Helga's Last Stand
Disclaimer - Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling
A/N - written for QLFC round 13
Prompt- Knight: Write about a normally timid character going into battle.
Additional prompts - song) Poker Face - Lady Gaga, dialogue) "If I had a Knut for every time I heard that—" / "—You'd still be poor.", (word) desire
Word count - 1957
Helga Hufflepuff was many things: kind, hard working, just, patient but a fool wasn't one of them. She knew what was happening right under her nose and the sad part was the people hurting her were no other then her loved ones. She knew there wasn't any comparison between her and Rowena, how could there be after all Rowena was everything Helga wasn't. Rowena was tall, slender, beautiful with long brown hair and piercing blue eyes. While Helga was short, plump, had dirty blonde hair. She was object of everyone's desire including Godric,' Helga's Godric.
A loud popping sound brought her out of her thoughts. She turns to see her personal elf Tilly there
"Mistress Rowena give birth to a baby girl" Tilly informed. Helga just nodded. Though she wanted to see the baby she was afraid the baby might have red hair and blue eyes . Though Godric assured her that he isn't the father Helga couldn't bring herself to look.
"Tell Godric I'll be there" she said with sigh. Tilly bowed and popped away while Helga sat on a chair remembering how things ended this way.
"G-Godric I'm not sure about this" Helga said eyeing the broom with uncertainty. Godric just chuckled "Oh Helga, Helga, dearest Helga. You're a witch and you should know how to fly a broom"
"B-but" Helga stuttered. While growing up she never get the chance was riding broom.
"Don't worry I'm here for you" Godric assured while helping Helga onto broom
Godric and Helga stood outside a small cottage. It was early in the morning and no one was around.
"It'll be alright" Godric said squeezing Helga's hand gently while Helga's cheek turned red. They knocked the door. A thin woman with dark hair opened it she looked fearfully at the two strangers.
"Does Merlin lives here?" Godric asked immediately the woman's face went pale.
"N- no" she stuttered and attempted to close the door when an eleven year old boy joined her mother. He had the brightest blue eyes Helga ever seen, jet black hair and pale skin. "Merlin?" Helga spoke softly. The child nodded but his mother was still scared.
"Don't worry we're just like you" with that Godric opened his palms and wordlessly produced fire. Merlin mother's eyes went huge with shock.
"You used magic in front of a Muggle! How could you be so irresponsible Gryffindor!" shouted Salazar. His usual cold and calm persona was gone.
"Relax Salazar she already knew about magic. Her son is wizard, her husband was a wizard. I had to do it or she won't believe us" explained Godric.
"Because of your reckless behaviour! You're going to the reason of our kind's downfall," Salazar said angrily. Godric just snorted.
"Oh Sal, If I had a Knut for every time I that -" Godric started
—You'd still be poor.", Salazar coldly finish
He clenched his fist and left. Helga looked at Godric in awe.
"Wow Godric you actually told him that?" She said, Godric just laughed at that.
"Unlike you, I'm not scared of him" with that, he left. Though Godric said it in joking way, Helga felt the underlying barb.
Helga hugged the skinny, pale, little girl closer. who was trembling. Her fellow founders have different reactions. Rowena and Godric looked concerned while Salazar was furious
"This mudblood isn't staying here! Send her back!" he ordered but Helga didn't move an inch or let go the girl. The girl's trembling got worse.
"N-no I won't send her back that monster father of hers. He used to lock her in a dungeon" Helga informed.
"I won't accept this filth as part of Hogwarts" Salazar said cruelly. Helga felt wet patches on her dress; the little girl had started to cry silently.
"Salazar!" warned Godric but the other wizard just huffed and walked out the room.
Things were getting bad at Hogwarts. Since the girl's - Alice's - arrival many pureblood students opposed Helga and her decision. Salazar never missed an opportunity to insult Helga.
"Marry me?" Helga looked surprisingly at the Auburn hair wizard. The courageous and chivalrous Godric was standing like a scared unicorn. Though Helga was truly surprised by this sudden proposal,. she just blushed and nodded. After all Godric had been courting her for some time and she loved him dearly.
Helga gently brushed the tears from her eyes. She looked at her wedding ring, the symbol both love and fidelity. One can imagine her shock, after having the best night of her life, her husband wasn't with her.
Helga woke up with a start. Her whole body was covered with cold sweat. She
reached out to Godric, but he wasn't there. She looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside. Helga sat up in confusion. 'Where did Godric go?' She thought . It was unlikely that he'll leave her after their wedding night. Their wedding wasn't a huge affair, Helga insisted having a small ceremony, sensing the tension in Hogwarts.
She got up and left the room in search for Godric. She wander in the corridors. It was ridiculous, she was dressed in her night robes. What if someone saw her like this? She passed a few doors and heard someone sniffing. Suddenly she realised she was outside Rowena's Chambers and it was her sobs she was listening to. She was thinking of going in and making sure her friend was alright when she heard voices.
"You're being ridiculous Rowena, crying won't get you anywhere. Everything is going to be fine. I'm here for you" Helga's eyes widened at that. What was Godric doing in Rowena's room, at this time of night?
"You were supposed to be on my side Godric, how can you do this to me?" Rowena cried. Helga didn't know what to make of it. What was happening?After sometime Rowena spoke again
"You don't understand Godric. I- I won't be able to hide this any longer, in few months it'll be hard to hide. The whole wizarding society will spit on me. If Salazar finds out he'll kill me" Rowena said.
"What do you want me to do?" Godric shouted then spoke gently, "you want to keep it don't you, or I should find some Healer...?" Godric asked . A sharp no was said in answer. Helga couldn't believe her ears. This isn't happening, not the first day of her married life. Without caring to be caught, she ran as fast as she could with tears in her eyes.
After that night Helga kept a close watch on Rowena. She noticed how the other witch stopped drinking mead or how she became intolerant to certain foods and smells.
Few days later Helga was sitting by the window in her office, when a worried third year student came running in. He was huffing badly, he tried to stop but nearly fell but he regained his balance.
"Professor! Professor! There is an emergency!" he said. Immediately Helga stood up and faced the boy.
"What is it Godfrey?" She asked panicked that the worst had happened.
"Professor Gryffindor and Professor Slytherin are fighting" he said. Helga didn't wait for the boy to finish and ran out.
When she reached the great hall,instead of two people arguing (like she had hoped), she saw that Godric and Salazar were pointing their wands at each other. Their posture was stiff and their eyes menacing. The students had gathered around them and were staring at them open mouthed.
"All the students go back to your respective dorms!" Helga ordered, "Go now!" There was something in her tone that made the students move faster than they ever would've for Professor Hufflepuff.
As soon as the Hall was cleared, spells were being thrown back and forth. Helga looked around but there was no sign of Rowena.
"Crucio!" Salazar shot at Godric who immediately ducked and the curse hit the nearest pillar.
"Expelliarmus!" Godric shot back. Helga noticed that unlike Salazar, Godric wasn't trying to actually harm the other wizard. Salazar dodged. Godric looked around, his eyes met with very concerned looking Helga. He tried to smile at her just then, Salazar shot a curse while his opponent was distracted. It threw Godric across the hall. Helga gasped in horror and began to rush over to him.
Seeing his fallen opponent, Salazar approached Godric like wolf approaches its prey. He raised his wand and was about to cast the final spell, "avada-"
"Expelliarmus!" Salazar's wand fell aside. He turned to see Helga pointing her wand at him. Salazar touched his fingers where the spell had hit. He looked at Helga as his grey eyes turned dark. Helga felt clutched by an unseen force. She struggles badly as the hold becomes stronger.
"You're good for nothing Hufflepuff. Just like your filthy, mudblood students" Salazar taunted. Something snap inside Helga as a burst of magic erupt from her breaking Salazar's hold and throwing him aside while all the windows shatter. Everything went deathly quiet
Helga's head started to spin as she fell unconscious.
When Helga woke up she found herself in her chambers. She looked around and saw Godric sitting by her side.
"My hero, my knight in shining armour" Godric said squeezing Helga's hand gently. Helga sat up, and she saw Rowena standing by the door. Her face unreadable. 'Was she expecting her to die so she can have Godric?' Helga wondered.
"W-what happened?" she asked instead. Godric touched her but Helga flinched.
"You had a burst of magic". Godric explained. Helga just nodded rather than spoke, she didn't trust herself.
"He's left for good" Godric said bitterly.
"Why were you fighting in the first place?" Helga asked.
"He wanted to throw all the Muggleborn children out of Hogwarts, I disagreed" Godric said.
"I'm glad nothing happened to you Helga. I was so worried about you". Rowena said. Helga felt like scoffing at that.
"You shouldn't worry yourself Rowena, it's not good for your condition" Helga said rather coldly. Rowena's eyes widened on that. Both she and Godric looked at each other worriedly and that was enough for Helga.
"The both of you out, I need some rest."
Sound of something shattering brought Helga back . She looked in the direct and saw the ink bottle had fallen on the floor. She got up and sighed. She can't run from things any longer. If the child is Godric's she can't do anything but accept the cold, harsh truth. But she won't ruin her marriage for it. After all it was her whom Godric chose, not Rowena.
When Helga entered the room all eyes fell on her but she ignored it and looked at the small child in Rowena's arms. She could see that the child had a tuft of brown hair, although the eyes were closed and she wanted to see them badly. She smiled at Rowena and held the baby in her arms. She haven't see anything this adorable before.
"Decided any name yet?" Helga asked. Rowena looked at her childhood friend. Her sparkling blue eyes dulled.
"Helena, Helena Rowena Ravenclaw" Rowena said smiling a bit.
"Ravenclaw? not her father's surname?" Helga asked and immediately felt horrible when she saw Rowena's fallen face.
"Her father wants nothing to do with her" Rowena said sadly. Before Helga could ask another question the baby opened her eyes. Immediately Helga got the answer of all her unspoken questions . The baby had grey eyes
END