"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"

He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy —"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him — 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!' — come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him —"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically.

"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."
(Chamber of Secrets - Chapter 9)

After Ron shrugged off the rest of his homework by going to bed, Harry and Hermione continued on their Charms assignment helping each other.

When they were both finished forty-five minutes later, Hermione decided to bring up the idea of Malfoy being Slytherin's heir again.

"Harry, do you really think Malfoy is Slytherin's heir?" she asked quizzically.

"Yeah," Harry said defensively.

"Harry," she said, shaking her head. "You've known that idiot for a year. He boasts of anything that comes to his mind. If he is indeed the heir, he would've boasted it to the entire school by now."

"Unless his father told him not to," said Harry bitterly.

Hermione snorted. "Believe me Harry. If his father told him not to say it, it would be the only thing he would have disobeyed. And I'm quite sure there's simpler ways than using Polyjuice to find out."

She give him a knowing look. Harry squirmed, knowing exactly what was on her mind.

"I'm not sneaking in there with my cloak," Harry said. "They'd catch me instantly."

"I said simpler ways," Hermione said. "We were also going to ask Myrtle before she floated off. If we ask the Hogwarts ghosts we might get information."

Harry was astounded beyond words. He had not thought about asking the ghosts of Hogwarts. But which ones would know.

He paled. "I'm not asking the Bloody Baron," he said, in a tone that made it clear his decision was final.

"Yes, you are," Hermione said. "And I'm quite sure the Baron might like you. I've seen the way you do your homework Harry. You are very much sneaky and manipulative. What would you call walking around in that cloak, cunning?"

She smiled at him and went to bed, leaving Harry completely dumbfounded. His curiosity piqued however, and he took out the potions essay that was due the next day. His eyes bugged out when he saw how he did his homework.

Then again, the hat did suggest I'd do great in Slytherin, Harry thought.

IlIlIlIlI

After his conversation with Nearly Headless Nick, Harry made his way to the Astronomy Tower where the Baron loved to hang out.

Nick was very forthcoming about details. He knew a small bit about the Chamber, but not much. He told Harry that the Baron was a student of Salazar Slytherin himself, and that he would have known the man personally.

Cautiously, Harry ascended the steps to the Astronomy Tower. He already knew from the groaning and clanking noises that he was there. Apparently it was a favourite pastime of his.

Once he reached the top he noticed him. With blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood, was the Bloody Baron.

"Excuse me, Sir Baron," said Harry meekly. He was hoping the Baron wasn't in too bad of a mood. The Baron was known for having a hot temper.

Turning his head to face Harry, he scowled. "A bloody Gryffindor. Leave me alone. I get enough trouble from you dunderheads."

Harry gulped. Braving himself he decided to ask the question straight out. "I was wondering if you knew anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

At once the Baron stopped groaning and eyed him suspiciously.

"And what made you think of me," he growled.

"Because you were a student when Salazar Slytherin was here," said Harry quickly, trying his best not to anger the ghost.

"What do you think of Slytherin's, Mr Potter?" Baron asked, eyeing him speculatively.

Harry gulped but decided to be honest. Baron would surely see through him if he lied.

"I don't like them and they don't like me," said Harry.

Suddenly the room was filled with loud laughter, and it was coming from the Baron himself.

"Granted, some don't like you because of your history with that idiot Voldemort," said Baron, struggling not to laugh. "But that is very little of the house."

"Let me let you in on a secret," said the Baron conspiratorially. "They respect you, and barely anyone in that house like Draco Malfoy."

Harry smiled with glee at hearing that. "Every time you do something to annoy that idiot, most of Slytherin House come together to insult Malfoy by comparing him to the defeater of Voldemort, Harry Potter. They all get a kick out of seeing him have a juvenile tantrum."

Harry couldn't hold it in. He burst out laughing at the mental image, reminding himself to annoy Malfoy on a regular basis just so Slytherin House could make fun of him.

"I can tell from your mirth you are planning to annoy Draco, Mr Potter," Baron smiled. "That is cunning."

Harry stopped laughing. He thought of Hermione's words from the other day.

"Truthfully, Baron," said Harry. "The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. It said I would do great there, but I didn't want to be anywhere near Malfoy."

"Not a bad reason," Baron nodded. "Franz, that's the Sorting Hat's name, he always knew the best house for the best traits."

Harry felt a tinge in his cheeks at that.

"Now you wanted to know about the Chamber of Secrets?" Baron asked.

Harry had forgotten he came looking for Baron to ask that.

"Why did Salazar Slytherin hate Muggle-borns?" asked Harry. "Did he really want them dead?"

"Harry Potter," Baron said. "Are you aware of witch hunts?"

Harry nodded.

From there Baron told him the whole story.

IlIlIlIlI

Harry sat in front of the fire in the Common Room after his long conversation with the Baron, his mind reeling.

The Baron had informed him that Salazar Slytherin never actually hated Muggle-borns. He just didn't trust them, fearing that many were spies for the witch hunters back then, whom were very brutal and unforgiving. The Hogwarts founders all had protections from them, the most fearsome one being a basilisk named Vera who resided in the Chamber of Secrets.

When Harry started questioning how Salazar Slytherin controlled a bloody basilisk, he made a startling discovery about himself from a memory at the zoo the previous year.

He was a Parselmouth.

It explained the voices he heard inside the walls. The basilisk was somehow moving around the school. But how, he couldn't explain.

The Bloody Baron was absolutely delighted with that discovery. He had suggested a prank to Harry that he was definitely going to do that night.

Unfortunately the Baron had no idea where the entrance to the Chamber was. But he did say the entrance would be at ground floor level. Salazar Slytherin had built the dungeons after he had built the Chamber, so the entrance had to be built on either the Ground, First or Second Floors. The Baron was sure it was the Second Floor, as Salazar Slytherin was most often seen in the corridor outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

His head sore from all the talking and revelations, Harry took to his bed.

IlIlIlIlI

"Did you see the look on that buck-toothed mudblood's face when I called her that?" Malfoy boasted to his cronies before laughing loudly.

Harry watched all this play out in the Slytherin Common Room the next night from under his Invisibility Cloak. To his glee most of Slytherin just looked at Malfoy in disgust. He really did have his perception of Slytherin wrong. None of them seemed dark or horrible. They were just students like him.

He was going to perform his prank tonight on Malfoy. He did exactly what the Bloody Baron asked of him, who was currently invisible next to him.

"I can fly better than bloody Potter too," Draco boasted. Harry rolled his eyes, wondering how the hell did Malfoy get into Slytherin. "He only has a subpar Nimbus 2000, while I have a Nimbus 2001. In fact everyone in Slytherin has a Nimbus 2001. We will destroy Gryffindor this year."

It took all of Harry's will to prevent himself from laughing, while once again wondering how the hell did Draco Malfoy get into Slytherin.

But that moment was absolutely perfect for him to make his entrance.

"Serpensortia," he hissed in Parseltongue.

At once a large and long Burmese Python appeared at his feet.

The snake was angry at being brought away from its natural habitat and started hissing.

"It's okay, my friend," Harry said. "I have only brought you here because I want to scare my enemy, worthless as he is. If you do this for me, you have my word I will send you back to wherever you came from."

"That is agreeable," the snake said. "What would you like me to do?"

"Do you see the idiot blond sitting down on the couch? Curl yourself around him, hiss at him, but do not bite him."

"Gladly."

Harry watched as the snake coiled towards Malfoy.

An ear splitting girlish scream echoed around the room from Malfoy. Harry watched with amusement as Malfoy was rooted to the spot. He pulled off his cloak since no one was looking his way at that moment. He walked to Malfoy.

"I think that is enough my friend. Would you mind coiling yourself around me but do it gently and act like I'm your friend."

"Of course, Master," the snake said, it's hissing dripping with sarcasm.

"POTTER," shouted Malfoy. "What are you-"

Then he heard the Parseltongue. He watched in horror as the snake coiled around Harry and started grooming Potter's messy hair.

The Slytherin's all had horror-struck looks on their faces. None dared to cast a spell at him, especially the enraged Flint, all too scared of the giant snake coiled around him as if protecting him.

"Now, Draco," Harry purred. "What were you saying earlier about my friend Hermione. Care to repeat the words I heard you say?"

"No!" Draco all but shouted.

"How could you speak Parseltongue? You're not the heir of Slytherin," came a shout from Parkinson.

"Is that what you really think, Pansy?" said Harry solidly. "Did it never occur to anyone that someone truly Slytherin could trick the Sorting Hat into placing him in a different house?"

He almost laughed at the look of horror on many faces, notably Malfoy's.

"You a Slytherin?" Flint scoffed. "Come off it Potter. You are not."

"Did anyone see me come in?" asked Harry, raising an eyebrow. At the look he was expecting he continued. "That my dear friends was cunning and sneaky, and last I checked those were traits of Slytherin, not Gryffindor."

He almost crowed with laughter at the repeated look of horror. "I am an heir of Slytherin. How else do you explain the Parseltongue?"

To emphasise his point he started speaking with the snake, whom was highly amused at the situation around her and was hissing in laughter.

"He's obviously telling the snake to attack," shouted Daphne Greengrass. "Watch out Flint, it might be you."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Greengrass was acting. The Baron told him that Daphne Greengrass had respect for him and loved picking on Malfoy on his behalf.

Flint however paled and fled the room to his dormitory, casting every locking spell he knew.

"I'll be watching you from now on, Draco," spoke Harry coldly. "My friend here will be too, so make sure you behave yourself. And if I hear one more bloody 'my father will hear about this' or that M word you will not like the consequences. Same goes for anyone in this room who have wronged me. Those that have not wronged me, you have my respect and no harm will come to you. Goodbye."

And he walked out.

"Harry Potter is a Parselmouth," said Daphne dreamily. "He should be in this house. Not this Gryffindor in Slytherin robes." And she pointed at Malfoy.

That started the shouting of support for Harry Potter, leaving Malfoy absolutely furious when from somewhere in the room a chant started, with almost everyone else joining in.

"POTTER IN, MALFOY OUT. POTTER IN, MALFOY OUT."

IlIlIlIlI

The next morning Harry and Hermione were having breakfast in the Great Hall. As Harry's back was facing the Slytherins, Hermione noticed many staring at Harry in either absolute fear or wonder. As Harry was in a good mood which was unusual for him she wondered what he did.

The only answer he give to her question "What did you do to the Slytherins?" was "hopefully progress".

After breakfast she informed Harry of Moaning Myrtle's history with the Chamber. Myrtle was delighted to share the story of how she died and had shared that the Chamber was opened before she had died.

Harry promised her to secrecy before he told her of his encounter with the Bloody Baron. Hermione quickly realised where the entrance might be after Harry told her about the voices. The Basilisk must have been traversing the school through the pipes.

Hermione was desperate to go down to the Chamber but ultimately decided against it because of the danger. Harry was going to go down and talk to the basilisk since he was likely an heir.

IlIlIlIlI

It was relatively simple figuring out the precise entrance to the Chamber. Hermione said that Myrtle noticed massive eyes by the sink and Harry quickly found snake symbols on the taps. Uninterested in sliding down he called out stairs and a circular designed one formed and elevated him all the way down once he stepped on them.

Down there though he quickly realised he wasn't alone. Ginny Weasley was standing in the cavernous room by the statues.

"What are you doing down here, Ginny?" asked Harry harshly.

"My name is Tom Riddle, not Ginny and I am going to purge this school of the Mudblood filth," a male voice spoke from her mouth.

Harry did not want to deal with this nuisance, but he listened and quickly came to the realisation that Ginny was possessed by Lord Voldemort after discovering Tom Riddle's alias.

However, the talking drained the current hold Voldemort had on Ginny and he retreated back into the diary she was holding. Ginny passed out after Riddle left her body and Harry took the diary out of her grasp.

Harry carried the youngest Weasley back to the entrance and left her there, deciding it was too dangerous for her to be in the same room as the Basilisk. He grabbed the diary out of the grasp of her prone fingers and walked back to the cavernous room.

He opened the diary and found a quill still dripping with ink inside. He was very much suspicious about the item after seeing the strange entity flee into the book.

Closing his eyes, he started writing: 'How do I summon the Basilisk?'

A moment passed before he opened his eyes again and looked at the new intricate writing that had appeared on the page of the diary.

'Look up at the head of the statue of Salazar Slytherin, and say in Parseltongue "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four." The head will open and Vera the Basilisk will show.'

Harry looked up at the statue of Salazar Slytherin. The rock formations around it were rather impressive.

"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four." said Harry in Parseltongue.

Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.

And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

Harry heard something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Harry felt it shudder — he knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. He kept his eyes closed to prevent himself looking into the Basilisk's eyes.

"Who are you?" the Basilisk hissed.

"My name is Harry Potter," Harry said shakily, his eyes still shut. He felt terrified. What if the Basilisk tried to eat him?

Suddenly he fell down when he felt something incredibly wet brush up against him.

What is going-? His thought was interrupted by something slimy brushing against his entire body. He quickly realised the massive snake was licking him like a dog.

"Another speaker, I am so happy," and the licking continued.

"Stop, STOP," Harry roared in Parseltongue. He would need a strong shower after this.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy," the Basilisk wailed. "I did not like Tom, but I like you, and I don't even know you. You can't open your eyes without me killing you. I will direct you from here to drink the Cyrene Potion stored inside the statue."

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"It's a potion all heirs must drink in order to see me with their eyes open," said the Basilisk.

"What happens if you're not an heir?" asked Harry.

"You die."

Harry gulped. He did not originally really want to be descended from Salazar Slytherin until he spoke with the Baron the other day, but he still wasn't sure he still wanted to be descended from him.

He followed the instructions carefully. He kept his eyes shut until he got into the next cavern inside the mouth of the statue. He opened his eyes only to see an extremely worn down door next to him. As instructed he went into the room. He found the Cyrene Potion and drank a shot's worth as instructed.

He immediately started convulsing and fell to the floor. He was convinced he was dying, that he wasn't an heir to Salazar Slytherin and that he would be dead in the next minute or so.
Suddenly the convulsing stopped after ten minutes. His breathing was ragged but slowly going back to normal. It was then he realised. He was indeed an heir to Salazar Slytherin which meant, that he and Voldemort must be related. He felt sick.

He left the room once he felt normal again and talked to the great snake, who introduced herself as Vera, and talked to her for a long time before leaving.

IlIlIlIlI

The days passed by quickly. And despite not knowing it, Harry had changed the course of Voldemort's demise.

The first thing he did after he surfaced from the Chamber with a prone Ginny Weasley was to send off that unusual diary to the Ministry to Madam Amelia Bones. He did not know that the diary was immediately given to the Unspeakables who performed an extremely dangerous ritual to determine locations of possible others. All were found and destroyed before Spring. Without the Horcruxes keeping him alive, Voldemort met his demise from a falling tree deep in the Albanian Forest the next Summer. No one ever found his body.

When Draco Malfoy came back after the Christmas Holidays, he tried gloating about the gifts he received from his father, only to wake up hogtied in the Gryffindor Common Room with a bow. A Christmas Card was attached to him that was sent to Harry. The Slytherins had enough of the pompous blond and were not going to risk Harry Potter coming back and setting his snake on them all.

Daphne Greengrass helped fuel the rumours that Harry Potter was an heir in that house and not one of them wanted to cross Potter or end up in his crosshairs after he snuck in their Common Room with that tremendous snake. Malfoy did not enjoy the rest of his schooling and was often kicked out of the Common Room when he opened his mouth.

As for Harry, he just continued with his schooling. In a happy coincidence he ended up in detention with Daphne Greengrass after a disastrous Potions class before the end of Second Year. They formed a close friendship and were nearly always together during their future years at Hogwarts. They started dating during Fourth Year and married a month after graduating from Hogwarts.

IlIlIlIlI

September 2011

Vera the Basilisk yawned loudly as she woke up from her nap. She could hear someone approach. She recognised the scent on the person immediately but bided her time. The smell was pottery with shades of grass.

"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four." She heard the voice say.

Showtime, thought Vera and she slid out of the statue. In front of her with his eyes shut was a dark haired first year boy wearing glasses. Vera carefully instructed the young child towards the Cyrene Potion.

Once he consumed it and went through the convulsing he introduced himself.

"Hello, Vera," he said, smiling at her. "I'm Archie Potter, son of Daphne and Harry Potter. And I've just started First Year."

Vera crooned. More Potter's. This was going to be paradise.

AN: I got this idea after reading in CoS the trio trying to ask Moaning Myrtle about the Chamber in an earlier chapter and wondered, why didn't they ask the Bloody Baron. Thought I'd write it and this was the result. I hope you enjoyed it.