Hello All. This is my first submission for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Challenge. Team: Pride of Portree Beater 2. Season 2 Round 11. More information at the end of the of story.

Enjoy!

The wind danced around her and she closed her eyes and breathed in the morning chill. Moments later she opened her eyes and took in the scene around her. The sun had risen less than an hour before and the sky was still a gentle blue. There were a few clouds that were lazily floating across the sky. The sunlight illuminated the world around her and she couldn't help but feel pride. She had found this space. The center of the area was filled with a grass so green it seemed magical in nature. There was a large forest simply aching to be filled with magical creatures, a giant lake, and a fresh castle to round out the picturesque view. It was absolutely perfect.

But the more she looked at the castle, the more her nerves grew. Thankful for her raven animagus, Rowena Ravenclaw flew in circles. Occasionally, she would swoop into a deep dive before spinning out of it. Anyone watching would have thought she was enjoying herself. It was only her three friends, who all stood in a tower watching, that understood. Rowena was scared. There wasn't much that scared her. In fact, Godric had thought her scared of nothing. She was too logical to be scared. There was a spell for every injury, beast, or situation. But not this one.

He could understand. They had spent years talking about teaching in a school. They had spent years planning. But now here it was. Day one. The twenty or so students whose parents had been convinced to let them come had arrived just two days ago. But today was the beginning of classes. It wasn't until Salazar put a hand on his shoulder that Godric realized he had been shaking. He smiled at his friend.

Salazar and Helga were the only two not overwhelmed with nerves. It wasn't in Salazar's nature, and Helga had already taught a few students before. Salazar was more worried because their reputation was on the line. If they messed this up... Godric may be a thick headed fool, Helga too forgiving, and Rowena too unflexing but they were his friends. They also happened to be the only other people in the world who he trusted not to ruin his reputation.

Helga could have been nervous, if she wasn't so worried for Rowena. Rowena liked to put up a front, pretend that she was unaffected by all this, but Rowena had never been around children before. Not since she had been a child herself. But Helga was confident that once Rowena realized how much their students wanted to learn, her instincts would take over. After that, she would be a near flawless teacher.

A small 'pop' startled the three standing in their thoughts, and brought Rowena down from her flight. Once the four soon-to-be professors were looking at it, the young house elf bowed low to the ground. "Masters Gryffindor and Slytherin, Mistresses Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, there are some people to see yous."

"To see us?" Helga asked the question while the other three contemplated who it could be.

"Yes Mistress. Parents of some of the students here."

"Where are they?"

"In the Great Hall Mistress." Salazar nodded at the elf before leaving the tower, Rowena right behind him. Helga started toward the door but paused when Godric squatted in front of the still bowing elf.

"What's your name?"

The elf's eyes shot up, and he looked at Godric as if he couldn't believe the question. "Toton sir!" He whispered.

"Thank you Toton."

The eyes of the elf immediately filled to the brim with unshed tears. "Thank you Master!" before he disappeared with a small 'pop.' Godric turned to find Helga smiling at him with tears in her eyes. Shooting to his feet, he immediately asked "What's wrong?"

She laughed softly and wiped the tears away. "I sometimes forget how incredibly kind you are. Now come on, we need to catch up to the other two."

They exited the tower but found the two loitering a few steps down looking as if they had all day. Helga and Godric grinned at the two. Rowena smiled politely and Salazar nodded his head once. But that was all that was needed. The four of them walked the rest of the way in near silence, only the footsteps of Helga and Godric around them. Godric entertained himself the whole walk by trying to figure out how the those two made no noise.

When they reached the Great Hall they found four men and three women standing in an uncomfortable silence. Rowena stepped forward. "Welcome to Hogwarts. How may I assist you?"

They were all surprised when one of the men, a duke of some kind if Salazar remembered correctly, spit at her. Salazar immediately grabbed Godric's arm, knowing he was going to go after the man. Helga pulled a hanky from her robes and handed it to Rowena. Calmly, the woman wiped the spit off of her cheek before handing the cloth back to Helga. Turning to the group, who seemed divided about the man's reaction, she asked once again. "How may I assist you?"

There was a moment's pause before a different man, a butcher Rowena recalled, stepped forward. "I want my son back."

It didn't show, but all four of their hearts sank. Rowena merely blinked a moment before responding. "Your son, Saylac, wasn't it..." She waited until the man reluctantly nodded, "expressed an interest in attending our school. Your wife also adamantly agreed. I do not see her here, is all well with her?" The man's face immediately went red, and Helga felt her anger grow as she worried about the woman's safety.

One of the women stepped forward, "Aida is safe." Helga let out a sigh of relief. "I can't say the same about his son."

Helga grew worried again and spoke up. "If he takes his son back, what will happen?"

The woman spoke again. "I meant he is not safe here."

Godric went to speak up, but Rowena held out a hand stopping him. "If you believe that is the case, we will fetch him immediately." She then snapped her fingers and a different house elf appeared. Salazar sneered as the entire group of men and women flinched. He should have known they were all muggles.

"Yes Mistress Ravenclaw? How can Tilly serve you?"

"Tilly, can you retrieve Master Saylac from his room and inform him that his father is waiting in the Great Hall."

"Of course Mistress." The elf was gone, and Salazar could read the other parents frustration that their own children were not on the way.

Helga puffed up her chest a bit before speaking up. "Who would like a nice cup of tea?"

The group did not reply and after a moment Godric spoke up. "I would love some Helga."

Salazar walked up to the high table and sat in his seat. The other three were not far behind him. The four of them spoke of nothing important as they sipped at their various teas. The small group seemed to reluctantly sink onto the benches around the students' table. Even with the voices of both groups, the room seemed to echo with silence. Godric began to daydream of the day when it would be flooded with children ready to learn.

The sound of the doors opening interrupted everyone's train of thought. Walking through the door, a worried expression on his face, was Saylac. Ignoring his father for a moment, he walked to the high table and nodded his head to the four teachers. Than he took a deep breath before saying. "Before my father takes me away, I want you to know that I want to stay."

Godric grinned at the boy's courage, he had known there was a reason he had felt like having him under his tutelage. "If you want to stay my boy. Stay. We will protect you from your father if that is what you wish."

"It is." The boy said firmly, Salazar was surprised at the confidence and nodded his approval. The boy's father roaring as he ran toward the son, spoke of how much he didn't approve. Salazar sighed before casting a spell at the man. The man fell to the ground stiff as a piece of wood.

"Salazar!" Helga scolded, while a smile counteracted her tone.

Rowena left the table and went to the man. "Interesting. Is that a new spell Salazar?"

Salazar smiled just a little for her. "Yes."

"Very useful. You will have to teach me that one."

"Very well."

But the four of them stilled as once again, the Duke spit on Rowena. The three at the table might have got up to support her, if they hadn't seen her pull her wand. All three would willingly admit that when Rowena was upset with you, you were safest running away. The Duke apparently realized this when he saw the look on Rowena's face. Those behind him standing around the table all grew pale at the expression. Than Rowena's voice filled the silence around them as she pointed her wand at the man's nose. "The first time, I ignored it out of kindness. This time I will forgive you out of mercy. Do it again, sir," the word dripped with the sarcasm, "and you will live to regret it." This made the man's face pale.

Salazar spoke up. "Sir. You are to remove yourself from the premises. I will contact your son. If he wishes to leave the school, we will return him. If he does not, he will stay. In fact, we will speak to all of your children. But you, sir, are never allowed to be near this school again. If you step even one foot onto our school property again, you will become a pig for the rest of your life." Magic rose from the very stones beneath the man and entered his skin. The man dropped all sense of dignity and bolted out of the room.

Helga stepped toward the remaining five and they all flinched. She wanted to apologize to them, she hated having people fear her, but she didn't. Instead she spoke softly. "For the rest of you, our students are about to wake up and I would rather not start their day off with images of their parents acting like children. Follow me and I will take you to a room where you will be allowed to remain until we have spoken to your children. You will not be allowed to leave that room until one of us allow it. If you would rather leave the school now, you are welcome."

One of the men, and two women came forward for the frozen man on the floor, Salazar telling them that the spell would wear off in a few hours. Only one couple remained. The man was biting his nails and the woman spoke up. "We didn't come here to cause any trouble. We actually came because our daughter sent us an owl yesterday asking for something from home. I begged my husband to let us come to the school itself so I could see her one more time before Christmas."

Godric immediately spoke up. "Of course, of course. Sally is your daughter correct." The couple nodded. "She already seems like such a bright girl."

Rowena rolled her eyes out of sight of the couple before stepping forward. "That is my student you are talking about Godric." She turned to the couple. "I haven't had a chance to teach her yet, but she does appear to be exceptionally bright." The wife beamed at her.

"Saylec, do you remember how to get to the receiving room?" Helga turned to the boy that Godric and the couple had forgotten was standing there.

"The one on the first floor?" He asked, shaking just slightly.

"That's the one!"

"Yes Ma'am."

Helga shook her head. "Call me Professor Helga, but not Ma'am." She smiled at the boy. "Saylac would you please take Sally's parents to that room. By the time you return, breakfast should be all ready to go. I'll make sure that the house elves leave you something especially delicious for your efforts."

"Yes Ma... I mean yes Professor Helga."

The four of them watched as the boy led the couple out the doors. Silence filled the space again until the door closed. Godric took one look at the other three before his laughter began to burst from him. Helga was wheezing moments later, while leaning against a table. Rowena was chuckling as Salazar wiped the spit from her arm. Salazar wasn't actually laughing, but was grinning.

The food began to appear on the tables but none of them noticed. The anticipation and nerves from before the confrontation spilled from their mouths and eyes. And that was how their students found them. Godric was laying on the floor, Helga sat on a chair with tears streaming down her face, and Rowena was leaning against Salazar shaking with her laughter. The students would remember the sight for the rest of their lives and would often bemoan the loss of the friendship the four shared.

My various prompts/challenges were:

place during the year 983.

2. Write about a School Day

And I used 2 additional prompts

1. #14/The word Spitting

2. #10/A picture of a raven/crow