Return of the Heirs

Harry Potter and the Return of the Heirs By J.C. Vascardi

Disclaimer: All characters and places featured in this story that relate to Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers, and Warner Brothers. I am not profiting from this story and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things about this story that I own are the storylines, places and characters that are not in the books.

Author's Note: For anyone reading this story who would like the chance to ask me any questions in a live forum, I'll be the guest author in the #NiftyWriters chat room on NeverNet IRC on Saturday, May 5th, 2007, from 8pm until 10pm Eastern time. To connect to the room, simply use an IRC client to connect to the NeverNet network and go into the #NiftyWriters room or you can also go onto Nifty's main page, scroll down until you find the Chat Rooms link and then click the `Join this chat' link under the Nifty Writers heading.

• • • Chapter Twenty-One * * *

Saturday, the Second of November, dawned like any other day, but it wasn't a normal day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It wasn't common knowledge, but Corelian Laitannen, his wife, Asheera, and Professor Lasinius had revealed all four of the heirs of the Founders.

Something that was common knowledge by now was that Professor Lasinius was Atlantean, as he did not go back to using the glamour charms that he had been using previously to hide his appearance. He did, however, albeit reluctantly continue to use his wand, even though he much preferred using Wandless Magic, which Atlanteans were masters of.

Professor Dumbledore asked Valen to continue using his wand, simply so that it would not become public knowledge that he was capable of performing Wandless Magic. Since Valen only taught two fencing classes a week, Professor Dumbledore asked if he would be willing to secretly teach a class on Wandless Magic to a group of select students at some future date.

Corelian and Asheera agreed that it could be a tactical advantage if certain students could learn and master Wandless Magic before Voldemort or his minions found out that such training was occurring. To that end, they both agreed to not perform Wandless Magic in the presence of anyone who did not already know they could.

"So, how are you going to perform magic then?" Ryan asked, after his father filled him in on the recent development.

"I've sent word to Atlantis," Corelian answered, "that I am in need of enough Atlantean Spruce wood to create two wands; one for myself and one for Asheera."

"Why would you special order wood from Atlantis?" Justin asked. "I'm sure you could have simply gone to Ollivander's and gotten wands."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Asheera said. "The wands that Mr. Ollivander makes work very well for humans. Atlantean blood, however, is a highly concentrated magical substance, so powerful in fact, that human wand makers can't make wands that will work for an Atlantean, due to a conflict between our blood and the wand's core element."

"I bought my wand from Mr. Ollivander," Ryan said. "I've never had any problems with it."

"Ryan do you recall when your grandparents took you to buy your wand?" Asheera asked.

"Yes, it was the year before my grandfather died," Ryan said. "They took me to Diagon Alley to buy a wand, because they wanted me to practice with it, so that by the time I started school, I'd be comfortable using it."

"Have you never found it strange, Ryan," Corelian said, "that they took you to buy your wand two years before you were due to start school? Charles didn't take Matthew to buy his wand until the summer before he was due to start Hogwarts."

"Well, I did find that a little strange," Ryan said, "but I wanted a wand and to be able to do magic, so I certainly never questioned it."

"Yes, well, the truth is, Ryan," Corelian said, "that you did indeed go to Mr. Ollivander's shop to buy a wand and if you remember correctly, you tried several that did not work, before finally Mr. Ollivander produced a wand that did. It is the only wand that Mr. Ollivander has ever sold that he did not make himself."

"Mr. Ollivander did not make my wand?"

"No, Ryan, he didn't," Asheera said. "What did he say your wand was? That is what wood and core element did he say it contained?"

"Oak, ten inches, dragon heartstring," Ryan said.

"Well, your wand is ten inches," Asheera said, "but it is not oak and it does not contain a dragon heartstring."

"Your wand is made of Atlantean Spruce, Ryan," Corelian said, "as for the core element it contains the tail feather of a roc, which was soaked overnight in my blood."

"A rock?" Justin asked. "Since when do rocks have tail feathers?"

"No, Justin," Asheera said with a smile, "not a rock spelled R-O-C-K. Corelian was referring to a roc, spelled R-O-C. It's a very large hawk-like bird, comparable in size to a dragon. It has two heads and is capable of picking up an elephant in its claws to feed to its young."

"I'm not sure I've ever seen or even so much as read about such a creature," Justin said.

"Well, I'm not surprised," said Corelian. "Rocs are native to Atlantis and nowhere else in the world. At one time they were native to other areas of the world, but they only exist in Atlantis now. They make their nests high up in mountains, above the cloud level, so it is not a common occurrence to see one, but they do make their presence known from time to time."

"So, why is my wand's core element a roc's tail feather, soaked in your blood?" Ryan asked.

"Well, as Asheera said," Corelian said. "Atlantean blood is a highly magical substance and using another magical substance in conjunction with it causes undesirable results. Through experimentation, we found that using a roc tail feather soaked in our own blood worked with the only real drawback being that one's powers would be slightly limited."

"So why wasn't my own blood used?" Ryan asked. "Is it because I'm half-human? Is my blood weaker then that of a pureblooded Atlantean?"

"No, Ryan," Asheera answered. "The fact that you are half-human has absolutely nothing to do with the reason your blood was not used. The reason your blood wasn't used was because your grandparents didn't know how they would be able to get blood from you without arousing your suspicions. Wouldn't you have found it a bit strange if your grandparents suddenly sat you down and asked to take a pint of your blood?"

"Well, yes, to be honest," Ryan said.

"What about Ryan's other question?" Justin asked.

"Is his blood weaker?" Corelian asked, and Justin nodded. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?" Ryan asked. "What does that mean?"

"Basically, Ryan, magically your blood is not any weaker then a pureblood Atlantean. You can perform magic as well as any other Atlantean. However, we have found over the years that Half-Atlanteans tend to have a shorter average lifespan then pureblood Atlanteans."

"As we told you in Professor Dumbledore's office," Asheera said, "pureblood Atlanteans often live an average of 750 plus years. Half-Atlanteans generally tend to live an average of 500 plus years, rarely ever reaching the 600th year. Although like pureblood Atlanteans, Half-Atlanteans are still eternally youthful."

"You know, I haven't said anything," Ryan said, "but this whole long lifespan thing has been on my mind ever since I found out about it and I'm really beginning to get upset about it."

"Why is that, Ryan?" Corelian asked.

"Because it means that I'm going to have to watch all of my friends, my family, and Justin get old and die, while I stay young and alive for centuries longer."

Meanwhile, Harry was in Professor Dumbledore's office, upon the Headmaster's request.

"Thank you for coming, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Or should I say Aarik?" "I really don't understand this Aarik thing," Harry commented, before asking, "Why am I known as Harry Potter if my name is Aarik Potter?"

"I believe I can shed some light on that," a familiar voice said from the doorway and Harry turned to see Remus Lupin standing there with a smile.

Harry smiled and got up to give Remus a hug, before they both sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk and Dumbledore made the usual offer of tea or lemon drops. Harry politely declined and Remus accepted a cup of tea.

"So, how did you find out about your real name?" Remus asked.

"It's true, then?" Harry asked. "My name really is Aarik?"

"Yes, it is," confirmed Remus.

"I found out from the `Tome of the Founders'," Harry responded. "My name is listed as Aarik James Potter, in red, signifying me as the heir of Godric Gryffindor."

"You're Gryffindor's heir?" Remus asked as he almost choked on his tea. "I knew about the name, but I didn't know you were related to Gryffindor."

"Well, I just found out myself," Harry said. "Dad never knew?"

"If he did, he certainly never said anything," Remus said. "I'm sure that if he knew he was the heir of Godric Gryffindor, he would have at the very least told his friends about it."

"Hmm, well, I haven't told many people myself," Harry mused, "of course, I've only known since the early morning hours of yesterday. So what's the deal with my name?"

"I'm sure you know that you were named James after your father," Remus said. "As for the Aarik, you are actually named after a cousin of your mother's."

"My mother had a cousin named Aarik?"

"Yes, she did," answered Remus. "Aarik Evans was Lily's favorite cousin. He was not a wizard, but they still got along really well. In all honesty, they were more like brother and sister then cousins, certainly much closer then Lily and Petunia ever were. He probably would have been named your godfather, but he unfortunately contracted a rare form of leukemia and died a few months before you were born. Lily then named you Aarik in honor of him."

"So, why does everybody call me Harry?"

"Well, that is actually Sirius and Hagrid's fault," Remus replied. "Sirius always used to call you Ari for short, and Hagrid misunderstood and thought he was saying Harry. After that, the nickname caught on and even James started using it, much to Lily's displeasure." Harry remained silent for a few moments as he took in the information, before he suddenly had a thought and asked, "Wait a minute, if my name really is Aarik then why are my Hogwarts letters addressed to Harry Potter?"

"The Headmaster will have to answer that one," Remus said with a grin as he turned to look at the Headmaster.

"Well, Harry, or should I say Aarik," Dumbledore said, "the reason your Hogwarts letters say Harry Potter is because I changed your student records to say Harry Potter instead of Aarik Potter."

"Why?"

"I knew that surviving the Killing Curse would make you famous," Dumbledore said. "So famous that your name would be known to every witch and wizard in our world so before I left you with the Dursleys, I changed the Hogwarts records to say that your name was Harry Potter. I thought that after Voldemort was finally destroyed, you would be able to revert back to the name of Aarik Potter and hopefully slip into anonymity."

"Surely there are other records that prove my name is actually Aarik?" Harry said. "I mean, I understand how you could have changed the Hogwarts records, but you couldn't possibly have changed every record in existence."

"You're right, I couldn't," Dumbledore confirmed. "The records I couldn't change I simply had sealed."

"Sealed?" Harry asked.

"Yes, sealed," replied Dumbledore. "I'm the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, which means I'm basically the highest judge in British Wizarding society and I have the full authority to issue an order for records to be sealed. Only the Minister could overturn the order, but Fudge and now Scrimgeour have no idea that I ever made such an order."

"Well, people would still recognize me wouldn't they?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Dumbledore said, "but isn't it true that most people don't even realize that you are Harry Potter unless they see your scar?"

"Yeah, that's generally true," said Harry as he thought back to all the times that people hadn't realized who he was until seeing his scar. It was the reason that he had gotten in the habit of trying to keep his hair covering the scar as much as possible.

"Then you needn't worry," said Dumbledore. "I think once Voldemort is gone, your scar will likely be gone with him."

"I understand why that thought pains you, Ryan," Corelian said. "I hope that you can take solace in knowing, however, that King Erevan has drafted new laws recently, which will allow you and Justin to get married in Atlantis, using the ancient Atlantean marriage rites and customs."

"How is that supposed to provide me with any solace?" Ryan asked. "I'm still going to remain young and alive for about 400 years longer than Justin."

"No, actually, that's not true," said Asheera. "You see, Ryan, before the sinking of Atlantis, the majority of the populace was nowhere near as xenophobic as they are now. It wasn't exactly common, but a fair number of Atlanteans did marry humans and members of other species. The Atlantean marriage rites grant the married couple the ability to use all special abilities possessed by their partner, which includes the longer Atlantean lifespan and eternal youth.

"In addition to that," Asheera continued, "there is precedent for the King of Atlantis allowing two people who are not of Atlantean descent to marry under the marriage customs. This was usually decided on a case-by-case basis and the only people who could take advantage of it were family members and occasionally the best friends of a non-Atlantean who married an Atlantean."

Asheera paused and Corelian took over the explanation, "The Atlantean spouse in turn sponsors his spouses' non-Atlantean family and friends, donating a few drops of his own blood to be sealed into each piece of the traditional Atlantean wedding jewelry, which grants them the Atlantean lifespan and eternal youth. So, barring death by anything other than natural causes, those family members and friends would be able to stay alive and young for as long as any Atlantean."

"So, you mean that I can marry Justin," Ryan said, "and grant him my longer lifespan and eternal youth?"

"Yes," Corelian said.

"And I could for example, sponsor Matt and Oliver so I don't have to watch them get old and die?"

"Yes," Corelian answered, "provided that King Erevan agrees. And you should be thankful, Ryan, of the fact that I am the Supreme Lord of the Circle and the elder brother of Queen Calliara, because King Erevan has already agreed to allow you to sponsor a total of five non-Atlantean couples, one of which can be Matthew and Oliver, and then four other couples of your choice."

Late that night, about ten p.m., Harry opened the portrait and let Ryan, Justin, Nick, Bill, and Zach into the Gryffindor common room to join him and Hermione. Rowena and Helga said they couldn't clearly remember where the hallway entrance to Godric's quarters was, so they suggested entering through the common room entrance.

"Hey guys," said Harry as everyone entered.

"Hullo, Harry," Nick said, "Or should we be calling you Aarik now?"

"I'm sticking with Harry for the moment," Harry answered. "Maybe after the war is over, I'll revert back to Aarik but, for the moment, it's Harry."

"Okay, your choice," said Bill.

"So, shall we go and meet Godric?" Hermione asked.

"Might as well," answered Harry. "I know that Rowena and Helga are anxious to have it out with him for maligning Slytherin's name."

"Anxious is an understatement, Harry," Ryan said. "Rowena has been talking about little else since we found out you were Godric's heir."

"Same with Helga," Zach said. "She's furious with Godric and I know that he's supposed to be known for his bravery, but I'm not sure all the bravery in the world is going to help Godric when Rowena and Helga get to him."

"Like the saying goes," Nick said. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Godric has two scorned women to deal with. If it wasn't my ancestor he had maligned, I would almost feel sorry for him."

"Yeah," Bill said as he wrapped an arm around Nick's waist. "Godric is really going to be in for it though. I mean, Rowena and Helga are mad enough at him. Can you even imagine how angry Salazar will be with him?"

"Well, let's get this over with," Harry said as he walked over to the common room fireplace and traced Godric's initials on the mantelpiece. Much like the entrance to the other quarters, the letters soon began to glow in bright red as the mantle began to glow golden. The sound of stone moving against stone filled the room as the fireplace swung away from the wall to reveal an archway behind it.

Harry stepped through the archway and looked around at what was obviously the common room of Godric's quarters. Looking around the room, Harry couldn't help but notice the similarity to what Rowena and Helga's quarters had looked like at first. Sheets covered all the furniture, there were cobwebs everywhere, and a thick layer of dust coated every imaginable surface. The air was extremely stale smelling and as it had been with the others, it was obvious that the room had been uninhabited for centuries.

"Um, Harry?" Zach spoke up. "Could you let us in?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot," Harry said, as he motioned for the six people in the Gryffindor common room to pass through the archway and added, "Please come in."

Ryan, Justin, Nick, Bill, Zach, and Hermione entered the room and the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room moved back into place, hiding the archway from sight.

"Dobby," Harry called out, moments before the elf popped in.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby asked. "Welcome to Godric Gryffindor's quarters, Dobby," Harry said. "They'll need cleaning, obviously."

"Other house elves and I start immediately, Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said, as he popped out for a moment, before popping back in, followed by about ten more house-elves, who immediately went to work cleaning Godric's common room before moving on to the other rooms.

"Much better," Harry said, as he looked around at the now clean room.

"I would have to agree," a deep and unfamiliar voice said.

Turning to the sound of the voice, everyone saw the life-size portrait above the fireplace. It depicted a tall and muscular man, dressed in brilliant red robes accented in gold. Around the man's waist was a black dragonhide belt, with a sheathed sword attached to it.

"I'm glad that my heir has finally found my quarters," Godric said.

"Somehow, I doubt you'll be glad for long," Ryan said, as he noticed Rowena and Helga slip into the frame behind Godric.

"GODRIC BRYANT GRYFFINDOR!" Rowena yelled. "You are so lucky that I am only a portrait now and am incapable of performing magic, because if I could I would hex you into the next galaxy!"

"Rowena, my dear," Godric said, "what in Merlin's name has you so upset?"

"Oh as if you don't know," Helga said.

"Honestly, madam, I have no idea," Godric said.

"We know what you did, Godric," Rowena said, her voice lowering to her normal tone, but with a dangerous edge to it. "We know that you amended the Sorting Hat's memories so that it would lie about Salazar."

Godric remained quiet for several minutes, before he spoke, his voice just as dangerous sounding as Rowena's, "That bastard had it coming to him! He killed Alaric and he deserved to be punished!"

"Godric, I cannot even begin to count the times," Helga said, "that Rowena and I tried to get this through your thick skull in life. Alaric's death was an accident! Salazar did not intend for it to happen and he felt horrible about Alaric's death. Then, instead of comforting him, the man you claimed to love, you turned on him and blamed him for something that was not his fault."

"It most certainly was his fault!" thundered Godric. "He should never have been giving Alaric potions lessons!"

"Godric, one could argue that if Salazar should not have been giving Alaric potions lessons," Rowena said, "that you should not have been giving him weapon lessons."

"That is entirely different, madam," Godric said.

"How is it different?" Helga asked.

"Because I was using my private training room for Alaric's lessons," Godric said. "If you remember, I charmed the room so that no harm could come to anyone while they were in the room. I could have run Alaric through with a broadsword and no harm would have come to him!"

"Be that as it may, Godric," Rowena said, "it still was not Salazar's fault that Alaric died. Alaric made a mistake and combined two ingredients that Salazar specifically told him not to. If his death was anybody's fault, it was his own, for disobeying his father, one of the greatest Potions Masters who ever lived."

"Rowena, don't you dare call Alaric his son!" Godric roared. "That bastard gave up his right to be called a father when he killed Alaric!"

"Enough!" Harry yelled, causing the three founders to turn and look at him. "Godric, I'm sure you loved Alaric, and that his passing upset you greatly, but that does not mean that you had any right to blame Salazar for something that was not his fault."

"Rowena and Helga are one thing," Godric growled. "But just who do you think you are to speak to me that way, boy?"

"Aarik James Potter," Harry said, deciding to use his real name for the formal introduction to Godric. "I'm your last living heir."

Godric's demeanor got very imposing, as if he was trying to scare Harry, and growled out, "Again who are you to talk to me that way, boy?"

"As I said, I am your last living heir," Harry answered. "And if you are trying to intimidate me, you really are going to have to try harder. I survived the Killing Curse at the age of one, killed my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who was possessed by the spirit of the Dark Lord who killed my parents when I was 11, killed a basilisk with your sword when I was 12, and successfully cast the Patronus charm against hundreds of Dementors at 13. At 14, I competed in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and completed all three tasks, including getting an egg away from a full-grown Hungarian Horntail. I could go on, Godric, but honestly, I think by now my point should be clear. After everything I've already dealt with there is no way I am going to be intimidated by a portrait."

"You do me proud boy," Godric said after a slight pause, in which his shock clearly registered on his face. "It brings me great joy to know that my heir is so brave."

"Actually, I was scared out of mind during quite a bit of that," Harry said, "but I sucked it up and did what had to be done."

"Well, Aarik, being brave does not mean that you can't be afraid," Godric said. "It is, however, a testament to the character of anyone who can do what must be done, even when they are afraid."

"If you think complimenting my character is going to make me side with you," Harry said, "don't bet on it. I do not agree with what you did Godric and no matter how justified you think you were it was wrong to make a person seem like a cold and heartless bastard."

"I have to agree," Ryan said as he stepped forward. "I'm Ryan Cole Cromwell, by the way, Rowena's heir. Because of this feud you had with Slytherin in life, the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses have been at odds with each other ever since. One could argue that the lies you implanted in the Sorting Hat can be blamed for the current state of affairs in the Wizarding World."

"What do you mean current state of affairs?" Godric asked.

"We're at war Godric," Harry said. "We're at war with the same Dark Lord who killed my parents and tried to kill me when I was only a year old. Voldemort is an evil and sadistic bastard who takes pleasure in torturing and murdering innocent people, simply because they're Muggles, Muggleborns, or Half-Bloods. Voldemort was a Slytherin at Hogwarts, in fact, he's an heir of Slytherin, who believes the lies about his ancestor that you made up and preaches how good those ideals are."

"Well, let us not forget," Nick said, "that according to the `Tome of the Founders' my great-granduncle Tom is only sixteen. Last time I checked Voldemort is much older than sixteen."

"Am I to understand that you are related to Salazar?" Godric asked.

"Yes, Godric, I am," Nick responded. "I am Nickolas Phillipe Delaney, the Heir of Slytherin. Before finding out about your lies, I might have been ashamed of my connection to him, but after finding out about all of your lies, I'm not. In fact, I'm proud to be related to Salazar, because through Helga and Rowena, I've gotten a glimpse at the real Salazar and not the fake version that you've had the Sorting Hat talking about for over a thousand years."

"Aarik, I demand that you get that boy out of my quarters!" Godric exclaimed. "Nobody who is related to Slytherin is welcome in these rooms!"

"As I said before, Godric," Harry said, "I will not be intimidated by a portrait and while these quarters did once belong to you, they are mine now and I will not ask one of my best friends to leave just because you blame his however many times great-grandfather for your son's death."

"It's okay, I was going to leave anyway," Nick said. "I just hope you're ready, Godric. Because when I leave this room, I intend to go directly to Salazar's quarters and open them, thus lifting the protective magic holding his portrait inside and I doubt that he will be very happy with you when I tell him what you did."

Not giving Godric the chance to say anything, Nick left the room, followed by everyone else. Of course, Rowena and Helga stayed to continue chewing Godric out.

Arriving in the dungeons, Nick led the group down past the blank wall that led into the Slytherin common room, turned the corner, and went down an easily missed flight of stairs in an alcove in the next corridor. Unlike the other founders' quarters, where the entrance was on the same floor as their house common room, Slytherin's was a floor below.

Nick continued walking until he was in the corridor directly under the corridor holding the entrance to the common room and he stopped where the entrance to Slytherin would be if he were one floor up. Raising his hand, Nickolas traced the letters of Salazar's initials on the blank wall and then spoke each initial in Parseltongue.

The wall soon opened and Nick passed through the entrance, before inviting the others into the room. Calling for Dobby, the house-elves quickly cleaned up the common room before moving on to the other rooms. Nick couldn't help but notice the look on Hermione's face, which clearly said that she thought it was wrong for him to use the house-elves to clean Salazar's quarters, but thankfully, she held her tongue.

"Ah, finally, my heir has found me," a voice said and everyone turned to look at the portrait above the fireplace. The portrait depicted a tall, slender man with black hair and blue eyes, dressed from head to toe in green robes accented in silver. Harry couldn't help but think that Salazar looked much more handsome in his portrait then his statue in the Chamber of Secrets would have suggested.

"Salazar Sebastian Slytherin, I assume," Nick asked in Parseltongue, figuring that his ancestor would appreciate the gesture. "Yes, I am your heir, Nickolas Phillipe Delaney."

"Welcome to my quarters," Slytherin said. "Who have you brought with you?"

Wrapping his arm around Bill's waist, Nick said, "This is my boyfriend, Bill Weasley, the Hogwarts Potions Professor."

"A bit young to be teaching potions," Slytherin said. "I assume you haven't been in the position long."

"Well, I'm only 25," Bill answered. "And no, I haven't been in the position long, only since the beginning of this school year. The Headmaster transferred the former Potions professor into the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, so he brought me in to teach. I'm normally a curse-breaker for Gringotts' Bank, but I did get an Outstanding Potions N.E.W.T."

Slytherin nodded and then said, "And who are the others?"

Pointing at each in turn, Nick said, "Hermione Granger and Justin Finch-Fletchley. In addition to the Heirs of the other Founders: Ryan Cromwell, who is Rowena's heir, Zacharias Smith, who is Helga's heir, and Harry Potter, who is Godric's heir."

"You dare bring anyone related to Godric into my quarters?" Slytherin hissed in Parseltongue.

"Yes, he does," hissed Harry at Slytherin in Parseltongue.

"How is that you as Godric's heir can speak Parseltongue?" Slytherin demanded.

"Because Nick's great-granduncle, Tom Riddle, also your heir, murdered my parents and then tried to kill me while I was only a baby in my crib. Unfortunately, for him it didn't work and his Killing Curse rebounded against him instead of killing me. In so doing, he transferred some of his powers to me, including his ability to speak Parseltongue."

"Ah, Tom Riddle," Slytherin said in English, "the one who was foreseen to me who would open my Chamber of Secrets and release the basilisk against Godric's heirs."

"So you mean you bred the basilisk to destroy Godric's heirs?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Miss Granger," Slytherin answered.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you," Hermione said, "but that is not the reason that Tom Riddle released the basilisk. He did it to purge the school of all Muggle-born students."

"What?" Slytherin asked. "Nickolas, is this atrocity true?"

"He did it the first time long before I was born," Nickolas answered "and the second time when he coerced another to do it for him I was a student at Beauxbatons, but yes, it's true. The first time, a Muggle-born girl by the name of Myrtle was killed and the second time four students and the caretaker's cat were petrified."

"Hermione and I were two of the petrified students," Justin said.

"I would never have bred the basilisk," Slytherin said, "if I thought that my heir would use it to attack Muggle-born students. I bred it so that my heir would rid the world of Godric's heirs."

"Well, you wanted revenge on Godric," Harry said, "and it seems that he also wanted revenge on you. He just went about his differently."

"And what pray tell did Godric do?" Slytherin asked.

"Enchanted the Sorting Hat to lie about you," Zach answered. "For over a thousand years now, every year at the Sorting Feast the Sorting Hat has sung a song which says that you were a cruel and sadistic bastard who believed that only purebloods were worthy of studying magic and that everyone else should be thrown out of Hogwarts."

"Curse you Godric Bryant Gryffindor!" Slytherin screamed.

"Salazar, from what I've just heard, you don't really have the right to throw stones," Rowena said as she slipped into the frame. "I must admit that Helga and I both were quite angry with Godric for maligning your memory, but now to find out that you bred a basilisk to kill Godric's heirs, I'm equally as angry with you."

"Rowena, the man deserved it!" Salazar exclaimed. "Our son died and instead of being there for me, the man he claimed to love, he blamed me for Alaric's death! It was like having my heart ripped out of my chest and stomped on. I did not kill Alaric; I could never hurt a hair on that precious boy's head! I loved him and I did everything I could to save him, but he still died. I can't tell you how many times I wished that it had been me instead of my beloved nine-year-old son!"

"I wish it had been you to, Salazar!" Godric shouted as he slipped into the frame, drew his sword and held the tip to Salazar's throat.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" a voice cried out.

Everyone in the room, including the occupants of Salazar's portrait looked around the room for the source of the voice. After a moment, a silvery cloud appeared in a corner of the room and formed into the ghost of a young boy.

Godric gasped and asked, "Alaric?"

"Yes, father," answered Alaric's ghost. "It's me."

"Why are you a ghost, Alaric?" Salazar asked.

"A lack of communication between my parents," Alaric answered. "One of the spells that Father cast on me to try and save my life interacted with one of the potions that Dad used to save my life and basically insured that I would remain on Earth as a ghost."

Godric lowered his sword and sheathed it, obviously not wanting to hold Salazar at sword point in front of their son, even if it was only his ghost.

"I know you probably won't believe me," Alaric said, "but it was my fault that I died, Father. Dad told me repeatedly not to mix dragon's blood with phoenix tears, but I did it anyway and the resulting explosion was the cause of my death."

"You should never have had the opportunity!" Godric exclaimed. "If Salazar hadn't been giving you private lessons, you wouldn't have died."

"Oh please, that's an excuse and you know it," Alaric said. "The private lessons were your idea, in case you forgot. You told dad that you were going to tutor me in Defense Against the Dark Arts so that I would be ahead of my year when I started school. When Dad announced his intentions to do the same in Potions, you encouraged him to do it, because it did your pride a favor to think that your son would be one of the most advanced students in his year."

Godric looked ready to say something, but his retort fell silent on his lips as he thought about it for a moment and then said, "Oh my Gods, you're right. I did encourage him. In fact, the night before he made the announcement I suggested he do it while we were... well, doing things."

"It's okay to say it, father," Alaric said. "You suggested it while you were having sex. Oh don't look so shocked, while it's true that I was only nine when I died, I've learned quite a bit lurking around this castle for the last thousand years and I know all about what people in love do with one another in the privacy of their bedrooms."

Everyone in the room was silent for several minutes, until finally Alaric spoke again, "I'm ashamed of the way both of you acted. You loved each other so much and then I died and you were caught up in anger over my death that you both did atrocious things. Unfortunately, Dad, your actions have brought forth an even worse evil then you intended."

"What do you mean, Alaric?" Nickolas asked.

"You all heard him say that it was foreseen to him that Tom Riddle would be the one to open his Chamber and release the basilisk," Alaric answered. "What he didn't mention was who foresaw that, because I guarantee, it wasn't Dad, because Divination was never one of his strong points."

"What does he have to do with anything?" Slytherin asked.

"Quite a bit, actually," Alaric answered. "You see, Dad, Tom Riddle was a boy pure of heart, who found out about your Chamber and what it contained. He searched it out, opened it, and took a rooster with him, fully intending to kill the basilisk so that it couldn't harm anyone. He didn't count on finding him there though."

"You mean?" Slytherin asked.

"Yes, Dad," Alaric answered. "I mean Voldemort. When he helped you breed that basilisk and to place the necessary enchantments to keep it alive long enough for Tom to find it, he cast extra spells that would allow him to return to the Chamber upon Tom's arrival. He killed the rooster, imprisoned Tom under the Dark Arts prison version of the Time Suspension charm, and then assumed Tom's identity."

"Oh Gods, what have I done?" Slytherin asked. "What have I done?"

"I'll tell you exactly what you did, Dad," Alaric said. "You summoned the devil Voldemort out of the pits of the Hells to help you breed a basilisk and keep it alive until your heir found it. The only thing you didn't count on was that Voldemort would cast extra charms that would allow him to return, without the binding charms you placed to control him and force him to do your bidding.

"Now, Voldemort is loose on Earth and is waging a war against both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds in an attempt to spread so much evil that he will succeed in turning Earth into the Tenth Hell. Because as I'm sure you must have read in those Demonology books you studied before summoning him, he who rules the deepest Hell, rules them all!"

"Oh Gods, oh Gods, what have I done?" Slytherin repeated. "What have I done?"

To be continued...

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