The first time that Godric happened across Salazar mothering a dangerous creature, he was a bit shocked.
He'd been wandering - patrolling - the grounds after a discussion with Rowena had left him feeling rather shaky and confused. He was not used to what she called "intellectual discussions," and they still left him feeling queasy about his place in the world. He'd looked up to the sky, nearly dozing off, then straightened up when he heard an ominous hiss.
He'd pulled his wand and kept the other hand on one of the daggers in his belt. It was a slow, creeping walk that took him into the unlit courtyard at the east entrance to the school, and he took the time to plan a strategy. He didn't have any larger weapons, but he would be damned if he didn't go down without a fight against -
Against Salazar, he'd realized. The man hadn't noticed his intrusion into what was apparently a completely comfortable experience for him. He was hissing quietly to the creature, and the creature was climbing slowly up his arm. It came close to his face and paused, likely telling Salazar of Godric's presence.
Sure enough, Salazar had turned and smiled to his friend. "Good evening," he said. "Come sit. Ewyn says you seem pensive tonight."
Godric approached, ready to clear up the mess that Rowena had left in his mind, but started when he recognized the characteristic striping down its back. "Salazar, that's an naedre!"
"Yes, I'm aware." Salazar seemed irritated, and hissed something gentle to 'Ewyn.' "He's not going to do anything unless I tell him to, and I promise I won't if you'll just sit down."
And so it was that Salazar the cunning convinced Godric the brave to sit with a venemous snake.
Of course, only weeks later, when Godric found Salazar bleeding in several places and hissing loudly at the sky from a clearing in the middle of the Dark Forest, he was hardly surprised.
"Get up, you cumberground," Godric said genially, offering his friend a hand up. He eyed the many scratches and cuts the other man was sporting and asked, "What did you do to get those?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Salazar said.
Godric raised his brows, fighting a smile. "What have you done now? That naedre finally taken back his offer of friendship?" The pair started walking back to the castle, one limping and the other there for support.
"It was worse than a naedre, Godric." He walked in relative silence for a moment, the only sound his slight panting as he made his way up the hill nearly dragging one leg. "It was a dragon."
"A dragon?" Godric deadpanned. "Why on earth would you be playing around with a dragon?"
"It was asleep," Salazar admitted. Pant. Pant. "I tried to wake it gently, by tickling it, but…"
Godric couldn't help himself: he laughed, and he laughed loud and boisterously. "You tickled a dragon to wake it up! You tickled a dragon!"
"Yes, well, now we know that that doesn't work," Salazar said, quite primly for a man mucking his way back to the castle still covered in blood. "I'll make a note of it."
"Make a note of it," Godric cried, laughing so hard he had to stop and bend down to breathe, putting his hands on his knees. "I'll do you one better - we'll make sure everyone in the bloody school knows!"