Hearts and Hourglasses

Hearts and Hourglasses
Chapter 25: Insatiable

Hermione began to spend every minute of her free time in Wvelte's library. With Rowena's permission, she informed Madam Pince, who as Hermione had predicted, was ecstatic to say the least.

"Tell me again why we are doing this?" Ron stage-whispered to Harry on Tuesday evening as they lugged heavy stacks of books from the library to the main hall in Wvelte. He ducked his head, barely avoiding being swatted by Hermione, who was walking behind them. She was holding a scroll of parchment and a feather quill and cataloguing the books and materials being transferred from Wvelte to Hogwarts Library.

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione said in an overly exasperated voice. "Please don't tell me you don't understand how important this is! These books are history! They're over a thousand-"

A loud thump interrupted her. Harry had accidentally dropped one of the books he was carrying. Hermione gasped in alarm and quickly picked it up.

"Harry, you should be more careful!" Hermione was holding the large tome as carefully and gingerly as if it were an infant. She began brushing imagined dust and dirt off it and looked it over for dents.

Ron rolled his eyes. Harry grinned, then he winced. His right arm was starting to cramp up from carrying too many heavy books.

"Here, let me help the two of you." Harry was startled when Godric suddenly appeared by his side. The older wizard took half of Harry's load and half of Ron's. Though Harry was embarrassed that their House's Founder was helping them carry books, he couldn't keep himself from feeling relieved. The muscles in his arms and shoulders were twinging with pain.

"Is this all for tonight?" Godric asked Hermione. The library materials were being moved down in batches. Harry didn't know why exactly, but the Founders preferred that few people as possible know about Wvelte. Madam Pince had been sworn into secrecy, and as far as Harry knew, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were the only other people who had been informed.

Dumbledore had told McGonagall Draco's second version of that night when Harry cursed him. She had apologized to Harry after dinner this evening, and she had told him that for the remainder of his detention, he was to help move books down from Wvelte.

Draco had also been designated as book mover. This arrangement actually suited Harry, who was surprised to discover that he wanted to get to know Draco better. Ron and Hermione would most likely escort him to the hospital wing immediately if he told them he wanted to try to be friends with Draco.

Draco, however, was being true to his word that he would ignore Harry. All day long, whenever they encountered each other in classes, in the hallways or in the Great Hall or elsewhere, Draco didn't even bat an eyelash at him. His gray eyes seemed to go straight through Harry as if he didn't exist at all. And that bothered Harry.

Ironically, it seemed no matter what Draco did or didn't do, he would always disturb Harry.

... Maybe I do think too much of myself, thought Harry as Hermione informed Godric that Salazar and Draco were coming with the rest of tonight's batch of books.

You think I lied for you! For you! Everything just has to be for you, about you, because of you! YOU!

Remembering Draco's words made Harry uncomfortable. They could just be true. If Harry were to examine himself, he would have to admit that he had gotten used to being famous. Everything did seem to happen to him, and in the process, he had acquired a hero complexion.

Why do you have to be so self-sacrificing. You know I'm jealous of you for a lot of reasons, but the thing that bothers me the most about you is that you have to be a hero.

Harry flinched inwardly at Ron's words, and they reminded him of something else Draco had said.

And so humble too. Everyone's hero, Harry Potter. I am so sick of you.

Then, somewhere deep inside Harry, a cruel little voice made itself heard.

If only you had just been a little greedy, just a little selfish, Cedric wouldn't be dead.

That wounded him the deepest.

Two dozen thick books suddenly floated out of the library and mercifully distracted Harry. Salazar walked out from the library and into the hall. The Dark wizard was holding Draco's wand, and his eyes were fixed on the books dancing lazily before him in mid-air. Close behind him, Draco followed with his arms brimming with scrolls.

As they watched, Salazar waved Draco's wand, and the books dropped slowly and deposited themselves one atop another in four neat stacks on the floor.

"Show off," commented Godric dryly, and Salazar bowed towards him with a dramatic flourish. Harry smiled, glad that both wizards were friends again and had gone back to their usual camaraderie and sardonic treatment of each other.

Rowena and Helga, together with Madam Pince, were waiting for them in Hogwarts library below. The books from Wvelte were then placed in storage and would be made available to the staff and students when the Founders were gone.

Harry was more than a little disturbed and uncomfortable when he learned later how much time the Founders had left in this time.

The five of them were in the men's bathroom in Wvelte, enjoying a hot bath together when Salazar asked Godric if he had reconsidered about sealing their memories for another millennium.

Harry pushed his wet bangs aside and out of his eyes to stare at Salazar. The Dark wizard was leaning against the side of the pool, his left elbow casually placed over the edge. He was looking at Godric who had sat up straight in the pool so that water lapped around him at shoulder blade height. Godric looked uncomfortable.

"Sextus," said Godric slowly, "isn't this once enough already?" He wasn't looking at Salazar, who immediately moved his position over to the front of the other wizard so that he could look Godric straight in the face.

"No harm was done, Godfrey," reasoned Salazar earnestly, "we are just memories. We haven't harmed the timeline. There's no reason why we can't do this again."

"It's still very dangerous," argued Godric, shaking his head slightly.

"To us, it's dangerous," Salazar answered immediately. Green eyes flashed towards Harry, Ron and Draco. "But to them, it's not," he said, "we're merely visitors from the past, Godfrey. Just shadows of our real selves. We are not a threat to anyone in this time or in any time after our time." Salazar then grinned, his eyes turning mischievous. "I haven't cause havoc in this time," he pointed out.

"But your real self certainly has in the past," Godric countered, making Salazar frown at him.

"I do wish you'd learn to separate me from myself, Godfrey. I didn't do it," Salazar said with a touch of irritation in his voice.

Godric breathed out loudly, looking as though he had a headache, and Harry sympathized with him. It was very difficult to separate this Salazar Slytherin from the Dark wizard who had broken his promise to Godric in the past and who had spread Avada Kedavra. ... Though, on the other hand, this Godric Gryffindor wasn't the one who had been betrayed.

It was confusing.

Harry glanced over to Ron and Draco and found that Ron was paying keen attention to Godric and Salazar. When he noticed that Harry was looking at him, his look of concentration turned into an expression of helpless bewilderment, which was understandable.

Harry had told him that these Founders were memories that had been sealed in the Sorting Hat, but he hadn't told Ron that their time here was limited. Nor had Harry told his friend that Godric Gryffindor created Avada Kedavra, and that Salazar learned it from him. Ron would just freak, Harry knew, if he told him that. So, Harry just shrugged helplessly at Ron to show to the other boy that he was just as confused as Ron was about what the two older wizards were talking about.

Harry found himself feeling glad that Godric and Salazar were talking ambiguously about the It Salazar had done. He definitely didn't want to tell Ron that their House's Founder created Avada Kedavra, and Harry especially didn't want to talk about the sad fate of Godric's parents. It just wasn't necessary to tell Ron about it. Besides, Ron knowing the truth about how Avada Kedavra was created and how it was spread wouldn't change things for the better.

He suddenly had the ludicrous notion of telling Voldemort to stop using Avada Kedavra, because Godric Gryffindor created it and that Dark wizards shouldn't use spells Light wizards had created.

Right... Harry thought to himself sarcastically. Then, he'd have to tell Voldemort not to use Imperius either, because that spell had been created by Regius Ravenclaw, Rowena Ravenclaw's father.

Voldemort would probably laugh at him, and Harry wouldn't blame him for not believing. How could two of the Unforgivable Curses possibly have been created by Light wizards? Dark wizards probably thought Salazar Slytherin created Avada Kedavra and Imperius.

When Harry looked over to Draco, he saw that the other boy was staring at Salazar intently. He couldn't quite figure out the emotion in Draco's expression. But Harry could see it wasn't confusion, and even if Draco was bewildered by Godric and Salazar's conversation, Harry certainly wouldn't explain to him what the Founders were talking about.

"I just want to see, Godfrey." Salazar's voice was very soft. Harry could barely hear his words, but the strong emotion underlying them caught his attention. He looked back at the Founders.

Salazar's sharp features seemed subdued, outmatched by the intense expression on his face. Godric looked like he was paralyzed, his brown eyes wide and locked on Salazar's bright green eyes.

Harry swallowed, his throat felt dry. There was such overwhelming need in Salazar's eyes. Such great curiosity.

"I need to know," whispered Salazar. His eyes lowered slightly, focusing instead on a point on the water's surface. "I need to know that what I have worked for will last."

Godric chuckled softly. "Sextus." His voice was warm, amused and affectionate. "Isn't a thousand-year legacy enough already?"

Emerald eyes turned diamond sharp, and Salazar said in a rough tight voice, "I want a legacy that will last forever."

Harry felt himself freeze, even in hot water. He was caught by the look in Salazar's face. He had never seen anyone looked so determined and so focused. This was ambition in its rawest sense. This meant everything to Salazar.

"Hogwarts will last forever," murmured Godric reassuringly and confidently, but Salazar wasn't comforted nor convinced.

"Just one more time, Godfrey."
"Once is enough, Sextus."
"Aren't you even curious? I know you are."
"I am. I am, but I am content not knowing."
"... I am not."

Godric sighed and said, "Look. We still have about two to three more weeks. Let's decide later."

Salazar seemed satisfied by this, and he nodded once. From his expression, Salazar looked like he had won. Harry smiled. Godric did seem like he was giving in.

"I don't understand." Harry looked to Ron who said slowly, "You're only staying here for three more weeks?"

Godric looked startled, as if he had forgotten Harry, Ron and Draco were there with them. Salazar just smiled and nodded at Ron, saying, "The magic of the phoenix feather Fawkes gave will only last for about three more weeks."

Ron still looked confused, and Harry was about to explain when Godric said, "Our presence here is made possible by placing a Source in the Sorting Hat where our memories are kept."

Draco suddenly said, "Can't you put another phoenix feather in?" Harry glanced towards him sharply. Draco sounded... desperate?

Salazar answered in a genial tone, "Only if Fawkes gives another of his feathers willingly." This puzzled Harry. Phoenix feathers were useless if the firebird didn't give them willingly?

Harry remembered what Salazar had said about Sources. The first three feathers that a Phoenix gave were powerful Sources. The first twelve hairs plucked from a unicorn's tail were also powerful as well as any dragon heartstring. Of the three kinds of Sources, the first kind has to be given willingly while the other two could be acquired by force. Harry would have to talk to Ron and Hermione about this later. Maybe he should also talk to Hagrid about it. He was the expert on Magical Creatures.

"Won't other Sources do?" Harry asked, and Salazar shook his head. "Our memories are entwined with the initial Source," he explained, "Fawkes' feather cannot be replaced with another Source. It can be recharged, but only by more feathers from Fawkes."

Godric frowned. He looked like he just heard about this. "If my sword had been the Source," he said to Salazar, "it couldn't be recharged."

Salazar nodded. "Correct, but it would have lasted longer than Fawkes' feather."

Godric looked suspicious. "But not forever," he said. "It was good for you then that my sword had been removed from the Sorting Hat."

Salazar's eyebrow lifted slowly. "... Are you implying I had something to do with your sword not being in the Hat when the time arrived?"

Godric's eyes narrowed, and he said bluntly, "We agreed we would only exist temporarily in this time. Now, it seems we can stay in this time indefinitely as long as Fawkes is around."

Salazar rolled his eyes ceilingward. "You're assuming things again, Godfrey," he said tartly. "Besides, how could I have removed your sword from the Hat?"

Luckily, Ron interrupted before a quarrel broke out between the two wizards.

"Sir," Ron said to Godric, "Harry pulled out your sword."

"He did?" queried Salazar curiously as Godric looked questioningly towards Harry, who nodded hesitantly. Dread filled Harry. He didn't want to have to explain to them how he came to pull out Godric's sword from the Hat.

Fortunately, Harry was saved when Salazar laughed loudly.

"How ironic and how splendid!" Salazar said to Godric with glee, "One of your own House pulled your sword from your Hat and replaced it with a Source that can be regenerated!" Suddenly, Salazar's eyes turned mockingly dangerous, and he declared sensationally, "It is destiny! Even Gryffindor must serve my purpose! I, Slytherin, the greatest wizard ever, have come to this time in order to rule the world!"

"Sextus!" roared Godric, who wasn't amused at all.

"Yes!" Salazar said with relish, "After I take over the world, I will destroy all those who had opposed me!" At this, Draco snorted and began to laugh uncontrollably. Ron was finding it very hard to keep his face straight, and Harry's stomach was hurting from trying to keep his laughter contained. Harry lost control when Godric splashed water into Salazar's face just as the Dark wizard opened his mouth to say more.

The water fight that ensued after was something Harry would never forget.

To be continued.

Q & A

From: AVK aka Anastasia (10/28/01 4:26:17 am)

Why don't the Founders just read about themselves?

Why don't the four founders go to the library and read about themselves? I'd do that if I was in that kind of situation - to find out what people think of me years after my death...that way Rowena would already know about Slytherin leaving...

(HUGS) I was waiting for someone to ask this question!

First off, by chapter 24, the Founders have only been at Hogwarts for about a week. They've been busy. Haven't had the time to research about themselves in the library. And, information about the Founders is sketchy at best. A thousand years is a long time. The Founders' era in Hogwarts: A History seems to be just an article if that was all Professor Binns could say about it. They don't even know the exact date the school was founded.

Apart from facts, history consist of deductions and speculations. The potential for misinformation is very high, and Rowena already knows she is highly respected. Just the fact that Hogwarts is still standing after a millenium is very heart-warming. Children still come to learn in the school she helped found, and they are proud to be Hogwarts students. The proof is before her eyes, and she doesn't need to go read a book to know.

Now. Imagine if Abraham Lincoln visited the present, would you want to tell him that he had been assassinated? It's the same case with Dumbledore and the other professors. Also, the Founders are only visiting. It's like a vacation for them. They're sight-seeing. Nobody wants to spoil their fun by bringing up the past.

Godric and Salazar don't want Rowena and Helga to find out also, but Rowena will find out, because she knows Godric and Salazar are hiding something from her.

Chapter Twenty-Five has now ended.

Thanks! Lots of thank you-s and a lot of hugs to Seldes Katne for beta-reading Hearts and Hourglasses before it's posted on Sugar Quill! She's a wonderful person and a fantastic beta-reader!

Reminder: Godric's alias is Godfrey. Salazar's is Sextus. Rowena's is Rachel. Helga's is Hannah. Rowena cast a spell so that everyone who hears them will hear them referring to each other by their aliases, but to their own ears, they hear each other's real names. It's a complicated spell.

Hearts and Hourglasses
Chapter 26: Wvelte

The next few days passed by swiftly. At least it seemed that way to Harry. He spent his evenings in Wvelte with Ron, Hermione, Draco and with the Founders. Somehow, it felt natural.

It had become habitual for the boys to join Godric and Salazar for an evening bath after their chore of book transferring was done. The older wizards didn't seem to mind at all, and it turned out that the bathrooms in Wvelte were more complex than they looked.

"Since it's the middle of the week," Godric told them on Wednesday evening as they entered the bathroom, "we'll have a full bath."

Harry and Ron looked at him with puzzled expressions. Draco's face was unreadable. Salazar went to the cabinets and took out five large white towels. He tossed a towel to each of them before taking off his robes and wrapping his towel around his lower torso. Godric did the same before walking towards the wall opposite to the mirror and cabinets.

Harry jumped when the entire marble surface of the wall glowed at Godric's approach. The smooth white material began to shimmer and to warp. Then, the wall melted away in two areas and left archways which were high and wide enough for even Hagrid to go under easily.

"Is the Caldarium hot, Godfrey?" asked Salazar even as white wisps of smoke began to waft into the room from the first arch. "Ah," said the Dark wizard, "It is."

Godric looked approving and turned to Harry and others. "Get ready now, Harry, Ron," he said to them.

After a moment's hesitation, Harry and Ron began taking off their robes. Draco was already prepared, and he walked over to Salazar who told Godric that he and Draco would go ahead. Godric nodded, and Salazar and Draco went inside the Caldarium.

Tucking his towel around his waist, Harry glanced at Ron, who looked a little uneasy. Harry felt nervous too. What in the world was a Caldarium? He was about to ask Ron if he knew what it was when Godric gestured at them to hurry up.

Harry quickly found out what a Caldarium was. A few steps from the archway opening, a blast of hot air hit him full force in the face. A Caldarium was a steam room.

When He, Ron and Godric passed underneath the arch, Harry saw that the Caldarium was a spacious room whose walls, floors and ceiling were made up entirely of white marble again. Positioned high on the walls were small square windows, which let out some of the steam and heat, though not much. It was boiling hot inside the room.

There was another archway on the left wall, leading no doubt to the second room. The floor in the Caldarium was recessed twice. It looked like an empty shallow swimming pool. Salazar and Draco were sitting at the far end of the pool from them.

Godric guided them to where the others were, and they sat down on the floor. Harry chose to sit on the pool's lower step, letting his legs dangle over the side. He was already sweating a lot and saw that Salazar was leaning against the wall with his head tilted back, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open. He was breathing deeply. Sweat dripped slowly and steadily down his face, which was red from the heat.

Draco was also red, his usually pale skin was all flushed up. He was sitting on the same level as Harry and was leaning forward with his hands on his knees. Like Salazar, his eyes were closed, and he was breathing hard. Harry noticed how Draco's silver hair as well as Salazar's stood out starkly when compared to their rosy complexions.

This was Harry's first time in a steam room. He'd first heard about steam rooms from his Uncle Vernon, who was a member of men's club of some sort. Or was it a health club? Harry wasn't certain, but whatever club it was didn't do his uncle's health much good. Uncle Vernon loved steam rooms, claiming they were the best form of exercise.

No doubt, because he doesn't have to do anything, thought Harry, who was starting to feel weak from the heat. Sitting on the level higher than Harry, Ron leaned against the wall like Salazar while Godric followed a posture similar to Draco's. There wasn't much conversation as the steam stole away their energy.

By the time they headed to the next room, Harry never wanted to go inside a steam room again. He was exhausted, uncomfortable and parched. He even felt dizzy. It was like he just had a grueling Quidditch practice when all he had done was sit down inside a hot room.

"Let's go," murmured Godric, who looked as drained as Harry. As Harry stepped towards the archway, Draco overtook him and disappeared into the next room. Harry heard a splash followed by a cry. Surprised and concerned, Harry hurried after Draco and saw the other boy up to his neck in a pool of water.

Someone else passed Harry, and he was surprised to see Ron do a running dive into the swimming pool. Icy, wonderful freezing cold water splashed against Harry as Ron yelled with relief. Seconds later, Harry joined Ron and Draco.

"This is heaven..." Ron breathed out, and Harry agreed whole-heartedly. The chilly water was sheer delight after being in the hot humid steam room. Even Draco nodded at Ron's comment.

"Move over." Harry looked up and behind to see Godric standing on the edge of the pool. He quickly moved over, and the other wizard lowered himself into the water with a sigh of pleasure. Salazar was quicker, jumping feet first into the cold water and splashing water on everyone.

When they came out of the room, which was called the Frigidarium, Harry was bouncing on the balls of his feet. The delirium he had experienced after being in the Caldarium had vanished entirely, and he was thoroughly invigorated after the dip in icy waters. Harry felt so good he now understood why his uncle was so fond of steam rooms.

"Whose turn is it?" Harry heard Salazar ask Godric, who answered, "Your turn. I did it the last time."

"Lucky them then," chuckled Salazar, and all three boys looked at the Founders with similar curious expressions, wondering what the two older wizards were talking about.

Cracking his knuckles, Salazar walked over to the center of the main bathroom. Harry blinked and squeezed his eyes tight close before staring again. The pool that had been in the center of the room was gone. Instead there was a marble top table and two low benches made of the same material.

Salazar turned to look at them. He tilted his head slightly towards the marble table and said, "Who wants to be first?"

Harry stilled. ... First? First for what? he thought, feeling very bewildered.

"Come now," said Salazar lightly, green eyes twinkling and his lips curved in an easy smile, "it will just be a quick rubdown. There's not enough time for me to give each of you a thorough massage."

Harry almost fell over. Ron stumbled back in sheer surprise. Draco, after a several moments, stepped forward.

***

"I don't believe this," Harry heard Ron mutter under his breath. He and Ron were sitting together on one of the benches while Godric occupied the opposite bench. Harry nodded, his eyes turning back to Draco who was lying stomach down on the marble table.

Draco's face was turned towards them, his left cheek pressed flat against the marble surface. His eyes were closed, and he looked tensed and uncertain. Harry spared a thought of sympathy for the other boy though he was feeling uneasy himself. Godric had suggested that he take his turn after Draco.

Salazar was pouring a thick viscous substance from a flask into his hand. He put the bottle down and placed his left hand on Draco's back. Draco flinched, and Salazar leaned down to whisper something into his ear. His voice was too low for Harry to hear what he was saying, but whatever Salazar said made Draco relax.

Salazar began spreading the oil liberally over Draco's back and his shoulders. His movements were quick and certain, and his hands looked skillful as he began kneading Draco's muscles. Harry glanced at Salazar's face and was startled to see a look of warm affection.

Harry was suddenly distracted as Godric stood up and walked towards him and Ron. He looked up at Godric just as the other wizard stopped in front of them. Godric looked as though he had something important to say, but before he could speak, Harry stood up respectfully and offered his seat to Godric, whose eyes gleamed with warmth at Harry's courtesy.

Ron was about to stand up too, but Godric's hand fell on his shoulder and stopped him. Ron looked uncomfortable when Godric settled beside him on the bench. Godric squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and that helped to lessen Ron's anxiety.

"I need to ask the two of you a favor," said Godric. He looked neither at Harry nor Ron.

"What is it, Sir?" Harry asked after a moment's pause.

Clear brown eyes glanced at Harry, and Godric smiled, saying. "After we leave, we would like the four of you to take care of Wvelte."

Harry's stomach clenched with pain at the thought of the Founders leaving, and Ron didn't like it either.

"Sir," said Ron in a steady voice, his eyes staring hard at Godric, who looked towards him. "The four of you don't have to leave, at least not so soon." Then, Ron paused, swallowing a little before continuing. "You can all stay in this time as long as you want."

But Godric shook his head. "No," he replied softly, "The past shouldn't meddle with the present. We will leave when the Source in the Sorting Hat is exhausted."

"But-"

"It will be harder to leave the longer we stay here," continued Godric, cutting off Harry's and Ron's protests. "This isn't something I will change my mind on," he finished bluntly, and Harry and Ron looked at each other helplessly.

Ignoring the silent plea in their faces, Godric changed the topic. "We would like the four of you to take care of Wvelte," he repeated again. His strict demeanor softened when he saw how much they wanted for them to stay, but his face soon hardened again. Harry finally realized how serious Godric was about this matter. His stubbornness rivaled and may even outmatch Salazar's.

"Why don't you just let the Headmaster and the professors take care of Wvelte?" Ron asked. He looked as disappointed as Harry about Godric's decision to leave.

Realizing that the boys had stopped pressuring him, Godric relaxed. "The Pentacle will only allow certain people to enter Wvelte." When Ron looked confused, Godric quickly explained, "There is a security measure in the main hall outside. If someone came into Wvelte without me or Salazar or Rowena or Helga accompanying him or waiting for him in the hall, he'd be sent back down immediately."

Harry nodded, remembering the first time he had seen the Pentacle. That had been when Godric had given him his lion pin.

Godric continued talking. "Our real selves left Wvelte as it was for us, their memories. That was done so we would have a place to go to in case the present didn't turn out as well as we had hoped. Fortunately, that wasn't the case." Pride lit his eyes. "Everything has turned out even better than we had ever dreamed and hoped for."

Harry and Ron smiled. How would it feel to know that something you had created lasted for more than a thousand years? The feeling of worth must be immeasurable.

"We're very glad the four of you are here, Sir," said Harry softly, and Ron added, "We're very lucky that you're all back here at Hogwarts."

Godric looked abashed at their words.

"Who's next?" They turned to Salazar who was helping Draco to sit up on the table. Draco looked sleepy, and he stumbled when he jumped down from the table. Salazar kept him from falling by grabbing his shoulder.

"You're next, Harry," said Godric. "Ron and Draco can tell you later what I will tell them."

***

It was strange to consider Draco as part of their group, but they were a group now, he, Harry, Ron and Hermione. The Founders wanted them to be Wvelte's caretakers after they left.

"Lady Ravenclaw said they would train us each evening," Hermione said to the boys. The four of them were seated at a secluded table in the library. Fortunately, fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had no classes in the period just before lunchtime on Thursday mornings.

"Any idea on how they'll train us?" asked Ron, who was seating beside her. "Lord Gryffindor only told us that the Pentacle had to get used to us."

Harry looked thoughtful. "We've been spending our evenings in Wvelte. Maybe we just have to spend a lot of time up there."

"I doubt it," said Draco expressionlessly, and Ron and Hermione glanced at him suspiciously. But they didn't rebuke his comment, and like Harry, they hadn't had any reason lately to dislike Draco.

***

On Thursday evening, they assembled at the main hall in Wvelte. Ron and Hermione were startled when they saw the engraved pattern of the Pentacle began to glow when Godric knelt down and placed his hand on the floor. Draco, who was standing beside Salazar, didn't looked surprise, and Harry decided that Salazar had probably shown the Pentacle to Draco just as Godric had shown it to Harry before.

Harry watched attentively as Godric stood up and walked to the center of the hall. He stopped right in the middle of the Pentacle, and the surface of its pentagon-shaped center lit up and flared brighter than the already glowing lines of the five-pointed star.

A pillar of light suddenly shot up from the floor and engulfed Godric. Harry barely bit back a strangled cry and was about to run to him when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked back to see Rowena give him a reassuring smile.

When Harry looked back, the column of light had lessened in intensity, and they could see Godric through it. Then Godric's voice rang out clear and strong, saying a name.

"Thomas Aquinas." The name echoed soulfully in the hall and barely had ended when a man appeared in front of Godric.

Harry stared at the newcomer. He was tall and slender man with thick black hair and warm blue eyes, and he looked like a monk. He had a tonsure and wore rough brown robes. Harry remembered that Thomas Aquinas had been the architect magician who had designed Wvelte. This must be a memory of the wizard.

As the light surrounding Godric died, Thomas said, "Hello, Godric, it's been a long time. I must say you look much younger now."

Godric smiled. "Hello Thomas, and you look the same as ever."

"Why, thank you." Thomas grinned then his expression turned blank, and he said tonelessly, "What can I do for you, Godric?"

Godric seemed to be saddened by Thomas' abrupt change in demeanor. Then, he shook his head slightly and gestured for Harry to come towards them.

When Harry reached Godric's side, Godric introduced him to Thomas, whose face became animate again. He shook Harry's hand, saying he was very pleased to meet him. Then much to Harry's shock, Thomas asked Godric if Harry was his son.

Harry's face heated with embarrassment while Godric told Thomas that he was just one of his students.

"Oh. My mistake," said Thomas, looking slightly embarrassed. Then again, he turned expressionless and once again asked Godric what he could do for him.

Harry looked up to Godric, puzzled by Thomas' quick changes. He was about to ask Godric about it when the other wizard shook his head at Harry and told Thomas that he wanted the Pentacle to recognize Harry.

Thomas nodded stiffly and asked Harry to prepare himself. Godric told Harry to relax before leaving him to stand in the center of the Pentacle alone. Before Harry could compose himself, blinding light surrounded him.

When his sight cleared, he found himself standing in a circle of light. In front of him, at eye level, was a golden cross suspended in mid-air. Harry stared at the cross, wondering if he should take it. Then, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and Harry whirled around to see a bloody pentagram floating behind him.

An instant later, it was gone, and Harry was standing in the center of the Pentacle in Wvelte's main hall.

***

"Can you tell me more about Thomas Aquinas, Sir?" Harry asked Godric softly. At the center of the hall, Rowena was introducing Hermione to Thomas.

Godric glanced at Harry, his eyes sad, then looked away. Harry felt uncomfortable for bringing up a subject that was obviously unpleasant to Godric. But Harry's mind was still caught by what he had seen in that circle of light, and when he described it to Godric, the other wizard kept quiet with a frozen look on his face.

"Thomas Aquinas was Muggle-born." Harry glanced at Salazar, who had uttered the statement and who was giving the memory Thomas a rather fixed look. There was quiet dislike in Salazar's expression.

"Sextus," Helga said with exasperation, "I do wish you would stop judging people by their blood."

Salazar shrugged, replying, "Muggle-borns are foolish and easily tricked."

Harry saw that Ron was red with anger and looked ready to retort, but before he could, Godric started talking.

"Thomas Aquinas was Muggle-born," said Godric, closely repeating Salazar's words, but unlike Salazar, he said them with fondness. "We first met Thomas at the first All Hallows' Eve feast in Hogwarts. He overheard us talking about constructing an additional wing to the castle to serve as our private residence and immediately approached us and introduced himself as an architect."

Harry noticed that Salazar's expression was one of irritation as Helga continued with an amused smile. "We were skeptical of Thomas-"

"Though we had to admire the amount of gall he had," interrupted Salazar in a very dry tone of voice. Godric chuckled and continued, "He asked us to give him at least a fortnight to draw up the plans. He was so eager and passionate about designing our home for us that we decided to give him the time he requested." Godric shook his head slightly, his expression, bemused and impressed. "Thomas came back after twelve days with the plans for Wvelte."

"Even on paper, Wvelte was beautiful," said Helga in a pleased tone. Salazar nodded once and reluctantly. Godric said, "When we saw Thomas' designs, we knew this was the home we wanted."

"Yes," murmured Helga, "especially when Godfrey and Sextus saw what was in the bathrooms."

Salazar chuckled, and Godric told Helga wryly, "Hannah, you love what's in the bathrooms as much as we do."

Helga nodded sagely and said pointedly, "But I don't get massages every mid-week."

They all stared at her, and excepting Salazar, they all blushed. Salazar looked at her curiously. "How did you know about that?"

"Rachel told me," Helga said simply.

That Rowena also knew about it made it twice as embarrassing. His face beet red, Harry quickly said to an equally ruddy-faced Godric, "So after Thomas showed you the plans, construction for Wvelte began?" It was a stupid question, but Harry was desperate.

Godric gave Harry a grateful look before shaking his head, saying, "We had to pay a third of Thomas' fee in advance."

"You told me his fee was astronomical," commented Harry, remembering.

"Yes," replied Godric, "but Thomas didn't keep the payment for himself. He gave it to the muggles who had raised him."

"... Huh?" queried Ron. Godric's last sentence had managed to turn his attention from Salazar and Helga who were having their own conversation.

"How long have you two known about our weekly ritual?" Salazar asked Helga.

"For years," answered Helga.

"And both of you never mentioned about it..." Salazar trailed off.

Helga gave him an amused look and said, "Well, neither of you ever said anything about it to us, so Rachel and I decided it must be something private. Just something between you two boys."

"Oh no," declared Salazar immediately and with a straight face said, "You, girls, are most welcome to join in our weekly ritual."

"Sextus!" Godric was mortified. Helga pretended to look affronted, but the corners of her mouth twitched when Salazar quipped, "Don't be so shy, Godfrey."

Godric looked ready to throttle Salazar, and Harry immediately stepped in between the two wizards to act as a buffer. He bumped against Draco who was doing the same thing. Ron quickly said in an observant tone of voice that the Pentacle was taking much longer with Hermione than it had with Harry. This successfully distracted Godric and Salazar, though the situation turned for the worse when Draco added that it was probably because Hermione was Muggle-born.

Harry quickly got in between Ron and Draco, who were glaring at each other. Ron looked furious while Draco's eyes were cold. Salazar frowned, glanced at Hermione still standing in the center of the Pentacle and was about to say something when Helga gave him a warning look.

Godric wisely decided to continue the story of Thomas Aquinas.

"Thomas grew up in a monastery. His mother had abandoned him on the steps of the abbey, and the monks there took him in and raised him as one of their own. Thomas loved his life in the monastery, and he had decided even as a child that he would join the Order once he was of age."

"But when Thomas' magic began to manifest itself, the muggles feared him and rejected him. As soon as he was old enough, the monks asked him to leave the monastery. Thomas was saddened that he had to leave the life he knew behind, but he cherished the memories of his childhood and was always grateful to the monks who had taken him in as an orphan."

"His fee for Wvelte was very high, but it was worth every galleon and more. And Thomas didn't keep the gold we paid him. He donated it anonymously to the monks who had raised him."

Warm admiration for the wizard filled Harry. Such selflessness was rare. No wonder Godric thought of Thomas Aquinas with fondness. Then Harry remembered what he had seen in the Pentacle and the odd way Thomas' memory acted.

"What happened to him?" Harry suddenly asked, realizing only belatedly that these Founders might not have known what had happened to Thomas. Again, Godric's eyes flashed with sadness, and he looked away from Harry.

It was Salazar who answered Harry. "He was murdered," the Dark wizard stated bluntly, drawing appalled and horrified expressions from Harry and Ron. Draco looked troubled, and Helga sighed softly and closed her eyes. Godric kept quiet as Salazar continued.

"Thomas had been ambushed, robbed and murdered by muggles on his way to the monastery."

"But," Ron protested, "he was a wizard. He would have been able to defend himself. He could have Disapparated away from his attackers."

Salazar's eyes were hard. "The muggles were prepared for him. They knew Thomas was a wizard, and there were many of them. They overpowered him and took away his wand."

Harry felt cold inside. Without his wand, a wizard was almost without magic. "What did they do to him?" he heard Draco ask Salazar.

There was hatred in Salazar's eyes. "They stoned him to death."

Godric glanced towards him with a leadened expression and opened his mouth to say something, but then he stopped and looked away, and Harry hated himself for asking what had happened to Thomas.

"Thomas was so happy that day," Helga murmured softly. She opened her eyes, which were regretful. "He hadn't completed the magic on the Pentacle yet, and there was still some work left to do in Wvelte, but we decided to give him the final payment for his services in advance. He immediately headed down to the monastery to leave the gold in the collection box inside the chapel."

"But robbers were waiting," continued Godric, finally saying something. "Rumors had spread of the monastery having a secret donor, and Thomas was suspected immediately. The muggles in the town knew he was a wizard, and the gold given anonymously to the monks was clearly wizard gold."

Salazar's eyes were filled with contempt. "Muggles don't mind magic as long as it's gold so Thomas never thought of melting the galleons we gave him down into bars or into a shape muggles wouldn't suspect as being magical."

Harry swallowed hard, wishing he hadn't been so curious of Thomas and the bloody pentagram. He still didn't know why the pentagram was bloody and not the cross since Thomas had been murdered by muggles. But Harry didn't want to ask the Founders about it anymore. Some things were better left a mystery, and he now wished he didn't know why Thomas' memory acted peculiarly. It hadn't been completed. Thomas had been murdered before he could finish it.

He looked to the walls of the hall and saw it was now showing a vista of the sun setting into the horizon with a wide lush meadow in the foreground and the silhouette of a monastery far in the background.

Harry's stomach muscles twisted when Godric said to him, "Harry, you noticed that Thomas' memory acts strange-"

"It's all right, Sir," Harry interrupted haltingly, "You don't have to explain. I'm sorry I asked about him."

But Godric reassured him that it was all right. He said, "The four of you are going to take care of Wvelte, so you all should learn about its creator and how the Pentacle works. Thomas would have wanted it that way."

When Harry nodded hesitantly, Godric began his explanation. "Thomas died before his work on Wvelte was completed. That's why the memory of him acts peculiar. As for the Pentacle, Thomas designed it to act as a guardian, but since its magic had not been finished properly and completely set, it is unruly and very capricious about the people who enters Wvelte."

"It hasn't accepted you yet, Harry," Godric continued, "That's why you were released rather quickly. Don't look worried. All of us except Rachel had difficult entering Wvelte when Thomas was gone. Rachel, fortunately, had worked with Thomas during the Pentacle's creation so she knows how it works, and it seems to have taken a liking to Hermione."

They looked over to Hermione who was still engulfed in the Pentacle's light, which was glowing softly instead of glaring blindingly as it had when Harry was in it. Harry wondered if it was because Hermione was Muggle-born, just like Thomas Aquinas.

"How about the bloody pentagram Harry saw?" asked Ron, and Harry glanced at him quickly, again wishing he hadn't asked about it. The reason behind it must be distressing.

He was surprised when Godric smiled instead. He said, "That was just one of Thomas' jokes. Ever since he was a boy, he'd been told horrible stories about wizards and witches. There was one story in particular that had frightened him immensely. It was about a muggle who had been cursed by a witch to see a bloody pentagram whenever somebody he knew was about to die."

To be continued.

About Thomas Aquinas: Yes, I know there's a real Thomas Aquinas in history. I like his name, and there is also another Thomas.

St. Thomas - The Apostle who doubted. There is a legend that an Indian king gave him a large sum of money to build a palace. St. Thomas spent it on the poor, thus "creating a superb palace in heaven." Because of this, he is the patron saint of masons and architects, and his symbol is a builder's square.

St. Thomas Aquinas - (1225-1274) Dominican scholastic philosopher and theologian, of outstanding authoriy and intellectual distinction among his contemporaries. His teachings have been a major influence on the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.

Source: Brewer's Concise Phrase & Fable (I want the full version!) --- I also got most of the Founders' aliases from this book. I wanted their names to have meaning. I also referred to this book about the Hawthorn Charm, which was inspired by Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Sequence. This book also gave me the idea for the Promethean Potion.

Chapter Twenty-Six has now ended.

Author's Note: In this chapter, we will learn about the Brozpurfle Infestation, the Trio will learn about the Thirteen, and Godric and Salazar will be holding a Dark Arts session.

Reminder: Godric's alias is Godfrey. Salazar's is Sextus. Rowena's is Rachel. Helga's is Hannah. Rowena cast a spell so that everyone who hears them will hear them referring to each other by their aliases, but to their own ears, they hear each other's real names. It's a complicated spell.

Hearts and Hourglasses
Chapter 27: That which is Magic

Three weeks... and they would be gone. The thought didn't lie easy in Harry's mind and and none of the other took it in stride either. It was clear Godric wasn't going to be persuaded to extend the Source in the Sorting Hat, so Harry and Ron went to Helga in order to ask her to persuade Godric to change his mind.

They met with no success. Helga was as firm as Godric on this matter and refused to discuss it further. Hermione couldn't convince Rowena either, and Draco told them that Salazar told him to go talk to Godric.

One week passed, taking one week from the time remaining. They all convened at the library again on Thursday morning.

"Do our professors know they're going to leave?" Ron asked Harry. The four of them were seated at a table located in a secluded corner. Draco had chosen the table and three tall piles of large books hid him quite effectively. He hadn't said anything about it, but it was clear to Harry, Ron and Hermione that Draco didn't want anyone to see him sitting with them.

Harry had toyed with the idea of letting Draco borrow his Invisibility Cloak but dropped the thought rather quickly. He could barely imagine the chaos that would erupt if Draco found out that Harry had an Invisibility Cloak. A certain incident at the Shrieking Shack two years ago came to mind.

"I'm not sure about the professors," Harry answered Ron, "but I'm pretty sure the Headmaster knows."

"We should ask the House Heads about it," suggested Hermione, who was reading a book.

Harry and Ron nodded, then the latter added that maybe they could get more help in convincing the Founders to stay.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked Ron.

Ron shrugged before explaining, "I know that the Founders being here should be kept a secret, but it shouldn't hurt if a few other people knew."

"Ron," said Hermione, looking up from her book with a frown, "We can't tell anyone about them being here."

"Why would it matter?" argued Ron, "I mean, they're going to leave in two weeks anyway. If more people tell them to stay, they might change their minds."

Harry frowned thoughtfully, deliberating on Ron's words. He then asked, "Ron, let's just say for example that we tell other people about them, who would we tell?"

Hermione's book closed with a loud snap. "I don't think we should even be considering telling other people-

"Then come up with another idea," Ron interrupted in a soft irritated tone, "instead of always shooting down my ideas."

"I wouldn't if they weren't always so lousy in the first place," countered Hermione in low tight voice.

Harry sighed and looked around for Madam Pince. Luckily, she wasn't in the library right now. Otherwise, she would have kicked them out by now no matter how softly Ron and Hermione were arguing.

Suddenly, a flurry of movement in one of the library paintings caught Harry's attention. He watched with amusement, as pictures of George, Fred and Lee bothered the picture of a severe looking wizard.

What about if we told those three about the Founders? Wondered Harry, and he suggested it to Ron and Hermione, interrupting their bickering before it escalated into a full-fledged quarrel.

Ron definitely liked the idea, but Hermione looked troubled.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she said.

"Why?" Ron glared at her. "You don't trust them?"

Hermione glared back. "Of course, I do, Ron, but remember the Brozpurfle infestation?"

Ron immediately looked sheepish, and Harry scratched out the idea of telling the Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan about the Founders.

The Brozpurfle infestation Hermione was referring to had begun last Saturday morning. The Gryffindor Quidditch Team had gone out to the stadium at dawn to practice. Practice sessions usually began in October, but their team captain was worried that their players had become a little rusty since there had been no Quidditch Tournament last year and thus, no team practice sessions for the last two terms.

The players who didn't have their own brooms and those who kept their brooms in the broom shed discovered the infestation first. Dozens of bludger-sized crab-like creatures had eaten all the brooms in the shed, and to make matters worse, they next went after the brooms the Gryffindor players carried.

"What are these things?!" George shouted in alarm. He was twelve feet up in the air and swinging his club wildly at half a dozen of the things, which were munching away on his Cleansweep Five.

On the ground, Fred was trying to shake loose the mini monsters from his own broomstick. Angelina suddenly screamed. Her broom was losing altitude rapidly as its tail had been eaten away by the creatures. Fortunately, she was able to land safely but had to leave her broomstick as more of the things converged on her dilapidated broom.

Very soon, all of the players in the air had to land. George was one of the last to give up his broomstick. The only Gryffindor left flying was Harry, who was zigzagging around all over the Quidditch field, trying desperately to shake loose more than a dozen things chasing after him.

Those things could fly as fast as a Firebolt and seemed to consider Harry's broom as the main course.

Somebody suddenly yelled out to use their wands, and various spells shot out at the creatures. None of them did any good, and only made the situation worse.

"Ack!" Fred screamed. "They're going after our wands!" All the Gryffindors on the ground ran pell-mell for the locker rooms except for George who had been surrounded by the nasty beasts.

"Harry!" George yelled at him, "Fly to the castle and get help!" He kept casting useless fire spells at the creatures around him. The things seemed to be enjoying them.

Harry zoomed towards him. He grabbed George as he swooped past, and the other boy managed to scramble on board behind Harry, who urged his Firebolt to go faster. A swarm was forming behind them, since the creatures couldn't get at the other Gryffindors, who were safe behind locked doors inside the stadium.

Both of them got to the castle with bare seconds to spare and managed to close the doors before the things could infiltrate the school.

Harry and George roused the Headmaster and all their professors. Upon hearing their panicked stories, Dumbledore immediately sent an owl to Hagrid in his hut and ordered the House Heads to conduct a foray outside the castle. When George told the Headmaster that the things liked to eat brooms and wands, Dumbledore frowned thoughtfully and placed Professor Snape and Mr. Filch in charge of the operation.

Harry didn't know exactly how the teachers and staff did it, but they drove away the creatures from the castle doors and were able to rescue the trapped Gryffindors in the Quidditch stadium.

For the rest of the weekend, the school staff was kept busy capturing and exterminating the Brozpurfles. Professor Flitwick thought of the name when it was discovered that the creatures were actually monster-sized Chizpurfles. When Harry learned that, he immediately went to his dorm and got out his Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them book by Newt Scamander.

With a M.O.M. classification of XX, Chizpurfles are small parasites, which grew to only twentieth of an inch high. They are crab-like in appearance, with large fangs, and they are attracted to magic. They tend to enter wizard dwellings and attack magical objects such as wands (and brooms). They gnaw their way through to the magical core of such objects.

Chizpurfles are usually easy enough to destroy with specific potions, hence Dumbledore's decision to place Snape in charge. He was the Potions Master, after all. The book also said that severe infestations might require a visit from the Pest Sub-Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, as Chizpurfles swollen with magical substances will prove very hard to fight. No kidding, Harry thought. Those things were a menace.

How in the world did these Chizpurfles get so big? Everyone began to wonder. Hagrid was suspected because of his compulsion for breeding dangerous creatures. No one had forgotten the Screwts. Most of the school population suspected that Hagrid had cast Engorgio on the Chizpurfles as an experiment and that they had gotten loose.

However, Harry soon found out the real culprit to be none other than Salazar. The Dark wizard hadn't hidden his pleasure that the school brooms had been destroyed. He didn't deny anything either when Godric and Helga confronted him about the Brozpurfles in Wvelte.

"If I'm not allowed on a broom, no one else should ride them either," Salazar had explained solemnly and frankly to a furious Helga and an aghast Godric.

Rowena had just shaken her head at him, looking very amused, while the rest of them could only stare at Salazar wordlessly. Even Draco was stunned that Salazar could be so vengeful against innocent broomsticks. It turned out that Salazar had borrowed Draco's wand to make those Chizpurfles so big.

The Gryffindor Quidditch Team was the hardest hit by the Brozpurfle infestation. Except for Harry, all the players had lost their broomsticks to the little blighters. Fortunately, no wands were lost.

George and Fred were especially heart-broken over the lost of their Cleansweep Fives. Players who earned starting positions on their House Team, were given their own personal broomsticks by the school. But should anything happen to those broomsticks, the school wouldn't replace them. The same thing had happened to Harry when the Nimbus 2000, he had received from Hogwarts, was smashed to bits by the Whomping Willow.

The Weasley Twins were so serious about Quidditch that for the past few days, they had given Hagrid the cold shoulder, since like most of the students, they suspected Hagrid was responsible for the Brozpurfles. So far, Hagrid had been safe from a retaliation of pranks by the Twins since none of the staff or the Headmaster had accused him of causing the infestation.

Harry knew that once the Weasley Twins found out for certain who was responsible for the Brozpurfle infestation... suddenly Harry found himself wondering how Salazar would react to pranks being played on him. He had a bad feeling that the Dark wizard would return the pranks tit for tat and more.

In any case, the Weasley Twins shouldn't find out about the Founders, and most especially, they should never learn that Salazar Slytherin was responsible for the Brozpurfle infestation.

"Okay," said Harry to Ron and Hermione, "we don't tell them. What else can we do?" They fell silent as each of them tried to think of a way to convince the Founders to stay longer in this time.

It was Ron again who made the next suggestion. "What if we pretend to be having a hard time learning to use the Pentacle in Wvelte?" he said.

Harry's eyes lit up. That just might work. Hermione nodded slowly, looking thoughtful as she considered the proposal.

"It might work," Hermione said, "They do want us to take care of Wvelte after they're gone. If we have a hard time with the Pentacle, it might convince them to stay longer in order to continue training us."

It was dishonest, Harry knew, but after all there could be no harm in tricking the Hogwarts Four into staying longer. Besides, Harry was indeed having a hard time trying to get the Pentacle to accept him. He kept on seeing the bloody pentagram every time he went inside it, and although he knew Thomas Aquinas thought it a joke, Harry didn't consider it the least bit funny. What bothered Harry even more was that neither Ron nor Hermione saw the blasted thing.

Then Harry remembered something, and he made a frustrated sound. "We can't trick them," he told Ron and Hermione glumly. "Lady Ravenclaw would find us out."

"... Oh yeah..." Ron groaned. "I forgot she can read minds."

Hermione's expression was one of admiration not of disappointment, and she commented she wished she could read minds as well.

Heaven forbid! Harry thought immediately and judging by Ron's expression, the other boy was thinking the same thing as Harry. Both boys would never have a moment's peace if Hermione could read minds.

For the next quarter hour or so, the trio threw suggestions at one another and discussed their viability. Harry and Ron did most of the talking as Hermione was also researching as much as she could about the Founders' Era and looking for information about the Thirteen. They hadn't found anything about the Dark coalition in the references available in Hogwarts library, and Madam Pince refused to let them borrow the books they had taken down from Wvelte.

"Harry," said Hermione with frustration after going through another book without success, "Are you sure it's called the Thirteen?"

Harry nodded. "That's what Lord Gryffindor said. I'm certain it's called the Thirteen."

"I haven't been able to find anything about it," complained Hermione, "and we're too busy in the evening with moving books and training in the Pentacle. I'm sure there's a lot of information about the Thirteen in Wvelte's library."

"Why don't we just ask the Founders about it?" said Ron. Harry considered it and said, "Let's just ask Ladies Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Lord Gryffindor's not too fond of history books, and I don't think we should ask Lord Slytherin about it since he's a Dark wizard-"

A pile of books suddenly shifted aside, revealing a frowning Draco, who was looking at them suspiciously. Harry almost bit his tongue off. Draco had been so quiet, Harry had forgotten that the other boy was there with them.

Pale eyes stared at Harry intently. "Why are you researching the Thirteen?" Draco asked in a soft, low, be-careful-of-what-you-say sort of tone.

Hermione quickly answered, "Lord Gryffindor told Harry that Lord Slytherin was a member of the Thirteen. We're just curious about it, but we haven't found anything about the group yet."

Ron looked suspiciously at Draco, and he said bluntly, "I bet you know something about it, don't you? You're a Dark wizard after all." Ron had meant it as an insult, and thus was surprised when clear pride blazed in Draco's eyes.

Then that emotion was replaced by a shrewd gleam, and Draco said lightly, "If you want to know about the Thirteen, you won't find it in books."

Harry frowned at Draco, and Hermione asked curiously what Draco exactly mean by that.

Draco shrugged in a careless fashion and said that the Dark coalition was only remembered through stories and not in history books. Ron then protested that he hadn't heard of any stories that mentioned the Thirteen.

"That's because you aren't a Dark wizard," Draco flatly told Ron.

Before Ron could retort back at Draco, Harry quickly asked the silver-haired boy if he could tell them about the Thirteen.

Draco hesitated, his expression clearly saying he didn't trust them, but after a few silent moments he reluctantly began, "The Thirteen was the most prominent Dark magic coalition a thousand years ago."

Harry nodded. He'd heard the same from Godric. Placing his arms on the table, Harry leaned forward and paid close attention to Draco, who looked like he'd rather be somewhere else right now.

Draco leaned back in his chair and glanced up at the library ceiling. He looked like he was gauging on what to tell them. Then, he lowered his head and stared at a point on the surface of the table.

"The coalition began around the time the Roman Empire fell," continued Draco.

Ron interrupted, "Roman Empire?"

"It's an epoch in Ancient Muggle History," explained Hermione.

Ron frowned. "Muggle History," he repeated. "Why are Muggles involved?"

Draco folded his arms in an impatient gesture and said, "Many Dark wizards were involved in the running of the Ancient Roman Empire."

"I thought your kind didn't like Muggles," Ron said, looking puzzled. "Why are Dark wizards helping the Muggles."

"Of course, Dark wizards don't like Muggles," Draco said immediately in a bland tone of voice. "Who ever said they were helping? Why do you think the Muggle Empire fell?"

Ron and Hermione stared at him speechlessly, and Harry asked Draco to continue talking about the Thirteen.

"The Thirteen actually refers to the thirteen most powerful seats in the Dark wizarding society at that time," Draco said. "Their duties included keeping order and peace in the community as well as building and maintaining infrastructure."

Harry felt puzzled. It sounded innocent so far. Actually, it sounded like the equivalent of the Ministry of Magic a thousand years ago.

He wasn't the only one confused. Ron asked Draco if there was a similar Light magic coalition at that time. He was furious when Draco told him to go research history himself if he wanted to know. Harry hurriedly calmed Ron down. He wanted to know the rest of what Draco knew about the Thirteen.

"What else did the Thirteen do?" queried Hermione curiously.

Draco smirked and said coolly, "Are you all sure you really want to know?"

Harry frowned darkly at Draco, remembering what Dark wizards had done to Godric's parents. Ron was also looking at the other boy with extreme dislike. Hermione looked worriedly at the three of them and finally ask Draco why the Thirteen wasn't mentioned in the history books she had gone through. If it had been so important a thousand years ago, there should be something about it in the library.

Draco froze momentarily before saying, "Because the Thirteen was completely destroyed by Lord Slytherin."

"... WHAT?!" exclaimed Harry, Ron and Hermione simultaneously. Unfortunately, this time, Madam Pince was in the library, and all four students were kicked out from the room post-haste.

***

During lunchtime, Harry couldn't avoid looking up from his meal to stare at Salazar over at the staff table. He wasn't the only one. Ron and Hermione kept craning their necks to look at the Dark wizard as well.

Salazar was talking amicably with Professor Snape, who was seated beside him. The Potions Master looked as he usually did, sharp and severe, his coal black eyes were watching Salazar closely. Harry wondered what Snape thought of the Slytherin Founder. Harry, himself, wasn't certain of what to think of Salazar now.

Draco had told them that the Thirteen tried to murder Salazar in Hogwarts by tricking Muggle-born students into switching minds with their followers. Salazar had survived all assassination attempts, but in turn, had become so suspicious and distrustful of Muggle-borns that he demanded to the other Founders that all Muggle-borns be banned from attending Hogwarts.

As what Professor Binns had told them, Godric and Salazar got into a heated argument over the matter, and Salazar left Hogwarts in disgust. From here, history books diverged from Draco's story. Salazar had gone back to the Thirteen after leaving the school. Somehow, he had found out that it was they who had been the ones plotting his demise at Hogwarts.

Harry couldn't forget the excited proud gleam in Draco's eyes when he told them that Salazar had killed all the members of the coalition with Avada Kedavra. When Draco said that Salazar had created the Killing Curse, Harry almost spilled the truth about Avada Kedavra's true origin.

But he didn't. Harry decided that it was best if Draco continued to believe it was Salazar who created Avada Kedavra. Though now, Harry was torn on whether or not to tell Ron and Hermione the truth. His two best friends now firmly believed that Salazar created the most dangerous Killing Curse ever known when actually it was Godric Gryffindor who had created it.

Harry pushed away the problem into the recesses of his mind. For now, he was more worried about the sort of person Salazar Slytherin was. The Dark wizard had gone against and murdered his own kind. Granted, the Thirteen had tried to kill him first...

Harry promised to himself to never get the Dark wizard angry at him.

***

After dinner that evening, Professor McGonagall approached Harry and the others and told them there wouldn't be any book transferring tonight. When they asked her why, she told them that the Founders were too busy this evening to train them with the Pentacle, and she refused to tell them with what the Founders were so busy with.

Though they were curious, the trio decided that they would find out sooner or later what the Founders were doing. Instead, Harry, Ron and Hermione took this opportunity to talk to their House Head about the Founders' impending departure. Unfortunately, she seemed to agree with the Founders' choice and told them that though it was hard to accept it would be better that the Founders leave.

"It is best for the past to not interfere with the present," Professor McGonagall had told them in a wise tone of voice before taking her leave of them. She had sounded very much like Godric Gryffindor when she said that.

***

On Friday morning, they discovered the reason why the Founders had been too busy the evening before.

"Dark Arts..." Ron lowered his heels and turned back to Harry and Hermione. He had been on his tiptoes and craning his head to look over other students' heads at the bulletin that had placed at the foot of the marble staircase in the entrance hall. The hall was crowded with students on their way to breakfast.

"There's going to be a special Dark Arts lecture in the Great Hall after lunchtime," Ron informed his friends. Ron looked very surprised and so were the other people around them.

"Dark Arts... They must be joking," Harry heard Terry Boot, a fifth-year Ravenclaw student, say to his friends.

"Aren't the Dark Arts illegal?" Hannah Abbott wondered aloud. She was also in the same year as Harry and was standing with a throng of Hufflepuffs.

"I wonder if those Accreditation Professors have anything to do with this," Lee commented to George and Fred. Neither twin replied or even took noticed that Lee was speaking to them. Neither had yet gotten over the lost of their brooms.

Many of the students began to complain that they didn't want to attend the lecture, and a Slytherin prefect near the bulletin board, informed them that attendance wasn't compulsory. There would still be regular classes in the afternoon, but those who wanted to attend the lecture were excused from their classes.

The Slytherins present in the hall had also surprised by the news, but unlike the other Houses, they were clearly delighted by the prospect of having a Dark Arts session.

"About time," said Blaise Zabini, who was a fifth-year Slytherin. "It's good that Hogwarts is finally teaching its students something that is useful."

***

As with Professor Lupin's lecture, the interior of the Great Hall was once again transformed. The long House tables were gone. The golden stage was back. Rows of plush armchairs again filled the area with two clear wide aisles at the sides and a twice as wide aisle down the center.

When Harry and his friends entered the hall, they found that the Slytherins had already taken all the chairs closest to the stage. It looked like their entire House had come to listen to the lecture. It was also the same case with House Gryffindor as well as House Ravenclaw and House Hufflepuff. Despite the protests that had been sounded, no student would want to miss this lecture. Besides, all their professors had cancelled their classes in order to attend the Dark Arts session as well. Even Professor Dumbledore was present.

Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly found their seats. Harry saw that Draco and his friends were seated in the second row.

When the last student was seated properly, Salazar stood up from his place in the first row and walked up unto the stage. The Dark wizard's gait was easy and confident. As soon as he reached the center of the platform, he took out a wand and cast Sonorus on himself.

"Welcome, Hogwarts students and teachers alike. I am Professor Sextus Scaevola, and I will be your host for this afternoon." His voice, remained light and much to Harry's surprise, didn't boom and echo as voices, enhanced by Sonorus, usually do. It reminded him of Snape's voice during classes when the Potions Master was carefully discussing the ingredients of a potion and how to brew it. Both wizards had voices which held attention easily without having to be loud. Salazar's was more of a cheerful sort.

Now, Salazar was looking serious and was saying, "Before the learning will truly begin, I must remind you all that you are attending this Dark Arts session of your own accord. Thus, Hogwarts, your teachers, my companions and I cannot be held liable for what you will learn this afternoon nor will we pay attention to any letter sent to us by your parents, complaining that their sons and daughters shouldn't be learning what you all are about to learn this day. Is this perfectly understandable?"

There were sounds of affirmation and consenting nods from the Slytherins, but there was reluctance and wariness from the other Three Houses. Then suddenly, a student stood up, and everyone, save for the Founders, was shocked to see that it was Neville Longbottom.

"Yes?" Salazar asked. Harry tore his eyes away from Neville, who was standing behind his chair, to notice that Salazar had an interested gleam in his eyes as he regarded Neville.

"May I speak, Professor Scaevola?" said Neville. Harry looked back at him, wondering at the other boy's tone of voice. He had never heard Neville sound so... He sounded like he was tightly controlling a strong emotion. Neville's voice wasn't enhanced by a spell, but his words carried clearly throughout the Great Hall.

"You may," answered Salazar, and Neville said, "I don't think we should be learning Dark Arts."

Immediately, there were boos and hisses from the Slytherins, but Neville kept himself still and unflinching. Harry stared at Neville, who looked so... Harry was having great difficulty describing Neville right now. The other boy looked so serious, so certain of himself... and stubborn. This was awkward clumsy Neville who had accidents as often as he forgot things. This was cowardly Neville who fled in the other direction upon seeing Snape in the same hallway as he was.

This Neville, who had just stood up alone to say that this lecture shouldn't happen, wasn't the boy Harry knew for more than four years. It just wasn't like Neville to be so brave. Then, Harry remembered the way Neville had stood up to him, Ron and Hermione in first year. He had tried to stop them from going to the third floor corridor. Hadn't Dumbledore said that there were different kinds of bravery, and that standing up to one's own friends was one of them.

But Neville was standing up to a wizard, whom he thought to be just a professor, but who was actually Salazar Slytherin, a person who seriously shouldn't be trifled with. All Harry could think right now was that Neville was brave, but foolish.

The Great Hall suddenly quieted when Salazar walked down from the stage. Murmurs again broke out as he passed through the central aisle and stopped at the row where Neville was. Then, everyone fell silent again as Salazar said, "What is your name?"

Neville lifted his chin deliberately and answered, "My name is Neville Longbottom."

Salazar nodded and asked, "Neville, you do know that the only way to properly learn to defend one's self against Dark Arts is to know the Dark Arts."

Neville nodded once then said brusquely, "Last year, we had a teacher who said the same thing." His eyes hardened. "But it turned out he was actually a Dark wizard."

Harry's insides felt like ice when he heard Neville's words. Barty Crouch Jr. as Mad-Eye Moody had infiltrated Hogwarts for the purpose of delivering Harry to Voldemort, but he had been an excellent DADA teacher. Neville especially had taken a great liking to the imposter for the kindness the fake Moody had shown to him.

Neville must have been devastated when he learned that the teacher he respected and liked so much was actually one of Voldemort's Death Eaters in disguise. Harry had never thought about how Neville must have felt.

"Did this Dark wizard teach you anything useful?" Salazar asked Neville.

"He taught me that Dark wizards cannot be trusted," declared Neville in a rough voice. Neville sounded angry, but Harry felt that there was a thread of pain in the other boy's voice. ... Betrayed. Neville sounded like he had been betrayed.

Harry almost hit himself for not realizing it sooner. Neville had great cause to be against all of this. Barty Crouch Jr. was one of the people who had tortured Neville's parents into insanity, and he had the gall to befriend his victims' son.

Salazar smiled slightly at Neville. He looked very amused, and Harry glared at him. If the Dark wizard intended to ridicule Neville in front of the entire school, Harry was going to stand up against Salazar himself. Damn the consequences.

But Salazar simply said, "It is true. Dark wizards cannot be trusted, which is why Light wizards must learn how to deal with them and their ways."

"We don't need their magic to deal with them," said Neville stoutly, but Salazar shook his head and said, "You will be at a great disadvantage if Light magic is all that you know. It would be the same as having only a shield in your arsenal, and Dark wizards would never limit themselves to only the use of Black magic."

What Salazar said made sense to Harry though he took it with reluctance. It was repulsive to think of using Dark magic, but even Light wizards had to learn curses and hexes as well. It would be stupid not to arm one's self.

Neville was not convinced by Salazar's argument and remained steadfast that they shouldn't be learning Dark Arts. Other students were starting to shoot looks of admiration at Neville though most of them still looked stunned by the fact that it was Neville Longbottom speaking.

Salazar's expression was one of amusement and admiration, and Harry was only too glad that the Dark wizard chose to be tactful with Neville in this matter. Then, Harry tensed when Salazar's face turned crafty, but it was only for a bare moment, and the Dark wizard looked amused again.

"You and others are free to leave," Salazar said to Neville in a kind tone of voice. "You do not have to stay. You are not here at Hogwarts to be forced to learn something you do not wish to learn."

"Does that mean I don't have to go to another one of Binns' history classes or Divination?" Ron whispered to Harry with a grin while Hermione shot him a reproving look. Harry smiled at his friends before looking back at Neville who demanded to know how they could go through with this.

Salazar looked entertained by Neville's stubbornness and much to everyone's surprise, he offered a wager to Neville.

"Allow me to demonstrate one Dark spell," Salazar said in an engaging tone of voice, "and if your mind hasn't changed afterwards, I will discontinue this session as well as cancel the others that are being planned for next week."

Neville was caught off guard by this peculiar professor who was making a bet with him. Now, with his eyes wide and his mouth agape at Salazar, he looked like the Neville everyone knew and loved.

Salazar was waiting for Neville's answer with an expectant expression. Neville managed to nod at him after what seemed like a minute of silent shock. Salazar gave a winning smile to the boy and told him to take his seat before turning and walking back to the stage. The entire audience in the Great Hall broke out into murmurs and whispers as Salazar took to the stage again.

As Neville sat back down in his chair, Harry immediately leaned over his chair and asked him if he was all right. But before Neville could answer Harry, he was inundated by praise from the other Gryffindors.

"Wow!" Seamus exclaimed, "Neville, I didn't know you had it in you to stand up to a professor like that." Neville blushed at this and mumbled that he just felt he had to do it.

Ron also leaned over his own chair to face Neville, and he apologized to the other boy for accusing him of being spineless in Potions class. "You're definitely a true blue Gryffindor, Neville," Ron said, "I'm very sorry for those things I said to you."

"It's all right, Ron," Neville answered with a slight smile then he ducked his head down, looking very embarrassed when the girls, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender and Parvati showered praises on him.

Harry grinned. Neville deserved every word of praise for standing up to Salazar like that. He suddenly felt very tempted to tell Neville that it was actually Salazar Slytherin he had just faced so bravely.

When Harry looked back to the stage, he saw that Godric was also now standing on it. Both he and Salazar were conversing closely with each other. Over at the front row, he saw that Rowena and Helga were also talking to Dumbledore and the other professors.

Finally, everyone settled down, and Godric moved farther to the right of the stage, while Salazar stepped forward to address the audience again.

"We were going to demonstrate this spell as the final one in the lecture," announced Salazar, "but since this a very discriminating audience indeed, we will go ahead to the finale."

What spell are they going to show? Harry wondered, sitting up in his chair attentively.

Salazar said, "We are going to demonstrate the Cruciatus Curse."

"... What?!" It was an exclamation echoed by all the students, but Harry barely heard the ruckus that ensued. He had become wrapped up in his own memory and guilt of having cast the Cruciatus Curse at Draco. Ron said something to him, but Harry could distinguish neither his nor Hermione's words when she talked to him as well.

"You can't demonstrate the Cruciatus Curse, Professor!" Harry glanced to George who had stood up. The older boy's words were the first to break through to Harry.

"It's an Unforgivable Curse, you can't demonstrate it!" George finished firmly amidst agreeing noise from his fellow Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also supporting him. The Slytherins, strangely enough, were quiet.

Salazar's dry voice cut through the noise in the Great Hall, saying, "I doubt if that reason will dissuade a Dark wizard who is about to cast Crucio on you."

"Regardless," Salazar continued before George could protest further, "Do away with that concern since Crucio will not be demonstrated on any of you, and permission has been granted by your Headmaster to conduct this special Dark Arts session."

How could Dumbledore allow this...? But Harry had barely a second to think about it since their professors had stood up and were going around telling their students to quiet down and to behave. Professor McGonagall had to glare George back down in his seat.

It was only when the Great Hall was quiet again that Salazar continued.

"Of the three Unforgivable Curses, Crucio is the most insidious. It's main and only purpose is to inflict pain."

"You don't have to tell us that," Ron muttered as did many others. Harry stared at Salazar, wondering what point the Dark wizard was trying to prove about the Cruciatus Curse.

"Because it has such singular effectiveness, the Cruciatus Curse was banned as Unforgivable, and its usage was made illegal. It was incorrect to do so."

It was only Professor McGonagall's close proximity that kept George from leaping to his feet again. Harry didn't understand why their teachers were allowing this. Nor could he imagine how Salazar had convinced the Headmaster and the other Founders, especially Godric, to have this Dark Arts session.

A hand was suddenly raised among the Slytherins, and Salazar nodded for the student to stand up. It was Draco.

"Sir," asked Draco, "why do you say it was incorrect that Crucio was made illegal?"

Salazar answered simply, "Because Dark wizards do not follow laws set by Light wizards. They will continue to practice Crucio while Light wizards instead lose the skills of dealing with the curse."

A hand suddenly shot up from among the Gryffindors, and Salazar nodded for George to stand up.

"What skills are you referring to?" George said in a demanding tone of voice.

Salazar answered calmly, "That is what Godfrey and I will demonstrate --- if there are no more questions."

The hall became very quiet, and Salazar nodded before moving to the left area of the stage. He and Godric faced each other. It was clear that they were going to duel with each other.

The silence in the Great Hall was deadening as they waited, and suddenly, in a movement almost too quick to follow, Salazar raised his wand at Godric and yelled, "Crucio!"

Boys shouted. Girls screamed. Harry jumped up, aghast. There was no bright flash from Salazar's wand. Unlike Avada Kedavra, Crucio didn't manifest itself as a visible light. It was invisible, and that was another reason why Crucio was so deadly. A victim couldn't see it in order to avoid it, but he would know instantly when the curse hit him.

Godric suddenly sidestepped to the right, and Harry stared at him. For an instant, he thought he saw something shimmer past the wizard like a bullet. Harry almost missed it. It was like a momentary warping of air. He only caught it, because it stood out for a bare second as it passed by Godric's dark crimson robes.

Salazar cast the Cruciatus Curse again, and once again Godric stepped aside to the left and towards the audience. Harry didn't see anything this time, but when Salazar cast for the third time, Harry saw it again. It was thin and very faint, but Harry was certain that that was the Cruciatus Curse.

Salazar lowered his wand after the third Crucio, smiled and commented, "Not bad, Godfrey."

Godric bowed slightly, saying, "Thank you, Sextus."

A few moments later, tumultuous applause sounded in the Great Hall as everyone cheered and shouted, "That was amazing!"

It was a while before everyone settled back in their seats again. The atmosphere in the hall was charged with excitement and enthusiasm as Salazar continued his lecture about the Cruciatus Curse.

"Dodging is one way to avoid getting hit by Crucio," said Salazar. "The curse is barely visible since it is only needle-thin, but since it travels in a straight line from wand tip, it is relatively easy to calculate its trajectory. If you are quick and nimble, you should be able to avoid the Cruciatus Curse. Just don't stay still, and don't forget to counterattack either."

As the lecture progressed, Harry learned that there were two ways to cast Crucio: in short bursts and in long continuous or prolonged casting.

Salazar also explained that when compared to Muggle means of torture, Crucio was more humane. Again, there were protests from some of the students when the Dark wizard said that, but they fell quiet quickly when Salazar pointed out that Crucio didn't leave any physical damages, and that the pain it caused disappeared the moment the spell ended.

Harry glanced behind him at Neville who looked stony-faced. His parents were insane because of the Cruciatus Curse, and Neville's face tightened when Salazar said, "Crucio is particularly effective as an offensive spell since it renders your opponent almost entirely at your mercy once the spell hits him."

Neville suddenly stood up and yelled at Salazar, "How would you like it if someone tortured you with Crucio?!"

Salazar was startled, and everyone in the Great Hall stared at Neville, who was furious and red in the face. Harry stood up as well and tried to calm the other boy down, but Neville ignored him and continued to stare with hatred at the Dark wizard.

Harry glanced at Salazar who was staring at Neville with a frown. Salazar, of course, didn't know about Neville's history. Professor McGonagall soon arrived at Neville's side and suggested that it would be best if he left the Great Hall, but Neville shook his head stubbornly, saying he was staying.

Salazar suddenly said, "Crucio is indeed a terrible curse, Neville. But there will always be people who will make use of it especially if so many are afraid and helpless because of their fear of it." Then, he turned to Godric and nodded once.

Again, they took their duelling places as everyone held their breaths in anticipation. Godric slowly raised his wand and aimed at Salazar. After a moment, he cast Crucio, and Salazar froze.

With growing horror, Harry realized that Salazar was deliberately letting himself be hit by the Cruciatus Curse. The other students quickly found out as well and scattered yells and shrieks echoed in the hall while most of the students were too shocked to do anything but watch.

Seconds ticked by. On the sixth second, Salazar went down to one knee. His eyes were bloodshot, cheek muscles quivered and sweat gleamed on his forehead. He was looking straight at Godric, whose face was controlled and unreadable.

On the ninth second, Salazar's eyes shut close, and Harry heard a very low keening cry from him. He began to shudder and jerk, and Harry knew that the Dark wizard was in agony. By the twelth second, Draco rushed from his seat to go to the stage, but Professor Snape stopped him

Suddenly, Salazar threw his head back, his eyes snapping open, and he pointed his wand at Godric. "Expelliarmus," he choked, and Godric's wand shot out from his hand and fell down to clatter and roll across the stage floor. Godric suddenly jerked, his face cleared, and worry filled it. He immediately went over to Salazar and tried to help the other wizard up, but Salazar waved him away and clambered up to stand by himself.

He began to say in a tight shaky voice, that even once hit by Crucio, the curse could still fought. Slowly and steadily, Salazar regained his composure, and his voice was steady when he said, "Crucio's pain can be endured long enough for you to disarm your enemy as I did with Godfrey. One weakness with using Cruciatus is that for prolonged casting of the curse, it is necessary for the caster to place all of his concentration on the task at hand. In effect, counterattacking while under Crucio is possible and oftentimes, your opponent doesn't expect you to be able to resist the Cruciatus Curse. It is a trump card in your hand, and it will turn the battle over to your side if you use it wisely."

"To effectively defend your self against the Dark Arts it is necessary not only to understand how they work, but also to know them firsthand-" Salazar broke off, suddenly looking like he was about to faint, and Godric quickly led him off the stage. The lecture soon ended after that, and the professors began herding their reluctant students out of the Great Hall. Neville was asked to stay behind.

Harry, Ron and Hermione waited outside in the entrance hall, which was packed with students who were talking about the lecture and about Professor Scaevola in particular.

"I can't believe he just let himself be hit by Crucio," whispered Ginny.

Hermione shuddered, but didn't say anything. She had been speechless ever since Godric had hit Salazar with the Cruciatus Curse.

"Yah," said Lee, but he looked impressed rather than horrified, "but did you see the way he threw off Crucio? That was incredible!"

"Why do you think the Headmaster allowed this Dark Arts session?" Harry heard a Ravenclaw ask her companions. Seventh-year Roger Davies replied, "I suppose he wants us to be better prepared against the Dark Arts since You-Know-Who is said to be rising again."

Ron heard them also and said to Harry that he wouldn't mind learning some Dark magic. He also told Harry that he had heard his parents talking about the Ministry allowing Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses again.

The doors to the Great Hall suddenly opened, and Neville stepped out. They immediately surrounded him and asked what had happened in there.

Neville looked shaken, but his voice was steady as he told them that Professor Scaevola had requested that he stayed in the Great Hall.

His rotund face looked confused and embarrassed as he said that the professor wanted to know if he had won the bet between them.

Harry barely kept himself from laughing when he heard that. Hiding a grin, Ron asked Neville what he told Scaevola.

"... I asked him first how he could allow himself to be hit by Crucio like that," said Neville slowly.

Hermione finally found her voice and asked, "What did he say, Neville?"

Neville blinked before answering, "Professor Scaevola said that he wanted to show to us that the Cruciatus Curse could be fought, and that it is important that we shouldn't fear it. Instead, we should learn how to use it to our advantage."

Ginny was aghast. "They want us to learn Crucio?!"

Neville hesitated before nodding, and he somberly announced, "There will be four special Dark Arts sessions next week. It will be held in the evening after dinner in the Great Hall on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday."

Chaos erupted in the entrance hall when they all heard this news. Some of the students were outraged that there would be more Dark Arts sessions. Some were delighted, the Slytherins in particular, while others were just curious about the whole matter.

Much later, in Gryffindor Tower, Harry told Neville that he was surprised the other boy seemed quite calm about it.

"I think Professor Scaevola changed your mind about learning about Dark Arts. He won the bet, didn't he?" Harry said to Neville. Both of them were sitting in the armchairs closest to the fire. It was passed midnight, and the other Gryffindors were sound asleep in their beds. Harry had been sleeping too, but a noise woke him up, and he saw Neville leave the dormitory. Harry had gotten out of bed, put on his robes and followed Neville. When he arrived at the common room, he saw that Neville was seated near the hearth and was staring morosely at the fire.

Neville nodded slowly at Harry and shrugged. "You saw what he did, Harry. He let himself get hit by Crucio just to prove his point. After what he did, how can my mind not be changed about it?"

Harry agreed then reminded Neville that he could have cancelled all the Dark Arts sessions if he had just told the professor that he still hadn't changed his mind.

"That would be lying, Harry," said Neville, looking amused. Then he sobered and went back to staring into the fire silently. To Harry, Neville looked like he still had something to say so he just waited patiently for the other boy and didn't bother him with more questions.

After several silent minutes, Neville said, "Actually, it wasn't what happened on the stage that really changed my mind about learning the Dark Arts."

"What then?" asked Harry curiously.

Neville continued staring into the fire as he said, "Professor Scaevola told the other teachers that he wanted to talk with me in private. When we were alone, he asked me why I hated the Cruciatus Curse so much."

Harry hesitated before asking, "Did you tell him why?" Neville didn't know that Harry knew what had happened to his parents, and Harry wanted Neville to talk to him about his parents on his own accord, but Harry doubted if the other boy would ever open up to him about the sad fate of his parents.

Neville glanced at Harry sharply, frowning at him, and Harry almost cursed at himself. He did sound like he knew Neville's reason for hating Crucio already.

After staring at each other for a few tense moments, Neville relaxed and looked away. "No, I didn't tell him why. I never told anyone. I certainly wouldn't tell it to someone I barely know. I told him I just hated Crucio, that's all."

"What did he say when you told him that?" Harry queried. He also couldn't help but be reminded of Godric. The way Neville was acting right now made Harry recall of the time Godric refused to reveal to him about how he came to create Avada Kedavra.

This time, it was Neville who hesitated, and he was slow to answer Harry, "He didn't ask about it again, but he said that there was a far worse pain than the torment the Cruciatus Curse inflicts."

Harry frowned at this, wondering what could cause more pain than Crucio. Was it even possible? When Voldemort tortured Harry with the Cruciatus Curse, he had wanted to die. "Did you ask him what it was?" Harry said to Neville.

Neville nodded once, and softly continued, "He said that losing a loved one was a far greater pain than Crucio."

Harry was struck silent when he heard that and found it hard to believe that Salazar Slytherin had said that to Neville.

To be continued.