A/N: Before you read this story, I want to let you know this goes with my other story The Little Potter. If you haven't read The Little Potter, this story probably won't make much sense.
Rowena and the Emperor
Years after Rowena Ravenclaw fled her wedding to Salazar, she finally found peace with her husband Len. However, how will she explain her background and her daughter Gloria's particular differences from everyone else? How can she explain she's a witch?
"You asked to see me?" Rowena asked, stepping into the large hall where her husband was sitting on a throne.
He looked up from a long scroll and smiled gently at her.
"Yes," he answered. "I wanted to speak to you."
Rowena walked forward, her shoes making echoing clicks in the huge hall. There was no one there but her husband, Len Chang.
"Where are the guards?" she asked.
"I wanted to speak to you in private." Len answered and put aside the scroll in his hands. He then went over and poured some tea for Rowena.
"Rowena…" he began. "Have you noticed how strange Gloria acts?"
Rowena hesitated. "N-no. What are you referring to?" she lied, knowing perfectly well what Len meant.
"Yesterday," Len said calmly. "I took her horseback riding in the courtyard and she was thrown off."
Rowena's eyes widened.
"Now, now…she's perfectly alright." Len answered and offered her a cup of tea. "I was worried to death for a few crucial seconds. I dismounted off my horse and rushed over to her immediately…but…" Len gave Rowena an odd look. "She was fine. She didn't have any bruises…no scars…"
Rowena was silent.
"Don't get me wrong, Rowena," Len said. "I'm very happy and relieved that Gloria is fine…but what I don't get is how a force from the fall off a horse could not harm her at all."
"Well…perhaps the fall wasn't as hard…" Rowena trailed off.
"Yesterday at dinner, Gloria refused to eat remember? Ever since her little brother was born, she thinks he's hogging all the attention." Len spoke calmly. "And so I punished her. I sat her down and told her to copy down a script."
Rowena knew where Len was getting at.
"I left her in her study room for five minutes, and then felt badly about the fact that I punished her..." Len said. "So I came in to tell her I was sorry…but she had already copied down the whole script! She was playing with her dolls when I walked in."
Rowena felt uneasy and set down her tea.
"The script was five pages long, Rowena. Now tell me, how do you suppose Gloria could have copied it down in five minutes?" Len asked.
"I-I don't know." Rowena answered. Her wand was concealed in her dress and she knew that if Len were to come over and embrace her he would feel it. She should've thought to put it away before coming to see him.
"Rowena…" Len said walking over to her.
She looked into his eyes. "Yes?"
"Our newborn son was found playing with a paperweight in his crib yesterday." Len said, his eyebrows raised. "The paperweight had been on a table across the room."
"Perhaps Gloria gave it to him." Rowena said.
"Is there something you would like to tell me?" Len asked.
"I don't think so. I think maybe you left Gloria's room longer than you thought." Rowena answered. "I mean…she does have excellent penmanship."
"I don't want you to feel you have to hide anything from me. I want you to trust me." Len said softly. "Are you sure you don't have anything to tell me?"
"No." Rowena answered. "No, none at all."
Len looked at his wife for a moment. All of the sudden, a servant came into the hall.
"Excuse me for bothering you, Emperor, but the little master is crying." She said, standing in the doorway. She then bowed, turned and left.
"Well, I-I must---you know." Rowena said and turned.
* *
Rowena held her son quietly for a few hours. He fell asleep after awhile, but she still held him.
'I can't tell him I'm a witch,'
Rowena thought desperately. 'No, not after my good fortune. He'll want Gloria and I and possibly our son to leave the palace and we'll be homeless again.'Before she could hold them in, tears silently poured down her cheeks.
'Ah, Len won't do that,'
a part of her brain said. 'He's too kind. He will still love you.''Oh, but what would he think?'
another part of her brain spoke. 'He's the ruler! What will he do if he finds out his wife is a witch? He might send you to burn!''This is not Europe!'
the other part of the brain said. 'They don't have witch burnings here! The worse that can possibly happen is that you leave the palace!'"But I don't want to leave the palace," Rowena said softly. "I want to stay. He's a good husband, and I can't let my children live a life on the streets."
"Empress?" a female servant walked into the room. "Dinner is ready. Would you like me to take the little one?"
"Yes." Rowena answered, handing her son to the servant. "Please take him back to his crib."
Rowena walked out to the dinner hall and saw Len and Gloria seated at the table.
Gloria held up her arms and Rowena picked her up to embrace her for a moment.
Len smiled at them.
The first evening in many nights, they ate in silence, except for Gloria chatting happily about how she won a game of tag with the servants' children in the courtyard.
After Gloria finished her last bite, she happily stood and said, "May I go and play a game with Li?" She said, referring to her cousin.
Len nodded.
Rowena smiled as Gloria left the table.
"Gloria is almost old enough to go to school." Len said. "Do you want her to go to a private school wit her cousins or would you rather teach her here at the palace yourself?"
'Magic,'
Rowena thought. 'Gloria must be taught how to use magic soon.'"I think I'd rather teach her myself." Rowena answered.
"I thought you'll say that." Len answered, smiling. He got up. "Would you come with me? I want to show you something."
Rowena followed Len, her wand still in her dress.
They came upon a private study. Len walked over to his desk and opened a drawer.
"I remember you first told me we were going to have our son." Len remarked. "And you mentioned that I wasn't surprised."
"You weren't." Rowena said. "It was almost as if you knew."
Len got out a thick book.
"That, my dear, is because I already knew." He smiled mischievously at Rowena.
"You saw the signs?" Rowena asked.
"Yes, you can say that." Len answered and walked over to her. Rowena stiffened.
'Don't embrace me,'
she thought. 'Not with my wand!'"Rowena," Len said. "I have noticed certain…qualities you possess." He said quietly. He touched a strand of Rowena's hair and then placed his arms around her.
Almost as if by reaction, he stiffened too.
"What---?" Len said as he felt Rowena's wand. She had stuck it in a pocket. He reached into her pocket and held up the wand. He looked at it in amazement.
"Just…a stick…" Rowena said, alarmed, trying to string words together.
"Rowena, come here." Len said quickly and walked over to the book he had on his desk. He flipped a couple of pages and then pointed to writing.
Len Chang and Rowena Ravenclaw
Son born April 26th
"A wizard birth book." Rowena said, nearly fainting.
"I suspected you might be a witch," Len said, now smiling. "But I wasn't clearly sure." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long wand too.
"My gosh!" Rowena said, awestruck. "You…you're a wizard?"
"Yes." Len laughed. "Have you wondered why we don't have witch hunts in this country as contrary to European countries?"
Rowena smiled back.
"Because the Emperor himself is a wizard!" Len said. "I can't let my country be magic fearing! No…I have records of every child born with magical blood in him or herself. I perform memory charms on every Muggle who had seen magic performed. Very exhausting work, tracking them down. I have a few helpers here and there."
"Oh Len!" Rowena said. "Thank goodness! I thought I'd have to hide my magic forever! And even worse, if our son and Gloria start doing powerful magic…and you…oh…"
"I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have wed a witch!" her husband answered. "I've always been careful to hide this fact from the servants."
"Thank goodness." Rowena said, filled with happiness.
A/N:
Something short and cute. Not part of a longer story or anything.