Chapter 9 To the Deep North

It's hard to tell day or night when you live in the North Land in the summer. After the harvest time, the day time was getting shorter and shorter, still you could enjoy the midnight sun. Asta glanced at the cradle where her baby was peacefully sleeping. She had counted the days since her husband had gone. He would have been back to her and his daughter after his adventure to the west. Though three months had already passed, her husband and his crews didn't come back. The other wives had worried that the ship had sunk already.

She missed her husband who used to make wooden accessories. His friends were good at making metal weapons. She heard that there were some battles in the west lands and the people there wanted the metal weapons the Vikings were adept at. Her husband, Berno could make a wooden ship. His intention of the journey to the west was to appeal his ability to make the ship to the kings there.

When she went outside of the house, Ide walked up to her.

"May I come in? I came to ask you something. Have you had milk from the goat I brought for you?"

"Yes, I have. I can feed my baby thanks to your kindness." Asta smiled at her friend and let her in.

Ide sat down at a wooden table near the hearth and said, "This is a beautiful table. Berno is genius. I guess you and your baby are healthy, then…" she hesitated to continue her words.

"Tell me anything you want. I'll do anything for your kindness, Ide." She urged her to speak.

Ide stared at Asta's green eyes.

"I heard a rumor about you. About your ability to see the things in the mirror." Searching for the response in her eyes, Ide continued, "I won't tell anybody about your ability, if you could please tell me what happened to the ship."

Asta's face turned to pale. "Who told you about it?"

"Don't be freaked out. Only women in the village know it. They won't divulge information to the chieftain." She gave Asta a reassuring smile. "I heard from Nana Odett that your power to see things got weaken after your child was born. She advised me to give my goat for your baby. Now you and your baby look healthy. I guess you can use your power now."

They stared at each other for a while. Finally Asta spoke,

"Okay, I'll do it, if you promise you won't tell what you see to anybody."

"I won't. But an emergency happens, you must tell what you see to the chieftain. I mean I'm afraid we will need help to rescue our men."

Ide's husband, Cian was a metal craftsman. He had ambition to sell his products to people in the west lands like Berno. They went on a journey together. As Cian was Berno's best mate, Ide was the closest friend to her. The chieftain hated magic. Asta was afraid to be punished for using her power.

Ide sensed her worry and added, "We will protect you, Asta. Nana Odett will protect you."

At last, Asta stood up and took her to her bedroom. There was a covered mirror on the wall. Those who couldn't use magic, they could see only their faces on the mirror. For Asta, the mirror showed the things the ordinary people couldn't see. She pulled off the cloth embroidered with spiral patterns on it.

"It's beautiful. Did you make it?" Ide asked her.

"Yes. I thought of selling the cloth I made, but my child was born, so you know?"

"Yeah, you got busier with caring your baby."

Asta folded the cloth three times and put it on her bed. Then she concentrated on the mirror. She stared at the center of it intensely. Soon the surface began swirling and she saw a scene.

Two Vikings looked relaxed and began singing. A hooded man served food and wine and promised them to give a lot of money for their wooden and metal crafts. The one was blonde haired Berno and the other was brown haired Cian. The hooded man took them to a mountain filled with Dark Magic. He had fellow wizards. They cast the Imperio Curse on the two Vikings and Berno and Cian had been forced to make an enormous ship and weapons.

Asta muttered, "Let me see where they are, mirror!"

The mountain got smaller and smaller and the scenery turned into ridges and soon they merged into an inlet where the Viking ship, which was familiar to her, was anchored.

Asta had seen the inlet before her baby was born. Nana Odett had asked her to see where her husband was and Asta had consulted with the magical mirror once. Odett's husband, Blaise had narrowly escaped from abduction, Asta assumed that it might be the same wizard who abducted Berno and Cian. From Blaise's story, the inlet was located to the south of their north land. She wished Blaise could still guide to the inlet. She made up her mind and spoke,

"We need to tell this to the chieftain. Our men are in great danger."

The chieftain of Gandalfr clan, Ivaldi stroked his ginger red beard and said,

"You say the Dark Wizard abducted our men? I don't like it." Ivaldi hated magic. The part of his surname "Gandr" meant witchcraft. It was obvious that his ancestors could use magic. But he couldn't use magic. As he suspected, a few of them could use magic, at least, a woman in front of him seemed to have the ability. He was very jealous of it.

"You have hidden that you could use magic for years. The crime is heavy. Do you have any reasons to hide your secret?" Ivaldi asked Asta keeping his dignity.

"Forgive me, Sir. I didn't have any intention to disturb you. I'd like to save my husband and his crews." Asta bowed deeply.

Silver braided Odett coughed lightly and spoke,

"Ivaldi, don't use haughty words. Our men are in danger. Send the ship and rescue them."

Ivaldi retorted,

"But Nana Odett, we don't know how to fight back. They use Dark Magic. What if more men were cursed by Dark Magic?"

Nana Odett spoke,

"I have an idea. I know a man from Scotland. He is a wizard. Don't punish Asta. If you send her to the dungeon, our men will never come back. And I'll tell you the truth. Your mother was also a powerful witch. Come, Asta. We will send a message to the Scottish wizard."

Odett and Asta went out of the gathering place leaving very astounded Ivaldi.


The mane of Kelpie looked like seaweeds. The water dropped from the tip of hair and she waited for Salazar to ride on. He spoke,

"Hey, will you take me to the deep north?"

The Kelpie neighed loudly and her back appeared from the water. Salazar made up his mind and jumped into the back. He grabbed the mane to poise right himself and kicked the flank. She neighed again and dived into the water world. Salazar cast non-verbal magic around himself for waterproof. It was easy for him to stay in the water since he had the serpent characteristics. In the water world, everything looked peaceful unrelated to the brutal battles on the land. The sea animals swam elegantly and the other magical creatures danced joyfully playing with the bubbles. All of them passed by Salazar and the Kelpie without interest in them. He liked their indifference as he could concentrate on his plan.

Godric and Salazar discussed the way to stop the interference from the dark wizards of the continent. Their conclusion was that they should contact with one Viking witch who lived in the north. She was said to be the most generous and powerful witch among her kind. He was afraid that the enemy's side had already contacted with her. It was nearly a gamble. But they needed her support to protect their kind from the threat of the continent. To his surprise, it was a coincidence that Odett, Ivaldi's grandmother sent Salazar a message to visit the North Land. They thought of visiting there together once, but they changed the plan being afraid of more threats coming to Britannia. So Godric stayed in Scotland with Rowena and Helga to protect their kind. If Godric's memory were right, the powerful Viking witch's name might be Braga or Bragi. Salazar was irritated when it took much longer for Godric to remember the name, still then he couldn't point which was right.

"She may be Braga. Bragi sounds male, don't you think?" Salazar talked to the Kelpie who was now ascending the water to the surface. He felt the temperature of the water drop. They were near the Nordic sea. Soon the fjord coast line was seen like the Gothic architecture in front of him. It seemed to be hard to climb each cliff. He thanked for the Kelpie. Without the magical creature, he wouldn't be able to reach the hidden Viking village. From the back of the Kelpie, the harbor came into focus like a magnificent picture the Druidic artist drew for their kings and princesses. The slim body of the Viking ship was beautiful against the skyscraping cliffs. The waves winked sometimes like bright blue quartz lit in the sunlight. From the deck, silver braid of an old witch could be seen. Salazar said to the Kelpie,

"Get closer to the ship, my friend."

Swimming confidently, the Kelpie got closer to the ship. She sped up to the stern and she gradually rose from the surface of the water, when Salazar jumped from her back to the deck.

"The creature is Kelpie, isn't it?" Odett asked Salazar.

"Yes, she has a kind heart. I had a good journey." Dripping water, he cast drying charm upon him.

"Your father is from Cambridge but your mother is from Scotland. That's why you are adept at treating the sea magical creature. The Kelpies reside near Scottish and the Nordic area." Odett beckoned him to descend the stairs to the bottom.

"My mother died when I was a toddler. I inherited the serpent characteristics from my father's side. It has been inherited through the Slytherins. The water snake's magic, you know?"

"Interesting." She beamed and urged him to sit down on a wooden chair by the hearth.

"So where is your daughter, may I ask?" Salazar stared at Odett.

Odett's face expression changed to sadness. "Braga is missing or may be dead."

"I am very sorry to hear that. Did anyone abduct her?"

"I can't tell you. Even Asta, who could find my husband, couldn't find her. I heard about your people suffering. Danish Vikings are so ambitious. I know why you came here. I swear our kind, Swedish Vikings never invaded your land. If Braga were alive, she would say the same thing to you."

Salazar was disappointed to know the most generous and powerful Viking witch had been missing. Odett continued speaking,

"I apologize we can't give you help. Moreover, I have a favor to ask you. Our men have been missing. Perhaps, Danish dark wizards kidnapped them. Please release them from the dark wizards."

"Do you think Braga is still alive?"

"I feel she is alive somewhere. But she hasn't sent us any messages. I am afraid that they might kill her or she was in the jail. Please find their secret base of operations. Our men and my daughter must be there."

"Alright. I'll help you and your people. I need to contact the Slytherins in Coimbra." He gave her a reassuring smile. He was determined to face his father's relatives again. Since Salazar became the heir of Slytherins in Cambridge after his father died, he had never visited Coimbra. He was sure his relatives would support him in the end under the circumstances that tons of kidnapping were happening, ignoring their discord in the past. He uttered, "So many things to do." It seemed to take much longer before he would begin the political plot in Britannia. He needed his reliable relatives who would work for him.

Rowena and Helga decided to choose the right forest to teach the children about the wand lore. The problem was that dangerous magical creatures were lurking even in the daytime. Before they would take them to the forest, they needed to research the safest spot. Godric volunteered for the hard work. He consulted with the Druidic warlocks and they made a map of safety zones in the forest.

Godric looked back to the castle. From the hill where they gathered around Rowena, it looked small.

"We need extending. Soon there will be flooded with the children."

"I agree with you. I'll ask the other clans to carry more stones to Hogwarts." Rowena stared at the pinnacle. Inside the castle of Hogwarts, they were safe. The children came to control their magic at will under the guidance of Godric. Still some of them suffered from nightmare of the attack by the Vikings. Thanks to Helga's profound knowledge of the magical herbs, Rowena could brew some effective potions to calm their panic. She missed Salazar. His absence let her work harder than before. She tried to forget loneliness at night, but she sometimes couldn't resist doing animagi, transforming into a raven and flying over the ocean to Salazar. As though Helga read her mind, she began singing.

I wish I were a raven in Britannia

Only for the night in Galicia

I would swim over the deepest ocean

To the deep north ocean

To where you wait for me…

One of the Druidic warlocks pulled out a small harp and played along with her. It was bitter and sweet melody. Rowena managed to stop dropping the tears from her eyes.

"It is a beautiful song. You should better heal the children with music."

"I'll try more cheerful ones for them. How about letting them compete each other with making funny lyrics for the songs?" Helga smiled brightly.

"A good idea. Do it, Helga." Rowena beamed at her.

"Let's go back to the castle. It's no wise to stay here for a long time. We must strengthen the protecting charm around the ward tomorrow." Godric got tense hearing an eerie cry from the distance. The Druidic warlocks pulled their wands and began casting the shield charm upon them.

"It is a dragon. A mother dragon. We should apparate back to the children. Now!" Godric gave a command and they vanished one by one before a Common Welsh Green glided over the hill.


A/N: Thanks to Oregonian, Nim and Paula, I could write a new chapter.