Disclaimer: Not my world, I just live here.

Chapter 9: The Three

For three month now Rhys Gryffindor had been watching Zarena Slytherin with a mix of concern and curiosity. She was an odd woman. Sarcastic with a sharp tongue to deliver her barbs, she could reduce any one to silence, except Helga, who was usually amused by her young friend's comments. Rhys had noticed Leo seemed to be on the receiving end of many of those comments.

Indeed, Helga and Zarena spent much time together. Helga usually with her new infant son in tow would talk for hours with Zarena. Somehow, Helga had even managed to change the other's name to 'Rena.' Rhys wasn't exactly sure when, but everyone had started calling her that, even her father and brother.

Salazar for his part was more and more displeased with his daughter's defiance. Rhys was beginning to worry about her safety. He was so worried he was trying to convince his father and brother-in-law that she needed more protection, especially as she was spending do much time with Helga and, by extension Anya. Rhys knew his sister was the key and he had recruited her to help.

"Please Father," Anya said. "We need to do everything we can to protect all of our allies. Rena is an ally."

"I still don't know if we can trust her," Godric said.

"Of course we can't," Rhys said. "But that doesn't mean we don't need her or that she will turn against us."

"She turned against her own father," Benowyc pointed out.

"Ben, Helga trusts her," his wife pointed out gently.

Rhys tried not to smile as he watched Benowyc melt. His mother was able do the same thing to their father. Rhys decided to push Ben a little further.

"You know, Helga knows what she's doing, Ben. She didn't trust her for the longest time and now she does. Something must have happened to convince her."

Benowyc sighed deeply. "I trust Helga. Godric?"

"Fine. I'll get Rowena. Rhys get Leo. We do it all together. I think I may know something that can help."

***************************

Helga stood apart with Ulric in a large room in the Gryffindor apartments. They were watching and noting everyone's movements. Helga had a fairly good idea of what Godric was up to before hand, so she had explained it to Ulric. That left them both free to observe the other's reaction to the plan.

Godric wanted to create a magical bond between everyone, a Society of Light. The spell was old and complex and entailed the joining of three souls in a magical pact, and then the joining of everyone else to those centered souls.

"But why three?" Leo asked.

"Three is a powerful number," Rowena informed him. "The mystical properties go back for centuries. A trinity would be strong. A three-legged stool is the first to be able to stand after all."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Leo whispered to Rhys.

"It means," Rena cut in sharply, "that three is the first number to be able stand on it's own. Together the three can do thing of great importance. Two is too week and four is too complex. Three works perfectly."

"Is anyone else amused that we're discussing numbers like this?" Benowyc asked. In response, he got several blank stares. "Guess not."

"Alright so three," Anya said. "Which three?"

"Well that's obvious," Rena said. "The Founders. Godric, Rowena, and Helga, this is their school after all. And they are the strongest. If I understand it correctly, the stronger the source, the stronger everything else will be."

"I don't really think I like the idea of my wife, the mother of my only child, bonded to anyone else."

"Oh Richard, don't be ridiculous. What so you think will happen? We'll go off and start some insane venture to save the Wizarding World?" Rowena asked her husband. "Oh wait, we already did that."

"You've been listening to the rumors, Richard?" Godric asked.

"It's rather hard not to," the other man responded. "They're all I ever hear."

"Don't be daft man!" Godric shouted. "My wife just died. Rowena and I mourn Mairead's loss together."

"I only had one sister, Richard," Rowena reminded gently.

"I know," he said. "And I did ignore them but the rumors just never went away. What was I to think?"

"Perhaps you should have trusted your wife and your friend rather than listen to lies most likely started by an enemy?" Rena offered.

******************

Herowyc and Isabo sat on a wall talking while Ellsinore leaned against it playing with a little red creature. Herowyc liked spending time with his cousins. They really weren't bad for girls, even Elsie, who was so little she should have been totally useless. His younger brother and sister were. Of course Bekeryc and Breena only just turned seven while Elsie would be eight in a few more weeks.

"Elsie," Isabo said, "What have you got there?"

Elsie lifted up the little red fluff ball to her friend. "It's a Phoenix."

"It's my Phoenix," Herowyc said. "And you'd better not get to attached either, Elsie. I am taking Fawkes back."

"Hero don't be so greedy!" Isabo said.

"Iz, I'll be a greedy as I want. It's my Phoenix."

"Fawkes is only yours 'cause he wants to be," Elsie said. "You should know that Hero. You're the one who got to start taking classes this year."

"Aw, come on Ells," Herowyc said hopping down next to her. "You're not still sore about that are you?"

"Yes!" she shot nastily.

"Hero don't get her started again. Besides, she was worse when I started," Isabo said in a superior manner.

Herowyc rolled his eyes. "Sure she was."

"I was," Elsie said. "Last year I lost my best friend."

"You know," Isabo said getting down too, "if you wanted, I'm sure Bree would be a fine companion."

"My sister Bree?!" The girls ignored his outburst.

"No, Bree's my cousin. They don't make very good friends," both girls looked at Herowyc.

"And you two say I'm mean," He said smiling. "Besides, you girls loooove me!"

"We so do not," Isabo said.

"You're only here 'cause Mum told me to be nice to you," Elsie said trying not to smile.

Herowyc offered a hurt look. Then he stood very dramatically and clasped his hand to his heart and pretended to stagger about.

"You've wounded me Ells," he said. "You really have."

Elsie stuck her tongue out at him.

"I wouldn't do that Ells," Isabo warned.

"Why not?" Elsie asked before turning back to Herowyc and sticking her tongue out again. Except this time, she could pull it back in.

"Because yesterday after class I was teasing him and he hit me with a face- freezing charm," Isabo said a bit too late.

"Well really girls," Herowyc said mockingly, "you shouldn't make faces unless you're willing to risk it freezing like that."

***************

Herowyc, Isabo and Elsie were walking through the castle towards the Gryffindor Tower where Herowyc's family had settled in. The three children stopped at the sound of voices.

"You are too stubborn, Rena," a woman said.

"Mum," Elsie hissed. Her friends nodded.

"And Rena, it seems," Hero said.

"Oh totally brilliant," Isa snapped. "How ever did you know?"

"Quite!" Elsie hissed again as they glared at each other.

"You love the man," Helga continued. "Just admit it."

"I'll do no such thing," Rena said. "He's arrogant, self-centered, pompous..."

"Pompous? Are we talking about the same man?"

"Oh you know what I mean!" Rena said, exasperated. "Besides, what we really need to focus on is how to get my nephew away from my brother. That man should not be raising a child and with my...shift in allegiance, he no longer trusts me."

"So we're sure they know then?" Helga sighed.

"There is no false hope left Helga. And I'm also worried for father's students. The others as well. When father attacks, and he soon will, they will be forced against each other. They will be forced to harm, maybe even kill their own kind. Helga, there aren't enough of us as it is! A civil war could destroy our world. You and the other founders have done too good a job gathering our kind."

"I know. In ten short years we have become the center of the Wizarding world. It should be a good thing," Helga sighed. "We should be saving our world not ripping it apart. Maybe, maybe I should have just said we should all pull into ourselves all those years ago. Maybe then, with no Hogwarts, with no constant friction, we'd be better off."

"No," Rena said firmly. "We would not be better off without Hogwarts. I wouldn't anyway. I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be working with you. I wouldn't be working against my father."

"And you wouldn't be in love," Helga said wickedly.

"I thought you were done with that," Rena growled as the two women disappeared down another hall.

"Well, that was...weird," Herowyc said.

"And you shouldn't have been listening to other people's conversations."

"Uncle Rhys!" Hero said turning in surprise to see the young man behind him.

"You were listening!" Isabo said.

"Apparently, it's genetic," Rhys said smiling down at his young cousin and niece.

"What about me?" Elsie demanded.

"Your close enough it rubbed off," Rhys said herding the kids further down the hall.

As they passed the corridor Helga and Rena had just gone down, his eyes scanned the length of stone until her caught a brief glance of them.

***************

Rhys was walking down the third floor corridor thinking. He liked walking around the castle. It wasn't unusual to see him trudging down some odd hallway.

He was thinking about how best to help Rena. She was really worried about her nephew. And apparently in love, well he knew what that was about. She was in obviously in love with his best friend. Leo was an amazing wizard. He could win over any witch he wanted.

Rhys sighed and leaned against a wall. "Guess he added one more," he muttered.

A moment later he looked up at the sound of footsteps.

"How goes it, young Gryffindor?" asked Garth smiling.

Oh that was a bad sign.

"Fine, you?" he asked politely.

"Oh I heard the most interesting rumor," Garth said.

"Yes?"

"It seems someone has caught my sister's eye," Garth said casually. "It's debated exactly who has caught her eye. You wouldn't know, would you?"

"Why would I know more about your sister than you?" Rhys asked.

"Let's not pretend, Rhys," Garth sneered. "We both know the walls are about to fall and all the cracks in the foundation will be exposed. But it's one of you, isn't it?"

"I have an idea," Rhys said unable to keep the sadness out of his voice.

Garth caught it and smiled. "Am I to assume you have some interest in Rena? But it's not you she wants?"

"Sod off, Slytherin"! Rhys said pushing past him.

"I'll be sure to tell Black he has the family's blessing to peruse Zarena, then?" Garth called after him.

Rhys spun he shot a look of such hated at the other man Garth took a step back. "You have no claim over her. She's a free woman! Leave her be," he warned before stalking off.

"Hmm," Garth said. "How interesting."

"Yes it is interesting," Leo Black said from the shadows to Garth's right.

"Do you always skulk around in the shadows behind Gryffindor?" Garth asked hiding his surprise.

"Only when he's too daft to pay attention what danger he's in," Leo answered calmly. "You'd do well to pay attention his warning. Rena is under our protection now. I consider her a friend. I'm rather protective of my friends."

"So I see," Garth said raising an eyebrow at the other man. "She is my sister. I have every right to be concerned."

"Right," Leo said and started to walk away.

"Are you interested in her, Black?" Garth asked.

Leo turned. "Your sister is a beautiful woman. But you can see as well as I that she is in love with Rhys and he with her. If you do anything to them..." he trailed off menacingly.

Garth just smiled and held up his hands. "I would never hurt my dear sister."

Leo stared at him coldly. He turned briskly on his heel and marched down the hall in the direction Rhys had gone. Leo decided that he would have to do something quickly to ensure his friends happiness. If he didn't, Leo was sure Garth would be only too happy to see them miserable.