Rowena waited patiently in line at the apothecary. Her father was getting steadily worse, she dreaded what would happen if he died, whether her brothers, just as prejudiced, would let her get a job. Would they disown her if she did, throw her out of their family house and never speak of her again? The girl that forgot her place. She wondered if she were to get a job here would they let her sleep on the shop floor. "Yes, dearie?" said the girl behind the counter, a soft, open smile gracing her delicately round face, she has to at least be a few years younger than me, Rowena thought, "my father is ill with Spattergroit.."
Genuine empathy filled the girls face,
"Yes that is going round isn't it? My younger brother also has it, hold on one moment," she said grimly, disappearing round the back for a minute and returning with a small basket. "this is an infusion of Wolfsbane and lemon grass," she said holding up a small vile of yellowish liquid, "add six parts of dried billywig sting, heat it for four minutes, add essence of wormwood," she held up another bottle of pinkish liquid "and finally a drop of honey, stir twice, add willow root and wave your wand, would you like me to write it down?" the witch asked, placing all the ingredients in the basket, "no, thank you, I've got it,"
"Oh, well then, that'll be sixteen sickles, Sweetie, the best of luck to you"
"You too," Rowena replied, handing her the silver coins and leaving with the basket.
Rowena had gotten halfway to her house when she began to feel the sensation of being followed, after turning a few more corners just to be sure she span round, drawing her wand and pointing it at the follower, who lifted both their hands, "Miss Ravenclaw," said the shadow,
"Who are you?"
The figure stepped into the fading light. "I'm sorry if I alarmed you, I need to talk to you," said Eldritch Diggory, smiling somewhat sheepishly. "Mr. Diggory! Do forgive me," said Rowena putting her wand back into her cloak "what is it you need, sir?"
"Would you like to walk?" he said, gesturing for her to continue down the alley. "You see, Miss Ravenclaw, may I call you Rowena? Your mother was a very great witch, you grandmother being one of the elders that founded the wizard community. My point being there seems to be a promising trait throughout the women in your ancestry, and I hear around that you are one of the brightest witches in the village. What I am getting at Rowena..."
"You want me to build that school?" she exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes, "I beg your pardon, but are you insane?"
"Rowena, I am one hundred percent serious, I believe you have more potential than you realize, or have been credited for."
Rowena thought for a moment, about her father, her brothers, how it was they who broke her mother, so clever and wise, to be nothing more than a pretty face to do their work without their credit, pushed down to believe that they were above them, for that was just their place. "Alright," she finally replied as she came to her door, "I'll do it,"
"Excellent! So we have a deal?" said Eldritch, grinning, extending his hand, "yes, we have a deal," Rowena shook his hand firmly and smiled as she let herself into the house. She was going to prove her family wrong.
It was raining in London. Rain for the Gryffindor's meant inevitable boredom. It had only been raining for three hours and already Godric and Gweneviere had found themselves with all their housework done, the latest issue of the muggle paper read and managed to fix the broken cooking cauldron and experimenting with pumpkin, haricot bean and turkey to make soup. Now it was 11 am and they were getting desperate. "Accio. Accio"
"Gwen, what are you doing?" sighed Godric from the armchair; he was watching his silvery patronus of a lion walk casually above his head. "I'm seeing if I can summon people with accio..."
Said Gweneviere who was sitting cross legged on their worn living room carpet "don't be ridiculous Gwen, you would need to use mobilicorpus or maybe *impedimenta* or a hover charm."
"When did you learn that?"
"Relax Gwennie, I only learnt this when I was fifteen, you have another year of history and transfiguration to suffer through before you get to the better things,"
"That is if Father would get around to teaching me,"
"Don't be too harsh, Sister, he is a good man for working hard for our family, but you may have to resort to Francis.."
"Please, even *you* are better at potions than Francis"
She produced her own patronus of a dove, which began circling Godric's lion who began swatting at it. "Speaking of which when are you getting a job? You are 24 now, and all this talk of taking care of the family and you're sitting inside arguing with your little sister, even your patronus is bored,"
Godric threw a pillow at her, "I will work when the most ideal job comes about,"
At that moment they heard the sound of the echoing doorbell. They fell silent for a moment before calling for Albie to answer it and invite the guest inside.
"Miss Gryffindor, Master Gryffindor,"
"Eldritch Diggory!" exclaimed Gweneviere, getting up from the floor and dusting off her red skirts. Godric stood up too to shake his hand; both their patronuses flickered out, resulting in the room becoming significantly dimmer. "Albie could you light some candles for us?"
"Certainly master!" said the house elf, bowing low before lighting some mantle pieces. "What brings you here, sir?"
"I have a proposition to make with you, Godric,"
"Gweneviere... Do you think you could give us a moment, please," said Godric.
Gweneviere glared at her brother and curtseyed at Eldritch before leaving reluctantly.
"Godric, I think I have a job for you,"
"Ah," Godric smiled and ran his hand through his red hair "is this about what you had said at Hogsmeade?"
Eldritch grinned, "It is indeed, yes."
"About the position at this school?"
"Yes, you see... I feel.."
"I'll do it,"
Eldritch raised his eyebrows "oh? The great Godric Gryffindor jumps at the chance to be a teacher of all things without bargain?"
Godric laughed, "when I was young Eldritch my dream was to become a knight or a great wizard, greater than Merlin, but now where am I Sitting at home age twenty-four, no family or job doing nothing but waste my time well I want an adventure. I want a challenge."
"Well then. I see this is going to be interesting. You will receive an owl soon enough,"
"Eldritch laughed, he shook Godric's hand and left.
"What was that all about?" Gweneviere reappeared. Godric grinned at her wildly in response.
Helga didn't hear her creaky gate or the crunching footsteps crossing the garden path, being lost in her thoughts. It only occurred to her that she was no longer alone when a shadow fell obscured the afternoon light from the herbs she was tending to. She put a hand over her eyes to see the mystery intruder, she stood immediately, smiling brightly and wiping her dirty hands on her apron. "Eldritch, what a wonderful surprise!"
"Hello, Helga," he replied sincerely.
"What brings you down, today, eh? After all this while?" she gathered her wicker basket and motioned for him to follow as she carried on towards her house. "Business, actually," he said opening the door for her.
"Oh, well now, Mister Councilman!" she said "Mother, its just Eldritch Diggory," she called to the living room.
"So what politics have you come to discuss with me sir?"
"Not politics as such, Helga," he said as she began brewing a potion, she was obviously used to making it as she moved without hesitation, never so much as glancing at the ingredients, as if it were a well practiced dance. She sat across the long table after putting it to simmer and tucked a wavy flyaway strand of hair behind her ear. "So what is the meaning of your visit then, dear?"
"Helga, you were at the town meeting were you not?"
"Of course! Congratulations, Eldritch. I am sorry about elder Xavier, mother wept when I told her the news,"
"Do you remember what I.. That I needed a handful of people..."
"Wait," she said, sitting up straighter, eyes wide, "you want *me* to...?"
"Helga, how would you feel about becoming a headmistress?"
"I.. I never thought... I mean.."
"You are among the most talented of your age. The most promising, you are wise enough and have so much to offer the children. You are so good with your brothers and sisters..."
"I am needed here! I have a job..."
"You will be payed much more than your earnings at the apothecary,"
"I'm far too young I-"
"You are officially of age, if you can work for full at the shop you will have the ability to teach some eleven year olds how to brew a cure for boils, and its not as if I am asking you to do this alone, Helga."
Helga thought for a moment. She looked over to the room, which held her mother who was caring for her brother Lawrence. Her lost brother. He had been ill for so long, she hoped nobody else would follow him. "All right, Eldritch," she sighed. He shook her hand with a smile and left.
The Slytherins lived in a rather big house just outside of Hogsmeade village, almost overlooking it. It wasn't particularly grand but it was very well known. It had housed the family since the beginning of Hogsmeade itself. Salazar always hated it. He was always, however, considered a strange person, while all he wanted was to be left alone. He spent most of his time brooding. In his room, the attic or some secret place he made sure only he knew about.
"Salazar?" his Aunt called "Salazar, your Uncle is here with a visitor,"
"I don't see how that concerns me," Salazar sighed, not attempting to move from his room. It was not that he hated his aunt, or really his uncle, but he resented them. It was as if they were trying to replace his parents, but they had tried for sixteen years and he still felt out of place around them. The light had been sucked out of his life at ten years old, anyone trying to rekindle it was fooling himself or herself and Salazar had no time for fools.
"Master Slytherin?" an unknown voice spoke behind his closed door. "May I enter?"
Salazar waved his wand to open the door but continued staring out the window.
"Master Slytherin, I am Eldritch Diggory,"
"Are you here to talk to me about the school position?" Salazar said, still not turning.
"Yes I am,"
"Uncle told me you would,"
"And..?"
"I don't see how it would be in my interest. I have money, More than the average person. I know magic, further skills are not needed."
"That's why I want you. You know magic, yes, you are one of the most exceptional wizards of your age, and the skills you have now will suffice but also it is your wisdom I am after, Salazar."
"I still refuse,"
"Salazar-"
"You are are here as a favor to my Uncle, do not try to convince me otherwise,"
"No, I am here as a favor to your Father."
His head snapped up. He looked at him with piercing blue green eyes. "What do you mean?" he demanded.
"Both your mother and your father were both elders children."
"Yes, but the elders are all dead,"
"The elders, when they died, left the hands of the wizarding community to their children,"
"I was at the meeting,"
"Yes and since your parents... Accident..." Salazar hardened his jaw "…The position was to come to you.."
"But I didn't want it so now Uncle has taken it."
"Yes but that is the point, you are destined for great things, it would be quite foolish of you to waste away hiding from your life instead of keeping up the Slytherin family's legacy."
"Alright!" he burst impatiently "very well, I will do it, I will do it if you can leave me be!"
"very well, Master Slytherin, i am much obliged," said Eldritch smiling slightly, "you will be receiving an owl shortly on the details of our next meet with your co-workers."
"Co-workers?" Salazar exclaimed as Eldritch left the room. "What do you mean-?" he ran out to the hall but the man had already gone.
