That night Severus would introduce Harry to Godric and Salazar. The previous week, when they had secretly and voyeuristically watched the two Hogwarts founders making love, Harry and Snape had taken refuge behind the curtains of their four-poster bed and, at the end of the night, had Apparated from there straight to the sitting room.

The next morning, Snape had told them that Harry was now his lover. At first, they hadn't liked the idea. Both knew Harry Potter; they were well informed of everything that happened at Hogwarts, because of their many portraits there. (In fact, there weren't many portraits of Salazar at Hogwarts, only three. But Godric's elegant figure decorated many rooms of the Castle.)

Godric felt very proud of Harry Potter, and considered him the legitimate heir of his House traditions. The fact that Severus and Harry were teacher and student didn't shock him; nevertheless, he feared that the social prejudices associated with this kind of relationship could disturb even more the already complicated life of both. Salazar, in his turn, viewed Harry with scepticism: he considered the boy too naïve and arrogant to accomplish the hard mission that had been assigned to him.

The initial negative reaction had been overcome only when Snape had reminded them of their own situation, and traced some parallels: like them, Snape and Potter symbolized the union of opposite principles. Like them, they would have to confront everything and everyone if they wanted to remain together. Godric, romantic as he was, soon had let himself be convinced. Salazar still resisted. Then Snape reminded Salazar of the power and prestige that might be conferred upon him, Snape, and his noble House, Slytherin, by a union with the future most powerful wizard in the world. If you can't beat him, join him!

Not that this argument had really convinced Salazar, thought Snape. Deep inside, Slytherin wanted to believe that the current Head of his House was doing the right thing. Deep inside, he wanted to be able to finally celebrate the union of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin.

Harry seemed to hesitate all the way through the back garden and the laboratory to the portrait. Snape himself was a bit concerned. How strange, that desire to make a good impression on two characters in a portrait. However, it was precisely how he felt.

While still at some distance, they glimpsed Godric and Salazar rising from their chairs to greet them.

Snape made the introductions. "Godric, Salazar, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Gryffindor, and this is Slytherin."

"Hello, my boy," said Godric. "I already knew you, even if you never talked to me."

"Good evening, Mr Potter," said Salazar, formally.

"Hello, good evening," answered Harry, struggling not to laugh when he remembered that, in fact, he had already seen them, but in extremely inconvenient circumstances.

"Please sit down," said Snape to the Founders. "You may pull your chairs to the front of the picture, if you wish. I am going to bring two chairs, for Harry and me."

~* ~* ~

With a flick of his wand, Snape had made a painting of a tray with an Ogden's Old bottle and two goblets appear on Godric and Salazar's portrait, so that the Founders could drink too. Then he poured a glass of Ogden's Old for himself, and a glass of Butterbeer for Harry.

They were shy initially, but when the alcohol began to take effect, the conversation started to flow more easily.

The innocent Butterbeer seemed to have a stronger effect on Harry than the Firewhisky on the others - to the point of making him ask, "What's like being a portrait? Do you really get to feel things?"

Godric sighed. "We have always been portraits, in fact. The memory of the people we depict is engraved in us, but it will always be a portrait memory. Therefore, I cannot answer your question. What I can say is that we have feelings, and they don't seem very different from yours."

"You 'real people' should have more respect for our feelings, and not treat us like mere objects," complained Salazar, bitterly.

"I'm sorry," said Harry. "I never thought of that before. My friend Hermione goes around defending the house-elves' rights, but I don't reckon she's ever thought of defending the portraits' rights!"

"You, Severus," Salazar faced him firmly, "should speak to Dumbledore about the way he treats the portraits in Hogwarts. Especially those who live in his office. He uses them as lackeys."

Snape frowned, thoughtful. "Albus is my boss. I don't know what I could possibly do."

"You could at least try to make Phineas's life better," suggested Slytherin.

"What's the problem with Phineas?" asked Harry.

"Since Black died, extinguishing Phineas's lineage, he is inconsolable. And Dumbledore doesn't realise how much he suffers. He uses him as an office-boy."

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to move him to this place?" asked Snape, not without a touch of irony.

Godric grimaced. Salazar rolled his eyes.

"Severus, you could take that portrait of Phineas that's in Grimmauld Place to your dungeons. There you could keep an eye on him, and perhaps he could meet some friends to talk to," suggested Harry.

"Albus uses Phineas as a spy. He makes a point of keeping one portrait of Phineas in Grimmauld Place and another in his office," explained Snape.

Salazar shook his head. "This Dumbledore is the greatest manipulator that Hogwarts has ever seen."

"Come on, Salazar, don't say such things," protested Godric. "You know that he is in a very delicate position and... Well, let's change the subject, shall we? I'm sure Harry and Severus will think about Phineas's case and, if they can, they will help him."

Snape got up, filled both his and Harry's glass, then flicked his wand and made the painted empty bottle fill up again. Godric took the bottle and filled Salazar's and his own goblet.

"If you liked each other," Harry dared to ask them, "why did you part ways? Why did Salazar have to leave Hogwarts?"

"Ah, Harry... Politics separated us. Let this be a lesson for you, boys: don't let a political divergence interfere with your feelings for each other."

Salazar snorted. "Godric speaks as if we had a choice."

"And you didn't?" asked Harry.

"There was such a strong antagonism between the Houses that it was impossible to work together. I decided to leave because otherwise the war between us would destroy all the work we had done to create the school."

"But couldn't you have stayed together?" Harry inquired.

"I had to struggle to survive in a world completely hostile, where the persecutions to wizards were becoming more and more intense. And Godric became a kind of Headmaster of Hogwarts. The title didn't exist yet, but he performed the same functions of the later Headmasters."

"I had no time for myself any more," admitted Godric. "However, our mistake was made before, in the beginning. We should have promoted a school spirit, a spirit of union, and not divided the school in four Houses like we did."

"Well, Harry and I had already found the school divided in Houses," objected Snape. "I don't know what we can possibly do to change that."

"You are already doing it, my boys," said Godric. "You two have a very important role, and your union may be Hogwarts' salvation."

Snape saw Harry turning to look at him, and Godric and Salazar staring at both with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.