Salaçar spent the next several weeks away from Hogges Maed, though he wouldn't discuss where he went or what he did. Upon his return, however, he wandered for days in the woods by himself, taking only his wand and a small canvas sack he had brought back from his travels. The hamlet-folk weeded their gardens, tended to their animals, and generally tried to pay no mind to the four teaching wizards who had made Hogges Maed their home.

In early August, a new family of settlers arrived, an East Anglian witch who had been driven from her Muggle village after an outbreak of the ague, with her husband and three young children. Hengist gladly welcomed them into his home, which often served as a guesthouse for weary travelers, though he became cool to the husband when he learned the man was a Muggle himself. Somewhat reluctantly, he agreed to sell them a small farm plot for something like a reasonable price.

By the middle of August students had begun to arrive at Hogges Maed in search of their teachers. All summer long, owls had flown to every corner of the British Isles alerting two dozen wizard children that their classes would resume as soon after September 1 as everyone could arrive.

Murchad, a bright-eyed Gael from Dubhlinn, was the first of Helga's Hálfrpapar to arrive, along with his little sister Mór. A week later Horsa and Caedmon, two older boys from Northumberland, showed up looking for Hrödwyn. She no longer taught at Hraefn-clawu hall, but her pupils still proudly called themselves by the name of their former seat of learning. On the first of September, half a dozen boys and girls, apprentices to either Godric, Helga, Hrödwyn, or Salaçar, wandered into the hamlet like a tiny band of pilgrims. Two days later, most of Salaçar's Slegth-hring creaked into Hogges Maed in an oxcart weighted down with the last of their teacher's books and supplies from Mercia.

As soon as students arrived, their teachers began to give them lessons or simple projects to let them practice their magic—or at least to keep them busy. The older students finished the protective charms around the makeshift school grounds. Those younger or less accomplished studied herbs by tending to the vegetable gardens.

Most of the students had arrived by the middle of September, although a few would stay home until after the harvest. On Saint Ninian's Day there was quite a commotion when Aelfred aet Lange-bythme, one of Godric's most precocious Gryphons-d'Or, arrived in the skies above Hogges Maed on a broomstick! After that, no one was in a mood to study for the rest of the day. The older boys and girls prevailed upon Aelfred to give them a turn on this new magical artifact that most of them had never seen before.

One evening in late September Godric, Hrödwyn, Salaçar, and Helga held their weekly gemot, or meeting, at Cynefrid's table to discuss how their students were progressing. This night, however, the discussion turned serious as Godric raised a thorny issue the four teachers had to address. Herdís, the oldest daughter of Gudrún the East Anglian witch, was old enough to begin studying magic. Her mother had taught her a few simple charms at home, but was elated to discover not one but four experienced teachers of magic in her family's new home.

Herdís had been joining along with the other ten- and eleven-year-old children in their exercises, but none of the four teachers had officially agreed to take her on as an apprentice.

"What do you think?" Godric said after all four teachers shared what they had observed of Herdís's progress. "Where will she thrive? Who can help her most?"

"She's a fast learner," Hrödwyn offered. "She's coming along quite well with her Latin. I can't say I would object to taking her on."

"But you aren't sure, are you, Hrödwyn?"

The dark-haired witch shrugged. "She can use her mind because she has to. I'm not convinced she loves learning. She's not terribly inquisitive."

"With all due respect, Godric," Salaçar said. "I prefer not to have the girl in my Slegth-hring…for personal reasons."

Godric eyed his old friend but chose not to comment. Instead, he said, "She tries her best, even if it means risking failure or ridicule. I think you all know I admire that kind of courage. She's got a real fire in her, that's for sure."

"You make a strong case, Godric," Helga said. "If you're willing to take her, I won't object."

"But?"

Helga sighed. "Well, it's just that she's been through so much turmoil this year—losing her home, hearing all those terrible things the Muggles said about her mother. She's in a sensitive state and, if I may speak frankly, Godric, you are a bit…intimidating."

"Intimidating?"

"Oh, don't tell me you don't notice how people give you space as you walk among them. You're a head taller than practically everyone else in Hogges Maed. And when you strap on that sword…"

"That sword was a gift from the Count of Poictiers…"

"And it reinforces the legend that you have grown into. You're the famous Godric Gryphon-d'Or, the Golden Griffin. You're the greatest duelist of our age, and if your wand ever fails you, your sword will see you through. Now, I don't begrudge any of that, Godric. I admire your courage as much as your gallantry, but try to imagine what you're like to a ten-year-old girl, uprooted from everything she knows, who barely speaks your language.

"Let me take care of her, Godric. She's a kind-hearted little girl, and hard-working to a fault. She'll make a fine Hálfrpapa."

The four of them sat silently. At last, Hrödwyn said, "Are we going to have these discussions about every new student who comes our way?"

"I don't see a way around it," Godric said. "We're all partial to students with different strengths—and needs," he nodded to Helga. "But we'll figure out a way to get it right. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's getting late." And with that the Golden Griffin rose from the table, donned his black, pointed hat, and departed.


• "The ague" is malaria, which was chronic in low-lying areas of medieval Europe, including southern and eastern England.

• Saint Ninian was a British missionary-bishop. His feast day is September 16.

• "Æt Lange-byþme" is a locative byname meaning "at (the) long bottom (of a valley)."

• East Anglia and Yorkshire were major centers of Norse population in early medieval England.