Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I do own this story.
Author's Note: I know, it's been a while again... there will be only two more installments to this piece. Please review!
The Lion and the Eagle
A Tale of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw
by Fiyero Oberon
Fourth
Helga clasps her hands together, her round face spread in a beam. The wind whips at her golden curls, but she hardly seems to notice. "It's magnificent," she whispered.
Rowena was not watching Helga nor looking at the grand castle before them. She was studying Godric, studying the man he had become. He was tall now, golden-red curls reaching his shoulders, the silky whiskers on his cheeks and chin hinting at a coming beard. His scarlet cloak flapped lazily in the wind and his green eyes glow with satisfaction and delight as he gazes up at the castle. And, at last, Rowena follows the gazes of Godric and Helga and Salazar.
"It's done," says Salazar, a hint of pride in his voice. "It's ready."
The castle stood before them, a massive creation of stone and wood, towers and balconies, windows and walkways, secret passages and secret chambers, changing staircases and moving portraits, bedrooms and common rooms, great halls and cozy classrooms. And from each of the tallest four towers, the four corners, waved four flags – red to the north, blue to the west, green to the south, and yellow to east. And the wind suddenly sent a shiver up Rowena's spine, and she knew that the others had felt the chill as well.
"We'll need students," says Helga.
"It won't be hard," says Salazar. "Wizarding families are easy to track down with the right spells."
"But the Muggle students will be harder to find," Helga says wisely.
"Muggles?"
"Muggle-born, I should say," says Helga, correcting herself. "Muggle-born children who display magical abilites." Salazar's eyebrows arch and his thin lips form a straight line, but he says nothing.
Rowena says nothing, but finds herself inching closer to Godric without realizing it. She is close enough to touch him now, close enough to lean her head on his shoulder. Silently and quickly, she slips her hand in his, entwining the fingers, and squeezes tight. He squeezes back and she closes her eyes, pretending for a moment that she is his and he is hers and everything is as it should be.
"Ho, what have we here?"
Rowena instinctively pulls away from Godric and turns quickly around. "Oh, Jonathon!" she cries, surprised and thoroughly disappointed. "I –"
"You didn't expect my arrival," he says, smiling. "Rowena, I'm afraid I'm here to deliver some bad news."
Helga turned and placed her hands on Rowena's shoulders, showing her support and loyalty to her friend.
"Rowena," says Jonathon Evergreen, taking a step forward, "my love… I must leave you. I've been called away to France for a while." He takes her hands in his, and they are silky smooth, the complete opposite of the rough, warm touch of Godric's. "But this is good, it will give you time to get the school started… we can settle down then," he says, leaning forward to kiss Rowena's lips, but she mechanically pulls away. "Have children." He makes another attempt at kissing Rowena and this time she lets him. "Goodbye, love." And he walks away. Rowena lets out a long, slow sigh of relief.
"Awkward," says Helga.