Word count: 1405

I. Present and Past

"Mommy, is it true what they say?"

"What honey? What do they say?"

"That there's a lady locked up in that tower, and that she sees everything in the world?"

"Of course sweetheart. She's our guardian. She watches over us and in return we hide her. See, she's not really locked up. She's free to go whenever she wants to but she chooses to stay."

"Still, she must be lonely…"

"Perhaps. But she never let anyone in. Now, it's time to sleep for the good boys. Off to bed with you!"

"Can I have a story before?"

"Of course. Here, I'll tell you how I met your father…"

-oOo-

The woman waved her hand and the image rippled. What had been just a few seconds ago a smooth projection of the outside world blurred until all that was left was an ordinary looking silver mirror.

She was young, perhaps sixteen summers, with long black hair and dark blue eyes. The room she was in wasn't small, but it was also all she had. She had been born there, her mother appearing at the border of the village, hunted by commoners for witchcraft. The village had nearly handed her over, but the chief had seen an opportunity to make their town prosper and had signed a pact with her mother.

The woman, who didn't even know she was pregnant at the time, had been gifted with a place in the highest tower of the village in exchange of which she had agreed to warn everyone of any threat.

Her mother had been a Seer, and she had passed that ability onto her daughter. Now that she had passed away it was her daughter's duty to uphold the pact, else she be thrown away and denounced to the witches' hunters.

She couldn't leave. She wasn't a prisoner and she really was free to go, but she couldn't leave. The only other human contact she had had in sixteen years had been with her mother. She had never touched real ground and the only way she could see the sun and feel the air was by opening her windows.

The questions that young boy had asked his mother had touched her. She didn't know why these images in particular had appeared on her mirror when she had asked to see what was happening outside but seeing him with his loving mother only reminded her that she had lost hers and that she was alone.

Her mirror was her only way to see other human beings. Her mother had used crystal but for her what worked best was smooth silver. With it she could spy on everything and anyone and if she ever found something pertaining to the security of the village she sent a message to the chief. She could see the past, spy on the present and unravel the future just with a wave of her hand and some concentration.

"Mirror, show me my parents," she said, holding it tightly in her hand as she let herself fall on her bed. She knew she wouldn't have any answer but she liked to pretend, if only to hear her voice so the room wouldn't seem so empty.

She waved her hand and focused on the scene she wanted to see – when her parents had met.

-oOo-

"Wait!"

"What do you want," asked the man as he stopped in front of the door, his hand raised to open it, "you know I have to go."

"My parents are out to town tonight, you don't need to leave right now. We could go for a walk though, the night is warm."

"If I say yes, do I get a kiss?" The man asked mischievously, his eyes twinkling.

"Mmh… Let me think," she said, pretending to consider his question seriously as she slowly inched forward, "Yes."

He bent in to kiss her but she stepped away the moment he got near her face. The disappointed and surprised look on his face was very amusing and the woman laughed.

"You haven't said yes yet," she stated, smiling widely.

"I haven't? Excuse me milady, I shall correct my mistake right away. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a walk outside by this charming night?"

"Of course my good sir, since you asked so nicely I wouldn't dare disappoint you," she answered as she started to make her way to open the door.

"Tut tut my lady. I think I remember you promising me a kiss."

"Did I?"

"Yes you did."

"My bad."

There was a short silence before they burst out laughing. It took them a few minutes to calm down and once they did he opened the door and they stepped outside and under the shining stars.

They walked for a while and then they plopped down on the grass in front of a small pond, her leaning against him and him wrapping his arms around her.

"So, when are you coming back?"

"What?"

"I asked you when you were coming back. It's an easy question, isn't it?"

He sighed but didn't deny that he was leaving.

"How do you know?"

"I heard my parents talk about it. They said you were leaving town to find work. Why didn't you tell me?"

He bit his lips and it was pretty evident from his face that he was worried.

"Hm…"

"Come on, tell me. I swear I won't get angry as long as you tell me when you'll come back. I hope you won't take too long though… I'd miss you too much," she added with a quirky smile. She lost it almost immediately when she saw that he wasn't smiling but that instead his eyes were very serious.

"You… You're coming back, right?"

"Yes, of course," he answered immediately.

"Then why are you so worried?" She asked, slowly becoming worried herself. "Do you want to leave me? Because if that's it then I understand, you can just leave and never come back and I'll accept it, just don't expect me to forgive you or want to see you again…"

"That's not it," he interrupted, "of course I'm not leaving you. I love you. Forever and ever, remember? I just…"

"What is it? Tell me, it can't be that bad."

"Come with me."

"What did you say?" she asked as she turned to face him.

"Come with me," he repeated, "I already have a house in the next town and we could settle there, have our own family. I told you, I love you and I want to spend my forever with you, so please, leave this place with me."

"You… I… Did you… Can I… You… Really?"

He laughed but he nodded. "Of course."

"But my parents, what will they say?"

"They agreed. I asked them already and they weren't all too happy with it, but they said it was your decision. So, what do you say?"

"Do you really need to ask? Of course it's yes you idiot! Yes a thousand time over!"

"Well then, does that mean I finally get my kiss?"

"What kiss…? Oh and to hell with it, come over here," she said happily as she laced her arms around his neck.

The moment seemed perfect and above them the stars seemed to burn brighter. So of course something happened.

Watered suddenly showered them like rain and they broke apart. A laugh came from the tree behind them and half a minute later a small dark-haired boy was on the ground, smirking proudly at a prank well done and standing unflinchingly under the dark looks of the couple.

"Salazar, I thought I told you not to do this ever again or else I would…"

The threat was left unfinished as the boy gulped and darted off into the woods. They waited until they were sure he couldn't hear them to laugh at the look on his face.

Ripple, wave of a hand.

The boy was running toward a small house by the side of a moderately sized village, his black hair framing his chubby face. He looked young, probably not more than six years old, but there was intelligence in his eyes, almost hidden in mischievousness.

-oOo-

"He's important, isn't he? That boy, there's something special about him."

Only silence answered her, but then she had never expected an answer. She already knew what she had to.

AN/

Yes I know, I'm beginning another collection/story. What can I say? I just have a busy mind.

So this one will be focusing on how the Founders met and came to found Hogwarts. It will probably be AU-ish, but then we don't really know a lot about them and I don't really know a lot about life in the Middle Age.

Each 'chapter' will show flashes of the past, present or future, just like in this one and could be read independently.

I hope you enjoyed this. Review to let me know what you thought of this please.

This was written for:

-the 400 Fragrant Prompts Challenge, Day Thirteen (rain showers)

-the If You Dare Challenge (137- The Ultimate Boredom Solver)

-the Legendary Creature Competition, Takka-onna

-the Wand Wood Competition, Silver-Lime

-the Weasley-Potter-Prewett Category Challenge, Ginny Weasley

All can be found on the HPFC (link on my profile).