Title: A Watcher Of Souls

Author: daemon / greensatin

Rating: PG-13

Coupling: GG/SS, SS/Veela, GG/RR, HH/surprise in waiting

Summary: The first in a six part series. A different character tells each story. All are people who changed history. This first part tells the unknown story of the start of Hogwarts. Told by Godric Gryffindor.

Disclaimer: I do not own all Harry Potter characters. Of course, though, I do own this demented plot, and all created leavings.

Warning: May contain volatile precipitation from my mind (such as violence or slash). Proceed with utmost care. If you do not like being rained on, please take your parade to another construction site.

Mind: Godric Gryffindor, with some "interruptions" by Salazar Slytherin

Blurb: Hey people! I only had one very nice person review my prologue! Did it suck THAT much?



uA Watcher Of Souls/u

Chapter One

iDementions Of The Mind/i





iAll that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream./i

- Edgar Allan Poe





*Godric*



A gold-tinted leaf was plucked from a golden tree by the soft silver breeze, and was nestled in the wind's arms as it wantonly floated back and forth, hypnotizing me in it's spell. It drifted serenely to the ground, the first heralder of Fall's Coming. I gazed at the golden leaf, as any one person does when lost in thought's trappings and weavings. Slowly, the daze left me, and I became aware of my surroundings once again.

My gaze wandered and settled on the mountains to the east of where I sat - a grassy hill, to the south large jags of rock leading to a large lake, to the west was a forest that spread widely across the northern and eastern ways also. The forest to the east stretched far, but beyond it was numerous craggy mountains -tall and foreboding - and that was where I was looking.

I found the view from that hill to be quite enchanting. It was clean - untouched. Most people- magic and un-magical alike - had never thought it quite the effort to find a way through the dark forest or across the wide lake to come here. Thus I had thought no one had known about it except me. That was what had drawn my attention to the eastern mountains, which I feel I must mention, were called Dami's Peaks, and the highest - a formidably gloomy and most craggy one, impossible to climb - was called Maruk Wraith, and that was where I spotted the dragon.

It was just coming into sight in the horizon - a small dot that grew imperceptibly larger every moment. Soon I could make out the powerful wings beating in the wind - and after a few frozen moments, I could make out the fine features of both dragon and rider.

The dragon was beautiful. I had never seen in my whole life - which altogether was only a short twenty-three years - a more majestic beast than the dragon coming towards me. It was a very rare and coveted breed - the Avalonian Starback - and I only remembered reading about them in an old scroll. It was a sort of dark greenish, like the forest- but when its' scales hit the light just right it seemed greenish-silver. But the dragon was not the most amazing thing- it was the rider who stunned me.

He, or she, I could not tell at that distance, road like they had been born on a dragon. They seemed almost part of the creature- half-man half-beast. I had never seen a better rider - and that iwasi saying something because I loved watching dragon riders, my brother was a trainer, and we seemed to share the same love of the beasts.

But, even though I was in awe of both rider and dragon, I could feel a sort of anger, like bile, rising up my throat in indignation. How dare he come here! It's imyi sanctuary. How did he know about it anyway?

I could see the faint turn in direction, the leveling off. He was going to land on my hill, and I didn't know what to do. I prayed to the goddess that he hadn't seen me, and blended into the forest trees nearest to me. I would observe his doings and decide what to do from there.



As the dragon swooped down to land I could make out that the rider was a he. I could also see that he was the richest man-or rider- I had ever seen. He was wearing the most expensive iLargh/i I could ever imagine. It was of the smoothest and most comfortable-but still sturdy- black leather. I was sure that it was covered with thousands of little known, but effective, spells. He had on a silver belt low about his hips, studded with emeralds and diamonds. Also, a small dagger hung from it- decorated with smaller emeralds and diamonds and intricately carved with designs. Which ones, I couldn't tell from here. He had on knee-high black boots; the best money could buy. His helmet, though, was old- but in very good condition. It was of high quality. I wondered why he had it on. Then I saw something that shocked me completely. The dragon had on no iAmn/i - which was what dragon riders used to ride their dragons. I had never heard of a rider who would ride without one- that was risking your own life- and as good as this one had.

I then turned my wide eyes back to the rider with awe, to study him more. He was lean, and well built. The iLargh/i hugged him tight, showing a sculpted chest, and the outfit emphasized his small waist. He was of moderate height- not too tall, not too short. After I was done with my inventory, for the moment satisfied, I returned my gaze to his face, still hidden in the shadows of his helmet.

Then he took it off. And, Goddess, how it struck me.

I had been prepared for hideous to cherubic, but in no way had I been prepared for this. There were no words to describe the man on my hill, except, perhaps, one: beautiful. So much as that word was cliché; I couldn't help but think it. It was an ethereal beauty, one of almost perfect innocence. His hair was long; almost down to his waist, falling in soft straight waves of white. His face looked like a carved statue - perfect in all dimensions. A long, aquiline nose, firm lips, and a pale, flawless complexion. There could be no other man more perfect than this one. I swore at that very moment I would use all that was in my power to find out who and what this magnificent man who had invaded my hill, flew and looked like an angel was.

There were numerous questions that ran through my mind: Who is he? What is he doing here? Was he sent to find me? Does he know I'm here? Where did he learn to fly like that?

But right now, I did not know any of the answers to the questions flitting through my head. I resigned myself to watching, waiting for him to make a move.





*Salazar*



I can't quite fathom why, but something- perhaps it was the way the air smelled or how it looked so picturesque - made me come to this hill. I had been flying Morgiana - my dragon - across the land my father owned. It's despicable, really, how much land he owns and he doesn't use it. He says it's to preserve the wildlife, but I say to hell with wildlife. I have to admit, though, now that I'm here I can understand him a little more. It wasn't the wildlife, which was just an excuse. He kept it because it was peaceful. That's what I really wanted right now. Peace. I had rode off on Morgiana to get some from our castle and father and all the precipitous duties that I had, me being what I was. There was something in the air on this hill, and around it. Something that makes you want to roll around in the grass and sing. That's quite sick now that I think about it, and if you ever asked me if I had ever wanted to do that I would call you a crazy bastard and deny it all the way to hell. After scanning around me, I spotted a great Oak that would provide more than enough shade for me and Morgiana to lay in.

"Come on, Morgiana. Let's go over there, and then you can have a snack. Does that sound all right?" I whispered in her ear. She snorted and followed me over to the Oak.

//I hope you brought some raw meat, Salazar. I don't want to have to catch my own lunch. // Morgiana sarcastically said in mind-speech. That was a gift of mine. Dragons were able to understand me, and I could hear them speak in my mind. It was a gift not many had. I can also speak to lower dragons, even though they can't mind-speak.

"Don't worry. I remembered that fiasco with father's sheep." I replied.

//It was his fault I burnt half of them! // She defended herself.

"No matter. I brought some deer." I sighed internally, remembering how livid father was.



*i She cost me a fortune! You should be able to handle her! /i *



//Good. //

After we reached the Oak, I took out the deer that I had shot just yesterday and flung it at Morgiana. She caught it neatly with her teeth, and proceeded to eat it. I myself hadn't worked up an appetite yet today, so I laid down with my arms propped behind my head and fell blissfully into a deep, comfortable sleep.













Author's Notes:

iLargh/i is a sort of Dragon Rider's Uniform. It consists of a sort of leather outfit spelled against fire and destruction, so the rider will be safe. There is also a helmet that protects the rider against stinging winds on their faces at the high altitude and speed.

An iAmn/i is a sort of saddle for dragons. I didn't want to sound disrespectful, so I came up with a name. If anyone has seen Dinotopia- it's like the ones that you use to ride Skybax.

Note that places in this story will not have the same name as they do in the Harry Potter books. Goddess save JK Rowling, but I have changed some of the key places surrounding the soon-to-be Hogwarts.

Also, some of the wizarding terms that magic-using people use in the Harry Potter books will not all be the same- and neither will the rules. Such as Muggles- this "name" for non-magic peoples does not exist in this story. Neither does the rule of magical creatures not being able to be seen. Remember- where did all the tales of dragons and unicorns come from? They had to have traveled freely sometime in the past.

Dragons in early Norse mythology were commonly referred to as snakes. These myths support the theory that dragons in some way were related and even slightly resembling snakes in early times. They then evolved (longer legs, shorter body, finer features, etc.) to what we know as dragons today. Salazar, when he speaks of the Lower Dragons, he is referring to snakes.