"Godfrey Grey and the Walker in Dreams" is a story based upon the characters and world of Mrs J. K. Rowling. Please understand that this is my version of how Hogwarts and the wizarding world would be during the Dark Ages (1241 A.D., to be more precise). I have tried to remain as close to the canon as possible and I'm researching everything thoroughly before putting it into my story. However, if you spot any obvious discrepancies between my story and Mrs Rowling's world, let me know. This is my first piece of fan fiction, so I sincerely hope you like and and I'm anxious to see what you think of it. English is not my native language, so feel free to make corrections and suggestions regarding my use of it.
Certain points that need clarification: 1. I used the latin terms "magister", "grand magister" and "grand magister procuratio" instead of the English terms "professor", "headmaster" and "deputy headmaster" because I thought they would help create the atmosphere I'm aiming for. 2. I used the word "Master" instead of "Mister" for the same reason. 3. There are no books in the equipement list because I imagine even wizards must have taught differently back then. 4. The Literacy spell is my own invention, because I thought that illiteracy among half-blood and muggle-born wizards must have been an issue in the DA.
Chapter 1
The Literacy Spell
Godfrey was dreaming of flying before Jonas woke him up. He grunted, unwilling to move, and turned on his side, hoping to catch a few more precious moments of sleep.
"Come, boy. It's dawn already"! Jonas yelled, kicking him in the ribs.
The pain was enough to jolt him out of his lethargy. Godfrey was on his feet immediately, blinking hard in the dim light. Jonas was preparing the horses for ploughing and shot a murderous look at him. Godfrey pulled on his trousers and hurried to help him. Jonas Grey was his mother's husband and he never stopped showing his dislike for the boy. Godfrey suspected that this had something to do with their obvious lack of physical resemblance, which had been cause for gossip and ridicule on more than one occasions. Godfrey was tall and well-built, with a longish mane of unruly, coppery hair and deep, dark eyes the color of honey. His complexion was surprisingly fair for a young man who worked the field and his fingers were long and delicate, unlike those of a farmer. Jonas Grey, on the other hand, was short and stout, with a large forehead and a bushy, black beard. His hair was also black and his eyes were of a blue so pale it seemed almost white. Godfrey's mother, Mathilda, rarely spoke of the matter, but Godfrey knew the word around the village was that he was a bastard. Though Jonas had raised him, he had never treated Godfrey as his son and the boy always felt that the older man resented him. Only eleven years of age, he could not understand the hatred in Jonas' eyes. He could understand the pain in his ribs well enough, though.
Godfrey was eying Mercy, his horse, worried. She had been unwell for days and yet, Jonas insisting on using her for the ploughing. He understood, of course, that Mercy was the strongest horse they had –she had cost Jonas a fortune and he was not truly his horse, but he could not help but feel sorry for the noble beast. They were ready to march out of the stable where Godfrey usually slept, when the silhouette of an exceptionally tall, thin man appeared at the threshold. Jonas looked at the stranger with suspicion, while patting his sweaty face with a dirty rag.
"Master Grey"? the stranger inquired.
His voice was low and pleasant.
"That's me", Jonas said.
The stranger took a step into the light and Godfrey saw that he was dressed in a rich robe of burgundy velvet, garnished with gold filigree. Despite his thinness, his face was handsome and his expression thoughtful and severe. His shoulder-length hair was flaming red and his kind, brown eyes rested momentarily upon the boy. He bowed to Jonas –a gesture which would have been considered unacceptable had the stranger not been so eccentric to begin with and his lips curled.
"Are you Master Godfrey Grey, son of Mathilda Grey"? he asked though it was obvious he already guessed the answer.
Jonas looked confused. Then, suddenly, understanding dawned in his eyes and his face contorted with fury.
"He sent you for the boy, didn't he"? he growled. "His father"?
The stranger shook his head, bemused.
"Please, sir, allow me to explain. My name is Amandus Weasly and I am a Magister at Hogwarts. Hogwarts is an establishment for the education of exceptional young men like Master Godfrey", the stranger said.
A tutor? Godfrey thought that the man looked more like a charlatan than a teacher, but he refrained from commenting. Such politeness was beneath Jonas, however, who snorted and then cackled.
"You came to take him away to school"?
Amandus Weasly – what a peculiar name!- nodded. For the first time in his life, Godfrey felt something stirring in his chest and realized it was hope. Going away, was that not what he dreamt of every night? Flying, being free of this life, of ploughing and shoveling, of beatings and screams.
"Sorry, mate, but you got the wrong boy. There's nothing special about him", Jonas said, crushing Godfrey's hopes in the blink of an eye. "And we couldn't afford any fancy school even if he were".
To Godfrey's amazement, Amandus Weasly seemed unperturbed by Jonas' words. He looked directly into the boy's eyes and smiled a warm smile at him.
"Is that true, young man"? he asked him. "Is there nothing exceptional about you"?
Godfrey swallowed hard and looked at Jonas nervously. His face was bloated and beet-red. He turned his eyes back to the stranger and shook his head. The stranger's smile widened.
"I thought as much. Tell me, then. Do not be afraid, my boy. What sort of spectacular deeds have you been doing"? he prompted him.
"Just stuff, milord", the boy shrugged, struggling to remember. "Once, when Jonas was chasing me to punish me for letting the horses out, he passed right by me without seeing me. I screamed and pulled faces at him, but he couldn't see me".
"I am not your lord, Master Grey", the man interrupted him. "You may call me Magister Weasly, if you like, or sir".
Godfrey nodded vigorously.
"And then there was this other time, when Mum had artichoke soup for dinner and artichokes make me throw up and we had no meat, but somehow the artichoke soup turned into chicken soup. Jonas was furious and Mum was crying and they threw it away and we didn't eat it anyway, but I remember it smelled like chicken".
"Are you Jonas"? Magister Weasly asked abruptly, facing his mother's husband.
Jonas seemed nervous. That was a curiosity; Godfrey had never seen Jonas nervous before. It was odd, because he was a strong man and he could easily beat Magister Weasly in a brawl. Yet, for some reason, Jonas cowered before this thin man's penetrating gaze.
"Money will not be an issue, I assure you", he said quietly. "My temper will be, however, if you do not remove yourself from my sight this instant".
Jonas scurried away, leaving Godfrey alone with the strange man. Once Jonas was cone, Magister Weasly took a few steps toward him and dropped to one knee. He examined Godfrey's face intently and nodded, once, to himself.
"Is it true, sir"? Godfrey asked, unable to conceal the urgency in his voice. "Did you come to take me away"?
Magister Weasly laughed.
"You would like that, would you not, Master Grey? Yes, you may accompany me back to Hogwarts if you so decide".
Godfrey gulped, burning with curiosity and excitement.
"You said that place was a school, sir"? he dared a question.
"Yes, Master Grey. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; the best wizarding school in the world".
Godfrey stared at Magister Weasly with disbelief. Witchcraft and wizardry?
"Mum says witchcraft is evil. It's the Devil's work, she says", he whispered reluctantly.
He half expected the stranger to get angry and took a step back, involuntarily. Magister Weasly studied his defensive posture and shook his head. He seemed sad for a moment.
"I can imagine why your mother might think so, but trust me, Master Grey, this is only prejudice, born out of the minds of those who do not share our understanding of the world. There is a truth beyond the one you know, my young friend. You are part of this truth and Hogwarts can help you blossom, if you practice enough and study hard. I assume you did not have an easy life, growing up. You must have felt alone, misunderstood and incomplete. More than a school, Hogwarts is a family composed of people like yourself. You never need to feel alone or incomplete again, Master Grey", Magister Weasly said gently, squeezing his shoulder.
"People like me…wizards, you mean"? Godfrey wondered.
"Witches as well. You will find out, Master Grey, that the magical community is far more progressive than the Muggle world".
Magister Weasly stood, then, and drew something from the folds of his robe. It was a parchment, rolled and sealed with beeswax. Godfrey took it and studied the seal, more than a little awed. It was a strange coat of arms, one he did not recognize: a lion, a serpent, a badger and a hawk. What surprised him most was that all four animals were visible and easily recognizable despite the limited area of the seal. He would regret breaking, especially since there was no reason to.
"Um…Magister Weasly, sir? I…I'm sorry but…"
Heat spread at the back of his neck and he averted his eyes.
"You cannot read", the man said matter-of-factly.
There was no mockery in his voice, only that sadness again that Godfrey could not quite place. He shook his head, feeling ashamed for his obvious incompetence. Perhaps Jonas had been right, perhaps it was a mistake and he was not exceptional after all.
"It is fine", Magister Weasly reassured him. "A rather common occurrence, actually; nothing that cannot be fixed with a Literacy spell. Brace yourself, Master Grey, I fear this will hurt a great deal".
Godfrey caught a glimpse of a long, thin piece of wood between Magister Weasly's fingers before shutting his eyes.
"Ingenium"! he heard the man shout and his head exploded.
The pain was unbearable for a few long moments and Godfrey could hardly even scream. It felt like his skull was expanding and then constricting. There were a thousand tiny, multicolored fireflies buzzing behind his closed eyelids. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He had collapsed among the piles of straw and the letter lied beneath his aching arm, crumpled. He picked it up and looked at the seal again.
"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus", he read, carefully rolling the words around his mouth. The sensation was completely new to him. "Never tickle a sleeping dragon", he translated.
Magister Weasly smiled approvingly.
"Very good, Master Grey, very good. Now, will you open your letter"? he urged him.
He did.
SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Grand Magister: Rolandus Leonius Isaurus de Saint-Germain
(Order of Merlin, Second Class, Grand Sorc.,)
Dear Master Grey,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Natalius Griffard
Grand Magister Procuratio
A long short list followed Natalius Griffard's signature.
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should be initialed.
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, medium size)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
Yours sincerely,
Findala Hopschotch
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
Godfrey looked at Magister Weasly doubtfully. He had said, earlier, that money would not be an issue but Godfrey failed to see how he would be able to pay for all these things. Magister Weasly must have read the unspoken question in his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. He was still holding the long, wooden stick; Godfrey now realized it was a wand.
"Worry not, Master Grey. Hogwarts keeps a supply of spare equipment for cases like your own. All you need to do is register with Madam Hopscotch upon your arrival and she will be giving you everything you require. Well, almost everything. We still have to get you a wand, but these expenses are covered by the Board of Governors", Magister Weasly explained.
Godfrey realized he had been holding his breath. This was not a dream. He was truly leaving. His dreams of flying seemed so childish now. This was real. He was a wizard and he was leaving Jonas and Mum and Mercy and ploughing behind. A family, Magister Weasly had said. There was nothing that Godfrey desired more.