Dear Uncle Rabastan,

It's been a while since I last wrote, because a lot has happened. I think I'm finally making friends! (Even if one of them is a portrait, and a rather grumpy one at that.)

I just write to say I miss you; I miss London, I miss Knockturn Alley and Mr Burke's shop and… well, just everything. The lessons are interesting, except for those of Professor Binns –he must be the most boring thing since watching grass grow- and I've settled in quite nicely. Timor (that's the cat, in case you forgot) loves both the mice of Hogwarts and our weekly experiments. Sometimes I think they will turn him completely crazy, but for now he's just being his old kitten-ish self. If only people liked torture as much as he does…

How are you there in London? Have you heard anything from the others? Do you by any chance know if Professor Snape spoke to uncle Lucius? Because if that is the case, I may have to invest in an invisibility coat for the next family visit… (Yes, it's exactly what you think and exactly as bad.)

Anyway, I wish you all the best. Send my wishes to all our friends and allies on Knockturn Alley, especially Mr Burke!

Love,

Crucio Lestrange

PS: Do you have any photographs of my parents? I know most of them have gone lost, but… I just had to ask.

(Pagebreak)

Life resumed, and Crucie made friends with Hermione. It was a bit of a strained friendship, but they both shared a great curiosity, and combining Crucie's knowledge of dark and not completely legal charms with Hermione's familiarity with muggle tech and general magical skill proved to be a great idea. They just kept mostly to their research and didn't discuss other things, like Harry Potter, the Dark Lord, politics, family and religion. Hermione asked her parents for some battery-run objects and then they took those apart to charm the different elements and hope they would work together. After a few times of being sent out of the library, they decided they needed a better place. Their research was stuck now that they couldn't engage in noisy activities… Crucie ended up seeking counsel with Salazar Slytherin.

"Ah, Missss Lestrange… Ssssomething tellssss me you have a quessstion for me…"

Crucie blushed as she lit the candles. Of course Salazar would guess that, the portrait had this uncanny capacity to see straight through her guises.

"I… well, I'm doing this project with a friend, it's about enchanting muggle stuff and making it run on magic."

Salazar looked very surprised at the girl.

"Why would anyone want that? Muggle thingsssss are inferior!"

Crucie smiled.

"It's quite difficult, and I have figured the only way to do it is a bit of dark magic here and there. It seemed like a fun challenge… Plus, imagine all the pranking possibilities!"

The founder seemed to think about that.

"Timessss are changing, it sssseeeemsss… I remember the fusssss I made when the Hogwarts Expresssss was taken in use… Even assss a portrait the thought of wizards using muggle thingssss… was hard to ssstand. But it hassss ssserved usss now for many yearsss already, proven itssss use… I ssssuppose it all comesss down to being useful."

"We hope that our work will be useful too…"

"If that issss your goal, you will reach it…"

"I wondered if you know a place where we can work undisturbed."

"There are many ssssecret chamberssss in Hogwartssss… many ssssecretsss too… But alasss, I would be happy to let you two girlsssss work here… That isss, if Misss Granger doesssn't mind my presssence…"

"Err…"

Salazar Slytherin gave the girl his most knowing look.

"Portraitssss gosssssip, Misss Lestrange…"

."I thought you only exchanged crucial information?"

"Doesssn't mean I don't lissssten to other peoples' gosssssiping…"

Crucie grinned.

"So… You don't have anything against… you know?"

"Mugglebornssss? Tssssss… I admit, Misssss Lestrange, I am not particularly fond of them… Mugglessss, mugglebornssss, halfbloodssss… I don't like them. But it issss foolissssh to deny their use to ussss pure-blooded wizardssss. I'm too old for ssssuch radical ssstancessss, after all…"

"I bet she'll be hugely intimidated…"

Salazar let out a particularly hissing laugh.

"Sssshe better be!"

(Pagebreak)

Hermione didn't tell Ron and Harry about her new friendship with Crucie Black, and Crucie also kept it from her Slytherin 'allies'. Even though they had decided that neither of them was ashamed of the other, they made sure not to be seen together, as it wouldn't do their house status much good. After potions class they met out of sight of their classmates to talk their research over.

"The new batteries have arrived, finally!"

"And I have found a place for us to work."

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. We… We do have to share it with someone."

"Oh. Is it someone…?" Hermione's eyes said enough. Crucie nodded.

"He is dark and Slytherin, but also very nice if you get to know him a bit better. He's a grump but his advice is very good. Oh, and he has this really awkward hissing accent but you get used to it pretty soon."

"Are you sure you want me to meet this person? I mean, if he's… dark and stuff, doesn't he hate muggleborns?"

Crucie frowned.

"I'm dark and I don't hate you, right? No politics, just study."

"Right. No politics."

Crucie led Hermione to the blocked corridor.

"Are you sure we can get in there? It looks dangerous, I think perhaps the floor is unstable, are you…"

"Shush and come on. It's safe, I've been coming here almost every day!"

They went on, until they stood in the little room and Crucie started lighting the candles. Hermione stared at the big portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"Errr…"

"Don't you know it issss impolite to ssstare?"

Hermione looked like a deer caught in headlights, and Crucie smiled.

"So, Salazar Slytherin, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, I suppose you know Mr Slytherin?"

She nudged Hermione and grinned at the portrait.

"I think you scared her."

"Tsssssss…"

Salazar let out his hissing laugh, the one Crucie had gotten to hear far more often lately.

"Misssss Granger… Assss I am a portrait, you have little reasssson to be afraid of my persssson. Our opinionssss and sssstatusss differ, but I won't eat you…"

Hermione softly nodded.

"I-It is an honour to meet you, Mr Slytherin."

The founder just shook his head.

"Tssss… Well, I ssshall leave you to your work… I must visssit my principal portrait again, otherwise Rowena will come looking for me."

And with that Salazar walked out of the frame. Hermione kept staring at the portrait.

"Mione, are you okay?"

"So, you have made friends with the most reserved portrait of whole Hogwarts. Somehow."

Crucie nodded.

"You know, he is known to talk to no one at all, right? He ignores even Dumbledore."

"You'd be surprised how far you come with being nice."

She caught Hermione's unbelieving look, but didn't really understand it…

(Author's Notes)

So, a new -and slightly short- chapter. As I've explained before, at least to some, Salazar Slytherin's portrait is far from as radical as he himself once was. A thousand years of room for thought and observation would soften almost every harsh opinion, I think. He's a haughty, grumpy old man, but I imagine that actually he's rather nice ;)

Also, I know it's not smart of Crucie to use real names in her letter, but don't worry, she'll get reprimanded for it!

PLEASE REVIEW! I love and adore my reviewers! It's what gives me the confidence to post new chapters, and to keep writing! The comments and critics I get from you people truly help me (like the one comment on Crucie's apparent occlumency talent, or the few on my perpetual confusion regarding cousins and nephews...) and even if you just let me know you read it that's a great compliment to me!

SO REVIEW! COOKIES FOR ALL REVIEWERS!