The low, wet grass made sloshing sounds as his horse's hooves sunk into the dark grey soil, releasing moisture with each galloping step.
Salazar gathered his cloak around himself, so that it would not fall so low as to catch the specks of splashing water. It was a lord's responsibility to regularly survey the land - to familiarize himself with it and the people who lived on it, to understand how it was changing either for better or for worse, and to know whether there were problems to be fixed. As his father's heir, Salazar needed to get into this habit early.
Salazar preferred to go on these rides alone, now that he was sixteen and more capable of defending himself from bandits and other hostile people. He was adequately trained in swordplay for close-ranged combat, although he would very much prefer to use the three throwing daggers that he kept inside his cloak at all times. And if all else failed, his acacia-and-thestral tail wand had yet to fail him.
Besides, riding alone had another advantage, for it was mostly through these trips that Salazar was able to keep tabs on the small magical population among the subjects of the Slytherin estates. On the occasions that he spotted the use of magic, he would pretend not to notice for the moment, but return in disguise to pay the family a visit later at some convenient hour - an endeavour that his father supported after some persuasion on his part. He hadn't forgotten the "witchhunt" that nearly claimed him, that gave him nightmares for years until he'd finally been able to cast a reliable fire shield, and what it would take to stop it. 'Find the witches and wizards before the muggles do, then teach them...'
Salazar applauded the ancestor who had documented her study on the mind and had theorised that it was possible to erase memory. The obliviation charm was truly a useful spell, once he'd managed to make it work two years ago. Since then, there had been a gradual decline in the number of "heathens" captured, and no more burnings. The opinion among the muggles seemed to be that the devil had given up for the time being. Perhaps soon magic would finally be safe - on his family's land at least.
Then Salazar was stirred out of his thoughts as a lone rider appeared on the horizon.
It was a young man, not much older than Salazar himself. He wasn't very hard to miss, really. A new-looking pointed hat sat haphazardly over his head, and his red cape stood out sharply against the teal green fields that surrounded them as it fluttered wildly in the wind. He was sitting astride a speckled horse - or was it a white horse in need of a bath?
Its rider seem to believe it was the latter, because Salazar heard him mutter loudly as he rubbed its neck: "... sorry about all this mud and water, boy. I know you're cold, but it shouldn't be too long before we reach another village, kay? Then you get a nice long rest, and I get a nice mug of mead, sounds good? Here, this'll make it better..." And he took out a stick that Salazar was certain to be a wand, and waved it in the pattern of a hot air charm. His horse neighed appreciatively.
Another wizard!
They seemed to have travelled long and far, Salazar noted with some curiosity. And the wizard must be either well accustomed to this lifestyle or incredibly optimistic by nature, judging by the broad smile that was entirely undampened by the cold, humid mist over the fens unlike his orange-tinted hair. He seemed very energetic too, and fond of exploring new places - and perhaps a little incautious, considering that he hadn't checked his surroundings once in the entire duration of time that Salazar had stopped his own horse to watch him perform magic...
Currently the wizard in the red cape was ruffling the speckled (?) stallion's mane affectionately, before finally looking up and realizing with horror that he wasn't alone.
He paled. "This - This isn't what you think!" He yelled, gesturing to the wand that was still in his hand wildly, "I really am just holding an ordinary stick, and I was... scratching my horse with it! Yes, scratching my horse! And, and - " Salazar resisted the urge to smirk. If Salazar really had been a muggle, the wizard's excuses would only have made him look more suspicious rather than less.
Logically, Salazar should've pretended to buy the explanation anyways and rode on as he'd done so many other times. There were dangers in exposing oneself to a stranger, even if the stranger is also magical. What if he didn't care enough to keep Salazar's secret, or let it slip out accidentally? Damage control could be very tedious. Besides, he wasn't Salazar's responsibility. In all likelihood he would've passed through the Slytherin lands by the end of the day, never to return.
But for some reason or another Salazar hadn't. Later, he would half-heartedly decide that it was the folly of youth. In truth, he never did quite figured out why.
Instead, he gently nudged his own horse forward until he was nearly side by side with the other wizard, and whispered. "I believe the word you're looking for is 'Obliviate'. It's a spell myself and my ancestors developed, and it does exactly what you think it does."
The red-caped rider jerked. "You too?"
Salazar confirmed by summoning his own wand from the inside of his sleeve, even as he wondered how father would frown at his indiscretion. "Don't tell anyone about me though, or I must use it on you."
The traveller grinned despite the threat, and to Salazar's surprise, reached over to clap Salazar on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, good fellow! I'm an honorable man, and I'll keep my words. Are you a local? I'm so glad I ran into you. See, my horse and I thought we'd have to travel for another day before we reach another village! I bet we would've just narrowly missed it if we just kept on going forward! Er, name's Godric - Sir Godric Gryffindor."
Salazar didn't know what had gotten to him. He would never be so imprudent again. But for the second time that day, he did something he really hadn't considered as thoroughly as he should have - yet something he wouldn't regret at all. "My name is Salazar Slytherin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Godric Gryffindor. And you are correct - our village is close by. I can show you the way if you like."