Godric wasn't all that sure when it began. Perhaps he wasn't meant to see all of it, and admittedly it was his own fault he could not. There were things to do. He, Helga, and Rowena had made it clear to the school and indeed the entire wizarding world that they intended Hogwarts to stand. He was surprised so few had understood that logic, that if the magic ways were not kept, they would eventually fade. A school was necessary to unite, and just because someone said that something bad would happen in the future because of Hogwarts was not enough to make them change their minds. As he imagined, the response, though mixed, rather agreed with them. But still, it was an effort.
Ranem Black was a teacher who agreed. He had joined the school about a year prior, and even Godric had to admit that the man was a great wizard indeed. He was young, about the same age as Godric, and just as devoted to Hogwarts as anyone could be.
And yet... Godric had never been all that sure of his personal opinion of the man. He studied him from across the hall.
Ranem came from the eastern-most part of Britain, a city Godric had never heard of. He was intelligent, and had studied and written many parchments on magical beasts. He was famed as an amateur dragon hunter. Most likely he and his works would never stand the test of time and make their way to posterity, but he was good.
He was teaching a class, then, reports on uses for unicorns' tail hairs. There weren't many students there, about half a dozen altogether. No, Godric could count better than that–there were seven, all young and listening as if there were nothing more interesting.
Well, Godric thought with a half-smile, there probably wasn't. Not at that age, not with four of the children being girls who surely thought Ranem Black was plenty handsome. Latiya Weasley, especially, seemed to follow the man about with her eyes.
His little cousin. She was growing up so fast. Eleven years old, now, and getting to be quite a beauty. Her parents would have difficulties galore with her, come a few years. She was a talented young witch and would certainly marry well.
It had to be all right for her to have a small infatuation for a handsome teacher.
Yet there was something about Ranem that Godric could not put his finger on. He had questioned him, of course, questioned him plenty. There didn't seem to be anything wrong. He had discussed his feelings with Helga and Rowena. They said he was simply being silly.
And maybe he was.
A sharp tug came from the edge of his cloak, near the floor.
Wonderful, he thought. Mary had once again found a way to free herself. No spell could keep the girl in check. He smiled down at the dark-haired baby girl and scooped her up into his arms. Mary was almost a year old now, and as big a pest as one could ask for. She took after her mother that way. Even better.
He made a silly smile at the girl and laughed as she scowled back at him with her chubby frown. Oh, but she was extremely cute. Of course, all fathers said that about their babies.
And Rowena was with child again. Would the next one be even cuter? He wanted a son this next time–oh, how they had fought over that! Rowena demanded another a girl... she'd never have a son, if she had anything to do with it. Godric had, of course, been unable to resist that no magic on earth could make way for a boy or a girl birth.
Helga slipped into the classroom, one of her older students in tow. Her golden hair had been braided, and hung over her yellow robes. She was laughing and talking with the young witch, and for it took a moment for her eyes to meet with Godric's.
Her smile faltered, just for an instant.
Godric, at least, maintained it.
Ranem immediately wrapped up the discussion. As entranced as the students were, they were still children and were than happy to scatter off to whatever destructive things liked to occur in the castle.
Mary blabbered something and tried to eat Godric's collar. He cuddled her closer to his chest. The class was gone. He had been doing nothing but observing. This was his opportunity to leave. He had his own class to teach, rather soon. Find a place to put Mary, and...
Helga and Ranem were now talking. Smiling.
Godric could do nothing but stare. Surely...
But he thought the last of his feelings for Helga had fled. After all, Rowena had gotten over Salazar.
Helga edged closer to Ranem. Her student leaned back against the wall, rather amused, thinking the same thing that Godric did not dare to think.
Mary shrieked and attempted to dash herself against the stone floor, as she was often prone to do, a dare that someone would not catch her. Godric clutched her tight and softly scolded her with his index finger that she next found the desire to gnaw on.
Soon, Helga left, student with her, silently giggling.
Ranem just stood there, a strange grin on his face. Then he turned to Godric. "Beautiful girl, isn't she?"
Why hadn't Godric seen it before?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Rowena rarely thought of Salazar, anymore. It was a strange way to be, but what else was she supposed to do? She supposed she still loved him, in her own little way. Yet she ran a hand over her belly, just beginning to swell with her second child, and smiled. She really did love Godric. Was that terrible of her? Was she horrible to think in such a way?
But Godric was her husband, after all! What else was she supposed to do? Not love him? Was it a sin to love him? Some said it was a sin to not love one's husband. The last few years had been wonderful. They had a beautiful daughter, already dangerously receptive to magic, and another on the way. Secretly, Rowena hoped it would be a boy. Just to assure that no matter how many children they had, it wouldn't be all of one or the other. Still, she did tell Godric that she wanted another daughter. Mary needed a baby sister.
Where was that girl, anyway? Carnation had insisted on carrying her off somewhere. No matter–the castle was filled with enough spells made especially for a wayward baby.
She could hear someone outside at the very moment.
And, for the briefest moment, she imagined it was Salazar.
No. She wasn't allowed to think of him. For all any of them knew, he was dead. Dead and gone.
Rarely thought of him? She shook her head. Months could pass, and then this.
It hurt her, still. And she knew how much it hurt Godric. They had been like brothers. Godric sometimes liked to talk about Salazar. She knew she missed him, but to her it was better this way. She had done what she could for his memory.
She made her way to the doorway and looked out. Latiya and Albesar, laughing over a painting they were in the middle of hanging. An idea of Albesar's, who had become quite the little artist. They had decided it would be very amusing if they enchanted the paintings to talk. Though Jonas had recently told Rowena that the idea was ingenius and he planned to have it incorporated into other things.
She waved at the children and stepped back into the room. It was only two rooms away, actually. Godric had thought of the idea. She had thought it best it be there. Somehow it that seemed wrong. After all, Godric knew that she had been in love with Sal for years. But he was Sal's best friend.
Rose had heard of the idea from the Roman Muggles. Water ways, a method of bringing water from outside to the inside. No one had really bothered to see all the notes and knowledge behind it, of course, but the basic concept and some spells had provided plenty of usefulness. A small fountain for drinking and bathing. The water poured from a spout, and behind that is where she had found the space she had told Godric about.Down, down below Hogwarts in great cave. It had taken months to build, even with magic. Hallways and the like. Very fancy. True, Salazar had never cared for such things, but that was half the fun: he wasn't there to yell at them. They had even built a statue of an old man. They weren't really sure why they had decided on including such an ugly old thing, but they had been in a strange, laughing mood and it would be sure to make Salazar all the more irritated with their obvious insanity. Godric had said it would have been even funnier if people in the future assumed the statue was actually of Salazar.
That had been two years ago, just after that final night she had awoken in the wee hours of the morning. The last time she had done such a thing.
After the place was built, she returned. She did not tell Godric. And that basilisk thing she had found, the one that could turn small animals into stone, she had placed there. And left it. She had no idea if it would die or not.
It struck her as something Salazar would have wanted.
She glanced out into the hall again, still hoping Carnation or someone would return with Mary. Albesar had vanished, and there was Latiya by herself, running around in that silly black cloak she had gotten from somewhere. It was creepy to watch, Rowena decided. She had half a mind to tell the girl to take the thing off when Ranem appeared.
Ranem. She had never really liked him. Helga did, though. Helga had mentioned him more than once.
He seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Not quite Apparation, but slithered in. He was kind, Rowena admitted. She could never figure out why she didn't like him.
Latiya stopped her game and smiled up at him.
Rowena quickly made herself invisible.
"I hear your dream is to protect Hogwarts, Lady Weasley," Ranem said.
Latiya gave a brisk nod. "Oh, yes!"
"Would you do anything to?"
Another nod.
Rowena did not like where this was going.
Ranem's smile grew. "Then meet me at the lake. Tonight. I have something to tell you. To show you."
Harmless, Rowena tried to tell herself. Harmless.
And with that, Latiya seemed to lose interest and return to her game of flapping about in that cloak.
Ranem walked off, before Rowena could even think.
And a gasp, a sigh dying for breath, came out of nowhere.
Rose walked around the corner. She looked absolutely kill.
"Rose!" Rowena quickly shut off her invisibility and dashed to the older woman as she nearly collapsed. "Rose, breath!"
Rose looked up at her, pale and wide-eyed. "Don't let her go, Rowe. Do not let her go!"