Salazar often walked the halls at night. The cool evening summer air whistled through cracks in the newly carved stone and rustled his thick, grey hair that was just beginning to recede. The left the castle and walked out onto the grounds.
The lake was his favorite spot anywhere in Hogwarts. Even in the day the water was dark and still, concealing its mysteries under the black surface. Not even Godric, who had found this land for their school in the first place, knew what was under there. He refused to go into the lake, but Salazar swam all the time and had never once been attacked or felt threatened. This did not seem to comfort his friend.
He removed his shoes and stood in the shallow water, curling his toes into the rough sand. He stood in peace, watching as the sand spiraled up slowly whenever he moved his feet. He didn't know what enchanted him so about this spot, but from the moment he'd first set foot on this mountain he had loved it. The first chance he got, he stripped off his robes and dove into the lake, much to the amusement of his fellows, who'd never seen him so excited about something like water. He had been a much younger man then. Back then, he'd almost doubted whether their dreams would ever come to fruition, but with the completion of the castle earlier that summer and inquiries about enrollment coming from all over England and Scotland, he was beginning to feel the same excitement as the others.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something struggling in the reeds. He knelt down and picked up a weakly struggling toad, a saw it's back legs had been torn off. He looked down at the reeds, searching to see if it had been struck here, but caught no sign of disembodied legs or blood. Not that it would have mattered if he had. He couldn't do anything for it now.
"Poor thing." he muttered, stroking it's back gently with his thumb. The animal continued to struggle uselessly, as though it did not know that it was about to die. He pitied the poor creature, and decided he could not sit and watch it slowly and painfully pass away in his hand. He put it back on the ground and pulled out his wand. "Avada Kedavra." He murmured, and with a flash of green it was dead. He picked up the tiny body and set it back down again in the lake, which swallowed it into it's own blackness.
"That was a kind thing you did." A voice came from behind Salazar, making him jump. He whipped around to find his old friend Godric Gryffindor watching him with arms crossed, a small smile gracing his lips.
"How long have you been standing there?" He asked, coming out of the water and sliding his still wet feet back into his socks and shoes.
"Long enough." Salazar began back towards the castle and Godric fell into step with him. "I have heard Rowena and Helga speak. They are afraid you are a Dark wizard."
"They said these things to you?" He asked, blinking in surprise.
"Not exactly to me."
"Ah, so you were eavesdropping again." Salazar shook his head. "It doesn't matter."
"It doesn't bother you, what they say?" He hesitated before answering Godric.
"I would be lying if I said it doesn't bother me," he said slowly, "but I know Helga. Had she any real concerns, she would have talked to me. And Rowena is smart enough to know that I don't take kindly to people talking behind my back, so the same goes for her."
"That's wise. I'm impressed." Godric said with a grin. "Are you always this forgiving at this time of night?" Salazar grinned back.
"You mean when I've barely slept for 3 days? Yes, I suppose I am." They walked the rest of the way in silence, simply enjoying each others company. They stopped as they reached the grand front doors of Hogwarts castle.
"Can you believe how far we've come?" asked Godric quietly. "Look at what we've accomplished."
"It's breathtaking." Salazar agreed. "Under our tutelage, I know our students will go far." Godric put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Then he looked into his eyes, and held his gaze for a long time. This was more or less the norm. Godric did not have a functioning sense of personal space, and didn't understand what an awkward moment was.
"I've never noticed this," he said suddenly, "but in the moonlight your eyes shine." Then he patted his friend on the shoulder and retreated inside, leaving him slightly stunned. What an odd thing for Godric to say to him. He stared after him for a long moment. Would he ever really understand his good friend? Shaking his head, he too pushed open the great doors, charmed to be light despite their size, and retreated to his own room to try once more to sleep.