No O.W.L.'s

"So, that is why you must never mix serpent venom with ox extract." Professor Slughorn said meaningfully, gesturing at Boris Zabini's head, which was sporting a couple of spectacular bull's horns. There was a howl of laughter, and Zabini flushed. He looked hopefully at the Potions Professor, who handed over a glass of purple fluid.

After downing the potion, Zabini gasped once, and his horns fell off with a clatter.

"Thank you for volunteering, Mr. Zabini. Ten points to Slytherin." As the boy grinned, the bell rang, and the students began to gather up their books and notes.

"Miss Potter," Professor Slughorn called out, "please remain for a few moments. I need to talk to you about your project."

When the last student had left, Morgan walked up to her head of house and whispered, "I heard you left over the weekend. Did you visit our vault?"

"I did indeed, and I was able to copy two entire scrolls before the time limit was up." He handed over copies to her and then pointed out an underlined passage. "Take a look at this! What do you suppose it means?"

"A true Slytherin assumes all the aspects of the serpent..." Morgan read out loud, and frowned. "What other aspects are there?"

"That's for you to find out, Miss Potter," Professor Slughorn said with a smile. "Consider it extra homework."

"I already have a lot of that!" she exclaimed, hefting her overly full bag.

"Yes, I imagine so. Just remember that this particular homework doesn't have a due date, and there's no reason it has to be done alone." He looked meaningfully at her, and she nodded and sighed.

"I'll talk to Kay about it," she said. "But she's getting ready for her O.W.L.'s next year."

Professor Slughorn nodded. "Just because she's limited to low-grade magic doesn't mean she won't be tested. In fact, I had a look at her course schedule recently." He chuckled appreciatively. "Your sister is carrying quite a load: History of Magic, Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Potions," he nodded his head at the implied honor, "and Herbology, of course."

"She's auditing the Defense against the Dark Arts classes, too."

"I thought she dropped the course," the Potions professor said with a frown.

"She did, but then she asked if she could sit in on the class. No tests, and no work, but she wants to know what's out there." Morgan shrugged. "It makes sense, I guess."

"Better to know than to be ignorant," Slughorn said with an approving nod.

"A Slytherin assumes all the aspects of the serpent?" Morgan muttered, looking at the scroll again. "Well, I guess the first thing to do is figure out what serpents are known for besides scales and fangs."

"No," Professor Slughorn said, looking grave, "first you have a Quidditch match coming up against Gryffindor House, and I trust you plan to win?"

"Oh yes, Professor," Morgan grinned, and her eyes flashed. "Gryffindor will never see it coming!"

**

"She'll never see it coming!" James Potter exclaimed, wrapping the item up in brown paper and handing it to Kay, who paid him five Galleons.

"And you're sure it'll work?" Kay asked her older brother, daytime manager of the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Positive. Sirius and I tested it twenty times. It's strong enough, and best of all, there's no rule against them!"

Kay nodded. "Thanks, James."

"Anything else you need, little sister?" Black-haired and thin, James was a copy of his twin brother, Sirius, but lately he'd taken to wearing a pair of black glasses that made him look a lot like their father. The glasses seemed to have plain glass in them, as James needed no prescription; but Kay suspected that the glasses had some other mischievous magical purpose although she couldn't guess what it might be.

Kay thought for a moment, and then shook her head.

"Then," James said, coming around the counter and hugging her, "good luck! Sirius and I will be at the game. Did you hear Mum and Dad are coming, too?"

"No!" Kay gasped.

"You okay? You look a little sick."

"Morgan and I...broke a couple of rules. Dad's probably going to lecture us for it."

"Well, better to get it over before the game, then to spend your whole time worrying about it." James grinned, and pushed back a lock of his unruly hair.

"Yeah, maybe," Kay said. Then she pushed her purchase deeper into the big bag of candy she'd picked up at Honeyduke's. "Thanks again, James."

"You're welcome, Kay. I hope you win."

**

The day of the Gryffindor - Slytherin Quidditch match came quickly and the stands were packed with cheering fans and excited alumni. Even the ghosts could be seen hovering near the stands, the Bloody Baron lurking by the Slytherin end, Nearly Headless Nick at the Gryffindor one, Draco Malfoy and Moaning Myrtle high in the sky near the fluttering pennants, holding hands and talking.

As the teams headed toward their respective changing rooms they glanced at each other. Kay braced herself for some hazing, but nothing came. She glanced at Morgan who smiled at her, but said nothing, and then disappeared into the Slytherin changing room.

"All right, there's nothing to worry about," Team Captain Alice Longbottom assured them all. "We've practiced hard, and even though Ramius is out sick, Kay here's done well enough. She's even got a trick ready in case we need it to win."

"That's to be expected," said Corwin Creevey, one of the team beaters. "She's tricky, all right."

Kay flushed at that, and avoided Corwin's gaze.

Emma Potter, Kay's fifth year older sister, and one of the Chasers, smiled at the two of them but said nothing.

Kay kept checking over her broom and laces on her boots. She could fly, that was first-year ability, after all, but she doubted she could match Morgan's speed, which seemed more like a rocket half the time.

"You'll do fine," Alice Longbottom assured her. "Now, let's get out there!"

"Excuse me," said a voice, and the team turned around and gasped, as Harry Potter walked into the room. Dressed in dark robes and wearing a bowler hat, he looked every inch a figure of authority. "I need to have a word with Kay before the game starts. I promise I won't take long," he assured the team captain.

Alice Longbottom uttered an unintelligible croak to the Minister of Magic. She finally nodded once.

"Thank you," Harry said politely.

Kay followed her father out of the changing room and towards a spot behind part of the stands, where she could see Morgan was waiting. Morgan was wearing her Slytherin Quidditch uniform, and clutching her broom. She looked queasy.

"Where's Mum?" Kay asked.

"She and Cedric are in the top box," Harry said.

"Cedric?" Kay asked, as she walked up stand beside her sister. They both stood facing their father. Kay wondered if her sister had butterflies in her stomach, the way she did.

"Yes, your little brother has decided he wants to be addressed by his middle name, now. After your uncle Percy died so heroically, a lot of parents have been naming their sons 'Percival'. Cedric says he's tired of being of being one of many."

"I bet his godfather likes the name-change," Morgan said insightfully. "How is Mr. Diggory, anyway?"

"Well, you can ask him yourself, later. He's up in the stands with your Mum. Now, stop trying to change the subject! I've read Horace's letter, and the reports that both Professor Merrythought and Lily passed on to me." He folded his arms and looked at his two daughters with a very stern face. The bowler hat he wore made him look very official, not like the doting father they knew and loved. "I understand why you did it, but I'm disappointed that you didn't talk to me, or to a teacher, first!"

The girls said nothing at first, but then Kay looked defiantly at her father. "What do you expect, Dad? After all the trouble you got into, all the adventures you had, didn't you think we would want to do the same? You've left some big shoes behind!"

"And we were right!" Morgan exclaimed. "We found Slytherin relics that Voldemort never did. We've got access to part of Slytherin's fortune, and just recently, Professor Slughorn showed me another piece to the puzzle--a scroll that Slytherin himself left behind; it said that Slytherin House embodies all the aspects of a serpent! When this Quidditch match is over, I'm going to be studying in the library, trying to figure out what that means. We're one step closer to understanding Slytherin's true nature! Isn't that worth breaking the rules?"

"You're both right. Still, Morgan, why didn't you tell me you were a Parselmouth?"

"I was afraid of what you might think," she admitted, and then looked at him sharply. "But then you didn't tell me the truth about Kay, either."

"Yes," Harry said, "but that's a state secret--it's not just you who was excluded, Morgan, it's everyone else in the world, too."

"Oh," Morgan said, feeling a bit sheepish, her cheeks reddening. "So, there was nothing personal in it?

"No, of course it wasn't personal. Morgan, just because you have a talent usually associated with Dark Magic doesn't automatically mean you're wicked! The fact that you're concerned about what people think of you proves you have a good heart. Truly evil people don't care one way or the other."

"Oh," Morgan said again. She frowned, thinking about what her father had just said.

"Remember what I told you outside the dojo, Kay?"

Kay nodded. "You said that you and Mum would always try to understand, because you'd been through the school, too." She flushed, and saw Morgan fidgeting. They'd both expected a furious tirade from their father, with lots of shouting. Somehow, though, this was worse.

Despite his sternness, Harry was secretly pleased with his girls. The sides of his mouth twitched, and he almost smiled. He decided to soften his tone slightly, before he delivered the final blow.

"You've both made some mistakes," he went on, "but your motives have been good. If we can make sense of Salazar Slytherin, I think the entire Wizarding World will benefit. Your mother's quite pleased with what you've discovered so far, and you know what? Your sister, Lily, is actually jealous!"

Kay and Morgan gaped, and then looked at each other, and smiled.

"She's a bit upset that the two of you have been able to impress her favorite teacher, Professor Slughorn.

"However," Harry's voice became stern again, "if you two break any more serious regulations, your mother and I have decided upon a fitting punishment all our own! We won't wait for you two to get expelled. We'll pull you both out of Hogwarts, and enroll you at the Beauxbatons Academy!"

"No, Daddy!" they both shouted. Kay and Morgan gasped. Horrific visions of ballet classes, thick lace underskirts, white sauce recipes, etiquette lessons, and strictly chaperoned cotillions filled their heads with frightening clarity.

"Please, not that!" Kay screamed.

"I like it here!" Morgan protested.

"Then watch your step," Harry said ominously. "Now get going," he said pointing toward the pitch, and then turned and walked off toward the VIP box.

Morgan swallowed and looked at her sister with wild eyes.

"Beauxbatons," Kay whispered, her lips trembling.

"I never dreamed he'd fight dirty," Morgan muttered, shuddering slightly.

The girls hurried back to their respective ends of the stadium.

**

The Quidditch game was not going well for Gryffindor. They were down by forty points, and the new Slytherin Keeper, a hulking boy named Victor Campion, was swatting down most of Gryffindor's attempted goals. Kay and Morgan had twice attempted to catch the Snitch, but both times Bludgers had interfered with them, causing them to lose sight of it.

Slytherin's secret strategy turned out to be an aerial wedge formation that swept the Gryffindors aside like a snowplow. The Slytherin team had an entire system of feints and dodges, as well as a series of different signals that allowed them to assume the formation on a moment's notice.

Kay was cruising above the dueling Chasers, looking this way and that when she finally spotted the Snitch, hovering near the sand at the bottom of the Gryffindor goalposts. She spurred her broom to accelerate, but headed toward the top of the goalposts, glancing back to see Morgan following her with a fantastic burst of speed. So far, so good, she thought.

Kay risked a glance and saw that the Snitch had moved up slightly, and then put out her right hand as though to catch the Snitch, digging into her inner pocket of her uniform with her left hand for her Secret Weapon. As she'd hoped, Morgan flashed past her, still not seeing where the Snitch really was, only wanting to beat her to it.

With a grin, Kay swung her left leg off, and deliberately dove off her broom, dropping headfirst toward the ground like a suicide from a bridge.

The crowd gasped and several people screamed.

Kay extended her right hand, and then, at the last possible moment swept up the Snitch with her right hand while activating the item in her left. The sudden acceleration jerked her up and forward, the whiskbroom carrying her across the Quidditch pitch, dangling like a mountain climber from a safety harness. She waved the struggling Snitch about, triumphantly. The little broom carried her effortlessly, just as James had assured her it would.

Applause and cheering sounded, as well as jeers and cries from frustrated bettors washing back and forth across the pitch. Kay twitched the broom to stop, and she hovered, about eight feet off the ground.

As the referees argued back and forth about whether this was even allowed, Morgan sailed down and looked at Kay with hot eyes. "That's illegal!"

"There's no rule against it," said Kay, grinning. "I got you, didn't I?"

Morgan fumed, but said nothing.

Finally, after a hot argument between the referees and the two team captains and a point-by-point examination of the rulebook, the match was awarded to Gryffindor for sheer ingenuity.

Kay was carried off the field by the triumphant victors, chanting her name. The stands emptied quickly, with the spectators pouring out onto the field.

Morgan stood on the ground, watching Kay being paraded away on the shoulders of her teammates, seething at her sister's duplicity. Then she felt a something touch her hand, and turned to see her youngest brother, Percival Cedric, looking at her. "Slytherin should have won," he said. "You played well."

Morgan nodded. "She pulled a fast one, though. I never thought of that trick."

"Maybe because you didn't because you didn't have to?"

"What do you mean, Percy?"

"Cedric," he corrected her. "P. Cedric Potter, Esquire. It's got a certain ring to it, don't you think?" He struck a lordly pose, and Morgan couldn't help but grin at her little brother's pomposity. Slightly stocky for his age, Cedric had rich auburn hair and their mother's brown eyes, which lent him a genteel look.

He's going to be very handsome when he grows up, Morgan thought.

"Kay had to think of something sneaky, because she knows she can't match you in magic or most other things. So, she thinks of ways to get around her...handicap. That gives her an advantage."

"That makes sense," Morgan said, after a moment's thought.

"So, the next time you two play Quidditch, think about how Kay will be trying to even up the odds, and then you'll be ready for her."

"Thanks," Morgan said, and then looked at her little brother quizzically. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I lost three Sickles betting on you," he said, nodding in the direction of their mother, who was standing on the sidelines, talking to Cedric's godfather, Amos Diggory.

"He must really like your new name," Morgan said, falling into pace beside Cedric as they walked toward their mother.

Cedric nodded. "He says it's almost like having his son back."

"Oh, Morgan," said their mother as she looked at her youngest daughter with a commiserating expression. "I honestly thought you were going to win!"

"That's okay, Mum," Morgan said, glancing at Cedric. "I'll do better next time."

"Morgan, you're looking more grown up every time I see you." Amos Diggory said. He was a white haired man who walked with a slight limp, leaning on a stout cane which was emblazoned with carved badgers.

"Thanks, Mr. Diggory."

"Why are we all standing on the pitch?" Ginny asked rhetorically. "Morgan, get changed and then meet us outside the pitch. Sirius and James are going to meet us in Hogsmeade for supper. Your brother Brian has just sent us a long letter about his adventures in Manchuria and I want to share it with everyone at once!"

A family supper, Morgan thought as she hurried to the Slytherin changing room. That will take away the pain of losing to Gryffindor. She smiled at the thought and quickened her pace.

After she left the changing room, she spotted the family waiting for her in a tight knot. Then, as one, they started walking along the path toward Hogsmeade, gradually separating into distinct clumps; Morgan found herself being pulled backwards toward the rear; her mother, Ginny, holding her hand.

"You want to say something, Mum?" Morgan asked.

"Oh yes," Ginny said. "Your father told me that what you said to him, and I think it's something that needs to be addressed."

Morgan decided to cut to the chase. "I would have told you about my being a Parselmouth, Mum, but you and Dad seemed so upset last year, when I decided to stay in Slytherin. I thought that one more Dark announcement would hurt you--"

"So you thought you'd spare us the worry?" Ginny smiled gently, and shook her head. "Morgan, last year your father and I had a long talk after you told us you were staying put in Slytherin, but we weren't too worried about what it might do to you. We knew you were in good hands with Horace Slughorn, after all.

"We also talked about our respective families. Did you know that I have a distant cousin who was in Slytherin?" Morgan shook her head, and Ginny smiled. "Your father and I talked about that, and we came to the conclusion that the Sorting Hat separates people based partly on their magical abilities, but also on the basis of what kind of person they are. Hufflepuffs are diligent; Ravenclaws are creative; Gryffindors are determined; and Slytherins are ambitious. That's really all there is to it."

The path was bordered on both sides by green grass and clumps of bushes. Rabbits could be seen here and there, and blackbirds were pecking at the ground for hidden seeds. Morgan felt a sense of peace at the surroundings. There was a sensation of comfort in walking here, holding her mother's hand. Further ahead she could see her father strolling alongside her older sister, Charlotte. Emma, Charlotte's twin, was of course celebrating Gryffindor's victory back at Hogwarts.

"Voldemort twisted Slytherin's name and legacy to fit his own purposes," Ginny went on. "Students like you are still dealing with that reputation, even though he's been dead for years. But you, Morgan, have apparently decided to do something about it. That's not only encouraging, it makes me very proud."

Morgan glowed, and looked at her mother in gratitude.

"If you're in Slytherin, it's a sign that the Sorting Hat sees you as a person of ambition and determination; you want to make your life into something special; and that's good! The only time that your father and I will start to worry, Morgan, is if you start to push people out of your way on your path to success. If you decide that to get what you want you have to start manipulating others, tricking them, or destroying them if you think they're 'in your way', then you're in trouble. At that point, we will intervene." Her mother's voice was hard, and Morgan felt a slight chill. She'd seen what her mother was capable of before, and didn't want see that again; much less be on the receiving end of one of her special hexes!

"We love you very much Morgan, and we'd never think bad of you unless you gave us cause." She looked into Morgan's eyes. "Do you understand me?"

Morgan nodded, and squeezed her mother's hand. "Thanks Mum."

Ginny released Morgan's hand and swept her into a hug. "My littlest girl," she said softly, as they held the hug for nearly a minute.

There was a distant shout of hello, and the two of them looked ahead on the path, where Sirius and James could be seen waving at the entrance to Hogsmeade. Their girlfriends were standing nearby, and Morgan saw her mother's face brighten at the sight. It would be a long night gathered around a long table with laughter, songs, and many stories; the kind of gathering her parents seemed to enjoy the most--and she did, too, now that she thought about it.

**

Four hours later, Morgan was sitting in the spacious Slytherin Common Room, her nose buried in a thick book from the library, The Aspects of the Serpent Throughout World History. Now and then one of her hands would reach into a bowl of crisps, but that was happening less and less as her reading became more impassioned.

It is important to remember that the serpent family is both wide and varied. Dragons are also considered snakes, and they have a special place in history, both Muggle and Magical.

Ancient Muggle Chinese astronomers believed that dragons dwelled in the sky, and were responsible for solar and lunar eclipses. As the shadows marched across the solar and lunar faces, the Chinese emperors would rally the people to play loud instruments, bang on pans, or light off firecrackers to make noise to frighten the dragons away from their voracious eating habits. Their tactics were always successful, for the eclipses ended, and the sun and moon shone again.

In a like fashion, sky-borne serpents are equated in many cultures with comets and meteors, which are harbingers of the changing of history. Muggle and Wizarding events alike are often denoted by the appearance of a comet or a dragon.

One can argue, therefore, that the snake is a symbol of change. Dragons of course are also symbolic of power--neither good nor ill, simply power.

It is important to realize, however, that the Chinese Dragons, the largest of the worldwide serpents, were not always regarded as dangerous. Chinese dragons are sometimes capable of human speech, and are founts of wisdom. Just to see a dragon or a serpent is regarded as a stroke of good fortune in China, and in many other cultures around the world.

As Morgan read, she made occasional notes on a piece of parchment. She was slowly tallying up the different aspects of the serpent, and was now adding 'change', 'wisdom,' and 'astronomy' to the list. Slytherin House, she mused, does not stress all the ideals of a serpent, today. Voldemort must have buried the rest of the other aspects in favor of the ones that would insure his rise to power. If that's the case, then the biggest victim of Voldemort was Slytherin House itself!

**

The day after the Gryffindor victory party, Kay received a summons to Professor Slughorn's office. She knocked at the door, and her stomach knotted up. I hope he's not holding any grudges, she thought worriedly.

The door opened, and her Potions professor's kind face surrounded by his straw-colored hair eliminated her worries, at first. He waved her to a chair, and then Kay saw that there was another person in the room: a round-faced woman with stringy black hair pulled into a conservative-looking bun. Her eyes were haunted, and her face had a slightly sick cast to it, as though she spent long nights worrying about things. Kay was discomfited, because she thought the woman looked somewhat familiar, though she was sure she'd never met her.

"Thank you for coming, Miss Potter," Professor Slughorn said as he took a seat opposite his two guests. "Now, before we go any further let me say that I will not tolerate any loud voices, shouting, or hexes hurled. Is that understood?" He glanced about and saw the woman nod, and Kay nodded, still a bit confused. "Very well, then. Kay Potter, this woman is acquainted with you in an indirect fashion. She was once a classmate of your parents, who knew her as Pansy Parkinson. Today, she is known as Mrs. Gregory Goyle.

Kay gasped, and she stared at the woman in the black dress who nodded solemnly. The mother of her attempted assassin!

"Marcus Goyle was my son," she said simply.

Kay was so shocked she didn't know what to say.

"Mrs. Goyle is here because she wants to ask you a question," Professor Slughorn explained.

"What?" Kay gasped again, wondering what on earth was coming next.

Pansy looked at Kay directly. "First of all, let me say that I am so sorry for what Marcus tried to do to you. I tried very hard to teach him that what happened to his father was not his fault, nor should he try to seek redress. But he is a very stubborn boy; when he's convinced he's right about something, he won't listen!"

Kay said nothing.

Mrs. Goyle then said quickly, "I have only one other child: my daughter, Daisy. She's been studying abroad. After she heard about what happened here, she wrote me to say that she wants to transfer to Hogwarts next year, to make good on the family name. Will you allow that?"

Kay was flustered. "Mrs. Goyle...I don't have any control over that! It's up to the Headmistress and the Board of Governors. I'm just a student."

"I know what this school is like," Pansy said, shaking her head. "Everybody has their own circle of friends; the cliques are like little star clusters, all competing to be the brightest. Those who don't fit in, or aren't wanted, are pushed aside or picked on until they leave. I don't want my last child coming where she's not wanted! Will you give her a chance to be accepted? Will you promise not to snub her right away?" Pansy's eyes were like daggers, and Kay surmised that Mrs. Goyle was probably a very protective mother. "My husband was defeated by your father; my son tried to kill you, and got himself thrown in prison for life. Those are very serious stigmas! Will you agree not to ruin my daughter's life before she's even started?"

"Mrs. Goyle, I..." Kay was completely bewildered. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. "I've never even met your daughter. But...if she comes to school here, well, I promise to...to treat her like I would any other fellow student." Kay stammered the last part, not quite sure what to say.

"Thank you. That's all I ask; a fair trial." Pansy Goyle bowed her head slightly, and then got up and left the room.

After Mrs. Goyle was gone, Kay looked at her Potions teacher. "Wow! That was...unexpected."

Horace Slughorn sank into one of his plush armchairs and waved his wand to fill two cups of tea. The cups flew over to them both. "To you, perhaps; but I've been expecting something like that to happen for quite a while."

"Why?" Kay asked.

"Ah," Slughorn said, looking up from his teacup. "You obviously don't know her story. Pansy Parkinson was...let's say she was not the brightest student here at Hogwarts. She was one of that last knot of Slytherins who were coddled by Severus Snape prior to Dumbledore's death." The Potions professor went silent, his eyes downcast, whenever he spoke of his old friend.

"Anyway, Snape needed to maintain his cover, so he passed a lot of Slytherin students who really should have been given P's, or Trolls on their O.W.L.'s. Pansy was one of them. I suppose you could say she glided through her classes, protected by an allegedly sympathetic teacher. During the war she became a Death Eater, and was captured during a raid by the Order of the Phoenix. She was thrown into Azkaban, and didn't get out until years later. Since the dementors were mostly killed off in wartime and none were at the prison, she was sane." He sipped at his tea again, and Kay motioned for him to continue.

"Well, after the war, she discovered she didn't have any great skill in magic, and the love of her life, Draco Malfoy, was dead. Most of her friends were likewise dead, or still in prison. She went back to live with her parents for a while, until they died, and after that she started drifting. Eventually she wound up working as a charwoman in a Wizarding pub in the midlands."

Kay whistled at the unfortunate turn of events.

"Years later she met Gregory Goyle, after he was released from Azkaban. They had a lot in common, both former Death Eaters, down and out, and the usual sort of thing happened. Eventually, they had Marcus, named after her father." Professor Slughorn looked thoughtful. "I stopped into their pub once while on a trip, and the two of them seemed quite content. Goyle had used his family's money to purchase the pub, and they were turning it into smart little operation--the only Wizarding place for miles around! Pansy was...I guess you could say she was glowing! She was overjoyed with the way things had turned around--happy to be a mother, delighted that her life was on the upswing. For the first time in years, her future looked bright. Not long after that she got pregnant again."

"What happened?" Kay asked curiously. She was caught up in the story. She'd never known anything about Marcus Goyle's family, never guessed what his home life was all about.

"Gregory Goyle became so successful that he started attracting a certain clientele, dark wizards mostly. They'd build up the fire on some nights and spin stories about their time in the war. The talk was always the usual sort of things veterans talk about : which battles they'd been in, the number of enemies they'd killed, that sort of thing. Well, one night, after too much whisky, one of their numbers happened to talk about his part in the Brazilian tablets business. I suppose your father's talked about that?"

"Sure!" Kay exclaimed. "It was the first big Death Eater defeat my Dad oversaw. There were two ancient tablets that Voldemort wanted so that he could consort with an ancient race and enlist their help in overrunning England."

"Well, Gregory Goyle and his guests wondered why they couldn't do the same thing with the Primordial Giants who left this world via the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. Bring them back, and as you said in your Quibbler interview, let them run amok and then pick up the pieces afterward."

"But it didn't work out, did it?"

"No, and the reason it didn't was because of Pansy. You see, the Primordial Giants feed primarily on humans, and are especially fond of children!" At Kay's gasp, he nodded. "All she could think about was the danger to Marcus, and to the second child she was carrying.

"So, she pretended to be in awe of her husband's plan; but as soon as his back was turned, she sent an owl directly to your father, the Minister of Magic.

"I was visiting your father when that owl arrived, and I will never forget that look in his eyes when he realized what was happening. He was calling up troops and Aurors faster than you could say 'Snitch'!"

"Blimey," Kay exclaimed, thinking of her father springing into action on a moment's notice. She'd seen it a few times before at home, and it was something to see.

"Well, I'm sure your History of Magic class has described the Battle of the Causeway well enough to you--how the Ministry of Magic intercepted the Death Eaters before they could complete the summoning ritual, and the pitched battle between Gregory Goyle and your father, and how poor Seamus Finnigan intercepted that terrible hex Goyle sent towards Harry."

Kay grimaced. "Is it really true? Did all of Colonel Finnigan's bones really dissolve when that hex hit him?"

"Yes," Professor Slughorn said, sadly. "His body collapsed under its own weight and fell into the sea. He was literally washed away by the surf! That's when your father struck back, and turned Gregory Goyle into a statue. After the battle was over, Goyle was moved to the Ministry itself to stand on permanent display near the big fountain."

"'A monument to the futility of evil,'" Kay quoted the statue's inscription.

"Yes," Professor Slughorn said, nodding. "In gratitude for that, Mrs. Finnigan named her newborn son after your father."

Kay nodded. "Yeah, Harry Finnigan reminds me of that constantly."

"I'm not surprised. He's quite fond of you, you know?"

"Is he really?" Kay asked. "Not just infatuated?"

Professor Slughorn smiled and shook his head. "Give him a try, Kay. I think you might be surprised."

Kay had a sudden thought. "So why is Mrs. Goyle so worried I might attack her daughter? From everything you've said, she actually helped my dad."

"She wants to be sure you're not holding a grudge, Kay. After all that's happened between your two families, can you blame her?"

"No," Kay said, nodding her understanding, "I guess I can't."

**

Morgan was engrossed in her book again, her eyes eating up the pages.

The serpent is very long-lived, and is regarded by many primitive cultures as symbolic of immortality. Shedding of skins symbolizes leaving behind one life and taking up another. In a like fashion, many alchemists have used serpent skins as a key ingredient in the Draught of Regeneration. While not as potent or as long-lasting as the potion produced by the Philosopher's Stone, it has many more beneficial effects, such as rendering the drinker capable of re-growth of severed limbs.

In other cultures, the serpent is worshipped as a sign of fertility. Beyond the obvious phallic imagery, the serpent is renowned for its quick breeding capabilities. One almost never hears about a shortage of snakes!

While many fear the serpent because of its cold-bloodedness and unusual appearance, it should be noted that the serpent is in fact a survivor without equal. It can travel over virtually all terrain, and its sinuous body is durable and capable of inserting itself into small cracks for shelter, and can even skim across the surface of water! Its skin repairs faster than softer dermal material. It is for this reason that the snake should be viewed as Nature's most perfect creation.

Non-magical snakes have a constitution that is virtually unmatched. They can exist on little or no food for extended periods of time, in some cases up to a year. Hibernation comes easily to the snake, and its metabolism can slow so far as to be undetectable. Unlike picky mammalian carnivores that eat only parts of a kill, the serpent is able to swallow the entire carcass of its prey. No scavenger species such as jackals or dingoes are required to clean up after a snake--it is one of the most efficient eating machines in the animal kingdom.

Morgan looked up from her book to stare at the green serpent banner on the wall. She stared at the long body of the snake, the smooth scales and sleek head. For the first time she appreciated the wisdom involved in choosing the symbol of Slytherin House. It was not a connotation of evil, but one of wisdom, power, and grace. Too many people saw only the slanted eyes and fangs, and ignored the proud history and sleek form. Slytherin had made a very competent choice for his house!

In direct combat with any of the other symbols of the totem animals of the other Hogwarts houses, the serpent would be serious competition: Slytherin could easily invade the burrow of Hufflepuff's badger; its fangs could kill or at least wound the Gryffindor lion; and if Ravenclaw were to seize it and carry it off into the sky, some serpents even had wings, such as the common dragon, or Wadjet the winged Egyptian serpent. She wondered if Salazar Slytherin had boasted of this to his fellow founders during his association with them.

Suddenly Morgan was seized with an idea. Jumping up from the table she rushed out of the Slytherin common room and headed straight for the Headmistress' office. "Stroganoff," she said to the gargoyle, which moved aside for her. Professor Dumbledore had used dessert-themed passwords; Professor Merrythought liked entrees.

"Enter," said the Headmistress, when Morgan knocked on the door.

Morgan walked into the office, still breathless with excitement.

"Miss Potter, what is it?" Professor Merrythought was reviewing a course schedule. Her brown eyes were intent on the young Slytherin.

"Professor, I think the four founders of Hogwarts were all animagi!" Morgan blurted out.

Professor Merrythought blinked, and then waved Morgan to sit in a chair. She motioned for the student to continue.

"Think about it! All four Hogwarts houses reflect the animal symbols! Hufflepuff house is in the cellar; Ravenclaw occupies a high tower; Slytherin is adjacent to the lake--"

"Gryffindor is in a tower," Professor Merrythought pointed out. "That is hardly the place for a lion."

"But the lion is always referred to as 'the king of the beasts'. What better place for a lion than a high throne to survey his territory?"

"Possibly," the Headmistress said, nodding thoughtfully.

"All the animagi I've ever met have said that after a time, you acquire the mannerisms of the animal whose form you assume. My dad said that Sirius Black had a barking sort of laugh; Peter Pettigrew squeaked when he was nervous; Professor McGonagall had an arch way of looking at you, like a cat looking at potential prey.

"When the four founders chose to use separate houses, why did they use animal symbols? Why not pictures of themselves, as befitted their stations? Both Gryffindor and Slytherin were proud men, after all. Wouldn't they have wanted to be sure that those who followed them wouldn't forget them? Why use animals, unless the symbols really are pictures of them after all, in a different form! It makes sense!"

"Perhaps so, Miss Potter; and if we take into account the location of the Chamber of Secrets, down a dark hole, your theory has even more weight."

Morgan nodded, a slow smile growing on her face.

"However, assuming this is true, how does this affect us today?"

"I'm not sure, professor. But, one of the things that it means is that all of the four founders were not completely honest about the legacy of the school. Up to now, Salazar Slytherin has been getting the worst press. But I'm starting to think there's more than meets the eye regarding all of the founders. In fact," she started to get excited as a new idea blossomed in her head, "maybe all of them left secret legacies! What if there's also a secret chamber for Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, too?" Morgan's eyes were shining. "Not necessarily just hidden gifts for blood relations, but...tontines of wisdom and power left behind for students who would have similar abilities. Are there corresponding talents similar to Parseltongue? Is there an ability to speak to birds, or badgers, or cats?"

"Perhaps there are," Professor Merrythought said. "In which case there may well be future treasures waiting to be unearthed by some future student."

"But shouldn't we at least investigate? Figure out where these legacies might be?"

"Miss Potter, you are a Slytherin. You have found part of Salazar Slytherin's legacy, and that should be your concern. If there are other hoards of wisdom left behind by Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, then they will be found in their own time by deserving students in those houses."

"But--"

"That is my decision," said the Headmistress in a voice that brooked no argument, and Morgan fell silent. "Now, please add these insights of yours to a report and deliver it to me tomorrow evening. I have already informed your sister, Kay, to do the same with what she has learned."

"Kay discovered something on her own? What was it?"

"You'll find out tomorrow. Now, please let me finish my work."

Morgan nodded, and left the office.

Professor Merrythought watched her go with an admiring expression. Then, which she was certain that she was alone, she turned to Zephyr, her owl. "She's a bright little girl, don't you think?" she asked in a shrill voice that sounded like a screeching bird.

"Certainly," said Zephyr, in the common avian tongue. "But you didn't say anything about discovering you were the Heir of Ravenclaw, when you were a Hogwarts student."

"She didn't ask," Professor Merrythought pointed out in an innocent-sounding voice. "Besides, eventually Morgan will realize that I didn't say that the Ravenclaw legacy was still waiting for a student. It may take her a while, but I'm sure she'll figure it out."