Chapter Text
If life is to be summed up in one word Astrid Potter is positive hers would just say Tragedy. Ever since the day she was born, it has been one tragedy after another. Being born to extremely young parents in the middle of the war with the threat of death hanging over the heads of the family of three was just the beginning. Her parents trusted the wrong person to be their secret keeper who brought Tom Riddle straight to their door resulting in their death. She was left on the doorstep of her mother’s muggle sister like yesterday’s empty milk bottle to fend for herself before her parents’ bodies could cool down.
To say that the next 10 years in the Dursley household were hell for her would be an understatement. She lived in a house with people that hated the very thought of her, and well she can't say that feelings weren’t mutual.
The morning when a mysterious letter addressed to her came in the mail somehow deep down, she knew nothing would ever be the same again. When a half-giant came to a small island house to bring her to a new world full of wonders and magic, she was excited for the first time in her life. That excitement did not last long. It took her just 10 minutes after entering the Wizarding World that she realized the people there didn’t care about Astrid Calytrix Potter: a quiet but snarky girl who was too short and too thin with bruises on her body hidden under clothes almost three times her size that liked the quiet and books, and was a little too vengeful, cunning, manipulative and intelligent for other people’s taste. No, they wanted Holly Lily Potter who was light’s savior, that didn’t have a single deceitful bone in her body, who was another brave and brash gryffindoor who wants to be just like her father. In a moment of weakness and desperation to fit in, she wore the mask of Holly potter but after one too many dangerous situations, she didn't even notice when she and the mask became one leaving an empty, depressed, and a little suicidal shell behind.
In the end, it was all for nothing. From the moment when Goblet of Fire spat out her name reality came crashing down on her, she was once again in a life-threatening situation but with no way out this time because it was either her life or her magic, and she did say she was a little suicidal. She was tired. Tired of being mistreated, being abused, being the Girl-Who-Lived one day and Dark Lady the next, being called a liar, a cheat, and who knows what, tired of her so-called turning on her after a moment of inconvenience or when it suited them but most of all she was tired of living. Maybe death will be kinder to her than life. She doesn't believe in the afterlife, in meeting your lost ones. She wants to meet her parents once in her life instead of leaving it on the off-chance that she will meet them after death, with that in mind she grabbed her map and cloak and went to the entrance of Chambers of Secrets on the second-floor girl's bathroom sure that Salazar might help her one last time.
"Hey sally" she exclaimed once she came in front of his portrait in his office inside the basilisk's mouth and flopped down on the sofa with the grace of a fawn learning to walk.
From inside the frame, Salazar Slytherin made an annoyed face and said "Why must you address me with such an abhorrent name I'll never know and you are awfully chipper for being entered in a death tournament."
Astrid was surprised for a moment before she collected herself and teased Salazar "To see your annoyed face of course and how do you know about that?"
Salazar raised an eyebrow and answered sarcastically "Of course how can I forget silly me, just because I cannot interact with anyone outside the chambers doesn't mean I don't know what's going out there. Now tell me did you even attempt to get out of participating in it or not?"
Astrid's eye twitched at his condescending tone "Yes, the rulebook said that only a Parent, Magical guardian, life partner, or something called "Bond-Guardian" can withdraw a champion." making air quotes at Bond-Guardian. "And as you well know I am a fucking orphan. my magical guardian is Albus Fucking Dumbledore who quite possibly entered my name in the first place, I have no intention of marrying anyone at all especially not for something like this or someone from Fucking British Isle's sheep and I HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT A BLOODY BOND-GUARDIAN IS." getting angrier as she continues ranting.
"Circe, the mouth on you child," said Salazar visibly amused despite the situation" someone ought to clean it with soap."
"YOU ARE NOT MY BLOODY MOTHER SAL, SHE IS DEAD, and speaking of mother I want your help." pleaded Astrid, face and voice doing a complete 180 in moments.
Quite astonished and taken aback at the change in behavior Salazar muttered" I will never understand women."
"What do you mean you will never understand women you had a wife and children?" countered Astrid for the sake of arguing despite making no sense.
" I had two sons and I died before they could procreate, and Helga was a saint compared to you" he snarked back.
"Helga? Helga Hufflepuff? You were married to Helga Hufflepuff? I mean Helga Hufflepuff married you?" genuinely baffled expression on her face.
Insulted and embarrassed Salazar snapped "What do you mean me, there is nothing wrong with me and can you be any more judgemental?"
Astrid smirked back highly amused "Sure I can, now stop distracting me and help me summon my parents."
"You just insulted me and now you think I should help you." seriously unamused he deadpanned.
"Yep." Absentmindedly Astrid replied no longer paying him attention and searching the bookshelves.
Salazar opened his mouth to berate her before closing it and a devious smirk appeared on his face going unnoticed by Astrid "Did you know I originated from Old World?"
"No, why are you telling me this?" Astrid said as she turned towards him once more.
Salazar tsks but continues " My family had this book of different rituals passed down from generation to generation, it has a ritual that allows summoning the Blood Guardian of the person performing it."
"My parents?" asks Astrid looking more interested "That's great where is it?"
"Something like that, but the ritual can only be performed on a celestial event which is in 5 days and requires lots of energy, you look exhausted so why don't you go and rest and come back Saturday evening." Salazar says with a smarmy little smile on his face.
Astrid squinted at him suspiciously for a moment or two before exhaustion won and she conceded. "Okay, but if something goes wrong I will light your painting on fire." With that, she shuffles out of the chamber.
Salazar waits for 5 minutes to confirm she's gone before laughing maniacally his laugh echoing in the chamber.