Chapter 2

Rowena was right; it didn't take much to convince Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin to join them in the founding of the school. In fact, both of them loved the idea and were on board immediately. The four of them were now gathered in Godric's home, brainstorming building plans and the identity of the school in question.

"You really are a genius, Rowena," Salazar said with a satisfied grin as he looked over the various parchments scattered upon the round table before them. "A school of magic would be the best thing that has ever happened to the British wizarding community."

Rowena beamed and smiled modestly.

"Yes, the only wonder is why it took you so long to come up with the idea," Godric said, raising one eyebrow playfully. Rowena threw a crumpled parchment that hit him squarely on the forehead. "Ow. Be more ladylike, why don't you?"

"Can we concentrate on the plans?" Rowena pointed at the parchments. "The building period might take a while, but if we use magic it should speed things up a little. There's this perfect structure in Scotland of an old castle that's pretty much in ruins. I think we could use it as a base and just fix it up; it'll be faster than building from scratch."

"Sounds good to me, but what are we going to call the school?" Helga chimed in, scribbling something on her parchment.

"Ooh, it has to be something majestic. Like The Fiery Lion's Academy of Magic, or something like that," Godric said.

Salazar wrinkled his nose. "That sounds absolutely ridiculous."

"It does not!" Godric retorted, annoyed. "What's your better idea, then?"

"The Slytherin School of Wizardry," Salazar said easily, as if he'd been thinking of the name for a while. Which, knowing him, he probably had.

Godric rolled his eyes. "How very nice of you to leave the rest of our names out of it."

"Well, we can't exactly fit all our names in it without making it too long," Rowena said reasonably, and added right when Salazar shot Godric a triumphant look, "which just means we shouldn't be putting any of our names in it at all."

Salazar's expression wilted in disappointment. "Well, I still think it has to sound majestic. I'm sick of Muggles not taking magic seriously. Either that, or they think we worship the devil and should be hunted down," Godric said in annoyance.

"The Muggles fear or dismiss that which they can't understand," Rowena shrugged. "They think magic is nonsense. Hogwash."

"That's it!" Helga said suddenly, making everyone else jump. "Hogwash. Well, not it exactly… Hogwarsh… Hogwarts? Doesn't that sound like a good name?"

Salazar looked uncertain. "But it doesn't really mean anything."

"But it sounds kind of nice," Godric said. "And it'd be so great if we can unintentionally mock the ignorant Muggles at the same time. Hey, our school of magic is hogwash, except not really." He grinned in a way that made his face look even more handsome and cause women's hearts to melt, and Rowena couldn't resist a smile.

"He's right. I like it too. Hogwarts… Hogwarts School…"

"Of Witchcraft…" Helga continued.

"…And Wizardry," Salazar finished, and the four of them looked at one another for a second. Suddenly the atmosphere turned reverential. It was a big moment; they'd just named the school they was about to build, and it felt so right in each of their heart.

"I love it," Godric shook his head in wonder. "The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts for short!"

Helga grinned. "Hogwarts it is."

The next few weeks passed by in a blur. The four friends had mainly concentrated on fixing the old castle that they were going to use for the school, and they spent the majority of their time in the building creating classrooms, dorm rooms, kitchens, and various other spaces. As it turned out, the castle was huge and had so many floors and rooms, more than they knew what to do with. But they figured more was better than less, and they could always find new functions for the empty areas later.

Night had fallen outside the windows, and Godric was strolling through the halls, looking wistfully at the way the school was shaping up to be when he heard hurried footsteps coming from behind him. "Godric! Godric, come quick!"

It was Rowena. He turned in surprise, not used to her being harried like this. She was usually the most calm and collected of them all, although he did notice that this school project had made her more excited and alive than he'd ever seen her in his life. It made him happy to see her like this. Somehow it made her even more beautiful and vibrant.

"What is it, Ro?" he asked patiently, noting that she looked thrilled rather than panicked. Not that he could remember ever seeing Rowena look panicked anyway. She always had the situation under control.

"Come with me!" she grabbed his hand and pulled him along the hallway, and he had no choice but to follow her as he tried to suppress his smile. They arrived at the other end of it and stood looking down at the many staircases that linked the hallway with the floors below. Except, Godric noticed with alarm, the stairs were moving.

"What…?" he asked in confusion at the bizarre sight in front of him.

"I did it, Godric! I charmed the staircases, so they could move on their own!" Rowena looked giddy beside him, but Godric just stared back at her with the same blank expression.

"You charmed the staircases so they could move…" he paused for a long while, feeling as if he was entirely missing the point, "…why?" he asked at last, in a voice barely above a whisper.

Rowena, who'd been looking expectantly at him, blinked at the question. It was certainly not the response she'd expected, either. And she just looked at him, speechless.

"Because…" she started, but seemed at a loss on how to continue. Godric personally wasn't surprised. What reason could anyone have to enchant stairs to move on their own? Their whole point was to not move so that people could use them safely. "Well, because I can!" Rowena said at last, looking frustrated, but with herself or him, Godric wasn't sure. He instantly felt bad.

"Forgive me, Ro, I just… I mean… they're brilliant, really," he looked back at the still moving stairs, knowing it was another advanced type of magic that not many could perform. It was amazing, but he still didn't see the point.

"Forget it," Rowena sighed. "It's a stupid idea. I just wanted to… I don't know. I don't even know why I did it. I'll put them back the way they were," she said dismissively.

Godric immediately felt as if he'd done the biggest mistake in his life. "No, no! Leave them, Ro, they're great. I mean, I'm sure the students will be awed and everything. And… it can be useful. Somehow," he added weakly, which just earned him another glare from her.

"No, you're right, it's useless," she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's dangerous, and it's useless."

Godric laughed and encircled his arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "No, Rowena, they are amazing. I forbid you from changing them back."

"Really?" Rowena looked up at him suspiciously.

"Really." He nodded solemnly. "I love it."

She smiled uncertainly then, but eventually relented and leaned her head on his shoulder as the two of them admired the ever-moving scene before them. "I'll probably have to make sure they don't move as much, lest no one will be able to get anywhere."

Godric chuckled. "That's a good idea. And, Ro?"

She glanced up at him as he looked mischievously at her. "You really did it just because you could, didn't you? Just as another signature of your brilliance in this school."

Rowena punched him lightly on the shoulder and her cheeks were slightly tinged with red. "Maybe. I just want the place to be magical."

"It is," Godric assured her, squeezing her shoulder lightly. "It is the most magical place on earth… and it's all thanks to you."