Salazar's Study: Book One

Chapter 4

The third task was coming up in a couple of days, and Harry was having trouble finding time to come visit Salazar, but he managed at least twice a week. Ron and Hermione were barely talking to him, but classes were extra demanding, and he was hanging around with Dean and Seamus a lot, who had told him they were in a relationship. He would almost always go to Slytherin's study on Saturday, however, as they gathered the materials to perform the ritual. 

This particular Saturday, Harry only had to find a few more ingredients from outside of the study, and the rest he would collect from inside. He was planning to perform the ritual in the study/sitting room, where there was a lot of space to work with.

"What was the last thing you said?" Harry asked, chewing the end of his quill.

"The last thing you need on the list is a Flobberworm or two, along with bat-eyes and basil for the potion portion of the ritual." Salazar repeated, watching as Harry wrote the last few ingredients on a piece of parchment.

The blue base of the potion was already currently in the other room, brewing for a few more hours, but it was important that Harry have all the necessary ingredients when the time came to add them.

"Hurry along, then," Salazar said, looking expectantly at the place in the room where Harry should-definitely-not-be-but-was. 

"Right," Harry said, walking back towards the passage. "I'll see you in a few hours, then?"

"I'll see you in a few hours, Harry." Salazar assured. "Now go."

And Harry went.

* * *

Harry walked hurriedly through the halls, holding the Marauders Map in his left hand, a bag with all the ingredients in his right. He suddenly panicked when he saw Draco Malfoy walking straight towards him. He quickly wiped the map and went to hide behind a suit of armor, but it was too late.

"Potter?" Malfoy spat. "What are you doing here, down in the dungeons?" Harry shrugged. "What's that parchment?" 

"None of your business, Malfoy." Harry sneered. Malfoy took out his wand and muttered -to Harry's horror- Accio parchment.

But instead of bringing the map to him, it brought Malfoy the list of ingredients from inside Harry's bag. 

"What is this?" Malfoy mused in a singsong voice. "Little Potty is making an illegal potion. What's this for?"

Harry reached for the parchment, but Malfoy was too quick for him. He swooped out of the way and laughed maliciously. "How about I have a little chat with Snape-"

"NO!" Harry whisper-yelled, grabbing the parchment from Malfoy's hand. "Don't tell, or else, Malfoy."

Malfoy smirked. "If you let me in on what you're up to, it might just buy my silence."

Harry gulped and looked around nervously, before sticking out his hand and saying: "If I tell you, you'll keep quiet?"

"I will." Malfoy assured, grabbing Harry's hand. Unknowingly, Malfoy had just made a verbal contract, so even though he was fully planning on telling on Harry anyway, he couldn't.

"Okay, stand back," Harry warned. Malfoy shot him a confused look, but stood back.

"Snakes," Harry hissed (He had found out shortly after finding the room that the password was not 'fucking snakes', but a more dignified version of the same sentence.)

Malfoy looked at Harry, surprised that he had spoken parseltongue, but his surprise doubled when the wall started moving, and Harry stepped into a newfound corridor, with dim torches as the only source of light.

"What the bloody hell," Malfoy whispered, following Harry in and nearly yelping when the wall closed off again. He would not show weakness to Potter. He wouldn't.

"Where the fuck are we, Potter?" Malfoy asked, trying not to let his wonder/surprise/mild-horror show. 

"You'll see." Harry, by that time, had reached the door on the other end of the passage. "You'll not say a word about this, correct?"

Malfoy gave a stiff nod. Harry turned back to the door. "Basilisk." He hissed, causing the door to open.

"Salazar," Malfoy breathed as he saw the room come into view.

"Who said my name?" Came a gruff voice. Malfoy's eyes shot wide open, and he walked farther into the room, now able to see the large portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"Who is this, Harry?"

Harry grimaced. "This is the git I told you about, Draco Malfoy."

Malfoy glared at Harry. "You have some explaining to do, Potter. Did you really badmouth me to the original Head of my house?!"

Harry smirked at Draco. "I did, in fact. The room you are standing in was- is- the old study of Salazar Slytherin." He turned back to the portrait. "The reason he is here, is because he saw me roaming the halls and inquired where I was going-"

"As any Slytherin would." Salazar interjected, his onyx eyes gleaming as he watched the nervous Slytherin looking around the room.

"And he threatened to tell on me to his Head of House if I didn't tell him what I was doing, so we made a verbal contract-"

"We did?!"

"that states that he cannot breath a word of this to anyone. Trust me, I was reluctant, but if I hadn't hurried the potion we've been working on for almost a month would have been ruined."

Salazar looked fairly satisfied with this answer. Malfoy shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, his usually awful demeanor gone.

"What potion are you working on?" He asked finally.

"The None Of Your Business potion; it's very popular." Harry replied snarkily. "How many bat-eyes, Salazar?"

"Three, followed by a Flobberworm. The potion should turn purple, but if it doesn't, add the other as well. Come to me in ten minutes when you are finished with that." He finished.

Harry nodded and made his way back to the artifact room, as he called it. "Morgana," He hissed to get in, Malfoy slipping in behind him. 

"Get out, Malfoy."

"No way!" His nemesis half-shouted, running to the shelf up ahead, where all the potions ingredients were stored. "Some of this stuff has been unavailable and virtually extinct for centuries! What any self respecting potions master in the country wouldn't give to find this!"

Harry chuckled and walked forward to his cauldron, adding ingredients as he watched Malfoy acting like a kid in the candy store with a smile tugging on his lips. 

Perhaps Draco Malfoy wasn't so bad after all.