Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Harry’s blood wasn’t the pure lineage that Salazar Slytherin prized, but neither was it the kind he despised.

The criteria for Slytherin House selection revealed Salazar Slytherin’s extreme dislike for Muggle-borns, but he tolerated half-bloods, especially those with ancient Wizarding ancestry. Some of these students were even admitted to the House.

Take Tom Riddle, for example — he was the offspring of the Gaunt family’s wizard blood and a Muggle lineage, undeniably a half-blood. The same went for Severus Snape. Both were placed in Slytherin by the Sorting Hat, and both went on to show exceptional talents that perfectly embodied the essence of Slytherin House.

Though Slytherin House valued pure bloodlines above all, it also accepted a few gifted half-blood wizards.

But those who were entirely Muggle-born, no matter how talented, would never be allowed within its walls.

The admissions criteria for Slytherin House more or less revealed Salazar Slytherin’s attitude toward Wizarding ancestry. While he had no objection to wizards like Harry, he wouldn’t leave the treasure to them. As for Muggle-born wizards like Evan and Hermione, their very existence was considered blasphemous and deserving of extermination.

“Even though the magma didn’t attack me, I didn’t get the treasure either. My blood isn’t right — I’m not pure-blood. My mother’s a Muggle,” said Harry matter-of-factly. “Sirius or Ron should have come. They’re both purebloods, and the Black and Weasley families are both very ancient.”

“Poor Ron … I wonder if Sirius has found him,” said Hermione worriedly.

“He’ll be fine. If the Death Eaters had caught Ron, we’d have heard by now. The fact that there’s no word, and that the Lestranges were so agitated when they realized Harry and I had disappeared, means they know nothing. Ron’s probably hiding somewhere, maybe even in touch with the Order of the Phoenix already. I’ll get news of him once we’re out of here,” said Evan, turning around. “All right, Elaine — your turn!”

“No, my blood won’t fit either, and I’m afraid of the pain,” said Elaine, shaking her head.

“It won’t hurt. We’ll leave after you’re done,” said Evan.

He couldn’t say for sure about Elaine’s bloodline, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.

“Blood is important to vampires. My uncle said we mustn’t shed it lightly.” Elaine shook her head again. “Unless…”

“Ten blood-flavored lollipops. But you can’t eat too much sugar. It’s bad for your teeth,” said Evan helplessly. He immediately knew what Elaine was up to.

“Plus three bottles of dragon blood mixed with yours.”

“One!”

“Two. If not, forget it. I’m not expecting Slytherin’s treasure anyway.”

“Deal! Come on, then,” said Evan. Raising a vampire really was so hard.

Elaine stepped forward and held out her plump little hand.

Evan’s wand traced across her pale finger, and a thin cut appeared out of nowhere.

As soon as a drop of blood trickled down, Elaine instantly jerked her hand back and popped it into her mouth.

“Enough, enough!” she mumbled.

Evan pointed his wand at the droplet of blood suspended in midair and guided it toward the molten lava ahead.

In an instant, the drop vanished into the roiling magma, as though it had merged completely with that endless sea of red.

For a moment, it seemed as if nothing had happened.

Just like Harry’s, Elaine’s blood caused no reaction.

“See? I told you it wouldn’t work. You know, my family isn’t actually related to Salazar Slytherin, and I’m a half-blood too,” said Elaine, sucking her finger, staring at the calm lava with wide eyes. “You just had to make me —”

“There’s a reaction!” Evan suddenly exclaimed.

No sooner had he spoken than the lava before them began to change.

It was like watching a potion reaching the final stage of brewing, the magma below started bubbling rapidly.

Gloop… gloop… gloop…

It was the kind of sign seen only when a potion was nearly complete, when one would usually stir it clockwise with a wand to stabilize the magic; but that technique clearly didn’t apply here. The searing magma needed no such help; it began swirling on its own, spinning faster and faster.

Soon, a faint green vapor rose from the bottom.

The molten magma’s color shifted, rapidly changing from red to green.

“It worked!” Evan muttered. He, Harry, Hermione, and Elaine gazed through the cave entrance, stunned at the transformation taking place before their eyes.

Elaine’s blood had worked, having earned the approval of Salazar Slytherin.

Long ago, when he performed the enchantment, Slytherin had added the blood of Elaine’s ancestor to this very magma.

Now, that same ancestral trace within Elaine’s blood had responded, and the door to a thousand-year-old treasure was about to be unlocked. Though she wasn’t a direct descendant and her lineage wasn’t entirely pure, the acknowledgment she had received meant she was still worthy to inherit something left by Salazar Slytherin.

The molten green deepened, growing more vivid and radiant; a bright emerald glow standing out sharply against the crimson world around it.

Evan watched closely as a pillar of green flame shot up into the sky again.

This time, however, the flame didn’t attack Evan and Elaine, but instead surged upwards slowly, steadily.

At last, the top of the blazing pillar came to rest precisely before the narrow opening at the end of the passage, perfectly aligned with the outstretched arms of the carved relief opposite them.

The flame remained a flame, but it seemed to have lost its heat. Something floated at the top.

It was a massive stone slab!

“Look, something’s coming out!” Elaine cried. “Is that Salazar Slytherin’s treasure?”

“It should be; it’s what he left for you,” said Evan, gently waving his wand upwards.

In an instant, the stone slab shot out from within the flame toward them.

As it drifted free, the fiery pillar beneath it began to weaken, its upward surge growing fainter and fainter.

Gradually, the flame sank down and vanished entirely, and the magma below returned to its former state.

By now, no one was paying any attention to the molten pool. Evan, Harry, Hermione, and Elaine had all turned their eyes to the suddenly revealed stone slab.

The slate was large, and its surface shone with a strange magical luster, which seemed to be the reason that protected it from being melted after being stored in the magma for a thousand years.

It was engraved with words and there were several patterns that looked like maps.

“Quick, look — what does it say?” Elaine asked eagerly.

Although moments earlier she had claimed she didn’t care about Salazar Slytherin’s treasure in the slightest, now that something had appeared, she was more excited than anyone.