Chapter Text
Escaping the Chamber was easy. Fawkes carried them out. Literally. They just hung onto him and he, being able to carry immensely heavy loads, was able to fly them right back up the Chamber, picking up Ron and Professor Lockhart on the way out. Lockhart, however, has no memory now after a memory charm he tried to use on Ron and Harry backfired with Ron’s broken wand. Turns out, he’s a fraud, taking credit for what other wizards had done then wiping their memory after so they couldn’t expose him. Too happy to see Ginny, Ron doesn’t comment on the fact of Salazar being there. He is surprised however when Ginny turns to him and hugs the Slytherin tightly, thanking him for reassuring her about her family who, as promised, didn’t care that she was the one doing it (though worried about Tom controlling her). They loved her and were only worried for her wellbeing and safety. Dumbledore has returned and Harry and Ron then explains everything that had happened in the Chamber, Salazar giving his perspective of it all right after. They explain about how Ginny was controlled by Tom through the diary and forced to commit all the horrifying acts over the past year. Ginny finally adds about how afraid she was that she would be expelled and that her family would hate her until Salazar corrected her. Hearing how kind Salazar was to Ginny, Mrs Weasley instantly scoops the boy into a tight hug and Mr Weasley smiles with pride.
“Your parents must be proud of you.” Mr Weasley is then confused when his children and Harry (though the boy is like family to them) make awkward faces.
“Oh, we are, Weasley. Me and Narcissa both are very proud for our son.” Lucius’ voice rings through the room.
“What do you mean ‘our son’?” Mr Weasley asks, glaring at the man.
“Me and Narcissa have adopted him. The paperwork has just been confirmed.” He smiles at Salazar. “You’re officially a Malfoy. I kept your last name the same as your mother wanted to ask you if you wanted to change it first.” He invites.
“I think I’d rather keep it as Storm. Has a better ring to it. Not that I don’t want to be part of your family. I do, really. Salazar Malfoy doesn’t really roll of the tongue now, does it? Not unless you wanted to change my first name too?” He jokes.
“Certainly not.” Lucius looks appalled. “Salazar is a noble name for such a powerful young wizard like yourself.”
Seeing things may get heated should Lucius and the Weasleys stay in the same room for too long. “Father?” Salazar calls up to Lucius who is shocked by how quickly he’s gone to calling him that.
“Yes, my boy?” He smiles softly at the boy, unable not to which confuses the Weasleys.
“I’m rather peckish. Can we go get something to eat please?” He pleads and Lucius nods.
“Dobby!” A small creature with bat-like ears and wearing an old pillowcase pops into the room with a loud crack and looks up timidly to Lucius.
“Yes, Master?” He asks.
“Dobby?! So, this is your Master. The family you serve is the Malfoys.” Harry realises.
“Take my new son down to the great hall and get him something to eat.” Lucius orders, gently pushing Salazar towards Dobby.
“Father? Couldn’t you take me instead?” He looks to Dobby with a kind smile. “No offence to you, Sir.”
“Sir?! Sir?! No offence?!” Dobby shrieks then sobs into his pillowcase.
Dumbledore smiles fondly. Harry seems sorry for Dobby. Lucius seems irritated by Dobby’s behaviour, opening his mouth when a small hand clasps his own. “Please dad!” He tugs on his hand and is already pulling him out the room before he can utter another word, too shocked by his son’s behaviour to comment on anything.
Salazar Storm Salazar Storm Salazar Storm Salazar Storm Salazar Storm Salazar Storm Salazar Storm
“Salazar, we do not scoff down our food like our home is on fire.” Lucius comments when he sees how quickly and messily Salazar is eating.
“Huh?” Salazar asks, mouth full of food.
Lucius grimaces. “We’ll have to fix that. Dobby!” He calls and Dobby jumps in terror from where he was stood next to Harry at the Gryffindor table, the boy also eating away. He pops next to Lucius and Salazar speaks first.
“Father? Why is Dobby so afraid of you? You don’t…hurt him, do you?” Salazar asks worriedly and Lucius lets out a breath. God help me with this one and of how naive he is to the world.
“Dobby makes mistakes and must be punished for them, young Master.” Dobby explains instead.
“Why? Everyone makes mistakes. That’s not fair.” Salazar is clearly upset by this.
“Oh no. Dobby upset Master!” Dobby cries out, looking for something to hit himself with and is shocked when two arms pull him into a tight hug. He’s hesitant but soon returns the hug Salazar is giving him.
“Salazar, what are you doing? He’s just a house-elf.” Draco sneers from across the table.
“He’s upset. Why does he keep calling me that?” Salazar asks, confused.
“Because young Master is Dobby’s Master who Dobby lives to serve.” Dobby informs, anxious and unsure if he should punish himself or not.
Draco gulps and begins to warn, “Um, father, Salazar gets a little emotional finding out about…”
“Wait a minute.” Salazar’s voice is ice cold.
“Too late.” Draco sinks slightly in his seat, trying to be invisible from Salazar’s wrath.
“He’s enslaved, isn’t he?” He scowls at Lucius and then looks to Dobby with a soft expression. “Are you enslaved, Dobby?”
“Yes, Master. Dobby can only be freed if Master presents Dobby with clothes.” Dobby informs and Salazar smiles.
“Say no more.” Before Lucius can protest, he quickly kicks his shoe off and pulls of his sock which he then hands to the house-elf. “You’ve been calling me Master this whole time, so I count as one, Dobby. You’re free. Now go.”
“Oh, but Salazar Storm has freed Dobby! Dobby will be forever grateful!” Doddy declares with utter joy and hugs the boy. With a final crack, Dobby disappeared.
Lucius is furious and scowls at his son. “We will talk about this later, son.” He warns then swoops off.
“I don’t think you should have done that.” Draco awkwardly says.
“Don’t care. I freed Dobby and I regret nothing.” Salazar shrugs, resuming eating his meal as if nothing had ever happened. This feast was wonderful, unlike any Hogwarts had seen before as the spirits were high and all houses were in celebration. Even the more sour of Slytherin joined in as they’re just glad Salazar is no longer being rejected by the rest of the student body. Everyone is happy to see the victims of the basilisk back on their feet and joining everyone for the feast. Hermione even rushes over to pull Salazar into a hug at how he helped protect the school by telling Dumbledore about the snake. She said she saw it in the school mirror which saved her from being killed and only petrified instead. She’s one of the few who are upset when all exams are cancelled but is happy to hear Lockhart will not be returning next year. She had found out the truth from Harry and Ron and Lockhart now has to get his memory fixed (even the teachers were glad to see the end of him). Students are also pleased to see Hagrid return, cuffing both Harry and Ron on the shoulders, amusingly making them smack into their plates of trifle. What shocks the students the most however is when Dumbledore aware some last-minute points, though it’s clear Gryffindor has already won already, so far ahead than even Slytherin with a nearly three-hundred-point lead.
“Now, I do have some last-minute points to award. I never got the chance to award these before as he ran off so quickly.” He has a twinkle in his eyes as he looks over at the Slytherin table. For special services to the school and for his aid in solving the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets, his help in saving the students and aiding in the rescue of Miss Weasley, I award two hundred points to Mr Salazar Storm.” Salazar would have choked on his drink had he been drinking one. “And lastly, Hogwarts encourages the learning of its students and, as such, I must award the new exciting and inventive way which had encouraged the other students to fill their heads with as much knowledge as they could manage. Madam Pince reports that the library has never seen so many visitors and book check outs in its history within the school. I award a further fifty points to Salazar Storm for his little trading game he brought to this school. In total, Slytherin receives two hundred and fifty points.” Slytherin erupts in cheers and, despite them not winning the house cup, he’s still happy to win them that many points, more than he’s ever achieved before in one go.
After the feast, the rest of summer term passes by with cheer and joy, but Salazar hears Lucius had been sacked as school governor, though Draco reassures him they have enough money to hold themselves and that father would easily find another job soon enough. Salazar kept his new, big brother’s mood up, so he wasn’t completely sulky and moody about this all the time though he no longer walked around with his head held so high. He also discovered the reasons behind Snape’s mysterious generosity at Christmas. He knew what Lucius was planning and is his new Godfather now that he’s adopted, just as he is with Draco. The Weasley twins happily helped Salazar practise spells out of Jiggery Pokery and Hocus Pocus and they prank each other with whatever spells they can find from the book. Hermione disapproves when she hears about this, not approving of joke spells but does laugh when Salazar misfires and hits Ron square in the face which causes his voice to become very high and squeaky all of a sudden. Harry even helps Salazar learn the disarming spell expelliarmus which the former is getting quite good at by now. As the school year draws to a close, and they climb onto the Hogwarts Express, Salazar lets out a satisfied sigh. Despite all that’s happened, this year was the best year of his life and he wouldn’t change it for anything and wonders what excitement next year will bring.