The Lion's Snake | h. granger

◂prologue▸

THE FOUR FOUNDERS GATHER around a stone tablet in a hut. The wind whipped through the ice-cold air of the night as a storm roared on outside causing violent noises as the hail hit the roof. The cold air is shut out as the door closes behind Salazar. 

"Do we know why we are here today?" Godric Gryffindor asked, looking between the three other founders. Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. The three didn't respond, staying quiet as they stared back at the man. 

Not receiving a response, Godric pulled out a journal that he kept about his nightmares and dreams. The binding was leather holding over three hundred pages. A leather buckle keeps it closed. 

"A journal?" Salazar raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. These meetings were for emergencies regarding the school or the world. 

"No," Godric drawled, shaking his head as he poked the book with his index finger, "what's inside." 

Helga and Rowena exchanged questioning and concern glances as Godric unbuckled the book and opened it up. Salazar frowned, not taking his eyes off of the journal. Godric flipped through the pages until he got to his most recent entry. 

It had been a week before today when he had this dream. Different versions of it have come to him ever since.

He cleared his throat and began to read.

"A young woman with light colored hair with streaks of red and bluish-gray eyes that looked like ice. She kneels on rubble, her skin covered with grime and dirt. She breathes heavily as if she had been running. In her right hand, a wand resides in a loose grip. Her lip is bleeding and there is a gash from her left temple to her ear. She utters two words; 'I win'."

Godric looks up at his companions and is met with confused expressions. 

"What does this tell us?" Salazar demanded, "you just had a dream. You have those all the time." 

Rowena raises a hand before Godric could argue back. "Godric has dreams of the future. Important dreams—"

"That have steered us wrong before, Rowena," Salazar cuts in, shaking his head, "this woman could be talking about a million things. She won a war, she won a contest, she won a dual." Salazar snaps his fingers. 

"Salazar," Helga murmurs and he sighs, going quiet with a scowl on his face. 

Godric flips to another entry and begins to speak.

"From different dreams I've had of this young woman, she represents every quality that we have forged the houses on. She has the bravery, courage, determination, and the chivalry that Gryffindor's have. She has the means of hard work, patience, loyalty, and kindness that a Hufflepuff would exhibit. She's witty, creative, filled with wisdom, and is intelligent just like a Ravenclaw. And most of all she values leadership, power, is ambitious and cunning as a Slytherin. Don't you see?" Godric asked, setting a hand on Salazar's shoulder, "she is all of us."

Salazar flicks the man's hand off his shoulder, "okay? So, she'll have to make a decision between which house she wants to live in. It means nothing." 

Godric shakes his head. Helga hums, "this girl... we created the four houses because we knew that there couldn't be a person with every quality. At least not often, especially in the magical world." 

Rowena nods, "Helga is right. This girl is special. She has the four of us in her heart. There must be a reason."

Godric smiles, "yes! Yes, there has to be! This woman... she's been destined to save or destroy this world." 

Salazar gives the man a dry look, "why didn't you just lead with that, you bloke?" He rolled his eyes at the lion—good thing he wasn't known for his knowledge.

"Be nice," Helga chastised, smacking the dark-haired man's arm.

The door opened before anybody could say anything else. The four founders turned and found a woman with light hair and dark blue eyes staring back at them. Rowena made the connection between the young woman in the book to the woman in front of them but stayed silent. 

The woman closed the door behind her, blocking the storm once more. She smiled at the four, "sorry to intrude," she spoke softly, bowing her head a bit. 

"It's not a problem, Camilla," Helga promised, giving the soaked woman a smile, "come and get warm." She beckoned her over to the fire with a hand. 

The woman sat in front of the fire, shedding off the fur that was protecting her from the storm. She raised her hands to the fire, rubbing them together to gain heat. 

She was joined by Salazar soon after considering they could not continue the meeting now that an outsider was around. Though, she wasn't truly an outsider. Not anymore. 

"They are so darling," Helga cooed. Salazar was a lighter, better person whenever Camilla was around. She brought out the good in him.

"She is the only one to have gotten through to him," Rowena agreed, moving to put on her coat. She did not want to overstay her welcome in the Slytherin-Royal house.

"And he balances out her playful side," Helga adds. 

Godric scoffs, "who knew Salazar could ever fall-in-love?" Helga smacked his arm with a sharp glare.

Rowena hums, rolling her eyes at the two. "Come on. Let's go. We'll talk about this another day."

Love is the strongest magic after all.