Thanks! Lots of thank you-s and a lot of hugs to Seldes Katne for beta-reading Hearts and Hourglasses before it's posted on Sugar Quill! She's a wonderful person and a fantastic beta-reader!
Reminder: Godric's alias is Godfrey. Salazar's is Sextus. Rowena's is
Rachel. Helga's is Hannah. Rowena cast a spell so that everyone who hears them
will hear them referring to each other by their aliases, but to their own ears,
they hear each other's real names. It's a complicated spell.
Hearts and Hourglasses
Chapter 26: Wvelte
The next few days passed by swiftly. At least it seemed that way to Harry. He spent his evenings in Wvelte with Ron, Hermione, Draco and with the Founders. Somehow, it felt natural.
It had become habitual for the boys to join Godric and Salazar for an evening bath after their chore of book transferring was done. The older wizards didn't seem to mind at all, and it turned out that the bathrooms in Wvelte were more complex than they looked.
"Since it's the middle of the week," Godric told them on Wednesday evening as they entered the bathroom, "we'll have a full bath."
Harry and Ron looked at him with puzzled expressions. Draco's face was unreadable. Salazar went to the cabinets and took out five large white towels. He tossed a towel to each of them before taking off his robes and wrapping his towel around his lower torso. Godric did the same before walking towards the wall opposite to the mirror and cabinets.
Harry jumped when the entire marble surface of the wall glowed at Godric's
approach. The smooth white material began to shimmer and to warp. Then, the
wall melted away in two areas and left archways which were high and wide enough
for even Hagrid to go under easily.
"Is the Caldarium hot, Godfrey?" asked Salazar even as white wisps
of smoke began to waft into the room from the first arch. "Ah," said
the Dark wizard, "It is."
Godric looked approving and turned to Harry and others. "Get ready now, Harry, Ron," he said to them.
After a moment's hesitation, Harry and Ron began taking off their robes. Draco was already prepared, and he walked over to Salazar who told Godric that he and Draco would go ahead. Godric nodded, and Salazar and Draco went inside the Caldarium.
Tucking his towel around his waist, Harry glanced at Ron, who looked a little uneasy. Harry felt nervous too. What in the world was a Caldarium? He was about to ask Ron if he knew what it was when Godric gestured at them to hurry up.
Harry quickly found out what a Caldarium was. A few steps from the archway opening, a blast of hot air hit him full force in the face. A Caldarium was a steam room.
When He, Ron and Godric passed underneath the arch, Harry saw that the Caldarium was a spacious room whose walls, floors and ceiling were made up entirely of white marble again. Positioned high on the walls were small square windows, which let out some of the steam and heat, though not much. It was boiling hot inside the room.
There was another archway on the left wall, leading no doubt to the second room. The floor in the Caldarium was recessed twice. It looked like an empty shallow swimming pool. Salazar and Draco were sitting at the far end of the pool from them.
Godric guided them to where the others were, and they sat down on the floor. Harry chose to sit on the pool's lower step, letting his legs dangle over the side. He was already sweating a lot and saw that Salazar was leaning against the wall with his head tilted back, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open. He was breathing deeply. Sweat dripped slowly and steadily down his face, which was red from the heat.
Draco was also red, his usually pale skin was all flushed up. He was sitting on the same level as Harry and was leaning forward with his hands on his knees. Like Salazar, his eyes were closed, and he was breathing hard. Harry noticed how Draco's silver hair as well as Salazar's stood out starkly when compared to their rosy complexions.
This was Harry's first time in a steam room. He'd first heard about steam rooms from his Uncle Vernon, who was a member of men's club of some sort. Or was it a health club? Harry wasn't certain, but whatever club it was didn't do his uncle's health much good. Uncle Vernon loved steam rooms, claiming they were the best form of exercise.
No doubt, because he doesn't have to do anything, thought Harry, who was starting to feel weak from the heat. Sitting on the level higher than Harry, Ron leaned against the wall like Salazar while Godric followed a posture similar to Draco's. There wasn't much conversation as the steam stole away their energy.
By the time they headed to the next room, Harry never wanted to go inside a steam room again. He was exhausted, uncomfortable and parched. He even felt dizzy. It was like he just had a grueling Quidditch practice when all he had done was sit down inside a hot room.
"Let's go," murmured Godric, who looked as drained as Harry. As Harry stepped towards the archway, Draco overtook him and disappeared into the next room. Harry heard a splash followed by a cry. Surprised and concerned, Harry hurried after Draco and saw the other boy up to his neck in a pool of water.
Someone else passed Harry, and he was surprised to see Ron do a running dive into the swimming pool. Icy, wonderful freezing cold water splashed against Harry as Ron yelled with relief. Seconds later, Harry joined Ron and Draco.
"This is heaven..." Ron breathed out, and Harry agreed whole-heartedly. The chilly water was sheer delight after being in the hot humid steam room. Even Draco nodded at Ron's comment.
"Move over." Harry looked up and behind to see Godric standing on the edge of the pool. He quickly moved over, and the other wizard lowered himself into the water with a sigh of pleasure. Salazar was quicker, jumping feet first into the cold water and splashing water on everyone.
When they came out of the room, which was called the Frigidarium, Harry was bouncing on the balls of his feet. The delirium he had experienced after being in the Caldarium had vanished entirely, and he was thoroughly invigorated after the dip in icy waters. Harry felt so good he now understood why his uncle was so fond of steam rooms.
"Whose turn is it?" Harry heard Salazar ask Godric, who answered, "Your turn. I did it the last time."
"Lucky them then," chuckled Salazar, and all three boys looked at the Founders with similar curious expressions, wondering what the two older wizards were talking about.
Cracking his knuckles, Salazar walked over to the center of the main bathroom. Harry blinked and squeezed his eyes tight close before staring again. The pool that had been in the center of the room was gone. Instead there was a marble top table and two low benches made of the same material.
Salazar turned to look at them. He tilted his head slightly towards the marble table and said, "Who wants to be first?"
Harry stilled. ... First? First for what? he thought, feeling very bewildered.
"Come now," said Salazar lightly, green eyes twinkling and his lips curved in an easy smile, "it will just be a quick rubdown. There's not enough time for me to give each of you a thorough massage."
Harry almost fell over. Ron stumbled back in sheer surprise. Draco, after a several moments, stepped forward.
***
"I don't believe this," Harry heard Ron mutter under his breath. He and Ron were sitting together on one of the benches while Godric occupied the opposite bench. Harry nodded, his eyes turning back to Draco who was lying stomach down on the marble table.
Draco's face was turned towards them, his left cheek pressed flat against the marble surface. His eyes were closed, and he looked tensed and uncertain. Harry spared a thought of sympathy for the other boy though he was feeling uneasy himself. Godric had suggested that he take his turn after Draco.
Salazar was pouring a thick viscous substance from a flask into his hand. He put the bottle down and placed his left hand on Draco's back. Draco flinched, and Salazar leaned down to whisper something into his ear. His voice was too low for Harry to hear what he was saying, but whatever Salazar said made Draco relax.
Salazar began spreading the oil liberally over Draco's back and his shoulders. His movements were quick and certain, and his hands looked skillful as he began kneading Draco's muscles. Harry glanced at Salazar's face and was startled to see a look of warm affection.
Harry was suddenly distracted as Godric stood up and walked towards him and Ron. He looked up at Godric just as the other wizard stopped in front of them. Godric looked as though he had something important to say, but before he could speak, Harry stood up respectfully and offered his seat to Godric, whose eyes gleamed with warmth at Harry's courtesy.
Ron was about to stand up too, but Godric's hand fell on his shoulder and stopped him. Ron looked uncomfortable when Godric settled beside him on the bench. Godric squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and that helped to lessen Ron's anxiety.
"I need to ask the two of you a favor," said Godric. He looked neither at Harry nor Ron.
"What is it, Sir?" Harry asked after a moment's pause.
Clear brown eyes glanced at Harry, and Godric smiled, saying. "After we leave, we would like the four of you to take care of Wvelte."
Harry's stomach clenched with pain at the thought of the Founders leaving, and Ron didn't like it either.
"Sir," said Ron in a steady voice, his eyes staring hard at Godric, who looked towards him. "The four of you don't have to leave, at least not so soon." Then, Ron paused, swallowing a little before continuing. "You can all stay in this time as long as you want."
But Godric shook his head. "No," he replied softly, "The past shouldn't meddle with the present. We will leave when the Source in the Sorting Hat is exhausted."
"But-"
"It will be harder to leave the longer we stay here," continued Godric, cutting off Harry's and Ron's protests. "This isn't something I will change my mind on," he finished bluntly, and Harry and Ron looked at each other helplessly.
Ignoring the silent plea in their faces, Godric changed the topic. "We would like the four of you to take care of Wvelte," he repeated again. His strict demeanor softened when he saw how much they wanted for them to stay, but his face soon hardened again. Harry finally realized how serious Godric was about this matter. His stubbornness rivaled and may even outmatch Salazar's.
"Why don't you just let the Headmaster and the professors take care of Wvelte?" Ron asked. He looked as disappointed as Harry about Godric's decision to leave.
Realizing that the boys had stopped pressuring him, Godric relaxed. "The Pentacle will only allow certain people to enter Wvelte." When Ron looked confused, Godric quickly explained, "There is a security measure in the main hall outside. If someone came into Wvelte without me or Salazar or Rowena or Helga accompanying him or waiting for him in the hall, he'd be sent back down immediately."
Harry nodded, remembering the first time he had seen the Pentacle. That had been when Godric had given him his lion pin.
Godric continued talking. "Our real selves left Wvelte as it was for us, their memories. That was done so we would have a place to go to in case the present didn't turn out as well as we had hoped. Fortunately, that wasn't the case." Pride lit his eyes. "Everything has turned out even better than we had ever dreamed and hoped for."
Harry and Ron smiled. How would it feel to know that something you had created lasted for more than a thousand years? The feeling of worth must be immeasurable.
"We're very glad the four of you are here, Sir," said Harry softly, and Ron added, "We're very lucky that you're all back here at Hogwarts."
Godric looked abashed at their words.
"Who's next?" They turned to Salazar who was helping Draco to sit up on the table. Draco looked sleepy, and he stumbled when he jumped down from the table. Salazar kept him from falling by grabbing his shoulder.
"You're next, Harry," said Godric. "Ron and Draco can tell you later what I will tell them."
***
It was strange to consider Draco as part of their group, but they were a group now, he, Harry, Ron and Hermione. The Founders wanted them to be Wvelte's caretakers after they left.
"Lady Ravenclaw said they would train us each evening," Hermione said to the boys. The four of them were seated at a secluded table in the library. Fortunately, fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had no classes in the period just before lunchtime on Thursday mornings.
"Any idea on how they'll train us?" asked Ron, who was seating beside her. "Lord Gryffindor only told us that the Pentacle had to get used to us."
Harry looked thoughtful. "We've been spending our evenings in Wvelte. Maybe we just have to spend a lot of time up there."
"I doubt it," said Draco expressionlessly, and Ron and Hermione glanced at him suspiciously. But they didn't rebuke his comment, and like Harry, they hadn't had any reason lately to dislike Draco.
***
On Thursday evening, they assembled at the main hall in Wvelte. Ron and Hermione were startled when they saw the engraved pattern of the Pentacle began to glow when Godric knelt down and placed his hand on the floor. Draco, who was standing beside Salazar, didn't looked surprise, and Harry decided that Salazar had probably shown the Pentacle to Draco just as Godric had shown it to Harry before.
Harry watched attentively as Godric stood up and walked to the center of the hall. He stopped right in the middle of the Pentacle, and the surface of its pentagon-shaped center lit up and flared brighter than the already glowing lines of the five-pointed star.
A pillar of light suddenly shot up from the floor and engulfed Godric. Harry barely bit back a strangled cry and was about to run to him when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked back to see Rowena give him a reassuring smile.
When Harry looked back, the column of light had lessened in intensity, and they could see Godric through it. Then Godric's voice rang out clear and strong, saying a name.
"Thomas Aquinas." The name echoed soulfully in the hall and barely had ended when a man appeared in front of Godric.
Harry stared at the newcomer. He was tall and slender man with thick black hair and warm blue eyes, and he looked like a monk. He had a tonsure and wore rough brown robes. Harry remembered that Thomas Aquinas had been the architect magician who had designed Wvelte. This must be a memory of the wizard.
As the light surrounding Godric died, Thomas said, "Hello, Godric, it's been a long time. I must say you look much younger now."
Godric smiled. "Hello Thomas, and you look the same as ever."
"Why, thank you." Thomas grinned then his expression turned blank, and he said tonelessly, "What can I do for you, Godric?"
Godric seemed to be saddened by Thomas' abrupt change in demeanor. Then, he shook his head slightly and gestured for Harry to come towards them.
When Harry reached Godric's side, Godric introduced him to Thomas, whose face became animate again. He shook Harry's hand, saying he was very pleased to meet him. Then much to Harry's shock, Thomas asked Godric if Harry was his son.
Harry's face heated with embarrassment while Godric told Thomas that he was just one of his students.
"Oh. My mistake," said Thomas, looking slightly embarrassed. Then again, he turned expressionless and once again asked Godric what he could do for him.
Harry looked up to Godric, puzzled by Thomas' quick changes. He was about to ask Godric about it when the other wizard shook his head at Harry and told Thomas that he wanted the Pentacle to recognize Harry.
Thomas nodded stiffly and asked Harry to prepare himself. Godric told Harry to relax before leaving him to stand in the center of the Pentacle alone. Before Harry could compose himself, blinding light surrounded him.
When his sight cleared, he found himself standing in a circle of light. In front of him, at eye level, was a golden cross suspended in mid-air. Harry stared at the cross, wondering if he should take it. Then, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and Harry whirled around to see a bloody pentagram floating behind him.
An instant later, it was gone, and Harry was standing in the center of the Pentacle in Wvelte's main hall.
***
"Can you tell me more about Thomas Aquinas, Sir?" Harry asked Godric softly. At the center of the hall, Rowena was introducing Hermione to Thomas.
Godric glanced at Harry, his eyes sad, then looked away. Harry felt uncomfortable for bringing up a subject that was obviously unpleasant to Godric. But Harry's mind was still caught by what he had seen in that circle of light, and when he described it to Godric, the other wizard kept quiet with a frozen look on his face.
"Thomas Aquinas was Muggle-born." Harry glanced at Salazar, who had uttered the statement and who was giving the memory Thomas a rather fixed look. There was quiet dislike in Salazar's expression.
"Sextus," Helga said with exasperation, "I do wish you would stop judging people by their blood."
Salazar shrugged, replying, "Muggle-borns are foolish and easily tricked."
Harry saw that Ron was red with anger and looked ready to retort, but before he could, Godric started talking.
"Thomas Aquinas was Muggle-born," said Godric, closely repeating Salazar's words, but unlike Salazar, he said them with fondness. "We first met Thomas at the first All Hallows' Eve feast in Hogwarts. He overheard us talking about constructing an additional wing to the castle to serve as our private residence and immediately approached us and introduced himself as an architect."
Harry noticed that Salazar's expression was one of irritation as Helga continued with an amused smile. "We were skeptical of Thomas-"
"Though we had to admire the amount of gall he had," interrupted Salazar in a very dry tone of voice. Godric chuckled and continued, "He asked us to give him at least a fortnight to draw up the plans. He was so eager and passionate about designing our home for us that we decided to give him the time he requested." Godric shook his head slightly, his expression, bemused and impressed. "Thomas came back after twelve days with the plans for Wvelte."
"Even on paper, Wvelte was beautiful," said Helga in a pleased tone. Salazar nodded once and reluctantly. Godric said, "When we saw Thomas' designs, we knew this was the home we wanted."
"Yes," murmured Helga, "especially when Godfrey and Sextus saw what was in the bathrooms."
Salazar chuckled, and Godric told Helga wryly, "Hannah, you love what's in the bathrooms as much as we do."
Helga nodded sagely and said pointedly, "But I don't get massages every mid-week."
They all stared at her, and excepting Salazar, they all blushed. Salazar looked at her curiously. "How did you know about that?"
"Rachel told me," Helga said simply.
That Rowena also knew about it made it twice as embarrassing. His face beet red, Harry quickly said to an equally ruddy-faced Godric, "So after Thomas showed you the plans, construction for Wvelte began?" It was a stupid question, but Harry was desperate.
Godric gave Harry a grateful look before shaking his head, saying, "We had to pay a third of Thomas' fee in advance."
"You told me his fee was astronomical," commented Harry, remembering.
"Yes," replied Godric, "but Thomas didn't keep the payment for himself. He gave it to the muggles who had raised him."
"... Huh?" queried Ron. Godric's last sentence had managed to turn his attention from Salazar and Helga who were having their own conversation.
"How long have you two known about our weekly ritual?" Salazar asked Helga.
"For years," answered Helga.
"And both of you never mentioned about it..." Salazar trailed off.
Helga gave him an amused look and said, "Well, neither of you ever said anything about it to us, so Rachel and I decided it must be something private. Just something between you two boys."
"Oh no," declared Salazar immediately and with a straight face said, "You, girls, are most welcome to join in our weekly ritual."
"Sextus!" Godric was mortified. Helga pretended to look affronted, but the corners of her mouth twitched when Salazar quipped, "Don't be so shy, Godfrey."
Godric looked ready to throttle Salazar, and Harry immediately stepped in between the two wizards to act as a buffer. He bumped against Draco who was doing the same thing. Ron quickly said in an observant tone of voice that the Pentacle was taking much longer with Hermione than it had with Harry. This successfully distracted Godric and Salazar, though the situation turned for the worse when Draco added that it was probably because Hermione was Muggle-born.
Harry quickly got in between Ron and Draco, who were glaring at each other. Ron looked furious while Draco's eyes were cold. Salazar frowned, glanced at Hermione still standing in the center of the Pentacle and was about to say something when Helga gave him a warning look.
Godric wisely decided to continue the story of Thomas Aquinas.
"Thomas grew up in a monastery. His mother had abandoned him on the steps of the abbey, and the monks there took him in and raised him as one of their own. Thomas loved his life in the monastery, and he had decided even as a child that he would join the Order once he was of age."
"But when Thomas' magic began to manifest itself, the muggles feared him and rejected him. As soon as he was old enough, the monks asked him to leave the monastery. Thomas was saddened that he had to leave the life he knew behind, but he cherished the memories of his childhood and was always grateful to the monks who had taken him in as an orphan."
"His fee for Wvelte was very high, but it was worth every galleon and more. And Thomas didn't keep the gold we paid him. He donated it anonymously to the monks who had raised him."
Warm admiration for the wizard filled Harry. Such selflessness was rare. No wonder Godric thought of Thomas Aquinas with fondness. Then Harry remembered what he had seen in the Pentacle and the odd way Thomas' memory acted.
"What happened to him?" Harry suddenly asked, realizing only belatedly that these Founders might not have known what had happened to Thomas. Again, Godric's eyes flashed with sadness, and he looked away from Harry.
It was Salazar who answered Harry. "He was murdered," the Dark wizard stated bluntly, drawing appalled and horrified expressions from Harry and Ron. Draco looked troubled, and Helga sighed softly and closed her eyes. Godric kept quiet as Salazar continued.
"Thomas had been ambushed, robbed and murdered by muggles on his way to the monastery."
"But," Ron protested, "he was a wizard. He would have been able to defend himself. He could have Disapparated away from his attackers."
Salazar's eyes were hard. "The muggles were prepared for him. They knew Thomas was a wizard, and there were many of them. They overpowered him and took away his wand."
Harry felt cold inside. Without his wand, a wizard was almost without magic. "What did they do to him?" he heard Draco ask Salazar.
There was hatred in Salazar's eyes. "They stoned him to death."
Godric glanced towards him with a leadened expression and opened his mouth to say something, but then he stopped and looked away, and Harry hated himself for asking what had happened to Thomas.
"Thomas was so happy that day," Helga murmured softly. She opened her eyes, which were regretful. "He hadn't completed the magic on the Pentacle yet, and there was still some work left to do in Wvelte, but we decided to give him the final payment for his services in advance. He immediately headed down to the monastery to leave the gold in the collection box inside the chapel."
"But robbers were waiting," continued Godric, finally saying something. "Rumors had spread of the monastery having a secret donor, and Thomas was suspected immediately. The muggles in the town knew he was a wizard, and the gold given anonymously to the monks was clearly wizard gold."
Salazar's eyes were filled with contempt. "Muggles don't mind magic as long as it's gold so Thomas never thought of melting the galleons we gave him down into bars or into a shape muggles wouldn't suspect as being magical."
Harry swallowed hard, wishing he hadn't been so curious of Thomas and the bloody pentagram. He still didn't know why the pentagram was bloody and not the cross since Thomas had been murdered by muggles. But Harry didn't want to ask the Founders about it anymore. Some things were better left a mystery, and he now wished he didn't know why Thomas' memory acted peculiarly. It hadn't been completed. Thomas had been murdered before he could finish it.
He looked to the walls of the hall and saw it was now showing a vista of the sun setting into the horizon with a wide lush meadow in the foreground and the silhouette of a monastery far in the background.
Harry's stomach muscles twisted when Godric said to him, "Harry, you noticed that Thomas' memory acts strange-"
"It's all right, Sir," Harry interrupted haltingly, "You don't have to explain. I'm sorry I asked about him."
But Godric reassured him that it was all right. He said, "The four of you are going to take care of Wvelte, so you all should learn about its creator and how the Pentacle works. Thomas would have wanted it that way."
When Harry nodded hesitantly, Godric began his explanation. "Thomas died before his work on Wvelte was completed. That's why the memory of him acts peculiar. As for the Pentacle, Thomas designed it to act as a guardian, but since its magic had not been finished properly and completely set, it is unruly and very capricious about the people who enters Wvelte."
"It hasn't accepted you yet, Harry," Godric continued, "That's why you were released rather quickly. Don't look worried. All of us except Rachel had difficult entering Wvelte when Thomas was gone. Rachel, fortunately, had worked with Thomas during the Pentacle's creation so she knows how it works, and it seems to have taken a liking to Hermione."
They looked over to Hermione who was still engulfed in the Pentacle's light, which was glowing softly instead of glaring blindingly as it had when Harry was in it. Harry wondered if it was because Hermione was Muggle-born, just like Thomas Aquinas.
"How about the bloody pentagram Harry saw?" asked Ron, and Harry glanced at him quickly, again wishing he hadn't asked about it. The reason behind it must be distressing.
He was surprised when Godric smiled instead. He said, "That was just one of Thomas' jokes. Ever since he was a boy, he'd been told horrible stories about wizards and witches. There was one story in particular that had frightened him immensely. It was about a muggle who had been cursed by a witch to see a bloody pentagram whenever somebody he knew was about to die."
To be continued.
About Thomas Aquinas: Yes, I know there's a real Thomas Aquinas in history. I like his name, and there is also another Thomas.
St. Thomas - The Apostle who doubted. There is a legend that an Indian king gave him a large sum of money to build a palace. St. Thomas spent it on the poor, thus "creating a superb palace in heaven." Because of this, he is the patron saint of masons and architects, and his symbol is a builder's square.
St. Thomas Aquinas - (1225-1274) Dominican scholastic philosopher and theologian, of outstanding authoriy and intellectual distinction among his contemporaries. His teachings have been a major influence on the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.
Source: Brewer's Concise Phrase & Fable (I want the full version!) ---
I also got most of the Founders' aliases from this book. I wanted their names
to have meaning. I also referred to this book about the Hawthorn Charm, which
was inspired by Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Sequence. This book also gave
me the idea for the Promethean Potion.
Chapter Twenty-Six has now ended.
http://pub79.ezboard.com/fschnooglethebestofharrypotterfanfictionfrm165
