Chapter Five
The newspapers didn't know what to lead with when all the information came out, to say that they were in a tizzy was an understatement. So much information came out at once that trying to prioritise one thing or the other, trying to get the information that they wanted on each piece and put together what had happened had them running around like headless chickens, and each piece was a massive headline in itself, and over the coming days they were full of the events in Hogwarts.
Salazar Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts
Salazar Slytherin is alive and on the side of Harry Potter
Salazar Slytherin and Harry Potter married?
Salazar Slytherin and Harry Potter married and bonded!
Salazar Slytherin sacks Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster for neglect, putting children within his care in harm's way on purpose, favouring particular students and Gryffindor House, ignoring and covering up the harm done to students in his care both within and outside of Hogwarts, and ignoring his duties as Headmaster for his political career, warping the wards of Hogwarts for his own use.
Salazar Slytherin sacks Severus Snape as Potions Master of Hogwarts for bullying and harassing students, favouritism of Slytherin House, using magic to harm a student, and purposefully sabotaging the education of multiple students' because of his own prejudice to other Houses.
Salazar Slytherin sacks Doloras Umbridge as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts for sabotaging students' education of the entire school body, bullying, harassing and attacking students, physically assaulting multiple students, and attempting to cast the cruciatus curse on a student.
Salazar Slytherin sacks Poppy Pomphrey as Healer of Hogwarts for hiding and not treating the health of students upon request of Albus Dumbledore, not reporting concerns about the home life of students upon request of Albus Dumbledore, and failing to uphold healer vows.
Salazar Slytherin reinstates wards around Hogwarts that prove his decisions to sack 4 members of Hogwarts staff, including Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was justified and his claims have been proven, all four have been permanently marked by wards of Hogwarts for their actions against the students.
Dolores Umbridge was arrested and under investigation for attempting to cast an unforgivable curse against a student at Hogwarts and for using a blood quill during detention on at least 15 students of Hogwarts
Poppy Pomphrey's licence to heal was revoked by Healers Board for her actions at Hogwarts.
Albus Dumbledore is under investigation for his actions at Hogwarts, his treatment of students and the purposeful endangerment of them
Salazar Slytherin confirms the return of Voldemort and vows to stand at Harry Potter's side, and refuses to give an interview unless we used the name Voldemort
Salazar Slytherin and Harry Potter announce the innocence of Sirius Black and file a petition to the Ministry to have his guilty verdict revoked, rumour within the Ministry is that multiple memories have been provided as proof of innocence
To say that the days and days worth of headlines kept the Wizarding public enthralled and rushing to get their newspapers every morning would be underselling the excitement, curiosity and bemusement of the public.
Salazar smiled to himself as arms wrapped around his shoulders and a sweet kiss was pressed to his cheek, when he turned those lips found his and equally sweet kisses soothed the headache and frustration of his day. When he pulled back he found green eyes sparkling mischievously, and so full of life, that he couldn't resist tugging a laughing Harry onto his lap and kissing him a lot deeper than sweet kisses.
"What has you looking so amused?" Salazar asked when they parted.
"I was expecting today to be unbearable with everyone asking questions, but instead all I got was people staring at me utterly baffled and practically walking into things and tripping over things," Harry laughed kissing Salazar's cheek. "The Slytherins...Slytherin House didn't know what to do with themselves, and they obviously didn't know what to think about everything that has happened. There was a lot of whispering amongst them, just a little more than were with the other Houses,"
"It was an ok first day back then?" Salazar smiled combing his fingers through Harry's hair. "I have been worried about you, Little Lion,"
"I was half expecting you to turn up in one of my lessons," Harry laughed.
"I was tempted…very tempted. I also had to stop Sirius from finding you as Padfoot, thankfully Remus has a lot of control over him, and he convinced me as well," Salazar huffed.
"Thank you, I need to do this part by myself, but knowing that I can come back to you, knowing that you're here for me is what got me through the day," Harry kissed Salazar again, the bond between them singing happily.
"Hermione and Ron?" Salazar asked.
"They glared a lot and they tried to speak to me but I told them that unless they were willing to support my choices and stop trying to order me around all the time and make me into what they wanted me to be, I had nothing to say to them after they tried demanding that I apologise for what happened the other day and that I could not be married to you, and I was disappointing everyone," Harry shifted and rested his head against Salazar's shoulder. "I don't think that they will, and I am a little sad about that, but I have seen that I have real friends, Neville and Luna were with me as much as they could be, and members of the DA were around me as well, they were all a little confused, but after everything that they have been through with Umbridge and seeing how you have already improved the school, they kind of rallied around me,"
"Good, I am glad that they stepped up for you," Salazar kissed Harry's temple.
"How has your day been?" Harry asked softly.
"Manic, I have found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and a new potions teacher," Salazar said, and his tone had Harry lifting his head and narrowing his eyes on him.
"Who?"
"Remus, I managed to convince him to take the position again, and with the correct wards around Hogwarts no one can accuse him of attacking a student, and I have promised that he can use the Chamber to spend the moons,"
"And the Potions teacher?" Harry asked with a massive grin.
"Ta da!" Sirius announced bursting into the room making Salazar roll his eyes. "Not as me of course, I will be under polyjuice and glamours to protect me, but I shall be your new teacher!"
"Honestly Sirius!" Remus huffed rolling his eyes and walking in behind him.
"I am already regretting my choice," Salazar sighed.
"I am ignoring that my godson is on your lap,"
"He is your godson but he is my husband,"
"He has been my godson for longer than he has been your husband,"
"That is not an argument, anyway husband trumps godson,"
"It does not!"
"It does too!"
"Congratulations Remi, I am so happy for you, you are the best person that could have been chosen," Harry tugged Remus down into a hug without moving from Salazar's lap as his husband and godfather bickered in what was becoming a familiar scene. He would be worried if he didn't know that they actually liked each other.
"I am not sure about the best person, and there are bound to be complaints," Remus said worriedly.
"Salazar will deal with them, he wouldn't have asked you to take the place if you weren't the best person for it and he was willing to deal with it. Hogwarts is too important to him for him to have given you the position just because you are my family," Harry shook his head, and Remus' face both relaxed at the worry of the reason he had been given the position and broke into a bright smile at being called Harry's family.
"Are you excited for me to teach you, Harry?" Sirius asked breaking his argument with Salazar.
"I am a little worried," Harry snorted, and then started laughing when Sirius clutched his chest and started staggering around the room dramatically.
"Wounded! I am wounded!"
"Dear Merlin," Salazar shook his head but squeezed Harry's waist. "I should finish…"
"No, you're going to have supper, and relax, you have been working none stop all day, you didn't even stop for lunch," Harry shook his head kissing Salazar's cheek.
"How do you know?" Salazar asked.
"I have my ways," Harry kissed his nose.
"Honestly, how do you manage to pull all the House Elves to your side, I made sure not to have Dobby or Winky anywhere near here!" Salazar huffed.
"Come on," Harry just laughed slipping from Salazar's lap and pulling him to his feet.
"I am coming," Salazar stood and wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders.
"You better not be!" Sirius muttered.
"Siri!" Harry squawked horrified as Remus started choking on air. "Do not!" Harry slammed his hand over Salazar's mouth as he smirked and went to open it, whatever was about to come was definitely going to cause a duel.
"Perfect Harry," Salazar smiled looking across the room at Harry who was panting and sweating but beaming brightly at him.
"Thank you," Harry breathed out, crossing the space between them to throw himself at Salazar. His husband let out a low groan as he quickly wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pressed back into the kiss that Harry pressed to his lips.
"Harry?" Salazar managed to ask through panting breaths even as he started stripping himself and Harry out of their clothes, the evidence of what Harry wanted pressing against his stomach and in the hunger of his kisses.
"Seeing you, your magic, feeling it…and when you're teaching me," Harry said between kisses running his hands down Salazar's muscled back as soon it was bared to him.
"Merlin Harry," Salazar growled casting a spell to make the floor more comfortable before he dropped them down onto it, his mouth devouring Harry as his hands roamed over his body, a body that he would never get enough of.
Salazar started a little as arms wrapped around his waist, turning from looking out over the familiar and yet changed view of Hogwarts grounds in the moonlight, he found warm green eyes that he loved more than anything else in this world looking up at him with concern. Harry was wearing only Salazar's shirt that he had discarded when they had managed to tumble into bed, Salazar himself was wearing nothing.
"You're cold," Harry said softly, rubbing his hand up and down Salazar's side.
"Hmm? I didn't notice," Salazar shook his head looking back out over the grounds as he wound his arm around Harry's warm body and pulled him against him, his husband going willingly.
"Is everything ok?" Harry asked gently after a few moments.
"Just thinking, everything has changed so much, and yet not much at all. So much time has passed, and I feared for a time that I hadn't made the right choice. But meeting you, getting this time, just a few months with you already, getting to love you and getting to hold you, getting to make love to you, it has all been worth it. I just wish that the others could have met you, that they could know that I am happy, that it was completely worth it," Salazar said thoughtfully into the night.
There wasn't much that Harry could say to that, and there wasn't anything that he could say that would make it better, all he could do was tighten his arms around Salazar and hug him close as the thoughts went through his mind, assuring him that he was there with him.
"Come on, bed," Harry said softly as something relaxed a little in Salazar's shoulders.
"Hmm, yes," Salazar looked down at him with warm blue eyes, the moonlight allowing Harry to see his features even as his long black hair swept in front of his face as he leaned down and pressed the lightest of kisses to Harry's lips.
"Come on," Harry took his hand and lead him back into their bedroom and over to their bed, easily sliding under the covers under Salazar's dark eyes before his husband followed him into the bed, the two of them moving to press against each other under the covers, tangling their legs together under the covers, Harry moving to lay his head down onto Salazar's chest pressing a kiss to it before he got settled. He hummed happily when Salazar's fingers wrapped around his wrist and his thumb started rubbing over the golden marks on Harry's wrist matching the ones sitting on his own wrist.
"I love you," Harry said softly into the night. Salazar's hand tightened around his wrist for a second before he started rubbing his wrist again.
"I love you too," Salazar breathed.
Harry stared at the man, no the thing in front of him calmly. Voldemort was going through his usual rant and monologue about how fantastic he was, how clever he was, what a wonderful Lord he was, how he was going to rule the Wizarding world…Harry might have been paraphrasing a little and there was some manic laughter in there as well, but it was pretty much the normal.
Harry hadn't seen the object flying at him until it was too late, and the portkey had whisked him away to Voldemort's manor here, he would be worried about what was about to happen if he didn't know with absolute certainty that Salazar was on his way to him. He had promised Harry that he wouldn't have to face Voldemort alone, and he wouldn't let Harry down. He had been hit with the cruciatus as soon as he had arrived, and he was aware of his limbs trembling a little as he stood watching what was happening, counting down the minutes. He absently wondered if Pansy Parkinson was still alive after she had sent him here, Salazar, Sirius and Remus would not be happy.
Of course, Voldemort's monologuing helped drag the time out and give Salazar time to track him down.
"Have you nothing say, Harry Potter? You must know that you are facing your death," Voldemort smirked widening his arms. Harry just looked at him and waited, watching annoyance crawling over Voldemort's face. "I shall do away with you, and I will claim my rightful place with Salazar Slytherin and together we will carry on the purity of our line,"
"Oh, ew, he is not going to be happy with that thought in his mind, and if I have to suffer it so will he," Harry grimaced as he realised Voldemort's thoughts.
"Why would he want you when he can have me!" Voldemort hissed, and Harry rolled his eyes.
Harry would have seen the spell coming a mile off even without the training that Salazar had given him, throwing up the shield was as easy as breathing, Salazar had made sure of that, seeing Voldemort panic when his shield lashed out and managed to bite a chunk out of his arm was even better than the knowledge that Salazar would be proud of seeing him right now.
"That's Dark magic!" Voldemort hissed clutching his bleeding arm as the Death Eaters muttered around them.
"Yes it is, Salazar taught me everything that I would need to know to get you out of my life, so that we can enjoy ours together," Harry smirked before casting silently, Voldemort dodged out of the way of that spell, but the three that followed in quick succession were too much for him considering he was shocked with the attack he had not been expecting, and the third spell clipped his face, a deep burn that hissed and spit and carried on eating through his flesh.
Harry managed to dodge a few more spells, before the fifth managed to smash through his shield and caught his side, making him grit his teeth to hold back his cry of pain as a deep wound opened. He quickly cast back, not allowing it to slow him down, knowing that any minute…
A deep boom echoed through the manor before there was a sound like the air was being sucked out of the room, and then Salazar apparated into the room right by Harry, Sirius and Remus with him.
"How…how did you get past my wards?" Voldemort spluttered, and then snarled when Harry threw a bone-breaking hex at him that managed to catch his shoulder.
"This is a Slytherin manor!" Salazar said as though it was obvious and it was but Voldemort just looked back at him, but then Salazar was blinking at the image of his descendant, grimacing at actually seeing him for the first time, "The wards will always allow a member of the blood through, seriously this is the moron that they are following?" he managed to control his horror, before turning to Harry, his eyes darkening when he noticed the blood soaking through Harry's robes on his side.
The two of them reacted together, Salazar throwing up a shield while Harry threw a hex at Voldemort.
"Remember Harry, do what feels right," Salazar advised before he launched into keeping the Death Eaters off of Harry along with Sirius and Remus, as Voldemort met Harry's eyes with a smirk.
"See, he is leaving you to me so that we can be together," Voldemort hissed.
Ignoring Salazar's disgusted 'what' from behind him Harry took a breath and searched through himself, searched through his magic for what he needed at this moment, and as a distant chirp of Fawkes' song echoed through his head he knew exactly the spell he needed.
"Oh is this it, are you going to defeat me, Harry Potter?" Voldemort laughed, clearly seeing the expression on Harry's face, and felt the building of his magic. "Go on, give it your best shot, I am immortal, I am unbeatable. I will slaughter you and those animals, and I will bear the great Salazar Slytherin's babies and take the Wizarding World into a great future!" the thing in front of him laughed, spreading his arms wide.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Salazar said where his back was against Harry's
"Me too," Sirius whined blasting Bellatrix through a window.
"Will you two please concentrate!" Remus sighed, sounding incredibly put upon.
Harry smiled and feeling the golden bands around his wrist heating up he raised his wand at the open target in front of him who was cackling madly and cast the spell he knew was the right one for this moment. "Expecto Patronum,"
The whole room stilled, everyone except Salazar actually turning to look at him bemused at his choice of spell, watching as if in slow motion a mist drifted from Harry's wand.
"He couldn't even cast it right!" Rabastan Lestrange laughed.
Except there was more and more mist pouring from Harry's wand, rapidly gathering together, then from the centre of the mist a massive stag launched itself into the air, closely followed by a basilisk, a doe, a Grimm, a werewolf and lastly a lion. The six creatures few into the air, quickly taking solid shape before they launched themselves straight at Voldemort who was still laughing tauntingly, some of the Death Eaters echoing it, though with much less confidence.
Then the patroni hit Voldemort. At first it looked as though they had past straight through him, making Voldemort laugh even harder until he started to choke. He stared wide-eyed as ash poured from his mouth, trying to say something he started choking as more and more ash poured from his mouth, his hands began disintegrating, and then his head.
"What?" He managed to say looking at Harry.
"The only thing that you can't understand, pure love and happiness," Harry said softly.
"But…but…no…" Voldemort managed to say before his body started to fully disintegrate into ash.
"What…what is…no!" someone shouted from the crowd of Death Eaters, and they all started trying to apparate out. Harry turned to see Salazar watching them calmly.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, leaning tiredly against his husband of six months' side.
"They're all going to the warded room that my father created in the basement, they can be nice and comfortable there until the ministry comes to arrest them," Salazar wrapped his arm around Harry, parting his robes so that he could look at his side, immediately starting to heal the damage.
"Are you ok?" Sirius asked concerned cupping Harry's face.
"Tired," Harry admitted, swaying a little on the spot.
"Come on, let's go home," Salazar reached out and scooped Harry off of his feet, lifting him up and holding him against his chest.
"This is giving me deja vu," Harry chuckled resting his tired head onto Salazar's shoulder, feeling his energy sapping out of him.
"Hold on you two," Salazar said to Remus and Sirius. The two of them held onto his arms and he apparated them back into Hogwarts, straight into the Hospital Wing.
"Headmaster Slytherin," Healer Robertson hurried over, motioning to a bed that Salazar could place Harry on so that she could heal him. "I thought that you would be coming here, I was ready for you," she smiled warmly at Harry before setting to work. Through it all and as he started dropping off to sleep Salazar was at Harry's side, holding his hand and clearly not moving.
Proof of Voldemort's existence is revealed, as it is also announced that Harry Potter has defeated him once and for all.
37 Death Eaters arrested and being held for trial having been found with Voldemort during the final duel between Harry Potter and Voldemort, including the Lestranges, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and Fenrir Greyback.
Sirius Black was found innocent of charges of being a Death Eater and killing Peter Pettigrew with the evidence that Peter Pettigrew was alive and with the Death Eaters that were arrested.
Harry smiled as lips pressed to his forehead, a hand cupping his cheek and moving down to kiss his lips.
"You were amazing," Salazar said and Harry opened his eyes with a smile, looking up at him. "A completely unexpected spell, but the right one for you,"
"He couldn't know how to feel love or happiness, a spell made up of that had to be the only way. I thought of you, how happy you make me feel, the knowledge that you love me, and that we have a whole future spread in front of us, the love I have from Sirius and Remus, and the family that we have together, the four of us. The family that we will have," Harry smiled at Salazar, chuckling at the expression on his face.
"My perfect husband," Salazar sighed happily leaning down to kiss him.
"The Horcruxes?" Harry asked when they parted and Salazar had made himself comfortable next to him on the bed, hugging him close.
"Destroyed, we finished them all off, they gave no resistance with the death of Voldemort," Salazar nodded.
"Want to talk about it?" Harry asked with a mischievous grin that got him narrowed eyes and a curled lip.
"If you want to have sex any time in the near future then no absolutely not!" Salazar hissed and Harry couldn't stop the laughter that poured from him.