Hearts and Hourglasses
Interlude: Green & Silver
(betwixt chapters 31 & 32)
Draco raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the door. There was an answering affirmation from the other side, and he opened the door slowly.
"Who is it?" queried Lord Slytherin's voice, and Draco walked into the room to see him sitting at the desk, head bowed slightly over a piece of parchment and engrossed in whatever he was writing on it.
"It's me," Draco said politely, and the wizard looked up and over to him with a smile. "Draco," he greeted. "What can I do for you?"
Draco almost winced openly when he said that. It reminded him too much of when he gave a similar question to Wormtail.
I am in your debt, Peter Pettigrew. How may I repay you?
He hesitated, taking a moment to clear his mind of the memory before going over to stand beside Lord Slytherin's chair. Green eyes took a curious shine, and their owner laid down his quill and gave Draco his complete attention.
Again, Draco hesitated. He glanced away from Lord Slytherin, organizing what his father had told him to say to other wizard.
Draco, you have to convince him to forget about his debt to Wormtail. Tell him Wormtail is not one of us. He's a traitor from the other side, a Light wizard who turned Dark. Also, tell him this. Voldemort cannot be trusted. He is half-Muggle. The last bit had surprised Draco, who had always thought that Voldemort was a pureblood.
When he looked back at Lord Slytherin, Draco found him waiting patiently, his demeanor, expectant. Thrice, Draco hesitated in telling him, wishing his father would speak to Lord Slytherin himself rather than giving Draco the task of persuading Lord Slytherin to break his word of debt.
Most Light wizards believe that Dark wizards have no concept of debt or of loyalty. Most Light wizards are wrong. Dark wizards actually understand both only too well. They simply prefer not to owe to another, and neither do they wish to depend on another person.
Promises are considered as a sign of foolishness by Dark wizards. As the saying goes, "Promises are meant to be broken," and thus promises are rare amongst Dark wizards and witches, who don't expect their kind to keep a promise so why make one or trust another to keep a promise.
Pledges, on the other hand, exist amongst Dark wizards, who knew it best to ally themselves with a superior. Such is the case with Voldemort's Death Eaters, who chose to serve the Dark Lord, because he is extremely powerful. Dark wizards will always be loyal to whoever is the most powerful.
Debts are different from promises and pledges. The latter two are made consciously while debts happen by accident. They are determined by fate, unless a nefarious scheme is behind it as was the case with Lord Slytherin and Wormtail. Intentional or not, a debt always creates a bond between wizards. It forms a tie, which will remain until the debt is repaid. This is even more obvious amongst Dark wizards and witches, who intensely dislike being in debt. Debt is like an invisible chain. Very bothersome. Stories are even told about it.
"Why did you help me?" A Dark wizard asked a Light wizard, who answered, "You needed help so I helped you." "I didn't ask for your help," retorted the former upon which the latter replied, "Next time, cry 'Don't help me!'"
Indeed, Dark wizards have the tendency to look a gift horse in the mouth.
It's different this time though, thought Draco as he carefully urged his facial features to be expressionless. He really needed help. He didn't want to ask for help, but he needed it. The debt the wizard owed to Wormtail stemmed from deep within, and Lord Slytherin is truly thankful to the rat for rescuing him from Azkaban.
Draco seriously doubted he could persuade Lord Slytherin to forget his debt, and he knew full well that Voldemort must have planned this all along in order to make Lord Slytherin work for him.
***
Godric's brows knitted as he read the letter one of the school owls had given to him. On it, written in green ink, was:
Godric, tell Rowena I'm fine. I know she's worried about me. You can tell Helga as well though I rather you don't since she will flay my hide for getting into trouble. I certainly hope the girls are not reading this with you. I asked Draco to owl this letter to you. He'll try to open and read it, of course. He's a very curious boy, and his father reminds me too much of Cassius. Remember him? Perhaps, Draco's family is descended from him. A thousand years is a very long time. Patience. I was distracted. You know what to do after you read this letter. Do let me know it reached you. I suspect Draco may even have given this to his father.
A lot of good it will do for him. Only either of us can open this letter. Just as only the two of us can take the Crysalis from the Sorting Hat. As for the Sorting Hat. You do know Draco took it from Hogwarts, correct? When I asked him why he took it, he told me Voldemort told him to take it. Yes, Godric. Voldemort. He's the one Severus has been telling me about. The one he wants me to get rid of. I've spoken with him. He reminds me of Rowena's father. Not in looks, mind you. They're afraid of him. They, being Peter and Lucius. Peter is the one who rescued me from Azkaban while Lucius is Draco's father. They try to hide it, but I can see fear in their eyes. They react to him the way you reacted to Rowena's father.
Don't make that face. Rowena told me you were very frightened of her father when you were a boy. He was so strict, you almost ran away from the school several times. If she hadn't convinced you to stay, you would never had finished your studies. Now. Remember not to think about this with Rowena around. I'm not supposed to tell you what she told me though the point is certainly moot if she's reading this with you. Actually, I have never met Rowena's father personally. The only person I know whom I can liken to Voldemort is Lord Trenzel. I believe you know about him, Godric, but chances are you do not know him. He was my teacher, and I wager you were better off with Lord Ravenclaw.
Enough about our teachers. Voldemort wants me to serve him. Yes. He is a rather gutsy fellow. Thomas pales in comparison to him, and he is shrewd. Peter, whom I owe a debt to, is loyal to him, and thus, I am now in Voldemort's debt. Quite a conundrum I am in. Godric, this will upset you, but I will have to break my promise to you about not extending our stay in this time. Fawkes gave Draco a few of his feathers, and they should last about two months. When they are exhausted, then I will return to Hogwarts.
Salazar
***
Salazar, get back here at once!
He smiled at the furious scrawl that appeared on the parchment. With the wand Draco had lent him, Salazar wiped away Godric's words, took a quill and wrote back:
No.
Then he waited. Moments passed, and his single-worded answer vanished to be replaced by a reply with many words.
Is that all you have to say! You gave me your word, Salazar! We are not going to interfere in this time. You promised you would not interfere!
This time, Salazar didn't bother to erase Godric's angry statements. Instead, he wrote his answer below them.
Salazar Slytherin will not interfere. Voldemort agreed that my true identity must not be revealed. Sextus Scaevola will be serving him, not Salazar Slytherin.
It was a few moments before Godric wrote back:
You cannot trust Voldemort, Salazar. He is using you. He is the one they call You Know Who. He murdered one of our students.
Salazar tilted his head thoughtfully when he read this. Voldemort was the one who killed one of Helga's Hufflepuffs. After a moment, he wrote back:
I will have to warn him about Helga then.
A small smile curved his lips as he imagined the shocked look on Godric's face when he read this. Angry exasperation would soon follow and sure enough Godric's reply was:
THIS IS NOT A JOKING MATTER! How could you even say such a thing! He murdered one of our students, Salazar!
Salazar dipped his quill in the inkbottle and was about to write back that Godric should stop assuming that he possessed the same morals as he. But he hesitated even as the tip of the quill touched the parchment and left a blot of ink on the paper.
It feels wrong to say that. Salazar sighed softly, replacing the quill in its bottle before leaning back in his chair. He ignored the new words that appeared in the parchment and closed his eyes instead.
It bothered him deeply that Voldemort killed a Hogwarts student. He had changed. His time spent amongst Light wizards had changed him. Years before, he hadn't cared the least bit when a group of Dark wizards killed a student at Ravenclaw manor. There were always conflicts between Dark and Light wizards. Casualties were commonplace on both sides. What actually surprised Salazar was that only one student had died. He had decided then that the school was even more well-protected than he had originally thought.
Either that or that squad of Dark wizards was inept. The latter reason was unlikely. It was Marius' group, and Salazar had trained them himself. It was Cassius actually who had killed the boy, who had foolishly challenged him.
Salazar remembered how furious Godric had been. He would have gone after Cassius, had Rowena not held him back. But Rowena was unable to keep Helga from going after them. Helga hadn't been present during the battle. Had she been, it was very unlikely the youngster would had died.
There had been a standoff between her and Cassius. Salazar had been present to witness the duel between them.
"He was only a child!" Helga had screamed at Cassius, whose face turned dark with anger. He would have attacked Helga had one of his companions not intervened. Feyra, who was in love with Cassius, warned Helga that more students would die if she hurt him.
That had made Helga hesitate. It was one thing to avenge the death of a student. Quite another to instigate more violence. In the end, a compromise was made. Their group would never attack Ravenclaw Manor again so long as Godric and Helga ceased their vendetta against them.
Salazar tilted his head up, his eyes opening to stare unseeingly at the ceiling. He was recalling what had happened afterwards.
***
Rowena's lips were trembling. He could feel them shaking against his mouth. Salazar's eyes were opened, and he could see that her eyes were tightly closed. He loosened his arms around her and let his hands slipped down to rest on her hips. When she didn't move away, he turned his head, breaking the kiss.
He looked back just as Rowena's eyes flickered open and stared at him, her brows knitting slightly with surprise. When she tried to kiss him again, Salazar move his head back, murmuring, "Are you sure you want this?"
She stilled at his question, her wide luminous eyes reminding Salazar of a doe about to flee. When Rowena pulled away, he let her go and watched silently as she turned, casting her eyes everywhere in the room except on him.
"Why do you ask me that, Salazar?" she whispered softly when she finally looked back at him. Her blue eyes were unreadable. Salazar staved down the smile that automatically began to form on his lips and said expressionlessly, "You are looking for comfort, Lady Ravenclaw." A corner of his mouth twitched. "I am the wrong person to comfort you."
"Why?" she questioned simply, and he answered in a similar tone of voice, "I'm a Dark wizard, Lady Ravenclaw. One of my apprentices had just killed one of your students. You cannot trust me," he ended lightly.
Her eyes narrowed. "Did you plan the attack, Salazar?"
"Can't you read my mind?" He countered.
She lowered her eyes abruptly, her lips tightened. "I can't." Her answer was so faint he could barely hear it. She shook her head slightly, helpless, and Salazar could see she was fighting it. For a moment, her face turned grief-stricken. In the next moment, the pain was gone, and she seemed calm.
"I can't bear to hear other people's thoughts right now, Salazar." Her voice was stronger now, but still barely above a whisper. Salazar nodded slowly at this and asked, "They are angry with you?" He was referring to Godric and Helga.
Her slight form stiffened when he said that, and it confirmed Salazar's suspicion. Rowena had come to him because she couldn't bear to stay with Godric and Helga. They were too angry right now, and since Rowena didn't react as strongly as they did, since she kept her head, they were angry with her as well.
"I'm certain they will come to their senses soon enough," said Salazar in what he hoped was a reassuring tone of voice. It sounded kind enough, but pretenses were usually useless with Rowena. This time though, his words did comforted her, and Salazar found himself holding her again.
Cool lips pressed against his and brazenly pushed his lips apart. Her hands wound around his neck and moved up, her fingers played through his hair. Rowena urged his head down and closer. Salazar was unable to suppress a groan when she pressed herself against him.
I want this, Salazar.
It's all that I can give to you, Rowena.
I know. For now, it's enough.
Rowena was a rarity. She understood him too well and accepted him as he was. She was angry at him, of course, for the death of one of her students, but she didn't blame him as Godric and Helga had. Blame was what Salazar expected to see in her eyes. He never found it.
"Tell me why you don't blame me, Rowena." He was lying on his side, holding Rowena against him. The bed sheets underneath and over them felt so coarse when he compared them to the smooth silky feel of her slender body against his.
"Mhmm...?" Rowena didn't seem to have heard him. Sleepily, she snuggled against him, startling Salazar when her leg moved in between his. After several uncomfortable moments, he shook her awake, moving away from her at the same time.
Half-awaked eyes gazed at him reproachfully. They blinked when he asked her again to tell him why she didn't blame him.
"Why would I blame you, Salazar?"
"Because I'm a Dark wizard, Rowena, and a Dark wizard had just killed one of your students."
"You had nothing to do with that," she answered with quiet certainty.
Is she reading my mind again? Salazar looked at her curiously, and he was startled when she laughed softly.
"Salazar, I'm surprised that you place so much importance on the fact that you are a Dark wizard."
Salazar's head tilted slightly. "And you don't, Lady Ravenclaw?" he queried dryly.
Blue eyes danced with amusement. "I do have you as my lover," she pointed out gently.
He froze momentarily before saying, "Your first lover, Lady Ravenclaw." He found himself surprised by the huskiness in his voice when he corrected her statement. Pleasure made him smile when Rowena blushed at his possessive tone, and Salazar couldn't deny he was possessive of her and the fact that he was her first.
And you'll be her only lover, a voice inside his mind insisted. Completely distracted, Salazar forgot that his question was still insufficiently answered and proceeded to show to Rowena that she would never regret giving herself to a Dark wizard. Only much later would their discussion continue.
"Evil is very attractive, Lady Ravenclaw."
She had laughed at this statement and teased him that indeed he was very attractive.
"But I don't think you are evil, Salazar."
"You don't? But I'm a-"
"Dark wizard. I know, I know. You have certainly pointed out that fact many times."
"I repeat that fact, because you don't seem to understand its ramifications."
"For sleeping with you, a Dark wizard?" She asked in a dubious tone.
Salazar nodded, saying, "Your kind certainly does not approve."
"And neither does your kind," she countered with a triumphant smile, "but I don't see you worrying about the ramifications of sleeping with a Light witch."
He smiled at this. "Touche, Lady Ravenclaw. But-" His smile widened into a grin. "- evil usually has more freedom than good."
Her eyes turned curious. "Do you really see yourself as evil, Salazar?"
"Of course," he said frankly and carefully watched her reaction. When fond amusement lit her eyes, Salazar knew he was in serious trouble.
Rowena wisely replied, "Good is a description we give to what is good for us or what we like. Evil is what we call that which is not good for us or what we don't like. When we neither like nor dislike it, it means nothing to us or it is something we have yet to know and to understand."
"... Are you saying I am good then?"
"You are both, which makes you human."
"A pity... I rather like being considered devilish."
"I noticed."
"And just what are you, Lady Ravenclaw?"
"Human," she said simply, then she smiled mischievously and added blandly, "though many consider me a princess. For some, I am even a goddess."
Stunned, Salazar stared at Rowena speechlessly, suddenly seeing her not as the sensuous vixen who just so recently made him lose control. Instead, he was strongly reminded of the twelve-year old impish little girl, he had kidnapped many years ago. As Rowena continued smiling smugly at him, his mind hunted for a suitable retort.
Just as he found one, Rowena's eyes narrowed dangerously at him. "Don't say it," she said sharply.
He schooled his face into an innocent expression. "Say what?"
"You know what, Salazar."
"Rowena, you often seem to forget that I cannot read minds. What is this what you are referring to?"
"Don't pretend you don't know. You're going to call me little brat again."
Salazar smirked, saying, "You leave me little choice. You are a b-" She kissed him before he could say the word, and Salazar decided this was infinitely better than the bowl of oatmeal she had thrown in his face the first time he had called her a brat.
***
When Salazar finally returned to the present, he found that the parchment before him was blank except for one word.
Salazar?
He stared at it, wondering how long he had been daydreaming. Was Godric still waiting for his answer?
He murdered one of our students, Salazar!
Salazar's jaw clenched. Serving Voldemort would be foolhardy without knowing more about the other wizard. Salazar would have to ask him why he killed a Hogwarts student.
And if you find out there is no reason, would you still serve him? His eyes closed once again as confusion beset him. Before he had met Rowena and after, he had killed his share of Light wizards, a good number of whom who had just finished their studies at Ravenclaw Manor. What right had he to judge a fellow Dark wizard for killing a student? The boy wasn't even one of his Slytherins.
If the dead boy had been a Slytherin, would you act upon it?
"Yes, of course, I would," he immediately answered himself, and his eyes snapped open. Rowena often said that he and Godric had the tendency to separate wizards and witches and even their students as either Light or Dark. Helga had seconded this particular observation, tartly adding that all their students were their responsibility regardless of which House and which side they belonged too.
Black eyes flashing dangerously, Helga had said, "Before they become Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, they become Hogwarts students first. Rivalry can only reach a certain level before it becomes stupid." She wasn't only referring to their students.
Helga, like Rowena, cared little about sides. Salazar had seen her go after Light wizards as well as Dark wizards when they had done wrong. She treated all their students the same way, hard but fair. Salazar had noticed that she accepted Draco rather quickly even though she had threatened to kill him for hurting Harry.
Of his colleagues, Helga was the one Salazar least understood, but (though it galled him to admit it) she was the one whom he held in the highest respect. There weren't many people who would dare to literally bash his skull in, and he had lost count of the number of successful hexes she had thrown at him. For a Light wizard, Helga knew the Dark Arts a mite too well. It was little wonder she had come up with the Hawthorn Charm.
Salazar suddenly frowned thoughtfully. He stared at the waiting piece of parchment and reached for his quill.
Godric, are you still there?
A quick reply said that he was.
Salazar, are you all right? What happened? You were gone a long time.
I am all right, Godric. I was only distracted. Never mind about it. Have you asked Helga if she will leave this time without confronting Voldemort?
There was a long pause before Godric answered. Salazar jumped at what was written next.
Salazar, this is Helga.
YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!
The parchment began to shudder, and Salazar was very amused when large rough creases formed in it. His imagination suddenly produced a clear picture of Godric and Helga fighting over the paper, and Salazar dearly wished he could see them right now.
He immediately recognized the fine handwriting that wrote the next message.
Salazar, we are so worried about you.
He quickly wrote back.
I am fine, Rowena. Please do not worry about me.
Suddenly, two messages were scrawled awkwardly near the edges. One said:
Rowena, do not say WE. Helga and I are not worried about him.
While the other said:
Tell Voldemort I want to see him.
Rowena complained:
You two are going to tear the paper.
Sure enough, rips appeared on Salazar's parchment moments after Rowena's message showed. Salazar chuckled and wrote:
It can be divided.
He watched as the parchment was cleared, after which three straight creases appeared. Then, the paper separated itself into three sections.
Words began to appear simultaneously on all three pieces of parchment, and
Salazar spent the next hour and a half talking with his friends.
To be continued.
