"Rowena?"

She hated that sound in her parents' voices, the one that just screamed a simpering self-glory in whatever plan they had just hatched. Normally, she didn't mind—they were doing it all the time. Growing up as their daughter, she was of course used to such actions. She tossed another handful of armadillo skin shreds into her cauldron and watched as it boiled up into a mess of purple smoke. Like it was supposed. She thought. It was an experimental potion, but if her theory was correct… Yes, purple definitely was the correct color. Now all she had to do was let that stew for precisely thirteen minutes… hopefully her parents would be finished with her by then. She turned up the fire, pushed the sweat out of her eyes, and opened her bedroom door. "Yes?"

She almost screamed. They normally weren't waiting for her like that. It seemed a bit strange, up in the chamber halls like this… exactly what did they need to speak to her about?

"Rowena," her father repeated. "We have some news for her."

She smiled. Of course she had been able to assume that much. "What news?" If it were about that silly castle investigation for the school, she already knew about that. Hadn't she been the one to tell them? So that meant it didn't have anything to do with that at all. Her grin broadened. Ooh, a real surprise. Lucky her.

"Rowena," her mother whispered, tugging at her own hair.

Rowena reached up to her curls and blushed. A bit of owl feather had been snagged. "So what is this news and why doesn't it merit a more formal situation?" Therefore it must either be very important or very trivial.

Her father was all but glowing. "We received an owl this morning from Lady Rose Gryffindor. She has proposed a marriage."

A marriage! Rowena felt suddenly very lightheaded. What did he mean by that? A thousand possibilities swam through her mind, each one more mad than the last. Lady Gryffindor. Godric's mother. The lady who was fostering… She gasped and put her hand to hear heart. Salazar! This wasn't about him. Only he… She had better be more careful to make sure no more potion ingredients became tangled in her hair. She stared up at her parents, scarcely daring to breathe.

"And we have agreed to this marriage proposition, especially that the situation was explained to us."

What situation?

Her father must have noticed her curiosity, because his grin somewhat faded.

Something was very wrong with this. But what could be wrong with this? What situation would make it necessary for her and Salazar to be wed? Not that she minded, and yet…

"So you will be wedded to her son Godric."

It was if they had proposed a death sentence on her. She stared at them, horrified. "Godric?" she repeated. "I am to marry Godric?"

"Yes," her mother said gently. "I've suspected you've had… other interests—"

"Mama, of course I've had other interests, but—"

She held up her hand, channeling the same energy she had used when Rowena had been but a child. "I know, dearest, I know. But you have been friends with Godric Gryffindor for years. It will be a suitable marriage."

That was true. She did like Godric. Very much, in fact. She shook her head. But Salazar… she had never dared…. Even when they were children, he had always been her favorite. And she had suspected the mutual of him. But she had never dared consider a marriage. Did it always hurt so much to lift up one's hopes? "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't have reacted so."

"Rowena," her father said.

She shook her head, a gesture to him not to worry. "I will marry him, of course. It will be a fine marriage." Did she sound so dead to the outside world? She stepped back in her room and closed the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Salazar couldn't look at either of them. He stared across the lake, so different from the one he had grown up next to. Clear, blue, pretty. He could already sense the aura of the merfolk city down there. A far more interesting subject than how Godric and Rowe were acting.

Rowe.

He picked up a stone. Not good for skipping. He held it tight in his fist, willing it to smooth and flatten and round. A simple trick, manipulating matter. Rowe would have turned up her pretty little nose at it. He flung his arm back and released the stone, listening with relish as it scattered across the lake's surface. One, two, three… all the way up to thirteen. On the thirteenth, a giant tentacle splashed up from the surface, absorbing the blast of the stone.

Salazar didn't blink. A giant squid. Well, he had heard rumors from Jonas. So merfolk and a squid. What else would be more perfect for a school?

He still couldn't believe they were actually doing this. What crazy plot would Jonas and Terminus pop up with next? He turned back to the castle, large and dripping. New. How many wizards had been put to work on it? Building things did not come easily, no matter how skilled the wizard. The others were in there, somewhere. Though he couldn't imagine Godric and Rowe being anywhere near one another.

Salazar and Godric had only heard the news the day before. It had almost been a test, to see if they could repair their friendship. If Godric had been anything but horrified… Salazar bit his lip. Did he really consider Rowe this way? The little pest? He still remembered the night they had rescued her. How horrible it had been.

He had never been so scared in his life.

"Salazar?"

He turned around. She was there. He hadn't heard her come up. "Rowe!" He almost stumbled back into the lake.

He hadn't spoken to her, either, that day. "I thought you were inside with the others. The castle… you couldn't have possibly finished looking at it."

She shook her head. "It's… it's beautiful. It will be a great school. No Muggle could find this place. Not in a million years. Latiya seems to think it a marvelous secret."

Salazar smiled. Little Latiya. Helga had insisted on bringing her. As comfort? He knew how Godric felt about Helga. "It's going to be wonderful. Did Terminus or Jonas say when they want the school to begin?"

"Within the year. They think it could never be too soon." She ran a hand through her curls, sighing. "I only wish I really knew what was going on. What is this school going to do for the future? I just wish we really knew what was coming. Salazar…"

Something was so strange about this. Him and her. The lake before them. This new castle, their future, just beyond. It wasn't right. Why did Rose do this?

Rowe was meant to be his.

"I take it you heard," she said softly. "I'm… I'm really happy about it."

"No, you're not."

She looked at him, eyes filling with tears. "Salazar…"

"You've liked me ever since we were children," he spat. Did it sound so harsh? It wasn't supposed to.

"I liked everyone." He could barely hear her.

"You were such a pest," he muttered. He stepped closer, grabbing her hand.

It was enough. With a sob breaking forth, she tumbled into his chest. It was all he could do to simply keep his arms around her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Latiya decided that she really, really, really liked the castle. Really. She stretched up from her placement on Godric's shoulders, reaching her little arms toward the stone ceiling. She could feel the magic already. She had never been inside a castle that was truly magical. "I like it!"

Uncle Jonas chuckled. He was so funny. "Of course you do, girl. Of course you do. Our people, our side, have been building it for years. And now it is ready."

"And yet you led us between half a dozen other places," Godric said. "All in a plan to lead us here."

Jonas shrugged. "It was Terminus' idea."

"Wizards built this with magic?" Latiya asked, watching in fascination as a staircase slid up to meet them. "You didn't help, Uncle Jonas, did you?"

"No—"

"I know that you can't because you're a Squib."

He laughed again. "Your cousin is wise, Ricky."

Godric tickled her legs, and she shrieked and swatted at his hand. "Ricky, are you going to let me come to this school?"

"Of course," Godric replied. "You're going to learn her, and Albesar, and Carnation, and anyone else whom we let in."

"No Muggles?"

"No Muggles."

Good. Because she didn't like Muggles. All of the Gryffindor people, except for Aunt Rose and Godric, were stupid and didn't know any magic.

"It's beautiful," Helga said quietly.

Helga had been sad all day, Latiya had noticed. Though she didn't know why. Helga should be happy. She was going to start a school with Ricky and Rowena and Salazar and everyone else. She was going to be one of Latiya's teachers. So she should be happy. Of course, Ricky hadn't been exactly happy all day, either. No one had. Oh well.

"It'll need a name," Helga said.

Godric nodded. "It does."

Yes. All good schools needed a name. Especially if they were in such an exciting building. "Can I name it?" Latiya asked.

Helga and Jonas stared at her.

"I suppose she could suggest a name," Jonas said.

Oh! She hadn't really expected this. It would have to bea very good name. The best name. So she said the first thing that came into her mind. "Hogwarts!"

Ricky laughed. "What kind of name is that?"

She shrugged. "I made it up."

Helga giggled. "I like it. I suppose Salazar and Rowena will have to agree."

Ricky didn't look at her. "I guess we'll suggest it, then."

So she had come up with a name. Good for her. Now what to do? "I wanna get down and play!"

Helga looked to Jonas.

"Eh, she should be fine," Jonas said. "I believe Terminus is back in one of the rooms. Go find him, child."

"Yippee!" She struggled on Godric's shoulders. "I want down."

The moment she was on the floor she ran as fast as she could in the other direction. The castle was so big! She felt like she was going to get lost. But that would be fun. Oh, if only her cousins and brothers and sisters could come play with her. It would be the best place for hide-and-seek. Yes, definitely hide-and-seek.

Footsteps echoed behind her. Latiya whirled around, seeing only a flash of blonde hair entering a room.

Helga had blonde hair. Was Helga playing a game with her? Maybe Helga was playing hide-and-seek. Well, Latiya would have to follow her, then. She crept as silently as she could down the hall to the room and peered inside.

Terminus was in there. That friend of Uncle Jonas'. He was talking to the lady. The lady wasn't Helga. It was someone… someone that looked sort of familiar. Hadn't she been there the day of that party? They were talking so quietly that she couldn't hear them.

"I agree with you," the lady suddenly said, much louder. "Don't you understand that? I, more than anyone, wants this school to exist."

Terminus muttered something else. He looked mad.

"Speak up, fool," the lady said.

Latiya decided she didn't like her. Not one bit. She was probably a Muggle.

"Tanith," Terminus began. "If that is your name. I hate to do this but—" He yanked his wand from his robe.

The lady, Tanith, or whatever her name was, beat him to it. She held hers lightly in her fingers, yet her nails dug into the multi-patterned wood. Latiya had never seen a wand like that.

"Avada Kedavra!" the lady shrieked, her voice echoing through the room. Blinding green light shot from her wand, striking Terminus.

When it was all over, Terminus didn't move.

Latiya didn't dare scream. Someone had to help Terminus…

The lady smiled and disappeared.

Maybe she was still in the room, hiding. But Latiya couldn't think of that. What had she been told to do when someone was hurt? She ran to Terminus' side. His eyes were open. He wasn't sleeping.

"No," she whispered. He wasn't…? She had never seen a dead body before. No.

She backed away from him. "Help!" she screamed. "Help!"