Chapter 4
By Corgi
Hidden deep within the castle that houses Hogwarts School for
Witchcraft
and Wizardry, there is a small room and in that room a quill works
steadily.
If one would look down on the parchment the quill is industrially
working
on, they would see a diagram of the school's Great Hall filled with
round
tables. Around the pictures of tables were names, many names. As each
name
was written at one of the tables the name on a corresponding parchment
was checked off. The names were checked off at a steady pace.
"Old friend, we're going to have some trouble with this wedding," a
female voice said calmly into the silent and empty room.
"Why is that?" The masculine voice that answered came from the
direction
of the quill.
"Severus is determined to find out who's been invited. He already
has
one of his informants working on it. Once he sees the guest lists he
may
work out who's getting married and he's not the most cooperative of
people."
"That I know my dear. Perhaps we should interfere with the
informant?"
"I believe we should wait for the other's to join us."
The quill which had stilled when the woman's voice broke the
silence,
returned to filling out the seating chart. The two voices continued
talking
about anything and everything except the wedding due to take place on
August
15th. They talked about the weather, the ghosts of the school, the
barmy
old codger running the place now and how quiet the school's been since
the Weasley twins left three years prior. Soon their patience was
rewarded
as another voice joined them. This one also was female, her bell like
tones
rang throughout the room, where as the first woman's voice was deep and
smooth like silk.
"Young Harry is going to cause us so much trouble," the second woman
cried into the darkness, "he's refusing to come to the ceremony and
plans
on returning to his relatives to retrieve his personal belongings that
he left behind the last time. He's going to get himself killed."
"Didn't his friends do anything to dissuade him?" The male voice
questioned
the second female.
"Yes they did try and deter him. They reminded him about the last
time
he returned and he just brushed it off. Even Severus stepped in. Of
course
the two started arguing and most of all I didn't like the look on the
young
man's face. It was like something broke inside him. I'm worried, my
friends,
that he may not wish to stay in this world."
"I hate to add more bad news to our growing pile," another male
voice
joined the conversation. His voice a pleasing tenor compared to the
baritone
of the first. "Tom knows about the wedding. It seems he tried to kill
our
Harry and his guests the other night. Luckily I was there and took care
of the weapon." Out of the darkness the huge form of a snake floated
into
the center of the room. "Do you think the house elves can make
something
nice out of this for our happy couple?"
"I do believe they can," the first woman answered and the snake
disappeared
with what sounded like a finger's snapping.
"Well then, I'll retrieve Harry's long lost belongings and bring
them
to his humble abode. Hopefully we'll keep him out of trouble. We can't
let our true heir get too badly beat up now can we Godric?"
"No, Salazar we can't. Now what are we to do with your result of
your
youngest son's indiscretions?"
"There's nothing we can do about Tom. Harry's the only one that can
dispose of the family bastard. We just have to make sure the young man
has the tools he needs to do the job."
"Too true, Salazar, too true. Hopefully this exercise of ours will
bear
fruit." Godric sighed from his position by the table and resumed
filling
in the seating plan.
"How is your heir dealing with our little plot, Rowena?" Salazar
asked
as he watched while Godric's form came into view behind the desk.
"Not well at all. He's upset because Albus insists he go and he's
trying
to figure out who's getting married. I suggest we make sure he doesn't
know it's him until the last possible moment." Rowena's willowy form
materialized
out of the darkness.
"Well your heir does not care for being manipulated by anyone. I
would
have to assume his association with Tom has made it so pronounced."
Salazar
responded with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Neither does Harry," Helga Hufflepuff joined the fray, "you should
have seen the mess he made of Albus' office at the end of his fifth
year."
"He was in quite a lot emotion pain at that time. Albus was lucky it
was his baubles and not his head. Harry seems to have inherited both
mine
and Salazar's temper." Godric paused in his writing to look up at his
old
friend before adding, "He's got your daughter's stubborn streak too,
Sal."
"That he has, Ric that he does. Hopefully it'll prove useful for his
task."
"It is too bad this didn't work out they way we hoped." Rowena
flashed
a sad smile at Helga. "I wish your line survived Helga." Rowena's eyes
widened with surprise as her plump friend smiled brilliantly.
"It did, in the Potter line. Seven generations ago the eldest of my
descendants gave his child to his wife's best friend for safe keeping
during
the incursion of Haridin the Dark. When my line was destroyed by
Haridin
the child was still with the woman. The child was a girl and when her
guardian
married the second son of David Potter, the child went with her and
grew
up with along side the offspring of the other Potter children. When he
was older she and the oldest son of Eric Potter fell in love and
married."
Helga's warm smile lit up the room.
"Well we know where Harry's phenomenal luck comes from now." Salazar
commented with a laugh. "It's also odd how the Potters seem to collect
strays. That's how our bloodlines ended up with the Potters."
"Yes, it is. We do have to decide how to stall Severus'
investigations,
Albus' meddling and keep Harry from getting himself killed." Rowena
said,
as she called her friends attention back to the present. "It wouldn't
do
to have all our work ruined because they go off in directions we do not
wish to have them go in."
"Yes, you're quite right, Rowena. Sal, Severus is trying to find out
about the wedding and has one of his informants gathering a list of
those
invited. He'll figure out what's going on if he gets that list. He'll
bolt
for sure then." Godric informed his oldest friend.
"Well, if someone else is willing to retrieve Harry's invisibility
cloak
and the items hidden in it, then I'll go and sabotage Severus'
information
gathering."
"I'll go gather Harry's things." Godric volunteered with an evil
glint
in his eyes. "I've been meaning to have a chat with those Muggles."
"I will be more than willing to finish the wedding preparations.
Perhaps,
Helga, you'll deal with Albus? You've more experience that we do when
it
comes to handling the Headmasters." Rowena cocked her head to the side
while waiting for the gentle witch to answer.
"Of course I will. I've got the old meddler convinced that I'm the
castle.
It comes in handy when there's information that must be passed on. What
are we going to do about Riddle?"
"All we can do is stall him as long as we can when he arrives. We
must
get those two bonded before he attacks. It's imperative that we do so,
or everything we've done will fall apart." Salazar's stern blue eyes
lit
with an inner fire that radiated power.
"We best get started then. I will see you all later." Godric's form
faded out as he began his mission.
Salazar and Helga quickly followed Godric's example, leaving Rowena
alone in the small chamber. Rowena took up the quill and looked at the
seating arrangement Godric was working on earlier. With a sigh she
retrieved
another parchment from the desk and threw Godric's away.
"Only a man would put the Weasleys and the Malfoys at the same table. It's supposed to be a wedding not a blood bath." Rowena growled into the empty room and began re-doing the chart.
~tbc~
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