Family problems, New Love and New life

Disclaimer; I own none of the fabulous Harry Potter characters, storylines or ideas that I have BORROWED from J.K Rowling. Anyone STUPID enough to sue, will be fed to my beta reader, who is a growing boy!

A big huge thanks to my beta guy GusMan! Thanks gussygoose, you made it easy to write. And to all those that read this story, I hope you enjoy it!

And now a big thanks to all my friends! Thanks guys, you are my rock! So a big thank you to all the Yr11 outcasts at WSHS!

And now, on with the Chapter 5 !

Ok, herrreeeeeeeee we goooooooooooo!

The Portrait Of Snakes.

Amelia was hopelessly lost. She knew she was in the dungeons due to the cold and dampness and lichen clinging to the walls.

"Just fuckin' great. I'm not even in the castle for a night and already I'm lost." She grumbled.

Suddenly her foot hit a slippery and slimy spot on the stone floor, and she crashed to the floor. Hard.

"Are you alright Miss?" a voice asked her as she rubbed her bruised behind.

Amelia looked around from her slimy spot on the floor. She couldn't see anybody.

"No no, up here on the wall Miss." the voice came again.

Amelia looked at the wall on her right and saw a very large, even more so than the fat lady in pink, and very detailed portrait.

"Yes. I am ok. Thank you for asking." Amelia said as she stood up, only to slip and fall down again. "Maybe I'll just stay where I am."

The man in the portrait laughed. "As you wish."

Amelia smiled. "I'm Amelia. Amelia-James O'Conner." She introduced.

The man seemed a little surprised. Amelia noticed this and frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No! No! Not at all! It's just no-one really comes down here anymore, and when they do they normally leave rather quickly." the man said, transfiguring a rat into a chair and sitting down.

"Oh. Why do they do that?"
"I'd rather like to know myself."

"Ok. So, who are you? I don't believe you've introduced yourself yet."

"Ah yes. My apologies. My name is Salazar Slytherin."

Amelia's eyes widened. "THE Salazar Slytherin! One of the original 4 founders!"

Salazar smiled. "Yes. Tell me Miss O'Conner, what house are you in? You aren't wearing school uniform."

"Oh. I only arrived today. The hat took FOREVER to choose where to put me. Something about being too smart for Ravenclaw, and me and Hufflepuff not matching right. Being perfect for Gryffindor, but better than perfect for Slytherin. So it put me in Slytherin. Your house! I was trying to get to the common room but err, I got a bit lost." She grinned sheepishly.

Salazar chuckled, and then looked serious. "So you were considered for all the houses? Hmm, tell me, did the hat give you any advice?"

"Yes it did!"

"Tell me what it said child, for the other founders and myself are apart of it, are we not?"

"Yes, you are. It said 'A word of advice. 2+13, not 4. When 3 are 4 once more, and the 4 are within the walls, you will know every secret that Hogwarts has. Secrets that were born, and died, with the founders 4."

Slytherin looked a tad surprised, then he broke out in a huge grin. "I though this day would never come! You are able to do wand-less magic, are you not?"

"Umm. Yeah. Well, sorta. What's that got to do with anything?"

"And you are a direct descendant of Merlin?"

"Yes but…"

"And your mother is Queen Ariana of Atalantia?"

"…..WHAT? Err, sorry bout that. Yeah my mom is, or was Ariana. But I don't think the rest of it's true." Amelia said, leaning against the wall opposite Salazar's portrait.

"Your mothers name was Ariana? Yes?" Amelia nodded. "And you are the first in your bloodline to have limitless powers in wand-less magic?" Amelia nodded again. "Then your mother was Queen Ariana of Atalantia. You know nothing about that part of her life do you?" he asked.

"No." Amelia shook her head. "Will you tell me?"

"What is the time Princess?" he asked her.

Amelia frowned but answered his question. "11:37. Will you tell me about it please?"

But once again it fell on deaf ears. "Good lord! You should be in bed by now! Why did you come here at this ridiculous hour to begin with! Now you'll be caught for sure! Well maybe not. Not if you…" he broke off suddenly. "Someone is coming! Quickly, move into the shadows!" he hissed.

Amelia did as he said, this time managing to stand without falling back on her bruised backside again. She looked only when she heard the footsteps stop, they were only a few paces away from her! But, thankfully, the darkness hid her from sight, but she couldn't see who it was either.

"Salazar. How've you been?"

It was Draco Malfoy.

"Oh. Hello there Draco! I didn't realize it was you. I'm better than I've ever been thank you. What brings you down here? Especially at this time of night?"

"You should know Salazar. You've been talking to her haven't you?" Draco said, a slight smile hinted at the corners of his mouth.

Salazar looked shocked. "Really Draco! You are the only one that talks to me! You should know that!"
Draco snorted. "You always have been a terrible liar."

"yes, yes I have. Come on out Princess. I believe your prince has arrived to sweep you away." Salazar called out to Amelia.

"You wish Salazar." Draco said.

"I agree with Draco. How did you know where I was?" Amelia said, avoiding the small slimy spot like a plague.

"Asked the portraits around the place when you didn't come to the common room. Last one I asked saw you heading down this way. Besides, I kinda did the same thing once. But I did it on purpose. I didn't get lost." he teased.

"Hey! I didn't get lost! I just took a wrong turn somewhere." she defended.

Salazar laughed. "You two make the cutest couple! Let me take a picture. Yes, it will turn out. I just can't give you a copy. No, Draco stand behind her! No! Your arms go around her waist. Waist! Not hips! Good! Great, smile! Very good!"

During this, Draco and Amelia hadn't stopped smiling or laughing.

"Hmm. Something's wrong. But I can't quite pick it." Salazar frowned. "You two need a little something extra, to make it magic and special. Unique to you two. But I don't know what?" he said frustratedly.

"Hmm." Amelia said, an idea forming in her head.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Got an idea." She replied.

"Please show me! I'm open to all ideas!" Salazar said eagerly.

"Ok." Amelia said, before she started moving herself and Draco into the positions she had seen in her wildly over reactive-imagination.

Her head rested on Draco's right shoulder, her left hand moved behind his head, tugging it down so it was a few mere inches from hers. She grabbed his left hand and placed it on the side of her head, his fingers resting just behind her right ear. But then she tugged his head down even further, so their mouths were almost touching. His breath smelt minty to her. They stared at each other, neither one moving, not wanting to break the electrifying atmosphere that had settled over the two of them.

"Done!"

They jumped apart. Typical Salazar. Acted like a true Slytherin. Because he is idiot! Draco shook his head to get rid of the voices in there.

Amelia shook her head. "Maybe bed is a good idea."

"Yes. I do believe it is. Make sure she gets to the common room, and then her dorm room safely. And I do hope to see both of you sometime soon. Next time I'll tell you about your mother little Princess. Goodnight my little snakes, and sweet dreams." Salazar said before he turned and went off through a door in his portrait.

"Well. I've no idea what that princess stuff was about. Do you?" Draco asked as they started towards the Slytherin common room.

"My mother was Ariana. She was the Queen of Atalantia. I'm her daughter and that makes me a princess. I guess it's true. Salazar seems to think so. What about you Draco? What do you think?"

"I'm not sure either. Ahh, here we go. The entrance to the Slytherin common room. Giving the password to anyone not from this house results in very unpleasant occurrences. Teachers excluded of course."

"So what IS the password?"

"At the moment. Shirley Barber. Don't ask. Dumbledore chose it."

"Ah. That would make more sense." Amelia said as they entered the common room and sat on one of the couches by the fire.

They continued to talk, neither really wanting to say goodnight to the other. In the end, they never did.