Harry Potter and the Protectors of Hogwarts

xxii. epilogue

Harry didn't know what woke him but he knew he needed to move. He was being summoned. He was still wearing hospital style pyjamas as he stepped barefoot out of the Infirmary.

He knew there were footsteps behind him but he didn't turn to see who was there. It didn't matter who was there. All that mattered was where he needed to be.

He let his feet guide him until eventually he came to stop in front of the sink that would lead him down to the Chamber of Secrets.

It opened without Harry having to utter a password. He stepped into the entrance for the pipe and was slowly lowered down as if he was in a lift.

His feet touched the ground at the bottom and without waiting for whoever had been following him he continued to follow his feet.

Harry passed into the main chamber, again without a password. He didn't stop walking until he stood in the middle of the Chamber of Secrets.

He knelt down on one knee as he bowed low, uncaring of the dirt smearing his hospital pyjamas.

"Speak to us Salazar Slytherin, Greatest of Hogwarts Four!"

"Speak to us Godric Gryffindor, Bravest of Hogwarts Four!" a voice said softly behind him.

Harry didn't need to turn to see who it was.

"Speak to us Helga Hufflepuff, Devoted of Hogwarts Four!" another voice sang.

There was a pause as if they were waiting for another voice to join them.

No voice came to their aid.

So together the trio spoke softly;

"Speak to me Rowena Ravenclaw, Cleverest of Hogwarts Four!"

The four corners of the Chamber lit up. Each corner emitted a light the colour of the four Hogwarts Houses.

Each light changed to shape a different animal.

A serpent. A lion. An eagle. A badger.

The four animals came in front of the kneeling disciples. Harry stayed kneeling, not lifting his head to see what was happening.

He heard footsteps echoing from the outer chambers but ignored the intruders.

The animals looked to each before giving a short bow to Harry and his companions.

The Hogwarts mascot then shone bright until under the lights the animals began morph into human forms.

"Dumbledore, what's happening?" Harry heard the alarmed voice of McGonagall.

Dumbledore didn't answer. Perhaps because he didn't have one.

Slowly the colours seeped away to reveal the four Founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Stand up, my children," said the tinkling voice of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Harry stood up and faced the creators of the place he considered to be his home.

He felt Luna slip her hand into his, and felt his hand being grasped by Neville. Harry tighten his hand around both of theirs.

"Your servants have missed you, my Lady," Neville said deferentially.

"And we you, my child," Godric smiled.

"One of our number is missing," Salazar mused.

No one had an answer for him, but the Founders didn't seem to expect one.

"Is this... what is this... how?" Dumbledore was at a loss for words.

"Hogwarts has many secrets, Headmaster Dumbledore," Helga said kindly.

"We are just part of the well kept ones," Godric agreed.

"We created this school, not only to teach new and gifted witches and wizards the way of magic, but also to support those in great need of strength," Salazar explained.

"Are you ghosts?" McGonagall asked hesitantly.

"We are very real," Rowena said, holding her wand out in front of her. "And we are here to help you unite."

Helga, Salazar and Godric each held out their wands until the tips met with Rowena's.

Harry hadn't picked up his wand when he left the Infirmary. Yet, it was in his hand now, as if he'd had it all along. He held it out font of him until the tip met with the Founders' wands. Luna and Neville added their wands as well.

"We are your children. We are your servants. We will do as you bid," the three said together.

The trio felt a wave of pure magic wash over them, heating them and cooling them at the same time, as the Founders blessed them.