Hey guys, still waiting on more reviews out there; I know it's getting close to the holidays and all, and I can say I like to spend a lot of time with the family, but still it wouldn't kill you to leave a review on what you think. This is where Salena learns more about the Potters on the night they're killed and Harry's taken to his relatives' place. She might object but will understand the circumstances. Enjoy and review please!
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Salena was just about to enter into the Slytherin common room when she suddenly felt like a bolt of lightning struck her midway from her brain to her back. She shivered slightly, and suddenly found herself outside Dumbledore's office; she heard what sounded like sobbing, and placed an ear to the door to hear Snape and Dumbledore, but Dumbledore wasn't the one crying.
Outside Dumbledore's office:
Salena Slytherin was coming up to Dumbledore to tell about her latest vision when a noise from inside stopped her in her tracks. It sounded like a dying animal or something; as she walked carefully over to the door she put her ear up against it to here sobbing noises, looking into the peephole crack through the door she could see Dumbledore and Snape talking, but something didn't seem right so she looked a bit closer with her snake eyes and saw something she hadn't expected to see.
Severus Snape was slumped in a chair crying his eyes out in Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was standing over him, looking grim. Soon after a few minutes Snape raised his head, and he looked like a man who lived an entire life of misery after leaving the wild hilltop. She almost pulled away to leave at the very sight of him, but stopped when she heard him speak.
"I thought…you were going…to keep her…safe…."
"She and James put their faith in the wrong person," said Dumbledore. "Rather like you Severus. Weren't you hoping that Lord Voldemort would spare her?" Snape's breathing became shallow.
"Her boy survives," Dumbledore spoke again. Salena suddenly realized what the old man was talking about; it was from her vision two nights ago, about Voldemort loosing his powers that night, about the boy surviving, about Harry James Potter.
"Her son lives. He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evans's eyes, I am sure?"
"DON'T!" bellowed Snape. "Gone…dead…" Snape was so shaken up Salena didn't know whether to go or stay. She was seeing exactly the same thing she had done every night in her sleep after dreaming about her beloved Austin. Sorrow crept into her eyes as she continued to listen.
"I wish…I wish I were dead…"
"And what use would that be to anyone?" said Dumbledore coldly. "If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear." Salena suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and the vision vanished before her.
Salena turned around to see Albus Dumbledore standing there; she couldn't see why but suddenly she felt her eyes grow wet, but no tears fell out.
"What did you see now?" he asked without bothering to look at her.
"Enough to know why Severus is so skeptical sometimes around Harry being a good kid…but I don't think that's the reason I saw that vision professor." Dumbledore turned back and leaned over the front of his desk.
"You feel a bit guilty about seeing that?"
"Partly, but I'm sure this also concerns Severus headmaster." Dumbledore's head rose up at this.
"What makes you think that? I'll take another guess; it's because you think Severus isn't as nice as you thought he was?"
"You know you really have a talent for guessing? I overheard Severus and you talking about Harry before you pulled me away. Please tell me it wasn't your plan to send him to that horrid aunt of his please?" Dumbledore shook his head sadly and this time he managed to look Salena straight in the eye.
"I had no choice; unfortunately Minister Cornelius Fudge placed him in that home until he was ready to come here. Severus has agreed to help me protect him when he starts, despite his hatred for the boy's father."
"You mean James Potter, I thought he was a good man, what could he have done to make Severus despise him so?"
"You only heard part of the story, the rest is…a painful memory for our Severus, and he's the reason that Lily Evans and he stopped being friends in their sixth year here. He bullied Severus, ever since they first met. Lily was his best friend, even if she was put in Gryffindor and he in Slytherin, Severus started learning about dark magic later on in his third year, and Lily still remained the same person she'd always been. James Potter and his three friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew continued to pick on Severus just to humiliate him in front of the school, but Lily was always there to help him out of it, until that one day."
"What happened then?"
"James and his friends were having their fun once again with Severus when Lily stepped in to help him, but they bullied him so much he went away and called her 'Mudblood', and that was the end of it. He tried to apologize that night but Lily wouldn't listen, and you could say it broke his heart."
"He loved her; he loved her so much he would do anything for her."
"Exactly, and it's that very same love that made him agree to help me protect little Harry from the Dark Lord whom you know I'm sure will return in whatever time it takes."
"Yes I know but…what did Severus mean when, he said you said you would keep Lily safe?"
"Severus came to me soon after he overheard the prophecy Trelawney had predicted about Harry and Lord Voldemort and went to tell him about it. When the Dark Lord was about to go and destroy the Potters, Severus begged him to spare Lily's life."
"Tom didn't keep his word and killed her anyway, so now Severus has vowed to help you protect Harry Potter when he returns? And you want me to help you as well?"
"Are you asking or offering Salena? It seems you want to be rid of the dark lord as much as Severus and I do, but your own descendant?"
Salena stood silent for a moment, turning her head away she clutched at Elaina's locket around her neck before looking back at the old man. Taking a few deep breaths she stepped forward and placed her own hands on the front of the desk, looking directly at Dumbledore.
"I never told you this but…my father…before he died, renounced his ways on the pureblood legacy that made him leave the school. He finally realized that it made no difference that whether a witch or wizard was pureblood, half-blood, or muggle born, that they were fine just as they are. He also told me about…about Voldemort, about his life, his beliefs, and the prophecy…including the boy, Harry Potter. He knew what would happen, but I'm not sure why exactly."
Dumbledore had been listening very carefully to Salena's speech about Salazar Slytherin. Looking down at the large book in front of him he placed his hands on it and took a breath. Looking back up at her he relaxed his arms and sat back in his seat.
"Are you telling me the truth Salena? I'm hoping this isn't some kind of trick to—"
"Don't you see what I'm trying say?! If I was lying to you then I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to actually meet my descendant face to face now would I? I wouldn't have fixed what was broken with the help of my ability to see the future would I?"
"No I suppose not, but I'm not completely sure about taking my trust in you. If anyone else finds out—"
"No one is going to find out Albus! I already told you I will not reveal myself until the time is right, which shouldn't be for a while!" Salena was shouting now. "I won't risk the safety of an innocent boy for my own uses, I'm not like that!"
"I didn't say you were Salena, I'm only saying that I can't completely trust you yet, because as you know, Slytherin is only loved by the ones who are or have been in your fathers' house, therefore if they knew who you were, then things wouldn't exactly go the way you'd want them to."
"I understand that professor, but what I don't understand is that how my father managed to predict such a long off vision, and why I'm here to assist it in whatever way I can." There was a moments' silence before either one spoke again.
"I'm pretty sure your father had the same gift you have Salena. I mean your ability to see the future, he must have known somehow you would be the one to live on and destroy Lord Voldemort, but what he didn't see was that there would be someone else in the matter, so now you have to assist him in defeating the dark lord. He didn't tell you maybe because he was sure you wouldn't go through with it, since you would already lose someone very dear to you, but possibly gain another."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that if he knew you would lose Austin, then he must've known you would come to love another in this time, whoever it is will be up to you, you will need to decide whether or not you will love another man, think of what Austin would want if he saw you in love with another man if he died."
"Okay, I'm beginning to understand now…and I've decided what I'll do while I'm here."
"And what is that?"
"I'll help you protect Lily and James Potter's son, but only if you promise that nothing other than what we've just discussed will ever be told to anyone other than Severus Snape."
"You have my word Salena, do I have yours?" Salena answered without hesitation.
"You have my word, and nothing but my word."
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Like it? No? Tough crowd you guys are. And yes I changed my penname cuz I got kinda tired of my old name; let me know what y'all want to do for the next chappie okay? Review and enjoy please.