It was the night before her wedding. Rowena was unable to sleep. She was staying in the castle where the wedding would take place. It was Hufflepuff's castle, but she had decided to allow her friends to wed there as it would allow potential parents of students see the interior of the castle.
In the moonlight she could make out the out line of the dress she was to wear in the morning. She could hardly believe that she was to marry her life long friend Godric Gryffindor.

Rowena and Godric were complete opposites. He was quick to lash out with his sword, quick with his temper, emotional and had very little tact. She wasn't. She was logical and often had to defuse his anger with reason. His tact, or lack of it had caused her a few headaches lately when he got into it with Slytherin. She was hoping that he could accept him at their wedding.

The day was running behind. The night before the great hall had been decorated with a large number of flowers. Some not currently in bloom but were favourites of hers. So it wasn't the decorations. The house elves that toiled in the kitchens were prompt in making the wedding feast and the cake. It wasn't their fault that it was delayed. The groom slept in another tower amongst all his guests on the seventh floor, so it wasn't him who was late. It was her. She was getting what people called "cold feet". She wasn't sure if it was worth marrying some one who was so different from her in personality. Was it her destiny to be bound to a man who vexes her? A flood of questions and queries filled her brain.

Many of the guests down in the hall were gossiping. Many had their own theories as to the whereabouts of the bride. Many felt for the groom standing at the front of the room, pacing, wondering if the negative voices were right and that she was still in love with Slytherin. That at the eleventh hour he plead with her to run away with him, for Slytherin was also absent from the gathering.

Salazar Slytherin ran at full speed up the stairs. He may be still in love with Rowena but he wasn't about to let her ruin her life and her happiness by lingering upstairs. If she was having an actual problem and wasn't regretting her betrothal then he could take the message to the anxious groom downstairs.

Rowena was rushing down the stairs and nearly crashed into Salazar running up them. She had decided. She knew what she wanted to do and who she loved. She wasn't going to wait or think about it any more. If she was wrong in that moment she didn't want to be right. It felt right.
She breathed to Salazar to tell the waiting mass that she was on her way.

Godric couldn't believe it. She had chosen him. He had the rest of his life to prove his worth and his love for her. He kept his eyes front as was the custom but he longed to lay eyes on his bride. He knew she would be beautiful. The priest gestured for him to look. When he did he was greeted by what was his favourite sight. His bride dressed in her finest with high quality lace covering her head. Her face flushed in a shade of crimson that had never been more beautiful and never would be. He didn't care that most of their days were spent arguing over how to handle situations differently. They never gave up on their relationship.

At the feast after the ceremony, the wedded couple danced the night away, both happy with the way the day turned out. They were dancing amongst their friends and loved ones. Soon they would be alone to spent the night in each other's arms. Letting their passion entwine.

Years passed and they were back at the castle once more. They were readying it for their first year of students. Slowly their little classes and schools gained popularity. Forcing them to finally open the castle's doors for students. But before they could do that they needed to modify it slightly. Enchant and charm elements like the staircases, so that they took you in the direction you needed. Also they installed many secret passages out of the castle and behind tapestries. It meant that in case the castle was sieged, students could escape easily. They knew that many did not like the idea of standard education for all wizards was acceptable. It was the for all wizards, with many disliking the "mudbloods" who would now be permitted entry to the school. It was only after Rowena had calculated that many deaths and injuries caused by magic was by those mudbloods with no training and control over their magic that did more harm. It faced opposition even by those who would be teaching them.

They decided whilst prepping the school, that their should be houses. To sort the students into like minded groups. Godric recommended using their family names as the house names. Slytherin sat back and laughed, as there couldn't be two houses named Gryffindor. The males were firing daggers with their stares until Hufflepuff declared that Rowena's house shall be named after her maiden name. That seemed to be one of the few things they would agree on.

Hermione woke with a start. She had settled in on the couch to read Hogwarts: A History, when she fell asleep. It was a few weeks before her own wedding to Ron and she was going through her things, packing what she wanted to keep as she would be moving into a house with Ron. She had come across a very worn copy and wished for nostalgia's sake to read it causing her crazy dreams.

A/N: I always love a review - so review. Also do let me know if you find weird bits, I typed this on my phone and proofed on my iPad due to my laptop being out of action.

Written as always for the Quidditch league.

Year: 983

Post chaser 2

Prompts: Crimson, flood, and destiny