Phoenix: To start I personally would like to offer my most sincere apologies that this chapter took so long to get to you all, but here it is The final chapter of book one.

V.C.: We could of a thousand excuses, but in the end this chapter took far too long.

Phoenix: As opposed to excuse we would rather offer the promise that, within our ability, we will not take so long in the future.

V.C.: With that I believe we've said our peace. Read on.

Disclaimer in prior chapters.

Quote of the Day:

"Professor Minerva McGonagall: Why is it, when something happens, it is always you three?

Ron Weasley: Believe me, Professor. I've been asking myself the same question for six years."

-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 11:

Salazar stood shocked as he stared at the fabled fire-bird. He stood shocked in his doorway then shook his head and shut the door while saying. "Nope. Not worth it."

He started walking away thinking. 'There's no way I'm gonna let Dumblebum's pet flaming chicken convince me to join him or any of his mindless plots.'

'I am not a flaming CHICKEN! If anything I am a flaming SWAN, thank you very much. However, I am not here to convert you to the old fool's plans.' A voice said in Salazar's head.

Arbiter's Rage heard the voice and asked. 'Fawkes, my old friend, is that you?'

'Arbiter, you are bonded to Salazar?' Fawkes asked.

'Indeed. The child found me locked away within the Potter Family vault. Though I must ask why you are present?'

'Well it was a short while ago that my bond with the old fool was completely destroyed. After this happened I found myself drawn to Salazar's brother, Draconis. I am currently speaking with him via the telepathic link Salazar and Draconis share.' Fawkes said.

"Hey! I can hear you, you know!" Draco shouted aloud. After shouting this, his words sank in. He leapt out of his chair in the kitchen and flew up the flight of stairs. Much to Narcissa's dismay.

"Draconis Sirius Malfoy!"

"Draconis?!" Hermione asked while trying to hold back her laughter and failing miserably.

Meanwhile Salazar and Fawkes were talking in Salazar's room when Draco burst into the room.

"What happened? What did you do? What have I been dragged into?" Draco barraged his brother with questions.

'Your brother hasn't dragged you into anything Master Draco.' Fawkes reassured his new master.

Draco's eyes bulged. "Master?"

"Yes. You look surprised." Fawkes noted while chuckling. 'Very well, allow me to explain. After my connection to Albus was severed I felt drawn to you. In a sense, I am now your familiar. You may call upon me in your times of need.'

"I'm bonded to a Phoenix?" Draco asked in surprise and astonishment.

"Really, bro?" Salazar arched a brow. "He just explained everything to you and the first thing you ask is if you are bonded?"

"Shut up Sal!" Draco glared before turning back to Fawkes. 'Can you teach us some tricks? Magic, I mean. After all you're kinda old.-'

'I am more than 'kinda old' as you lightly put it.' Fawkes cut Draco off. 'But to answer your question, I suppose it couldn't hurt to teach you a thing or two.'

One week later:

Draco and Salazar had been training under Fawkes for the majority of the last week. During that time, Salazar had received a letter from Tom explaining that he would be dropping in sometime in the coming weeks to check in on them.

Lucius and Narcissa were sitting at the table with their breakfasts when an owl flew in landing on the table. The owl offered a letter to Lucius who offered some bacon in return. The owl hooted appreciatively and flew off once again.

Lucius read the letter and turned to his wife. "It would appear I'll be eating my breakfast in my study. Send Salazar in when he comes down."

"Why not tell him at the table?" Narcissa asked her husband with a frown.

"This matter has to do with the Potters." he said the last word with emphasis.

Narcissa sighed before nodding. "Alright then. I will send him in after he has eaten a little."

Twenty Minutes Later:

"You wanted to see me dad?" Salazar asked, walking into his father's study.

"Yes Salazar, please have a seat." Lucius said gesturing to the chair on the other side of the desk. "Salazar, have you ever heard of a marriage contract?"

"No. Why?"

"Well to start, a marriage contract is a contract between two families that the heir of one line will marry a member of the other. This typically is used to strengthen the monetary or political power of both families involved."

"Okay but how does this pertain to me?"

"It would appear that the Potters had one such contract and though we can have it stricken from the records I felt that since legally you are the Head of House Potter you should see it." Lucius said as he held the contract out to him.

"Okay." Salazar said as he grabbed the contract from his father's outstretched hand. The contract read;

Contract of Marriage

In the name of magic the two souls known as Harold James Potter(Adopted) and Luna Selene Lovegood, are henceforth engaged to be married. With the signing of this contract the house of Lovegood pledges to protect and serve as friends and vassals to the house of Potter. In return the house of Potter pledges to afford the house of Lovegood all rights and protections as are afforded to all vassals of the house of Potter. This contract requires that Miss Lovegood produce one heir/heiress to the Potter line and one child to continue the Lovegood engagement is agreed upon by the undersigned parties.

Signed by James Charlus Potter(Lord Potter), Lilly Ann Potter nee. Evans(Lady Potter), Xenophilius Hermes Lovegood(Lord Lovegood), Pandora Selene Lovegood nee Simetra(Lady Lovegood.)

Witnessed by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Salazar read the contract a few more times then looked at Lucius "What am I supposed to do with this"

"Well I cannot tell you what to do as this is a Potter matter. And though you are only a Potter by adoption, you are still a Potter."

"Can you at least give me some advice on what I should do?" Salazar asked his father hopefully.

Lucius paused for a moment before nodding. "Well, I would at least meet the girl and befriend her so that the Potter line can potentially call upon the Lovegoods as allies, even if the two of you do not wed."

Salazar nodded. "Okay, do you have any idea how I can find this Lovegood girl?"

Lucius nodded. "I believe I might know a way. In a few weeks, we shall be hosting a ball to properly celebrate finding you. If you would like, we could invite Miss Lovegood so you may meet her."

"Okay." Salazar agreed with his father's plan.

"Good." Lucius nodded. "Now then, run along and go have fun with your friend and brother. I have a few things to attend to."

Salazar nodded then left his father to his work. He went to his room only to find Draco and Hermione waiting for him.

"What did Father wish to speak with you about?" Draco asked his twin curiously while Hermione was petting Ajax.

Salazar paused for a moment before speaking. "He received a letter informing him of a marital contract that the Potters apparently set up between me and someone named Luna Lovegood."

"I've heard of her." Draco nodded, neither he nor his brother noticed Hermione freeze in place when she heard the words 'marital contract'.

Hermione tuned out the two brothers while they spoke about the girl Salazar was betrothed to. Ajax noticed his mistress' distress and rubbed his head against her hand in comfort.

'Are you alright Mistress Hermione?' Ajax telepathically asked the brunette girl, taking note of the sadness in her eyes.

"Huh?" Hermione blinked then noticed the worried look on her familiar's face. "Oh. I'm fine, Ajax. Just shocked, that's all." She offered a fake laugh that only further worried her familiar.

'Very well.' The cerberus sighed, deciding not to further press his mistress on the issue.

Hermione slipped out of the room, wanting to take a walk to clear her mind. She felt sad and confused over the announcement that Salazar was currently locked into a magical marriage contract.

'Why am I so upset?' Hermione asked herself as she walked the corridors of Malfoy Manor. 'It's not like I like him or anything.' She blushed at the thought of liking her blonde haired friend.

"Hermione!" Hermione froze at the sound of the voice that had called her name. It was the very boy she had been thinking of only a moment ago.

She turned to see Salazar running toward her. Hermione forced a fake smile onto her face and greeted her friend. 'Hello Salazar."

"Hey." He stopped in front of the bushy brown haired girl and noticed that her smile looked different than normal. Feeling concerned that his friend was hiding something that was upsetting her, he asked. "Are you okay, Mione?"

"Huh?" She blinked owlishly at him, then realized what he meant and blushed while looking away. "Y-yeah, e-everything's fine. Why do you ask?"

Salazar's eyes squinted at his female friend's nervous demeanor. "You look a little...off, upset maybe."

"O-oh, umm..." Hermione suddenly found her shoes very interesting to look at while her blush darkened. 'I-it's nothing, girl problems really, that's all." She hoped he would believe her excuse and while he looked unconvinced, Salazar did not further push the matter.

"Okay..." Salazar shrugged before remembering why he had sought out the brunette in the first place. "Oh, I almost forgot, my family will be hosting a ball in a few weeks."

"A ball?"

"Yes." Salazar nodded. "My dad didn't tell me when exactly it would be but I wanted to let you know and see if you wanted to go."

Hermione paused for a moment then hesitantly asked. "Will...she be there?"

Salazar blinked in confusion. "Who?"

"The girl your contract has you engaged to." Hermione said with a hint of an emotion he could not understand in her voice.

"She will be there, but only so I can meet her and hopefully get to know her a little. I would hate to void the contract only to end up marrying her anyway. I have to see if there are any feelings there."

"Yes well do remember though you need a wife for the slytherin line as well." Draco said.

"Yes Draco I- WAIT WHAT!?" Salazar shouted.

"Dad didn't tell you? Uncle Tom can't have children. You are his godson and the future lord Slytherin. One of the laws of the magical world is that a lord of more than one house must have a lady for each house. In your case you would need a lady Potter and a lady Slytherin. I however would need a lady Black and a lady Malfoy." Draco said leaving the other two with their mouths gaping open.

"Wait so I have to marry not one, but two girls?"

"Yep."

1 week later:

Salazar was sleeping when Draco came and woke him up.

The two went down for breakfast when they heard someone enter the living room through the floo. They turned and saw a tall man with blue eyes and short cut brown hair. "Hello Salazar, Draco."

"Who are you?" Salazar asked.

"Oh yes I believe the last time you saw me I was on the back of your professors head."

"Uncle Tom! I thought you weren't due until next week." Draco asked.

"Yes well I decided my business in Romania could wait so here I am," replied Tom "Anyway I need to speak with you two about Dumbledore and his manipulations."

"Alright." Salazar stated.

"Well as you know Dumbledore forced me to attack Salazar. The reason he did this is due to a prophecy. The prophecy states "The ones with the power to vanquish the Evil Lord approach... Born to those who have defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Evil Lord will separate them from each other, but they will have power the Evil Lord knows not... and one must die at the hands of the others for darkness and light to coincide... The ones with the power to vanquish the Evil Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." Dumbledore also knows of the prophecy and now that you two are united you will be in far greater danger," Salazar and Draco looked scared "But don't worry it has also been decided that I will be here to provide further protection every summer until Dumbledore is no longer a problem."

End Book One.

(Thank you all SO MUCH for reading. I speak for myself and V.C. when I say that we never expected to receive so much attention from the fanfiction community and I hope to see all of you again for book 2. Seeya.

- Phoenix)