--The Fat Lady--

Hogwarts Castle was home to more then five murals, fifty landscapes, and a hundred portraits. And Godric Gryffindor had his choice of any one of those to be the entrance of his common room. And yet, he never once had a second thought as to which one he wanted to preside at the honorable position: a portrait simply known as the Fat Lady.

Before Godric Gryffindor had met Salazar, Helga, and Rowena, he lived on his home manor with his parents. This estate neighbored a large forest of which Godric ventured into regularly to hunt, explore, or do whatever held his fancy that day.

One particular day, Godric was on a simple ride through the woods, when he heard the singing voice of a lady. He galloped toward the sound, as anyone in the time would have done, ready to whisk her away to his castle. The voice brought him to the edge of the forest, not to where his lands bordered, but his neighbors.

Godric didn't know his neighbors very well; his family could hardly be considered sociable at all. So he was surprised when he saw a young lady singing as she was gardening beautifully tamed flowers, like a common girl. But he knew she was not common simply by how fine the threads of her dress were sewn. Her hair was in disarray, there was dirt on her skirts and hands, and her face was tired; but she was still singing.

Another trait that Godric found odd of her was she wasn't beautiful in the way he thought she'd be. He expected a fine young lady, small and petite, wearing white gloves with roses in her hair. But out of those, the only word that described this lady was that she was young.

Her size was larger then most, some would even say portly. But Godric was entranced with her voice, and in his eyes she was still beautiful. Godric threw his leg over his horse, and walked over to the singing lady, entranced. When he was close enough, his shadow hid the light from the sun where she worked. She stopped suddenly and turned to face Godric; her eyes widened in fear as she looked over herself, fear haunting her eyes. "Do continue, my lady," Godric said softly, offering his hand to her.

However, she did not take his hand; she stood abruptly and began to run away, toward the entrance of her own castle. "Wait!" Godric called, running after her.

Godric lost her around a corner, as he saw a steel gate close abruptly to the large castle. Godric took his time to look the castle over. The land was much more grand than his own, and he feared that the lord of the estate wouldn't allow him to marry the young girl, due to his inferiority.

But his growing desire to see the young girl and to hear her beautiful voice again willed Godric to venture toward the steel gate, and request the servants to see the lord of the manor. Godric was let inside to a banquet room, where a man and woman sat on a dais at the end of the long room. Godric hesitated at the door. "Come in," the man said. Godric walked slowly, removing his hat, all the while swallowing in nervousness at being in the presence of such a wealthy family. "I hear you wish to marry one of my daughters," the lord said firmly.

Godric nodded, until he caught his manners. "Yes sir...your lordship," he added hesitantly.

The lord raised a hand and snapped twice. A sound of footsteps to the side of the dais revealed a servant. "Fetch Victoria and Delilah," he said not taking his eyes off Godric. The servant bowed lowly and disappeared through a hidden door. "What's your name, young sir?" he proceeded to ask Godric.

Godric swallowed. "Godric Gryffindor, sir," he said loudly and clearly.

"And where does your family preside?" he asked.

"Just north of the woods, sir," he answered, his confidence growing. His anticipation to meet the young lady again also grew, as he felt his heart beat rapidly awaiting her arrival.

The lord nodded, and turned to talk to the lady in hushed whispers as it seemed they knew the area of his manor. "How old are you?" the lady, this time, asked.

"It will be my nineteenth year this coming harvest," he said firmly, twisting the hat in his hands.

The lady nodded, as Godric heard the door open behind him. He felt his heart beating in anticipation as he turned to see the young lady again, wondering if her name was Victoria or Delilah. But Godric's face fell as he saw the two young ladies before him. They walked uniformly to where Godric was, and then stopped and stood as if cows before an auction, waiting with blank stares. "You may have your pick," the lord's voice spoke from behind the two girls. "Which have you met previously?"

Godric couldn't hold back the feeling of confusion for these ladies were nothing like the one he had met earlier. These ladies were the image of what he thought the other young, singing lady would be, but it wasn't what he was expecting. For these were no more the girl he was looking for than his horse was the image of him. Godric's confusion soon became apparent to the lady. "Is something the matter?" she asked.

Godric blinked. "No, your ladyship," Godric began. "Do you have anymore daughters?" he asked looking to the lord and lady.

There faces grew blank, and Godric knew at once they were hiding something, "And what gave you this notion?" the lord asked abruptly. "Are my daughters not beautiful enough for your eye?" he asked growing irritated.

Godric shook his head as he found his voice. "No, your lordship. I just...these ladies are beautiful—,"

"Then have your pick," the lord repeated.

Godric continued. "But neither is the one I met," he said again.

"These are the only two daughters I have," the lord continued. "Perhaps you were in the heat too long?" he asked mockingly.

Godric shook his head, partially to answer the lord's questions, partly in his own confusion. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, your lordship, but I must be going. I must have made a mistake, it must have been a dream," Godric turned to leave before he could catch any of the girl's reactions, or the lady's and the lord's.

Godric stumbled out of the castle door and back to his horse, where he rode home. He couldn't get the young lady out of his mind. He knew it couldn't have been a dream if his mind remembered her so clearly. But the lord said he only had two daughters, and it made no sense to lie about such a thing.

Once in the safety of his home, he apparated to the home of a wizard artist he knew of. He fed the thoughts he had to the artist, and asked him if he could give him a portrait of her. The artist set to work at once, and before the sun had set that evening, the artist presented Godric the portrait of the young lady. The artist had done well in cleaning her face and robes to make her look pristine as if she had been posing for the portrait. Godric gave the man his money and soon apparated back into his bedroom.

He hung the portrait high in his room, and turned to ask it her name. But she did not know. He figured as much as she was painted without knowledge of who she truly was, but Godric still felt his heart fall in despair as he still had no knowledge of who the young lady was.

Back at the lord's castle…

The door to Adela's room slammed open. "Adela! What were you thinking? You were seen today!" the lord screamed at his third daughter.

"I'm sorry father. I...it was a beautiful day," she tried.

"How dare you disobey my orders and go outside. I can't believe this! You made Delilah and Victoria look like complete fools, as the man was looking for you!"

"The man was looking for me?" she asked, her eyes glowing.

The lord looked ready to slap Adela. "You will never be my daughter, you're ugly and overweight, and since you're disobedient… I'll be forced to lock you in this room," the lord left briskly and slamming the door.

Adela fell sadly on her bed, as she looked at herself. She was neither beautiful nor loved. And now she wasn't able to go outside at all. Adela reached over to her pillow and drew a sheathed knife hidden under it. She pulled the knife out of its sheath, and stared at her reflection in the shining metal. Adela felt a tear run down her face as her father's words repeated themselves in her mind; she would never be his daughter. She was locked in this cold room forever, and she had run away from the only man that would probably ever ask for her hand.

Everything felt cold and hopeless to her, and she couldn't find a reason left to live.

Godric Gryffindor never met young Adela again, nor learned of her early death. But he did meet his three best friends soon after: Salazar, Helga, and Rowena. And when the four decided on the house process of teaching as they found their school, Godric removed the painting from his room and placed it at the entrance of his common room.

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R&R

A/N: Special thanks to Yuli and Yami for helping me with this fic. Hugs for you guys.