by DrT - Sahits

"Forty-eight Pure-Bloods, two Full-Bloods," Harry said.
"So if you married, say, Luna or Ginny. . . ."
"Our children would have to marry someone of similar blood-status or 'purer' for their children to be
considered Full-Bloods themselves, and the process would need two more generations before the
children would be 'Pure-Bloods'." Harry grinned. "Of course, of the forty-eight Pure-Bloods on the
Wizengamot, about ten just qualify themselves for that status, and another twenty- eight have at
least one parent who just barely qualifies. And the blood terms only took on the current meanings in
the late seventeen hundreds. The whole claptrap is really only a bit more than two hundred years
old, meaning Dumbledore's grandparents were the first generation where it was commonly used.
And, if they were to tell the truth, assuming they even know it, there are an awful lot of question
marks about ancestry of anyone but the really rich and propertied even two hundred years ago."
"So it's mostly built on bogus ideas and bogus data," Hermione said.
"Exactly," Harry agreed.
"Leaving that aside, there's at least one more important thing you need to explain," Hermione said.
"And what's that?"
"How are you an heir to Merlin?"
"Well, that goes back to the other time stream," Harry said. "When I turned seventeen, I was asked
to go to Gringotts. That's when I learned I was the Heir of Gryffindor. It turns out that the Founders
also helped create the tunnel system, and they each had a vault, which will only open for those the
recognize as heirs of some sort. I was quite surprised to see that all four accepted me."
"I can believe that," Hermione said.
"The governors were trying to close down Hogwarts. I stepped in and stopped them, essentially
taking over the school for a bit. It turns out, all four Founders had secret chambers."
"Really? Then why all the fuss? Because of the basilisk?"
"In part because of the basilisk, and in part because Slytherin put the Chamber under something like
the Fidelius when he left and outlived the other Founders," Harry answered. "I really have no idea
how the entrance was built into Myrtle's bathroom, although I suspect that it was Hogwarts itself
which did that. Anyway, its location was 'lost'. Ravenclaw's Chamber is now that annex of the
Library I told you about. Dumbledore, Pince, and the four Heads of House know about that.
Hufflepuff's was incorporated into the Hufflepuff Sett back in the fifteen hundreds."
"So it's true that the Hufflepuffs have tunnels all over Hogwarts?"
"Let's just say it's an exaggeration" Harry said.
"And Gryffindor's?"
"Did you ever wonder at how high the Divination and Gryffindor Towers are?"
"No," Hermione said, "not really."
"Gryffindor's 'room' is two stories in the Tower, which we ignore because of some very powerful
charms," Harry said. "I could see them after I turned seventeen, and can again. In addition, tell me
about the base of the Divination Tower."
Hermione frowned. "It's a solid base, built on an extension of bedrock that reaches through the
dungeons and ground floor, providing a solid face on Hogwarts' most vulnerable point."
"That's what it looks like," Harry agreed. "It's actually Merlin's Sanctuary. He built it into the living
rock, as they used to call it, and Hogwarts was built here in part because of the Sanctuary and in
part because there is an ancient stone circle here. The stones of the circles, left in place, form some
of the inner walls of the castle. The high altar is still in place, underneath the Headmaster's Office."