Heart racing, Helena sinks to the ground at the roots of a giant oak tree. She hears him, Lord Gaunt, crashing through the thick forest in an attempt to return his wayward fiancée home. "Helena!" he calls out to the wilderness. Helena cannot face the man she promised to marry, not while his temper rages and her heart yearns for another.
"Godric," she says in barely more than a breath. Helena tightens her grip on her mother's prized possession, a diadem that gives wisdom. It was the diadem that bent Helena's affection toward Lord Gaunt, who she treated with demure indifference for months before accepting his hand in marriage. It is the diadem, an elegant contraption of silver and jewels, that pushes Helena to hide from her betrothed.
It's all for naught. Helena knows this in her heart and it threatens to overwhelm her in the cold, wet morning. She could have been his, Godric Gryffindor's, just for one evening. Instead she sits alone with the one object that might have given her the knowledge to secure her love. Rather it gives her only images of a Gaunt life devoid of love and passion – it has given her death.
Godric Gryffindor is an acquaintance for many years before he catches Helena's eye and a place in her mind. Out of all the Hogwarts founders, he is the youngest and the least dull. Salazar is impressive with his tall stature and sharp looks, but never sees Helena as anyone worth more than a few words of cold courtesy. Helga is kind and warm but always sees Helena as a child who much be coddled. Helena yearns to be a witch in her own right and does not want to live in her mother's shadow. Godric is regal with his hair of fire and noble spirit. He is the only of her mother's peers to see Helena as a person of interest rather than just a student or colleague's daughter.
It is for this reason that Helena finds herself unable to pull her gaze from Lord Gryffindor at the Yule Ball. Helena is seated with other students, most of whom are several years her junior and not suitable for intelligent conversation. Persons of her stature were educated by private tutors instead of going to a far-off boarding school to be educated by strangers.
Helena worries that her eyes have lingered too long on the handsome founder when he rises from his distant seat and crosses the room towards her. With a bow and outstretched hand, he asked the honor of a dance, which she accepts as her stomach flutters with delight.
Their hands meet at shoulder height and feet wait for the music to begin. "How fares your Lady wife?" Helena asks, recalling that she is with child.
"She entered confinement," Godric responds with haste, his voice hinting at complex emotion behind the simple phrase.
"How fares thee?" she questions demurely, not daring to meet Lord Gryffindor's gaze.
For the first time in her memory, Godric fumbles with his words. Was the question too probing for Helena to ask? Before he can do more than thank Helena for her concern, she is whisked away to circle the floor with another.
The movements across the ballroom, choreographed and ritualized, symbolize Helena's life to date. She glides in step and time with the expected movements but wonders what it would be like to break from the constricting, prescriptive life and dance to her own melody. Helena begins to wonder what it would be like to abandon tradition with the man keeping rhythmic stride with her. Behind the vibrant blue of his eyes, there's a darkness that says what his words cannot – there is unhappiness in his life too. Perchance they could be happy together.
The music stops, as though her dangerous thoughts cut the instrument strings, and they disengage as partners. Godric bows as Helena curtsies and they return to seats separated by distance and stature. Before resuming her seat, Helena looks back at the roaring red hair of Godric Gryffindor and smiles.
The forest is dimly lit by the moon's effervescent glow. Helena approaches the distant location, where she heard a Chimera could be found, and draws her delicate wand in preparation of meeting the monster. She reflects that if the creature proves too fierce, no one at the castle, save her faithful house-elf, knows where Helena went after dinner.
It's 15 minutes later and Helena is starting to regret her decision to fight the fiery Chimera. The gash that rips her sleeve only exhilarates the young woman as she taunts the beast with, "Is this your best?" It is the tail that causes a scream to escape Helena's lips while her dress is ripped.
A spurt of fire threatens to overwhelm Helena when she sees Godric, full of fire and virility, charging to her side with his sword drawn. He finishes the beast with a mighty thrust causing hot blood to mist Helena.
They are nearing the castle grounds when Godric stops to chastise Helena. "What were you thinking?" he asks tersely.
Hopes of praise and adoration vanish as she sees that his concern runs deeper than she previously thought. "I am sorry, my Lord," Helena offers contritely. "I heard tell of the creature and wanted to see for myself… to see if I was equal to its might and fury."
"What do you think your mother would say, my Lady? You were in mortal danger facing such a beast." Godric is visibly shaken from the encounter, or perhaps from nearly losing the young woman in front of him.
Helena feels panic, much worse than she experienced with the Chimera, flood her chest as she thinks of her mother. "My Lord, had it not been for you, I might be dead now," she confesses shakily as the truth of her words seep into knowledge. "But, I implore you, not to tell my mother. She would be terribly angry. I beseech you, my Lord, promise not to tell her."
The conflict plays on his face but she sees chivalry win over duty. "I promise, my Lady. But you must not do so again."
A smile of relief and gratitude breaks over Helena's ivory face. Before parting ways at the castle doors, Helena gently kisses Godric on his bearded cheek before whispering, "Thank you, my Lord Gryffindor." She leaves to make herself presentable before her absence is noted by her mother.
Helena sits in her study with her stack of essays to grade. She is not yet a professor at the school but has been granted the task of marking. The tedious work lends her mind time to contemplate other matters in life, which recently have included Godric – no, Lord Gryffindor.
As if summoned by her wandering thoughts, an owl taps at the study window. It enters, bringing another message from the remarkable man Helena grows fonder of each day. His letters speak of things they cannot say over polite conversation but withhold words she yearns to hear.
It is in this letter that he asks what it is Helena studies, given that she is past the age for basic education. She writes that it is alchemy that occupies her time recently but she omits that the brilliance of gold only reminds her of the daring Lord to whom she often writes.
Doubt troubles Helena as she continues to correspond with her Godric. It is a cruel voice, that has uncanny similarity to her mother's, which tells her the noble Lord Gryffindor is only writing out of polite convention – that his words carry no undertone of love. The voice is squelched when a letter carries words that lift Helena's heart. My children bring me joy but in my wife I find none. She has become as harsh as the winter is cold and finds little pleasure in my company.
Helena writes her reply with such haste that the words are impossible to decipher, forcing her to write the words she has longed to give him once again. She would love him how a noble man such as himself deserved, offering a warm bed and kind company. The owl leaves, carrying with it her heart and love to Godric.
The first kiss she shares with beloved Godric comes after many weeks of moonlit strolls and utterances of love. The couple is set to return after performing charity in the nearby village. Helena wonders idly if any disguise could obscure Godric's majestic features into appearing common.
Godric's hand comes to rest on Helena's neck with the other tenderly stroking her cheek. He lowers his head to hers, with their lips gently touching for a mere moment that contains a lifetime of passion. Helena's eyes remain closed after she feels the coldness of winter air on her lips to better remember the experience.
Footsteps echo in the corridor as Helena pushes Godric into a passageway behind one of the many tapestries in the castle. She stifles a giggle at the look of horror that plays on her lion's face as he realizes it is her mother walking by. Once danger of discovery passes, his face relaxes slightly as he says, "We agreed to meet in the glen, not hide about the castle."
It is in this moment that Helena sees the difference their age bears. "I thought the wait too long," she says, running her fingers through Godric's long, red mane.
Godric glances at their surroundings before allowing himself to enjoy Helena's touch. "I don't recall this passage," he states to avoid distraction.
"You wouldn't," she says softly. "I created it just for this." She kisses him softly until his resistance breaks and passion consumes their lips and hearts. Satisfaction will never come as both are bound by duty and convention to never truly be united as a pair.
Helena runs at an unladylike speed through the castle without a specific destination charted until she's outside his door. Eschewing the courtesy of a knock, she opens the door to Godric's study. His eyes, the pools of beautiful blue, show concern as he rises from his chair. Throwing caution aside, Helena throws herself into Godric's arms and sobs.
He does not speak but gently caresses her long, dark hair. Catching her breath, Helena looks up into Godric's face and asks, "Will you flee Hogwarts with me?"
She knows by his hesitation that he will not go. "Tell me what troubles you," he says, placing a gentle hand against her cheek.
"I am to marry Lord Gaunt," she confesses in barely more than a whisper. She feels Godric tense at these words but makes no effort to calm him. "I would rather be wed to you."
Godric deflates at these words and says, "My duty is to my wife and Hogwarts." Helena makes to leave his embrace but he holds her firmly in place. "You will always have my heart," he says into her soft hair. Helena feels dampness against her skin and realizes that her brave lover who faced a Chimera for her was brought to tears by her engagement.
Instead of offering words of comfort, Helena deepens the wound by saying, "I am to leave day after next and marry Lord Gaunt."
She can see Godric is broken by these words and feels slight satisfaction that they will both leave this with suffering hearts. "Please," he whispers softly. "Meet me on the morrow. I must see you once more before," he pauses, swallowing down the words, "before you wed."
He tells her that he'll be waiting in the forest just out of sight of the grounds, where they have met so many times before, to say his goodbye. It is his goodbye that Helena cannot face.
The leaves crunch less than a stone's throw away as Lord Gaunt hastens his pursuit. Helena decides to face the man who obediently chased her into the wilderness at her mother's command. First, she stows her wand and diadem for safekeeping, then reveals herself defenseless to the ragged man.
"Helena," he says sharply at the sight of her. His voice carries none of the warmth she grew accustomed to from Godric but stings with all of the disapproval she expected from her mother. "Why did you run, my love? Today is to be our wedding day."
A recklessness overtakes her as she faces the inescapable truth. "I do not wish to marry you, not while I love another."
Rage and anger twist Lord Gaunt's haughty face. "I love you," Lord Gaunt yells with a dry sob escaping his lips. "Yet you try for another man." He reaches into a finely woven doublet and extracts a silver knife.
Helena glances at her discarded wand, carelessly dropped where she hid the cursed diadem. Lord Gaunt is nearly mad with anguish as he approaches his would-be bride with the deadly instrument in hand. There is not time for defense or a plea for mercy. Rather Helena closes her eyes to recall the face of Godric, the feel of his lips on hers, and the sound of his voice as he calls her name softly, "Helena."