Chapter I

A/N: Ah, venturing into the Harry Potter fandom for the first time. This will be a Hogwarts founders fic, though it does start during the second year of the Golden Trio. When I get to the founders era, I will be playing with the timeline a bit, so that it's after 1066. Thanks go out to Bronzecat for her help and to Reina de Fuego for being my beta reader. Enjoy this first offering! SSD

"This will be a fairly simple lesson for second year transfiguration students," thought Minerva McGonnagal before instructing, "May I have your attention please? Now today we will be transforming animals into water goblets." Turning towards the bird, "Like so: One, two, three Vera Verto." It turned into a beautiful silver water goblet.

There was a murmur of awe through the students, they were clearly impressed.

Turning back towards the seated students, McGonnagal said, "Now it's your turn. Who wants to go first?" With no volunteers, and noticing that Ronald Weasley was avoiding her gaze, she turned towards him with, "Ah Mr. Weasley. One, two three, Vera Verto."

With gulp and cough, he said, "Vera Verto."

And while he did turn his rat into a goblet, there was still a tail and you could hear the animal's squeaking. Minerva was not pleased.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley."

Before she could continue on with the lesson, Hermione's hand went up.

"Yes Miss Granger?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?" The girl seemed to be incredibly nervous. The other students in the room shared her anxiety, but were incredibly curious. Even her TA Ariadne put her quill down, taking a break from grading the papers.

Taking a breath, she began, "Very well. Well you all know, of course that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not." She paused for a moment.

"Three guesses who?" Ron said as an aside to Harry, sarcasm clear in his tone.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective of the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all magic families. In other words: pure bloods. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Now shortly before departing, he sealed it. Until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the chamber and unleash the horror within. And by so doing, purge the school of all those, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic." She pushed her spectacles further up her nose.

"Muggleborns." Hermione murmured.

Nodding to her, McGonagall continued, "Naturally the school has been searched many times. And no such chamber has been found."

"Professor what exactly does legend tell us, lies within the chamber?" Hermione asked again.

"It is said to be the home of something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be home to a monster."

The students before her had all turned white.

###

Then she noticed her TA was coughing. There was a slight smirk on her face.

Shocked at the way her usually polite TA was behaving, "Miss Medakan, explain yourself before I take points from Slytherin!" Minerva barked.

Recovering her composure, Ariadne replied, "Professor I mean no disrespect. I wasn't laughing about the story of the chamber. It's just that the story about the split between Gryffindor and Slytherin is incomplete. There's another part to the tale!" The sixth year was smirking.

Minerva knew exactly what tale Ariadne was referring to. "That is more a legend than actual fact," she replied.

"Some of the events we know actually did happen," the sixth year persisted.

Hermione turned back towards her McGonnagall asking, "What is she referring to, Professor?"

Giving her TA a sidelong glare, Minerva went on to say, "Tell your story, Miss Medakan," sighing resignedly.

Smirking with glee at having won, Ariadne started with, "What we do know is that shortly after Salazar left the school, Gryffindor married Selene Slytherin, Salazar's younger sister. Naturally that gave rise to some rumors that it was not just the disagreement about the admission of Muggle-born students that caused Salazar to leave, but the fact that a man he had called a brother had been courting his sister without his knowledge or consent."

"Godric Gryffindor married a Slytherin? I can't believe it! It makes no sense, why would he marry a Slytherin?" Weasley scoffed.

"Looks like the first blood traitor to Slytherin was of his own blood. What could possibly have made her betray her brother?" Blaise Zabini asked disgust clear in his voice.

Ariadne spoke before the transfiguration professor could, "Love. Love knows no bounds, and even second years would know that there are things we do for love, that we wouldn't do for any other reason." She was finished.

The girls in the room had these dreamy looks on their faces, thinking about the star-crossed lovers. The boys still had looks of disbelief and disgust. Before any more questions could be asked, the bell rang and the students filed out, talking amongst themselves.

###

Ariadne went back to the side desk where she'd been working before telling the story, still smirking slightly.

"Miss Medakan, a word please before you head off to Care of Magical Creatures?" McGonnagall asked.

The transfiguration professor didn't sound too upset with her for bringing up Selene Slytherin, a woman who was half forgotten and most tales about her that had withstood the test of time were more legend than history.

Ariadne would take whatever punishment came her way. It had been worth it.

"No points will be taken from Slytherin, Ariadne."

"Not that I am complaining professor, but why?"

"The students should learn more about the history of the school. I cannot imagine that most of the students pay too much attention in History of Magic. And even though I personally believe that your story is more in the fairy tale category, perhaps there is more truth to it than what we know today."

###

Going back in time….

Even though her brother Salazar was six years older than her, and usually did not want to play with her that much anymore, had decided to indulge Selene in a game of hide and seek.

Selene was in the process of hiding from her brother (who was really good at finding her) when she overheard her mother and father speaking.

"… We should have been using house elves all along, Aoife. Things have been too quiet. The servants and their new shield of the Church are planning something."

"What of Salazar and Selene?" her mother asked.

"We'll need to get them out of here as soon as is prudent. I already have enough Galleons to get them out of here. They may have to run out on their own, if things get any worse. They'll use the secret passage."

Selene heard her brother's footsteps a few moments later. She scampered down the hall, evading him.

###

After she had been in bed for a while and had fallen asleep, Selene was shaken awake by her mother, whose eyes were flinty with fear.

"Get dressed, and quickly. We need to get to your father's solar."

Selene noticed that these were old clothes of her brother's. Speed seemed to be of the essence.

She also grabbed her stuffed black cat, and ran to catch up with her mother.

###

Once they got to her father's solar, Selene was able to take a breath. She saw that her brother was also there, dressed in clothes that were drabber than usual.

"Salazar come here." Their father ordered.

Her brother came forward, curious. They both watched as their father took the signet ring off his hand, put it on a chain and gave it to him.

"This ring will help prove that you are my son. And my heir."

To Selene he smiled, "Come here my darling daughter, your mother and I have something else here for you."

She came forward and felt a cool chain come around her neck. "Mother's locket?" Selene asked.

Her mother smiled sadly before replying, "It's yours now. It will also help prove who you are."

After a few moments, the whole family heard a booming voice, "Aoife and Taranis Slytherin, come out! Face your accusers!"

Turning towards his son, Taranis ordered, "Take your sister through that tunnel I showed you last week, and run. Get yourself as far away from here as possible. Do not look back. And avoid Muggles as much as possible. Go!"

He waved his hand, and a doorway appeared. Salazar grabbed his sister's hand and took her into the tunnel.

###

From a distance two young children watched as their parents were burned alive. The girl had tears running down her cheeks. The boy was trying to keep his emotions in check, but tears were running from his eyes as well. This nursed a deep hatred and distrust of Muggles and their new Church.

A/N 2: So… what do you all think? I wanted to give Salazar and his sister good reasons for hating/distrusting Muggles.