Chapter Three
The Lie
The rest of the week passed in bliss, and the school was looking as pristine as ever in preparation for the first day of classes. Students would all be arriving with their parents via strategically placed portkeys that would take families to the nearby village of Hogsmeade, and from there they would walk to the castle. That day, the great hall was adorned with banners and streamers of the Hogwarts colors, mascots, and crests.
"I still think a mascot and color for each dormitory is wrong," Helga protested, "I mean, shouldn't we try to promote unity?"
"They will unite around their colors," Rowena said, trying to ease Helga, "And look at the Hogwarts crest, each mascot united with the other. Is that not enough?"
Of course, in the end, Helga bowed to the whims of the other Founders. And so the hall was decorated, and thanks to the genius of Rowena, the roof of the Great Hall was enchanted to reveal the night sky. The four dormitory tables were all set with gold place settings, and at the staff table, the usual set of four ornately-decorated chairs flanked on either side by the standard ones for the staff.
"Everything looks great!" Godric exclaimed from within the Great Hall, as the other founders joined him, "Tonight will be perfect."
"Have we come to a consensus as to which students will go to which dormitory?" Salazar asked.
"I still think we should just separate them equally and be done with it, treat them all the same," Helga said sweetly.
"Absolutely not!" Salazar declared, "I will have nothing less than the purest witches and wizards in my own house!"
"And how would you like us to test their purity?" Rowena inquired, "Get them to jump through hoops?"
"It would certainly rest their daring," Godric said, pensively.
"Perhaps the ghosts could sort them," Helga said, trying to appease everyone with an unbiased solution, "Or we could enchant a mirror to reveal the students' inner traits."
"For the entire school to view? It think not," Salazar replied.
"I have an idea," Rowena said, triumphantly, "Let's just choose."
The other three Founders threw her quizzical glances.
"Listen, we are all skilled enough in Legilimency to select the students we want," Rowena began, "skilled enough not to require eye contact to know they possess the qualities we want."
"That's actually not half bad," Helga said, smiling warmly at Rowena.
"All we need to do is greet the students when they arrive, and direct them to the proper tables in the Great Hall," Slytherin continued.
"So then it's settled, we shall choose," Godric added, settling the matter.
The Founders then left the Great Hall, confident that they had dodged yet another proverbial arrow. Helga excused herself from the group and retreated to the kitchens to give the House Elves their final set of instructions on the Start-of-Term Feast.
"Well, now that nothing more can be done, may I tempt you with some tea, Rowena?" Salazar asked slyly.
"You will have to forgive me Salazar," she replied, smiling, "But I was actually thinking of taking a walk through the Forest. With all our time here, I have not once taken in the woods."
"Then perhaps I may be of assistance," Godric began, "The woods are perilous, Rowena, and I think a proper escort would be a good idea."
"Perilous!" Salazar snorted, "Only if you consider Augureys and Golden Snidgets perilous."
"Still," said Rowena, "Godric is right, it would be unwise to enter alone."
"Shall we?" Godric said, offering his arm.
"Indeed," Rowena replied, wrapping arms with Godric, "I'll see you at the Welcoming Feast, Salazar."
Together, Rowena and Godric exited the Entrance Hall and entered the grounds. Salazar simply stood there, watching them leave...together. Salazar was filled with a mix of jealousy, anger and sadness. Godric said he would never try and take Rowena from him, so what was he doing?
"Should have had him make the Unbreakable Vow," Salazar grumbled to himself.
Or so he thought, for standing at the archway to the Kitchens was Helga, who overheard every word.
The sun had just set and the stars revealed themselves as Rowena and Godric entered the Dark Forest. They talked the entre way; about students, curriculum, and the classes they were to teach (Rowena would be teaching Charms, and Godric, Transfiguration).
Once night had fallen completely, the pair came to a clearing with a large boulder sitting in the center of it. The Full Moon shone brilliantly, give the clearing more than enough light to see without the use of their wands.
"...And dear Helga still has her heart set on Herbology, I think." Rowena said, as she walked around the stone.
"It would suit her well, she has that kind of earthy–" Godric began, but was cut off. He turned his head to the right, suddenly, to listen to a rustling in the bushes.
"What is it?" Rowena whispered.
Godric didn't answer. Whatever it was, it was big. Birds flew from the trees and retreated to safety, and not a breath of wind rustled so much as a blade of grass. All was still...
Then, it happened. In the flash of an instant, am enormous creature leapt from the surrounding woods towards Godric. It wasn't big, it was massive. It had long, dark fur, sharp claws, gleaming teeth, and a powerful snout...
"A werewolf!" Rowena shouted.
She withdrew her wand with lightning speed, but it still wasn't fast enough. The wolf had collided with Godric, throwing him to the ground. However, utilizing the werewolf's momentum, Godric was able to throw the beast off of him with his legs, narrowly avoiding the werewolf's bite.
"Get help!" Godric shouted to Rowena, but she wasn't moving. The most unintelligent thing to do right now would be to leave Godric alone.
The beast landed on its feet again, just as Godric stood to face it. He, too, withdrew his wand and fired off a Stunning Spell at the werewolf. It narrowly missed.
It wouldn't have worked anyway, Rowena thought to herself.
The werewolf snapped his deadly jaws and growled as he began to charge Godric again. Then, she had it! The werewolf would only be warded off by heeding the call of its own kind! Rowena cupped her hands around her mouth, and howled.
"ARRROOO!" she shouted in a high pitched voice, "ARRROOOOOO!"
The werewolf stopped abruptly, just inches from Godric, and turned to face her. Then, the wolf began to run towards Rowena.
"Didn't think of this," she said to herself, and turned around and ran into the woods.
"ROWENA!" Godric shouted out, and ran after her and the werewolf into the forest.
All three of them ran for what seemed like forever. Rowena, however, was being slowed down considerably by her billowing blue dress getting caught in the branches of the trees. Soon, she ran into a dead end, reaching what appeared to be a cliff leading off from the mountains. She turned around to see the werewolf before her, charging her at full speed. She reached for her wand...but it wasn't there!
So she stood there, think of a way to get out of this situation, but nothing came. Closer the beast came running, closer...and then...
There was a flash of green light form behind the werewolf, a rush of wind, and the beast collapsed, sliding on the ground, completely lifeless. Standing behind the werewolf was Godric, his wand aimed at where the werewolf was running, Rowena's wand in his other hand.
She ran to him, stepping over the body of the werewolf, tears running down her face. She wrapped her arms around Godric and embraced him tightly. Then, without even thinking, she relaxed her hold on Godric and kissed him.
Godrc was surprised, to say the very least, but decided to make the best of a bad situation, and embraced Rowena's kiss. It was as though time had stopped, and it was just the pair of them...for all eternity. It seemed it had been ages once they had let go of each other.
"I think you dropped this," Godric said after Rowena released him.
She simply laughed and took back her wand. Together, they walked briskly out of the forest and back into the refuge of the castle, the man-wolf now lying dead in the forest. When they entered the Entrance Hall, Rowena excused herself to freshen up, and Godric remained at the foot of the stairs, watching her elegantly ascend.
"How was the forest?" Salazar asked, snapping Godric from his reverie.
Then, Godric regaled Salazar with the events that had transpired...omitting the bit about Rowena's kiss.
"..And then we came back to the castle as quickly as possible," Godric fibbed.
"Astounding!" Salazar said, sounding amazed and relieved, subconsciously wishing the werewolf has torn Godric to shreds, "And nothing else happened?"
With all his might, Godric mustered up every once of Occlumency he could find,
"No," Godric lied, "Nothing."