Before Hogwarts, there were two witches with a vision, and two wizards who would help them achieve it. But nothing is ever as easy as it sounds. Companion piece to Ties that bind, but can be read on its own. Founder fic with a heavy focus on the dynamic between Godric and Salazar.
Well hello again to those who have read my other stories, and welcome to those who haven't! This one is a prologue to my other story Ties that bind, set in the Founder's era, but can be read on its own. It delves deeper into the brotherhood between Godric and Salazar, and explores the early dynamic between them and eventually the two other Founders.
1. Keep me safe
Godric remembered the fear and despair, remembered the smell of fire and the tang of blood in the air. The memory was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday, that day when one of their settlements had been decimated by a neighboring one simply because they were different. Evil… Devil's children… He remembered the screams and cries of the women and the other children, could still see the adults fighting to save them all. But the Muggles had come, and they had destroyed everything.
The broad shouldered redhead pushed down those terrifying memories ruthlessly as he looked down into the meadow below, watching as the hungry fire consumed yet another small settlement that had belonged to his people. Wizards, witches.. The smell of burnt flesh was choking in its intensity, but Godric remained where he was even as his horse snorted and pawed the earth in obvious distress. At his side, his companion remained completely still, his horse standing as eerily motionless as its owner as Godric ran a hand through his unruly red hair in anger and frustration. The other man appeared unfazed by the carnage below, and was watching with a familiar cold detachment in his unnatural pale grey eyes as the fire consumed everything in its path. Godric watched him from the corner of his eye for long moments, until those pale eyes looked away from the fire to meet his own. Not for the first time, Godric found he had to look away from that distant, blank gaze.
"We done here?" Godric inclined his head minutely in answer as he wheeled his horse around. His red stallion threw its head and let out a nervous nicker as it danced in place, and Godric ran a calming hand down its strong, muscular neck to calm it as his companion mounted gracefully and turned as well. As usual, the other man waited for Godric to take point, and within moments all that could be heard was the sound of hooves hitting the forest ground as they made their way through the trees and back to the main road. As soon as they reached it, Godric put on another burst of speed, and they rode hard until they came within sight of the next small village along the road, their next and hopefully last stop on their route before they would arrive at their destination.
The village wasn't more than a few small houses and a tiny inn, but it was enough to serve their purpose as they turned off the road and rode towards the stables at the back of the inn. A stable boy took their horses, and Godric took note of the suspicious looks they received as they took their saddlebags and stepped into the common room through the back entrance. He was used to the stares, but as they were now in an unfamiliar area, it made him wary to see how the Muggles were looking at them. More specifically, the way they were looking at his companion, with his pale eyes and silvery white hair… The other man drew quite a few uneasy looks as he sat down at one of the tables, his back to the wall as he scanned the common room with those sharp grey eyes.
The pale wizard had taken up the most tactically advantageous position possible in an inn as crowded as this one. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable and on edge from the way his entire body was coiled in readiness.
Godric sat down in front of him, blocking his view partly, and the reaction to his deliberate positioning was instantaneous. Pale grey eyes met his, and Godric could almost see the mental barriers being drawn up as he sighed. "Salazar please… Nothing's going to happen. We'll just have something to eat and then we'll pay for a room. Calm down." Godric was always careful with how he phrased things, mindful of not making it sound like an order, but right now his partner's constant hyper alertness could cause them trouble. And that would only make things worse.
Salazar regarded him with fierce intensity for a moment before he forced himself to relax, closing his eyes as he breathed a shaky sigh and rolled his shoulders in a clear attempt to ease some of the tension. Crowds set him on edge, they both knew it, but sometimes it couldn't be helped. They hadn't had a decent sleep in days… and it was starting to affect them in a bad way.
One of the serving wenches approached their table, and Godric was gratified to see his friend had put up a calm front for the sake of not standing out, and they ordered food and drinks without a hassle, waiting in silence as their order was brought within minutes. Godric distracted himself with the food, which was actually quite palatable, before getting up and arranging a room to spend the night with the innkeeper. The Muggle was openly suspicious of the two strangers, but the man didn't cause any trouble, and the two wizards made their way up the rickety wooden steps and into one of the rooms unhindered.
Before Godric could say anything, Salazar had closed and locked the door, and started casting several wards and protections around the entire area, not just the door and the window. It was a habit, a good one, and one that the older wizard had drilled into Godric's routine as well. Sometimes the redhead wondered if something was wrong with them… Surely such paranoia couldn't be normal, right?
Godric sighed, shaking his head to clear it as he started to strip out of his travelling clothes with silent and efficient motions, turning around as he finished to see Salazar still in the process of removing most of his weapons. He had never seen a wizard who carried Muggle style weapons before he had gotten to know Salazar, and the younger wizard had found the sheer number of them startling at first. And while he had gotten used to the sight and the process of Salazar arming himself, every time he saw the older man removing the knives, stakes, darts and swords, his blood still ran cold at the reminder of exactly why the other wizard found it perfectly normal to be armed to the teeth.
And knowing all that, Godric was one of the few who understood Salazar's need to do so...
"Godric…" The younger wizard was snapped out of his grim thoughts by Salazar's soft, slightly rough voice, and Godric looked up to meet the older man's eyes. "You okay lad?" Godric snorted at the address, and was glad to see an answering smirk twist Salazar's lips. "Yeah.. I just…" he trailed off there, unable to put into words his need to prevent anything like what had happened to that village today from ever happening again, even knowing how impossible that was. Salazar shot him a knowing look, but didn't say anything to comfort him as he lay down on the cot on the other side of the room and closed his eyes. And Godric was glad that Salazar took him seriously enough to not feel the need to indulge him by offering meaningless words of comfort and encouragement. Because Godric knew, that despite how much he wanted to banish all suffering from the world, that just wasn't going to happen.
He might be an idealist, but he wasn't stupid.
"Want me to take first watch?" There was a grunt of assent from the other cot, and Godric grinned as he sat back on his own cot and made himself comfortable, knowing the exact moment the other man fell asleep by the gradual evening out of his breathing. They had been traveling together long enough to know the other's sleeping pattern, so it wasn't a surprise to him when within an hour Salazar's breath hitched in one of the man's rare tells, his body tensing as he came alert instantly, pale eyes wild as they searched out Godric's. The redhead looked away to give the other man some privacy as the older wizard scrubbed a hand down his face, knowing it would be unsteady as Salazar reigned in his emotions and regained his usual composure. They had to reach their destination soon, and this was one of the reasons. Neither of them slept easily outside of the familiar safety of their home, but Salazar was worse at dealing with the lack of the extensive protective wards than he was.
Salazar's voice was steady when he spoke, giving nothing away of the older wizard's inner turmoil. "Go to sleep, I'll wake you when it's your turn." And Godric nodded, turning around and burying his face in the covers, knowing that it was a lie.
oooooooooo
The next morning found them back on the road before dawn, and they rode side by side in companionable silence for what had to be hours until Salazar abruptly reined in his horse, posture stiffening as he motioned for Godric to get off the road. Godric drew to a stop, turning his horse swiftly as he followed Salazar's direction without a word or question. It was clear his companion had seen something, and Godric trusted the older wizard's experience and instincts over his own when it came to possible danger. The man was trained for it after all.
Salazar drew up his hood, covering his unnaturally pale hair beneath the dark grey wool, completely hiding the long braid beneath his cloak as he urged his horse into a slow walk. Godric muttered some spells which would hide him from the casual observer and most wizards who wouldn't be looking for a second man as he quietly slipped into the woods and drew even with Salazar next to the wide road, out of sight. Salazar was better than him at passing for a Muggle traveller when spoken to, and Godric was glad to leave those interactions to the more experienced wizard as he saw what had drawn Salazar's attention in the first place.
A large group of riders, twelve, maybe thirteen if he had to hazard a guess from this distance, were riding a few miles down the road at a hard pace, and they were coming closer. Of course, it would have been too much to ask for them to simply let the lone rider passing their way go unchallenged…
It was unusual for bandits to travel in groups larger than five or six, so this group immediately set off several warning bells as they drew to a halt and started to surround Salazar without having uttered a single warning. The older wizard proceeded to ignore them, simply urging his horse forward and past the two that had moved in to block his way. His dismissal of their presence earned him several curses and challenges, and Godric smiled to himself wryly as he saw Salazar's shoulders tense in readiness as three of the bandits stopped in front of him once again, this time succeeding where the others had failed to stop him in his tracks.
Godric sincerely hoped the bandits would back down… For their sake. If they engaged Salazar, the other wizard might have to resort to using magic to fight them off. Which meant that he would have to kill these Muggles… for fear of one of them betraying them and marking them as Magical. Some of them looked so young, and merely foolish as opposed to cold and careless. Or even at all dangerous. But there was strength in numbers. He didn't want Salazar to kill these boys, who were simply too young and impressionable to know any better… It was quickly becoming clear why this particular group was just too large. They were amateurs.
In the middle of the road, Salazar was wheeling his horse around, putting himself in a better position in case the situation would escalate, and it only emphasized the inexperience of this group that they let him do so, already unwittingly giving the advantage to the enemy.
Stupid.
"I suggest you take your business elsewhere and let me proceed with mine." Salazar spoke up with an icy coldness, and Godric could see how some of the bandits were starting to look uneasy at the lack of response their scare tactics were getting. Which was probably exactly what Salazar was aiming for, for these guys to just leave. Although he knew Salazar had no real qualms about ridding the world of stupid ruffians like these.
And unfortunately it seemed like some of them were willing to try their luck, as swords were unsheathed and bow strings were drawn back.
Salazar exploded into motion before the first sword could completely leave its scabbard, kicking his horse right into middle of the group as he drew his own twin swords from where they were sheathed at his back, and he maneuvered his horse with only the pressure of his knees as he went to work. The horse was a weapon in and of itself, and the stallion was fearless as it attacked as well, aiding his rider by dancing out of range when needed and biting and kicking towards those who were trying to get a hit in. And with all the confusion going on, the archers were too scared to loose their arrows, afraid to hit one of their own.
The difference in skill would have been hilarious if it hadn't been such a waste of lives.
Godric looked on in silence, ready to aid with magic if needed, but it didn't take long before the remaining smarter ones decided that this was way too much heat for them to handle and they rode off like they were chased off by demons. Which well… In a sense…
As soon as they were all gone, Godric guided his horse back onto the road and he rode to where Salazar had already dismounted. The older wizard was carefully healing a wound on the grey stallion's leg where one of them had gotten a lucky shot in, hushing the animal with soft spoken words Godric didn't catch as he approached. The stallion snorted, releasing a deep breath before nickering softly in greeting at Godric's own horse, and Godric let the two animals nip at each other as he dismounted as well and joined Salazar where he knelt at the horse's rear leg. Apart from that minor injury, horse and rider didn't seem any worse for the wear, and Godric chuckled as Salazar straightened, patting the horse gently on the rear.
"You alright?" he asked as Salazar wiped down the two swords with meticulous care. They were ordinary looking swords, curved slightly and wickedly sharp, but what would appear like a normal steel sword to anyone who didn't know what to look for was actually a wizard-forged blade that would never lose its edge, and which could slice through even the toughest armor if the wielder wanted it to.
And Salazar was a master at wielding them. Godric had learned from the best.
Salazar smirked absentmindedly in answer to his query, lost in thought as he sheathed the blades and mounted up again, ignoring the bodies lying scattered around them as he made the large grey stallion step over them. "Of course. They were amateurs… Ready to go on?" he said as he looked back at Godric, and the younger man ignored the detached look in his friend's eyes as he nodded and mounted as well. Their destination was only another day's ride north, and he couldn't wait to get there. Maybe there they would feel safe enough to drop their guard and rest properly for the first time in weeks.
They both needed the break. He wanted the hollow look in his friend's eyes to disappear...