Chapter 12 – The Encounter
Wind howled between the trees as the hooves graced the earth with fleeting glances as the mighty beast above flew along at incredible speed. The thick blonde wavy locks of the rider glided out behind him as he urged more speed from his trusty steed. Topaz cloth billowed out from the rider ahead of him coursing over the horse's mighty flanks as Godric charged after them. A great black shadow flew along beside him as he urged more from Dracari.
A sizzling bolt of gold light whizzed in front of Godric's face. It struck a tree just ahead to his right and it crystallised instantly. Godric's face tightened as he leaned in and whispered something in Dracari's ear.
"Poke him." He said, slightly unsettling himself. He shook his head before leaning in again. "Get his wand."
At this Godric sat bolt upright in bed and waved his wand menacingly in the direction of the voices, a fierce red glow emanating from the tip. The silhouettes just giggled at him before fleeing his room.
"Girls," he mumbled as he pulled himself from his bed and waved his wand at the curtains, flooding the room with light. He quickly pulled on some clean clothes and departed his room only to be confronted once more by giggling.
"I know that I'm tired but did I miss something? What is so funny?" He demanded as Rowena and Helga fell to the floor laughing hysterically. As Godric looked down he nearly turned as glorious a shade of red as the lovely frilly dress he was now wearing. "That's it you two are done for." He growled as he gave chase through the halls running headlong into Lord Hufflepuff.
"Oh, you three! You are too much sometimes." He growled as he picked himself up off the floor. "Take this foolishness outside will you." The girls both turned and ran for the front doors. "What on earth are you wearing there Godric? Let me fix that up for you."
"Thank you, sir," Godric replied as his clothes returned to normal once more. "I'm beginning to wish Professor Binns hadn't taught them that spell." And with that Godric too sprinted out the front door, Pyre following closely behind.
"Children." Muttered Max as he continued on his way.
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"Children."
"Yes Max, children can be quite a handful can't they." Thomas chuckled as he stood up from the bowl, Max's face shimmering slightly in the freshly disturbed waters. "They can be very troublesome, yet also quite useful." With this Thomas began to laugh, and the sound chilled the very air in the castle as it echoed through the great halls.
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Their gleeful laughter could be heard throughout the entire forest as the trio chased one another amongst the mighty trees. Animals ran to hide from trampling feet as they thundered through the underbrush knocking past anything that may cross their paths. Suddenly Pyre gave an almighty wail, causing Godric to lose focus long enough to run headlong into yet another solid object. And just as Max had earlier this one too gave way crashing to the ground with him.
"Watch out will you!" Demanded an unfamiliar voice, which originated from a pile of robes amassed on the forest floor. "Do you have any idea who I am?" It demanded.
"Um, no." Replied Godric as he walked cautiously towards the downed figure. "Should I?"
The figure cast the robes from his face to reveal a rather handsome young man, with hair as black as the night and a pair of dull grey eyes. He was not ruggedly handsome as Godric was but a more refined handsome. The type of features you would see of someone born and raised in nobility with the attitude of someone who hated doing any work themselves. Godric could tell that this boy must have been lost.
"I am Salazar Slytherin!" He claimed proudly as he pulled himself from the ground.
A shade of anger passed across Salazar's face when the trio showed no reaction to the name.
"Well, I am Godric. And this is Rowena and Helga, my friends."
"Yes, that's lovely," Salazar replied, his every word cascading with disdain. "Now show me the way out of this dreadful forest will you." He demanded.
"No." Helga retorted.
"What?" Salazar almost fell back over in surprise, which caused Rowena to start laughing. Upon catching sight of Salazar's expression, Godric couldn't help but laugh either. Obviously, he wasn't used to hearing that word. Especially not from anyone like Helga.
"We don't like to be ordered about." Said Helga looking viciously in Salazar's direction. "If you would care to ask nicely though I would be glad to assist you."
Salazar couldn't even respond to this. He just stood there, mouth slightly open staring at Helga.
"Come on guys. I don't like him. Let's go have some fun." Helga stated as she turned and began to walk off on Salazar.
Suddenly Salazar gasped as he grabbed his right shoulder. "No wait please." He stammered, though Godric wasn't sure whether he was actually talking to them or someone else as his gaze flew all about. "P…please can you show me how to get out of here. I have been wandering about for hours." He managed, though it appeared to take a great deal of effort for him to force out. Godric thought he saw a flicker of fear cross his eyes as he caught his gaze, but it vanished as soon as it appeared.
"See now was that really so hard?" Asked Helga as she walked back over to Salazar.
"No, not really." He murmured without catching her eyes.
"It's this way. We should take him to father." Helga said grabbing Salazar's hand and leading him off through the trees.
Godric watched them for a moment before gently taking Rowena's hand and leading her after Helga and Salazar. He whistled shrilly and Pyre flew up through the trees before vanishing in a puff of flame and feathers.
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"Foolish child!" Thomas screamed as he watched the four children wind their way through the mass of trees. "He nearly blew it right off. Just like his parents. So damn proud." He said to himself as he began pacing his study. "It just seems that I will need to keep a close eye on things. Make sure he doesn't get too proud again. After all, he is nothing more than my servant. And all servants need some reminding every now and then."
He landed roughly in his black leather chair and bent low over the bowl once more.
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Max jumped as a bright flash of light filled his study. Pyre stood tall on his desk right on top of the parchment he had been reading.
"What is it Pyre?" He asked the bird as it pointed its head toward the window.
Max walked quickly over to the open window and watched as four figures emerged from the forest, three of which he recognised. "Thank you Pyre. You can go back now." He said, without taking his eyes off the group now winding its way back up to the castle, only partially noticing the bright flash over his shoulder. It was several minutes before there finally came a knock on his door.
"Come in, children." He said, leaving all but Godric with a stunned look on their faces. "So who might this be?" he said as he saw Salazar up close for the first time.
"This is Salazar Slytherin, sir. He was lost in the forest and asked us for help." Stated Godric still eying Salazar closely.
"Really. Well, I think you three should go off for a while so I can have a nice chat with our young friend here." Max replied winking slightly at Godric as the others departed the room. Max walked slowly over to the window and stood there for several minutes before moving again.
"So, Salazar is it? How on earth did you end up lost in our forest here?" Salazar's face was impassive again as Max watched him closely. "It is rather out of the way of anywhere I know of."
"I was travelling with a small group of hunter's sir," Salazar replied, the final word only slightly strained as it pierced his lips. "I became separated from them and then your daughter and her friends found me."
Max noticed that there was some stress in his voice again as he uttered the word friends. "Well, one should be more careful when wandering about in strange lands. You could have come across much worse than my daughter in that forest." Said Max with a big grin spread over his features. He continued to study Salazar, weighing his every flinch with great interest.
"I am grateful they managed to assist me, sir." There was no irregularity in his voice this time. Max looked at him carefully.
"Very well. You may shelter here for now if you don't mind. I'm afraid it may be some time before we are able to contact your friends. Is there any town, in particular, you were headed to or not?"
"I know not, sir. I was just following along, as instructed." Salazar said his features softening a little.
"Oh well then. You may stay here as long as necessary for now. Melinda!" Max called.
An older woman not much younger than Max walked in. "You called milord?" She asked bowing slightly to him.
"Yes, Melinda. Young Salazar here will be a guest of ours for a while. Can you please show him to a room?" She bowed again before showing Salazar from the room. "Strange indeed. But for now, I think I must let things progress." Max mused to himself as he peered back out the window once more.
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It was dark all through the castle as Salazar woke with a sharp pain in his shoulder again. He leapt from his bed and quickly checked the hallway to make sure no one was nearby before pulling a small pouch from his cloak. He quickly grabbed a small mirror out of the pouch and tapped it with the end of his wand.
"Yes, master."
"What took you so long to report?" Thomas demanded as his face appeared in the mirror.
"They have been watching me closely all day master. I haven't had a chance."
"Yes well, you will need to be more careful from now on. You nearly blew it all earlier. I don't care who your parents are if you fail me now I will kill you myself unless that bloody fool beats me to it."
"I understand master. What is it you would like me to do now?"
"Do I need to tell you everything, you idiot boy. The children are obviously learning magic. Allow yourself to be caught using it and they will most likely let you join the classes. Become their friend. Lull them into dropping their guard first though. They suspect you at the moment, and Hufflepuff at least will be watching you closely, if not everyone else as well. You are to report to me every Sunday at dawn. And Salazar, just because I can't see what is happening inside the castle doesn't mean I can't punish you for failure there, as you have already discovered."
And with that Thomas vanished from the mirror. Salazar scowled at the blank glass for a moment before stuffing it roughly back into the pouch and hiding in the bottom of the cupboard.
"One of these days, I'm going to show you, master." He mumbled as he scrambled back into bed.
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Godric fingered his wand as he sat up in his bed. There was something strange about Salazar, but he couldn't quite place what it was. It was like he was hiding something. But Lord Hufflepuff had seemed to believe him. Elsewise, he wouldn't have let him stay.
Pyre gently cooed beside him on the pillow.
"I dunno Pyre. Something isn't right. I just have a bad feeling about him. Something he isn't telling us. And I'm going to find out what. Come on." He said as he jumped out of bed and stuffed his wand into his pocket.
He walked to Max's office and knocked noticing the sliver of light that was emanating from under the jamb.
"Come in." Came Max's voice from inside. "Godric. What can I help you with at this late hour?" He asked as Godric walked inside.
"I'm not sure sir. I just can't help thinking that; well there is something out of place. Something about this Salazar." He said as he walked over and peered out of the window with Pyre perched neatly on his shoulder.
There was a chilling fiery glow hovering over the horizon occasionally split by bursts of green. It would have been beautiful if it didn't scare him so much.
"I understand what you're saying Godric but I can't do anything yet. I just have to watch him and hope he makes a mistake. But it could just be all the trouble we have had lately that is causing us to suspect him for no reason." Mused Max, more to himself then Godric.
"I don't think so, sir. I can feel something coming. So can Pyre. And whatever it is, it's not good." Godric stroked Pyre as a horrific bolt of lightning split the dancing lights in the distance.