Not much to warn you about in this chapter... I guess mild swearing.

I own what I own, I don't what I don't.

Godric Gryffindor stood calm, with a blade in his hand and a light in his eyes.

Across from him stood lord Helvar Malfoy, "The silver knight". Each had a long sword, each stood in a ready pose watching the other.

Godric's sword had a pommel of gold with a ruby set into it, the silver blade seemed to glint slightly, catching more light than it should.

Helvar's blade was much less so, it was a simple, functional longsword. It was made to maim and, with any luck kill.

Both men were slightly out of breath. Around them stood several other wizards of House Malfoy, clad in silver and black with the Malfoy dragon upon their chests.

They all stood in an empty field surrounded by woodland, a large manor house could be seen peaking over the trees to the south.

Godric surveyed his opponent carefully, then without warning he lunged, swinging his sword at Helvar's shoulder. Helvar moved his sword lightning fast in a block.

Godric swung with lethal grace against Helvar's strength. Both moved incredibly quickly and both seemed utterly evenly matched.

Helvar darted forward, his sword going for a stab to the chest.

Godric parried easily, and darted forward with a controlled jab at the leg then without warning the chest. Helvar wasn't fooled and knocked the blow to the side easily.

Helvar was going on the defensive now, blocking a flurry of blows before stepping forward with several crashing strikes which Godric dodged.

Godric narrowed his eyes as the battle continued, searching for a weakness in the silver knight's iron defense. The duel raged back and fourth for almost ten more minutes before the chance came, Godric lunged forward, striking the pommel of Helvar's long-sword and sending it spinning into the dust.

Godric grinned, pointing the blade of the sword at Helvar's neck.

"Well old friend, looks like you're dead." He said, smiling.

Helvar made a 'tsking' noise and shook his head. "Well, breaking the news to my father should be interesting." He said. "Should we hold the funeral today or tomorrow?"
Godric laughed and extended a hand, lowering his sword.

Helvar took it and used it to pull himself to his feet.
"Tomorrow I think." Godric said, "It looks like it's going to rain and I'd hate it to interrupt."

The surrounding Malfoy's burst into applause.

Godric mock-bowed to them all. "Thank you my lords and ladies." He said, "I hope you enjoyed the demonstration."

Helvar just shook his head.

The applause went on for several seconds before the medi-wizard reached Helvar and started doing a few diagnostic charms.

"I'm fine." Helvar said.

"I'll be the judge of that young-master." The Malfoy's medi-wizard, Archimedes said holding his wand. "He's right," Godric said. "You might have gotten a bruise, or perhaps a scrape."

"No amount of jocularity will make this go by any faster." Archimedes said, flicking his wand in a quick symbol and eying Helvar.

"Maybe not for you." Helvar said, "I'm unharmed."

"You were playing with Muggle weapons." Archimedes said, "Of course you're not unharmed... I just wish I had learned before. So I could check for head trauma."

"Careful." Godric said, glancing lovingly down at his sword and gripping the pommel.

Gryffindor's sword, it had no real other name. The blade had been forged during the goblin war specifically to kill wizards. The sword could absorb most magic sent at it and made the wielder much stronger and faster, when they knew what they were doing.

It had been captured by Godric's great grandfather Rudolphos Gryffindor the third, a legendary master of curses and transfiguration. He had been the last "true Gryffindor" now the house was largely the target of ridicule. Godric's grandfather and father were both drunkards and his mother was little better with her constant scheming and excessive expenditures. Godric mostly stayed away from his family, staying with the house of his friend, Helvar and his mentor Lord Arradorn Malfoy.

"And you!" Archimedes said, "Always luring the young master into these crazy ideas!"

"Archie..." Helvar said, with a warning in his tone.

Godric just shook his head. "To be fair, he volunteered for this one."

Helvar laughed at the shocked expression on Archimedes's face.

"Well..." Archimedes said, puffing up, then he sighed and deflated. "As far as I can tell you're fine."

"I know." Helvar said. "Good day, Archie."

Archie gave a sharp nod and then disappeared with a loud crack.

Godric chuckled.

"You laugh, but it's like living with a mother hen..." Helvar said.

"I can imagine." Godric said, turning and striding towards the mansion.

Godric was young, twenty four to be exact, with a tall and broad shouldered body. He had a strong face, with a prominent chin a nose that looked rather like it had been broken before and a well-trimmed beard. His eyes were a strange shade of golden. He was strong willed and intelligent, with courage that had earned him the nickname "Young lion".

Helvar was broad as well, with long silver-blonde hair and a similarly trimmed beard. He had a strong face, with a large, almost flattened looking nose and blue eyes. His simple loyalty and strength had earned him the title "The silver knight". He was slightly older than Godric, twenty five.

The two of them were incredibly close friends, and had been since their early teens.

Godric had been sent to Malfoy manor in compliance with the inter-house tradition of trading young adults for tutoring at other houses. Not only did this allow for new learning to filter between the houses it also made it so that each house had connections to each-other house, and should it come to that the houses may well have hostages in case of battle. He had agreed eagerly, as mentioned before Godric had a very bad home life. His father was drunk more often than not, his mother was imperious and ruthless when she thought someone had done even the slightest thing she didn't approve of, she was also closed-minded, greedy and rather thoughtless in regards to the future. And then of course was Godric's little sister: Daphne Gryffindor, only twelve years old and trapped at Gryffindor manor (Otherwise known as the "Lion's den") she looked a lot like her mother, beautiful with long flowing golden blonde hair and green eyes, she was clever, thoughtful and utterly miserable. Her tutor was a old fool named Silenus. He failed to teach her anything she didn't already know and more often than not he set her to long and boring assignments for very little reason.

A drunkard father, a manipulative bitch for a mother and a miserable little sister. It had come as a blessing from the gods to get out of there, and for a time Godric had been happy just to stay that way. But his tutor would have none of it. His tutor made him read first hand accounts from the goblin rebellion, historical records and multiple other sources most about the house of the lion. From this Godric's view changed, he wouldn't escape. That was a child's dream. He would bring change.

Godric would change his house. The lion's roar would be heard again. Sloth and apathy turned to ambition and patience. His main goal was now to wait for his father's eventual death and to pick up the pieces, the once might house would return. So he and another close friend, Salazar Slytherin had begun working on a series of contacts to help him reach that goal.

Godric just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

"Is something wrong?" Helvar asked, his voice cutting into Godric's thoughts.

"No." Godric said.

"You sure?" Helvar inquired. "You haven't said a word since the end of the fight."
Godric grinned. "I'm fine Helvar. So what did you think of..."
They started discussing the match, going over every bit of it they could before they reached Malfoy manor.

Together they walked inside, striding up the staircase in the entrance hall and towards their various room.

"Oh, did I tell you?" Helvar asked.

"Did you tell me what?" Godric said.

"The Dumbledore's are going to be feasting with us tonight." He said.

Godric groaned. "All of them?" He asked.

"Yeah." Helvar said, "Father invited them to discuss buisiness with Lord Faramond."

"And they accepted?" Godric asked, raising an eyebrow. He had never even met Lord Faramond, or either of his children.

Helvar shrugged. "It's strange but, there you are." He eyed Godric suspiciously. "Don't go running back to your den and leave me alone with them..." He said.

"I won't." Godric said, feeling vaugely offended. "Why would I? I do want to leave a good impression with Faramond after-all..."

Helvar grinned. "Just double checking, I don't want to have to tolerate that little shit of a son."

"Can't blame you there." Godric said, frankly he would rather avoid a meeting of any type with 'Lord' Avris Dumbledore, or his sister for that matter.
Alicia Dumbledore. The bards and everyone who had seen her said she was beautiful, she had long, flowing black hair, red lips with a seductive turn to them and large deep blue eyes. She was also supposedly quite voluptuous, with large breasts and good hips and she knew it.

All of this said, Godric had also heard that this failed to compensate for her personality. She was supposedly a bit of a bitch, calculating and manipulative. Much more like her father than Avris was or ever would be.

But, that was the game he played. If he made a good impression it may well have been very bennificial to his future.

"Well, I'll see you in a few hours." Helvar said, turning into his room.

Godric nodded and continued up the hall until he reached his bedroom.

He went inside and collapsed on the bed. The room was done up in the colors of Malfoy, all black and silver.

House Dumbledore. Well, this was bound to be interesting.

Well, be sure to tell me what you think.