Chapter 7
Salazar was pacing alone in the common room when the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.
Cordelia poked her head round the door.
"Is there news?" he asked.
"No," Cordelia replied with a shake of her head. "I was just coming to ask you the same thing and…"
"And what?" Salazar asked impatiently.
"And to tell you that I've handed in my notice to Godric this morning. I feel so responsible about what happened and, to be perfectly honest, I don't feel safe here any more. If the muggles can break in so easily…"
"Staff leaving will just encourage parents to take the students out of the school," Salazar pointed out.
"I'm sorry," Cordelia said with a sniffle. "I just have to do what I feel best. Tabitha's staying though. She only has another year to go anyway."
Salazar shrugged. Cordelia's niece was the least of his worries and he certainly wasn't going to talk her out of her decision. Things had been difficult for everyone from the moment she'd arrived at the school. Sure, they'd had their fights and arguments before but never like the last few months. It had all gone wrong at the start of September, on the day that Cordelia Disdel had set foot in Hogwarts as the new Ancient Runes Professor.
"Since I'm no longer a member of staff I think I could do with a little shot of that firewhisky that Godric has stored around here for medicinal purposes," Cordelia said with a rueful smile. "Would you like to join me?"
Salazar shook his head.
Cordelia rummaged around in the cupboard and finally produced the bottle. "Are you sure?" she asked as she waved the half empty bottle enticingly in front of him.
"What do you mean you can't find him?" asked Katelyn as Clover the house elf looked worriedly around the room.
"Master Slytherin is gone. Things are gone too. Master Slytherin not in Hogwarts. Clover not know where he is."
"Well he can't have gone far," Helga said.
"What do you mean his things are gone?" Katelyn asked.
"Master Slytherin's personal things from his room. All gone. Empty." Clover edged towards the door as Katelyn hurried from the room.
"What's happening?" Rowena asked weakly from her bed. "Where's Sal?"
"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Helga assured her. "Try to sleep and when you wake up I'm sure he'll be right here at your side."
"Helga's right," Iris said from the other side of the bed. "He can't have gone far."
Rowena closed her eyes and tried to sleep but she wasn't tired. She was too worried. Something was wrong. She didn't know what exactly but something was very wrong and she felt icy cold as she strained to hear the whispered conversations of the others at the far side of the room.
By mid-afternoon Salazar was still nowhere to be found. The castle had been searched from top to bottom. Rowena had even told Katelyn how to access the secret chamber and after receiving a whispered warning about the Basilisk the older woman went to check the only place the rest of the staff could not search. He wasn't there.
"I don't understand it," Helga said. "Why would he just leave? Did you say something else to him last night after he left us?" She turned to Godric who shook his head in response.
"I should return home," Katelyn said. "I'll have been missed many hours ago."
"Maybe Salazar's at your house?" Helga suggested. "He doesn't have any other place to go to. He sold his own house when we decided to live here at the school permanently."
"I don't think he'll have gone home unless…" Katelyn's voice trailed off and she frowned slightly as an uneasy thought crossed her mind.
"Unless?" Godric prompted.
"I was just wondering if maybe he might have thought that his father had something to do with what happened yesterday. I don't see how he could but…"
"But it was a bit of a coincidence that the attack happened just in time to ruin the wedding," Helga finished.
"I'll return home immediately," Katelyn said as she secured her travelling cloak and swept out of the castle. "I'll send word back right away with one of our house elves if Salazar isn't at the manor. If he is there I'll drag him back here myself after I've raked him over the coals for worrying us."
"The rest of the students are returning in a couple of days," Helga said as they walked back to the hospital wing. "We need to sort out the lessons and who's covering what. Rowena's going to be in the hospital wing for at least a couple of weeks and Iris wants to keep Rhys in there for a week too."
"Will Wilbur be able to take over any of their subjects?" Godric asked. "Or will he be unable to teach his own?"
"He can teach Quidditch from the ground without any trouble," Helga replied. "He may take over Potions temporarily as well. As for the rest, I just don't know."
"We need to find someone to cover Ancient Runes as well," Godric said with a frustrated sigh.
"What?" Helga stopped in her tracks.
"Cordelia has handed in her notice and packed her bags. She's leaving us permanently."
"Good riddance," Helga muttered. "Something tells me that without her presence this year might have run a lot smoother than it has done so far. When's she leaving?"
"She said she'd be gone by lunchtime," Godric replied.
"Lunch was hours ago."
"I forgot."
"Me too."
Helga looked out the window as they passed. She hoped that the worst was over and that Salazar would reappear soon.
"There doesn't seem to be as many children as before the holidays," Helga whispered to Godric as they sat down to eat in the Great Hall on the first day of the new term.
"A number of parents have sent owls informing us that they don't want their children to return here because of safety issues," Godric whispered back.
"But so many?" Helga said. "They'll be missing out on so much we can offer them."
"Several of the parents indicated they would be continuing the education with private tutoring. Quite a few have asked for reports on their progress to enable them to see which areas the tutors will need to focus on."
"It sounds like Cordelia will soon be in gainful employment again," Helga muttered.
"I have to admit that thought crossed my mind too."
"What's going on over there?" Helga asked, pointing discreetly to a spot between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables with her knife.
Godric followed her gaze and saw that two of the sixth year Ravenclaw students were sitting backwards on their bench, talking quietly to one of the Slytherin students who was doing likewise. They kept casting glances towards the unusually empty staff table and nudging each other.
"I think they're trying to decide whether to come over here," Helga said quietly.
Sure enough a few moments later two of the three students stood up and started to make their way to the staff table. A hush seemed to fall over the rest of the hall as the other students realised what was happening. It was very rare for a student to approach the staff table at meal times but no one in the room had failed to notice the absences that had yet to be explained.
"Professor Hufflepuff," the first student began. She looked hesitantly at the boy beside her for moral support.
"Yes Lilith," Helga replied in what she hoped was, if not an encouraging tone, then at least a pleasant one.
"We were wondering," Lilith looked at her friend momentarily and faltered. "Well, we couldn't help but notice…"
"We wondered where the rest of the professors are?" Adam, the representative from the Slytherin table interrupted.
"Well Professor Ravenclaw and Professor Lynch are both in the hospital wing," Helga replied. "They're both recovering from accidents over the holidays."
"They're all right though?" Lilith asked worriedly.
"They will be," Helga replied kindly.
"What about Professor Slytherin and Professor Disdel?" Adam asked. "Are they in the hospital wing too?"
"Professor Disdel has left the school for a new teaching post," Helga said with a false smile. "I'm sure we all wish her the best of luck in her new position. Ah it looks like the desserts have just appeared. Why don't you take your seats again?"
Unfortunately the two students remained in their spots, the temptation of the sweet savouries not drawing them back to their seats as Helga had hoped.
"But what about Professor Slytherin?" asked Adam as Lilith nodded that she too wished to know the answer to this question. "Is he with Professor Ravenclaw?"
"Is there anyone in the school who doesn't know about Professors Ravenclaw and Slytherin?" Godric asked with a slight trace of amusement, the first that he'd shown since the day of the wedding.
"No," Helga and the two students in front of them replied in unison.
"Professor Slytherin has been called away," Godric said. "Hopefully he'll be back with us before too long."
"But where's he gone?" Lilith asked.
"I'm afraid that's the personal business of Professor Slytherin," Helga replied. Katelyn's house elf had appeared shortly after she had departed with the news that Salazar was not at the Slytherin family home. Owls had been sent to various friends and colleagues but no one had seen any trace of him since his mysterious disappearance.
"But why would he leave if Rowena…I mean Professor Ravenclaw, especially if she isn't well?" Lilith asked before looking at her equally sceptical friend for backup.
"That doesn't really sound like Professor Slytherin," Adam commented with a frown. "He's never left the school before."
"And he's going to become a father soon," Lilith added. "There's something strange going on here."
"Too right," Adam agreed as he turned back towards the Slytherin table. Lilith followed behind him.
The hush that had fallen over the hall disappeared as Lilith and Adam took their seats and everyone began to discuss what they had heard.
"They're right," Helga whispered to Godric. "There is something strange about all this."
