They came to what looked like two stone pillars that had been left from a ruin but as Harry drew closer he could feel the magic pulsing between them, a gateway. There was an arch between the pillars and a great snake head on it, like the entrance to the chamber, down below the lake.
Remembering last time Harry slipped into parseltongue I seek entrance into the chamber of secrets.
The snake opened its mouth and spoke. "And who are you to demand entrance here?"
Harry had not been asked last time. "I am a descended of Salazar Slytherin and married to his true heir."
The snake's eyes blinked. "I see you speak the truth. Enter speaker of our tongue, and all that you bring with you."
A great portal opened between the two spaces and Harry could see the chamber of secrets before him. He had not been there since his second year and shivers ran up his back as he stepped inside. The portal closed quickly after the last of their group entered.
Harry looked around. "Now what?"
Amelia pointed down behind the great stone snake head from which the basilisk had come. "Through the library there we will come to the founder's room."
Severus nodded. "We need though to wait for the other heirs to arrive. We need to all perform this at the same time."
As if in answer there were footsteps and Susan and Luna came with Neville and Hannah Abbot in tow as well. Neville's grandmother was a member of their order but had been unable to attend the ceremony that night. Luna and Susan were soon helped into their robes. Susan in yellow and Black with badger on back and Luna in blue and bronze with a great eagle on her back.
They both came to Harry. Luna hugged him tight. "I am so happy you're okay Harry. I was worried at the trial."
Harry smiled. "I was grateful for your support and Neville's. It was nice to know I had friends still here at school."
Susan also embraced him. "You have friends in all the houses Harry. As we are the heirs, we will soon become like siblings. I welcome you as a brother."
Harry returned the hug to the young Huffelpuff. "And you as well, though thinking of my husband as a sibling might be a bit much."
Severus had stepped forward and had been greeting the other two heirs. "Love is the important part Harry, sibling love for these two and matrimonial for us."
Harry took a deep breath and turned to face the others. They had walked them through the procedures of the ceremony and there was only one last step before Harry and the others would begin.
Lucius walked forward and presented Harry a gift. "Though the founders shared equal power, Godric was their leader. This sword is a symbol of his bravery and leadership."
Harry took the sword of Gryffindor and marvelled. "How?"
Severus smiled. "The one in the headmaster's office has been a fake for years. IT was replaced after you used it to kill the basilisk."
Harry knew from the weight and the feel, as well as the sense of magic in the blade, that this was the real one. He was handed a scabbard and the sword slid into place and in it and he belted it.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
The great chamber looked like a mini Stone Henge with four entrances. Above each entrance there was the crest of one of the founders. The heirs each stood at their own entrance with their entourage. In the middle of the chamber stood a loan pillar with a great stone basin.
Amelia Bones stepped through the arch first and a voice echoed through the room. "Who dares seek entrance into the founder's circle?'
Amelia spoke. "I come to lead the heir of Hufflepuff to the founder's circle, to claim her right to the founder's title and place."
The voice again came. "Step forward heir of Hufflepuff and state your claim."
Susan stepped forward. "I Susan Amelia Bones are descended of Helga Hufflepuff of her son Harold. By her blood I claim the title Lady Hufflepuff and my right as one head of this school."
"Step forward and drop blood into the basin. If your claim is true you will be proclaimed Lady Hufflepuff."
Susan took her place at the basin and this time it was Minerva who handed her a dagger and she cut her hand and her blood spilled into the bowl. Yellow and black ligthts went up and Susan appeared with a small diadem on her head.
"All hail Lady Hufflepuff" the voice cried.
Xeno Lovegood stepped into the room. "Who enters now into the circle?"
Xeno spoke clearly. "I come to lead the heir of Ravenclaw to the founders circle to claim her right to the title and place."
"Come forward heir and state your claim."
Luna stepped forward. "I Luna Cassandra Lovegood am descended of Rowena Ravenclaw by her son Robert. By her blood I claim the title of Lady Ravenclaw and my right as one head of the school."
The same ritual was performed with Filius offering her the dagger ad once and once the procedure was done and the lights faded, Luna stepped away from the circle with diadem on, proclaimed Lady Ravenclaw.
It was Severus' turn next and Harry held his breath still worried his husband would be contested. Lucius introduced him.
"I am Lord Severus Tobias Snape of House Prince. I am descendent of Salazar Slytherin by his younger son Steven whose line it reverted to by the adoption of black magic by the older son's line. By my blood and my marriage I claim the title of Lord Slytherin and one head of the school"
There was silence for a few moments but the voice called for him to step forward and once he cut his hand with the dagger that Carlos gave him, he came away with a crown, and proclaimed Lord Slytherin.
Finally Bill introduced Harry and he stepped forward. "I am Lord Harry James Potter Black-Snape descendent of both Salazar and Godric Gryffindor. I am by my father descendent of Godric by his son Gideon. By his blood I claim the title Lord Gryffindor and my right as one head and leader of the school."
The voice boomed. "Grandson of Godric and Salazar, husband of Lord Slytherin, step forward and let your blood flow to prove your claim."
Harry came forward but it was no dagger but his sword that Remus extended to him to cut his hand. His blood flowed into the bowl and he felt a crown appear on his head.
"All hail Lord Gryffindor, leader of the founder's heirs and new head of the school."
The ceremony ended and the entrances they came through turned into entrances to chambers. The dens of the four founders. The chamber of secrets remained open to them as it was the den of Salazar. The other founders had their own. Harry was accompanied by his followers and his husband into his own.
"Am I in Dumbledore's office?" he asked in surprise and looked at the paintings.
Severus shook his head. "Godric's layer was model for his office. If you look you'll see a library down that way and even chambers."
Harry turned to his husband. "We did it, Lord Slytherin."
Severus nodded. "Yes we did, Lord Gryffindor."