Red dragon

66

Sunday February 13th 1994

Harry held Lunas hand as they hurried through the tunnels of Hogwarts. Sadly, Harry and Luna weren't alone. For Luna's birthday treat, her best friend Genevieve came with them, along with Hermione, Draco, and Ron.

Luna didn't seem to mind, of course. She was happy most of the time, and had even suggested bringing people along. Sucks for Harry but she seemed happy enough. Ron, Draco, and Genevieve on the other hand were miserable; it was early, before even the morning run.

"Where are you taking me, Harry?"

"To see a secret, Luna." He held her hand and ran down a set of stairs.

The group entered a small room with windows on every side. The windows however could not be seen outside of the castle;they showed only the sky yet were set deep below the ground.

Harry opened a door in these glass walls and they continued down another set of stairs, going beneath the castle itself.

"Woah." Hermione breathed, looked up at the moon through the windows, before following behind the group again.

"It's starting to get dark, Harry." Luna commented, gripping his hand tighter.

"Lumos." Harry held his wand in front of them. The tired fourth years followed his lead, trekking down seemingly endless stairs.

"Come on Harry, can't you at least tell us where you're taking us?" Hermione all but begged.

Harry turned to smile at her. "I'm going to show you the oldest secret in all of Hogwarts." He turned his wand, casting light on the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh my." Luna slipped her hand away from Harry's and rushed down the stairs.

"Merlin." Draco looked down behind his friends.

They all looked up at the door. It was big enough to look to Hagrid like a normal door. It looked brand new, and made of dark grained wood. Carved into the door on the left was Lion and a badger; on the right a snake and a raven. On the wall surrounding the door were carvings of four people, each with an outstretched arm holding a wand.

"Woah."

"Watch this." Harry slipped his wand back into its holster. He placed his hands on the doors and pushed. The doors opened easily for him, although they wouldn't so much as budge for most anyone else. He then held out his hand, and led his girlfriend into the room.

"You first, Luna." He sent the girl in. "Happy birthday."

"Oh my." She gasped.

"Hermione." Harry held out his hand to guide his sister into the room. "Welcome to heaven."

Everyone else followed Hermione into the exceptionally large room.

"Welcome to the Founders Library." Harry couldn't help but choke on the words.

He looked on the rolls of parchment lined and piled up against the walls. Piled on the floors and tables. Almost everywhere they could be piled, there were parchments and books.

He smiled across at the fascination on Luna's face. The look of awe on Hermione's. And the clearly forced look of boredom on Ron's.

"It's so beautiful."

"Seventeen people in all of history have stood in this room. Only two were not descendants of the founders. They were Merlin and Lady Foramina. And now, you guys have too."

"Oh. Who?" Luna asked.

Harry could translate Luna very well. "I have two theories'. Salazar Slytherin or Godric Gryffindor." He told her. His other theory was that the snake in his head allowed him to enter this room. If that was not true he must be a descendant of Gryffindor. "Ravenclaws line ended some time ago. I know both Slytherin and Hufflepuff. But I could be Slytherin, I think. My families old enough to be any."