Chapter Seven:

Salazar and Rowena did not sleep that night. It was quite late when they had retired from the party, and they had to leave early the next morning. They took Ni'Seth with them, as Salazar didn't trust the others to look after the little snake in his absence. Ni'Seth had taken up almost permanent residence on Salazar's shoulder over the last few months, and grew very petulant when removed. This caused some friction between Rowena and her husband, as she wanted to be alone with him, and this was impossible with the snake sitting on Salazar's shoulder hissing in his ear every few minutes. Rowena's house elf, Flicky, was also with them, as there was so much to do that Rowena would never have been able to complete everything alone. Her wardrobe alone took up four trunks, and it fell to Flicky to maintain her clothing, serve them their meals when they were not at parties, and to generally keep them organized. The house-elf was in her element, as she adored her mistress and was constantly scolding Rowena about the way she cared for her things.

So at dawn on Christmas, before all the guests had awoken, the two of them sneaked out of the castle with all their things for their honeymoon. First there was a quick trip to Salazar's London house, where they were able to exchange Christmas gifts and share a few quiet days before the parties and celebrations started. Each of the most influential and wealthy families wanted to host a party for the newlywed couple, and as Salazar wanted to show off his new bride, they attended every one. Salazar never left Rowena's side, and as they met with members of the Ministry and other various famous and prestigious people, he held her arm in his and beamed. He spun her around dance floor after dance floor in London, Paris, Rome, Athens and many other cities that they visited during their tour. Rowena did not really mind; after all, he was just as happy to be married as she was, and marriage meant compromise. She relished the time that they spent alone, but the amount that they had grew smaller and smaller as the days passed. By the end, she was looking forward to returning to Hogwarts so that they could spend some real quality time together, without a large crowd around.

The last night of their honeymoon was spent packing up. They had received a large number of additional gifts, and had spent some of their time shopping. Salazar had spent a great deal of money on some very rare potions ingredients that could only be found abroad, such as eggs from a unique species of giant salamander, Parisian pixie wings and the root and bark from a famous Fig tree in Greece. Rowena had done some shopping as well, but her purchases centred more on gifts for friends and family at home. She had picked up several scrolls on new healing techniques in Athens and a beautiful Roman goblet for Helga. For Godric, she had procured some Goblin-made armour in the Roman style to match the sword that Salazar had given him at their wedding. She knew that he would find it very appealing, and would likely display it somewhere prominent in the corridor leading to his tower chambers.

Rowena and Flicky were desperately trying to fit all of this into the cases that they had brought with them, with no success. Rowena was just contemplating using an expansion charm on their luggage to make room when the house elf let out a huge shriek.

'Shoo! Shoo! Oh Mistress will not like this, will not like this at all! Nasty little beastie sleeping in Mistress's good dresses! Out! Out!' said the elf, doing a little dance and waving her hands at the trunk containing Rowena's best clothing.

'What is it Flicky?' asked Rowena tiredly.

'Little snakey thing is sleeping in your best dress Mistress! I'se told Master Salazar over and over to keep snake thing out of Mistresses things, buts he doesn't listen to Flicky.'

Rowena walked over, and sure enough there was Ni'Seth curled up on top of her best evening gown, hissing furiously at Flicky. Rowena laughed.

'Is this where he's been sleeping? I know Salazar has been wondering where he at night. Looks like you startled him out of a deep sleep Flicky. I'll go get Salazar and see if he can relocate him to a place where he won't be in the way.'

As Rowena walked off to get Salazar, she could hear Ni'Seth hissing at Flicky as she muttered,

'Relocate? Send him back to the swamp I should. Icky little beastie sleeping on Mistress's gown. Shoo!'

When Rowena returned with Salazar, Flicky was twirling around the room shrieking and tugging on Ni'Seth, who had latched onto her nose and was hanging on for dear life. The two of them stopped dead at the grotesque tableau and watched as the two of them spun round and round the room. Finally Salazar had had enough and decided to stop it. Pulling out his wand he shouted,

'Imobulus!'

The two froze in mid twirl and Flicky, balanced precariously on one foot, toppled over. Salazar put his wand away, and walked over to the two of them.

'What is going on here?' he asked in a dreadful voice normally reserved for misbehaving students.

'Salazar, you froze them, they can't answer you right now. I suspect that Flicky tried to get him out of my trunk herself instead of waiting for us.' Rowena took out her own wand and released Flicky and Ni'Seth. The snake disengaged it's jaws from around Flicky's turnip like nose, and slithered over to Salazar who picked the snake up and put him on his usual shoulder perch. Ni'Seth started hissing angrily into Salazar's ear.

'Rowena, according to Ni'Seth, your elf attacked him with a stick. After what happened last November, it is understandable that he reacted in such a manner and I expect that Flicky will apologise and punish herself for this behaviour.'

'Won't! Won't! Flicky was just trying to keep snake thing from wriggling into Mistress's undergarments Flicky was! Tried to move little snake, not attack it! Snake attacked Flicky! Bit Flicky's nose and made it bleed it did!' Flicky was turning red with indignation and hid behind Rowena's skirts. Salazar's temper was rising quickly, but all Rowena could do was shrug. She knew that Salazar trusted Ni'Seth, but Flicky was incapable of lying.

'Perhaps it was only a misunderstanding Salazar.' She said.

Flicky shook her head and blew a raspberry at the snake perched on Salazar's shoulder. Salazar regarded the elf with distaste.

'Rowena, in the future I expect that you will teach your servant to have better manners. I would think that considering the fact that we are now married, I am afforded some respect from your elf, but I see that this is not the case. I warn you Rowena, I will not have such insolence in my household.'

With that, he stalked out of the room. Rowena shook her head, and patched up Flicky's nose as best she could. She decided to have Helga take a look at it when they returned. It was lucky for Flicky that Ni'Seth was not venomous, but her nose still hurt terribly, and she kept rubbing at it for the rest of the day.

As they finished the packing, Rowena was deep in thought. She knew that Salazar was a proud man, and that he had a temper, but she never figured that he would take it out on her elf that way. She was very protective of Flicky, whose family had served the Ravenclaws for many generations. Rowena avoided Salazar that afternoon, more to keep him away from her elf than for any other reason, though she did not want to face his temper either.

The return trip to Hogwarts was tense, but uneventful. When they returned to the school, everyone acted normal, and Salazar seemed like his normal self. He greeted Godric, Helga and the students warmly, and laughed and joked with everyone at the small welcoming feast that was held on the first day back from holidays. For the first few days, everything seemed normal. After a while though, everyone could tell that things were not well with the couple.

The little snake had developed quite a grudge during the course of the honeymoon. He had come to resent Rowena, and Salazar's devotion to her. Ni'Seth was still frequently perched on his shoulder, and every time Rowena came into the room, the little snake would hiss in disapproval. The serpent didn't directly criticise Rowena, but frequently made comments about the devotion of a snake mate, and how a female serpent would know her place. When Rowena wasn't around, Ni'Seth would hiss in his ear, pouring poison into it. Salazar was short with Rowena, and only said as much to her as necessary. In fact, he only spoke to her when he needed something, and even then he formed his requests in the tone of a demand. Rowena did not appreciate this, and frequently ignored him, which only increased his temper, and made Ni'Seth's comments carry more and more weight.

Whenever Flicky entered the room, Ni'Seth would make disparaging remarks about the elf as well, playing up the 'attempt' on its life. Flicky refused to obey any instructions given to her by Salazar until he had apologised to her for accusing her. At this, Ni'Seth would hiss about how shameful it was that Salazar didn't have the full respect of his household. Rowena realised that the whole thing had started with Flicky and Ni'Seth, and she thought that she could at least extend an olive branch by ordering Flicky to apologise first. She had hoped that this would be met with a matching apology, but Flicky's words were coldly ignored by man and snake alike.

Godric and Helga were at a loss as to how to deal with all this, and even knowing Salazar's tendency to carry a grudge, figured that the new couple should be left to work it out on their own. They had each had fights with their own respective spouses, and knew that marriage did not mean a blissful life, but they could see that the pot was about ready to boil over.

Rowena finally had enough. She was sick of not being able to enjoy her new marriage, and was ashamed that she and her husband had had such a large fight so soon after their wedding. After classes one day in mid-January Rowena approached Salazar in his study on the first floor, down the hall from their chambers. She knocked lightly on the door and when she heard Salazar say 'enter', she stepped in.

'Yes?' Salazar said.

'Salazar, don't you think we are being a little ridiculous?' She asked.

'I don't know what you are talking about.' He responded coldly. Rowena's thoughts about keeping the discussion civil went out the window at his tone.

'Really? That's interesting, because I never thought that you were an idiot.' She shot back at him.

Salazar raised an eyebrow. 'Some of the bravest men in the country haven't dared to call me an idiot, and yet the woman I married does so without batting an eyelash.'

'Well, the term idiot may be a little mild. I could substitute 'moron' if you like. How about 'dunderhead'? Or perhaps the term 'imbecile' is more to your liking?'

Salazar finally looked up from his papers to see Rowena standing in front of him, her right hand on her hip, and her foot tapping in irritation. Ni'Seth had come to full attention when Rowena had entered the room and at this, he started hissing in Salazar's ear, so quietly that even Salazar was unaware of the little snake's vocalisations.

'Again, she does it. Again she refuses to respect your position.'

Salazar responded to Rowena with cold sarcasm. 'Is there some particular reason why you feel like insulting me today? Or are you just getting into practice for the end of year exams? Judging by some of these early test results the students need a great deal more revision before they can come up to standard. I think that we need to schedule some spare time in for them for extra study, and perhaps set aside an additional classroom for those who want quiet. I also think…'

'I really don't care what you think Salazar, and don't try to change the subject. You have been treating me coldly ever since the last day of our honeymoon, and I can tell you that this is not the way that I wanted things to be. So, since you seem to be disinclined to resolve the situation, I thought that I would venture in here and tell you what my thoughts are on the subject. You have been terrible rude to me, and to Flicky. I thought you should know exactly what I think about how you've been behaving.'

'She dares! She dares to insinuate that you are at fault when it was her elf creature!'

Salazar stood up and stared at her, his temper rising again.

'How I've! Rowena, your elf was the one who started the whole thing!'

'Yes! And she apologised. And I want you to apologise to her! You treated her so rudely it was unbelievable.'

'She attacked Ni'Seth! And you are accusing ME of being rude! I didn't say anything to her that any responsible owner wouldn't have said, and you should have been the one to say it not I!'

'I don't think she did anything wrong! And she is MY elf, if you remember correctly? You don't have the authority to order her around!'

'She flaunts it in your face! She waves it like a dead mouse under your nose! She should have given you the authority when you mated…it is your right…' the snake continued to hiss unnoticed into Salazar's ear.

'No I don't, and you don't seem to be planning to give me that authority, no matter how things have changed between us are you?'

'What on earth do you mean by that?"

'I'm your husband now! But if I want the house elf to do something, I have to get your 'permission' before telling her to do anything! It's insulting! I'm head of the household, but even the elf won't listen to me! I demand that you turn over her ownership to me!'

'She's my elf! If you want someone to order around get an elf of your own!'

'Why should I bother! I already have a wife who won't do what she's told!'

'I am your wife not your property!' Rowena shrieked at the top of her lungs, while tears streamed down her face. 'Just because I married you does not mean that you own me! I am Rowena Ravenclaw, not some cheap barmaid!'

'Do you see her audacity? She did not even follow your custom of taking your name! The shame… the disrespect… she belittles you…'

Salazar got up and slammed his hands down on the desk.

'Rowena Ravenclaw? No! You're a Slytherin now! My wife! You married me remember? And that means that I am the head of the household, and as your husband I deserve respect if not obedience!'

'Obedience? To you? I don't think so Salazar! Regardless of what you think, I am still the same person I was before we married, though you seem to have changed. The great man that I married has become a cowardly bully!'

At that, Salazar charged around the desk and backhanded her across the face.

Rowena's head snapped around with a vicious crack, and she tumbled to the floor. Salazar stood over her in shock, all his anger gone, replaced with a cold dousing of fear.

'My God! Rowena, I'm sor… I… Rowena? Are you… oh no… Rowena?' Salazar bent down and lifted her slightly, and a shot of pain lanced through him as she recoiled from him in fear. She sat on the floor against the desk, one hand pressed to the livid mark on her cheek, staring at him in horror. Salazar tried to reach out to her, to help her, to comfort her, but she jumped up off the floor and ran back to their apartments down the corridor.

Salazar was still crouched down on the floor, hanging his head in shock and shame. He couldn't believe what he had done! The argument had really been a small one, but as she had resisted him his anger and rage had grown so that it had turned into something far greater that what he could control. Ni'Seth undulated his way back up to his perch on Salazar's shoulder, which he had lost when Salazar had charged around his desk.

'Ni'Seth, what did I do wrong?' Salazar asked his friend. 'How did the argument get out of control? What did I do? How could I have hit her?'

'You showed your dominance Slytherin. That is all you did. You put her in her place, as is proper. It was what needed to be done. I just made sure that you did it.'

'Made sure that I…? What are you saying? What do you mean? I would never… You tried to turn me against her? I trusted you and you… Get out of here!'

'Be careful Slytherin. You must be sure that this is what you want. Having the female obey you is a necessity. You are destined for great things and she would only get in the way. I whispered in your ear, yes, but it was for the greater good.'

'I SAID GET OUT OF THIS CASTLE! YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE! I WILL NEVER LISTEN TO YOU AGAIN!'

Salazar snatched the little snake from off his shoulder and threw it out the window. Ni'Seth was not greatly injured by the fall, and turned to look back up at the window.

'I have tried to help you Slytherin, because your soul is like a serpent's. But you have rejected me, and I will not forget it. One day, you will come to me for help, and I will give it out of remembrance of past friendship,' as the little snake made his way towards the forest, Salazar could barely hear his last words. 'but beware, for my help will come at great cost, and my bite, though small, has a great sting…'

With that the little snake was gone, and Salazar Slytherin sat down and wept

Several hours later, Salazar found Rowena in their apartments and apologised. He explained what had happened with the little snake, and tried to make it up to her by being extra solicitous over the next several months. Rowena was slow to forgive him for the transgression. She was not accustomed to being hit, and wanted to be sure that it would never happen again. Eventually, she did forgive him for the incident, in part because she had never seen him so upset or ashamed as when he came humbly into their apartments to ask pardon for his actions. They never mentioned it to anyone else, and as the bruise was quickly tended to, no one ever knew that Salazar had ever struck her. That was how they intended it to stay.

After their fight, Salazar was extra courteous to her, and overly attentive. He was so relieved to be forgiven that he wanted to spend every minute with her. As the school year came to a close, he became jealous of anything that took up her time. Since there were exams to grade and preparations to be made for the following year, there were a large number of demands on their time. Salazar guarded their private time zealously, and the two of them made a point of scheduling time away from the busy demands of running the school to be together. Although somewhat put off by Salazar's overbearing need for her attentions, she was glad in a way. The result of the fight was that she had what she wanted from the start, time for just herself and Salazar. It seemed though that Salazar had gone from one extreme to the other, and instead of wanting to show her off, he now wanted her all to himself and was reluctant to share her. This sometimes made her nervous, but as there was never a repeat of what happened that day, she decided to just enjoy the extra attention.

In the end they reached a balance that served them well for a long time, several years in fact. They were so happy together that although they had an occasional disagreement, (usually over time constraints or whether a certain favourite student was getting too much attention), the time flew by.

Everything was perfect. They were happy. They were safe. They thought it would last.

They were wrong.

After a couple of years something happened that would change things between them forever.