Title: Seeing with the Heart

Authoress: Fancyspinner

Fandom: Harry Potter

rating M

Archive: ask

category: AU, angst, romance, adventure, Drama

pairings: Ron Weasley/ Gregory Goyl, Harry Potter/ Vincent Crabb, Severus Snape/? Hermione Granger/? (others)

Disclaimers: All things Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling, Raincost books, warnerbrothers, and other entities. In other words, not mine. I intend no copyright infringement nor monitary gain. There are some things in this story that are mine. If you'd like to use them, go ahead, just give credit.

Warnings: violence, strong language, super natural events, insanity. Some out of character behavior is also afoot. I have tried to make it plausable.

Spoilers: all books major for PoA, GoF, and OotP, mild for HBP and DH.

Big thanks to Josan who graciously is betaing this. Any mistakes in these parts are my last minute changes and have nothing to do with her excellent work.

I could use another beta or two.

Note: I'm editing I have rewritten the spell the female founders put the men under as I felt it was too limiting and boxed me in. Accordingly, I'll need to fix a couple of sections of the story.

Seeing with the Heart

By Fancyspinner

Prologue: 1025 AD.

He stood, half frozen in shock. The part that wasn't shocked was more than a bit amused. "Now, Rowena!" Godric Gryffindor tried to keep the amusement out of his voice, but from the reaction he received, he must have failed dismally. He stood, shorter than the woman before him, but with a power that equaled hers. At the moment, his golden eyes danced with delight.

"You find this amusing?" Her melodic voice was hard and it held a note Godric had rarely heard, anguish.

The delight quickly faded from his eyes.

"Rowena?" Concern slowly trickled into his tone.

"You've gone too far this time. You and Salazar and your damnable arguing. Helga and I aren't going to stand for it anymore."

Godric stifled a sudden laugh. "Rowena! Are you going to keep me locked up till I concede to Salazar, of all people?" He looked around himself in slight disgust

It was quite dark in this part of the castle. He thought he even heard the skittering sound of spiders or maybe, just maybe, he thought with a shudder, it was something else. Something with tentacles that would come and, and...

"Are you hearing me? You overgrown child!" Her voice rose in frustration. "Honestly, two more stubborn men." She trailed off and shook her head.

"When we founded this school, it was in the hopes that we would unite our kind. Do you remember the vision, Godric?" She calmed slightly and walked around him. "Do you remember how it went? The part about the greatest evil wizards and Muggles has ever seen?"

Godric found himself nodding dejectedly. "Can you tell me what you were thinking? You and Salazar, blessed with love unmeasured, squander it on bickering, on creating a sense of rivalry among your Houses. That rivalry has already sprouted the seeds of descent that may tear this school apart."

The first sign of anger came. "Helga and her thrice damned visions! Pa! It doesn't have to happen and you know it! She's always telling us that.

As for Slytherin, I don't love him. How could I love him? He mocks everything I stand for." He sent a sharp jab of power at the bonds holding him, and found that he could not free himself. "He used me. He lay with me and tricked me, then the next morning he told me I was cheap and worthless, Rowena. I won't love someone like that." The last was roared out.

"Is that what happened? I always wondered. I remember you telling Geldar about how you'd made the ice prince melt. I remember looking around and seeing a look of utter devastation on Salazar's face. So tell me, Godric did he say those things before, or after."

She watched dispassionately as the usually cheerful Godric went pale and flinched.

"What was I to say? I couldn't just tell Geldar oh and by the way, Salazar and I are lovers. ` He'd walked in on us. We were um rather in a compromising position, you know? Besides the old families still have plenty of power enough to end Hogwarts before she can do some good. Later, right after breakfast, I tried to talk to him about it, and he said those things." Frustration flickered in his eyes.

"Silence," and there was.

She couldn't bring herself to feel for him, or her resolve would crumble. It was believed by all that she and Salazar were the strong ones, when in fact it was Helga and Godric; both of them with a strong sense of Earth magic and steadfastness that would keep them focused on whatever foolish idea they'd got in their heads. If Godric had decided he could protect Hogwarts and Salazar by mocking their relationship he would do it a million times over.

--------------------

In a nearby room...

Helga walked around the bound man. It was obvious he understood her intent and she hurt for him. She could see the betrayal in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Salazar. Rowena and I cannot deal with the two of you any more. Do you know that students from your houses almost killed one another? They still may die. The practice room that we set up for duels is destroyed. I have *seen* my friend and this is the best course of action to take. I'm sorry!"

The man spoke for the first time. His voice was deep and compelling asking to be heard and obeyed. Yet, it held an undertone of grief the woman wished that she could take away.

"What have you seen?"

"The school in ruins, the red of Godric's house and the green of yours. They blazed bright and then, an implosion. Rowena and I aim to divert as much of my vision as possible. You have already sown the seeds of hatred and disdain; all we can do is soften the results."

"When you told me to love, to try, I had no idea that it would tear me up, Helga. I was a conquest for the mighty Gryffindor." There was such bitterness in his voice and in his dark eyes that she went to him and put her arms around him.

"Now, end this foolishness!" He created a knife of power and sliced at the bonds holding him, but they would not shred.

"I think not." And with a soft word, she floated the bound Salazar to where Rowena and Godric waited.

--------------------

The two women linked hands and turned to face their partners.

"For the hatred you have sown," Spoke Rowena.

"For the sorrow you still hold," Helga took up the chant.

"you will both be held by stone" rowina spoke.

Then their voices blended into one, creating a soft melody between them.

When the Lion and the Snake

Once more Fight with common aim

When badgers Mite

Has been revived

And owls take flight

Through the long dark night

And Hogwarts unites

Through a parelous time

Will the Founders time

Once more arrive

The women had created it specifically for this purpose. It was a horrible spell and yet, Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw felt that they had been stripped of choices. Their love for these two men was such that they would give them whatever was needed to free them from their blinders. They needed to recognize that they belonged with one another.

A gentle mist was enveloping the bodies of the two men and fingers of light were playing over their skin. Wherever the light touched skin, it shimmered and shifted, turning the pliant flesh hard and glossy. As the transformation was completed, the two women looked at one another sadly and walked away.

"Have we done the right thing?"

"Oh yes, Rowena, we have. Let them watch their foolishness unfold. Let them think on the damage they've caused. When the time is right, they will wake."

"We're placing our hopes on the heart, Helga!"

"Oh,not really."

"Oh,What else gets students working together but love?" It certainly doesn't have to be romantic." Rowina admitted in a huff.

Helga hid a grin.

She turned back to the room and made a gesture with her wand and the spell that had been made for a single purpose was etched as a prophecy on the wall. It would begin to reappear when the cercomstances were right.

Years went by and the deaths of Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were attributed to a joint attack on a creature from the forest near the castle. Their distraught partners, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff, produced their battered bodies and declared the forest, "forbidden."

Meanwhile, in a dark part of the castle two figures waited; their spirits and magic bound to the castle they so loved able only to effect small things. Time past, leaving them untouched. They were forced to watch the results of their actions. They grieved and silently raged, but were helpless.