I'll have notes at the end. CHAPTER TIME!

—0—

There was darkness, then there was light. Everything sped past in shades of grey until finally, Merlot stood before someone new… and yet, still familiar.

Her stomach curled as the memories reared their head.

Hepzibah the Heiffer.

She could see why she was called that. The woman was more of a tub of fat than a human. How she was still living was beyond Merlot's knowledge.

"Back again dear? Couldn't keep you away, could I?"

Merlot smiled, her stomach clenching at the too sweet tone of the womans voice. 'Guess the sugar has to go somewhere.'

"Indeed Ms. Smith. Mr. Burke finally settled on a deal for the armor. But before we get to that, I wanted to know more of your family. You told me of the cup, but what of that necklace? I seem to have only seen its like in paintings around Hogwarts from when I was but a child…"

The woman chortled as she brought a meaty hand to her froglike throat. "Oh, this? 'Tis but a trophy for the family's collection."

"A trophy?"

"Yes. Remember dear, I am one of the last descendants of the Hufflepuff line. A proud line of wizards and witches… Of course, you know all of that. Well, this here, is the one and only prized possession of Salazar Slytherin. The Locket of Slyth."

She suppressed a grin as the stupid woman laid the locket upon the table, displaying the brilliant pattern of tiny emeralds that filled the intricate 'S' embossed upon its surface. There was no doubt, this woman truly had the Locket of Slytherin.

"It… looks rather… lacking?" She blinked, speaking in lies to distract the Heiffer from the fact that she was levitating the basilisk scale shavings he had taken from the chamber into her cup of hot chocolate.

"Well, of course it does!" The woman chortled. "Each of the founder's items is rather single toned. With the exception of my ancestors… Black and Yellow do mix ever so well. But gold and green? Silver and red? No no. No thank you."

Merlot felt anger spike through her. "Perhaps there is more to them than their looks?"

The fat woman laughed, her rolls bouncing in a sickening fashion. "You would not be wrong, my dear. It is said each of the founders treasured items were imbued with their magic, only accessibly by one of their bloodline. The Sword of Gryffindor, for example, is a true vorpal blade, able to cut through anything when wielded by a descendant of Gryffindor himself. My cup, well it fills with whatever potion may be thought of. Very useful when it comes to poisons…"

Merlot silently thanked the idiot for saying something, and with a subtle wave of her wand, let the cup stick to the arm of the heifer's chair.

"The Locket of Slyth is probably the most mysterious. It is rumored that Slytherin used it to hide a prophecy, one of the end of time. Others say that it grants those of his bloodline who cannot speak the serpents tongue the ability to do so. Of course, we will never find out the true function of its magic."

Merlot blinked. "Why not?"

Hephzibah giggled. "Because the fools are all dead and gone! The filthy Gaunts fucked each other to such an inbred state they could no longer speak proper english! I heard the last of them died a few months ago. Wish I could have seen how much scum floated from his body when they cleaned it."

Merlot laughed along with the woman. "So that's why it's a trophy?"

"Oh yes! See, I am the last of the families left! Well, except maybe that strange professor from Hogwarts… Yes, there are rumors of the Dumbledores…"

"The Dumbledores?"

"Indeed. See, a legend of their family magic, that a phoenix will come to them in a time of need. That entire legend started with Godric Gryffindor himself."

"Aren't their other branches of the Gryffindor line? I had heard that the Potters-"

"THE POTTERS? HA! AS IF!" Hephzibah roared. "Maybe they share a drop of the blood, but they're far too busy covering up their relation to the old Peverell family! No, there are other branches. The Prewetts, for one. They get their red hair from the bloodline. Weasleys too. Both families seem to be heading downhill, however. Longbottoms maybe… but I don't know if the proper blood tests have been done. Bah! Too little to talk about anyways! A true heir of Gryffindor would display each of those traits. The Phoenix, the hair, the bravery, and they would hold the sword. An impossibility, as it has been lost. Then, perhaps, they would be eligible…"

"But until then, you are the only eligible heir to one of the founders…"

"Which is why I have their trophies!" The woman grinned. "That goblin armor? I need to sell it to afford an antique set of Rowena Ravenclaw's robes. That cabinet over there? It contains eight volumes of studies by Godric Gryffindor on defense against the dark arts. I have trinkets from each of those wizards, all showing that the Hufflepuff line is the last one!"

She was getting quieter now. A little more out of breath. Merlot grinned as she leaned forward and took the locket in hand.

"What-*Wheeze* what are you-?"

"Oh Hephzibah…" She smiled, watching as the woman's face began to turn a strange shade of purple. "You are such a fool."

With a hiss of parseltongue, the ritual for another vessel began. Hephzibah's eyes widened in recognition before she knew no more.

Merlot woke up panting, her body covered in sweat. Her eyes adjusted to the dark just in time for her to spot her cauldron, which she grabbed and threw up in.

Though she tried to keep quiet, she was soon joined by her roommate, who was already waving her wand and reciting some of the cleaning charms that they had learned in class.

"Go on. Let it out."

Merlot wanted to tell her she was fine, but before she could speak, her stomach clenched, and another wave of bile swept up and out into the cauldron.

"Oh Merlot…"

Hannah set her wand down as Merlot started coughing, her body shaking violently as she felt cold wash over her. She was quickly clmed by the feel of skin on skin as Hannah sat down behind her and wrapped her in an embrace.

"H-hannah, I-"

"Shhhh… just breathe, okay?"

"N-no, I-"

"Shhhhh… just settle down, okay? I'm right here. I'm right here."

Merlot felt the trembles in her skin melt away as she let out a breath. Hannah gave a soft hum as her friend settled into her embrace.

"Good… now. Do you want to talk about it?"

Merlot sniffed, staring at the cauldron full of yuck that was at their feet.

"Let's not worry about that right now." Hannah picked up her wand and muttered the potion curing spell, washing away all impurities in the cauldrons contents and thus, the contents themselves.

"That was really well done."

Hannah smiled. "Thanks. I practiced it for a while so Snape wouldn't be so hard on me."

Merlot nodded, and they sat there in silence for a while.

"Do you think that-" Merlot broke the silence, before stopping herself. "Nevermind… it's a dumb question."

Hannah laid her head on Merlot's shoulder. "Are you sure? Ask me your question, Merlot. It's just us right now."

"Well… I was just thinking about- about people who aren't here anymore."

Hannah nodded. "I think about them alot too."

"Do you think it's wrong to wish they were here?" Merlot tilted her head back. "Even if- even if they were selfish people?"

Hannah blinked. "I don't think it's wrong to wish that for anyone, Merlot. No matter who they are."

Merlot nodded. "I was just reading some texts on the founders, for History class. I found an entry about a woman. Hephzibah Smith?"

Hannah nodded. "I remember Sue Bones mentioning someone like that when we were studying. Apparently she was a bit of a troll."

Merlot nodded. "Yes. The pictures of her mke her look like some overweight bullfrog… But, she was the heir of Helga Hufflepuff, wasn't she? She had so much to share, even if she was some kind of… hoarder."

Hannah sighed. "Nobody knows what really happened there. One of the Slytherins said she abused her house elf, and was poisoned by them in an act of vengeance."

Merlot nodded. "Yeah, maybe…"

Hannah patted Merlot on the head. "I think that whatever happened, she would be happy to know that someone remembered her, and wished she was alive."

"Maybe…"

Hannah held her there for a while longer, before realizing that Merlot had fallen back asleep. "Hey, Merlot."

"Hm?"

"Do you want to get bck in your bed?"

The black haired girl nodded, and staggered upright, before sitting down on her bedside and rubbing her eyes. Hannah waited for her to lay down, before pulling the covers overhear friend.

"I'm always here for you, okay?"

"Mhm… G'night Hannah…"

"Pleasant Dreams, Merlot."

As she climbed backinto her own bed, Hannah had to admit she felt a bit more chilly. It took a bit longer than normal to get comfortable, but right before she fell asleep-

"Hannah?"

"Yes Merlot?"

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

She heard Merlot's blankets shuffle as her friend turned.

"For being my friend."

—0—

"Welcome back, everyone! Welcome! I was happy to see some very in-depth works on the adventures of Godric the Brave from our last unit. Yes, yes, many of you chose to research his journeys to the coast, where he cleared out some of the last remaining sea serpents of our world, while others of you chose to study his foray into complex runesmithing! Oh, and don't let me forget the one of you who chose to detail his exploration of wandcrafting. Very well done to you, Miss Scortwit."

The class was abuzz as Professor Binns passed back their end-of-quarter assignments. After they had all viewed their grades, he floated back to the front of the room to begin his lecture.

"Now, my hope for this quarter was to explore the early life of Rowena Ravenclaw, but seeing as there have been… certain events that have played out in the halls this year, I believe we would be much better suited to researching Salazar Slytherin."

The class volume rose as excited chitters broke out, only to go quiet again as Binns began drawing on the board.

"Born to a wizarding family in Delphi, the young Apollo Olísthima was the last of a great family of seers, who also bore the gifts of the great god Python. He was a prophet and a healer. One who could commune with serpents to understand the needs of both the wild and the modern world."

Binns gently floated away from the board, revealing a map of Greece, with Delphi clearly highlighted with a star.

"Apollo spent the first ten years of his life practicing the ancient magics of his greek family, before the church really began to crack down on the remaining druidic practitioners. He fled to the Northwest, crossing the ocean and eventually landing on the shores of Arthurs kingdom."

The board was flipped over itself, displaying a hand-drawn map just like the one used for Binns's detailing of the life of Gryffindor.

"Afraid of what would happen if he met any of the church's sympathisers, the young man found himself joining one of the last druid circles that held independence from Arthurs rule. Within this sect, he continued his practices until the Saxon Invasion. Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"

"We are evidently talking about Slytherin. Wasn't he a master of the dark arts? So far, you've only specified healing and curing ailments."

Binns nodded. "It should be said of any wizard or with that studies the mind and body, that they are the most dangerous of all our brethren. Knowing how to make a heart stop is as easy as knowing how to restart its beat. Some of the more painful curses, such as the femurtwisting curse, were invented by healers."

"I see. Sorry for interrupting."

The professor chuckled and returned to his lecture. "It is actually around this time when Apollo's reputation grew to what we know today. The Saxons were brutal in their invasion. Those amongst them with magic still used more physical force. Once again, Apollo was the last of his circle to remain. Of course, this simply spurned him to turn what he had learned against the enemies in an act of pure revenge. He became an assassin, a killer of the night. Using his gift with snakes to cull hundreds in a single night. There are even entries about it in some retellings of the war from Arthurs knights.

Binns pulled a small book from his desk and opened it, reading a passage aloud for the class.

"-The king and his mage grow weary, for this is the fifth camp we have seen that has been ravaged by an unknown force. Bodies litter the ground, many torn apart by obscenely dark magic. Master Merlin has made observations of ripples in dry mud, snake tracks leading in and out from all directions. Merlin speaks of wizards that could have been angered, though that cannot be. I have seen close to such power from him and him alone. This… is as if the world turned upon our invaders itself, leaving reminders of why magic is not to be scorned…-"

"From that text alone, we can see the effects of Apollo's wrath, though it did take him some time to be discovered… It was a battle in Badon, where Arthur is rumored to have killed over nine hundred men, that Apollo revealed himself. A bloody battlefield with many wounded saw a young man clothed in green declare himself as Salazar, the darkest lord to all Saxons, he who would demand and deliver retribution instead of peace."

The entire class was silent as Binns shook his head. "The first Dark Lord of Britain, one who was for the protection of her people… Salazar disappeared from that battlefield, but not after delivering a crippling blow in the form of seven hundred and seventy seven deaths. Yes, a magically powerful triplet of sevens, something which terrified the spellcasters on both sides. For with such magic collected, what could one man do?"

Merlot tapped her fingers on her desk. Arithmantically speaking, she knew there was power in such things. She felt she would need to look further into the matter.

"Whatever they worried about never came to pass, as new threats began to pop up across the kingdom. The church had come to finish what they had started, and the Dark Lord Salazar turned to helping his fellow magicals. It was during his acts in sparing a group of magical children that he met Godric Gryffindor, and soon they were working together to build a safe haven. That brings us to now. Hogwarts stands, thanks to the two of them and their compatriots, Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw. And I'm sure that you all have the same question in mind, what about the fabled Chamber of Secrets?"

The class leaned in collectively as Binns shook his head. "It is a well known myth, that Salazar Slytherin built the chamber as a line of defense against his enemies, the muggleborn. However, that is not the case. After a life running from the non magicals, Salazar was ever alert. Though the enchantments of the castle were- and still are- powerful, it was not enough to satisfy the need to protect his people. So, he built a secret chamber, only accessible by those who shared his blood. In it, he placed a guardian of magic. A great beast that would never be able to be taken down by normal magical means, and thus, impossible for the muggles to kill. If that beast were to truly roam the school, there would not be simple petrifying attacks, but rather, an all out massacre."

The class was silent as the professor stared at them before he clapped his ghostly hands together.

"That's all for today! For the end of this quarter, I'd like an essay on the life of Salazar Slytherin. You have until the week after Christmas break to get it done and worry not, our next classes will have us looking much deeper into the events that made Apollo Olísthima. We'll say the same minimum length as the Gryffindor essay, and the same format, please. Enjoy the rest of your classes!"

—0—

Despereaux scampered down the rumbling flat of feets, which was thankfully quite quiet at the current time. He needed to be cautious, as there was a great old one in his queens palace.

Looking across the flat, he saw it was safe, and so he crossed the polished tile and slipped under the crack of a scratched up door.

Inside was a raggedy old man, who seemed to have bathed in dung. (Why, Despereaux didn't know. This man certainly was not as classy as his beautiful mouse queen.)

He sat at a table, with a steaming cup of something as his cat, the great one eyed beasty that Despereaux himself had once fought, sat rigidly upon the tabletop, lifelessly.

The brave rat king twitched his node before scampering up to the tabletop, listening to the man as he lamented over his creature.

"Oh… Mrs. Norris. Why did they have to target you? You, who is such a beautiful girl, yes. You protected me from the terrors in the halls, and helped me with those awful urchins. Oh… why…"

"Des-pir-ooo!"

The man leapt to his feet with wide eyes as Despereaux leapt out from behind the frozen cat.

"YOU! You're the one that took my Mrs. Norris's eye! You nasty little-"

"Des-pir-ooo help!"

The man froze, staring at the tiny rat that was currently holding some strange hairpin as if it were a sword. "Did you just… speak?"

"Speak! Speak! Queen teach speak!"

The man shakily sat down in his seat and stared at the rat. "What in the name of Merlin…"

"Des-pir-ooo help you! Help stinky man!"

The man curled his lip in a snarl, before shaking his head and laying it down on the table, hopelessly. "There's not much that you can help with, I'm afraid. Besides, not like I want the help of such a vicious little vermin."

Despereaux puffed up his little cheeks. Sheathing his mighty sword, he hopped up onto the mans balding head and took hold of his thinning hairs.

"OW! Hey, watch it! Gerrofmeyoulittle- WoooAAAAH"

With a tug here and a tug there, the man was on his feet and being steered out of the room. A few pulls had him jerkily marching to one of the bathrooms in the palace.

"HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT? If this is one of those Weasley pranks I'll throttle 'em! What are you- WOOAAAAH!"

SPLASH!

The stinky man was walked into one of the large bubble filled baths on the second floor. Despereaux quickly got to work paddling around the man as he sat frozen in shock.

"Des-pir-ooo help stinky man!"

Filch counted himself lucky that no students would be around this wing of the castle as it was only a tuesday. If any had, they would have heard his quite high-pitched screams, along with the excited squeakings of what to him would be his greatest nightmare.

"Des-pir-oooo!"

—0—

We Linguini'd Filch. A bit of comedy for the end of a chapter and I really needed something for Filch and Despereaux, as there needs to be a kickstarter for what I have planned for Filch.

Additionally, the scene with Hannah and Merlot. There will be more to that and take it as you will. However, I cannot truly put relationship tags in here as I do not intend for any romance this early in the series. Instead, I want to have that heart to heart scene, just in case I feel like going somewhere with it. I like having my writing flow, and relationships take time. Not like some stories where it's "OMG Harty Pobber you're are so incredibes because you resist the allure of me, Fleur Delacour, who doesn't want to be seen as a sex goddess because I am a veela but will immediately make the excuse that my veela blood gets so hot for rejection. We must be soulmates" Fuck that. If it's your cup of tea, fine, but I like actual development, thanks.

(Little do you know, I already have everything planned out for every single chapter and every bit of romance in here is meant to deceive you and break your heart. I am the worst of the worst, the darkest of the dark lords. Penman of heartache mwahahahaaaaa)

Anyways, no DnD stuff today again. Sorry, BUT! I will say that we do have a winner when it comes to the hint I gave last chapter. Penguin Books is one publishing company that I'm hoping will accept and publish my children's book. It's the top one on the list so far, and I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to go through them and not Scholastic.

Thank you for reading, I hope you continue to enjoy the installments. Until next time,

Adios!