Written for the Harry Potter Chapter Challenge (The Lost Diadem - write about Helena Ravenclaw)
Written for the Acrostic-y Challenge of Chapter Titles II - easel)
Ethelinda's Noose
Early morning music crept through Helena's window. The sun was rising slowly in the sky and the sounds of the birds' tunes could be heard throughout the Hogwarts grounds.
The only girl remaining in the room – whose hair was a matted nest – woke groggily. Today was one of the rest days at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – a chance to practice the spells they had been learning in that week and complete the study tasks assigned.
As she slowly sat up and looked around, Helena realised that the dormitory was empty. The four other girls she shared a room with at the school had already risen and moved to the Great Hall for some food. Looking at the sun's position in the sky, Helena realised she had slept well into the morning.
"Oh dear," she said to herself as she climbed out of the bed and quickly threw a gown over herself. It wasn't easy being a young witch, but when one's mother was a founder of the prestigious school she attended, it made it just that little bit more difficult.
Unlike her mother, Helena didn't care so much for the academia side of magic. She much preferred the practical aspect which had her duelling with her class rivals. A newly invented device – known as the wand – was something the Hogwarts instructors were still learning themselves. Many of the older students resented the fact that they now had to direct their magic into a piece of wood, where before it had not been a requirement.
Although Helena very much appreciated the device (of which some wizards and witches had been using for centuries) Rowena did not appreciate it either. She felt magic was better controlled when it came from the mind – an argument which was often heard between mother and daughter.
Uninclined to hear her mother's disappointment for being late to the morning meal, Helena made her way as quickly as she could from the tower and into the Great Hall. She had almost made it when a figure in a black cloak blocked her path.
Helena skidded to a halt and glanced up at the tall man, blushing. Salazar Slytherin – one of her mother's dearest friends and (Helena suspected) lover – greeted her with a knowing, victorious smile.
"Dear, dear me," he chortled, "late again."
Helena met the man's eye, looking at his handsome features. For years now, Helena had considered Salazar a handsome man. Despite her age and his age, she had often found herself wondering if he would be a good match for her. Of course, he was her mother's lover, but he was still handsome and the young mind of Helena found handsome nice.
"Oh, does Mother know?" Helena cried, batting herself from the thought of Salazar's good looks.
"She always knows," Salazar told her – something Helena already knew.
"Oh dear."
"Has not your mother ever taught you that the perfect time to rise is when the first bird chirps?"
"I never hear it," Helena confessed, ashamed.
Salazar gave a chuckle. "Dear, dear me," he said. "Well, it is best if you hurry and take a seat. Of course, she would be more pleased if attended part of the morning meal, at least."
Helena nodded and raced passed her favourite instructor and into the Great Hall. There were many benefits of being an instructor's daughter; but there were always many things to feel unfortunate about. Seeing the disappointment on her mother's face was one of them.
She sidled into a seat between her fellow students with only a quick, guilty look towards her mother. It was enough to see that she wasn't pleased with another late arrival.
Helena ate her morning meal quickly, determined to finish with the others. It wasn't in the most ladylike manner, but she'd already embarrassed herself that morning, there was little else to do.
When others began excusing themselves to leave, Helena did the same, but was stopped by a firm grip on her shoulder. She was spun around with a great force and came face-to-face with the dark eyes of Rowena Ravenclaw.
"Mother, I'm terribly sorry, but waking at dawn is not exactly something –"
She was silenced as her mother held up a hand. "Helena," she said gently, but also sharply. "Helena, I wish I had a mirror to show you."
Helena's expression changed to one of confusion. "A mirror, Mother? Why?"
If Rowena could sigh, she would have; but that was not who she was. "Oh dear, Helena, look at yourself."
Helena glanced down and a gasp escaped her. In her haste to get down to the Great Hall so as not to disappoint her mother, she had completely forgotten to dress. She was still in her nightgown and she had no doubt her hair was still matted.
"Helena, dear, I must request you go back to your room and change into something decent. To have young men seeing you in such a personal outfit…."
"Yes, yes!" Helena cried, her face red. "I'll change immediately." She turned on her heel and hurried back up the staircases – trying not to think about what Salazar must have thought when he had found her – until she was safely in her tower again. Another staircase brought her to her dormitory, where the other girls she shared with looked at her as if she were mad.
"Unfortunate, attending the morning meal in your nightgown, is it not?" one commented absently as another helped her tie her dress.
Helena – face burning – ignored them as she threw on her own dress.
"What an embarrassment," another replied.
"Though, I do think that Merlin boy liked what he saw."
Helena ground her teeth, carefully choosing not to say anything.
"He is one of Salazar's pets, though, is he not? He teaches young men to be –"
"Ouch!"
"You forget one thing," Helena seethed, directing her wand towards the first girl. "My mother is an instructor here."
"Oh, we are not forgetting that," another answered indignantly. "However, I must comment on the fact that if I were your mother, I'd be terribly embarrassed. Of course, it is not all your fault. I suppose you did not choose to have a father who is not present. You would think, however, given those circumstances, one would try to please her mother."
Helena's hand was turning white she was gripping her wand so tightly.
"If we were her, we would disown you in a heartbeat. Or at least marry you off to some farmer without magic."
A long stream of purple light flew from the end of Helena's wand. It managed to hit the girl who had insulted her in the centre of her face. With a look of delight on her face, Helena almost doubled over laughing.
To the other girls' horror, the first one had broken out into a severe case of boils. They had started at her nose but within a few moments had spread across her face. It was contagious, too, as when she touched it with her hands, she had them on there, too.
"What did you do?" the girl cried.
"I gave you what you deserved," Helena retorted, feeling little sympathy. She felt more sorry for herself, truthfully. Her mother would not be pleased. However, her mother's scolding was worth it in this instance.
The girl cried out in frustration and all four of them left the dormitory, most likely to be treated.
Helena waited for them to leave before continuing to dress herself. "Will teach you a lesson for insulting my family," she muttered as she placed shoes on her feet.
She only needed to wait a little while before footsteps were heard coming from the staircase. They stopped right out the front of her door, and a moment later it was opened. Helena had infuriated her mother on many occasions, but she had never once seen her red-faced and seething with rage like she was now.
"Helena!"
"Mother, they insulted you and myself. What was I supposed to do?"
"Has nothing I have taught you over the past thirteen years sunk in, Helena?" Rowena said. "One will always find something to criticise another about. Your parentage is one of them."
"It no longer will be," Helena stated flatly.
"Helena!"
"I am not sorry for what I did, Mother."
"I am outraged," Rowena stated, but her tone was placid. "I am outraged that any student under my instruction would dare to harm another. And, Helena, you are my student at this school. I must punish you as I would punish any other."
Helena simply stared at her mother, waiting for her to explain.
"You are hereby banned from any visits to the Hogsmeade village until the completion of your magical education. Your wand will hereby be confiscated and only returned when it is absolutely necessary for a class. You will also see Salazar in his office every night for the next three weeks. I will be discussing a suitable punishment with him."
Helena did not argue with her mother, but she knew the punishment was harsher than any student who was not her daughter.
"Please hand over your wand, Helena."
Helena obliged.
"You will also be confined to your dormitory for the remainder of today. I must say, I am highly disappointed that any student of mine would engage in such a cruel act against another student. It will take weeks for Ethelinda to recover."
Helena was not sorry. She was only sorry her mother had taken her wand from her.
Rowena gave Helena another look, her eyes searching for some hint of remorse; but when she didn't receive it she turned on her heal and left without another word.
Helena was now alone, and confined to this room for the rest of the day. She was wandless and friendless.
"What am I to do?"
A thought then came to her. She climbed from her bed and rummaged through her trunk where she kept all of her belongings. Right at the bottom was a tiny easel and a paintbrush. She kept it locked away, only to be used at the most dire of times. And she considered this to be one of those dire times.
One of the other girls had left some parchment on their bed, which Helena took and attached to the easel. She took the paint from the bottom of her trunk as well and set herself up in the centre of the room.
Now, what was she to paint? When she was feeling happy she would paint the view from where she was sitting. When she was upset with her mother she would paint the school in a pile of ash. When she was upset with another girl….
Helena dipped her brush into the paint and began splashing it onto the parchment. She wished she had her wand to enchant it, but a still painting would have to do. This would certainly keep her busy for the rest of the day, making sure she had every single blemish perfect.
…
Helena was feigning sleep when a loud scream came from the bed next to her. She had her back to Ethelinda, but she could only imagine the look on the other girl's face.
When Helena was upset with another girl, she would paint their deaths. If one infuriated her as much as Ethelinda had, then it would be painted as the most painful death Helena could think of.
The girl had burst into tears now, but the only thing Helena was sorry for was that she had been unable to make the painting move. What better revenge would there be than watching a life-like painting of yourself being hung by a noose over and over.
Smiling, Helena rolled over to see the four others crowded around the painting.
"You did this!" Ethelinda accused, jabbing a finger in Helena's direction.
"Do you like it?" Helena asked plainly.
"You… you!"
Helena rolled back over again, continuing to smile to herself. "Next time you insult my mother – or my family – I would like you to remember that."
She could hear Ethelinda trying to take down the painting from where it had been stuck to the bedhead, but it was stuck firmly in place.
With a mother who was so against using magic with a wand, for the first time in her life, Helena was grateful that she had paid close attention to some spells without a wand.
If only Rowena could see her now.
I'm rather pleased with how this turned out, and I would love to hear what you all think as well. A review before you click away would be lovely!
Also, I cannot write the way they would speak back then, so I didn't try. The best I can do is take away the contractions.