Chapter 6

Salazar slid out of the bed quietly, determined not to wake Hermione. They had searched for Gryffindor yesterday but couldn't find a trace of him. But Salazar knew where he was now. Ever since Hermione's last vision, Salazar hadn't slept. He had discovered that he could intercept the visions from Hermione if he was awake and this last one had told him exactly what he needed to know.

The bastard was on his way to Hogwarts and Salazar knew that it was almost time to face him. The grounds would be the ideal place- he didn't want to risk damaging the castle after Hermione had told him how long it took to undo Voldemort's destruction. He pulled on a pair of black pants and black robes which he left open and apparated to the lakeside. Gryffindor would be here soon.

Waiting was hard. If Salazar managed to subdue Gryffindor, he would be heading back to the past. He should be thrilled to be heading home but there was a deep ache in his chest. His life was here now but he couldn't risk Hermione's safety. She was too important to him for that.

A dark figure approached in the dawn light. The light bounced off his blond hair, making it seem as if he had a halo. Salazar scoffed at the thought. There was nothing angelic about this devil. Salazar guarded his mind carefully as they faced each other.

"Slytherin." Godric's cold voice called out. "You didn't bring your bitch along for the show?"

Salazar growled low in his throat. This was why he had to go back. "Leave her out of this, Gryffindor."

"I don't think I will. After I'm done with you I think I'll track her down and kill her. Or fuck her, either is fine with me." A repugnant sneer lit up Godric's face.

Before he could respond, Salazar felt a crushing pressure around his heart. He threw it off and sent a bolt of electricity at Gryffindor and reached into his robes. His heart dropped as he realised that he had left his potions in the castle and he would have to fight without them.

The earth beneath him trembled. Both he and Gryffindor felt to their knees, but the respite from the duel didn't last. Salazar struggled to his feet as fire erupted around him. Panting, he doused the flames but Gryffindor's next curse was already upon him. His heart compressed again and this time Gryffindor added pressure to his throat too.

Gasping, Salazar apparated ten feet to the left and attacked Gryffindor with a gravity spell. Gryffindor struggled to move his now heavy body and Salazar had a moment to breathe. The ground beneath them shook harder and cracks began to appear in the earth around them. This fight was getting dangerous.

Gathering his strength, Salazar sent out a grounding spell to attack Gryffindor from all sides. A beam collided with his foe who fell to the floor winded. Salazar watched him struggle to send a spell and then roar in frustration as it veered towards the ground.

"Sal!" Hermione's voice screamed out to him from the castle and he turned to see her running towards him. Why didn't she apparate?

He glanced back at Gryffindor but he was still seething on the floor. Gratefully he turned to Hermione.

"You forgot your potions!" She cried as she skidded to a stop next to him. He hands dug into her robes but before she could pull out the potions a hand was wrapped around her neck. Salazar's heart stopped momentarily.

Gryffindor let out a booming laugh and Salazar watched his hand tighten on Hermione's throat. Hermione caught his eye. She looked scared but determined and he saw her hand twitch in her robe pocket. He waited, knowing she was planning something and reluctant to get in her way.

"So this is the bitch that you claim?" Gryffindor ranted, he seemed unaware of Hermione's grasping hand. "She looks like Rowena."

A blue smoke coiled out of Hermione's pocket, obstructing her and Gryffindor from Salazar's view. He cursed. But then Hermione was by his side and Gryffindor was slumped on the floor, half unconscious.

The trembling of the earth reached fever pitch, the cracks spreading and causing deep trenches. A bright light appeared before them and Salazar had to shield his eyes with his hand. In the light two figures appeared, and as it dimmed Salazar recognized them. His heart leaped with joy.

"Rowena, Hegla!" He walked towards his old friends, certain that Gryffindor was no threat now.

Rowena was identical in height to Hermione and had the same hair and face. But where Hermione's eyes were a rich chocolate brown, Rowena's were bright blue. Rowena was Salazar's oldest friend. Helga was shorter, a good head shorter than Rowena. She had blond ringlets that fell to her waist and small mousy features. They had often disagreed in the past but they had been friends through it.

They laughed and embraced but when they pulled away both Rowena and Helga bore serious expressions. In sync, they glanced towards the slumped figure of Gryffindor on the ground.

"We've come to take both of you home. Ever since you travelled here the world has been ripping apart and it has become worse since Godric followed you." Rowena explained to Salazar.

He knew she didn't remember when she'd come through the veil at his trial, visitors of the veil never did- Gryffindor was the exception. She wouldn't have expected him to have forged a life here. And yet she was only proposing what he had already decided to do. The why did it feel so wrong?

A strangled scream sounded behind him and he turned to see Gryffindor, awake, holding Hermione by the throat. Panic enveloped him, the look of terror on Hermione's face increasing his own. Her face turned red, then purple.

He moved towards her but stopped when Gryffindor shook his head and increased the pressure on her throat. He stood helpless, the power inside him building to a fever pitch. He turned towards Rowena and Helga, who watched on impassively. What was one female to them?

Salazar's magic exploded from him, without purpose or direction. It formed a wave that swept over Hermione and Gryffindor. When it cleared, Hermione was stood shaking and Gryffindor was out cold on the floor.

"Mione." He called out in relief. He took a step towards her and stumbled. He suddenly felt weak, so weak.

He crashed to the floor panting for breath and trying to push back the darkness that was creeping into his vision. He couldn't stop it, couldn't even slow it and darkness came to him suddenly and completely.