When Helga awoke that bright morning she turned in her bed and stretched her arms out while yawning. Her body felt warm, and her mood delightful. Suddenly, what she thought a dream portrayed itself in her mind once more. She needed to stop having these silly preposterous dreams, these shameful dreams, these humiliating dreams. What if Salazar would ever find out about the imaginings she was having. The mere thought made her cringe with embarrassment.
They were, to her dismay, becoming all the more prevailing. This night's dream had felt utmost real. Her body even ached from exhaustion. The scent of him still lingered in her sheets; she buried her face in the pillows and drew in a deep breath. It was strong and she drew her head back from the pillow and looked at it probingly. It was a plain yellow pillow, except for a thin black hair which occupied a small space of it. The acknowledgement made her blink curiously whilst she looked closer at it.
She picked it up and examined it thoroughly with her eyes. It was not a sewing thread as she had hoped for it to be; It was a hair, and it certainly was not from her own head. Such dark shades she did not bare.
That day their students had a day off from attending classes. Therefore, Helga hid in her greenhouse and took care of her plats and herbs while not trying not to think of what was concerning her; which had been a constant concerning matter ever since she awoke this morning.
'Could it have been real?' She thought. 'No.. but it felt... No, no, no...' she shook her head and smiled as she felt foolish for thinking such, while filling another pot with nourishing dirt.' It could not have been. For if it was, then... how?' Nothing of this made any sense to Helga. 'It can't be, it simply cannot be. This has merely been another dream. Even though it felt awfully real... and the scent of him, and the traces on my pillow... dark'.
"Helga!" Godric called with his robust voice when stepping into the greenhouse.
She turned her head towards him and was met by a cheerful Godric, in bewilderment due to her conflicted mind she accidently knocked down a pot to the floor as she turned. It hit the hard rock surface and smashed into pieces. She sighed, whereupon she waved her wand to gather the pieces.
"What a mess I've made... clumsy of me."
The grinning man's smile faded a tad as he watched her. "Are you not well?"
"I'm well, do not worry." She said without looking him in the eye.
Godric was now close enough to look at her properly. He cleaned up the remaining spots of dirt from the floor as she tried to mend the broken pot.
"Are you certain?"
Helga only looked at him briefly when answering. "Yes, I'm simply a little bit tired, that is all." She smiled faintly.
"Usually, whenever I need a little pick me up, I go to Salazar..." he was on the verge of smiling again, then it quickly faded as he seized the reality of the situation. "but considering the present circumstances I fear that it is not my place to do such anymore."
He looked away with a troubled look reflected in his crude features. "Perhaps you could ask him for a potion or such – "
"No..." Helga mumbled, horrified on the inside at the bare thought. Her hands fiddled with the plant in her hands while she plucked some of its maimed leaves.
"I believe you are the one of us he despises the least at the moment."
"I'm not entirely confident of that myself."
"It's simply a thought." He smiled. "yet, you should be careful." He then realized as he warned her.
Helga met his eyes. "How so?"
"We all know he's cunning, and... I'm afraid his wickedness knows no limits until he has gained what he truly wants. You know his ambitions are vast"
"He has been absent for a long while now… You really think he has not repelled the thought? Even a little?"
"I'm afraid I don't think so, Helga." He said desolately. "On the contrary."
"I want us to be united once again." She smiled faintly, while sadness reflected in her eyes as she hoped for better.
"I do as well." He said. "I do as well..." he placed a loving hand on her little shoulder.
She nodded to show her appreciation for the gesture. Then she reached for a towel she had lying on the table close by to wipe her hands off with.
"You always think the best of people, and have hope for them." He said. "Yet I'm starting to lose mine for Salazar, and it... frightens me."
Helga rubbed her palm with the towel which she had enchanted to clean off any possible dirt it may come in contact with more effectively, yet stopped the motion to meet Godric's eyes properly. "You are the brave Godric Gryffindor." She said tenderly. "You fear nothing."
"I do fear for my friends." He smiled vaguely.
Helga reached out her arms to embrace him fondly. "I know." She whispered. "The bravest men and women dare to love."
Godric hugged her to him, and sighed. Helga had a way of making his heart beat lighter and setting his mind at ease when he found himself to be troubled.
They looked at one another and smiled. Helga could see that he was less distraught. "Not everyone possesses the courage."
"You know..." He smiled. "Sometimes you are stunningly wise."
She pulled away from him in a quick gesture as if she had become crotchety, however the smile on her lips gave her away. Godric's warm laugh echoed throughout the greenhouse.
"While I'm restoring your mood you certainly know how to spoil mine." She said.
He stilled his laughter, though not without effort. "It was only for laugh, Helga." He said. "I am sorry." Yet he still chuckled at her.
Helga could not be rid of the smile on her face either, she gave him a soft push and said: "Go."
"It will soon be supper." he said while beginning to walk backwards on his brown leather boots towards the doors. "Do not lose track of time while in here with your precious herbs."
"I shan't." She laughed.
"The plants are not the only ones who need your company." He reminded, as the dear friend he was.
Helga kept smiling and shook her head at him before returning to the care for her vegetation. She heard Godric's steps becoming further distant as he left the room and eventually they could not be heard anymore.
It was in fact easy to lose track of time while in here, she knew. Come to think of it she had been rather distant this whole morning, more than usual, being cooked up in here while avoiding the others. She had unconsciously been avoiding them, too concerned with her own thoughts to look any of them in the eye. Once Godric had made his presence known she had almost forgotten about the matter; this silly matter.
Later on, during the late afternoon, Helga went to supper as promised. She had almost reached the door of the Great Hall and could hear the rather loud noises of her students speaking to one another and laughing in the large space whilst waiting for their evening food. Suddenly she could additionally hear someone else talking, though it was not coming from the Great Hall but from the reversed direction. It was the voices of two she heard – speaking with low voices, almost whispering to one another.
"I know you do not entirely resent the thought." Salazar said to Rowena who seemed rather uncomfortable Helga believed as she heard her answer. Their steps echoing throughout the other so silent corridor.
"You do not know of my thoughts." Rowena's voice was as proud as ever.
"But I know you Rowena, and the look in your face reveals my thoughts to not be entirely incorrect."
"Do not think for a second that I sympathise with your wicked plans!" She spat angrily.
"You cannot deny that the thought has slipped into your mind at least once, and you've considered it."
Rowena did not give him an answer this time for as they rounded the corner they both caught sight of Helga. Rowena raised her head promptly and gave Helga a smile as if to overshadow her worried feelings of before.
"Helga." She greeted. Helga answered her with a nod and a warm smile as usual.
Salazar met her eyes with a restrained coldness, and then decided to barely look at her as he passed them to walk into the Great Hall. Helga took Rowena by the arm and they accompanied each other.
"How much did you hear?" Rowena asked whilst indignantly observing the man walking in front of them.
"Not a lot." Helga said. "Were you quarrelling?"
Rowena sighed. "He's truly obsessed with these principles of his."
Helga watched Salazar walking, he was far ahead of them now. His back was all she could see, the black robes he wore this evening were flapping around his legs discretely as he moved further.
Within a short amount of time they were all seated and so house-elves were entering the hall, carrying large dishes containing mouth-watering food. With a simple snap of their fingers the plates and bowls of food floated in the air and onto the tables where they stayed until everyone had been served.
"Is this a new recipe, Helga?" Godric asked as they had begun to eat.
Helga nodded timidly. "Yes."
"It's splendid I must tell you." He said before shuffling some spoons with stew into his mouth. Helga caught sight of Salazar behind Godric's shoulder and he sipped his wine as he wore an aura of coldness towards his fellow founders. To her notice, he barely touched his food. He had never been a great indulger of food, yet she knew he took pleasure in dishes which were excellently tasteful. Hers had been so to him, up till now.
Helga left the Great Hall almost last of all. Salazar was the first one to leave, then Rowena not long after him, now there was only a dozen of the students left who also now intended to leave as they rose from their seats. Helga and Godric both stood, and walked together towards the open grand doors in a calm motion.
"With you for a friend one can never starve." He said while feeling completely full.
Helga smiled. "I'm glad at least some enjoy my food."
"Some?!" he sounded as if he could not believe what he was hearing. "all and sundry enjoys eating your food, Helga." He informed with his always so deep voice.
"You should offer your compliments to those working hard in the kitchen, they would most certainly appreciate it."
"Perhaps I will offer my compliments to the elves." He said with a nod as he thought about it.
They departed when their paths divided; Godric was on his way hence to the kitchen, and Helga on her way to her chambers. Once again she was alone, and therefore alone with her thoughts.
Witnessing Salazar's cold behaviour at dinner this evening confirmed her hopes of last night being nothing but a dream. It had been silly to think otherwise, she could not understand what had happened to her, causing her to be able to think of him in such a manner as last night, thinking it to be any other than a dream.
She was on the castle's basement level when she suddenly saw a shadow passing at the end of the hall in the light of a golden torch. Merely a second after the witness by her eyes she saw Salazar rounding the corner and walking towards her. Shock reflected in her eyes as she saw him coming towards her with determined steps.
He met her gaze and did not appear entirely cold, although he seemed to be in other words: reserved.
"Helga." He gave her a greeting nod.
While wondering what he might want she returned his gesture with a similar one.
"May I speak with you for a moment?"
"certainly." She permitted, though with an unsure gaze in her eyes.
"Wherever private."
Helga unknowingly let her shoulders strain back a little when looking at him in wonder. 'What could be the reason for this secrecy?'
"Surely." She said and gestured for him to follow her; he did. She led him to her chambers, he knew very well where it was located. As she had secured the door behind of them they stood alone in one of her little rooms, the one you entered before entering her bedchamber.
"Well..." she said. "Here we are." She almost did not dare to look him in the eye for some reason.
Salazar did not speak, he only watched her, watched her as if he was trying to read her. Helga became uncomfortable, however mostly confused as to why he was eyeing her in such a manner. Before she gained the courage to ask him he looked away and set his eyes on some small family portraits hanging on the wall. He walked over to them and saw faces amongst the reflected light of the candle's flame.
Now it was Helga's time to watch him. He was staring at the portraits with fascination shown on his features.
"This is your family?" he asked for confirmation.
"Yes." She said and walked closer to him and the people portrayed. They were painted with well preserved detail and moved happily in their photos, smiling at their audience.
"This is my uncle and his family..." she said and pointed at one of the small paintings. "and this is my sister's husband and her at their wedding." She continued and pointed at another portrait. "She's having a child in October... and these are my grandparents, they are passed on now but lived very long and I would say: eventful lives."
"How so?"
"They went travelling all over the world to taste all sorts of food - they've seen a lot, and met quite a lot of people while doing so... It actually was my grandmother's recipe which inspired me to do tonight's meal…"
Salazar was staring at her, she saw out of the corner of her eye, and realized that he was not actually listening. How typical of him not to care for what he considered trivial. She pointed at another painted couple. "These are my parents." She said, now not as happy to show nor explain any for him. Therefore, she walked away from the wall and from Salazar to sit down on a couch which appeared low. The ceiling was also quite low, especially compared to his chambers' ceilings which were several feet higher located than this one's. Then considering Helga was not particularly tall at all, these chambers truly suited her.
Salazar took a look at the portrait of her parents, a round yet happy looking couple, with kind eyes and dimples. He could see some similarity between them and Helga, she had their warm and tender features; None which he possessed himself.
Salazar walked over to the other side of the room, where Helga could see him standing while she remained on the couch.
She realized she was tired and the dim light of the candles in the darkness did not make her less drowsy. Tired, she placed a hand against the side of her head and rested the weight on her elbow. She did not speak, Salazar did not speak; there was a long silence and she felt the sleep taking her into its serene embrace.
"You and Godric seem rather friendly with one another… is there something of a deeper kind than friendship going on there?"
Helga could hear his voice distantly, and as soon as she could make out the words in her head she shot her eyes open, which she had not realized were closed until now, and looked at Salazar while feeling utterly confused. "What are you speaking of?"
Salazar would normally smirk at her bewilderment were the circumstances a little different, yet now he appeared utmost severe. It was a serious matter he wanted to discuss. He stared at her awaiting an answer.
"Are you attempting to make me laugh?" she asked beginning to giggle, yet stopped abruptly as she saw Salazar's eyes becoming all the more stern.
"I saw the two of you."
Now Helga was fully awake, and confused out of her wits. "Saw us?" she asked, not understanding any of this. "Why would there be anything between me and Godric but mere friendship?"
"You were clasping on to each other in the green house this afternoon, whispering things to one another – Very affectionate, I might add."
Helga could not believe the words were coming out of this wizard's mouth.
"You know us to be only friends, Salazar." She said. "You know of it!"
Rather cantankerous he looked away from her and stared into the fireplace next to him.
Helga could not understand his choice of subject, nor why he cared for it so vastly. She stood and walked over to where he was standing. The flames of the fire warmed her further as she got closer.
"What is the matter?" she asked, uncertain of what else to say. He seemed troubled.
He closed his flame coloured eyes and sighed heavily. Then he turned and looked at her.
"Don't you see it in my eyes?" he said.
Helga looked into his grey eyes and felt the air having trouble coming into her lungs as she did.
"When I look at you." He said. "You cannot see?"
Helga simply stood there, not quite sure of what she was seeing, but his eyes and what they were reflecting sent a chill down her spine.
"Salazar..." she breathed. "I don't..." she began and looked away in confusion. He grabbed her by the shoulders suddenly which made her meet his gaze once again, now perplexed; and all the more baffled she was about to become.
"Don't you understand!?" he hissed rather ill-tempered. "You've awoken something inside me which I cannot suppress, nor can I let it sustain any further."
Helga merely looked at him in awe, only feeling more confused as Salazar now tried to explain. This revelation only created further questions.
The man before her realized that she still did not fully understand, perhaps she did not want to, he knew that he did not, but now as he had, there was no road leading back to before.
"I don't know exactly what has taken a hold of me." He said and let go in order to back away from her and lean against the frame of the fireplace. The fire warmed his side, almost too intensely.
"What is it you are holding back?" she asked, still unsure of what was the meaning of all this.
He sighed before speaking and turned to glance at her quite exhausted, as if he now gave up to something that had been tormenting him for some time. "I've come to care for you, Helga. – sincerely."
This confession Helga knew was as far as Salazar most likely could stretch when explaining his feelings of affection. It was sudden as well as all the more confusing for her to hear. But if she was not completely mistaken he indicated nor did he show any sign of that he was lying; he simply looked beaten as he sank down in one of the oak-chairs. He appeared as if he was surrendering to be swallowed whole by his opponent.
They stayed still for a long time, avoiding the other one's gaze as if it might attack if one indicated to peek at the other. After a while Salazar was the one who spoke first, Helga still felt lost for words.
"This cannot not be undone." He said with a puzzled expression. "I could perhaps use magic to forget, but that cannot take us back in time."
Helga now turned to him, there were tears in her eyes due to the confusion, the shock and the thought of what complexity this would add to their lives; also, the though which scared her the most was that perchance, she had come to develop feelings of an affectionate and deeper nature for this man as well.
"and perhaps... I do not wish to forget." he said and now met her tearful gaze. "I want to endure rather than forget." He continued while following a tear that escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek only to fall off of her chin and land on her chest. Salazar turned away and now he felt confused; Though this was not the time to use Legilimency.
"I should leave." He said and fled to the door. Helga did not follow, nor did she call after him, she simply stayed where she was as she tried to gather her thoughts and make out what had recently ensued.
Salazar Slytherin made his way to the dungeons and met two hufflepuff students which had to nearly throw themselves out of his way as he walked determinedly and fast. Agglomerated to the wall the students finally let go as he had passed and continued to walk as they both were in wonder, neither dared to speak to the other of it; after all, the daunting professor might hear their curious chatter.
The professor felt as if he had never spoken this much on one occasion to Helga in his life. Nor could he ever remember her being this quiet during a conversation. She was usually the one who let her words scatter out in the room like a bird who chirped all day. Salazar was usually the one who during that time sat quiet and chose his words with utmost caution while a sardonic smile crept onto his lips. Now she was the one who could be sardonic, she could be smiling mockingly at this for an eternity, that was how long this disaster of his could last to be mocked.
Thus the very same night, as darkness had taken a hold of the land and castle letting the night soar free, Salazar sat in a black leather chair in his bedchamber and watched the creatures who inhabited the black lake swim, or move in a different way, past his grand window which could also be seen as a wall. He was deep in thought and the thought which he bared frightened him to an extent.
The school which the four of them had built, put their utmost effort into and worked unconditionally to construct was perhaps to be ruined by divided beliefs of what was suitable and best for this school of theirs. He needed to fulfil this ambition of his, the way he had imagined it to be; they took the finery off of it if they proceeded in taking in people who did not belong.
She believed them to belong here, he knew, he had always known her to be that way; In a way he could never aspire to be, it would ruin him and it would mean to betray himself and throw away all that he had learned in life.
How he had come to fancy her was beyond his wit, he could at least admit thus to himself.
Two grindylows passed his wall for a window in the dark water, bumping into the glass one time before realising they could not get to him and swam on.
He sighed resignedly to his own despair, and decided he wanted to go for a nightly saunter. Staying here and falling asleep to then interlock in dreams, was unwise.
This night the moon was showing, casting its light upon the lake which he slowly strolled beside of. The pale reflection of him was visible in the dark surface of the still water. His dark boots came across pebbles and spots of dirt among the grass which he was stepping on as he moved forward.
Lost in thought he nearly jumped high out of sudden fright when he heard the little bird chirp; it sounded as he had never heard it before. The other so jolly tune was gone and replaced by a loud accusing tone.
Salazar had just turned to gaze at her when he saw she was already close, so close she could push him – which she did. He stumbled and nearly fell into the lake before he steadied himself. Completely baffled he stared at her in complete shock.
Her eyes were as mad as her being when she appeared completely wound up, letting her frustration be known to him. A strand of light reddish hair fell down from the rest which she had put up so neatly this morning; she blew it away swiftly in an annoyed motion.
She was no little bird – she was a badger gnashing its teeth, ready to sink them into the snake.
"How could you do such to me?!" she demanded. "How could you think you could simply stroll into my chambers and declare such mentions to me?!"
He saw her once again moving forward by force and he did not doubt she would make another attempt at giving him a push – and this time he would fall into the lake – therefore he stepped away from her, almost running on wrongly aimed feet.
Helga pulled out her wand and aimed it at him before he could even come up with the thought of taking his. He was still shocked by her appearance; he had never seen her this angry.
"Don't stand there and gawk! Answer me!" a spell nearly hit his foot, luckily he had moved it right in time to be saved. It left the formerly green grass singed, and turned it black.
"Answer me!" she yelled once more and set several spells his way. Now he realised he needed to defend himself and pulled out his wand to deflect the spells which made nasty sparks around them. She sent more his way in a rapid pace, and he dodged every single one of them except one which burned a hole in his collar, and also managed to scorch his skin beneath it. He ignored the sting of pain and let her send as many spells his way as she possibly could; he would deflect them. She did so until she was out of breath and trembling thus greatly she could no longer stand and that was when he disarmed her. Thereafter he stepped towards her carefully.
She wept quietly where she sat on her knees, sunken close to the cold motionless grass.
"I did not mean for this to happen." He said coldly, bitter about the thought. She gazed up at where he was standing, towering over her as a great shadow with the light of the moon targeting his back.
"You are the reason for my dreams." She then said. By the look in his eyes, which he turned away, she knew it to be true. "You were really there, that night which seemed too real for it to be merely imaginings."
Salazar swept past her. The scenery before her was now revealed by his departure, the night sky and light of the moon which contrasted it lit up her features. Rising on her exhausted feet she shivered and ran after him.
"Do not run away, Salazar." She said. "Do not isolate yourself and become as distant as before."
He quickened his pace.
"Do not leave me after what you've done to me!"
He kept walking on steady steps. Helga felt her own feet falter as their last strength was drenched.
"Do not leave me. You coward!"
He slowed his steps and eventually stopped. His body ached for him to flee, yet he managed to turn enough to look upon her small form in the grass. She had sat down amongst the flowers which grew there; a lovely sight, yet terrifying. Somehow, he managed to find the strength to ignore his terror and approach her.
Taking her shoulders by the grasp of his own hands, he made her rose up to stand on her feet, yet he could feel they were unsteady due to how weakened she felt in his hands. He gazed upon her tearstained face.
"You are not the only one to be scared." She said in merely a whisper.
Salazar could argue for his cause, however, why would he if he in fact was scared beyond his wits. Helga drew herself nearer, placing herself close against his body as her hands rested upon his front. Not letting himself do anything other he wrapped his slender arms around her in a comforting manner. She rested her head upon his shoulder for a moment and he sighed. Helga could not fathom if the sigh emerged from feelings of discontent or of the contrary. All she was sure of, was that his breathing had calmed and thus had hers.
The silhouette of the two stayed as it was for a long time. Neither of them making a movement, simply listening to the other's breathing and feeling the warmth of one another.
"Do you hear them?" she suddenly asked after a while. Salazar had closed his eyes and now opened them slowly only to discover that his vision was somewhat dimmed from drowsiness.
"Hear what?" he asked, feeling how a strand of her hair brushed the back of his hands slightly, he let the end of it intertwine carefully with his slim finger.
"The crickets" she said, and he could hear by the sound of her voice that she was smiling fondly at this. Focusing he now tried to hear the crickets which she spoke of, and soon did.
"Do you think they are trying to make music?"
Salazar at once thought the idea to be absurd, however, to his own surprise he did not argue against it, he simply gazed up into the sky at this while feeling his mouth form into a blissful smile. The moon was on the verge of fading away completely as the darkness left in order for the sun to make its entrance, as it would in an hour or two. Fog had already made its entrance, making the grass wet with morning dew.
"Whatever for?" he asked curiously.
She pulled away slightly only to look him in the eye. "For us to dance!" she exclaimed in a jolly manner. Her hand found his and she pulled him closer to the lake. The grass made the hem of her dress damp as she moved swiftly through it.
"Helga…" Salazar began in a protesting manner.
"Now don't be a boring old moke." She said softly while giggling.
Her small hands touched his face as she interlocked her eyes with his. He did not say another word as she placed one of his hands on the side of her waist, and the other she held in her own.
"Listen…" she said and began to move, and he followed her in her motions. After a while he let his feelings of abhorrence and antipathy diminish, for he wanted to enjoy the moment as he was beginning to, fully.
He felt his own heartbeat over the crickets. Everything seemed at peace in that very moment.
The part of her upper cheek soon rested against the lower part of his. She felt warm and soft against his. This sensation made him fearful of moving; scared of possibly scratching her delicate skin with his rough one. The small hairs which made out his no longer newly shaven chin, might brush too harshly against her.
He had been harsh on her many times before, he knew. Now he did not feel superior to her anymore, he felt unworthy of her warmth which she now gave him thus gallantly.
