Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 11: The Sword of Gryffindor
Helga watched the hall with great amusement. As most other mothers with young children, she was up earlier. She enjoyed watching the people interact with each other. People were odd.
She particularly enjoyed the small scene Leo and Anya caused before they left.
So it wasn't so unusual that she was watching the doors to the Great Hall that morning.
Helga watched as Salazar sauntered in with Garth. Usually little Xander would be with them for breakfast. He wasn't today.
With a quick glance around the room, Helga realized that most of the younger Slytherin students were absent.
"Elsie, I want you to take Fredrick and the baby out of here now. Get to our rooms and lock the door. And take your cousins too," Helga handed her youngest child to her oldest and leaned over to her cousin Ben.
"Ben," she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear, "send Hero with the other kids. Something's up with You-Know-Who."
"Right," Ben nodded. "Herowyc, you heard the lady."
"But Dad!" he tried to protest.
"Hero, this isn't the time," Helga said to him. "I need to know Elsie and the younger children will be safe. Can you watch them for me? Please, Hero, take care of them?"
"Okay," the boy huffed.
He took his youngest sister in his arms and carried her, leading the twins to where Ellsinore stood holding her own squirming bundle.
"What's up, Hel?" Ben asked moving closer to her.
"I don't know," she said. "But I get the feeling it's not safe today. Hero and Elsie probably could help, but I'd rather they watch the younger children."
Ben nodded as he silently watched their children approach the door.
Just was they were about to leave, Godric entered. He was chatting pleasantly with the seven children when an older Slytherin student bumped into him.
"I'm sorry, Lord Gryffindor," the boy said.
"That's alright, lad," Godric said with a kind smile and winking down at his granddaughter Breena who giggled.
"Wow, sir, that's probably the most impressive blade I've ever seen," the Slytherin said pointing towards Godric's sword.
"What? Oh, yes, quite," Godric said.
"My Granddad is the best swordsman in the country!" Hero said.
"Lord Slytherin was saying something like that," the older boy said.
"Really?" Godric asked disbelieving.
"Of course I did!" said Salazar himself coming over. "Breckin, haven't you some place to be?"
"Yes, my lord," the boy said with a slight bow. He nodded politely to the children and Godric before leaving.
"Odd boy," Salazar said.
"I rather liked him," Godric said.
"Indeed?" Salazar asked raising an eyebrow. "Well he was right. You are a remarkable swordsmen, and I have said so before."
"Thank you, Salazar," Godric said with a polite smile.
"Of course," Slytherin continued, "I've also said it's only your sword that makes you the best."
Godric sighed and rolled his eyes. "You children better gone to where ever you were off to."
"Yes grandfather," the twins coursed in unison.
Turning back to Salazar, Godric said. "We have had this conversation before, Salazar."
"Yes but you never let me see the blade for myself," the green eyed wizard said. "How can I know?"
"Oh fine!" Godric said frustrated. "If it'll end this argument."
Hero and Elsie stopped at the foot of the stairs, just able to see into the Great Hall.
"Keep going," Elsie said to the younger three. "Fred knows the password to get in or we'll be right there."
"This isn't good," Hero said shifting his baby sister to the to her arm. Elsie nodded coping the motion.
They watched Salazar Slytherin examine the Sword of Gryffindor. "It is remarkable," he said. "But you're right, you could win in a fair fight without it."
"Thank you," Godric said coldly. "You me give it back to me now."
Salazar smiled wickedly. "Of course," he said.
With quick motion, Salazar ran Godric through with his own sword.
A vicious gleam came to Salazar's eye as Godric fell to his knees then his side.
Hero took a step towards his fallen grandfather in shock. "No," he whispered.
"Hero, come on," Elsie said pulling him towards the steps. "Come on, we have to get to the others. We have to make sure they're safe."
Hero looked up to see the silent tears streaming down his friends face. He was instantly aware of the bundle in his arms.
"You're right," he said quietly. "Run. Quickly." **************
After finding the new couple waiting for them, if looking rather rumpled, Anya and Leo smiled smugly at the pair.
"Well," Leo said, "What have you got to say to us?"
Rhys smiled and walked up to his friend. Leo smiled back. Rhys then punched him in the face.
"Ow!" Leo said rubbing his jaw.
Rhys collected his wand from his sister. Anya smiled and kissed his cheek.
"I'm happy for you," she said.
"Thanks sis," Rhys said handing Rena her wand and leading the women out the door.
"Thanks sis!" Leo shouted still rubbing his jaw. "I get punched in the face and she gets thanked?"
Rhys shrugged. "You locked me, and the woman I love in tiny hell whole in the middle of no where. What would you have done?"
Leo frowned. "Well, when you put it like that. But that really hurt!"
"I should hope so!" Rhys said. "That was the point."
"Bloody ungrateful git," Leo muttered.
Rhys smiled. "Anyway, thanks for going to all that trouble, mate."
Leo gave him a small smile in return. "Don't mention it."
Rena whispered in Anya's ear, "Do they make any sense to you?"
Anya shrugged. "Don't ask me. You're in love short one after all."
"I'm not short!" Rhys yelled at his sister.
"Shorter them me," Leo said.
"Not my fault my great-grandmother wasn't a bloody giantess," Rhys muttered.
Leo smiled. "Neither was mine. You're just bitter you're short."
"I am not!" Rhys yelled.
"You ar..."
"Hey, shut up a sec," Rena said. "Do you guys feel that?"
"What?" Leo asked.
Anya and Rhys both turned very pale.
"The castle," Rhys said.
He turned to his sister. "Da," they said together.
Gryffindor's children ran towards the castle.
"What's wrong?" Leo asked.
Rena hung her head. "It's started, Godric's been killed."
Leo paled and took off towards the castle, Rena on his heels.
***********************
Breckin Weasley watched as the head of his house viciously killed Godric Gryffindor. He hadn't been all the way back to his table when he turned back to look at the two men he considered the greatest wizards alive. The boy nearly past out in shock when Slytherin ran Gryffindor through.
Gryffindor fell to his knees, and Breckin stood staring into dark brown voids that had once been his eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground.
At the Head Table, the adults stood. Breckin looked hopefully to find any sign of sanity in the room. Salazar Slytherin had quickly made his way to his students. Most seemed to be rallying around him. But some were not.
"Breckin, move," he heard a feminine voice order.
He looked down to the figure pushing his shoulder. "Isabo? What's happening?" he asked his year mate.
"A civil war, you twit!" she shouted. "Move!"
"But, but Lord Gryffindor!" he shouted, barely registering the sounds of battle now filling the air.
Isabo blinked back tears. "There's nothing we can do for Uncle Godric now."
"Isa, I'm sorry," Breckin said, finally moving.
"I know you are, Breckin," she said. "But you have to make a choice now. Where do your loyalties lye?"
"What?" the boy responded. He was lost again.
Isabo rolled her eyes. "Breckin, for someone as brilliant as you, you're amazingly thick. I've already said we're in the middle of a civil war here. Whose side are you on?"
Breckin looked around from the corner Isabo had pulled him into. Many of his housemates were attacking those from other houses. Actually, he could now see that wasn't entirely correct. The group led by Salazar Slytherin was made up of students from all of the houses, although it was mostly his own students. There were also a number of Slytherin's students hiding under the table, especially younger ones.
"I'm with you, of course," Breckin said finally excepting reality.
"Good," Isabo said. "I need you the get to your housemates, the ones who aren't with him." There was no need to say who. "Tell them they can fight or flee, but they'd better do one or the other. Once you've done that, you'll have to make the same choice."
"I already have," Breckin said. "I'll tell them, then I'll find you again. I'll fight with you Isabo."
"No need to look too hard," she said. "I'll be right by my parents."
With that, the two set off for opposite ends of the hall, both hoping to see each other soon. *******************
Rhys was the first to reach the doors of the castle. He flung them open easily and continued on to the Great Hall. The huge oak doors would budge for him this time. They remained firmly locked. Rhys pounded in frustration.
"Stupid door!" he growled. "Open!"
"Like that'll work," Anya said coming to a halt and panting beside him. "It's charmed shut."
"There has to be a counter charm," he shouted.
"No there doesn't," Rena said as she and Leo finally caught up. "Not if my father cast it."
"He did," a small voice said. Elsie and Hero came out of hiding in a near by alcove. "We've been trying to brake it, but we aren't strong enough without Isa."
"Hero! Elsie!" Anya cried wrapping her arms around her son. She gently cupped Elsie's cheek with her hand. "Are you two alright? What happened?"
"My Mum sent us out with the younger kids," she said. "We got out just in time. They're safe now. Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to be in there. We came back after we knew everyone was safe. The twins can take care of the younger kids just as well as we can."
"Grandda," Hero said in a strangled voice. "We saw him fall. Salazar killed him!"
Rhys and Leo both cursed softly. Rena agreed completely with them.
Elsie silently took Hero's hand when his mother released him. Anya would never say it out loud, but she was very strongly reminded of her brother and Helga when they were children.
"We have to get in there!" Rena said breaking the silence.
"Hero and Elsie are our best hope for that," Leo said. "Isa would be helpful, but I'm sure you two can do it."
"I'm willing to try," Elsie said.
"Maybe you should tell us what to do?" Hero suggested tentatively. "We couldn't get it on our own."
"Face the doors," Rhys said.
"Hold hands," Rena said.
"Put your free hand on either door," Anya added.
"And say 'Open says we,'" Leo finished.
The children looked up at the adults like they were crazy.
"Do it," Rhys said sternly.
"Has any thing else worked?" Leo asked.
Hero and Elsie looked at each other and shrugged before finally saying, "Open says we!" in perfect unison. And to there utter amazement, the doors creaked open.
Chapter 11: The Sword of Gryffindor
Helga watched the hall with great amusement. As most other mothers with young children, she was up earlier. She enjoyed watching the people interact with each other. People were odd.
She particularly enjoyed the small scene Leo and Anya caused before they left.
So it wasn't so unusual that she was watching the doors to the Great Hall that morning.
Helga watched as Salazar sauntered in with Garth. Usually little Xander would be with them for breakfast. He wasn't today.
With a quick glance around the room, Helga realized that most of the younger Slytherin students were absent.
"Elsie, I want you to take Fredrick and the baby out of here now. Get to our rooms and lock the door. And take your cousins too," Helga handed her youngest child to her oldest and leaned over to her cousin Ben.
"Ben," she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear, "send Hero with the other kids. Something's up with You-Know-Who."
"Right," Ben nodded. "Herowyc, you heard the lady."
"But Dad!" he tried to protest.
"Hero, this isn't the time," Helga said to him. "I need to know Elsie and the younger children will be safe. Can you watch them for me? Please, Hero, take care of them?"
"Okay," the boy huffed.
He took his youngest sister in his arms and carried her, leading the twins to where Ellsinore stood holding her own squirming bundle.
"What's up, Hel?" Ben asked moving closer to her.
"I don't know," she said. "But I get the feeling it's not safe today. Hero and Elsie probably could help, but I'd rather they watch the younger children."
Ben nodded as he silently watched their children approach the door.
Just was they were about to leave, Godric entered. He was chatting pleasantly with the seven children when an older Slytherin student bumped into him.
"I'm sorry, Lord Gryffindor," the boy said.
"That's alright, lad," Godric said with a kind smile and winking down at his granddaughter Breena who giggled.
"Wow, sir, that's probably the most impressive blade I've ever seen," the Slytherin said pointing towards Godric's sword.
"What? Oh, yes, quite," Godric said.
"My Granddad is the best swordsman in the country!" Hero said.
"Lord Slytherin was saying something like that," the older boy said.
"Really?" Godric asked disbelieving.
"Of course I did!" said Salazar himself coming over. "Breckin, haven't you some place to be?"
"Yes, my lord," the boy said with a slight bow. He nodded politely to the children and Godric before leaving.
"Odd boy," Salazar said.
"I rather liked him," Godric said.
"Indeed?" Salazar asked raising an eyebrow. "Well he was right. You are a remarkable swordsmen, and I have said so before."
"Thank you, Salazar," Godric said with a polite smile.
"Of course," Slytherin continued, "I've also said it's only your sword that makes you the best."
Godric sighed and rolled his eyes. "You children better gone to where ever you were off to."
"Yes grandfather," the twins coursed in unison.
Turning back to Salazar, Godric said. "We have had this conversation before, Salazar."
"Yes but you never let me see the blade for myself," the green eyed wizard said. "How can I know?"
"Oh fine!" Godric said frustrated. "If it'll end this argument."
Hero and Elsie stopped at the foot of the stairs, just able to see into the Great Hall.
"Keep going," Elsie said to the younger three. "Fred knows the password to get in or we'll be right there."
"This isn't good," Hero said shifting his baby sister to the to her arm. Elsie nodded coping the motion.
They watched Salazar Slytherin examine the Sword of Gryffindor. "It is remarkable," he said. "But you're right, you could win in a fair fight without it."
"Thank you," Godric said coldly. "You me give it back to me now."
Salazar smiled wickedly. "Of course," he said.
With quick motion, Salazar ran Godric through with his own sword.
A vicious gleam came to Salazar's eye as Godric fell to his knees then his side.
Hero took a step towards his fallen grandfather in shock. "No," he whispered.
"Hero, come on," Elsie said pulling him towards the steps. "Come on, we have to get to the others. We have to make sure they're safe."
Hero looked up to see the silent tears streaming down his friends face. He was instantly aware of the bundle in his arms.
"You're right," he said quietly. "Run. Quickly." **************
After finding the new couple waiting for them, if looking rather rumpled, Anya and Leo smiled smugly at the pair.
"Well," Leo said, "What have you got to say to us?"
Rhys smiled and walked up to his friend. Leo smiled back. Rhys then punched him in the face.
"Ow!" Leo said rubbing his jaw.
Rhys collected his wand from his sister. Anya smiled and kissed his cheek.
"I'm happy for you," she said.
"Thanks sis," Rhys said handing Rena her wand and leading the women out the door.
"Thanks sis!" Leo shouted still rubbing his jaw. "I get punched in the face and she gets thanked?"
Rhys shrugged. "You locked me, and the woman I love in tiny hell whole in the middle of no where. What would you have done?"
Leo frowned. "Well, when you put it like that. But that really hurt!"
"I should hope so!" Rhys said. "That was the point."
"Bloody ungrateful git," Leo muttered.
Rhys smiled. "Anyway, thanks for going to all that trouble, mate."
Leo gave him a small smile in return. "Don't mention it."
Rena whispered in Anya's ear, "Do they make any sense to you?"
Anya shrugged. "Don't ask me. You're in love short one after all."
"I'm not short!" Rhys yelled at his sister.
"Shorter them me," Leo said.
"Not my fault my great-grandmother wasn't a bloody giantess," Rhys muttered.
Leo smiled. "Neither was mine. You're just bitter you're short."
"I am not!" Rhys yelled.
"You ar..."
"Hey, shut up a sec," Rena said. "Do you guys feel that?"
"What?" Leo asked.
Anya and Rhys both turned very pale.
"The castle," Rhys said.
He turned to his sister. "Da," they said together.
Gryffindor's children ran towards the castle.
"What's wrong?" Leo asked.
Rena hung her head. "It's started, Godric's been killed."
Leo paled and took off towards the castle, Rena on his heels.
***********************
Breckin Weasley watched as the head of his house viciously killed Godric Gryffindor. He hadn't been all the way back to his table when he turned back to look at the two men he considered the greatest wizards alive. The boy nearly past out in shock when Slytherin ran Gryffindor through.
Gryffindor fell to his knees, and Breckin stood staring into dark brown voids that had once been his eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground.
At the Head Table, the adults stood. Breckin looked hopefully to find any sign of sanity in the room. Salazar Slytherin had quickly made his way to his students. Most seemed to be rallying around him. But some were not.
"Breckin, move," he heard a feminine voice order.
He looked down to the figure pushing his shoulder. "Isabo? What's happening?" he asked his year mate.
"A civil war, you twit!" she shouted. "Move!"
"But, but Lord Gryffindor!" he shouted, barely registering the sounds of battle now filling the air.
Isabo blinked back tears. "There's nothing we can do for Uncle Godric now."
"Isa, I'm sorry," Breckin said, finally moving.
"I know you are, Breckin," she said. "But you have to make a choice now. Where do your loyalties lye?"
"What?" the boy responded. He was lost again.
Isabo rolled her eyes. "Breckin, for someone as brilliant as you, you're amazingly thick. I've already said we're in the middle of a civil war here. Whose side are you on?"
Breckin looked around from the corner Isabo had pulled him into. Many of his housemates were attacking those from other houses. Actually, he could now see that wasn't entirely correct. The group led by Salazar Slytherin was made up of students from all of the houses, although it was mostly his own students. There were also a number of Slytherin's students hiding under the table, especially younger ones.
"I'm with you, of course," Breckin said finally excepting reality.
"Good," Isabo said. "I need you the get to your housemates, the ones who aren't with him." There was no need to say who. "Tell them they can fight or flee, but they'd better do one or the other. Once you've done that, you'll have to make the same choice."
"I already have," Breckin said. "I'll tell them, then I'll find you again. I'll fight with you Isabo."
"No need to look too hard," she said. "I'll be right by my parents."
With that, the two set off for opposite ends of the hall, both hoping to see each other soon. *******************
Rhys was the first to reach the doors of the castle. He flung them open easily and continued on to the Great Hall. The huge oak doors would budge for him this time. They remained firmly locked. Rhys pounded in frustration.
"Stupid door!" he growled. "Open!"
"Like that'll work," Anya said coming to a halt and panting beside him. "It's charmed shut."
"There has to be a counter charm," he shouted.
"No there doesn't," Rena said as she and Leo finally caught up. "Not if my father cast it."
"He did," a small voice said. Elsie and Hero came out of hiding in a near by alcove. "We've been trying to brake it, but we aren't strong enough without Isa."
"Hero! Elsie!" Anya cried wrapping her arms around her son. She gently cupped Elsie's cheek with her hand. "Are you two alright? What happened?"
"My Mum sent us out with the younger kids," she said. "We got out just in time. They're safe now. Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to be in there. We came back after we knew everyone was safe. The twins can take care of the younger kids just as well as we can."
"Grandda," Hero said in a strangled voice. "We saw him fall. Salazar killed him!"
Rhys and Leo both cursed softly. Rena agreed completely with them.
Elsie silently took Hero's hand when his mother released him. Anya would never say it out loud, but she was very strongly reminded of her brother and Helga when they were children.
"We have to get in there!" Rena said breaking the silence.
"Hero and Elsie are our best hope for that," Leo said. "Isa would be helpful, but I'm sure you two can do it."
"I'm willing to try," Elsie said.
"Maybe you should tell us what to do?" Hero suggested tentatively. "We couldn't get it on our own."
"Face the doors," Rhys said.
"Hold hands," Rena said.
"Put your free hand on either door," Anya added.
"And say 'Open says we,'" Leo finished.
The children looked up at the adults like they were crazy.
"Do it," Rhys said sternly.
"Has any thing else worked?" Leo asked.
Hero and Elsie looked at each other and shrugged before finally saying, "Open says we!" in perfect unison. And to there utter amazement, the doors creaked open.
