Chamber of the Founders
Deep beneath the school, past the Chamber of Secrets and older even than the Basilisk's lair, was a door no one living had opened in a thousand years.
Except now—it opened for him.
Harry stepped through, Echo at his side, Argent circling above like a divine sentinel.
Runes glowed across the walls, alive with ancient magic. Four thrones stood at the far end, formed from crystal, stone, ironwood, and flame. Above them, four statues pulsed with life.
Then… the statues moved.
And the Founders of Hogwarts awoke.
Godric Gryffindor rose first—tall, broad-shouldered, his sword gleaming with dragonfire steel. His eyes landed on Harry and narrowed with intensity.
"You bear my mark," he rumbled. "And yet you have power far beyond mine."
Salazar Slytherin stood next, his robes slithering like silk over water, serpent coiled around his staff. "He bears all our marks, Godric. Our magic… and more."
Helga Hufflepuff smiled warmly, stepping down with a grace that carried centuries of wisdom. "I felt him awaken us through the ancient bond. Through loyalty."
And Rowena Ravenclaw—elegant, ethereal—spoke last. "But what truly binds him to us is knowledge. The understanding of who he is. And what he must become."
Harry bowed low. "I came to ask for your guidance. The world is breaking—again. I've stopped Dumbledore. But that was just one thread."
Rowena's eyes shimmered with starlight. "You are right. The tapestry frays. The veil weakens."
Salazar turned sharply. "The multiverse tears at the edges. I feel it. Something is coming."
"A new Dark," Godric muttered. "Worse than Voldemort. Worse than Grindelwald. It bleeds through dimensions."
Harry nodded. "And I've been chosen to guard it."
Helga stepped forward and gently took his hand. "Then you must reclaim what was lost. Our legacy… and our artifacts."
Rowena raised her wand. "Let us give you the gifts you need."
The Gift of Gryffindor: The True Sword, reforged in phoenix fire and enhanced with uru metal from Asgard.
The Gift of Slytherin: The Serpent Crown, unlocking full Parselmagic and dimension-traveling venom arts.
The Gift of Hufflepuff: The Gaia Medallion, connecting Harry to the pulse of the magical world and ancient creaturekind.
The Gift of Ravenclaw: The Crown of Insight, fusing with Cerebro to grant multiversal foresight.
As the artifacts fused with Harry's essence, his aura surged—becoming part-legend, part-god, part-founder.
The Founders bowed before him.
"You are not our heir," Salazar said reverently. "You are our legacy."
Above, Hogwarts stirred.
Magic returned to the stones. The wards sang with new power. The portraits wept.
And in the stars beyond Earth, something vast and terrible—something with burning wings and a corrupted soul—turned its eyes toward him.
The Multiverse had a new guardian.
And the Dark Phoenix had noticed.