Chapter Four The Helping Hands

Salazar sat with Godric and a group of boys around his own age, looking at them all. His father had told him socializing with those his own age could pay off in later years, and he figured he might as well take his advice. So they boys sat around their own fire that night chatting with each other excitedly, all looking quite happy that the sons of Slytherin and Gryffindor were talking to them. Salazar doubted Godric had the same motivations as himself, however. No, more likely, he actually wanted friends.

"What about some names, hmm?" Salazar asked.

"Oh, I'm Potter, this is Black, that's Snape. Snape's a muggle. One of the only ones in the village. Most of the village likes him, though. Won them all over with that charm of his." He grinned and Snape smirked back.

"M-M-M-" Malfoy attempted to say his name, but he was still awed by Salazar.

"Malfoy, yes I know. And you're Lupin." Salazar's eyes fell to the only boy that looked like he'd rather not be here. He watched Black perk up as his eyes fell on Lupin but chose to ignore it. Lupin nodded.

"I'm Longbottom." A shy looking boy said, who smiled softly at Godric. Godric beamed at him.

"You'll never guess how he got that name." Potter said, and was about to launch into what was probably a story Salazar would spend his life wishing he could forget when Longbottom interrupted him.

"Helga and Rowena sure are pretty. Prettier then the girls in our village." He said.

"Oh no! There's a real pretty girl back at the village. She's so wonderful…" Potter sighed, going off on a daydream of the witch he was thinking about and Black and Snape both shook their heads at him.

"And she thinks he's horrible." Black said, laughing at James' sad sigh. "Besides, I don't think any girls are pretty."

Godric, for the first time, spoke. "Oh, you're into blokes as well, then?" The whole group stared at him with slightly parted mouths and Black nodded slowly.

Typical. Salazar thought.

"It's not uncommon." Salazar said. He had nothing against homosexuals, really, and didn't want any fights to start out over something as trivial as sexuality. They would all be fighting over how the school should be built in due time.

"Especially not in our village." Lupin mumbled to himself and Salazar raised an eyebrow. He sounded almost sad when he said this, but everyone else was busy still being gob smacked by Godric's confession to notice this.

Godric did give Salazar a worried glance, however, and Salazar nodded back at him.

Oooo0000oooO

"Do you think the werewolf is gay as well?" Godric asked as he and Salazar walked along the forest the next day, trying to find a river he swore he heard when he first arrived.

"I don't know, but I doubt that that was why he sounded so sad. I found him in an alley next to a brothel. It could very well be that people took advantage of him." He said and Godric looked positively scandalized.

"Did you see the way Black looked at him? What is he's one of Lupin's 'visitors'? We can't let Black near him, that's horrible! I should…I should-"

"You should mind your own business. I doubt that was the case. Black, Snape, and Potter are young and innocent. They hardly seem malicious." Salazar dodged out of the way of a plant trying to grab at him.

"Unlike this forest." Godric said dryly as an angry bird squawked at him from a low branch.

Salazar chuckled softly. "My my, not always an over excited child, are we?" He asked, and Godric glared at him.

"Of you must know, I'm in a bad mood because last night Longbottom, Malfoy, and some men cornered me and started calling me all sorts of horrible names I don't wish to repeat because of my preference for men." He said stiffly. "And while I know this must amuse you to no end-"

"What? Who were the men? Malfoy and Longbottom are young, but they have no excuse for such behaviors! Speaking that way to the son of Gryffindor, no less!" Salazar was furious. Godric was an idiot, a child, and quite annoying, but his sexuality was hardly a reason to taunt him.

Godric looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, thank you, I guess. But I don't need you to defend me. I'm quite able to do that."

"Oh really? Just because you went on a rage and started slashing people in the battlefield doesn't make you powerful, Godric. Your fame reminds me of a woman with your little waist and hips." Just to piss off an already scandalized looking Godric he reached out, running his hands down Godric's slightly curvy and thin sides. His hands froze on Godric's hips, however, when he realized how intimate the action was. He stared at Godric who was now blushing at him, looking even more like a girl. Their faces were awfully close.

"I hear water." Salazar said and hurried off, leaving Godric standing where he was. He bit down on his lip hard, feeling blood seep over his chin before he composed himself and hurried after Salazar. When Salazar asked about it he said he had simply run into a thorny plant, but Salazar knew what bite marks looked like.

Oooo0000oooO

They found the river nearly an hour of uncomfortable silence later, and not a moment to soon. They were dirty, sweaty, and bloody from the forest, and Salazar immediately began to undress to have a nice wash off before walking back through the forest.

Godric, however, sat down on the edge, took off his boots, and slipped his feet in the water.

"What are you doing? You need a nice cold rinse just as bad as I do." Salazar said and Godric shook his head.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Oh you liar. Come on with it. You look just as bad as me." Salazar rolled his eyes. He was far beyond controlling himself as he had spent all morning walking through a hot forest that attacked him looking for a river he didn't even know existed for sure.

Godric hesitated another moment then undressed as well and slipped in too, a smile forming on his lips as he felt the cool water. He winched when his wound began to bleed from the movement and Salazar sighed. Stupid kid.

He came over and held out his wand, healing the wound. Godric reached up and touched his lower lip then grinned at Salazar. "Thanks."

"No problem. Now wash that blood off." Salazar said, and promptly shoved Godric back into the water.

The boys continued to fight one another for nearly an hour, laughing and splashing and sneaking. Salazar finally announced that they should probably head back and they both got out and began to dress while fixing the tears in their clothes with their wands. When they were both dressed again they headed back, making a path with their wands as they went. It was a slow process, and it was dusk when they finally arrived back.

The sight before them left them in awe.

All day the wizards and few witches had been working on the castle, and two large rooms had been built. They both ran the rest of the way towards it and up the stone steps, stopping in front of wooden doors big enough for a giant to fit through. The doors opened on their own and they walked in. It was wonderful inside. A large fireplace burned off to the side, and the floor was marble. But the room beyond was even more wonderful. He headed towards the entrance of it. All the workers were there, looking at their own handy work proudly. Some had dropped form exhaustion already and were sleeping to recover their magic, but many just sat or stood grinning.

The room was huge, as big as some noblemen's houses! And when he looked up, expecting a finely crafted ceiling, he was met with the night sky, and suddenly he didn't know why everyone was so proud.

"You forgot the ceiling!" Godric cried, and there was an eruption of laughter.

"No, we did not." Slytherin said, walking over to them. "While you two were playing in the forest-" Salazar snorted. Slytherin stopped and turned his sharp gaze at his son. "What was that?"

"We were not playing. We found the river and made a path to it while you were building, father." Salazar said and Slytherin's eyes narrowed. "And we didn't forget half the path, as you have forgotten your ceiling, so I'd say we did fairly well."

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, the ceiling is not forgotten. It is enchanted by a spell of my own to show what the sky outside looks like. A word now, Salazar." He grabbed his son's arm and brought him out of the giant hall. Salazar glanced back and saw Godric giving him a look of pity and his mouth formed into a grin, which Godric matched upon seeing it.

Maybe the child wasn't that bad. He turned to look at his father's angry face and sighed. He was in for it, but he could hardly bring himself to care.