i'm not meant to be here - salazar

[Melantha Cunningham]

Melantha had snuck into Hogwarts. She'd stolen a cloak from an unfortunate student and was making her way to the dungeons, with the hood up, most people assumed she was a Slytherin student. She wanted to laugh. If only they knew. Melantha missed her father, so she sneaked into his work place. She admired the stone walls as she walked, the lights, everything. She wished she had gone to Hogwarts in a way, but she was glad, because it meant she hadn't had to come in contact with muggleborns or halfbloods.

She hurried along and made her way to Salazar's office. She tucked Zeina into her bag, telling her to stay hidden. She didn't want some student hurting her snake. She loved her snake. She slipped a hand into her bag, and stroked it's scales. She relaxed a little at the feel of smooth scales beneath her fingers.

Melantha didn't bother knocking. She just opened the door to her fathers office. She hesitantly called out “Professor Slytherin?” just in case someone was with her father. She didn't want to give herself away by calling out 'Father'. She smiled as she stood in the doorway. She'd only been here a few times. “Dad?” she called again. This time looking behind her to make sure no one was near enough to hear.

[Salazar Slytherin]

Salazar was in his office, checking the supplies for the potions, hoping there wasn't any missing ingredients, he sighed calmly taking a few notes, some ingredients were missing and he wasn't sure who took them, probably a pesky Gryffindor or students from the other houses, he sighed calmly, hearing the door opening which annoyed him, opening the door leading to his office, he heard that voice and stood there frozen for a moment. Specially when he heard her saying dad, he closed the cabinet and left the section where he kept his ingredients as he walked to his office.

He looked at his daughter, happy to see her there but also a bit mad, she had to be more careful than this, he sighed calmly and walked toward her, pulling her into a hug before closing the door, he kissed her forehead gently. "What are you doing here?" He finally said, looking at her calmly, he sighed. "Stubborn like your mother." He said shaking his head, no matter how many times he told her to stay home, she'd still do something risky like this.

He caressed her cheek calmly, Salazar's snake roaming around the office and getting on Melantha, he just chuckled but eventually looked back at his daughter, a more serious expression. "It's dangerous for you to be here, you know I don't want you meeting those fools and mingling with half bloods and mudbloods."

[Melantha Cunningham]

Mel smiled at her father, and wrapped her arms around him when he enveloped her in a hug. She loved her father. He was the only constant thing in her life. She knew it was wrong to be at Hogwarts, but she hadn't been able to wait for the weekend or the summer. As she grew older she found herself clinging to her father more, she was lonely at home. Especially when Niklaus was back at school. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she liked arguing with Niklaus. It was better than silence or shouting at the servants.

“Mother was stubborn?” she asked softly. She'd never really asked about her mother, sure her father had dropped bits of information, but she pretended not to hear it. She tried to act as if she didn't care. As if she didn't care that her mother was dead. She didn't, yet she did.

“I'm here because I missed you. I wanted to see you” She smiled up at him. Her father loved her. She knew it. Even if they were a strange family. “I couldn't wait to see you” she added. She stepped back from her fathers arms, and looked up at him. That was all she could do. She was a lot shorter. It must have been her mother who'd been so short. She clicked her neck from side to side. She'd been bored at home, honestly. There was only so many times you could frighten the staff with a pet snake.

Zeina was still in her bag actually. She hadn't told her she could come out. When her father's snake slithered over to her, Zeina poked her head out. Of course the young snake would make herself known then. Melantha picked the snake up and held it in front of her. Zeina climbed up onto her arm, and stared at Salazar's snake.

“I don't care if it's dangerous for me. I don't care that I am not meant to be here. I couldn't take it at home any more. It's so boring when you are gone” she exclaimed, she didn't tell him that it was also boring because Nik wasn't there to fight with. Then she added “I kept my distance don't worry. I was like a ghost sneaking in. You should be proud. I got in here completely unseen. No one even questioned that I wasn't a student here” she said, her own tone somewhat proud of her accomplishment.

[Salazar Slytherin]

Salazar looked at her calmly and just gave her a smile and nodded. "Yes, the most stubborn woman I ever met, adventurous as well." He said as he looked at her. He just kept his smiled, he could understand her, part of him did feel bad about leaving her alone in that house. "I am sorry for keeping you there, I assume the servants aren't amusing you anymore.." He said calmly and nodded, caressing his chin softly thinking about something, he didn't want his daughter to study in Hogwarts. He looked at Zeina when she got out of the bag and smiled.

"I see you go everywhere with your friend." He said smiling and patting Zeina's head, he looked away calmly toward the door, pointing his wand to lock it magically, hoping they wouldn't get disturbed by the teachers. He listened to her and just nodded. "I am sorry for leaving you alone in there, it will soon change, once my plans are done and once I leave this place." He said as he looked at her, caressing her cheek.

"I taught you well, good never lose that side of you, being cunning is what we are all about." He said calmly and nodded. "I think it is time to search a school for you... perhaps Durmstrang could be a good place for you."

[Melantha Cunningham]

“She sounds amazing” she murmured longingly. She looked up at Salazar thoughtfully, and hesitantly asked “Was she like me?” she wasn't sure what made her ask, but she did. She laughed hysterically when he mentioned the servants. “No, but I think we may need a new scullery maid. I kind of scared her too much” she grinned. “It's okay Father, I understand why you keep me away from here” she added quietly. She smiled up at him, and ruffled her blond hair, that was almost exactly like her fathers but longer. Curly, blonde, unruly.

“Of course. I could never keep her at home. She'd get lonely” she cooed mostly to Zeina, She watched as Zeina slithered away and curled up on her father's desk. She did like sitting on top of his desk at home, and it seemed no different here. She watched as he locked the door, and knew why he'd done so. She was not meant to be here. She was not a student and the others founders didn't know she was a Slytherin. She didn't go around calling herself Melantha Cunningham for no reason. If she had her way, she'd be Melantha Slytherin all the time, and not just with her father.

“I forgive you daddy” she smiled. She never called him Daddy any more. Usually Father or Dad. She thought she was too grown up for 'daddy'. “I can bear it when you are home” said Melantha. “Plus in the summer and at Christmas there's someone around to argue with” she shrugged, not even realising she'd said it. She hadn't meant to mention Niklaus to her dad.

When Salazar mentioned Durmstrang, Melantha's face lit up, she tried to play it off. Not wanting him to see how happy she was. “You are a good teacher father, it's why they asked you to come here” she said, sneering at the thought of the school. “Durmstrang would be brilliant” she grinned, from ear to ear, but the grin faltered for a moment “But, it's so far away from you” she frowned. As much as she wanted to go to school. She didn't want to be away from her father. “Can't I come here, under the name Cunningham, like I usually go by.” she whined, she knew why she couldn't go to hogwarts but she hated being away from Salazar.

[Salazar Slytherin]

"That she was...the most amazing woman I've ever met." He sad, his voice sounded a bit sad, never fully recovered from her death, all that pent up rage he had against mudbloods, he would kill them, no matter how long it took, he'd be patient. His basilisk wouldn't fail him. Salazar looked at his daughter and just gave her a smile. "Yes..well you are a lot like her." He said calmly eventually nodding. "With a bit of a rebellious side." he laughed wen she mentioned the maid as he looked at her. "Now now, how many times do I have to tell you to not scare them too much, maids are so difficult to find these days."

He smiled looking at Zeina, the snake getting on his desk like usual, he smiled talking a bit with it, thanking the snake for always being there for his daughter, he then looked back at her. "Good thing you didn't leave her alone in there, I get the feeling that you two are acting like a team, specially against the servants." He said with an amused look on his face. He didn't care about his servants that much, they served as amusement for his daughter, that was enough for him.

"I try to always be there for you." He said giving her a smile, he did send her letters a lot, to check up on her, make sure she is alright. He looked at her for a while when she mentioned she had someone to argue with. "Who?" He said, his voice sounded a bit cold, but also worried, what if that boy knew who she truly was he looked at hr for a while.

"I try my best to teach you all I know about dark arts.." He said as he looked at her, still seeming a bit worried he just looked at her, smiling when she mentioned Durmstrang would be brilliant though he did sigh a bit, he didn't want herto be away from him either but what choice did they have? "I don't know..maybe you could." He said as he started thinking about it. "It will be difficult though.. but you have so much talent.. to waste them here, with mudbloods..I don't want that." He looked at her and sighed. "I'll think about it.."

[Melantha Cunningham]

Melantha blinked back a tear. She hated being weak. Especially infront of her father. He always seemed so strong that she wanted to be like him. She couldn't help but give him a watery smile when he said she was like her mother. She chuckled shortly when her father added about her rebelious nature. She wanted to rush back over to him and hold him tightly like she always did at home, but she held back. She laughed again, her golden curls bounced up and down as she giggled. "Since when did I do what you tell me Father?" she grinned her laughter dying down slightly, "I am here right now as proof" she giggled. "Pff. You could get anyone you wanted to do that sorta work, you could bat your eyes like a little girl and any woman would come running." she laughed at the mental image. 

She listened to her father talking with her snake and spoke again, this time in parselmouth. "Yes, Zeina. You are always there for me[/colour]" she agreed with her father. Her snake was far too modest. Zeina simply turned around and snuggled into a ball shape on her fathers desk, dislodging some of the papers there. "I couldnt leave her there, she'd be alone and as you said we make a good team. She always has my back. Plus what if one of the servants wanted revenge?" she worried that if she left her snake alone in the home one of the terrorized servants would take their revenge. A stubborn defensive look crossed her face for a moment "What, it isnt my fault they scare easily" she shrugged before huffing in amusement, she knew her father wasnt mad. 

"I know daddy, I always look forwards to your letters, I know you are busy here. I understand". She supposed she did understand. She didnt like it,  but she understood why she was hidden away - what if she was killed by muggles like her mother? Then her Father would have nothing. She gulped, finally realising what she'd said. "Um.  No-one" she quickly said, raising her mental 'shields' in hope that he wouldnt see through them, and see the name Niklaus running through her mind. She bit her lip wondering if he knew who she was on about. Arguing with someone was so much better than being friends. She worried at the tone of hid voice when he asked who, she knew that he'd either dig around in her mind or ask again. She hoped for the later. 

"I could, I mean I could be a spy" she suggested with a hopeful smile. "You have taught me well father, you know a great deal about the dark arts" she said walking closer to him again, and wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, only breifly lifting her face to talk. "Nothing 'good' is ever easy father, I can hold my own against the mudbloods. Who knows maybe I can get rid of some of them" Melantha smiled into his neck. "Thanks Daddy" she hoped he meant it when he said he'd think about it. If she couldnt go to hogwarts, Durmstrang was the second best option. Atleast she'd be able to wind Niklaus up there.

[Salazar Slytherin]

He looked at her and just smiled, calling for an house elf to bring them some cookies and some tea as he looked over at her for a while, caressing his daughters cheek, he sighed calmly. "How I wish she could of seen you growing up.. she used to cradle you in her arms singing a lullaby." He sighed calmly, caressing her cheek though his face had a sad and painful expression as he looked away for a while, until the house elf arrived, he sighed. "It is no use reading your mind, you are setting up defense but your eyes my dear daughter..your eyes betray you.. there is indeed someone that knows of you." He said calmly, part of him wanted to punish his daughter but he controlled himself, he didn't want to harm his only child, he sighed calmly.

"So rebellious.. such a disappointment, I hope that you are at least careful and that you don't reveal too much." He finally said as he looked at her, he shook his head. "Don't be foolish child, I don't want you spying on people, spying is dangerous.. I don't want you getting harmed." He aid calmly as he looked at her. He chuckled. "Now when did you get so wise...you are growing up fast.. I guess I'm getting old nowadays." He said smiling at her.

"I'll have to talk with the other founders and the headmaster..to try and get you accepted into Hogwarts." He said calmly as he looked at her. "I'll see what I can do, if it doesn't work..I'll send you to Durmstrang."

[Melantha Cunningham]

Melantha listened silently to her father. She imagined a little baby in a young womans arms, being rocked to sleep. A little baby with blond curly hair, even lighter than hers was now. “I wish I could remember her” she mused. Melantha had been to young to remember her mother or her death. Though her father had told her all about her death. She placed her hand over his on her cheek. She looked at the plate of cookies, and then to the tea. "Do you think she's happy?" she asked quietly. "Wherever she is now" she added after a moment.

She wasn't really hungry, but a cookie wouldn't hurt she reasoned to herself. Picking up one of the tempting cookies, she nibbled at it. “My eyes betray me?” she asked, she hadn't thought that her father might see through her. She bit her lip, intending not to speak the sentences rushing through her mind.

When he said 'such a disappointment' Melantha's heart dropped. “Of course I am careful, I never tell him anything. We just argue” She mumbled angrily. “I am not foolish, nor am I a child anymore” she crossed her arms defiantly. She sure as hell didn't feel like a child. She brushed away a strand of curled blond hair from her eyes, flicking it away a few times, before it settled behind her ear.

The cookie in her hand had gone forgotten now, with barely a bite taken. It was when she tightened her fists in a defensive nature, that the cookie began to crumble in her hand, she looked down a little shocked, but brushed the crumbs off her hand, and placed the rest of the broken cookie back.

Melantha smiled now, wise was a much better word than foolish. “Of course you are getting old” she teased, “but with age comes wisdom do they not say” she added. Melantha stared at her father for a moment, trying to figure out if he was going to say he was joking, and she would never go to Hogwarts or Durmstrang, but when he didn't, her grin grew wider.

Of course she only really smiled around her father. “Thank you Father” she said, getting a control on her emotions. She wanted to be student in Hogwarts most, though Durmstrang would be great. It was just that Melantha wanted to be near her father.

[Salazar Slytherin]

"I wish so too." He said sadly as he sighed calmly, having memories will always be better than just being told about those details. He looked at her, considering her question calmly, he sighed as he looked away. "I don't know.... I have no idea where we go after we die, perhaps we go nowhere.." He said calmly as he sighed. "If she did go somewhere.. she is probably waiting for us.. missing us. Probably watching over you." He said calmly, he wasn't sure as he sighed sadly, he just looked at her and gave a forced smile, he didn't like appearing sad when his daughter was around. When she mumbled angrily he just looked at her an the poor cookie getting crushed.

"I know you are not a child anymore, you've grown up so much that you don't even need my help now." He said calmly as he looked at her he just chuckled. "Eventually you won't be listening to me anymore and you'll get annoyed by me." He said with a chuckle as he caressed her cheek. "One day I'll grow old..and you'll be in this world alone.. hopefully we will have found you someone worthy of carrying my legacy." He said calmly as he looked at her.

He smiled at her teasing. "Oh definitively, but also old and senile and tend to be forgetful, it happens to every old people." He said as he smiled at her. "Hope you won't be too annoyed with me when that happens, until then you got Zeina to protect you."

[Melantha Cunningham]

Melantha smiled sadly, “Don't worry dad, you were enough for me, growing up. Even if you were here a lot of the time.” She smiled, forcing the smile to be brighter than she really felt. “My guardian angel” she mumbled, and then blushed. It was such a sentimental statement. She looked pensive for a moment. Wondering if there was an afterlife. “You know what, I don't know I want her to be waiting for us. It'll be years before she sees either of us again” she sighed softly.

She looked at her father with a rather pleased look on her face. “I do need your help daddy” she admitted eventually. No matter how old she got, she'd always have a need for her father, the only person who was ever there for her growing up. “I might not listen to you, I might be annoyed by you, but I will still love you” she grinned, her love for her father was unwavering. Since he had brought her up on his own. She was determined to show him the loyalty he deserved. She choked back on her words, “carry...legacy?” she spluttered, that was not something she'd thought about before. “Someone worthy?” she eventually asked when she managed to control herself again.

She giggled at her father. She couldn't imagine him forgetting something. He was so controlled that she couldn't think about her father as an old fragile man. “I might be..” she replied with a soft shrug. “Zeina will be with me all the time” she never left her snake anywhere. She always took her with her. Even if she shouldn't. The snake was her friend, and she enjoyed talking with her. The venomous snake lifted her head at the mention of her name, and then lazily placed in back down.

[Salazar Slytherin]

"You should know, that I might not remain in Hogwarts much longer, I grow tired of the other founders, getting too old for this." He finally managed to say, even though he was only 40 years old, he sighed calmly. "It is tiring when they are always opposed to your ideas and want to get a few mudbloods in the school.. infesting it with them." He said calmly as he sighed. "If only your mother wasn't so naive when it came to mudbloods if only she considered them an enemy none of this would of happened...she would of been hear." He said he was a bit angry, also angry at himself he let her befriend certain mudbloods and this is what happened.

He sighed calmly as he looked at his daughter. "I'll see what I can do but I prefer you going to Durmstrang if not then I'll just keep teaching you myself but send any of my descendants to Hogwarts." He managed to say he wanted his grandchildren to be in hogwarts if his daughter ends up with someone, he hoped it would be a pureblood as he looked at her calmly, he just gave her a little smile.

"Would you like some cookies?" he then looked at Zeina, talking to the snake this time. "What about you, do you want to eat a few rabbits?"

[Melantha Cunningham]

“Good, they pull you down papa, you are more likely to succeed without them” she added. “You are 40, that is not so old father, you still have a few good years left in you yet” she teased lovingly. Which was an odd word to use when describing Melantha towards anyone but family she was cruel. Though she had very little family to love. “It must be tiring. They should listen to you, you are the sane one” she smiled at her father.

“I would have happy here with you father, but I do want to go to school” she tried to think of why she wanted to go to school so badly. Maybe it was simply because she was missing out on an experience that even muggleborns were now experiencing. It seemed ridiculous to her. “And what if you don't get descendants. I have no plans to have a child” she spoke defiantly. In all honesty Melantha wouldn't mind a child, but she couldn't see herself with child any time soon. Especially since she had no suitor. Of course the daughter of Slytherin would never go for a halfblood or muggleborn. If she did fall infatuated with one of either. She'd satisfy her crush and then kill them. Simply because it was less bother.

“I would” she said, picking up another cookie and this time eating it. Zeina looked back at Slytherin, and licked her non existent lips. “Yesss Masster Sslytherin” she hissed eagerly. Of course Melantha had been so bored that she'd taught the snake not to hiss so much, but the snake still 'hissed' when extremely angry or excited. “If muggleborns were appealing to me, I'd eat them” the snake added with a hiss like laugh. Melantha laughed at her snakes words.

[Salazar Slytherin]

"I know... I just wish they wouldn't be so foolish." He finally said and sighed calmly. He smiled at his daughter as he looked at her. "I hope so.. I'm not sure about that, all the fighting between old friends, the stress I have.. I doubt I'll last 5 more years." He said with a little chuckle as he took a sip of his tea, he nodded calmly. "Tiring.. I stayed here for far too long, now it is just a lost cause." He smiled at his daughter, putting back his cup of tea on his desk, going to his cabinet for a few cookies and of course some live bunnies for Zeina, Salazar's own snake seemed a bit jealous.

"You will marry a man you love, I won't make you marry a man purely because of blood, if it takes time for you to have a child, so be it, I am a patient man, I just hope I'll be able to see it before I pass away, if I die early, you never know in this age." He managed to say as he put the bunny right in front of Zeina, he petted her head for a while, speaking in parseltongue.

"Leave that to my Basilisk Zeina, I doubt you'd like feeding on students." He said with a snake like chuckle as he looked at his daughter giving her a cookie. "Would you like some tea as well?" He added, as he was about to pour himself some tea.

[Melantha Cunningham]

“What I don't understand is why they don't listen to you, they dismiss your very reasonable ideas” she frowned. She didn't like the other Founders. Not that Melantha had ever actually met them. She'd never wanted too meet them that much anyway. If only to tell them what a mistake they were making. “You will last more than 5 years father, all this old age talk is silly anxieties” she waved her hand through the air, as if to wave the comment away. “Then come back and teach me Father, you'd be far less stressed, we could return to Hogwarts when I am older, and we can both go about cleansing it. Aunt Rhiannon could help as well” she spoke with a formal air.

“I wouldn't marry a mudblood or halflblood anyway” she snarled at the implication. Melantha could not see herself being able to live with a mudblood or a halfblood. Even if she had fallen deeply in love with them. “You will see a grandchild before your death Father” she eventually spoke, though she couldn't see herself having a child, she didn't want the Slytherin line to fall into extinction. “I will make sure you live long enough father” she smiled. She wouldn't let her father die young if she could help it, and if he were murdered she would avenge his death. The thought that someone might murder her father like they did her mother saddened her. She'd really be alone then.

“Oh yes please” she replied, Melantha wasn't really a tea 'fan' but she drank the drink, and she was thirsty. She chuckled at what her father said to Zeina. Zeina ignored it, she had her sights on the live bunny hopping around in front of her. She poised ready to pounce, and in one elegant jump, caught the bunny in her jaw. And set about swallowing the now dead rabbit. “How is your basilisk?” Melantha asked curiously. She hadn't seen the large snake in a while.