DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters are based on those from JK Rowling's Harry Potter series and are used here without permission for no financial gain.
Author's Note: Thanks goes to Yen, whose Hearts and Hourglasses inspired me to write my own Founders fic. Thanks also to my sister, Kitlee (of course), without whom I would not have been able to write this.
Truth, Lies, and Fairy Tales
Chapter One: The Arrival of Sir Godric
Back then I was known as Thomas, a young, eager page in the court of King Salazar Slytherin. In those days, children of wizarding families (and children with magic from Muggle families, although those rarely discovered their talent and even more rarely were allowed to study magic) were sent to a castle to study magic at age eleven. When they first arrived, they were called pages and studied charms, potions, transfiguration, history, and flying under the masters. At age thirteen, each student became the squire of one of the knights, who tutored the student until he or she was seventeen. Then the best students became knights themselves under a king. The greatest castle in England was Hogwarts, located in the northern part of the British isle where the school stands today. It was very secure, perched on the hillside with the vast lake below.
It was to this center of civilization that Sir Godric Gryffindor came. Gryffindors were famous for being brave and daring, but rarely left their home in the wild moors north of Hogwarts. It was therefore something of a surprise that King Gareth allowed his son to venture south to Hogwarts. Privately I suspected that Sir Godric would be shocked when he arrived. King Gareth forced his court to adhere to high moral standards. In contrast, Hogwarts was much looser and . . . a bit wild.
However, I kept silent about my opinions as I waited for him. When he rode up, I was very surprised. Although he already had a reputation for being a great knight, Sir Godric looked very boyish, especially with his smattering of freckles and beardless face. His hair was a mass of unruly red curls, and his sparkling brown eyes only added to his youthful appearance.
He dismounted from his horse. "Good day. I am Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze."
I bowed. "I am Page Thomas of Hogwarts. King Salazar has instructed me to show you to your quarters and then take you to meet him."
"Wonderful." He smiled broadly. He handed the reins to his horse over to the stableman and followed me upstairs. His chamber, like that of all the knights, was a small stone cell lit brightly by the surprisingly thin window. A narrow wooden cot covered by a pallet stuffed with straw stood against one wall. A small table and chair were the only other furniture in the room. Godric wasted no time unpacking, but simply set his trunk on the floor (he had been floating it behind him carefully) and nodded for me to show him to the king.
However, I was unable to locate King Salazar. We walked up and down the stone stairs searching for him but to no avail. Finally, with a sense of dread, I led Sir Godric up a narrow flight of stairs near the back of the castle and down a dark hallway. I had hoped that I would not have to show this to him so soon after his arrival, but there was no other choice. When King Salazar could not be found, the entire castle knew exactly where he was.
I knocked heavily on the wooden door.
"Enter!" a voice called from inside.
I pushed open the door and led Sir Godric inside, quickly shutting the door behind us. I did not need to look at Sir Godric to know that his face wore an expression of pure shock. I could feel my face growing red, but I struggled to remain calm.
The room was larger than Godric's, but it was also much darker. The room contained little furniture besides an enormous bed covered with thick furs and blankets. A man and woman lay on the bed, moaning and gasping, their naked bodies only partially covered.
King Salazar glanced over his shoulder at us. "Oh, hello Page Thomas," he said calmly over the woman's screams.
"This is Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze, your majesty," I said quickly.
Sir Godric was staring blankly at them. Now he started and looked at King Salazar's face. "Pleased to meet you," he said awkwardly.
The king looked down at the woman, who was still gasping, her eyes closed. He clamped his hand over her mouth. Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled off his hand and glared at him, now silent, although their bodies continued to rock back and forth.
"Ah, so you are King Gareth's son. I am pleased that you have come to join us here at Hogwarts, Godric." Finished, he rolled off of her and covered himself from the waist down. She also covered herself, although for an instant Sir Godric and I had a clear view of her naked body. She was very slender with delicate curves and small, perfectly formed breasts. He flushed bright red.
The king followed his stare and added, "Oh, this is Rowena."
"Pleased to meet you, my lady," Godric stammered.
She frowned. Long, thick hair a brilliant bronze color surrounded her head like a halo, and her startlingly blue eyes were sharp with anger. "I am no lady, Gryffindor."
"You needn't bother with such pleasantries, Godric," King Salazar added as he dressed himself in bright green robes. He was taller than Sir Godric, but thinner, with silver-blond hair and green eyes the exact shade of his robes.
"Yes your majesty," Sir Godric replied, obviously confused.
"Now, let me think," the king continued as he stood. "Have you showed him his quarters, Thomas?"
"Yes your majesty."
"You will meet the other knights at dinner . . . ah, I know! I will take you to meet the queen." He strode towards the door without giving Rowena a single glance. "Come, Thomas. I will need you to show Sir Godric to the dining room afterwards."
"Yes your majesty."
As we left, I noticed that Sir Godric was staring at Rowena. When she looked at him, he quickly looked away. "It was a pleasure to meet you, my lady."
She glared at him for a long stare before repeating, "I am no lady, Gryffindor."
"Yes my -- um, Rowena."
She continued to stare at him as he backed out of the room and hurried down the hall after the king. Then she smiled at me. "Watch out for him, Thomas. He looks as nervous and foolish as a child."
I smiled. "I will, Rowena," I said as I closed the door and hurried after them.
Upstairs was much different. The room was much larger and brightly lit. Colorful tapestries covered the walls, and the room was neat but slightly cluttered with many chairs, tables, chests, and dressers. In the large bed lay a beautiful woman. She was almost painfully thin, and large, pale blue eyes dominated her face. In contrast to her pale skin and blond hair, though, she wore black mourning clothes. When we entered, she smiled brightly.
King Salazar strode quickly to her and sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you, my darling?"
"Much better, Salazar." Her voice seemed thin and slightly breathy. "Who is this?"
"This is Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze. And of course you remember Page Thomas." He turned to Godric. "This is my queen, Helga."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Godric, and it is a pleasure to see you as well, Thomas."
"The pleasure is all mine, my lady," said Sir Godric, bowing to her.
"The same, my lady," I repeated, bowing as well.
"My husband has told me wonderful things about you, Sir Godric," Queen Helga added. "I am so glad that your father has allowed you to come here."
"Yes, I am glad as well," King Salazar said. "It will be wonderful for relations between our two kingdoms."
"Yes, well, I am honored to be here," he said, smiling.
King Salazar smiled more broadly. "I like you, Godric. Thomas, I am assigning you to help Sir Godric get acquainted with Hogwarts. I know that you will take good care of him. Godric, I am sure that Thomas can answer all of your questions. I will see you tonight at dinner. I have much to ask you about your father's kingdom."
"I look forward to seeing you as well," Queen Helga added.
"Now my dear," he said, gently scolding her, "you know that the healer said that you need to rest. I am sure that you will have plenty of time later to get to know Godric."
She pouted for only a moment before smiling at Sir Godric and me. "Well then, I look forward to seeing you both later."
"As do I, my lady," Sir Godric replied, bowing. I echoed his sentiments and bowed quickly before leaving.
I led Sir Godric back down to his quarters. Once we had reached them, I asked, "Is there anything I can help you with, Sir Godric?"
"Hmm?" he asked, looking distracted. "No, no, nothing right now, thank you, Thomas. I think I will go and unpack my things."
"All right, sir. Shall I show you to the dining hall in an hour?"
"Yes, thank you."
"All right, sir." However, as I left, I noticed that he was staring down the hall in the opposite direction we had come, towards Rowena's room.
A/N -- The name of Godric's castle is from the estate in Iris Murdoch's novel The Unicorn. The description of Gaze in her novel is similar to what I imagine Sir Godric's home to be like (I've never been to England, so I'm not actually sure what a moor looks like).
I hope you liked that. Please r/r! All comments welcomed, accepted, and appreciated!
Author's Note: Thanks goes to Yen, whose Hearts and Hourglasses inspired me to write my own Founders fic. Thanks also to my sister, Kitlee (of course), without whom I would not have been able to write this.
Truth, Lies, and Fairy Tales
Chapter One: The Arrival of Sir Godric
Back then I was known as Thomas, a young, eager page in the court of King Salazar Slytherin. In those days, children of wizarding families (and children with magic from Muggle families, although those rarely discovered their talent and even more rarely were allowed to study magic) were sent to a castle to study magic at age eleven. When they first arrived, they were called pages and studied charms, potions, transfiguration, history, and flying under the masters. At age thirteen, each student became the squire of one of the knights, who tutored the student until he or she was seventeen. Then the best students became knights themselves under a king. The greatest castle in England was Hogwarts, located in the northern part of the British isle where the school stands today. It was very secure, perched on the hillside with the vast lake below.
It was to this center of civilization that Sir Godric Gryffindor came. Gryffindors were famous for being brave and daring, but rarely left their home in the wild moors north of Hogwarts. It was therefore something of a surprise that King Gareth allowed his son to venture south to Hogwarts. Privately I suspected that Sir Godric would be shocked when he arrived. King Gareth forced his court to adhere to high moral standards. In contrast, Hogwarts was much looser and . . . a bit wild.
However, I kept silent about my opinions as I waited for him. When he rode up, I was very surprised. Although he already had a reputation for being a great knight, Sir Godric looked very boyish, especially with his smattering of freckles and beardless face. His hair was a mass of unruly red curls, and his sparkling brown eyes only added to his youthful appearance.
He dismounted from his horse. "Good day. I am Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze."
I bowed. "I am Page Thomas of Hogwarts. King Salazar has instructed me to show you to your quarters and then take you to meet him."
"Wonderful." He smiled broadly. He handed the reins to his horse over to the stableman and followed me upstairs. His chamber, like that of all the knights, was a small stone cell lit brightly by the surprisingly thin window. A narrow wooden cot covered by a pallet stuffed with straw stood against one wall. A small table and chair were the only other furniture in the room. Godric wasted no time unpacking, but simply set his trunk on the floor (he had been floating it behind him carefully) and nodded for me to show him to the king.
However, I was unable to locate King Salazar. We walked up and down the stone stairs searching for him but to no avail. Finally, with a sense of dread, I led Sir Godric up a narrow flight of stairs near the back of the castle and down a dark hallway. I had hoped that I would not have to show this to him so soon after his arrival, but there was no other choice. When King Salazar could not be found, the entire castle knew exactly where he was.
I knocked heavily on the wooden door.
"Enter!" a voice called from inside.
I pushed open the door and led Sir Godric inside, quickly shutting the door behind us. I did not need to look at Sir Godric to know that his face wore an expression of pure shock. I could feel my face growing red, but I struggled to remain calm.
The room was larger than Godric's, but it was also much darker. The room contained little furniture besides an enormous bed covered with thick furs and blankets. A man and woman lay on the bed, moaning and gasping, their naked bodies only partially covered.
King Salazar glanced over his shoulder at us. "Oh, hello Page Thomas," he said calmly over the woman's screams.
"This is Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze, your majesty," I said quickly.
Sir Godric was staring blankly at them. Now he started and looked at King Salazar's face. "Pleased to meet you," he said awkwardly.
The king looked down at the woman, who was still gasping, her eyes closed. He clamped his hand over her mouth. Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled off his hand and glared at him, now silent, although their bodies continued to rock back and forth.
"Ah, so you are King Gareth's son. I am pleased that you have come to join us here at Hogwarts, Godric." Finished, he rolled off of her and covered himself from the waist down. She also covered herself, although for an instant Sir Godric and I had a clear view of her naked body. She was very slender with delicate curves and small, perfectly formed breasts. He flushed bright red.
The king followed his stare and added, "Oh, this is Rowena."
"Pleased to meet you, my lady," Godric stammered.
She frowned. Long, thick hair a brilliant bronze color surrounded her head like a halo, and her startlingly blue eyes were sharp with anger. "I am no lady, Gryffindor."
"You needn't bother with such pleasantries, Godric," King Salazar added as he dressed himself in bright green robes. He was taller than Sir Godric, but thinner, with silver-blond hair and green eyes the exact shade of his robes.
"Yes your majesty," Sir Godric replied, obviously confused.
"Now, let me think," the king continued as he stood. "Have you showed him his quarters, Thomas?"
"Yes your majesty."
"You will meet the other knights at dinner . . . ah, I know! I will take you to meet the queen." He strode towards the door without giving Rowena a single glance. "Come, Thomas. I will need you to show Sir Godric to the dining room afterwards."
"Yes your majesty."
As we left, I noticed that Sir Godric was staring at Rowena. When she looked at him, he quickly looked away. "It was a pleasure to meet you, my lady."
She glared at him for a long stare before repeating, "I am no lady, Gryffindor."
"Yes my -- um, Rowena."
She continued to stare at him as he backed out of the room and hurried down the hall after the king. Then she smiled at me. "Watch out for him, Thomas. He looks as nervous and foolish as a child."
I smiled. "I will, Rowena," I said as I closed the door and hurried after them.
Upstairs was much different. The room was much larger and brightly lit. Colorful tapestries covered the walls, and the room was neat but slightly cluttered with many chairs, tables, chests, and dressers. In the large bed lay a beautiful woman. She was almost painfully thin, and large, pale blue eyes dominated her face. In contrast to her pale skin and blond hair, though, she wore black mourning clothes. When we entered, she smiled brightly.
King Salazar strode quickly to her and sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you, my darling?"
"Much better, Salazar." Her voice seemed thin and slightly breathy. "Who is this?"
"This is Sir Godric Gryffindor of Gaze. And of course you remember Page Thomas." He turned to Godric. "This is my queen, Helga."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Godric, and it is a pleasure to see you as well, Thomas."
"The pleasure is all mine, my lady," said Sir Godric, bowing to her.
"The same, my lady," I repeated, bowing as well.
"My husband has told me wonderful things about you, Sir Godric," Queen Helga added. "I am so glad that your father has allowed you to come here."
"Yes, I am glad as well," King Salazar said. "It will be wonderful for relations between our two kingdoms."
"Yes, well, I am honored to be here," he said, smiling.
King Salazar smiled more broadly. "I like you, Godric. Thomas, I am assigning you to help Sir Godric get acquainted with Hogwarts. I know that you will take good care of him. Godric, I am sure that Thomas can answer all of your questions. I will see you tonight at dinner. I have much to ask you about your father's kingdom."
"I look forward to seeing you as well," Queen Helga added.
"Now my dear," he said, gently scolding her, "you know that the healer said that you need to rest. I am sure that you will have plenty of time later to get to know Godric."
She pouted for only a moment before smiling at Sir Godric and me. "Well then, I look forward to seeing you both later."
"As do I, my lady," Sir Godric replied, bowing. I echoed his sentiments and bowed quickly before leaving.
I led Sir Godric back down to his quarters. Once we had reached them, I asked, "Is there anything I can help you with, Sir Godric?"
"Hmm?" he asked, looking distracted. "No, no, nothing right now, thank you, Thomas. I think I will go and unpack my things."
"All right, sir. Shall I show you to the dining hall in an hour?"
"Yes, thank you."
"All right, sir." However, as I left, I noticed that he was staring down the hall in the opposite direction we had come, towards Rowena's room.
A/N -- The name of Godric's castle is from the estate in Iris Murdoch's novel The Unicorn. The description of Gaze in her novel is similar to what I imagine Sir Godric's home to be like (I've never been to England, so I'm not actually sure what a moor looks like).
I hope you liked that. Please r/r! All comments welcomed, accepted, and appreciated!