Chapter Text
Several things instantly began happening at once.
"I don't know where in the hell Rio Way is, but I need to get there now!" Sirius shouted, as he leapt over the head table in one swift motion.
Remus, who was at Hogwarts this week reporting back to Albus on what was going on in the werewolf community, also jumped up from the head table with a shout. He joined Sirius on the floor and both wizards looked panicked as they gazed at Lily, who was being woken up by Madam Pomfrey.
Godric jumped up from his place at the Slytherin table, grabbed a platter, dumped the food off, and tapped it with his wand.
"Here!" he yelled, tossing the dinner platter at them.
Sirius and Remus caught it, and both disappeared with a bright light just as Salazar scrambled down towards Lily.
"Please!" She cried frantically. "I must get back! I have to go back to James! Please!"
"Lily! Lily!" Salazar shouted, as he knelt and tried to restrain the struggling woman. "You must tell me what happened. Remus and Sirius just left. They are with him. Tell me what happened."
"No! I have to go!"
"Lily! We have not come this far to make Harry an orphan now!" Salazar yelled, causing her to stop struggling and stare at him with wide eyes, as Minerva tried to comfort her. "Now, tell me what happened." He said a little more calmly.
Meanwhile, Merlin and Nicolas apparated into the great hall and was helping Godric get organized, as Albus sent a patronus to Aberforth.
"We…we were just having a late afternoon outing and we were coming out of The S-Soggy Newt, it…it's a new pub." She sobbed, causing her whole body to shake. "They were coming from…from the dodgy area around all the dark arts shops and we saw them. We…we…just froze in shock and in that moment, Bellatrix looked up. She…she saw us, and she cackled and screamed our names. We saw Yaxley and Rodolphus…and…and…Rabastan. We didn't know the others. We just started fighting. Yaxley shouted that Voldemort would love to know this, and he portkeyed out right then and there. There…there were so many dark wizards Salazar. I don't know…James grab…grabbed a piece of rubbish and threw it at me, and the next thing I know, I'm in Hogsmeade. I came straight here." She let out a great cry of anguish, causing Minerva and Perenelle to engulf her into a hug.
"Okay." Salazar said, as he patted her shoulder reassuringly. "It's not your fault." He added, then he stood up and looked around.
Godric had the Sorting Hat on his head and was shoving his sword into the stone in the floor. As the golden pillar rose up, he grabbed Salazar's sword from its resting place, before grabbing his own sword from out the top of the pillar. All the students stared in awe as it quickly sank back down.
Godric tossed Salazar his sword, then he placed a mild sticking charm on his back and brought his own sword up over his head to stick it there. It was then Salazar realized Godric had taken out his de-aging rock, because he was in his adult form.
Merlin conjured a long rope and there seemed to be a lull in all the activity as everyone looked around. Albus was surveying the scene and looked completely stricken, Godric looked stone-faced and resolute as he stood with his arms folded across his broad chest, and Nicolas and Aberforth were simply waiting to leave.
"I would like to leave now Salazar." Godric said gruffly. "Everybody makes a big brouhaha over the fact that Harry is my Grandson, but people seem to forget that James is also my Grandson and he's in trouble."
"You're right. Let's go." Salazar said as he also stuck his sword to his back and palmed his wand.
He glanced at Severus, who looked completely overwhelmed as he continued to gaze at Lily, as if he couldn't believe that she was here. Salazar sighed heavily, grabbed the rope, and nodded at Godric, who tossed the Sorting Hat onto the head table.
"Rio Way!" Godric yelled.
Just as they were about to vanish, Salazar heard Hermione scream, "Neville, nooooo!"
Then they were gone.
They landed in the middle of chaos. Just up the street they could see furious fighting taking place. James, Remus, and Sirius were surrounded by all three Lestranges, along with three other dark wizards that Salazar didn't recognize. Some Brazilian Aurors were there as well; Salazar could spot them in their green, yellow and blue Auror robes, and they were fighting ten more dark wizards in the same area. It seemed the high street was deserted of any other witches and wizards. They had either all fled or were taking shelter in the shops that lined Rio Way.
"Nehum!" Godric yelled, then he charged up the street towards James, Remus, and Sirius.
Nehum appeared in a flash of flames and began circling above everyone's heads. He began to sing, which seemed to strengthen the resolve of the 'light side'. There was a small lull in the fighting as everyone looked up at him. The Aurors spotted the newcomers and a few broke away from the other fight, but as Nehum continued to sing they realized Salazar and company were there to help. Especially when Godric used a fire whip to grab one of the dark wizards by the neck and pull him away from James.
"It's about time you got here, Gramps!" James yelled, as he grinned and shielded himself from a curse that headed his way.
Merlin and Nicolas ran towards the Aurors that appeared to be outnumbered, but Salazar glanced around and that's when he spotted Neville.
"What in the name of Merlin are you doing here?!" Salazar yelled sternly, as Aberforth ran up the street towards Godric and the others.
"Crucio!" Bellatrix shouted and cackled as Sirius side stepped the curse.
"Getting revenge." Neville said with a scowl and charged up the street so fast that it left Salazar stunned.
Bellatrix never saw Neville coming and he didn't use a single bit of magic to take the witch off her feet. He simply spear-tackled her to the ground. He hit her so hard that Bellatrix's wand went flying several meters away. Neville took advantage of it and began screaming obscenities and wrestling with the struggling witch, who he had pinned to the ground.
"Whatever works." Salazar mumbled, then he headed towards them.
The Death Eaters didn't know how to react to Godric and Salazar's way of fighting. They had their wands in one hand and their swords in the other. They fought back-to-back and used the swords to deflect spells and cause physical damage to their opponents. The battle was loud and chaotic, but short-lived. They fought for about ten minutes or so, but the unknown dark wizards tried to flee when Merlin, Nicolas, and several of the Brazilian Aurors ran towards them.
Then it happened. It was the one thing Salazar had been dreading ever since the war had begun again.
Rodolphus used an overpowered knockback jinx that sent Neville flying backwards off Bellatrix, who he had been physically fighting with the whole time. He landed hard and hit his head on the street but jumped back up to go after the witch again. At the same time, Remus yelled and charged Rodolphus, but Rodolphus didn't want to physically tangle with the man he knew was a werewolf.
"Avada Kedavra!" Rodolphus cried.
Remus was hit square in the chest at such a close range that Nehum, Godric, Merlin, and Salazar didn't have time to intercept it.
"NOOOOOOOO!" James and Sirius screamed as they rushed toward Remus.
Neville stopped and stared at Remus in disbelief, which gave Rodolphus time to grab his wife and portkey out, as Rabastan followed them with his own portkey. This left the unknown dark wizards who had been fighting with them to fend for themselves, but they were quickly caught by the Aurors, who had already put up an anti-disapparition jinx.
"No, no, no, no, no! Please no!" James cried, as he rolled Remus over on his back.
Sirius started bawling as he laid his head on his friend's unmoving chest.
"No, no, no." He sobbed. "Remus no."
Neville fell to his knees and stared at his old Professor, as Aberforth knelt beside the young man. Nicolas, Godric, Merlin, and Salazar stood solemnly by, as the Aurors who stayed behind bowed their heads sadly.
Merlin finally knelt and placed his hand on Remus's chest.
"Anima tua in pace requiescat." He said softly, causing Remus's body to light up with a soft golden light, which faded quickly away.
James and Sirius looked at Merlin, who smiled sadly.
"It was an old magical Latin blessing for the dead." He said softly. "I said, 'may your soul rest in peace'. I'm so sorry for your loss, my friends. Remus was a good man."
"Thank you." James said with a sniffle, as Sirius nodded his own thanks.
"You're welcome." Merlin replied softly, but then stood up and looked at Salazar. "Nicolas and I will stay behind to take care of the politics. You all get back to Hogwarts. Voldemort will know of the Potter's survival by now."
Salazar nodded. "You're right. The South American School of Wizardry cannot afford for Voldemort to attack it to get to Harry. We must get him back to the U.K. as soon as possible."
James glanced up and nodded. "Yes, you are right. Yaxley was here, but he left saying he was going to tell Voldemort, and with the Lestranges escaping, they likely have also made him aware of what has happened. We will have to withdraw Harry from school, because there is only one major school here and it will not be hard to guess where he is."
Godric nodded, then turned to the Aurors. "This is not Brazil's, and—as a whole—South America's problem. It's the U.K.s, and we do not wish to subject more of our problems onto your population."
The Auror in charge nodded and in a thick accent replied, "We thank you for being self-aware of these problems. We know of the troubles in your part of the world, but we have caught several of our own wanted dark wizards due to this occurrence today. We are also sorry for your loss. He fought bravely."
"Thank you." Sirius whispered, as he finally stood and wiped the tears off his face.
Nehum landed lightly on Remus's chest and let out a sorrowful cry, but he waved his tail feathers at James and Sirius. They grabbed hold of him, then left in a ball of flames. Salazar conjured another rope, and they all gathered around it as Merlin and Nicolas left with the Aurors.
Then they headed back to Hogwarts.
It was a very tired, dirty, sweaty, disheveled group that made their way into the solemn hospital wing. Lily was sobbing loudly as she laid across Remus's chest, with James and Sirius sitting beside him simply staring despondently at their best friend's body. Albus and Minerva were standing at the foot of Remus's bed, and both were crying silently while Rita stood back and looked to be in complete shock. Blaise and Daphne were sitting on a bed together and holding hands, but they both stood up when they spotted Neville in the group. Draco and the twins were standing off towards the side and were talking quietly amongst themselves but kept glancing at the Potters every so often.
Perenelle came rushing over to them, but Salazar pulled her aside to let her know Nicolas was fine and that he was with Merlin taking care of the politics of what happened. She seemed to understand and relaxed a bit more knowing Nicolas was okay.
It was Hermione that shocked everyone though. Salazar supposed that Minerva had called Augusta Longbottom once they realized Neville had left with them, but Hermione nearly knocked Augusta to the ground as she yelled and made a beeline for the young wizard.
"Don't you EVER…EVER do this to me again!" Hermione cried, as she flung herself into Neville's outstretched arms.
Salazar glanced at Godric with a raised eyebrow, as the other wizard looked at the two teens with an amused smile.
"You could have been killed Neville Longbottom!" Hermione continued, as Neville buried his face into the top of her unruly bushy hair.
"I'm so sorry, Love. I'm okay though. I'm okay." He reassured her, as he tilted her face up and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
Salazar's face lit up and he grinned at the two teens, then glanced at Godric again, who seemed to have his arms full of a witch of his own. Poppy finally pulled away from him and turned to Neville.
"You might say you're okay, Mr. Longbottom, but you look like you have fought a feral cat. Into the bed with you."
"That cat's name was Bellatrix." He said, as Salazar finally noticed that the lad had deep scratches on his face.
"Oh, my goodness! Mrs. Longbottom, I'm so sorry." Hermione said, as she realized that Augusta was making her way towards them. "I almost knocked you over."
"It's alright dear. I am so pleased for the two of you." Augusta said, as she smiled happily at the couple. "Are you sure you're okay Neville?"
"I am Gran." He said, then held up a wand. "I got her wand and I didn't even use any magic to do it. Magic is too good to waste on the likes of her. I fought her muggle style, and I was winning until…until…oh no." He said suddenly, looking over towards the Potters and Sirius. "This is my fault."
James's head snapped up.
"It is not Neville. Don't you say that. This is not your fault. Remus has never entered a battle thinking he was going to get out of it alive. He was always prepared for this outcome."
"James is right Neville." Sirius said as he wiped the tears off his face. "The Death Eaters have always been scared of him. They knew he was a werewolf, and that Voldemort couldn't control him like he did all the others. They always singled him out for it. This is not your fault."
Neville seemed to begrudgingly accept that, but then he winced heavily as Poppy dabbed a potion onto the cuts on his face. Salazar finally wandered over to Rita, who was looking around unsure if she should even be there.
"I know Godric and I have a lot of explaining to do." He said, coming to stand beside her. "If you can just give us a day or so, we will tell you everything."
"Thank you, Mr. Pot…" She faltered a bit and sighed heavily. "I don't even know what to call you."
"Salazar is fine." He answered, causing her to nod.
"So, the real Harry Potter is—"
"Completely okay. He's been with his parents all this time in South America."
She nodded again. "I'll start my article, but I won't publish it until I have all the facts. I know you and everyone else will need to morn, so I can wait." She said sadly, as she glanced towards Remus.
"Thank you, Rita." Salazar said sincerely.
He watched her leave, but then looked around. That's when he noticed Severus was nowhere to be seen. He made his way towards Albus, who looked up as he approached. Albus sniffled heavily and wiped his nose with a handkerchief, before stepping away from Remus's bed.
"Where's Severus?" Salazar asked quietly.
"He's been called by Voldemort. He left about ten minutes after you all did."
Salazar nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to him when he returns. I can only imagine the gloating my wretched Heir is doing right now."
"I think you're right." Albus replied worryingly. "I'm so sorry Salazar. I know how hard you have worked to keep them safe."
Salazar sighed heavily and nodded again. There really wasn't anything more to say at that point. Albus seemed to realize that, and patted Salazar's arm gently before heading back towards Remus. Salazar spent a moment talking to James, Lily, and Sirius, before leaning down to place a hand on Remus, as if to say goodbye one last time. He spoke quietly to the children and checked on Neville, who seemed to be drifting off to sleep with his grandmother sitting on one side of his bed and Hermione on the other holding his hand. Then he caught Godric's eye and nodded at him. He was crying silently while holding Poppy, who appeared to be weeping softly into his chest.
There was so much emotion in the hospital wing right then, and Salazar knew he had to get away before he broke down in front of everyone. He made his way quickly towards the door and stepped out of it, but he paused a minute to catch his breath as he leaned against the wall. Before he could gather himself together and head towards his living quarters, he heard the door open, and a second later Minerva stepped out into the hallway.
She looked at him standing there and softly took his hand and squeezed it, as she gazed up at him. She could see the emotion and unshed tears that were forming in his dark grey eyes, and his chin started to tremble as he looked into her tear-streaked face. Salazar softly placed a hand on the side of her face and caressed her cheek as he looked down at her, but a moment later he took a deep shaky breath, and she watched as the tears began to fall.
"I have to go." He whispered, before turning around and quickly disappearing down the hall.
Minerva's heart broke for Salazar as she watched him go. She wished she could follow him so that she could comfort him, but Minerva knew some men just wanted to be alone in times like these.
"So stubborn." She mumbled, as she slipped back into the hospital wing.
Salazar woke with a start the next morning. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he was so emotionally and physically exhausted that he must have drifted off without realizing it. He wept for a long time last night. He cried for Remus, because that loss would be felt by, not just Salazar, but many other people. Not only had Lily, James, and Sirius lost their best friend, but Hogwarts had lost a wonderful Professor last night. He may not have taught this year due to his work for the Order, but he was seen quite often at Hogwarts and always had a smile for the students and time to answer random questions they had about their schoolwork. There had been talk between Albus, Minerva, Godric and Salazar to ask Remus to be the new History professor next year, because he had pretty much done all that he could do with the werewolf community, who had thoroughly sided with Voldemort because of Greyback and weren't interested in helping their side.
"Why would they?" Remus had once said. "Look at how werewolves are treated by the public."
And Salazar knew it was true.
He sighed heavily and rolled over in his bed. He had also wept for the Potters. They were in danger now and he didn't know how Voldemort was going to react to this new information. Salazar knew he'd gloat a bit, but overall, he didn't know what his Heir was going to do now. Would he try to get to the Potters, Harry in particular? He didn't know, and that worried him greatly.
Salazar had wept for his plans as well. He didn't blame Lily and James though. He had told them many times to live their lives how they wanted, because he didn't send them to Rio so they could be under house arrest. He knew they were being extra cautious since Voldemort's return, but fourteen years of hard work had gone down the drain because of a split-second moment of recognition. Ten years with magic hating muggles, five years of posing as a Hogwarts student, and all the stress and hardship that had entailed.
And now it was all for nothing.
A soft groan and a rustling of cloth caused Salazar to sit bolt upright in his bed. The morning sun was peeking out from behind the heavy curtains covering the window, and was casting a beam of light onto an out-of-place cot someone had conjured next to the wall on the other side of the room. Salazar squinted his eyes trying to see who it was, but a soft hiss at the foot of his bed caused him to glance in that direction instead.
"Don't worry Speaker, it's just Batty." Nora said sleepily.
"Is he alright?" Salazar asked, as he peered at Severus in the semi-darkness.
"Yes." She replied. "He told me that Morty was laughing and in a good mood last night, but I'll let him tell you the details. I just hope Morty chokes on his morning breakfast." She added angrily.
"Well, how are you here? Last I knew, you were with Blaise."
"Good morning to you as well, Speaker." Nora said with a glare aimed at him.
"I'm sorry my dear. Good morning."
"That's better." She replied in a haughty tone as she began to uncoil herself. "Kitty is the reason I'm here. She said you are a stubborn man that wants to be alone and won't let anyone comfort you when you are hurting and about to cry, but can blow up the great hall at the drop of a hat because you're angry. She said Batty is the same way and ordered him to bring me here and for him to stay in here with you. I think she might have even sealed the door shut."
"Meddling witches."Salazar grumbled, then he turned back to Nora. "How did Severus take the news about Remus?"
Nora hissed sadly. "Not well. He was fighting back tears the whole time he was sitting with Wolfy, but when he jumped up to leave, that's when Kitty took me from Zabby and told Batty to bring me here. He conjured his bed and cried himself to sleep." She said somberly.
"And how are you doing?" Salazar asked as he patted her head.
"I'm going to miss Wolfy." She replied with a quiver in her voice, then slithered under the covers and refused to come out.
Salazar sighed heavily but then glanced at Severus, who groaned again and shifted slightly in his cot. Salazar watched as Severus growled loudly, pulled his wand from under his pillow, and aimed it at the curtain. The curtain seemed to suddenly stick itself to the wall, which instantly blocked out the beam of sunlight that had been peeking around it.
Salazar shook his head and chuckled quietly before heading towards the bathroom. It was still early, but it was Friday and Salazar was hoping the Headmaster would cancel classes. He didn't think any of the professors, much less the students, would be able to concentrate today. He took his time, and when he had finished getting ready for the day, he stepped out of the bathroom to find Severus sitting on the edge of his cot, rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning." Salazar said as he glanced at the yawning young man.
"Morning." Severus muttered as he stood up and stretched.
Salazar snorted, but he knew if Severus was anything like himself, he would need a bit before someone started talking to him.
Like Salazar, Severus took his time in the bathroom, but by the time the young wizard finally reappeared, Salazar had asked one of the elves for a pot of breakfast tea and was sitting at his small study table. Salazar motioned to the other empty chair across from him.
"Thank you." Severus said, as he took the cup and took a sip of the warm liquid as he sat down.
Once he had swallowed, Severus finally looked up.
"He's in a good mood." He said, rolling his eyes.
"I figured." Salazar replied with a sigh.
"Because of this, he has also figured out that the reincarnation bit is rubbish, and he is no longer looking to give Excalibur back. He says he's going to keep it now."
"Another fear confirmed." Salazar groaned, as he ran a hand across his forehead.
"He reasoned that if Lily and James were still alive, that Harry must be with them. He said something must have gone wrong with whatever you had planned that night, because there is no way that you would have endured all that you have if the real Harry was dead. He wants to know what happened that night, and he said if I didn't find out, he'll have me kidnap Lily and/or James even if that would jeopardize my place in the Order."
"Okay." Salazar said with a nod, as he sipped his tea. "I think I'm going to address the great hall tonight because I believe the students have the right to hear the truth first, since all that I have done while here has affected them most. I'll let Godric know, so he can prepare what he wants to say as well. Does Albus know all this?"
"He does. They were still in the hospital wing when I got back, so I told Albus this already. Lily and James said they were going back to South America this morning and explain everything to Harry and his Headmistress, then they are going to bring him back."
Salazar nodded. "Good. South America doesn't need Voldemort invading them just to get to Harry." He said, but then snapped his fingers. "That reminds me, how in the world did they find them in the first place?"
"Ah, that." Severus said as he nodded his head and set his teacup down. "We've known about Bella's secret assignment for a while, and it turns out that she has been recruiting on other continents because the Dark Lord can't find anyone from here." Severus said with a smirk. "Apparently, our general population doesn't want to go to war against you and Godric, and not to mention, Merlin himself."
"So, it really was just an unfortunate coincidence then?" Salazar asked.
Severus nodded. "It appears so."
"How was Bella when she arrived?" Salazar asked with amusement.
Severus snorted. "She looked like she had gone ten rounds with a wolverine, and she was angry. She doesn't understand why Neville didn't use any magic, but she was cussing him the whole time Rodolphus was trying to heal her cuts and bruises. I do believe Tiny Voldemort bore the brunt of her anger last night."
Salazar laughed. "I kept my eye on them when I could, and the only reason I let Neville do what he did was because she was wandless. With her stay in Azkaban, I knew she wouldn't be able to do wandless magic. I considered it an even fight, because she would have killed him otherwise."
"She didn't consider it an even fight." Severus chuckled.
They were silent for a while as they sat lost in thought while drinking their tea, but finally Salazar looked at Severus again.
"How are you holding up?" He asked quietly.
Severus squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, before looking up.
"He was my friend, and I'll miss him." He said quietly.
"He was a good man." Salazar said, causing Severus to nod softly.
After another moment of silence, Salazar looked up again and took Severus's hand to give it a comforting squeeze.
"When you're ready, I've lifted the anti-apparition charm on your quarters so that you can change your clothes and freshen up, but you are free to stay here as long as you like. I have to find Godric."
"Thank you, sir." Severus said with a watery sniff.
Salazar picked up Nora from the bed and quietly left his quarters.
Due to the ceiling in the great hall being draped in black flags and the tables covered with black tablecloths, the students knew something tragic had happened when they entered for breakfast. Once he knew that most of the students had gathered, Albus stood up to announce Remus's death, and because of that, he did cancel classes for the day.
The Potters had left several hours ago to pick up Harry. Salazar had talked to Godric and both wizards decided to address the great hall that evening, so he told Rita to make sure she was there.
Salazar was anxious as he watched the great hall fill with students, who were curious why dinner was being held an hour early. He didn't know how the students would react to all he had to say, but he hoped that many would understand and forgive him for the lies he had told. He did scan the great hall though and noted who else was there. Rita, who usually ate in her quarters, was sitting at a smaller table that had been set up along the wall next to the Gryffindor table. She was sitting next to Amelia, who had only been told the truth earlier that morning. That table also hosted Merlin, Nicolas, and Perenelle, who were simply there for moral support, and two currently empty place settings that Salazar knew would be filled shortly.
Salazar's stomach did a little flip flop as Albus got to his feet and called for quiet once all students were accounted for and seated.
"As you all know, we had a tragic death amongst our Hogwarts family last night. Professor Remus Lupin passed away due to a killing curse cast by Rodolphus Lestrange. Arrangements have been made for Professor Lupin to have his final resting place in the forest in the same location as Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw. He will be interred beside another of our own who passed away at Christmas, Theodore Nott. Professor Lupin will be laid to rest this Sunday afternoon, and you are all invited to attend if you wish. Classes will be canceled for Monday as well." Albus said, and Salazar was pleased to note that none of the students cheered for that, but then Albus continued.
"Now I'd like to give the floor to Professor Slytherin, who wishes to address you all." He added, as he motioned for Salazar.
"Thank you, Headmaster." Salazar said, as he rose to his feet. He took a deep breath and gave a weak smile as he looked around the great hall. "Godric and I have spoken today, and we feel that you all should know the complete truth before the general wizarding public finds out, because our lies have affected you all the most, whether you know it or not."
There were a lot of loud gasps at that, but Salazar continued.
"As I'm sure many of you already know by now, due to the rumors I've heard today, yes Lily and James Potter are still alive." He said, causing everyone to gasp loudly again. "This story all started when a prophecy was made about Voldemort and Harry Potter almost sixteen years ago." He said and repeated the prophecy that was spoken all those years ago.
He watched as every eye grew large at the words of the prophecy and he internally growled. Everyone who knew him best knew how he felt about divination, and Salazar could only imagine the number of sign-ups for the subject next year.
"The Headmaster thought the best way to protect the Potters was to place them under a fidelius charm so they would be safe, and Voldemort couldn't get to them. This worked for time, but as you all know, their secret keeper, Peter Pettigrew, was a Death Eater who betrayed them to Voldemort."
"So then, what was all the confusion about with Professor Black?" A third year Ravenclaw asked, looking toward Sirius's empty place at the head table.
Salazar took a minute to briefly explain that before getting back to his story. He told everyone about how he tricked Voldemort into keeping him as a pet, how he stayed in his animagus form for six months, and how he was in the room when Peter Pettigrew told Voldemort where the Potters where staying, which is how he knew where they were.
"I bet it was hard to get them to trust you!" Hannah Abbot shouted.
"You have no idea. They were at the center of the war and Voldemort himself wanted them dead. So, yes, it took more than just a minute to convince them to go along with my plan." He said with a chuckle.
As Salazar continued his story, he was pleased to note that no one seemed to be angry at him. He knew it was strange to have these feelings, after all, he was Salazar Slytherin and their professor, but Salazar thought it had always been important for a student and professor to have a trustworthy relationship because it was crucial to the learning process.
As he got to the part about losing his memories and getting sent to the Dursleys for ten years, Terry Boot raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Boot?" Salazar asked.
"So, wait, you're saying you had the Forgetting Sickness for ten years? And you didn't remember who you were until you got the Hogwarts letter?"
Salazar nodded. "Yes, muggles call it amnesia, but they don't have a way of quickly reversing it like we do."
"Woah." Terry said as he sat back down in a daze. "I can't imagine that. It must have been horrible."
"Once I remembered exactly who I was, yes it was." Salazar said, causing most of the great hall to chuckle.
He went on to tell them how he went to Brazil to see how the Potters were doing, and to see how much information he could gather. Once he got back, that's when he decided to come back to Hogwarts to pose as Harry.
"I spent first year just trying to fit in as an eleven-year-old."
"Which you failed miserably!" Blaise shouted, causing those in the great hall to burst out laughing.
"Hush you!" Salazar playfully scolded, causing more laughter. "There really isn't much to say for second and third year. I'm sure you all know that because Emeralda is my basilisk that she was not a threat to anyone."
He decided not to go into detail about all the chamber events, because they really didn't need to know what Ron did while under the diary's influence, but Godric did explain why he showed up a year later. The students got a kick out of the prank Godric tried to play by being an over obsessed Harry Potter fan. They had decided to leave out the fact that Salazar and Godric had been at odds for nine-hundred years, and that Godric ended up an almost darker wizard than Voldemort.
"But why did you play that prank? Didn't he already know you were here?" Cho Chang asked.
"Forever is a long time and eventually people drift apart." Godric explained with a smile. "But I found out that Salazar was protecting all the Potters—which are the last of my family line—by posing as Harry. He was aiming to kill off his own family line just to save mine, and there was no way I was going to let him carry that burden alone. So, I came up with that prank. I had missed his slimy, no good, reptile self." He added, causing everyone to giggle.
"As you can probably guess by now, the reincarnation bit is the real lie." Salazar said, causing many to nod.
Attention was suddenly diverted as a stag patronus raced into the great hall and trotted up to Albus. Salazar glanced at Godric and grinned. Shortly after, Albus and Hagrid left the great hall, with Albus coming back in a few minutes later without him.
"So, how did you come up with the reincarnation bit, Harry?" Dennis Creevey asked, only to have the rest of the hall break out into giggles again. "I'm sorry, Professor Slytherin."
"It's okay Dennis. It'll take a while to get used to." Salazar said, but then he began to explain how he lied to Voldemort in the graveyard.
Hagrid grinned broadly as the new Hogwarts Express steamed its way towards the Hogsmeade platform as the evening sun began to set. It had taken the Ministry of Magic a few months to rebuild and charm, to their liking, the new old-fashioned steam engine train they had bought from the muggles, but looking at the finished product as it came to a full stop had been worth the wait.
But the new express was carrying a secret that only seven people—including Albus, Minerva, Salazar, and Godric—knew about. Not even Hagrid had known about it until twenty minutes ago.
Hagrid coughed loudly as he was engulfed with heavy steam from the engine, but the happy barking of a shaggy black dog caused him to laugh loudly. The dog bounded off the train with a stag, a doe, and a fifteen-year-old boy with unruly black hair and glasses following behind them.
"First time Hogwarts students this way please! Follow me!" Hagrid cried, causing the boy to grin as the doe, stag, and dog hopped around him excitedly. "We've got to head to the boats! Don't worry about your trunk, the house elves will get it!"
"Hi Hagrid!" The boy said cheerfully, and he began to follow the large man towards the boats, as the dog, stag, and doe headed up the path toward the front gates.
"So, you came up with that reincarnation rubbish off the top of your head while being tortured with the Cruciatus Curse!" Susan Bones exclaimed loudly.
"Yeah, pretty much. Voldemort needed an explanation, even if they were all lies." Salazar replied. "Of course, once I told him these lies, we had to keep up with them which is why we told you all this earlier this year while showing you all those memories."
Anthony Goldstein stood up. "So basically, the truth is you don't die every one-hundred and fifty years just to be reborn again. You're simply an immortal who has never died, and you only ended up this way due to a Polyjuice accident gone wrong and having the Forgetting Sickness for ten years."
Salazar nodded. "Right again."
"Sweet Merlin." Anthony said as he sat down heavily.
"Am I sweet though? I'm not so sure about that." Merlin chuckled.
"Oh, shut it old man; no one is talking to you." Godric laughed, causing the great hall to giggle again.
Just then Salazar, Godric, and Albus suddenly cocked their heads to the side and grinned as the animagus wards pinged. Albus immediately leaned over to Minerva and whispered in her ear. She smiled broadly and hurried out the great hall.
The black-haired boy's eyes widened in pure amazement as he finally got his very first real look at Hogwarts. But as he sailed across the lake in the little boat, a long tentacle rose out of the water and seemed to wave at them.
"Wow! Is that the giant squid?" The boy asked, as his eyes widened in awe.
"Sure is!" Hagrid said brightly. "He won't hurt you though. He's real friendly."
"Even though Salazar summoned him that one time last year?" The boy asked with a mischievous grin.
"How do you know about that?" Hagrid asked in amazement.
"Oh, Fred and George told me all about it over the summer. Fred said they started the 'flying squid' chant."
Hagrid groaned loudly, but then chuckled. "Yes, they started that chant and before you ask, yes the squid is alright, though he wouldn't come near anyone for months after Harry summoned him."
The boy snickered, and Hagrid quickly shook his head.
"Sorry." He said with a smile. "I meant after Salazar summoned him."
The boy just laughed as the boat bumped into the boat docks.
Minerva's red robes billowed around her as she hurried down the grand staircase. She had just come from the Headmaster's office and her arms were full, so it was hard to see where she was going. She finally had to stop about halfway down just to catch her breath.
"I'm so glad I only do this once a year." She muttered breathlessly.
Then she took a deep breath and continued to hurry down to the entrance hall.
Salazar smiled as Sirius slipped into the great hall with a small thumbs up and took his seat at the head table. Godric had just been explaining how he managed to de-age himself, and the professors who hadn't known the truth until now were staring at Nicolas as if he had discovered the fountain of youth.
Salazar was happy though. It seemed none of the students were upset, which eased a great worry in his heart. He glanced at Rita, whose quick quotes quill had been furiously taking notes the whole time. He caught her eye, and she nodded at him and smiled. He knew her article was going to make a huge splash.
"How in the world am I going to be able to find my way around? Hogwarts is huge!" The boy exclaimed.
"Oh, don't worry about that. You'll get used to it in no time." Hagrid replied as they stopped at the closed front doors. Then he smiled at the boy, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off the castle. "Are you ready?" He asked with a grin.
"This is going to be so wicked." The boy said, as he beamed at the big man.
Hagrid chuckled, then he knocked on the door.
Minerva had just stashed the things she had grabbed from the Headmaster's office into a nearby broom cupboard and skidded to a halt in front of the large doors. She checked herself in a nearby mirror, straightened her hat, and brushed back the loose hairs that framed her face. Her breath hitched and her eyes brimmed with tears as the knock sounded on her side of the door.
The boy grinned again as the large front doors opened.
"Hi Miss Minnie!" The boy said with a cheeky wave.
Minerva giggled slightly, but then sniffed loudly and gave him a playfully stern glare, before turning to Hagrid.
"Thank you for bringing him in Hagrid. You can now retake your seat in the great hall."
"You're welcome, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid laughed. Then he smiled at the boy again and slipped into the entrance hall.
"If you will follow me, please." Minerva said, as she led the boy into a nearby small room. "You'll have to wait in here a moment.
As the boy followed her, he turned his head to the right and heard Salazar's voice float out into the entrance hall. When they got to the little room, Minerva began to explain the rules of Hogwarts, then she stepped out for a moment. She nodded to Baron, Helena, Sir Nicholas, and the Fat Friar, who grinned at her. A second later she heard a loud yelp as the ghosts floated into the room where the boy was, before floating back out again not a moment later. She giggled heavily as she retrieved the items she had stashed into the broom cupboard.
"So, now you all know the complete truth about how I came to pose as Harry Potter." Salazar said, as he smiled at all the students in the great hall. "But I do want to say, before we get on with dinner tonight. None of this would have been possible without the house elves, Fripsy and Mitzy. Without them, we would not have had the fourteen-year reprieve from the war."
"To Fripsy and Mitzy!" Everyone in the great hall said, as they all raised their goblets.
Just then, Salazar saw James and Lily slip into the great hall and quickly took their seats at the table Rita was sitting at. He glanced at Godric, who grinned broadly.
It is time. Salazar thought to himself, as Minerva stuck her hand in the partially closed door and shook a red handkerchief.
"Do you understand the rules of Hogwarts?" Minerva asked, as she stowed her handkerchief and turned to her charge.
"Yes ma'am." He replied.
"Do you have any questions?"
"No ma'am."
"Very well then." She said, as a bittersweet tear slipped down her cheek.
"Don't worry about me, Professor. I'll be okay, you'll see." The boy said, and he caught her by surprise when hugged her tight. "Uncle Remus is watching. He's happy for me."
"I know." Minerva whispered, as she hugged him back. "Well," she said as she straightened up and composed herself, "let's get you sorted."
Then she picked up the little four-legged stool and the sorting hat and turned to the door.
As Salazar and Godric took their seats, Albus stood up with a smile.
"Before we begin dinner, there is just one more thing that we need to take care of tonight. Professor McGonagall, if you please!" He called out loudly.
Murmuring instantly broke out in the great hall as Minerva led him towards the front. He barely managed to peel his eyes off the ceiling to look around at everyone watching him. The boy came to a stop in front of the head table and grinned as Minerva set the stool down on the stone that held the golden pillar of Hogwarts.
Then she took a small scroll out of her pocket and turned to the students.
"We have a new student joining us tonight. He is transferring to Hogwarts from the South American School of Wizardry." Then she unrolled the scroll and called out his name.
"Harry Potter."
Harry stepped forth and sat down on the tiny stool, but before Minerva put the hat on his head Salazar chuckled loudly.
"Come on Slytherin!" He shouted, causing several people to laugh loudly.
"Give it up Salazar!" Godric yelled. "He might be a Potter, but there is Gryffindor blood running through that boy's veins."
"I know! I've been trying to help the poor lad overcome that unfortunate disability for years."
"Shut up Salazar!" Godric cried, causing everyone to burst out laughing.
This is going to be so amazing. Harry thought as the sorting hat settled onto his head.
Well Mr. Potter, the hat thought back. Let's hope it will be amazing in…"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table immediately burst into a frenzy of cheers.