"This can't be. Severus… he's… my heir," breathed Sal. I never saw him this defeated before. "After all this time… I thought that they didn't make it. I thought they'd killed them."
"Sal…," I tried to say something to ease his pain but I knew that it was impossible. "Cassie, they told me… those traitors told me that they killed them."
Everything went silent until Sal suddenly laughed bitterly, "Of course. I'm such an idiot! I should've know. You're really brilliant, Gwen." I couldn't resisted but asked, "What do you mean?" he looked at me with a sad smile adorned his face, "Snape in Goblin language meant Snake. My wife… she must have change her surname into something that is so obvious but hidden. As usual…"
"There's more…," told Ragnarok. We looked at the parchment again. It shocked me to the core. "I thought the Rômæńoff lines had die when the whole royal family had been massacre."
"It seems the prince survives it," told Ragnarok surprised. The House of Rômæńoff, many thoughts that they were just a muggle royalty but the truth is they were one of the Most Ancient and Royal Purebloods Wizarding families. Thousands of years ago, there were more than a hundred Royal Purebloods Wizarding families. Now, there were only seven the Most Ancient and Royal Purebloods Wizarding families. The Rômæńoff's are also the only wizarding family rules a muggle country.
Unlike the other purebloods family, the Rômæńoffs didn't believe the pureblood supremacy. While the other purebloods believed that wizards could only be called a pureblood if both paternal and maternal grandparents are magical, the Rômæńoff s believe that it sufficient if one of the paternal or maternal grandparents was magical. As long as both parents were magical. It didn't matter if one of the parent was muggleborn. For the Romanoffs, what is important is the Magical abilities not the blood purity. They believed the dead of several purebloods line and the existence of squibs are because of the intermarriage between the purebloods family not because of the muggles blood mixing with the wizards.
"He's inherit the Rômæńoffs through his paternal grandmother. This is unbelievable," Sal exclaimed.
"Leviathan," Ragnarok called Sal grimly. He never called Sal 'Leviathan' unless he was serious.
"What?" Sal asked warily. "We got a problem. Mr Snape is more than we thought. The situation is much worse than we thought."
"What do you mean?" Sal asked curiously with the goblins strange behaviour. Ragnarok pointed his long claw to the one name at the most top of the parchment. Unlike the others names painted in black ink, it is the only name that painted in silvery white. Sal widen his eyes when he saw the name.
"… Ardelean?" Sal whispered. "Severus is an Ardelean." Both man and goblin sat still.
"This can't be… but he…," he stopped. He became paler with whatever he thought, "Potion Master at a very young age. Master in Mind Magic, Occlumency and Legilimency. Had the Royal blood of Ardelean in his vein and…" at this, he halted and looked at me, "A Celestia as a soulmate."
"It's the same as the Lord Ardeal," exclaimed Ragnarok.
"Severus is the Gate Keeper," Said Sal grimly. "For thousands of years the Ardeleans are known for Potion and Healing Magic. Even my family could never compete them. Not only that they are expert in Sealing Magic. However, only the Chosen Gate Keeper could seal the Gate completely. And that Chosen Gate Keeper will be granted the title as Lord Ardeal."
"But Sal, how can you be so sure that Severus is the Gate Keeper?" I asked.
"Three," he said while showing his three fingers. "Three condition for an Ardelean to become a Gate Keeper. The First Gate Keeper and also the First Lord Ardeal, had made sure these three conditions to be followed. First, a potion prodigy. Although the Ardeleans were famous for their Potions, not many of them could do what Severus does. A Potion Master at a very young age. Second, Master in Occlumency and Legilimency. Since the Gate Keeper need a very strong mind in sealing the Gate, mastery in Mind Magic is very… very important especially if the creature from the other side of the Gate is very strong. The last one, the most important condition is he or she has a Celestia as a soulmate."
"The last one is so ridiculous. Why it so important?"
"You know Celestias are known for their Time Magic, right?" he said, annoyed. "Yes," I nodded. "It is very important for a Gate Keeper has a Celestia as a soulmate because, only the combine Magic between an Ardelean and a Celestia could…," he trailed. Then suddenly, he stood up and pacing, muttering by himself "The Second Wizarding War, Severus is the Anchor… But we haven't fail him… unless…" he suddenly stopped pacing and looking paler, "the Gate… he also the Gate Keeper. He has the burden of the whole world on his shoulder. Burden to keep the Statue of Secrecy intact without any knowledge of it. And burden as a Gate Keeper. Instead of supporting him, we make him miserable. He is a test whether we are worth it or not," he muttered. Then, he turned and looked at Ragnarok with defeat, "The Prophecy is a warning… it's a warning and a chance for us… the Magical kind… and we had failed him. We failed him, Ragnarok."
"No. Albus Dumbledore failed him. He's the only one knew who is the Anchor since he was the Chief Warlock during Mr Snape as a student and a Professor. We only knew he is the Anchor because of your potion and you had been searching and protecting all the Anchors for your whole life. I'm getting the picture of this war, John. Instead of giving Mr Snape a protection, he led him towards Voldermort so he could use him as a spy. He knew, it is impossible for Mr Snape to become evil because of the Ritual. Dark yes. But evil, no," said Ragnarok.
Both of man and goblin went silent. Then, with determination in his dark emerald eyes, "Cassie, Ragnarok. Contact all the Protectors. Tell them we had an emergency meeting, now. The location is the Hidden Island Luskaina. Check every single Protectors. We need to know if the Gates are safe," ordered Sal scarily calm; like a general ready for a war. I felt shiver go down my back at his cold calm voice. "Yes, sir," I stood up and went to the communication room.
"I need to check on Severus," he stood up.
"I almost forgot. Severus has gain conscious, Sal," I told him. He raised his eyebrow and instead of saying 'why you didn't tell us earlier?' he said, "How is he?"
"He… had a headache but I already gave him the headache potion," I said while looked at him in the eyes, daring him to say something. He just stared back and raised his eyebrow. He turned around and walked towards Severus' room, "I'll be with both of you in a moment. I still need to check him."
Both Ragnarok and I went to the communication room silently. Something tells me there's more by the looked of it. Most importantly, what did Sal meant by 'the Prophecy'? Is there something he and the other Protectors were hiding?