Severus was pacing back and forth across his room trying to figure out exatly how Harry had managed to find Slytherin's portrait. So many fully-grown wizards had attempted, but none had even found the attic that Harry had described, let alone the portrait.

Sighing heavily, he flopped into his pudgy armchair, and proceeded to stare into nothingness, his face a canvas of confusion.

"You know, there is a reason why the child managed to find me"

Severus jumped, visibly shocked at the unkown voice that seemed to be coming from nowhere. The students didn't know where his private rooms were, and the voice was not one he recorgnised from the staff either. Then it struck him- the painting!

Moving over to the corner the portrait was in, Severus carefully removed the dust sheet, turning the portrait to face him.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, worried that once again his son would be chosen for a fate he could not live up to.

Taking a deep breath- or as deep a breath a portrait could take anyway- Salazar bagan his tale.

"Long ago, when Godric, Helena, Rowena and I were just finishing off the finishing touches on the castle, a young wizard came to me. He was an artist, and offered to paint the four of us in return for just one of his paintings hanging within Hogwarts.

I was a kind man back then, and agreed to allow him to paint me, but he had to ask permission from the others before he painted them.

So in due course, we all had the portraits done, and life continued on as normal, until eventually we died, and the portraits were hung up in the great hall as a rememberance of the great founders."

"Within a few years though, a fight broke out amoungst the students of Hogwarts, and one of the portraits became damaged. The headmaster at the time deemed it too dangerous to have us in the hall from then onwards, and chose to have each portrait moved into safer rooms.

From then onwards, we were moved from room to room, until we each ended up in a secluded attic, warded against those who hoped to use us for personal gain, or lived in hope of damaging the portraits.

When your boy was lost today, he had no intention of finding my portrait, or harming me, so the wards became void as he wandered in.

After all these years, I can't say I wasn't glad he did find me, but I have one favour to ask of you- please, help me find the other founders"

With that, Salazar turned, and wandered out of the frame, leaving Severus alone in his thoughts.

-----------page break----------------

....Help me find the other founders"

The unknown voice carried across the room, to where a small rat lay hidden, in hope of gaining some useful information on the traitor.

After overhearing every part of the conversation, Wormtail knew exactly what his master could do to kill the traitor, be rid of Potter and become the great wizard he once was.

And so, with a malicious smile on his lips, the rat scuttled away into the darkness.....