House: Slytherin
Category: Themed
Summary: Helena Ravenclaw is expecting her first child, but when a visit from a good friend turns dark, she struggles to accept that attraction she has to the Dark Forest. It calls out to like nothing ever had, but she fears what could await her once she's there.
Prompts: Birth [Event]; Condemn [Word]; Wishing Well [Object]
Word count: 4814 (Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Themed and Title)
Author's Note: I really like how this turned out. I've wanted to write another Founder's piece for a long time, and I hope that y'all like it too! :) Let me know what you think, yeah?
As always, enjoy
-Carolare Scarletus
Well of Sorrow
Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of the infamous founder of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, couldn't contain the smirk that formed on her lips at the sight of the impressive carriage as it came to a halt in front of the gates of the school. She'd been standing for what seemed like ages, awaiting the arrival of her dear friend, Annalise Lestrange, in blistering sun; the excitement of her good news could hardly be contained once she exited the carriage, her face lifting and meeting hers as her feet firmly met the ground. Her smile was just as breathtaking as her own, though her malevolent eyes were just as frightening. Never in her life has she witnessed something so powerfully captivating: her eyes were like two torrents coming together in one cosmic collision. And, there was something dark about them. Even now, she couldn't truly get over the way those eyes looked over to her, taking in her entire being and penetrated through her fragile form. Helena held her breath in awe. The mounting suspense was excruciating.
In all the years that she's known her, Helena has never met anyone so cryptic or damnable. The once heartless patron of Slytherin House had been redeemed at last, and she didn't want some fated rivalry to get in the way of the joyous occasion. It wasn't long ago when their penchant for rivalry gotten them into trouble; they spent their fair share in solitary confinement and detention for annoying each other. Their animosity toward one another only dissipated when a girl from Ravenclaw tried to hex Helena in the middle of a spar, and Annalise was there to save her. Since that day, they'd been inseparable. Helena owed her life to her. Annalise happened to be the best of both words; she could be sweet and caring, but cross her, and a rude awakening awaited whoever tried to displease her.
Even as her carriage arrived and she climbed out of the invisibly drawn compartment, she could feel someone watching her. In her mind, she could still hear the warnings as they harmonized together. She couldn't possibly figure out what they meant because it was just too ambiguous of a notion to touch. Instead, tossed it aside.
Helena stared at her friend climbed out of the carriage and looked around. Once her eyes found hers, Helena knew that all was well.
"Dear Helena," her friend greeted her with a genuine smile. Annalise finally stopped right before her. She flipped her long, inky black hair over her shoulder, all her ambitions gone to the wind. Without notice, the Pureblood beauty came up to her, reached out and grabbed her. Her soothing embrace was calming. As she pulled back, she said, "Until now, I was sure my owl had delivered me the wrong letter. Tell me it isn't true, that you're expecting?"
"But, it is!" she laughed, allowing her friend to look at her swollen stomach. Her small hands rubbed the swell of her stomach, and she looked down, compliantly. In just a few short months, she'll have a babe of her very own. A daughter or a son to dote over, and to think that this precious gift wouldn't have happened if it weren't for a little trick of her own. Though, Annalise didn't seem bothered by the joyous news as her. She simply tried because the long travel. Knowing her, after a good hearty meal, she'd be back to her high spirits. "How was your trip? It wasn't too tedious or tiring?"
Annalise shook her head, eyeing her friend's stomach before lifting her gaze to her face. "Not at all. I'd be more inclined to ask how you were. Are you certain you're not exerting yourself too much?"
"I am not," she assured her with a small smile. Helena rubbed her stomach, looking fondly downward in a silent prayer of sorts. She'd been surrounded by a motley of well-wishers these last several months, and she was gracious to accept the invitation of freedom. That is, as much as her mother was willing to allow. Since it was her first pregnancy, and she was only just in the cusps of beginning her own life, her mother has become a burden of sorts. Her cautious behavior was one of the reasons she needed a break; Annalise would provide the much-needed relaxation she desperately craved. "Shall we adjourn to the Great Hall? Since is it the summer months, the students have all have gone home. We have the whole castle relatively to ourselves. After lunch, I shall make arrangements so that we can tour the castle grounds, as you haven't seen the new installments since your last visit."
"That sounds pleasant enough." Annalise said, her eyes drifting toward the beacon that was the castle. Her black eyes lifted to take its full view of the ancient structure. The façade hadn't changed in the slightest since her last visit, which was three summers ago after she toured the isles of Italy in hopes of reacquainting her passion for the arts. After graduation, she'd hoped to find that spark she had lost, but her hopes were demolished after news of her father's untimely death brought her back home. Ever since then, she'd been taking care of her mother She, too, was on the verge of collapse. Helena knew of her struggles but kept to herself the comfortable words that threatened to spring from her lips. In that instant, something began to stir in the unfathomable depths, that, if Helena hadn't been watching her so closely, she would've surely missed it.
Tossing the feeling aside, she signaled to the footmen take carry of Annalise's luggage, before they made their way through the enchanted gates.
"Has the Baron returned from his trip to Alps?" Annalise asked briskly as they trotted up the small stretch of land. She looked sideways at her friend, something flashing across her features. "You mentioned that he was aiding in the raids in the East?"
"Yes, he's been gone for quite some time. His travels have taken him all over."
"Have they found anything of late?"
Helena told her of his exploits during his travels, to which she finally gained a favorable reaction from her friend. Scene "He shall be back momentarily. He's helping his father with some errands. Hopefully, if he isn't too persistent for rest, I shall introduce you to him."
"That would be lovely, thank you."
Smiling contently, Helena took it upon herself to show her friend the new additions to the castle. After some time, they adjourned to the Great Hall for a late lunch. All the while, she missed the animosity that flickered across Annalise' features whenever her eyes happened to look her way. She even ignored the gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach that was no doubt warning her of imminent danger and went about her business as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Medraut has asked of you."
"Oh, and what has he been enquiring?"
Helena smiled. "He's asked why you haven't visited more often. I know the death of your father. I, too, have been wondering about you."
"I'm perfectly fine, Helena." Annalise returned the smile; though, as they walked, she couldn't help wondering why her eyes looked so lost. Betrayal, she imagined. But, there was something darker, more alluring than that in their pitiless depths.
"If… there is anything you would like to discuss, I'm all ears." Helena told her. "I know of your struggles, that you haven't been the same since-"
"Do not speak to me about that nonsense," she said, disdainfully. Her eyes took on a darker approach, and Helena knew instantly that she had stepped over the line.
"Anna, please-"
"I don't want you to pity me." She told her. "All these months, I've only gotten news that you were expecting your first child. Even when I watching my father die, the only thing I could think of was you and your husband pending marriage. No one seemed to care that I was suffering. Not even you, Helena."
She didn't know what to think of the words. Granted, it was only amplified by the horrifying fact that she felt as if she had already exceeded them. Like the warning was not a warning at all, just simple facts on the pertinacious belief that they believed that her involvement with the deity was a monstrous curse that dwelled in the dark. Deep down, a part of her knew that she had met him. It was only a matter of time of realizing who that man was and evaluating once again the consequences of her actions and drifting ways.
The air around them grew cold. Unnaturally so for this time in the year, when the warmth of the sun still reached the planes of the earth. Night had fallen not too long ago, giving way to a whole new world. Whispers filled the air. All the students were conversing amongst one another to engage their reaction of what they had just seen. Whilst the carriages pulled up and they clamored out and scurried up the flight of stairs at the entrance, the whispers grew to an inconceivably loud level. Entirely too loud for Helena's liking. It took every bit of her willpower not to whimper at the growing madness that has become a huge part of her in such a small amount of time. The only comfort that she had come from her own reasoning to keep herself sane.
"Helena," a sudden voice broke the surface of the maddening tide.
She raised her head, her hair falling uncommonly over her forehead and eyes. Annalise looked displeased with something, worried for a moment that she was not feeling well.
"I'm fine," she told him, willing herself to believe the words she said. "Just a bit tired, is all."
"I did not mean anything by what I said," Annalise said in a soft, hurt voice. Helena's heart went out to hers because she didn't mean anything by her words, either. "I-I apologize. I don't know what came over me."
"No, it's entirely my fault." She gave her friend a soft, but acceptable smile. Looking down, disgusted by herself, she sighed.
She nodded understandingly. "Should we take rest inside the garden? I'm dying to see what has come of the Daturas."
Helena gave her a weak smile, forcing her legs to move so she could climb out of the carriage and hurry inside. The last thing she wanted was to be found by those women. To be left for them to seek their revenge or worse was not the type of activity she wanted to engage in that she had in mind. So, she stood. The witch presented Annalise with her hand.
Annalise came up to her and guided her arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Let's get you in before the cold settles. It cannot possibly be good for you, or your child."
Helena let out a startlingly delightful laugh. In all her years, she never thought the girl would entertain her so, or be so demanding.
An air of weightlessness followed them. It was as if someone sprinkled the most intoxicating elixir over them and their senses were heightened to the highest peak. It was exactly that, too. They felt like they were drifting on air, exposed to the altitude of the Alps as the tender kisses of the terrain gently grazed their skin. They felt wonderful, but like all drugs, it was never permanent. Before they realized it, their carriage came to a complete stop, forever ending their high. While everyone else felt the buzz of the aphrodisiac leave them, it remained ever worshipful inside Helena. Her body swelled with the wonderful substance until one her friends broke the surface of the hazed material that cloaked her. As soon as she did, the feeling vanished, leaving her to sink back into reality.
The girls ascended the stairs, Helena's voice echoing like a spell down the corridors. Their eyes, as they have done outside, took in everything. Though, not as extravagant, the decorations that adorned the walls and the Entrance Hall were just as stunning. Simple and elegantly plain but familiar, they just invited all that entered. Through the entrance, the dwindling expectation of pleasantries thinned. There, their eyes really received the visual stimulation they have been longing for:
Old, wooden benches; long tables with each rightful insignia of the houses; the podium in which their long-admired Headmaster addressed his beloved students during feasts, which stood in front of the impressive table where their Professors and educators sat; banners representing the colors of their grace that lined the walls and lanterns breathed life to a powerful flame; the crisp, refreshing scent of pine circulated throughout the large, ornate room; floating candles that left no residual energy to escape; a midnight blue ceiling that feathered out to a twinkling night canvas of stars and miniature planets; and, walls occupied with the most ancient and influential paintings and profiles of the majestic landscape of the mountains, treasures and troves, and previously scorned by the dead individuals that now found refuge in their abundant living space. This was what home was. This was what Hogwarts was, and not even Helena could not refute the fact that they were excited to be back where they belonged.
An excited thrill shot through all of them and soon enough the Great Hall was abuzz with conversation with ghosts and Professors alike. Happiness spread through the large Hall, combing through the little audience. As they ate, Helena introduce Annalise to the wonderful exceptions to the grounds. Even she was enthralled by the beloved magick that seemed to pulse like a palpable heartbeat. Stories of their summers and adventures overlapped one another's, each rising to get the final verdict of approval. The guests rallied up until not a single inch of the Hall was unfilled with noise. The true vision of their exhausted wait shined through the weeks of formidable discomfort; every single one of the breathed out in a sign of relief. They were home and that was all that mattered. After their lunch, Helena took to engage her friend once again. Upon seeing her friend's eyes, she stopped herself.
A mighty storm was brewing, and she feared that she'd be swallowed up whole if she didn't escape now.
"Oh, Helena! Please be careful!" Annalise cried as she watched her friend frolic in the endless sea of daffodils and lilies. Their adventure had taken them all over the school's grounds. They had just gone to visit the Herbology Professor, finding the new additions to the garden quite enjoyable to say the least. They were now on their way to the Blake Lake.
"Hush," she giggled, enjoying the nice zephyr as it ran through her tresses. "It's been weeks since I last enjoyed myself, Annalise. Give me a break."
Annalise sighed, following distantly after the girl as they ventured off course and toward the Dark Forest.
Her corruptive eyes kept close watch of the foolish girl. Little did she know, she was falling right into her trap. Just beyond the wards of the grounds was a dark a wishing well. But, it wasn't just any old well whose slippery gate to the underworld, but a magical device that granted any wish to mortals and immortals alike. Many have come to pay homage to the gift-granting well; others have become hysteric with delirium at its all-consuming power.
She knew that it would take more than just a simple trick to get her to lay on the ground. Annalise gave her credit for being smart, if not blissfully unaware of the power that she held over her. Helena would not know what hit her, or even be the least bit concerned by the mounting suspicion. She knew she had to be careful, or lest all her fruitful planning will be destroyed.
"Helena," Annalise warned her in a pleading tone. Her eyes shined brilliantly with concern. Even her voice took on a pleading tone. "You mustn't venture further than this. Don't you remember Professor- telling us of it's dark origins? Something awful might happen to you!"
"Oh, please, Anna." The girl waved her hand dismissively. "I don't belief in such trivial tales. Professor- was only trying to scare us. Do you remember what happened to the twins from Ravenclaw? They returned safely, did they not?"
"Only after they were nearly scared to death," Annalise hissed. "Lena, please. I can't allow you to venture into the Forest. Please, for me?"
Helena looked at her scornfully, astonished that her friend was trying to deter her from having fun. "Why is it whenever I want to enjoy myself, you or someone else tries to ruin it?"
"I'm only thinking of your safety, Helena!"
"I can handle myself, Anna." She said darkly. Helena considered her friend. With an agitated hiss, she whispered," It is you who should be worried. I wasn't the one whose wand was taken from them, you know. When you saved me from that girl… why did you have to do it?"
Annalise was silent for a moment.
"At least I can take care of myself!"
"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"
"Do not play coy," Helena lowered her voice. "I've been watching you. You're only concerned because I have something that you couldn't obtain. Excelling in school, marrying Medraut and coming to find out I'm expecting. Did you think I wouldn't have noticed? That, in time, I wouldn't have found out?"
"Helena, what are you-"
"You did have to save me, Anna. You could've let her kill me, and then you would've had the life you wanted."
Helena turned then, ignoring the calls of her friend.
She'd had enough, and the only thought that crossed her mind was to escape. She wanted nothing more to get as far away from her as her legs would allow her.
Helena ventured further. As usual, the apparitions were awaiting her arrival, though she hadn't a clue where they had appeared form. Along the darkly lit canopy of tunnels lay odd shapes. Flowers blossomed to the song of their variation; birds of all shapes of sizes soared through the large; a twisting tunnel with branches that extended and stretched out like fingers of a human hand across the vast landscape of the sky and dark leaves that gathered around like a thick blanket; throughout it all, creatures of twilight scurried around, broadening the search of a long-forgotten order. While the students became enamored by the idea of this wonderland of unrecognized enchantment, Helena's eyes were still trying to capture every bit of the surrounding scenery. Never had she seen anything so beautiful, so charismatically radiant. Startled by the discovery, it nearly took her breath away from her when she took a better look at the spiritual enlightenment of the earth.
Small balls of light twinkled most vividly in the twilight, tiny orbs of iridescent splendor scattered around like moving pieces of art. Swirling around, they became entranced by their own dance and soon enough, captured the attention of all that trespassed their stage. Astounded was not the word. Beyond rational speculation that anything remotely inhuman could exist in their worlds seemed more fitting. All the students were visibly anxious as to what might appear next. The next interlude between the wonders was far more treacherous. Apprehensively, they waited. Even Helena found herself wondering about it. What else could come forth from this already secluded brush of allure? Lusting after something she could not obtain, she found herself craving more. Craving the unknown, the unsettling, the obsession that would soon came from the addiction. As she waited, she was drawn beyond the spectacle and to the trunks of the trees.
Secured in the deepest pools that the skeletal trees could offer were creatures unspoken and never once heard of. They blended into their territory, never once pulling off the same hue or misshapen branch. Eyes like the wild embers of fire, slender arms for reaching, and spectacular adornments of the florid nature that they inhibited, these prepossessing women were like none other. They exuded beauty, the natural order in which everyone saw, heard, and dwelled; every bit of them was an exact replica of what they strived to achieve. Unification, wonderment, joy; these characteristics weren't only a part of them but were found everywhere. They strove to uphold order, justice and harmony. Not a single inch did not see their light. They owned their realm with extravagantly powerful downpour of application. These women were nature. And, nature was a welcoming commodity of their own.
Their eyes seemed to hold hers. This magnetic connection made it incredibly hard to pull away and look elsewhere. It reminded her so much of Annalise's hard stare. The way it was able to attract her attention and hold it if she wanted, they were able to do just the same. Even now, she could feel the gears of their minds working, as if trying to figure her out. They recognized her, as she recognized them. Somewhere, in some strange way, they knew and so did she.
One seemed to have taken a very keen interest in her. For her eyes did not once break away and as the wind picked up and pushed against her form in a nearly tumbling force, it still held strong. From where she stood, waiting for an unoccupied carriage to come and whisk her away, she could see her. Cleared by ambient foliage, the woman stepped forward, pressing a small hand against the trunk that she had befriended. She looked frightened, nervous almost; her eyes glossed over, and her mouth opened slightly. Her sister looked imploringly at her, shaking their heads, their pastel-colored hair moving like that of a river as they tried to shake her from reaching out to the unwanted witch. She ignored them, for she was one with a mission to present a warning in the form of a song
Helena's heart was still beating uncontrollably inside her chest long after their song had ended. It was a foreboding message. One meant to strike fear into the heart, and it did. They accomplished what they had set out to do. She was scared. Scared of what the song meant, what it foretold, and what it could possibly mean for her. Her chest fell and rose in rampant surges; every inch of her body screamed and ached as her mind found no solution to the meaning behind the song. Taking the words for worthless lore, her body seized up and she felt her arms lock up for a moment before relaxing. Something about what she said made her think that she just wasn't meant to hear them. Even her sisters knew not to include her in whatever the universe was trying to hide. The young witch made a quick decision not to let the words get to her more than they already have and to allow it to fade from her memory.
The thick heavy fog surrounding the campsite mysteriously lifted as the melodious sound grew to a crescendo. Helena tended the fire as it grew instantly inside her chest, helpless to the call. She soon found herself trapped by the mischievous play of the woodland nymphs. Hopelessly, she listened. As they rose from the ground, dropping their armory and weapons and ignoring the beseeching cries of the wild beasts, the commander of the Forest, led her away from the safety of the embers and straight into the hands of her deliverer. She marched for what seemed like hours until they fell upon a small area where no vegetation of any kind grew, and definitive marking of a circle could be clearly seen. A heeding of eeriness transgressed the plaintive field. Everything led back to the small patch, and Helena held her breath as her eyes widened at the spectacle.
Helena couldn't help being drawn to the enchanting circle whose mystery breached even her sublime instincts and planted the aches of curiosity. She had the urge to lay within its protective circle; throwing caution to the wind, she concluded that this is what she so desperately craved. All day she's secretly been drawn to the dark, foreboding Forest. Now, she had the chance to sooth her aching curiosity with the ointment of the earth.
Tentatively, she breached the barricade, feeling the powerful magick pulse around her, and lift her up. Smiling contently, she lay on the dirt and placed her hands on her stomach, relishing in the warm embrace of the mysterious energy.
Annalise watched through the crack between the door, reeling in the chaos she created. A sense of accomplish befell her; the mass panic was like music to her ears. Sweet, condescending music. Just a few more minutes, and the thing that she so craved will be hers. No one would take it away from her. It was her needless screams that drew her to her friend's bedchambers. Midnight had dawned playfully on them some time ago, and she had been anticipating this moment since she left Helena to defend for herself. Though, there had been no reason for her to stop the girl, seeing her struggle with the bursts of envy that long since befell her had been quite satisfying, to say the least. She basked in the idea that Helena was lost; as she watched, listening to the anguished cries of her dear friend, her eyes glistened hungrily toward her clothed stomach.
"We must save the baby!" someone called from behind the door.
A rough sound echoed through the small room. Annalise immediately knew that it was Medraut. "It cannot be so. She is only a couple months along, and our magick isn't powerful enough to keep her in animation."
"But, we must try!"
But, it was futile.
Just as the sun broke over the horizon, their hours of working to save the child was lost. Helena gave birth to a beautiful little girl, and though she was unmoving, and her breaths were but a short distraction, she held her cold, lifeless body on her chest, patting her chest as if she were alive and thriving.
A dark figure emerged from the shadow behind the door, and with a soft 'thud', the door closed behind her. Annalise stared emotionless at Helena, her eyes resting on the form that now rested on her chest.
"You did this," Helena breathed, her tears falling freely down her cheeks.
Annalise presented her with a wicked grin. "I did. Now, I have what I wanted all along."
"Why?" she sobbed inconsolably "Why did you do this? What have I done to you?"
"You were right," she told her softly, looking at her dead baby with the resonance of peace and continuity. "I wanted what I couldn't provide on my own. I should've let you die that night, but I had a debt to collect. I died where that wishing well once stood, and I placed a curse on the area because of my wrongful death."
"What debt?" Helena furrowed her brow. "And, what do you mean you died there?"
"Your mother hasn't told you?" Annalise came up to the bed, still looking at the bloody bundle of sheets. Though unbreathing, Helena clenched her unmoving child to her chest as she kept a careful eye on Annalise. "She, too, had been drawn to the wishing well."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"She was supposed to lose her baby, Helena." She breathed slowly. "And, I was supposed to have you, but your mother was wise. She didn't lay on the forbidden ground. She merely walked across its deceptive face, knowing full well, if she had lay down, she would've lost you. Someone eventually came to save her."
Helena let this unsettling information register in her fragile mind. As she did, Annalise came up, reached one thin arm out to the child, her true form coming into fruition. Shocked beyond belief, she hardly felt as the creature lifted her baby up, rest her head on her chest, and head towards the window. A chilling breeze burst from the frosty glass, dousing the raging fire that had been building up inside of her. She wanted to curse her mother for allowing such a heartbreaking misfortune to befall her. Though, her anger did nothing to distinguish that fire that was slowly building up inside of her again.
She could be drawn to the flame and burned at the stake for what she'd done, Helena didn't care. Condemn her from this evil; deliver her from this nightmare.
"I will take care of her." She whispered to her, allowing the words settle over her like a blanket of despair.
In a blink of an eye, they escaped into the dawn.