FOUNDER'S LEGACY

Part 3

Love through the Time

“The duel was an appropriate course of action considering the circumstances.” Lord Potter admitted finally. “I am prepared to pay damages to Lord Gaunt and Lady Ravenclaw. I admit my actions were too harsh and my judgment clouded. I ask for your forgiveness, Lord Slytherin.”

Salazar smirked grimly. “I accept your apology. We release your daughter right now as a sign of our good will. I want my wife returned in one hour. Otherwise, this agreement will not be effective and our army will attack the castle. Just for your information, between Rowena, Godric and I we have enough power to tear down the wards around the castle and then raze it to the ground.” Salazar ended the negotiations with his cold threat.

Rowena glowered at Salazar for blatantly overestimating their power. “Your children will be welcome at Hogwarts and no harm shall befall them, on this we swear a binding oath.”

The male Founder nodded in unwilling acceptance; he did not want to test Rowena's patience with them, since she was still on edge from Lily’s abduction.

“That's acceptable.” Lord Potter replied relieved, he had children at the school currently, and with the money he owed Ravenclaw and Gaunt he wouldn't be able to hire tutors for his children if they could not go to Hogwarts. ‘It will be at least 50 years before the Potter family regains every bit of money we lost because of this situation.’ Lord Potter mused.

Salazar approached him cautiously, taking out his dagger; he slashed his left palm and lent the dagger to Lord Potter. The older man raised an eyebrow at the beginnings of the ritual. He also cut his palm before returning the dagger to Slytherin. Both men let a few drops of blood fall to the ground. As the magic thickened in the air, the auras of both participants enveloped the other as Salazar and Lord Potter shook hands mingling blood. The oath sealed and a small part of the power trickled into other's aura signalling the end of ritual. The magic dissolved.

“That is all, Lord Potter.” Salazar exclaimed. He bowed to the older man and went back to Rowena and his father. Together they apparated out leaving behind a bewildered Lord Potter and his sons.

“Why did you agree to their terms, father?” Michael asked.

“They were merciful. Lord Slytherin could have ruined us, Lord Gaunt could have asked for my head and others could have destroyed our reputation, our castle, everything...” Lord Potter trailed off. “Come.” He hurried his sons, “We have to return the Lady Slytherin to her family. I cannot give them a reason to attack us.”

Lily sensed a change in the air; happiness, relief and confusion flooded the castle. Most of the emotions Lily could not recognize so tangled were they. Her seer ability spiked uncomfortably, happy with the course the future took. ‘Hopefully it means Salazar made that bull-headed Potter listen and I finally get to go to home.’ She was jolted from her thoughts by the arrival of Lord Potter.

“Lady Slytherin.” Lord Potter said. “You are free to go.”

Lily was sceptical. “Am I able to leave the castle and your hospitability?''

“Your husband made me an offer I couldn't refuse, milady. I would like you to leave the castle as soon as possible. Lord Slytherin gave me an hour to release you.”

‘I wonder what Salazar threatened him with to get him to submit so easily.’ Lily stood up. “Shall we go, then?”

Lord Potter offered to escort Lily. She accepted politely and followed Lord Potter’s lead downstairs. “You have beautiful home, Lord Potter.” Lily tried to break the cold silence.

“Thank you, Lady Slytherin.” Lord Potter answered stiffly; he could not forget her husband’s threat to tear the castle down if the Potter family did not meet the conditions set. ‘They certainly had similar minds. She may be of Ravenclaw blood but she has a purely Slytherin mindset. No wonder they are married.’ He thought.

When they were exiting the castle, Lily noticed an older woman crying and clutching a younger woman in her arms. She shrugged dismissively. ‘It’s probably some Potter relative.’

She saw Potter's two sons speaking quietly near both women. They were glaring at her suspiciously. Lily smirked at them cheekily; she had made their lives hell while they were guarding her. She was still pleased with her actions. The older brother - Michael - reddened in anger, the younger one tried to calm him down.

Lord Potter had enough. He unceremoniously dragged Lily out of castle. He wanted to get rid of that aggravating woman, the sooner the better. The Lady Slytherin was simply too different from Potters, as a result their tempers clashed horribly.

“Milady, you may proceed. Your husband is waiting for you on the other side of the clearing. Now if you will excuse me, I have to return to my family.”

Lily curtsied politely, before she went for her husband. He was waiting for her impatiently. She squealed with happiness and ran to him. Lord Potter was amused; he knew he would ever meet a unique a person as Lily Slytherin was. With a small smile, Lord Potter turned his back on the happy couple and started his journey back to his castle.

“I am never going to let you out of my sight again.” Salazar exclaimed seriously, savouring the feel of Lily's body in his arms. He kissed her gently on the temple.

Lily smiled happily. This was home. “I’m never going to leave you again. It was hell, Sal.”

“Rowena will fuss over you. Just you wait.” Salazar warned his wife. “She was very distraught when she heard you were kidnapped, again. I thought she was going to skin me alive for not looking after you properly. How is it possible for you to get into so much trouble Lily?”

“It was Morfet. He gave me some kind of sleeping draught. Next thing I knew was woke up with a horrible headache and a Potter ready to be pissed off.''

“Only you, Lily.” Salazar sighed indulgently; then he continued seriously. “Lord Potter killed Morfet, and it appears that the abduction was planned with my father's knowledge and silent approval.”

“WHAT?!” Lily cried out in surprise. “He is dead!”

“I already made him swear never to meddle with anyone in our family ever again. Lily, calm down.”

Lily was so pissed her aura was visible. “Can I at least slap him silly? Please, Sal?” Lily begged.

“No, you cannot. We are going directly to Hogwarts. I am sure Helga will welcome some help.”

“I hate you, Salazar.” Lily murmured contently. Her aura sucked back into her body. She felt faint. Her magic was low after her last outburst. Suddenly silver light pulsed around her body and Salazar was pushed aside. Lily opened her mouth and an unearthly voice spoke through her. ''Beware. The Time of the Split is coming... Betrayal begets another betrayal... Brother against brother, son against father... The Time of the Split is coming... Siblings are the first sign - their lives weaved together but apart... The lovers are the last sign - their love forbidden but lived... Only one of three shall prevail at the end... The Time of the Split is coming...''

The silver aura flickered out and vanished. Lily fainted. The prophecy she made too much strain on her magic. Salazar took her in his arms and apparated to Rowena. The older woman yelped when she saw an unconscious Lily.

“She needs to get to Hogwarts. Immediately!” He said impatiently, Rowena charmed him a Portkey. “Infirmary!” Salazar called out.

Helga was startled when she saw Salazar appear in the Hospital Wing. However, the sight of an unconscious Lily drew her attention in matter of seconds. “What happened?”

“Lily made her first Prophecy, she passed out.” Salazar explained. “Do something, Helga.”

Salazar knew untrained seers were in constant danger of loosing themselves in the endless possibilities of the future. More often than not, they just spoke warnings of horrible events they saw. Disjointed fragments and the odd sentence leaving others to figure out the meaning of the vague words the seer spouted. And Lily was an untrained seer; she refused to learn the art because she’d never believed in Divination. It was too much of a contradiction in her logical mind. Helga saw a similar thing in her childhood when Rowena made her first Prophecy.

“She needs your magic, Salazar. Sit down and hold her hand,” Helga ordered. ‘Hopefully the power transfer will bury Lily's awakened ability long enough to learn some control.’ She quickly tapped her wand on the couple's joined hands. Salazar groaned and passed out almost immediately. Helga tapped her wand again and disconnected their hands. As soon as the transfer was finished, Rowena and Godric invaded the infirmary.

“What's happened?” Rowena demanded to know.

“Lily made her first prophecy. I had to do a power transfer.” Helga replied as she checked Lily and Salazar’s vital signs, it seemed they were going to be all right. Rowena paled; she remembered how hard it was to learn control as she went through something similar when she was younger. “I thought she was only a weak seer.”

“She is, but for some reason she made a prophecy; it drained her dangerously.”

Rowena approached her descendant. She caressed the hair of the unconscious woman. “Poor Lily, everything happens to you.”

“Let them sleep for now, Rowena.” Helga admonished her friend gently. “Now, shoo. Both of you; I am certain you both have something to do. Out. Out of my hospital! I don't want you to disturb my patients.” Godric and Rowena left and Lily and Salazar continued their healing sleep.