Summary: What would happen if Salazar Slytherin returned to Hogwarts during the Final Battle? The threat of Voldemort has passed, but a new threat finds a certain Headmaster on a dark and dangerous mission with a very studious muggle-born witch. Hermione is of age. SSxHG, Rated: 'M', WIP, HEA ALWAYS!
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Slytherin Tactics
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A/N: A big thank you goes to JK Rowling for letting us play in the kingdom she's created. This being said, these characters are not mine. This novella is rated 'M' for mature content in later chapters.
Now, on with the show!
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Prologue:
Salazar Slytherin was not a wizard with whom to trifle.
As he left Hogwarts for the last time and made his way underground, he vowed he would return with a vengeance.
But never did he think it would take him almost 700 years to do so….
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Ch. 1— The Translator
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Hermione pulled away from Ron and looked down at the cup, the now neutralized cup of Helga Hufflepuff.
"Hermione…" Ron led.
She shook her head, her curls now dripping wet. "I can't, Ronald. We can't. Harry—"
"Harry needs us. Yeah, I know, 'Mi. But we might die, and I'd not be able to live with myself if I didn't tell you… if you didn't know…."
"Ron—"
"I love you, Hermione," he stated baldly and looked at her, expectation written in his expression.
Hermione pursed her lips, knowing what she should say, urging herself to say it. Instead, she said, "We've got to find Harry, Ron. We'll talk about this after."
"But we kissed," he said in a small voice.
Hermione turned away from him and began grabbing handfuls of basilisk fangs and throwing them into her beaded bag. "Harry's a horcrux, Ronald."
"He's a what?!"
"A horcrux. Voldemort left a piece of his soul in Harry when he killed his mum. We've got to kill the snake and then find Harry," she threw over her shoulder as she began making her way towards the entrance.
Hermione faced back around and had a moment to think she'd made a wrong turn in trying to find the tunnel when she was suddenly falling… and falling… and falling some more. She drew breath to scream, but before she could, she stopped and floated mid-air.
And then she was being grabbed and hoisted off her feet and driven back against the stone.
"Who are you?!" a dark voice hissed from beside her.
She screamed, trying to kick out of the hold to see who… or what held her.
"Hermione!" she heard Ron bellow from above. He sounded very far away.
She looked up into the greenest eyes she'd ever seen, so green she could fall into their depths.
He shook her hard, and she whimpered, trying and failing to access her wand.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my Chamber?" Again, he shook her, and Hermione tried to break free from his hold.
It was impossible. He was too strong. Wiry muscle held taught and straining. She could move nothing but her feet. And they were dangling inches off the ground as she kicked uselessly.
The wizard holding her had a pointed, tufted beard that was black streaked with gray making him look like Mephistopheles, and his mouth was held in a stern line. "Well, girl?" he barked.
She pursed her lips, remaining silent.
Suddenly a knife was poised above her, and she gasped, her eyes going wide.
"Oh, yes, little girl. I will spill your blood and your secrets. Now, tell me, who are you?"
"I—I'm Hermione Granger," she whispered, trying and failing to reach for her wand.
"Speak English, girl!" he demanded, and she looked at him curiously, taken aback.
"I am—"
The knife plunged, and she cried out in horror as it scored the back of her hand. He murmured an incantation, and the blood she shed began swirling in runes above. And she only knew a quarter of what they meant; the majority of them being Sumerian cuneiform.
"You're a witch," he stated definitively, looking at the ruby-red runes, still not letting her go.
She struggled against him. He held her tighter, continuing to 'read' her blood.
"You are muggle-born," he said in disgust, not releasing her but putting her further away from himself. He looked her over from head to toe, his expression unimpressed. "What year is it when you're from?"
She began to speak, he tapped her lips with his wand, and she felt a tingling as his magic suffused her, realizing in relief it was a translation spell. She licked her lips and said, "1998."
He cursed, and, to her, it sounded like the hissing of snakes.
"Where is your wand?" he asked, his tone lethal.
In answer, Hermione fought, using tooth and nail, scratching and clawing, trying to break free of him. Miracle of miracles, she was able to work her wand arm loose, and then with a spell, she was shaking her wand from up her sleeve and palming it. A muttered blasting curse, and she tore away from him, fetching hard up against the wall, but still standing.
She pointed it at him, feeling definitely cornered.
"And what do you hope to do with that?" he asked, nodding to the wand she held.
She swallowed thickly and replied, "Anything I have to in order to survive."
"A foolish answer uttered from a muggle-born's lips." And he held up his hand, just held it up, and Hermione felt herself being lifted off the ground. He made a fist and squeezed, and she gasped to feel the air being forced from her lungs crushing them.
And she had no way to combat him.
She whimpered, her wand tumbling heedless to the floor as her hands flew to her chest, unable to do a thing to help herself. Gawping like a fish, she looked up at her attacker and begged, her eyes pleading into his.
Red filled her vision.
"You have one breath left, muggle-born witch," he said, stepping forward and coming toe-to-toe with her. "Tell me what you're doing in my Chamber, and I may spare your worthless life."
He was right. This would be her last breath. Her vision spotty, Hermione focused on trying to stay conscious. "A horcrux!" she gasped. "We were destroying a horcrux."
He released her, and she fell to the ground, pulling breath into her starved lungs.
He squatted down beside her. "How do you know of such things?"
She shook her head.
His hand was suddenly grasping at the untidy bun at her nape, yanking her hair, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Legilimens," he said lethally.
And within a second, Hermione realized that no amount of Occlumency could shield from this wizard's mental attack.
It would be like a fly trying to fight off the ocean.
Images swirled faster and faster in her mind's eye. So fast, she could hardly keep track.
He was searching for and finding every instance a 'horcrux' was mentioned in her thoughts, paying particular attention to scenes featuring Hogwarts prominently.
"The school. It's now under siege, is it not?" he said as he pulled from her mind.
"Yes." Hermione clutched at her head, trying hard not to be sick. "By Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters."
"Yes," he nodded. "Led by this imposter… Dark Lord? He calls himself the Dark Lord?" the man all but laughed. "Come, little girl. It's time I made my return, and you will be my emissary until I find one better. Now, move!"
She was yanked violently to her feet by her hair and made to stand before him. And then he was thrusting her wand into her hands and shoving her forward.
The Dark Wizard drug her up and away, practically carrying her.
She licked her lips, and looking up at him, asked softly, "Who are you?"
He looked down at her, his expression grim. "I am Salazar Slytherin."
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Hermione's mouth opened in shock.
"Slytherin. As in the Salazar Slytherin."
"One and the same," he said, and then he was lifting her and they were flying wicked fast, seemingly for an eternity, until they fetched up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Hermione!" Ron bellowed from below.
"Ron!" she answered back, but then was being shoved forward into the hall where chaos reigned.
With a wave of Slytherin's hand, Death Eaters, Order members, and students alike were being flung back and glued against the wall with sticking charms, their spells fizzling and dying. And Hermione trailed after the founding wizard, watching in awe as one by one, each person—friend and foe—was being magically hoisted and affixed to the wall.
"You there," Salazar Slytherin spoke to one of the Death Eaters. "Bring me this Dark Lord of yours." And the Death Eater, Rowle, Hermione thought, was released from his full-body bind. He looked at Slytherin, his expression incredulous.
Slytherin spoke again. "I haven't all day, boy! Move!"
The Death Eater looked up at him uncomprehending, and that's when Hermione realized he couldn't understand what Slytherin had said. That's when she realized the only reason she could understand was due to the universal translation spell she'd found in an arcane tome in Grimmauld Place and cast upon herself in fifth year.
"He—he doesn't understand, sir!" Hermione said. "He doesn't speak your language."
"This is Hogwarts, and he doesn't speak English?" he asked her, his tone disgusted.
"Not Old English, sir. It's been seven-hundred years or more since your language has been spoken."
He looked thoughtful before replying, "You will translate." He shoved her forward. "Now!"
Hermione looked at the Death Eater, and after licking her bottom lip, said "He wants to see Lord Voldemort now. Can you bring him to us?"
The Death Eater locked eyes with her, and she saw hatred warring with refusal.
Slytherin pointed his wand at the man, and a jet of green light issued forth killing the Death Eater instantly.
Hermione paled and looked up at the wizard in shock.
"Find another, girl, and do so quickly. They will be tearing down the walls of the castle soon." She ran forward, the battle still raging in parts of the castle.
Stopping just outside of the fighting, she saw Bellatrix Lestrange dueling with Kingsley in the Great Hall. Hermione pointed out the witch to Slytherin. "Her… she can take us to him."
With a flick of his wrist, Bellatrix Lestrange was flying backward to the wall, fetching up hard against it. Kingsley, likewise, was being lifted and tossed to the opposite side, sticking to the wall like all the others Slytherin came across in the castle.
Slytherin let the Dark witch fall to her knees.
"Tell her to summon this Dark Lord here."
Swallowing thickly, Hermione approached Bellatrix and said, her voice trembling, "He s-says you must summon Lord Voldemort here."
"Filthy mud-blood," Bellatrix spat at her, "I'll kill you for this." She grabbed her wand and aimed it Hermione. Before a curse could be fired, Hermione watched from the corner of her eye as Salazar Slytherin made a fist and tightened it.
The Dark Witch gasped, her hands flying to her throat.
"Tell her I insist," he said.
"He insists," Hermione relayed, gaining more than a little satisfaction from watching the witch being tortured.
Knowing death was coming with her next breath, Bellatrix reached for her Mark with her wand tip and tapped it, and Hermione watched a pulse of something Dark and shade-like make its way, like a patronus, from the Great Hall to the window beyond.
"A protean charm?" Slytherin asked, moving forward and taking Bellatrix's arm in his, examining it.
Again, he drew his knife and held it up, slashing the back of the witch's hand, drawing blood.
A murmured incantation and ruby-red cuneiform runes appeared in the air above.
"Oh, you are a dark one, very dark, indeed. And what business have you being trained in my school?" He looked at Bellatrix expectantly, and then he looked at Hermione.
Hermione quickly translated.
Bellatrix spat, "And what business is it of yours?"
Wrong answer, Hermione thought, a moment right before a green jet of light exploded from his wand, killing the dark witch instantly.
Right then, there was a loud commotion, and then Lord Voldemort, flanked by Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape arrived in the hall with a squirming Harry Potter bound between them. As Hermione watched more and more Death Eaters apparated until the hall was quite surrounded by them.
A wave of his hand, and Slytherin had everyone but Malfoy, Snape, Harry, Voldemort, and herself pinned to the wall.
"You," Slytherin hissed to Voldemort. "You are of my blood, and yet you've defiled this institution, polluted it, corrupted it."
The language barrier still in place, Slytherin looked to Hermione to translate. She dutifully repeated his words.
Lord Voldemort looked amused. "And who are you to say such things to me?"
She translated, and in answer, Slytherin growled. With a wave of his hand Lord Voldemort was being hoist to his toes, dangling there, his wand tumbling heedless from his now boneless fingers. His expression one of shock.
"He's Salazar Slytherin," Hermione said. There were gasps heard around the great hall. Slytherin began speaking, and Hermione passed along his words, "He says he's been summoned because there's a threat to the school, and he will not let it stand."
Slytherin waved his wand, and the wand Voldemort carried—the Elder wand—flew to his hand. "What right have you to this?"
Hermione translated, and Voldemort looked at her, his expression morphing from shock to hatred. The Dark Wizard tried to move but was stuck fast.
"You there, boy!" Slytherin pointed to Harry. "You are the rightful owner of this wand. Take it."
He threw it to Harry who caught it and looked down in surprise as the wand shot golden sparks from the tip.
Once more Slytherin's knife was produced, and a slash was made on top of Lord Voldemort's hand. And then the runes appeared, this time noxious black instead of ruby-red. "Half-blooded," Slytherin said disgusted, but then he smiled, saying "Seven. Seven times you've split your soul and more than half are gone. This will be fun."
Hermione translated for Lord Voldemort's benefit.
So saying, the founder lifted his wand and with an intricate movement, pointed it at Lord Voldemort and hissed, "Integrim Mortis."
All at once, Lord Voldemort gasped while Harry buckled to his knees.
And the snake flew through the stained-glass window to land at Lord Voldemort's feet.
With a surge of bright white magic from Salazar Slytherin's wand, Harry's scar began to burn, the snake began to glow, and Lord Voldemort screamed.
Slytherin began to chant, and Hermione could hear something akin to Pictish, but her translation spell had limits apparently, and she couldn't parse it.
He waved his wand in a lateral figure eight, showing infinity, and the bright light grew blinding.
And with a flash, it was gone.
And Harry was left gasping, clutching at his scar, the snake hissed half-heartedly and shushed away, and an all-too-human Voldemort was now panting before them all, looking scared and clutching at his chest.
"You'll live without magic for the rest of your days, numbered as they are" Slytherin spat, his expression cruel and vicious.
He looked at one to the other of the remaining Death Eaters. "You," he pointed to Lucius Malfoy. "You are cravenly. But you," he pointed to Severus Snape. "You look worthy. Give me your hand."
Hermione gulped and translated the words.
With a deferring nod, and without hesitation, Hogwarts' headmaster gave Salazar Slytherin his palm.
A slash was made across the top and cuneiform runes in ruby-red once more appeared glowing above.
Slytherin read them and said, "Cunning, a spy. Your loyalties are tied to the school and its children. Half-blooded. Head of Slytherin House and Hogwarts headmaster. Yes, you'll do. Follow me. The rest of you be gone from this place and do not return." Hermione translated. And with a wave of Salazar Slytherin's hand, those stuck to the wall were released, all of them falling to their knees.
Hermione ran to Harry.
"Are you okay? My God! Are you okay?"
Harry nodded and looked over to a gasping, cringing Voldemort.
"How do you like that, you bastard?!" Harry spat, drawing the Elder wand and pointing it at him.
Still gasping in pain, Voldemort cringed and threw up his hand, drawing back.
"Harry!" Hermione dove for Harry's wand and tilted it up. "He's defenseless. He doesn't even have magic anymore. Besides," she narrowed her eyes, assessing him. "he's in a lot of pain. In fact, I'd say he's in his own personal hell. Leave him to it."
Harry's jaw locked. "No, Hermione. He deserves to die."
"Boy!" Salazar Slytherin hissed, drawing them both to their feet with a wave of his palm. "I thought I told you to leave this place."
Harry looked at her uncomprehending.
"He says we need to leave and not return."
"But he—"
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione urged. "Let's go, now!" She tugged at his arm and turned to go, but then was stopped as if with a sticking charm.
"Not you, girl," Slytherin stated. "I need you to translate. Tell them I will give them all two minutes to leave, and then the next witch or wizard I see upon the grounds will die by my hand. Tell them all not to return."
Hermione gulped and then using the 'Sonorus' charm, amplified her voice and repeated the words: "Salazar Slytherin wants to tell you all that he'll give you two minutes to leave the grounds, and then the next witch or wizard he sees will die. He says, 'Do not return'."
She watched as every one of the Order from Professor McGonagall to Kingsley began gathering students to them, as did Fred and George and Remus and Tonks, nearly all of the Weasleys, and all the professors. Many of the Death Eaters, too, began grouping together and disapparating, leaving Lord Voldemort alone in a cringing heap.
"Come, girl!" Slytherin ordered, and Hermione had time to lock eyes with a very confused Harry before she was being ripped away and made to follow where Salazar Slytherin and Professor Snape led.
"Severus—" Lord Voldemort ordered, his voice weak, "Take me away from here."
Hermione watched as Professor Snape drew his wand, and pointing it at the Dark WIzard, said, his voice lethal, "You should be tortured to death for all you've done. Consider this a mercy, my lord. Avada Kedavra!" And a bolt of green shot from his wand and pierced a surprised Lord Voldemort right between the eyes, killing him instantly.
Salazar Slytherin waved his hand, and the corpse of Lord Voldemort was banished. He then turned to Harry and pointed his finger. "Leave now, boy!"
"Her—hermione?" Harry said looking between her, Professor Snape, and the founder.
"Go Harry! I'll meet you at Grimmauld later."
With a nod, he spun in place and disapparated, leaving the three of them: Slytherin, Professor Snape, and herself in the hall.
She gulped, looking up at the two wizards.
"Come," Slytherin said, and Hermione trailed behind them both.
"Hermione! Thank Merlin you're alrigh—" Hermione dove and tackled Ron right as a jet of green light whizzed straight by the place where he was standing.
"Weasley," Professor Snape barked. "Go home, now!"
"But—"
"Now, Ron! Find Harry at Grimmauld. Go!" she shoved him away from Lord Slytherin, who looked like he was one beat away from casting another Avada.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she watched him turn in place and disapperate.
Lord Slytherin gave her a pointed look. "The next time you interfere, it will be your death. Do you understand, girl?"
"Y-yes," she croaked, her mouth going dry.
"Now, come."
And he led them all to the Headmaster's Chambers.
The statue of the Phoenix immediately shifted, bowing regally. Hermione climbed the stairs last and watched as, with a wave of Slytherin's wand, the portraits in all the frames began re-arranging themselves, the last five headmasters and mistresses moved up the second row and then the others— contemporaries, perhaps, from Slytherin's time— began to appear in their frames.
Hermione's palms began to sweat.
From the top of the ceiling, three frames lowered to situate themselves in pride of place next to Albus Dumbledore, who was looking on with a keen interest.
"Envigorate," Slytherin hissed, pointing at the portraits, and a shimmer came over them as if a stasis charm had been lifted.
And Hermione's mouth opened to see Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor appear in the frames.
They all spoke at once, speaking Old English.
"Wy' ningar atha, Salazar?" And due to the translation spell, Hermione heard them say, "Salazar, why have you returned?"
"Happen to forget, did you?" he asked. "Or perhaps you think only you've bound yourselves to this castle?" He laughed and wagged a finger. "However, over time, I guarantee my oath's proved more permanent."
Hermione's eyes widened.
The founders were still here in the castle?!
They all again began speaking at once.
"Quiet, you three. You've had your say. This world you've built has crumbled to dust. These lofty ideals—the goal being to educate all who wish to learn—almost cost us ALL!" he roared.
Hermione took a giant step back right into the arms of Professor Snape who quickly shoved her behind him, blocking her. And this was a good thing as a wave of spontaneous magic erupted from Salazar Slytherin's wand and would've struck her dead-center in the chest if she'd stayed put.
"Ask Lord Slytherin very respectfully how I might serve, Miss Granger," Professor Snape said calmly, not taking his eyes from Slytherin for a second.
Meanwhile, the founder continued to talk to the portraits.
Swallowing thickly, Hermione very carefully timed her request, saying, "Lord Slytherin, respectfully, the headmaster—and I—wish to know how we might assist you."
Slytherin looked thoughtful before saying to Professor Snape, "You will explain the events leading to this war. Girl, translate!"
Hermione cleared her throat and, peaking out from behind Professor Snape's back, dutifully repeated the statement.
If anything, Professor Snape's posture grew more rigid, but he replied evenly, "It was a war based on blood status, my lord."
She translated, and Slytherin nodded. "Yes. Imagine that, Helga? And you had to have your way! How many people, both muggle and magical, have to die until you admit you're wrong?"
"We cannot go down that road, Salazar," Godric said.
"Miss Granger, what's being said?" Professor Snape said lowly.
"They are—well, Lord Slytherin asked how many people have to die before Lady Hufflepuff admits she's wrong, and well, now they're…" the both of them looked up to see the four founders yelling at one another.
Hermione said softly to Professor Snape, "Sir… I could just give you the translation charm so you wouldn't need me here to…."
"What is it?" he asked lowly.
Feeling irrationally pleased he'd trust her enough to perform the spell correctly, she said, "Transfiglotto Eramundi" as she performed the precise wand movement, watching as a rose mist transferred from her wand to fill his ears.
He blinked and then his features stilled as he listened; Hermione did so as well.
"—it wasn't me that decided to befriend Herpo the foul…"
"—times have changed in a thousand years. There's that International Statute of Secrecy they enacted in the seventeenth century—"
"Godric looks good don't you think, Roweena?"
Slytherin looked over at Hermione and said, "Girl, you may tell your headmaster to pull up the list of Muggle-borns. They are to be stricken with a binding curse forever placed on their magic—"
"No!" Hermione cried.
"Miss Granger!" Professor Snape barked, grabbing her and flinging her across the room right as a jet of green light from an Avada came whizzing by her ear.
"Lord Slytherin! I will do as you ask." Professor Snape bellowed, drawing Slytherin's attention away from her and bowing deeply.
"Girl!" Slytherin barked, "Translate!"
"The headmaster says he'll do it," Hermione's voice shook.
"You cannot do this, Salazar," Lady Hufflepuff said. "They will all of them live half-lives never knowing magic exists. Never feeling fulfilled."
Suddenly, Slytherin looked up and met Hermione's gaze.
He pointed his finger at her.
"You there, girl. You're a muggle-born. Make a case for your kind." He smiled, and it was vicious. "Why should you be allowed to attend this school? Why shouldn't we weed you and others of your kind out like the pests you are, so that you don't infect us with the taint of the magicless, thereby, endangering all our lives?" He smiled, and it was cruel. "And all this so you might find 'fulfillment'. Perhaps, if you make a good enough case for your kind, I'll let you keep some of your magic. Now, speak."
Hermione paled. Lose her magic. He could really remove her magic?!
Again, Professor Snape moved to intercept as he said, "Miss Granger, you will translate verbatim: as her Potions instructor I've had the privilege of teaching Hermione Granger for six years. She is the brightest of her class. To remove her magic would be a waste of potential."
Hermione's eyes widened, and she blushed scarlet, but none-the-less repeated his words.
Slytherin laughed. "I'm sure a head of Slytherin house said that, muggle-born. 'Erd'ic c'dwyn'"
And Hermione felt herself being lifted in the air, and then shrieked as binds began winding around her faster and faster, squeezing her tighter and tighter until her core, her being, the very soul of what she was became bound and blocked, packed away and never to be seen from again.
She blinked and heard a shushing noise fall all around her.
And then she was in the ruins of an abandoned castle, looking around and wondering where Hogwarts had gone.
She drew her wand and began to cast but nothing happened. She could feel nothing.
More than a little frightened now, she cast 'lumos' and nothing happened.
She FELT nothing!
He'd taken her magic. Salazar Slytherin had taken her magic.
She looked around and realized that this… this was Hogwarts. This was what Hogwarts would seem like if one were muggle.
And magic?
Magic was gone from her life for good.
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"'Erd'ic c'dwyn'" a voice called on the wind, and she blinked.
Then she was back in the headmaster's office, her wand out. She cast the 'lumos' spell, and it worked!
"Didn't like that, did you?" Slytherin asked her, grinning.
Hermione gulped and shook her head, one heartbeat away from crying.
"That'll teach you not to interfere or lie to me, girl. Now—"
"Not a lie," Professor Snape shook his head and once more intervened. Salazar Slytherin walked to him and tapped Professor Snape on the mouth with his wand. The professor spoke, "It's not a lie, my lord. This muggle-born has talent."
Slytherin looked her up and down, and Hermione felt her cheeks redden. "I suppose you do deserve something for waking me and then understanding what I've said when everyone else could not… very well, you may keep your magic. But there will never be another muggle-born taught at this school." He turned around. "Do you hear me, Godric, Helga? Roweena, dear, I know you side with me—"
"Miss Granger, get down and stay out of sight," Professor Snape hissed in her ear and then turned back around, saying, "My lord, is there anything else with which I may assist?"
"No, not at this time, Headmaster…? What's your name again?"
"Severus Snape."
"Right, Headmaster Snape. Tomorrow, we'll discuss curriculum and the restoration of the castle. You're dismissed." Turning back, he continued to talk to the portraits while Professor Snape quickly ushered her out of his office and then down the stone staircase to the hall.
Oh, holy shite! Oh, holy shite! What the hell are we going to do? What the HELL are we going to do?! She didn't realize she was speaking aloud until Professor Snape turned around and clapped a hand over her mouth, shushing her.
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded.
They continued to walk, Professor Snape with robes at full billow while Hermione tried masterfully to keep up. He suddenly stopped and pulled her into an alcove without a portrait. Taking out his wand, he cast a silencing shield Hermione had never seen before, and a treacle mist seemed to form all around them. She reached out to touch it, and it came away like soap bubbles in her hand. He snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "Miss Granger, focus!"
Gulping, she looked up and met her potion master's forbidding stare. "You will explain the exact circumstances surrounding your return from the Chamber of Secrets, and you will do so now."
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A/N: I'm shooting for novella length with this little romance/adventure plot of mine. And I hope you'll all come along with me for the journey.
Cheers,
—k