22 Chapter 19

At the start of the new year, Augusta Longbottom was the disappointed grandmother of her son's only child, Neville. He had always been a weak wizard, and a shy, spineless boy who seemed to have little of his father in him. Raising him had been a long string of disappointments and embarrassments, the most recent being the breaking of the Potter-Longbottom alliance, but yet he was still her grandson, and she had hope he would one day grow into something worthy of the name Longbottom.

One week later, Augusta Longbottom was the grieving grandmother of a murdered grandson. He had been slain in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, and by a boy her grandson had considered a friend, no less. A boy whose true motivations may never be known, because after performing the deed, he had also taken his own life.

Ronald Weasley.

With a single spell, the Weasley child had guaranteed the extinction of one of the oldest families in Wizarding Britain. Unable to resist the urge to see it for herself, Augusta used her influence to gain access to the students' memories the Aurors had collected as evidence. What she saw in the Pensieve snapped the last fragile thread of her restraint. There had been no warning, no challenge. It was a cowardly attack, and her grandson didn't have enough time to even understand what was happening, let alone defend himself.

It was at that moment that Augusta Longbottom declared war on the Weasley family, just as she had done with House Lestrange after the attack on her son and his wife. The difference was that this time, the targets of her ire were not already beyond her reach. Regrettably, her only remaining living relatives were in no shape to join in her war, but what she did have was plenty of money and no one to inherit it.

The Weasley family was not faring much better. The Burrow, usually filled with shouting and laughter when the children were home from school, had become a gloomy reminder of the misfortune that had recently plagued their family. Ronald was dead and would forever be known as a murderer, and Ginny had permanently lost her arm. Augusta Longbottom had used her influence to ensure Percy would be fired from his junior position in the Ministry and permanently blacklisted. Arthur was demoted from his already meagre position and sent to the office of Magical Creature Relations, arguably the most thankless and unfulfilling department in the entire Ministry of Magic.

None of them had any idea what had driven Ronald to commit such unspeakable acts. He and Neville were supposedly friends, and they had become especially close following the fallout with Harry Potter. Molly had insisted that there was some sort of foul play involved, but there were no potions in Ron's system, and there was no evidence that he had been subjected to the Imperius Curse or any other mind-altering spells.

They were at a complete loss. While his mood had been sour ever since the split with Potter, especially after the events of the Yule Ball, no one had seen anything that would suggest that Ron was capable of perpetrating a murder/suicide.

The remaining Weasleys had all gathered at the Burrow to support one another. Fortunately, they had the good sense not to attend Neville's memorial, because Augusta would have openly attacked them, the moment she laid eyes on them. Bill and Charlie both planned on staying as long as they could, but they would need to return to their jobs sooner or later. The twins and Ginny would also have to return to Hogwarts eventually, and they didn't even want to think about the kind of reception they would receive.

As Arthur sat pondering the events of the past few days and the future of his family, he concluded that this state of being could not continue. He resolved to approach the Dowager Longbottom and apologise on behalf of his son and his family, and to offer any restitution he was able to give. They had always been on friendly terms with the Longbottoms; perhaps there was still a chance to mend that bridge.

It was at that exact moment that Arthur Weasley felt the wards around his home being crossed. Had his wife taken a moment to glance at her special clock, she would have seen that all the remaining hands were pointing to Mortal Peril.

~BREAK~

Harry Potter did his best to hide his boredom, while Dumbledore droned on about the regretful passing of two young and promising wizards. Everyone at Hogwarts had been given a black armband to wear in memorial of the two dead students, and Harry and Daphne were dutifully wearing theirs. However, they did not wear them in remembrance of Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Instead, they considered it a symbol of their mourning for another child, one who had meant so much to both of them. To Harry and Daphne, the armbands they wore symbolised their final goodbye to their future daughter.

Harry glanced at Daphne and saw her quietly toying with her armband. Sensing his gaze, she turned to him with a small smile and a look of pride in her eyes. Their fight in the dungeons and the horrible accusation she'd made had been a low point for her, and she was happy things between them were back to normal.

After the incident with Longbottom and Weasley, Harry had explained to her what had happened after their argument. He had apparently spent several hours in the Chamber of Secrets, mostly venting and trying to determine his next steps. More than anything, he didn't want to lose her again because of Longbottom or her need for revenge. Telling her that made Daphne feel even guiltier for acting so rashly, but he assured her that he understood.

Ultimately, he had decided that Longbottom had been humiliated enough, and it was time to end it.

He faded into his old dorm under his Invisibility Cloak and put Weasley under his Veritas Imperio spell. Unlike the traditional Imperius Curse, the alternative he created was undetectable - even while the subject was still under its effects. The downside was that it required a lot more power to cast and carried the risk of causing madness in the victim, not that either of those were a concern to Harry at the moment.

Harry's instructions to Weasley were simple. He was to kill Longbottom during breakfast the following day, making sure to cause a commotion whilst doing it, and then turn his wand on himself. His work done, Harry went back to the Chamber and climbed into bed, intent on getting up early to make sure Daphne didn't do anything reckless.

Once he had caught Daphne up on everything he had done, she practically dragged him to the Chamber of Secrets and snogged him senseless for the better part of an hour. They hadn't even made it to the living quarters; she had jumped him right there on the floor of the main chamber. It had easily been their most intense session to date. Harry had felt the need for more, but of course, he respected Daphne's decision that she wasn't ready for that yet.

That had been three days ago.

A gloomy atmosphere had settled over Hogwarts, and all classes had been temporarily suspended. Every student who had been present in the Great Hall for the incident had been questioned by Aurors, which had done nothing to settle anyone's nerves. Granger was still in the hospital wing, apparently near-catatonic and unable to do anything but cry and stare at the walls.

They were currently in the Great Hall because Dumbledore had insisted on holding a memorial for the two deceased students. The idea hadn't been overly well received, since many saw Weasley as nothing more than a murderer and considered poor Neville the sole victim.

Harry wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and waited patiently for Dumbledore to finish his speech. This was going to be a big night for them. Tonight, they would be collecting the ring Horcrux from the Gaunt shack, and both Harry and Daphne had to work to keep their anticipation from showing. Daphne had been training hard for this day. Even though it should be a simple raid, this would be Daphne's first experience with something like this, which had them both a little on edge.

Dumbledore concluded his speech by informing everyone that classes would resume the following day. Harry and Daphne rose from their seats and intertwined their hands, following the crowd out of the Great Hall. They made their way towards the Slytherin common room, thinking it would be prudent to put in an appearance before leaving for their mission.

The moment Harry and Daphne entered the room, a loud hiss came from near the fireplace.

"~~My pet!~~"

Harry closed his eyes and lightly shook his head, while Daphne snickered.

"~~The blonde hairless monkey didn't feed me! Punish him!~~"

"Here we go again," Harry groaned, looking to the tank perched on top of the mantle, which contained one annoyed green python. Much to the amusement of the Slytherins, sans Malfoy, the snake Draco had brought to school after the holidays had "adopted" Harry as its pet.

——————Flashback————-

Malfoy was standing next to a glass aquarium in the fourth year boys' dorm, showing off his new snake to his year mates. The snake inside seemed agitated. Its forked tongue darted in and out of its mouth, while it hissed furiously and poked its nose against the glass, as if it was demanding to be let out.

"I bought it at the Magical Menagerie, as a special order, of course," Malfoy drawled, trying to sound impressive. "It was quite expensive, but the owner assured me the snake was extremely rare."

"Why is it so excited?" Theo asked, raising one eyebrow. "Also, you don't think you're going to keep it in the dorm, do you?"

"Where else am I going to keep it, Nott?" Draco retorted.

"Go put your snake in the common room, Malfoy," Blaise insisted. "There's more space out there, plus, that way everyone can see it."

"What's with all the commotion in here?" Harry asked as he entered the dorm.

"What do you want, Potter?" demanded Malfoy.

"This is my dorm too, Malfoy. I have the right to be here," he replied evenly.

"~~Great, another hairless ape. Get me out of this damn tank and get me some food!~~" the irritated snake hissed.

"~~What is your name, green one?~~" Harry hissed, mildly entertained by the snake's antics.

"~~You speak the language of the serpents?~~" the snake replied, raising its head in curiosity. "~~Tell the pathetic blonde hairless ape that it's his duty to feed me properly, and I want out of this tank.~~"

"Your snake is hungry, Malfoy. Extremely hungry, in fact," Harry chuckled. "It also said it wants out of the tank."

"Are you insane?" Blaise asked. "We can't just let a snake roam around."

"Before you do anything, feed it," Harry instructed.

Malfoy sent Harry a nasty look, but he still went to his trunk and removed a small box containing several stunned mice. He picked one out by its tail and tossed it into the tank. The snake rapidly struck at the mouse and swallowed it instantly.

"~~Satisfied?~~" Harry asked.

"~~You performed your task suitably well, Speaker,~~" the snake replied. "~~I am pleased with you. As a reward, I shall adopt you as my pet, and you shall have the honour of attending to my needs. Now, get me out of this tank.~~"

"What's it saying?" Theo asked, and Harry made the translation.

"You have to be joking... I'm with Blaise, you can't let it out."

"~~My friends don't want me to let you out, not unless you promise me you won't hurt anyone.~~"

"~~Why would I do that? Let me out of this tank, my pet.~~"

Harry stayed put, scrutinising the snake and waiting for it to agree with his condition.

"~~Not even the blonde one?~~" the serpent questioned.

"~~As much as I would enjoy watching you sink your teeth into him, no, not even the blonde one.~~"

"~~Very well, my pet. I promise that if you let me out, I shall not hurt anyone.~~"

—————-End of Flashback———-

The snake acted needy, self-centred, and childish, but in truth, all it really wanted was companionship. Harry was the only Parselmouth in the house, so it was natural that the snake would gravitate to him, even if it was only to sleep in his lap or around his neck.

"Malfoy, feed Scylla."

"Again?" Draco huffed, as he stomped his way to the dorm in search of the bloody snake's food.

The snake came from the shop with no name and Malfoy never bothered to give it one, seeing the snake only as a symbol of his importance, rather than as a living pet. Eliza, who had taken a liking to the snake and was also fond of Greek mythology, suggested naming her Scylla, after the mythical sea monster. The snake loved it, and demanded that everyone either refer to her as Scylla, or Master. Needless to say, no one called her Master.

"~~My pet, today I want to sleep in your lap,~~" Scylla demanded again from inside her open tank.

"~~Not today, Scylla,~~" Harry replied. "~~We have an important mission tonight, and we won't be around for too much longer.~~"

"~~If it's dangerous, you should bring me to protect you,~~" she offered, raising her head to face him. "~~Good help is hard to find, but good pets are even harder.~~"

"~~Ah, thanks, Scylla,~~" Harry chuckled, caressing the top of her head with his index finger. She coiled herself up again and awaited her dinner, which came moments later, courtesy of a loudly complaining Malfoy.

"~~Good luck, my pet. Tell your mate I want her to keep you safe, or else I'll bite her and her sister. Their deaths will be quick, but agonizing.~~"

Harry laughed and looked across the common room, watching Daphne talking with Astoria and Tracey. He'd noticed Astoria spending a little extra time with her sister the last few days. She had been late to breakfast and just missed witnessing the murder, but she still seemed a little shaken by the idea that something like that could even happen at Hogwarts.

His eyes flitted back to Malfoy, who had just returned to the seat he was occupying before he had to feed Scylla.

Malfoy had been a bit sullen lately, and everyone knew that it was because of Harry and the attention his snake was giving him. To make matters worse, it wasn't unusual to hear a crude 'Malfoy's snake wants Harry' joke around the common room, something neither boy cared for. Harry couldn't figure out why Malfoy would believe he'd gain prestige by buying an exotic pet. He supposed there was a Slytherin connection in there somewhere, but the idea still sounded ridiculous.

"How does the guy come up with these crazy plans? How could getting a snake possibly improve his house standing?" Harry wondered.

"Hey, Potter, Every-Flavour Bean?" offered Brian Carrick, taking a seat next to him on the sofa.

"No, thank you," Harry replied, turning to the older boy. "Something I can help you with?"

"Information, actually," Brian replied, popping a bean into his mouth. "Hmm, strawberry... Anyway, the second task is scheduled for February. There's a rumour that you've figured out the clue?"

"Correct. According to the clue in the egg, the one thing I'd miss the most will be taken to the bottom of the lake, and I'll have one hour to retrieve it."

"The one thing, or the one person?" Brian questioned.

"Yes, I'm afraid I've had the same thought," Harry replied, already knowing full well they intended to take Daphne to the bottom of the lake.

"I see. Well, I just wanted to be certain. I intend to place a considerable bet on you, so you better make sure you win."

"Have no fear, I've been convinced I should be trying to win," he assured him, gesturing towards Daphne. "Believe me, if the imbeciles organising this thing take the girl I love, nothing will stop me from getting her back."

"Excellent," Brian smiled. "Have you decided on your strategy?"

"Bubble-Head Charm. I thought about using gillyweed, but I think it'd be easier to cast spells underwater using the charm," he answered. "And a lot of warming charms. I have a feeling the water will be absolutely freezing."

Brian laughed, then engaged Harry in small talk for a few minutes before taking his leave.

It was around ten o'clock that night when the common room finally started to empty, and Harry and Daphne had Dobby pop them from their dorms down into the Chamber. Half an hour later, they were both examining themselves in their new basilisk hide armour. The latest additions were their enchanted vambraces, which used carved runes to power the braces' formidable shield charms. Dobby popped in a moment later, similarly garbed.

"Now, let's go over the plan one last time," Harry insisted, and Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Since there are no wards around the surrounding fields, Dobby will pop us just outside of the shack. You'll put up protections while I break down the wards on the shack, and Dobby will guard the perimeter. The two of us will enter the shack and secure the ring, and Dobby will be standing by to pop us away in case of trouble. Are we all clear?"

Both Daphne and Dobby nodded their agreement.

"Good, let's go," Harry stated, and the three held hands and popped away.

It was so dark, they had to light their wands. They were surround by a tangle of trees and brush so dense that it obscured the night sky and the entire surrounding area. In front of them, nearly wedged between two large trees, was a small, run-down wooden building half-hidden by the overgrown brush. The walls were almost entirely covered in moss and lichen, and between the missing tiles and the visible rafters, it seemed like the roof was on the verge of collapsing.

"This was the Gaunt's home?" Daphne asked with a hint of disgust.

"Yes, or at least this was his grandfather's home...more than that, I have no idea," he answered.

Daphne set to casting protections preventing anyone else from entering the area, while Harry worked on taking down the multitude of defensive and alert wards covering entrance. Daphne joined him when she was done, and even between the two of them it took almost ten minutes to clear away all of Voldemort's spells and enter the shack.

"Alright, we're in. Now, let's find the Horcrux..." Harry mumbled, waving his wand around and casting detection spells. He found the small golden box underneath the floorboards, so he levitated it out of its hiding place and onto the floor.

"Now, let's break the curse and leave this forsaken place. Do you want to do the honours?"

"I can try..." Daphne replied uncertainly, pointing her wand at the box.

"Ignore the whispers of the Horcrux," Harry said, opening the box with a wave of his wand.

Nestled inside was a gold ring inset with a black stone, the very same that Harry had originally seen on Dumbledore's blackened hand. Daphne knew that if she looked closely, she would see the sign of Deathly Hallows engraved on its surface, identifying it as the fabled Resurrection Stone. Even so, she didn't want to get any closer than she had to, until the curse was broken.

Not wanting to waste a single moment, Daphne started pushing her magic into the ring, only to realise it was too strong for her.

"Damn it, I can't do it..." she said, straining, and Harry put a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, you can. Come on, I'll help you."

He raised his wand up alongside Daphne's.

"Find how the curse is weaved into the object, and then focus on disrupting the flow of magic. Once you do that, you'll be able to weaken the curse enough to break it."

"You make it sound so simple," Daphne replied, but she did as Harry instructed her. She felt his magic working in conjunction with hers, and before long the ring discharged a blue flash. Daphne smiled proudly. She was no fool; she knew Harry had done most of the work, but it still felt nice having him encourage her and let her test her skills.

"Bag, please," Harry called, after making sure the curse was broken and only the Horcrux remained. Daphne conjured a green silk bag, and Harry deposited the ring inside of it before putting the box back in the hole and replacing the floorboards.

"Well done," Harry told Daphne as they exited the shack.

"That's it?" she asked, feeling slightly disappointed.

"Believe me, we did plenty for today."

Daphne's brow furrowed.

"You said that by this time, Riddle was hiding out in his paternal grandparents' house with Nagini and Peter Pettigrew, right?"

"Yes. Why, what are you thinking?"

"Why don't we go for him and the snake today? We could capture him and keep him trapped somewhere."

"I actually thought about it, but I don't think it's a good idea. I'm not entirely sure, but I believe the homunculus he's occupying is extremely unstable. If we trapped him, there's a good chance the body would decay and eventually fail, letting his shade escape again. That would mean that all our work would be for nothing."

"But if we destroyed all the Horcruxes, then shouldn't his vapour form also die?"

"Theoretically," Harry replied, "but do you want to take that chance?"

"Not really," Daphne conceded, crossing her arms. "One more question I've been meaning to ask. Why are you so insistent on finishing him the night of the third task?"

Harry shrugged noncommittally.

"For one, we know he's intending to regain his body that night. I could kill him immediately after he gets a body, and then we'd know for sure it was over."

"That, I understand, but I feel like you're leaving something out."

Harry just smiled and handed the silk bag to Dobby.

"Take that to the Chamber and place it with the others. I'll call for you when we're ready to go back," he said, and Dobby gave him a quick bow and popped away. Harry offered Daphne his arm, and they started up the narrow path away from the Gaunt shack and towards the road.

"I'll admit that I've considered the idea that killing Tom after he regains a body could benefit us in the future. If we could ensure people would see the duel, I'd have all the credibility and political clout I'd ever need."

"Perhaps," Daphne said contemplatively, "but you're already famous as it is. You've already accomplished so much by age fourteen, and I'm sure you're just getting started. Is the extra recognition you'd get for defeating the Dark Lord again really worth all the risk?"

"If that was the only reason, then no, probably not," he conceded. "The chance that his shade would somehow escape if we don't wait is my biggest concern. I considered sabotaging the ritual, but I don't think I know enough about it to take that chance. I know he needs flesh from a servant, willingly given, and the blood of an enemy, forcibly, taken, but I'm worried about what would happen if we even upset that balance. What if somehow it made him stronger?"

"Good point..." mumbled Daphne. "We still have time to research it though."

"And no idea where to look. Not to mention we still need a plan to get to the snake. Remember, it's the only Horcrux that's actually alive, and it's far more dangerous than the others."

"Fine, I'm convinced," Daphne sighed. "It still feels like you're wasting time to me, but I can't really argue with your reasoning."

They cleared the woods, and the trees no longer blocked sight of the vale. From their vantage point they could see the village of Little Hangleton, the streetlamps illuminating the buildings and the occasional muggle going about their business. On the opposite side of the vale stood an old manor, built on top of the hill overlooking the village. At this distance it was difficult to discern its features, and impossible to tell if anyone was using it.

"So, now we have the ring. What about the cup?" Daphne asked.

"I thought I came up with a plan a couple of weeks ago," he started, looking up at the sky. "I would send Dobby to Azkaban to snatch Bellatrix Lestrange and take her to a safe location, where we would be waiting. Once we had her, I'd place her under the Imperius Curse or my own version, Veritas Imperio, and send her to collect the cup."

He didn't see the look of surprise on Daphne's face.

"After giving it some more thought, I don't think it would work."

"Oh, really?" Daphne drawled.

"Really," he replied, not picking up on her sarcasm. "The goblins have a security system called the Thief's Downfall, which breaks the Imperius Curse. I don't think it's worth risking it breaking my Veritas Imperio and unleashing Bellatrix inside the bank."

"No, that wouldn't be ideal," she shuddered. "Didn't you just bribe a goblin last time?"

"Yes, I did, but I don't have the sword of Gryffindor this time. I don't see any goblin accepting a bribe for anything less than that."

"I think the three Lestranges in Azkaban are all that's left of their family. Should they die, the vaults would revert to their next of kin...but that doesn't help us..."

Daphne thought about it for several more moments before sighing in frustration.

"I can't think of anything else, short of breaking Bellatrix out of Azkaban and somehow tricking her into believing we're on her side."

"That's an interesting idea," Harry remarked, conjuring two chairs so they could sit and talk while enjoying the picturesque night-time view overlooking the vale. "The problem is that if we break Bellatrix out, the other prisoners would realise it, and so would the Aurors. Even if we Obliviated her and returned her to her cell afterwards, they'd still know that something happened, which might lead to an investigation."

Daphne scoffed at that.

"Harry, think about what you just said," she replied in a tired tone. "Do you really think anyone would investigate how a prisoner vanished for a few hours? Do you honestly believe the Aurors would want that on their record?"

"Some of them might. Amelia Bones was both tough and competent, and she leads the DMLE now."

"There are always exceptions..." Daphne shrugged.

"An alternative might be to infiltrate the prison and engineer a breakout. We could take Bellatrix and let the dementors handle the other escapees. We could dispose of Bellatrix somewhere near the prison when we were done, and the escape attempt would cover everything."

Daphne blinked, then thought about it for another moment.

"That's...not a bad idea," she admitted. Some of the most dangerous individuals of their time would be dead, unable to hurt anyone ever again.

"If we didn't want to rely on the dementors, we could always create a portkey to send them inside a volcano, the bottom of the sea, or maybe Antarctica…" he replied nonchalantly.

"Could you actually do that?" she asked curiously.

"I've made a few in my life, yes..." Harry shrugged.

"So, what now?"

"How about a date?" he asked, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

Daphne snorted at his attempt, but she still leaned in and gave him a brief kiss.

The date didn't happen, as it was a school night and already late enough as it was. Instead, Dobby returned them to the Chamber of Secrets and they sparred for about half an hour. Daphne was improving by the day, in both her spellcasting and her duelling instincts. After their spar, Daphne grabbed a quick shower in the Chamber and had Dobby bring her back to her dorm, leaving Harry alone.

Harry opened up the locked container and surveyed his collection of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Only two remained – Hufflepuff's cup and the damned snake. They needed to be dealt with first, and only then would he be free to attack Voldemort and destroy him for the last time.

Daphne's words from earlier that evening echoed in his mind. Why did he want the recognition for killing Voldemort? All he wanted was to live his life in peace. He had sacrificed enough for the good of the nation in his former life. He'd led the magical world for decades, made sure the magical world was safe from the muggles, and fought in three wars, losing most of his family and many of his friends in the process.

"I don't want to live through that again..." he thought to himself, closing the lid of the container and magically sealing it. "I don't want to see anymore senseless bloodshed, like we had with Voldemort, Titania, Oberon, or the muggles. I do want our people to be great again, but I've done enough."

Harry wore a thoughtful expression as he walked back into the main chamber, his hands clasped behind his back. His steps eventually brought him to the spot directly in front of Slytherin's statue.

"What say you, Salazar?" Harry asked quietly. "I've learned much about you, and the words you left behind in your diaries have taught me even more. I know that your dreams were ultimately realised, thanks to the work of your grandchildren. The magical folk successfully hid themselves from the muggles, despite the wishes of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."

"What would you do, were you in my place?" Harry whispered, but the stone visage of the Hogwarts founder offered no advice.

"We, as a people, have potential, but we've stagnated. Our numbers can be counted in thousands, while there are now billions of muggles populating the planet. If nothing changes, we will one day end up being discovered, but this is our home, damn it!"

Harry smacked his fist into his palm.

"It won't be for much longer, though, if we let those damn muggles take it from us. It was only after our war against the muggles that we started progressing again, and that was mainly because the old guard were afraid of another war."

He hesitated, seeming to come to a realisation as he starting quietly chuckling to himself, eventually dissolving into outright laughter.

"Déjà vu."

He chuckled again, looking up at the statue.

"No, not this time. I've done enough, Salazar," Harry said, turning his back to the statue. "Let somebody else do the good work for a change."

"You're the best, Daddy. If anyone can do it, you can."

He stumbled as the memory surged to the forefront of his mind, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Daphne would be proud of you, Harry."

He suddenly recalled Astoria's words to him at the inauguration of Noden's Magical Medical Research Centre, which he helped establish after the success of a similar institute he'd supported at St. Mungo's.

"There are many people who I'd like to thank, but the first will have to my uncle, Harry Potter, for making this day possible."

That's how Felicia Nott began her celebratory speech after the unveiling of a new Wizarding Wireless for entertainment and communications, which combined the concept of the two-way mirrors Sirius had showed him in his fifth year with muggle television. Harry still cringed at the quality of wizarding entertainment those first few years.

"Hey, Uncle Harry, did you know the muggles put a man on the moon? Why shouldn't we?" his second godson, Adam Greengrass-Hallys, asked him one day. They never did anything of the sort, but they did start work on developing long distance portkeys.

"The day we lose you, Britain will stop," Theo told him once, after a long night of drinking firewhisky together.

"No..." Harry shook his head, the flood of memories causing his eyes to water. "I'm not that arrogant. What I did, others can do."

One last memory hit him, something Daphne told him once.

"People look up to you, Love, whether you want them to or not. It has to be those with power to set the example and drive the changes that move us forward. If you don't, then who will? The people with no voice? Now go make me even prouder, and don't fall asleep in the Wizengamot meeting."

Harry Potter sighed and went to bed, deciding save the cup problem for another day.

~BREAK~

The next morning, Harry faded into his bed in the Slytherin dorm with his book bag, as he did every day. He exchanged a quick greeting with Blaise and went down to the common room. The other boy snorted and shook his head. The fact that he always came out of bed with his robes already on made it pretty obvious that Harry never slept in the dorm.

Harry sat down in one of the chairs near the fireplace and waited for Daphne and the others to come down breakfast. He gazed into the fire and reflected on the previous night, both their mission and the moral conundrum he found himself in, until his thoughts were interrupted by a serpentine voice.

"~~My pet.~~"

"~~Good morning, Scylla,~~" Harry replied.

"~~How did everything go last night?~~"

"~~We had no trouble.~~"

Scylla climbed out of her tank and slithered towards him. Knowing what was coming, Harry extended his arm and allowed the snake to coil herself around it.

"~~You seem troubled,~~" Scylla hissed.

"~~I had some bad dreams...~~"

"~~I never have bad dreams. I always dream I'm all grown, in a cool, dark place filled with lots of food.~~"

Harry chuckled at that.

"~~Lucky you,~~" he whispered back.

"~~What were your dreams about?~~" she asked, and Harry decided to humour the snake and tell her.

"~~The future, Scylla~~," Harry answered. "~~After I kill the evil wizard that is after me, what will I do next? All I want is to have a quiet, peaceful life, but at the same time, I want the world to become a better place.~~"

"~~For your hatchlings?~~" Scylla asked approvingly, and Harry took a minute to ponder her question, staring back at the fire.

"~~No, Scylla... Not only my hatchlings...~~"

"~~It seems you made your decision already, my silly pet,~~" Scylla replied confidently, then coiled herself on Harry's lap.

"~~You are very wise, aren't you, Scylla?~~" he praised, and Scylla hissed out what Harry interpreted as an amused laugh.

"~~I was always the smartest in the tank, ever since I hatched. If those lousy apes would have fed me properly, I would have already grown much larger as well.~~"

"~~Well, you're doing great now,~~" Harry replied, stroking her scales. There was something about Scylla that always felt odd to him. He could never quite figure out what it was, but whenever he spent time alone with her, a strange feeling always niggled him in the back of his mind.

"~~That's because I have a good pet to help with all my needs,~~" she said, which Harry took as a compliment. "~~Soon, I will be big and fearsome, and I will protect you.~~"

"~~Really?~~"

"~~Have you been listening, silly pet? Of course, I will.~~"

"~~Then I look forward to it,~~" Harry expressed, and Scylla left his lap and moved over to the cushion next to him.

Harry went back to watching the fire, but it wasn't long before the rest of his group began trickling into the common room from their dorms. Twenty minutes later, the entire Slytherin fourth year was gathered and ready for breakfast, Malfoy included.

"All right, shall we go, then?" Harry asked, his arm around Daphne's waist. He turned back to bid Scylla farewell, only to find the cushion empty.

"She probably coiled herself under the sofa..." he thought, then picked up his book bag to leave.

They arrived at the Great Hall and took their seats, the conversation centring around their classes for the new term. They expected Snape would be stopping by to give them their new timetables any minute.

"I would appreciate no classes with the dorks, more than anything," Harry offered.

"Good luck with that," Tracey snorted. "It's as if they stick us in classes together on purpose."

"Well, maybe if we try to get along..." Millie started, before trading a look with Tracey.

"Nah..." they said simultaneously.

"Hey, Harry..." Theo called. "What about our little group?"

"What about it?" Harry asked. "We'll arrange a time slot and continue on as we have been."

"Yeah, but what about the blonde wonder?" Theo asked again, tilting his head down the table towards Malfoy.

"How about we just put him to sleep and get on with our lives?" suggested Tracey.

"I don't think killing him is the best solution to our problem, Tracey..." Harry replied, fully aware he was lying.

"What?" he asked, as Theo, Tracey, and Daphne stared at him.

"I was talking about putting him to sleep with a Somnus Charm..." Tracey clarified.

"Ah, sorry," Harry grimaced, as Daphne gave him an amused smile.

The rustle of feathers announced the arrival of the morning post and the Daily Prophet. Within moments of the owls being relieved of their burdens, the conversation in the Hall started getting louder as students reacted to the news. Harry unfolded his copy of the Prophet, and his eyebrows shot up immediately.

Printed in enormous bold letters was a headline announcing Augusta Longbottom's declaration of war against the Weasley family. The secondary headline below it reported an attack by unknown assailants on the Weasley home, the Burrow, leaving three casualties. Harry skimmed the article to find the victims were identified as Arthur, Charles, and Percival Weasley.

Harry heard some commotion at the Gryffindor table, but ignored it, having been genuinely shocked by the news. His revenge on Neville Longbottom had, somewhat indirectly, led to the Weasley family basically being cut in half. If the report was accurate, all that were left were Molly, Bill, the twins, and Ginny.

"Well...this is..." he mumbled to himself, unsure what else to say. In all honestly, he was a little impressed by the dowager. Perhaps he should be a little more wary of the Longbottom regent instead of assuming she wasn't a threat.

"Merlin..." Theo mumbled as he read the article. Daphne appeared unaffected, but Harry could sense her apprehension. He'd have to reassure her later that they were safe, since it would be nearly impossible to connect the incident in the Great Hall back to them.

Their contemplation of the morning's headlines was suddenly interrupted by a loud hiss.

"~~FOOD!~~"

Harry and Daphne jumped up from their seats, the latter uncharacteristically shouting, "HOLY MOTHER OF MERLIN!" Scylla had somehow appeared from underneath the bench, her head now level with the table and hissing excitedly at the feast laid out in front of her.

"~~So much food!~~" she hissed again.

"~~Scylla? What are you doing here?~~" Harry asked sharply, while Daphne clutched her chest and tried to recover from her shock. The snake ignored the question and moved to immediately attack the nearby plate of bacon.

"Oi, Potter?! What is she doing here?" asked a sixth year Slytherin, recognising Malfoy's snake.

"Why are you asking me?" Harry replied indignantly, as he saw Snape barrelling towards the table out of the corner of his eye.

"Potter! What is the meaning of this?" the professor demanded at once.

"Hey, that's my snake, Potter!" Malfoy complained, diverting everyone's attention to himself.

"Harry?" Daphne asked tersely.

"Fine..." he sighed. "~~Why are you here, Scylla?~~"

The snake ignored him.

"~~Scylla, can you please answer me? Scylla?~~"

"~~I'm angry with you,~~" the snake hissed, and Harry frowned in confusion.

"~~Why?~~"

"~~Because you had all this food for yourself, but you never shared or even told me about it,~~" Scylla replied, having finished the off the bacon. "~~But I'll forgive you if bring me here every morning.~~"

"~~I'll see what I can do, Scylla, but why were you here in the first place?~~"

"~~Staying in my tank all day is boring. I wanted to protect my pet instead, so I hid in your bag.~~"

Harry closed his eyes and rubbed his temples in annoyance, trying to stave off a headache.

"Well, Potter?" Snape drawled. The ruckus had drawn several onlookers, even a few from the other houses.

"Scylla hid in my book bag because she was bored in the common room, and she wanted to..." he hesitated with his next words, "…protect her pet."

One second of stunned silence later, everyone from the house of the snakes erupted into laughter, Malfoy being the lone exception. Even Snape's face betrayed a small smirk, which disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Those watching from the other house tables looked on in confusion.

"How…lovely," Snape drawled. "Take it back to the common room where it belongs, and make sure it doesn't come out again."

"Me?" Harry replied in surprise. "It's Malfoy's snake."

"I've had it with that thing!" Malfoy ranted. "If it likes you so much, you keep it. That thing isn't even useful to protect my valuables!" He stomped out of the Great Hall in a huff, leaving Harry and rest of the Slytherins slightly dumbfounded.

"~~What's wrong, my pet?~~" Scylla asked, regaining Harry's attention.

"~~Well, I'm not sure, but I think I'm responsible for you now,~~" he replied, and Scylla cocked her head to the side.

"~~You've been responsible for me for some time now, my pet.~~"

"I guess Malfoy's snake finally belongs to Harry..." a fifth year quipped, and everyone broke into laughter at the innuendo. A few of the younger Slytherins blushed, while Daphne scowled at the bad joke.

"Well?" she asked, as Harry reclaimed his seat and Scylla coiled herself on the now empty bacon plate.

"What just happened?" he asked Daphne, slightly dazed.

"Well, let's see... Scylla appeared out of nowhere, scared the life out of me, ate all the bacon, and is apparently now your property, because Malfoy's 'had it with that thing, that's too useless to even protect his valuables', using his own words."

"And now Scylla is mine..." Harry groaned, hiding his face in his hands. Daphne couldn't hold back anymore and started laughing, followed by Tracey, Theo, and the rest of the fourth years.

"~~You are all making too much noise, my pet,~~" Scylla hissed. "~~Make everyone shut up.~~"

Harry groaned even louder, which sent everyone laughing even harder. Some of the braver Hufflepuffs wandered over to their table to ask what was happening, and the amused Slytherins happily obliged. Before long, practically the entire school knew all about Malfoy, Scylla, and her preference for Harry Potter.

"~~Scylla, apparently you're my responsibility, now,~~" Harry hissed, closely examining the snake. He'd noticed her orange eyes were starting to become pale. Seeing as how she was now officially his to take care of, he considered bringing her to some sort of animal healer. Hagrid wouldn't even acknowledge him after the dragon and he didn't know any other animal experts, except for maybe Greg.

"~~I already told you; I have been your responsibility since we met, my pet,~~" Scylla replied patiently.

"~~No, Scylla...~~"

Harry sighed, fully aware that everyone was mocking him.

"~~Malfoy, the blonde hairless ape. He brought you from the store, didn't he?~~"

"~~He did, but I liked you more,~~" Scylla replied.

"~~Yes, but he owned you,~~" Harry spoke, and Scylla hissed in annoyance.

"~~He never owned me. He didn't serve me. He didn't feed me. He didn't take care of me. He's a useless ape. You fed me and took care of me. You I like, that's why I made you my pet.~~"

Harry sighed again. Sometimes it was like talking to a child.

"~~Fine, Scylla. He didn't see it that way, and he was jealous of me being your pet instead of him. He gave up, and now I'm the only one to take care of you.~~"

"~~Good,~~" Scylla replied. "~~If you feed me and treat me right, I will protect you, your mate, your hatchlings, and your secrets.~~"

"~~That's very nice of you. Now eat some more if you want, because I have to take you back to your tank in the common room before I get in trouble.~~"

"You know, one of these days, I might start to get jealous," Daphne whispered in his ear. "You've been giving Scylla so much more attention lately."

"I swear, sometimes it's almost like having a child," Harry sighed. "And you're the only woman for me, my love."

"Oh, how romantic," Tracey teased, and Harry glared at her.

"Don't listen to her, that was sweet," Daphne assured him. "So, what are you going to do about Scylla now?"

"I don't know..." Harry confessed. "I'll probably leave her in the common room, so at least she gets some attention. I'm really not sure what else I could do with her."

"What, you aren't going to have her protecting your valuables?"

They both shared a laugh at Malfoy's ridiculous notions.

"Well...she may be small, but she's fierce. Why not have her protect you instead?"

"Not on your life, Potter," Daphne snorted, as Harry hid his grin behind his goblet. "The way she eats, she'll soon be too fat for me to carry. You'd be better off just putting her in the Chamber. Who knows? Maybe telling her she's protecting something valuable would make her feel important. Tell her it's a secret of utmost importance, something that no one, not even I can know about. Say you need her there because she's such a fierce snake, and nobody would dare try to go through her."

Those listening in found some humour in the idea. Harry, however, dropped his goblet in shock, his eyes practically bulging as he looked back at Daphne.

"Wha-What?" he mumbled distractedly. "What did you say?"

"Me?" Daphne asked, looking around in surprise.

"Genius," Harry muttered, a little louder this time, and he grasped both of Daphne's hands. "You're a genius!"

"Harry?" asked Theo, genuinely concerned.

Harry cupped Daphne's face and kissed her passionately, leaving her stunned.

"Genius!" he nearly shouted, leaping from his seat and sprinting away from the table.

"Dobby! Chamber! NOW!"

The entire Great Hall stood up, watching in astonishment as a raving Harry Potter disappeared from their sights with a pop.

Nobody really knew how to react to Harry's confusing disappearance. Scylla became agitated and started hissing, but of course, no one could understand her. Finally, a seventh year conjured a tank for her and transported her back to the common room.

The day passed and Harry still hadn't returned, having missed every class. That, combined with Dobby ignoring her summons had upset Daphne enough that she was having trouble concentrating. Luckily, she only had Herbology and Charms in the morning and DADA in the afternoon, all classes she was doing exceedingly well in. Once dinner began and Harry still hadn't shown up, she started getting really concerned.

"He's fine..." Tracey said, attempting to soothe her friend. "It's Harry, you know that whatever he's doing will have a great story attached to it."

Daphne nodded at her friend. She was probably right, though that was little comfort at the moment.

As if on cue, the Great Hall doors opened suddenly with a bang, and Harry Potter himself strolled through them with a huge smile on his face.

"Mr. Potter, I demand to know where you have been," Professor McGonagall shouted. "Twenty points from Slytherin for skipping classes!"

"Oh, Professor..." Harry grinned, every eye in the hall focused on him. "Have a seat and I'll tell you, because otherwise I'm not sure your heart could endure the story," he said, blatantly mocking her.

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall shouted back, her cheeks reddening. "Ten points for insulting a teacher!"

"Please Professor, I'd like to let everyone know where I've been. I really want to. May I?"

"Yes!" Daphne shouted, rising from her seat and glaring at her boyfriend. Harry smiled brightly at her, confusing her even further.

"My love, this moment, this day..." Harry said softly, approaching her and kissing the knuckles on each of her hands. "It is all thanks to you." Daphne blushed and sat down again, slightly flustered, as Tracey, Millie, and Pansy snickered.

"Well then, Harry. If you'd like to tell us, then I'd be delighted to hear your justification for skipping classes," Dumbledore spoke from his golden throne. He looked tired and a little saddened by Harry's behaviour, but he didn't bother trying to hide his curiosity.

"Thank you, Headmaster," he bowed, before addressing the crowd. "My dear friends, professors, esteemed guests, and colleagues..."

"Uh-oh," Theo started, coming to a realisation.

"Yes, he's being too polite. This is going to be big," Blaise said, finishing Theo's thought.

"I would like to start by reading you a small passage from Salazar Slytherin's diaries, if I may." As no one objected, he snapped his fingers and a book appeared in his hands. "This is important, so pay attention."

————————————-

Helga disappointed me today, and I'm convinced Godric and Rowena are fools.

Haven't they realised yet that this crazy plan of theirs will only result in more bloodshed? What do they expect will happen by going to the muggle AND Christian king? Hasn't our kind suffered enough? Do they want us to be persecuted even more than we are today? Should we really be shouting to the four corners of the isles, HERE WE ARE, COME AND GET US?

We had a vote about this stupid idea of theirs, and I was the only one to argue against it and vote no. I alone argued for the continued safety of the children and future generations. I argued we should do the opposite of their proposal and take the magical children from their muggle homes. I would not want other children to suffer what Helga suffered in her youth, before my brother and I saved her - the same brother who died fighting the muggles. I thought I would have her support.

I was wrong, as Helga didn't vote at all, and it was their two votes against my one. I retreated to the secrecy of my chamber, after being accused of being a sore loser by that boisterous fool. How could I ever think I could work with him?

Bah, I'm too old to deal with that blood traitor. I have much to do and too little time, if I want to make sure my students survive the year. If my plan works, we magicals will be able to build settlements completely hidden from the muggles, or better yet, we would be able to repel those animals away.

I still hear those little girls' cries when I'm outside in the sun. Is it any surprise I prefer the dark places? They call me Dark and Evil because of the magic I know, but it's not I who rapes, tortures, and burns children for their gifts of birth.

This will be my last entry in this journal. My son, if you are reading this, then you are the new head of the family, and I am very proud of you.

Our people have potential. Nurture it, make it grow, and above all else, protect it. Use my knowledge and my wealth. This world doesn't need boisterous fools pretending to be knights shouting about rights for the magical people. It needs thinkers, wise men and women, and above all else, leaders. May you be all that and more.

Goodbye, my son.

May your life be long and prosperous.

————————————-

Harry closed the book and saw everyone looking at him with wide eyes.

"As it would seem, Slytherin wanted to keep the magical way of life safe and separate, while Gryffindor and Ravenclaw wanted to reveal it to the muggles," Harry summarised, as the book disappeared from his hands. "Yet, three of the founders are lauded as heroes and saviours, while Slytherin is derided as dark, evil, and treacherous."

Harry's look of distaste was enough to make his opinion on the matter clear.

"Old Salazar's son did find his father's journal, and he did do as his father asked him, as did his children and the generations that came after. Nobody is entirely sure when or why, but we do know that at some point, the line of Slytherin ended. There have been fools who attempted to claim the line, but all of them failed."

Harry paced up and down the aisles between tables, as if he were a professor delivering a lecture.

"There are several families connected by blood to the Slytherin line, and yet, it wasn't enough. Those who shared his blood seemingly lacked the wisdom and vision to claim the Slytherin legacy, until one candidate finally came along. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, but you all know him as Lord Voldemort."

The Great Hall erupted. The room was a sea of fearful shrieks and angry shouts, until Dumbledore stood from his seat and silenced everyone with his booming voice.

"That's enough, Harry!"

"Headmaster, I swear on my parents' souls I'm not going to glorify the bastard; I just need to use him to make a point."

Dumbledore seemed to consider Harry's words carefully. He glanced at the Slytherin table and saw they were all enraptured by the tale. He understood that the Slytherins would hear the full story one way or the other, and whatever Harry was in the process of revealing, it would likely be better to have it all out in the open, so he relented.

"Very well..." he said, then sat back down – an action that some of the other teachers and students didn't seem to approve of.

"You will not regret it, Headmaster," Harry promised.

"Where was I? Oh, yes, Tom," he scoffed. "Tom Riddle, the son of a near-squib witch born from House Gaunt and a rich muggle, conceived thanks to a love potion."

Dumbledore looked at the Slytherins again, and he was surprised to see them still paying rapt attention to Harry. Everyone else was astonished by this revelation, and yet the Slytherins all seemed to take it in stride. Did they already know the truth about Tom's parentage? Was Harry the one who revealed it? That seemed the most likely scenario, and the wizened headmaster was dreadfully curious about how the house reacted to that knowledge.

"He pretended to be the heir of Slytherin, when he was really just an heir," Harry continued. "He even found the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed the basilisk fifty years ago, killing poor Moaning Myrtle. He became one of the most feared wizards of a generation, and yet for all his power, he was unable to learn the most important lesson Slytherin wanted to teach his descendants, and that was why he failed."

"And what lesson was that, Harry?" asked Dumbledore, practically on the edge of his seat.

"Power is never given freely, Headmaster," Harry replied with a smile. "Sometimes, in order to achieve power, we first need to humble ourselves. That's where many pretenders failed. That's where many who carried the name Slytherin even failed, and most importantly, that's where Tom Riddle failed, because he believed himself greater than everyone else. In his hubris, he refused to recognise that sometimes, even the most prideful need to grovel."

Harry's words were met with silence.

"However, regardless of what he may have believed, Tom Riddle was not the only living descendant of Slytherin," he revealed.

That bit of information perked everybody up. The anticipation in the room was palpable, as people started sensing that Harry was approaching to the climax of his tale.

"As with many of the old houses, there were multiple squibs from the Slytherin line who moved on and started their own families. Unbeknownst to Tom, and everyone else for that matter, two of them happened to meet one day and fall in love. They had two daughters, one of which was a squib and the other a magical, the latter going on to be educated right here at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, she was unable access her Slytherin family traits, so she never had a chance to find Slytherin's secrets."

"Who?" asked Professor Snape, already fearing the answer.

"I have a feeling you know, Professor," Harry replied gravely. "She was beautiful, she was powerful, she had red hair, and she once called you her friend, until you insulted her in your fifth year."

Snape's face, already ghostly pale as it was, turned almost completely white as he slumped in his chair.

"Lily?" McGonagall mumbled in shock. No one else uttered a word, not even to mention what they had just learned about Snape.

"Yes, Professor – my mother, Lily Evans," Harry said reverently. "When she married my father, the magic in his blood helped activate the Slytherin family traits in me, and here I am."

Harry chuckled to himself and addressed the students.

"Two years ago, when you accused me of being the Heir of Slytherin, you were actually half right. I wasn't the heir responsible for unleashing the basilisk, but I was indeed an heir..."

The shouting started up again immediately, mostly from the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs accusing him of being dark, or other such nonsense. The Slytherins remained mostly quiet, all of them knowing Harry well enough by now to know that he still had something up his sleeve. Dumbledore shouted for quiet again, firing a Concussion Charm into the air for good measure. The crowed fell silent immediately.

"Continue, Harry, as I am almost certain there is more to your story..." the headmaster requested, and Harry nodded in gratitude for his crowd control measures.

"First of all, much to my chagrin…I need to say this," Harry said reluctantly, almost as if he was still trying to talk himself out of whatever he was about to do.

"Draco Malfoy, I, Harry James Potter, Lord of House Potter, do hereby release you from the vow you performed for me on my first night as a Slytherin, on your life and magic. With this action, every debt I may have incurred from you is now paid in full. So mote it be."

Harry glowed as the oath was released, leaving many gaping. The Slytherins were particularly astonished, remembering the duel and knowing exactly what the oath actually entailed.

"Harry, what happened?" asked Dumbledore, and everyone wondered the same.

"I grovelled, Headmaster," Harry replied, his smile directed to only one person in the hall. "Thanks to the genius insight of Daphne Greengrass and one stubborn serpent, I grovelled..."

Harry raised his right hand in the air and displayed the two rings on it. One was the Potter ring, and the other was green and silver with a remarkably familiar signet engraved on. How could it not be familiar? Every single of them saw it every day.

"…and because of that, I was rewarded with the chance to claim the line of Salazar Slytherin as my own, from this day until the day of my death."

The celebration that erupted from the Slytherin table dwarfed every other spectacle that had ever occurred in the Hogwarts Great Hall. Harry walked towards his table, but only made it three steps before he was lifted onto Brian and Alistair's shoulders. Everyone cheered his name and that of their house.

The rest of the school was rendered speechless. Even Dumbledore was left dumbstruck by Harry's revelations, while McGonagall looked like she was about to faint, probably still in shock from hearing that Lily was related to Slytherin. Snape's two opposing instincts of celebrating his house and jeering Potter were at war with one another, but in the end, he stood and applauded with the rest of the Slytherins.

They eventually set Harry down next to Daphne, who was gazing at him with a look of pride and awe, her eyes glimmering.

"Like I said, this was all because of you, my love," he told her with a radiant smile, taking one of her hands and kissing her palm softly.

Daphne laughed and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him possessively in front of everyone. They both ignored the catcalls and the cheers surrounding them as they snogged in celebration, right in there in the Great Hall, in front of everyone.