A soft mist had started to fall for what would be the third time since starting out on their journey and the two wizards opinions of the weather could not have differed more. Two men sat atop winged horses as they made their way through the stormy skies. One had light brown hair underneath a high pointed hat, was dressed in an outfit of varying shades of dark green, and had a shield across his back. His back was rigid and his dark eyes were constantly sweeping the surrounding areas. The other man who sat much more casually on his horse was dressed similarly, though more carelessly, with all of his clothes seeming slightly frayed and over worn with the wide brimmed hat on his head appearing to be the oldest thing he owned. His hair was a deep, rich red color and he sported a full beard to match. His entire appearance and demeanor seemed a contradiction to the brilliant silver and ruby sword hilt that was at his side. As he regarded his traveling companion his beard could not hide the wide smile that spread across his face.
"Salazar, with all of your peering about do you even know what you are looking for?" he asked not even trying to feign innocence.
Without turning to look at his friend in the eye he simply replied, "Trouble".
A loud burst of laughter was his immediate response but as he regained his composure Godric said, "Exactly! The best kind of trouble only comes when you are not paying attention, so I ask as your friend that you put an end to your ridiculous imitation of a bird of prey".
"Forgive me Godric if I do not share your desire to engage in every possible fight that might come my way. Awareness can lead to avoidance, so I will continue to be aware of our surroundings" he said.
"And here I thought you knew me better than that Salazar, why wait for a fight to come my why way when I am perfectly capable of starting one myself".
"Capable and willing to a fault," Salazar answered.
Godric once again laughing, "It will only be a fault if I die, and since that has yet to happen I see little point in worrying over the matter".
"Yes well for some of us the implications of starting a fight with any wizard of any family carries more weight then it does for others," he said with his eyes still scanning the darkened skies.
"Ah yes, the familial obligations. Am I right in assuming they are why we are currently flying with all haste to the highlands right now? When a Ravenclaw calls we must answer?" Godric asked.
"You know full well that my family is not formally aligned with the Ravenclaws, also it was Helga Hufflepuff that invited us, and finally even without any alliance do not act as if you do not understand the respect that the Ravenclaw family has always commanded here and abroad," Salazar answered.
Godric rolled his eyes as he began to speak, "Of course I understand, but that still does not explain why we have been summoned to stay at the castle of a witch who has not been seen or heard from in nearly a decade. And not I may add by the witch herself but of another witch who we are merely trusting to not have fabricated this whole charade".
Turning to make eye contact with his traveling companion Salazar spoke, "You and I have both met Helga a number of times and never once has she struck me as the type to lure anyone into anything. And for not seeing Rowena for some time I will grant you that it is odd, but when you consider all that happened with her family and the war ten years ago is it any wonder that she keeps to herself for the most part? Besides I hardly forced you into accepting the invitation so there is little point in acting otherwise".
"With the unexpected comes a chance of adventure so naturally I would be no where else, but I still do not understand the isolation. Because of what she did her family won the war, and even now there is not a wizarding family in the country that would deny them as allies or cross them as an enemy," Godric said.
"You continue to speak of the Ravenclaw "family" but are you forgetting that the war they won took her father, mother, and four older brothers, not to mention countless other relatives. Now she is all that remains, along with those from the lesser and more distant branches of her family. Survival is a burden most difficult to carry alone, why should she not prefer seclusion? " Salazar said.
"Salazar why must you always make such a reasonable argument? I will speak no more on the subject. And as you say Helga has been most enjoyable to be around in the past so I see no reason for that to be different now. So it would seem the only question still remaining is why we were called upon in the first place, the letter made no mention of the purpose?" Godric asked.
"All it said was that we had been invited at our earliest convenience to stay for a while at Castle Ravenclaw as the guests of Helga Hufflepuff on behalf of Rowena Ravenclaw to discuss certain matters in which she believes we are all like minded," Salazar answered.
Godric raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated way before he spoke, "Well are we sure Rowena did not invite us herself? I have yet to meet a Ravenclaw who did not use a vague and complicated riddle when a simple explanation was possible".
Their laughter was drowned out by the sound of thunder as the storm around them was finally taking form.
