Disclaimer: Salazar and Godric in this story are merely representations or rather interpretations of information given in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Immortality

It is strange how after Briona's accident with the basilisk, Silus, that the venom was soon forgotten. I didn't think I wanted to handle the mixture even though Godric must have gone to extraordinary lengths to get it for me.

Weeks intermingled with months and the months grew into years. I finished my apprenticeship and became a fully fledged healer. Miss Cassia died a few
years after my completion and Briona and myself shared the task as the healers at Hogwarts Castle.

Godric Gryffindor also had done well with himself. He married a young maid, Alieen Bones, who had been chosen by his father. All before his eighteenth birthday. Godric was never a romantic heart and was not fazed by this task that some strapping youths grapple with. I think he was relieved in a way.

He and Alieen had met the pervious summer and unlike any other girls of the nobility, dear Ali was not afraid to laugh at herself and more importantly be herself around Godric. They had become fast friends and Godric, the ever dutiful son, bowed his head to his father's wishes.

It wasn't long after Godric married, that poor Sir Elric found out about his son's dangerous fascination with protective magics. As I had predicted Sir Elric was furious and Godric could be seen wincing every time he saw his father for at least a week afterwards.

But despite his natural urge to be compelled to protective magics, Godric soon began to make a name for himself throughout the land with all the spells he had created in secret. He spent so much time gathering youngsters to teach them that I am now surprised our hollowed school was not created earlier.

Oh and dear Salome and Darcy. They had married a year before and had left the castle to live in a small wizarding community a few miles away. I forgot the name of the village but as my tale will tell the village was not there for very long. It is no longer a place of habitation for magical or muggle. None would live there in the later days.

But enough of that! About me...

Ahem! Well I married shortly after Godric. To whom, you may ask? To Briona Throckmorton. It caused such a terrible scandal in the castle and neither her sister Odelle nor her mother was present during our wedding feast. That was perfectly fine with me.

Her poor deranged father came. He was a wonderful gentleman. Perfectly polite and welcoming; Briona must have taken after her father. But even at this early stage, I suspected he was becoming senile.

After embracing his youngest daughter affectionately he came to me and clapped my back. With beady eyes that gazed everywhere but at me; he pressed a small object into my palm. Before I could look down to see what it was he closed my palm into a fist and shook it slightly.

"It was mine once," he said proudly.

I could only look at him dumbly while my new wife was beaming at my side.
"My da gave it to me," he continued cheerily; his eyes were still roaming the room. "And I give it ta ye now! my new son."

I blushed and hastily thanked him profusely for his blessing. He nodded wryly as if I was naught by a silly child and wistfully added. "I don't like me other daughter's husband the stupid d'Malfrid make sure you two have a baby (preferably a boy but honestly a wee lassie will do) before them."

Then with a click of his heels he was gone. I had watched him for a moment then I returned to the object in my hand. A ring. A gold ring with a large black stone with something etched into it.

"Peverell coat of arms," Briona whispered in my ear, "Generations of purebloods in my family have worn this. Now it comes to you."

I shrugged slipped it onto my finger and draped my arm around her shoulders.
"How about we ensure another generation?" I said winking. Briona slapped my arm but laughed at me lightly.

I shrugged innocently. "Only following your father's command."

I found the venom one later wintry afternoon. I was alone in the healers' quarters when I found it. Something I felt lead me there.

I don't know how or why, but I started to pour the clear liquid into a glass jar and started to add all sorts of things into the liquid just to see what would happen.

I worked furiously over this misguided project for hours and hours. But finally I finished something that resembled a foul smelling mess. I shoved on a pair of dragon hide gloves to protect my hands and dipped my finger in.

The liquid hissed and bubbled and spurted.

I instantly knew then I had created something horrible but I was keen to find out exactly what it was.

One of my patients had left behind an old ugly neckpiece. I shrugged and because it was in easy range I picked it up without thinking and painted the
potion onto the surface of the object.

For one moment I turned by back and a horrible screech reached my ears. I clamped my hands over my ears and turned around to see a horrible grey rat
struggling and scrambling as if it was in terrible pain.
I absolute horror of what I had made I found an obsidian box and ran to my new chambers I shared with my wife.

Briona was on our bed resting the bump that was to be our son was now unmistakable. "What have you brought in here?"

For a moment I thought of lying but I knew of Briona's curiosity and I could not risk her or the baby's life.

"I've created something horrible," I replied shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I rummaged through a wardrobe and then had second thoughts. Briona
watched me as I took it to my desk and added a complicated locking charm on the box. I rushed back to the wardrobe to hide it.

"Why not destroy it?" Briona inquired lightly rubbing her belly and watching me with stern eyes.

That question froze me in my tracks. And the answer hit me like a tonne of quills.

"It might come in useful sometime," I added shrugging, "Who knows what else I could create."

I was onto my second experiment when Godric burst in looking flushed and
excited. "Alieen's with child!" he cried in my ear. I winced and looked up at him smiling.

"The potion for her is in the cabinet," came my curt reply.

Godric wandered over to the cabinet and pulled out a complicated potion.
"How did you know?" Godric asked me puzzled, giving me his father's appraising look.

"Make sure she takes it; after two miscarriages..."

Godric nodded his head solemnly. "Must you remind me?" he almost whined but he managed to remain sounding his noble and commanding self.

"Sorry," I apologized ruefully, turning back to my experiment, "it's a sad fact of life in the healers' world."

I had seen so much death in my profession that even Godric and Alieen's tragic loss didn't seem to wound me as much as it did Briona. I had felt pain for Godric and his wife but not a sadness for the child.

"You didn't answer my question!" Godric said starting me out of my daydream.

"Oh! Well," I glanced slyly at my friend, I knew he was still searching for answers for how I knew Alieen was pregnant. "I knew it wouldn't be long with the likes of you."

Godric blushed crimson.

"Should I be expecting twins?" I teased.

Godric's blush deepened. "Hearne's wife, Catrona, is with child too," he added to change the subject.

My mood instantly darkened I had not forgiven Hearne for what he had done. "I thought Hearne made sure she couldn't contact us."

Godric shrugged. "She sent it by her pet owl."

"Oh, how novel."

"She's excited."

"Hmm."

"Do you think Hearne will...you know," Godric's voice drop off. "hurt her or the baby if it's a girl?"

I glanced at Godric and shook his head. "No father, even Hearne, would hurt his own child."

Godric didn't look convinced.

"Besides, the great Sir Hearne Gryffindor, the hero of England, is greatly in love with his wife."

Godric rolled his eyes. Hearne had been champion for only six months, but my vindictive nature made me mock him at every possible turning. I know this
habit got under Godric's skin, but my dear friend never reprimanded me or complained.

"Perhaps he should be having twins too," I continued with a grin, turning back to my work. Behind me I heard Godric's exasperated sigh and a small thank you before he turned and left me in peace.

My experiment was almost over I had trapped a few rats from the kitchen and made a fail safe box to keep them in and fed them my new concoction. Briona
was so heavily pregnant with our first child she was no longer able to make it to the healers' quarters so there was no chance that she could be upset with my pet rats.

I smiled thinly as I picked up my wand and pointed it to the rats.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" I cried.

I green jet of energy burst from the end of my wand and hit the rats. I let a cry of victory escape my lips.

Inside my box all the rats were alive. I had created something akin to immortality.