Beginning of a Legend Chapter 6
The two of them began to look around the meadow and then to the tree that tried to kill them when they arrived. Dread washed over them when they realized they were no closer to finding their way back then when they started.
"Okay," Salazar stared. "It's good that we're out of the forest, but how are we supposed to get back home?"
"And what about Godric?" Helga added.
The unicorn looked at the two of them and then to the tree. It ran up to the side of the tree, dodging the branches and then touched it's horn to a small knot a few feet above the entrance to the passageway. Salazar and Helga watched the unicorn amazed when the tree suddenly stopped moving. The unicorn looked at the two of them as if to tell them there was a way back.
"Okay," said Salazar, surprised. "That solves our going home problem, but what are we going to do about Godric?"
"I'm worried about him," said Helga.
"There's no need to worry," came a voice behind them. They both spun around coming face to face with Godric.
"Godric," they both yelled in surprise. Helga ran up and hugged him.
"What happened to you?" Salazar asked.
"I ran when both of you did, but I couldn't find you," Godric explained. "I just kept walking and I ended up back out here. Unfortunately I came out right next to the Whomping Willow and then it hit me and I ended up stuck in it. That's when this girl came out of nowhere and touched the knot. Then I climbed out."
"This tree is called a Whomping Willow?" Helga asked.
"And what girl?" Salazar added.
"She lives in a small hut down there," said Godric, pointing near the forest. It was too dark for either of them to see much of anything, but they could make out that something was there beyond the darkness. "I am not sure how we didn't see it when we first arrived. She lives there with her father. Apparently they have lived here for a while."
"I find it kind of hard to believe anybody would live here," said Helga, looking around. "It seems so,"
"In the middle of nowhere," Salazar said, completing her sentence.
"Yeah, I kind of thought that too," said Godric, "but then she took me to her house. I was going to wait until morning and then go looking for you two, but when I saw the unicorn come out of the forest, I noticed you trailing behind."
"Why does this girl and her father live here?" Helga asked.
"Apparently their family had lived her for centuries," said Godric. "She said her great, great, great grandmother planted the Whomping Willow to keep people out. She apparently didn't like visitors."
"So her family has lived her for years?" Salazar asked. "It seems so secluded. I would have never thought anybody ever lived here."
"Yeah, but they know how to get out through the Whomping Willow, so they have never had problems getting to Hogsmeade when they wanted," said Godric. "You guys should come meet her. She's really nice."
"Alright," said Helga. "I supposed it is still to late to go back anyway, but are parents are going to be really worried."
"We will go back in the morning," said Godric, beginning to walk. "Besides, she is brilliant. I think she knows more magic than my parents combined."
"Seriously?" Helga asked, following Godric. "How?"
"She reads," said Godric, simply. "She had tons of books. She has to be the smartest person I have ever met."
"She learns all of that from books?" Salazar asked, I can't even learn that much from the books I've read."
"That and her dad has been teaching her too," Godric added. "Her father learned from his parents and so on. They get most of it from books. I think she has a few books that are over 50 years old."
"Wow," said Helga. "The oldest book I have is my family photo album and to be honest it really isn't that interesting."
They all laughed.
"We're almost there," said Godric as they noticed the house they were now coming up on.
As they approached the small house they noticed that it seemed quite small to have two people living there, but they imagined it was bigger on the inside. Salazar and Helga were not so sure about meeting a stranger who lived in the middle of nowhere, but Godric walked up to the door and knocked before either of them could say anything. Salazar and Helga stayed behind Godric. A young girl, with long brown hair opened the door. She was wearing a long dress and had a book in her hand. She smiled brightly when she looked at Godric.
"I see you found your friends," she said.
"Yeah, a unicorn led them out of the forest," said Godric.
"The unicorns can be quite helpful," she stated. "Would you all like to come in?"
"Sure," said Godric, walking by her as she held the door open.
Salazar and Helga followed taking in their surroundings and beginning to get more comfortable. It was a one bedroom house that had two small beds in one corner and a table and stove in another. There were many small shelves that seemed to cover every wall. There was everything from cooking ingredients, books, and family photos all around. It had a pleasant atmosphere. It did seem much bigger on the inside than it had appeared outside. It did look as if it had been there a while. They noticed a tall man sitting in a nearby chair reading a book. He looked up at them when they entered the house and smiled.
"Hello again Godric," he said. "I assume these are the friends you were telling us about."
"Yes," said Godric. "This is Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin."
"I'm Rodger," the man said to Helga and Salazar.
"And I'm Rowena," said the girl. "Rowena Ravenclaw."