The Dark Lord's Salvation - T.Riddle

40. The Lost Founders

In the early hours of the morning, Lyra and Tom made their way to the great hall under her invisibility cloak. The Marauders Map was open in front of them, making sure the coast was clear. Tom offered to go with her to keep a lookout whilst she placed the portraits back. They entered the Hall and closed locked the door. Tom took the cloak from Lyra and handed her a bag.

Lyra reached an arm in and pulled out the first portrait. It was Godric Gryffindor.

"Where did you belong on the walls?" Lyra asked.

"On the right side of the door. You see those weird markings?"

"Yeah. What are they? I've always wondered"

"Those are where our portraits once were. Dumbledore had markings put there to hide the slight indents from where our portraits once hung"

Lyra nodded. She turned him round and started writing runes and wards on the back of his portrait with her blood. She'd cut her right index finger to write with. Once they were done, there was a slight glow before they faded into the portrait. Lyra then raised him up to his rightful place and stuck him there permanently. When he was in his rightful place, magic swirled the room.

"You'll be the only one to feel it little lion. You are the only one with enough magic to sense it" Godric had told Lyra. She nodded. Taking a deep breath, she reached into the bag again to pull out the next portrait. Next was Rowena Ravenclaw.

"Lady Ravenclaw. Where does your portrait belong?"

"My dear, call us by our first names at least. Or call me Grandma Rowena. You are our descendant after all. You can put me behind the teachers table on the left, opposite Godric dear one"

Lyra smiled and nodded at Rowena and repeats the process of warding her portrait. Once that is finished, Lyra places her in her rightful place. Another swirl of magic goes through the hall and Lyra's eyes glow gold momentarily without her knowing.

The next portrait out was a long landscape portrait of Merlin, Arthur, and Morgana.

"Place us above the door young dragon" Merlin told her with a smile. Morgana and Arthur nodded encouragingly.

A few extra wards were needed on their portrait, as there were three of them in it. The wards also helped stopped anyone trying to place spells on the portraits. When the portrait was in its rightful place, magic took form in the shape of a golden dragon and danced around Tom and Lyra. Her eyes relit in gold and stayed like that as magic pulsed through her. Tom watched her in awe. His green-blue eyes faintly glow red in response to seeing hers as gold.

Lyra pulled out Helga Hufflepuff next.

"Hello my lovely! If you put my portrait on the right side behind the teachers table, that would be grand sweetheart" she told Lyra with a wide smile.

Once again, once the wards were placed and Helga returned to her rightful spot, magic swirled. But this time, Lyra could feel it going through the castle. She supposed with the last portrait, it would cover the grounds. Tom's eyes turned bright red in response to Lyra sending out her magic to join the founders'.

Salazar Slytherin was last.

"Once you place my portrait, the castle wards will be at full strength. Dumbledore had weakened them by removing us and hiding our portraits. You, my young snakeling, will bring this castle back to its former glory" he told her with a proud smile.

"Thank you, Salazar"

"Call me Grandfather Sal. He may be my descendent, but you are still worthy of the Slytherin name. Welcome to the family, Lady of Hogwarts"

Tom and Lyra smiled at each other. She placed the final wards and replaced his portrait on the left side of the door. Lyra's knees buckled under the pressure of the magic released. Tom caught her before she could hit the floor. Their magic encircled each other. The forms of a dragon, unicorn, thunderbird, lion, badger, eagle, and snake danced around the hall before entering Lyra's body. She felt so powerful in that moment and without realising it, she'd caught Tom's face in her hands and kissed his lips briefly.

When they had pulled away, they were both blushing bright red. She quickly ducked her head down in embarrassment. He tilted her chin back up with his fingers and kissed her softly once more. It was everything Lyra dreamed it would be.

With their eyes back to normal once again, Lyra and Tom made their way out of the hall and back to their quarters. Tomorrow would be a Patronus worthy moment.

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The next morning, Lyra found all her friends before they could enter the great hall. She wouldn't let them go in until they were all together.

"Come on cousin! It's Saturday. I want to eat a big breakfast and go back to sleep" Draco whined.

Luna slapped his arm playfully and gave him a wide smile.

"It will be worth it dragon. The castle is happy this morning because of it" she told him airily. Draco would forever deny that he pouted at that.

"Are we all here? Good. Let's go!" Lyra said with a giggle.

Theo and Blaise looked at each other and smiled. It was good to see her like this. They followed eagerly wanting to see her surprise.

They took one step into the great hall and stopped in astonishment. There, in front of them, were the portraits of Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw. Lyra and Luna dragged them all further in and told them to turn around. Daphne let out a shocked squeal. Draco looked like he would pass out again. Pansy gaped her mouth like a fish. Fred and George kept pinching each other to make sure they were awake, and Neville was beaming widely. Theo and Blaise stood like statues, breathing heavily.

Students and teachers in the hall were also in mixed states of shock and disbelief. Flitwick was squealing and jumping for joy. Sprout was staring at Helga in awe. McGonagall had to take a seat in shock. Umbridge kept pursing her lips and her face was pale in anger.

The best response was Dumbledore's in Lyra's eyes. He sat on his golden throne and glared at each portrait. His twinkle fully extinguished as he realised that the wards were now at full power. His gaze met Lyra's. To add salt to his many wounds, she smirked and gave him a mocking salute. Akasha reared her head back and hissed at him from around Lyra's neck.

The weekend was spent mainly in the great hall with students and teachers asking the seven individuals question after question. All Dumbledore's propaganda about Slytherin vs Gryffindor, was destroyed by the founders. It was a weekend well spent.