric, who accepted curiosity still burning in his chocolate brown eyes.

"Ladies Helga and Rowena…" Harry gestured to the two ladies in turn. Rowena stepped forward and offer a proffered hand regally, "Charmed I'm sure."

Dumbledore not the least bit fazed lifted Rowena's hand close to his lips. He bent his aged torso slightly. "Likewise," he murmured, as his lips barely brushed the porcelain skin of Rowena's hand.

"This is Rhodderyk Gryffindor, Godric's nephew…" Rhoddy inclined his head slightly as he heard Harry's words; he was becoming overwhelmed at being away from their time.

"Relax," Earven murmured, "I'm sure Kendrick and Dorian have not time to wreck havoc on the castle…" Rhodderyk rolled his eyes and Earven added as an after thought… "Yet…"

"Lord Salazar's son Earven…"

Earven smiled thinly. "Things have certainly changed."

"I hope." Dumbledore clasped both of his hands together in front of his body, seemingly unconcerned by who stood before him. "That you feel welcome at Hogwarts."

"It feels as though I never left…" Salazar sighed wistfully. He tilted his head slightly as if to capture the sounds of apprentices laughing together. There was a sad expression on his face, Harry pitied him.

Harry grinning, lead the founders towards the Room of Requirement to meet with the Fifth House (Snape was going to be absent). Rhodderyk walked on Harry's right hand side, his eyes glued to the moving portraits. Harry could clearly see he dearly wanted to poke them… in fact he was practically jumping from one foot to the other.

'Oh come on, one poke.'

'Absolutely not!'

'One teeny weeny little poke.'

'No.'

'Just one…. Purlease?'

"No," Godric Gryffindor growled aloud, "And you wonder where your boys got it from… from their father, I tell you."

Rhodderyk pursed his lips, "Come on; don't tell me you're not curious."

"What's this Potter?"

Harry groaned aloud when he heard this drawl behind him. He turned and pressed through the founders.

"Malfoy…?" Slytherin looked thoughtful when he glanced at the boy, wearing Slytherin robes. He was small, slim with wispy blonde hair and cold grey eyes. Two goons flaked his sides, like two spearmen.

The boy sniffed loudly and looked down his nose at Slytherin. "What's you got here? Mudbloods?"

"Watch it or I'll curse you to no ends… Slytherin or no," Earven replied tersely his fingers already curled around the end of his wand.

Draco Malfoy smiled evilly and glanced at Harry up and down. "You'll be dead before you know it."
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but felt a heavy reassurance on his shoulder. He glanced up into Salazar's face and his mentor squeezed his shoulder in silent reply.
"Don't be so sure boy," Salazar replied gravely, "the future hold many mysteries."

Draco sneered at Salazar Slytherin; his cold grey eyes maliciously sparkled with a calculating look.

"Did you like the spell the heir of Slytherin used last night, Potter?"

Harry baulked.

"Compliments of my father… done a lot of research in ancient magics… you have no hope."

Salazar squeezed Harry's shoulder harder so that Harry winced in pain. "I knew your father boy. Trust me he knew very little of what he was dabbing in…"

Draco laughed mirthlessly. "Crabbe, Goyle…"

Salazar watched as the Slytherin trio marched down the Hall. "Boy!"
Draco turned and it was Salazar's turn to smile maliciously. "I was not sorry in killing your father…"

Draco's pale face turned to stone at the mention of his father he glanced from goon to goon. His lips parted as if to deny the fact Slytherin had presented to him. "He died a coward… a traitor…"

Despite strongly disliking the senior Malfoy, Harry bowed his head in shame. No one deserved to hear of a loved ones death from their enemy.

"Choose the right Heir, is the only advice left for me to give you."

Malfoy rallied his wits before he replied, "Whose to say I've sided with the wrong heir."

Salazar smiled sadly before turning around and taking Harry with him. "I do…"

The excitement in the Room of Requirement had been astronomical as Harry introduced each of the founders and Rhodderyk and Earven. The ancient heroes, with the exception of Slytherin, dispersed themselves amongst the Fifth House, deliberately picking students from different houses from themselves. Earven made a beeline to Hermione Granger, much to the disgust of Ron and to the amusement of Harry. Hermione was blushing furiously as Earven gallantly introduced himself, with the flurry of a knight in shining armour.

"What's happening?" Harry barely opened his lips in fear one of the members would hear his uncertainty.
"They will teach you House to communicate between each other… you'll be coming with me…" Salazar indicated to a door that miraculously appeared at the other side of the room. Harry took one wistful look about the room before he took the first steps towards the new door.

Harry's fingertips touched the door knob and he shivered in anticipation. It turned smoothly in his hand and swept open. Stepping through Harry turned as Slytherin closed the door behind him.

"You've got questions?" Slytherin asked expectantly. Harry nodded and glanced around the room.

"The basilisk… why…?"

Slytherin laughed gleefully. "Oh that… a research project nothing more, nothing less… research."

"Research?"

Slytherin nodded his head and looked away from Harry's focused emerald eyes. He swallowed. "I'm a healer Harry…"

Harry nodded.

"I will never be happy with the discoveries of medicine…" he looked slyly over to his apprentice…"or potions."

"The basilisk was a part of my research. I breed it for its venom… Venom can become medicine… But I had to abandon my research; it seems I had created a potion of nigh immortality." He shivered… "Immortality is a curse… more evil than good."

Harry nodded, this information would drive men to war. The greedy would stop at nothing go gain immortality.

"…Death should not be feared… an unlived life is more frightening. Our time on this earth is so short, Harry… So very short."

Slytherin stood and stretched and grinned. "Now I shall be doing some real teaching." He rolled up the sleeves of his robes. "I shall teach you to conjure a shield."

Like the wandless arts Salazar had previously taught him, it took Harry what seemed like an age before he managed it.

Salazar cheered when the invisible shield was complete and whole.

"Now conjure your patronus."

"He's…" Harry didn't have the words to describe Prongs… "Broken…"
Salazar stared back with a stony expression. "Cast," he commanded.

Harry sighed. "Expecto Patronum!"

Prongs burst forth in blinding white light, Harry bent over double shielding his eyes. Prongs pranced around the room with in delight and came to stand in front of Harry. His white coat had a golden hewn and his eyes… were emerald green. Harry laughed and lifted his hand to touch the velvety nose.

"He is whole," Salazar said from the corner. "His magic feeds from your strength and from your shield. He is dangerous spirit for your foes. When he is around, evil cannot touch you."

Harry looked up stunned. "Why doesn't anyone else know about this?"

"Dangerous information if it leaks into the wrong hands…"

Harry glanced once more towards his patronus and beamed. "I feel stronger… and hopeful…"

"Only a fool would not hope."