A Step Back to You
"So that's the dormitories seen to, the house feast in part preparation and having been discussed, to be finished tomorrow, store cupboards stocked, portkeys prepared for tomorrow's use…" I muttered to myself, crossing things off my list. I could feel my mind buzzing with excitement and in preparing everything all my skills as a tavern keeper and the mistress of an orphanage had come into use. I adored being kept busy and Rowena had sworn that no sooner had she seen me on one side of the castle, she would turn a corner and I would be on the other side. Godric for all his bravado had still looked a little nervous, though I wagered it was more to do with him making a good and grand impression. Salazar had remained quiet throughout the days leading up to the opening of Hogwarts, his brow cut into lines of worry, his mouth a thin, line of displeasure. He seemed so wrapped up in his worries that one night I had made my way to his study.
"Come in," I was not surprised he was not in his bedroom. As I opened the door the light from the corridor shone across his desk, where he sat reading a heavy book. He barely glanced at me when I walked in and closed the door behind me.
"Salazar?" I asked and he gave a grunt in response. I rolled my eyes and taking a scrap of paper from the desk, marked the place in his book and yanked it away from him. He opened his mouth in surprised, before scowling and then smirking at me.
"So this is what happens when I do not pay enough attention to you?" he grinned.
"This is but the very beginning of what will happen if you do not pay me enough attention." I said, then after he looked temptingly towards his book I asked, "May I sit on your lap?"
He laughed, warm and sweet to my ears. "Like a common tart?"
I glared at him, then sat in his lap, "This common tart may leave if you so abuse her affections."
He put his arms round my hips and pulled me closer, "I would never do such a thing to my mistress peasant."
I grumbled under my breath about being called such a name, but he gave a small chuckle and pulled my head down to kiss me. His hand surreptitiously cupped my breast and I gave a small mew of pleasure into his mouth, desiring to feel his fingers dip down into the material over my breasts. I pressed closer to him, feeling his body respond to my obvious desire. He stopped the kiss.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
I pouted, "I would have thought that was obvious."
He hid his smile and gently rubbed my thigh, "But for other matters too, I gather? You seem concerned for me."
I carefully smoothed away the frown lines on his forehead, my fingers skimming over a small amount of stubble on his cheeks.
"Helga?" he growled and I pulled my hand away, then rested my head on his shoulder my eyes still gazing up at him.
"You are worried about something, won't you tell me?"
He let out a sigh and pressed his cheek against my forehead, "I cannot."
"Cannot or will not?"
Salazar smirked at that, "Will not, I suppose."
"If I begged you, would you tell me?"
"If you begged me? I would be far less likely to tell you, Helga, were you to demean yourself like that."
We sat in silence for a while; Salazar flicked his wand at the fireplace and pale blue flames flickered in the grate by the red and gold ones.
"You do not match yours to the real ones?" I asked, he shrugged.
"Why bother?"
"Mm…I suppose it comes from living with muggles, blue flames are hard to explain away."
I felt his body tense and I glanced up at his face, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." he muttered.
"Salazar?"
"I won't tell you, if you keep pestering me." he said angrily, then got up from the seat and paced over to the fire. I swallowed as he glared furiously into the flames and his face looked so pale and harsh in the strange, eerie blue firelight.
"There is a family of muggles," he spat out the last word like it was poison, "on my father's land…he wants them to meet with an accident."
"Salazar you can't." I cried.
"I know I can't." he slammed his fist onto the mantelpiece, "But my father insists on it."
"Disobey him then."
"And how shall I explain why the muggles still linger on his land?"
I opened my mouth, then balefully shut it. Salazar's cold eyes regarded me.
"See, not even you can think of anything. Should I tell Rowena or Godric they will think it my wish, my perverse pleasure."
"Can they be persuaded to leave of their own accord?"
Salazar snorted in contempt, "To my father a dead muggle is the only kind there can ever be."
I nervously licked my lips and watched as Salazar turned his head away, his gaze upon the fire once more. I got up from the seat and walked round the desk to be behind him; I carefully wrapped my arms around his chest and pressed mine against his back. I felt his body relax and then he turned to face me.
"To bed, I have no desire to speak of this anymore. Come to my bed?"
I nodded and he tenderly cupped my face. Salazar's gaze shifted for a moment and then looked back to mine.
"I think I…you are important."
It was enough for me, I kissed him and we went to bed. Afterwards, he rested his head on my shoulder and I stroked through the dark mop of hair, this was a Salazar I had never seen before and I doubted Godric and Rowena had ever seen this Salazar either. He held onto me so tightly as though he would lose me, yet his expression remained so near to fear and weakness I knew I would never let him go.
We had found as many wizarding families as possible, but it was almost impossible to find any wizard or witches from muggle families. We all knew of what dangers that could lead to and it was more likely that those young witches and wizards would be killed by the Church. Rowena was still trying to find out a way they could be found without alarming their families or their neighbours. We were well aware of how often young children were abandoned because of the talents they had. And if neighbours or authority figures heard of a witch or wizard in the town it was more likely to end up with a death or several.
"All children should have the chance to learn, the chance of knowledge." Rowena muttered over a long list containing the new students' names.
"But they need safety too, Ro. We'll find a way to help them some day."
She smiled softly at me.
We needed every bit of help in getting the students from the meeting places to Hogwarts, apparating to the porkeys proved easy, ensuring everyone was there with their belongings and then guiding them up to the castle was not so much. There was a mixture of excitement and nerves, with several students being sick as soon as they arrived on the forest pathway. As an adult was always needed to ensure order within the castle, Maxence and some his guards, Lord Gryffindor and Gwaine Gryffindor and Alys were assisting with guiding the students to the Great Hall and even fetching some from the portkey places. I was more than relieved when Salazar's father did not appear; Salazar told me that his father was busy abroad.
"He will be missed." I said, when Salazar and I were alone together in the entrance hall; he had a moment to spare to wolf down some food and speak to me a while.
Salazar snickered, "Don't try to lie Helga, it doesn't suit you."
"Like lifting my chin up because I have a round face?" I said. Salazar smirked and brought his mouth closer to my ear, his body only slightly pressed against mine, but making my whole body tingle with longing.
"Ah but it is a very beautiful round face and I particularly like seeing it when I've got my cock buried inside you and have your chest pressed against mine, with that hot, delicious look in your eyes…that's what I like best about it, except when you blush, like now for instance." he smirked and I scowled.
"You are a beast."
"Only when I'm in your bed." he murmured and my face flushed scarlet in remembering nights and even occasional hours during the day of heady pleasure; Salazar gave a low chuckle. "Speaking of which, that is exactly where I expect to find you after this is finished."
I gaped at him, while he gave me a quick bow, the arrogant smile plastered all over his face and walked back outside. I was glad I had a moment to calm myself down a little and straighten my dress, before Rowena walked out of the Great Hall and caught sight of me.
"Goodness Helga, you look awfully flustered, are you ill?"
"No…no…Just Salazar being stupid as usual." I muttered and Rowena shook her head and smiled sympathetically.
"Don't let him get to you." she said and gave me a pat on the arm, then turned and continued in the same direction as Salazar.
'You can talk,' I thought to myself, remembering her anger at him for making some crass remark about the French.
A/N: This one is shorter on average than some of my other chapters, but that's because I've written the Sorting ceremony/Feast as well and it's much too long for one chapter, so I've split them into two. Thank you to my lovely reviewers, including:
Zeesmuse - Was really imagining a 'certain someone' when writing Salazar's dialogue, especially in the last bit! Horny guy! ;)
isy092 - Love writing this story, Helga is turning out to be one of my favourite characters to write
missdarcymedbh - Me too! Thank you so much. I couldn't find any real meaty (pardon the very gross pun) Salazar/Helga fanfic, so I wrote my own.