Love. That's what had started this whole mess. Her love for a man her fellow founders thought unbearable at times, yet she held close to her heart. Helga Hufflepuff, with her heart almost too big and welcoming, did once love Salazar Slytherin. This was her folly, she later learned. To love a man with a heart of stone.

But oh how Helga loved him. When he discovered her love, she'd been quietly elated. As they'd worked together in the founding of the school, the two had grown close. Though Helga's greatest friend would always be Rowena, her heart held only Salazar. Rowena had warned her against him, but too late. Not before the inevitable happened, as was wont in times of old when two people felt love for each other.

One tryst was all Helga gained from her love. After it happened, and Salazar grew more demanding in his belief of who should be admitted to Hogwarts, he began to drift away from her. He claimed it was under the guise of protecting her. She didn't know if she believed him, as cunning as he was, but she had no choice.

A few months later, she realized her mistake. Her gowns and robes became tight and she was frequently ill. When she confided her pain in Rowena, the other witch told her the news. It should have made her happy, but it did not. Helga did not tell her friend whose baby it was. She couldn't. It pained her to keep it from her friend, but she could not bear it if Rowena knew more than she already did about the love Helga still harbored for Salazar.

Another six months she carried the knowledge of her pregnancy with the child of Salazar Slytherin. The man's behavior got worse, treating the muggle-born students poorly in his classes and continually insisting on their removal. Tensions were high, and Helga felt played. She hid herself away from seeing all of her friends in one place. The school healer told her that stress was not good for the baby, so she's greet them individually, if at all.

The only reprieve for Helga was when she was checked upon by her friends. Rowena came with to her chambers daily after her classes, where they drank tea and forgot their worries. Godric came by weekly, giving her grade reports on each of her House's students. Most rare of visiting was Salazar himself.

Salazar visited twice through the duration of her pregnancy. The first time was a month after Helga had found out, right when she'd started to show. She'd been readying for bed when he entered her room, unannounced. She screamed in surprise, turning her wand on the intruder.

"It is only I," he said calmly.

Helga put a hand over her heart, relieved it wasn't a true intruder. Then she realized the nature of his visit. "I am still only in bedclothes, Salazar. I must ask you to come back in the morning," Helga said defensively.

Salazar put his hands up in surrender. "I have only two questions, sweet Helga. Then I will leave you."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Helga leveled him with a glare. "Ask."

"Is it mine?" he asked first, gesturing to her slowly swelling stomach. Helga nodded in reply. Salazar shook his head, looking at his feet. "Who knows?"

"Obviously everyone knows of the pregnancy. None know of the father," Helga replied.

"I promise we can keep it that way," said Salazar. He then turned and left the room. Helga fell to the ground, and sobbed. Picking up her wand where she dropped it, she cast a silencing charm about the room and screamed her emotional agony.

He didn't care. Didn't want to be a part of his child's life; of her life. Nothing could hurt more than being scorned by the one she loved.

The second time he visited was at the end of Helga's pregnancy. There was nothing sweet, no kindness to him. Rowena told her that he'd become cruel to students, and was ever more demanding of the removal of muggle-born students. Godric had his suspicions that the man was building something dangerous in the dungeons, but could not figure out what. When he came to her, Helga felt something she hadn't ever felt for the man she loved.

Fear.

His message was simple. He was going to leave. Soon. And he was taking his child with him, to be the first Heir of Slytherin. Salazar had picked a pure-blood bride in the English countryside, and the child would never know of their true mother.

There was no room for argument. Helga tried. She cursed being a woman on that day. She would never forget his parting words.

"I am doing this for you, sweet, loyal Helga. Every member of my line that has come before me has been distinctly Slytherin. We would be found out for sure if anyone were to see the baby and realize it was my spitting image. This is for the best."

So she'd cried herself to sleep. Helga cried to herself for days on end, enduring the final days of her pregnancy alone. Her only company was her midwife, who had been chosen for her by Salazar and sworn to secrecy.

The last time she saw Salazar was on the day she gave birth.

Agony. Pain. Screaming. This had been Helga's reality for over eight hours when Salazar finally arrived. The woman glared at the man who was the cause of her pain, gripping her midwife's hand as another round of the pains wracked through her.

"You… are late," she said, panting. Salazar sat beside her and brushed her hair out of her face. Helga could only glare, trying to pull away from the man who had both given her a baby, and was going to take it away.

"I apologize. Just another bout with Godric. I will never understand how you all tolerate these filthy muggle-born students," the man ranted.

Helga weakly reached up to slap his face. "Every student is worthy of learning the gift they were given at birth, Salazar. If you still don't believe that, it is for the better that you leave."

Grasping her hand, Salazar looked deeply into her eyes. "Come with me. Be with me, my family. We do not need this silly school."

Trying to pull away, Helga shook her head. She then screamed again as she felt another contraction.

"Miss, the baby is ready to come into the world," her midwife said. Helga began to cry. "I will tell you when to push, so the baby can be here soon."

For an hour, Helga avoided Salazar's proposition. Well, more like she was working on having a child and didn't have time to worry about answering a question. But after it was all over, and the midwife had taken their baby to get cleaned up and checked over, Helga had a choice to make.

"Sweet Helga," Salazar said, "I will ask again. Will you leave with me? Be my wife and leave this school behind? I know you hold a deep love for me in that heart of yours."

Tearfully, Helga replied. "That's your ultimatum? Leave with you or lose my baby? I know you plan to take our child and never come back regardless of my response, Salazar. Why must you be so cruel to me?"

"I merely want what is best for the future. You could very well be my future, Helga, you and this baby."

In a true show of strength, she pushed herself to her elbows and glared at Salazar yet again. The effect was probably lost due to the tears in her eyes, but her meaning was clear. "We have put years into this school. I will stay and defend it with my life from people like you who would see it brought to discriminating against children."

Salazar shook his head and released Helga's hand. "If that is what you truly believe, Helga, I will take my leave."

Helga watched silently as Salazar collected the child from her midwife and left the room. She sat steadfast as the other witch gave her potions to restore her health and keep her well. Once done, Helga stood, dressed, and went back to where she belonged.

Taking her place at the head table in the Great Hall, Godric and Rowena glanced at her in concern. Thanks to the potions, Helga looked as good as new. The two knew what that meant. Helga was putting on a strong face in front of the students, but something dramatic had obviously gone down.

Even later that night, Helga confided everything in Rowena. The other woman, who was recently married and hoping to conceive soon herself, was shocked. "You didn't fight him for it?" she asked.

Helga shook her head. "What could I have done? I had just given birth and was weaker than sin."

"Why didn't you go with him? For your child?"

"My loyalty lies here, Rowena. Not with a child I never knew except in my womb. I can only hope that, whoever this woman Salazar has outside the castle is, she will take good care of that baby."

Helga held steadfast in her convictions. She always knew her loyalty was to the students of Hogwarts. She knew she would mourn her loss, but she would never forsake what she'd worked so hard to create. Was it heart-wrenching? Certainly, but she would bear that burden for the school she loved.

A/N Prompt for QLFC: Golden Snitch – about a witch or wizard showing undying loyalty

Additionally, a themed piece for the Houses Competition Ravenclaw, using prompt Screaming [Action]

Word Count: 1588