I am not JKR. Seriously.
Harry stared apprehensively at the book. They were all back in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom a few days after the Sorting Hat fiasco. Harry didn't know what to think as memory after memory was shown to them. It was becoming rapidly clear that Slytherin wasn't an evil git as they all thought. They saw a memory of the founders building the Chamber together. Carnell the basilisk was there for the protection of the castle. It must have gone insane. Also, they had seen Slytherin jump on top the statue of the man they thought was Slytherin and call him a monkey, to the agreement of his friends.
People had basically been in a daze the next day. The publishers and media were going crazy, the Sirius Black case at the back of the Prophet. The Department of Mysteries was especially hectic, trying to figure out how exactly the founders had managed such a feat. They were also, quite understandably, fascinated by the Elemental and nature magics the Slytherin twins and the other founders had had, as well as the twins' bond and storm-caller gifts. The Ministry itself was in chaos, as it had been revealed that the Gaunt family, from which Voldemort's mother came from, was a disgraced branch of his family which had been disowned by him for bowing to a Dark Lord and obsessing over blood purity, meaning Voldemort was not the heir of Slytherin.
Not to mention the fact that Salazar Slytherin had a twin. And that his mother was a muggleborn, making him a half-blood. And that Hufflepuff was a muggleborn metamorphmagus abandoned at birth by her parents.
And it all seemed to come down to the book. It was the book that warned them about what was going on and Harry had a feeling that there was even more to it than what already met the eye. He didn't really know what to make of it.
Percy and Hermione had nearly hibernated into the library after the fateful 'incident' and attacked the books that Harry had brought on Ancient Runes feverishly. Bill had told them the meanings of the individual Runes but they couldn't seem to put the damn puzzle together. It was frustrating.
He and Ron had both dropped Divination after the first day of Sybil Trelawney predicting Harry's death and if that hadn't sealed it, the suffocating smell of incense and perfume certainly did. Ron had opted for Muggle Studies to go with Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy, which seemed to work well with his strategic mind, while Harry took to Ancient Runes, which, as Hermione had said, was fascinating.
Harry was seriously beginning to consider becoming a curse breaker like Bill. It was a hard job, yes, dangerous too, but wasn't becoming an Auror the same? Other than the fact that he was beginning to severely dislike the ministry, corrupt and prejudiced as it was.
For what no one, other than the Weasleys and Hermione, were aware of, was that someone had been taking his bank statements every month since his twelfth birthday, when he should have started receiving them. His weeks in Diagon Alley were not wasted. He spent the days getting updated on his financial and social status, wizarding history, and of course, runes. The goblins were tracking down the interceptor.
Which brought them back to the reason they were in the bathroom in the first place. He saw Ginny shiver slightly and grimaced slightly in sympathy before giving her a slight smile which she gave him a grateful look for. Taking a deep breath, he went towards the tap with the snake engravings and said ~Open~
The tunnel appeared. He hissed again ~Stairs~ just like he had seen Salazar do and sure enough, a winding staircase appeared, covered in slime.
"Eugh," said Hermione, wrinkling her nose while the twins whooped. Ginny took a deep breath while Percy was just gazing at the tunnel-like staircase intently. Ron's face was a mask, no doubt lost in memories as Harry himself was. He shook himself out of it and lit his wand, prepared to go down. Harry did the same. His burning green eyes took on a determined look as he looked at the steps once more. "Let's go".
They had no idea that this one trip would change their lives forever.
A/N Hey! I know this chapter is rather short, but the next one is going to be abnormally long so... yeah. No, Ginny will not be dating harry until at least fourth year. AT LEAST. And about Sirius... well you will see. About the founders... I'll be posting a separate 'book' on what they saw. And what do you think about the Dursleys? And Dumbledore? Review!