To Make Things Simple

I folded the brown dress over a chair, already baring my apron. My house-elf, Wynny, had demanded I give her my boots, as she would not have me walk over the carpet in them. I had always liked Wynny, she was such a dear thing and feisty for a house-elf. I did not know of many who would demand their mistress remove her boots before entering her own room, but I certainly did not begrudge her for it. Though in fairness I was not really her mistress. I had found her lost and wandering, almost half starved, on the hillock above my tavern. She had been wearing a misshapen and patched cloak, which I soon found out to be made of an old curtain with large stitches and a proper human hat, declaring her to be a free elf. She had been quiet and miserable when I found her, but I soon fed and cheered her up. She did not speak of her previous master or mistress, insisting I was a good friend to have and she still called me Mistress Hufflepuff, yet I never really saw myself as a true mistress.

I took off my underskirts, after Wynny disapparated with my boots to have them cleaned in the kitchen. On this occasion I lazily flicked my wand at the door to lock it and then removed my stockings. I untied my hair and long, faint, red-golden streams hung down my back. I climbed into the wooden tub, the water rising a few inches and then sunk into the warmth.
"Warm water is heaven." I muttered softly. I relaxed for a while and then picked up a bar of soap to wash the grime from my hands and nails. I gave it a quick sniff and grinned, the faint scent of roses. I rubbed the bar over my arms and chest, then round my neck and after wetting my hair, through it. There was a quiet knock on my door.

"I'm busy." I called out.
"Doing what?" Salazar's voice came from the other side.
I grinned, "Bathing."
There was no reply and I rinsed out the last of the soap from my hair.
"Do you have your wand with you?" he asked.
"Not in the bath, no."
I heard his tut. "A defenceless place to be."
I laughed and reached for a vial of oil, pouring some into my hand and massaging my scalp.
"I trust you enough not to come into my chamber and disturb me. I can be surprisingly quick in reaching for my wand and you can expect a nasty hex if you tried." I said.
I heard his soft chuckle, "Alas, Helga. I do not trust myself."

He teasingly shook the handle of my door and I reached out towards my dress, my wand held in the belt.
"Don't you dare…What did you want anyway?"
Salazar fell silent once more and I did not want to lean back in the bath, in case I missed his words.
"Salazar?" I said after the silence became too heavy.
"It was not important; I will see you at dinner."
I heard him turn to leave and cried out to him again, "Salazar, what is it?"
The room became silent once more and I heard him shift his weight, while he considered speaking, at the door. I heard him sigh softly.
"It matters not; I will speak to you later." he swiftly marched from my outer chambers and left me frustrated in the cooling bath water.

I finished the rest of my washing and once I had dried myself, I pull on one of my formal evening dresses. It is a soft buttery yellow; I know none of my dresses are as fine as Rowena's, but that would be impractical if they were. Better to admire Rowena's from afar, than ruin my own finest with dirt from the garden and cooking in the kitchen. I suppose I could easily mend them with the right potion or spell, but I could never wear such elegant designs and feel comfortable. Nay, it is better to be me and be happy that way. Peasant dresses or no. I leave my hair a little damp and then hurriedly plait it. It will dry off later, especially if we remain talking around the fire, as so often happens with our dinners. I tie the belt around my waist again and push my wand into the leather holder. Then make my way to Godric's chambers, for that is where we dine tonight. The Great Hall will be our place of dining when the construction of Hogwarts is complete and filled with students, but for now we dine in one another's rooms. Mostly due to my insistence, I found the Great Hall too frighteningly large and empty, even with Godric's expressive manners and Rowena's skill of wit.

"Ah, Helga. I trust your bath was pleasant." Salazar opened the door on my knock, behind him I saw Rowena and Godric already seated at the round, oak table. The warm room was covered in hangings of red and gold, but then Godric had always favoured grandeur and beauty. The fire lit the room brightly and the flames illuminated a tapestry of a roaring lion and a knight clad in armour, one hand bearing a sword, the other buried in the lion's thick mane.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was late." I said and moved into the room, avoiding Salazar's gaze, even though I felt it upon my back when I entered.
"Not at all, Helga. Rowena arrived only moments ago." Godric leapt up and moved a chair back for me. I thanked him and sat down. Rowena smiled at me in welcome.

"Get eating or the soup will get cold." Godric said, I followed the others in picking up my spoon. I breathed in the scent of thyme wafting up from the silver bowls, with the soup being a rich yellow in colour.
"What is the soup?" I asked.
Godric shrugged and Rowena gave a small laugh, "Do not tell Helga that, she will be most cross with you for not knowing."
"Soup is soup." Godric laughed, winking at me, "I assume it's potato or swede."
I placed a spoonful in my mouth, swallowed and then said, "Parsnip, actually." Godric chuckled and continued to eat his. I rolled my eyes.
"Do you not care what you eat or where it came from?"
"As long as it isn't poisoned, I'm not too fussed." Godric said. "Speaking of poison, did I ever tell you about the time someone tried to kill me by dipping my boots in poison?"
"Poisoning your boots?" Rowena said.
"They weren't the brightest of sparks; assuredly you would have come up with a better and easier way of doing it." he passed that warm smile and golden look onto Rowena, who grinned and nodded.
"Aye, I could do, luckily I like you too much."

"…Salazar, what did you wish to speak about?" I asked, having quite forgotten Salazar's question, after Godric regaled us with several stories of attempted murders; until Rowena bade him stop and got him to speak on the tower that would serve as his house's common room. I was only reminded when the conversation moved onto the grounds of Hogwarts and how my gardens did. We were already eating baked apples, with currents and honey, thick cream to pour on top by the time I recalled his question.

"Ah yes…" he lent back in his chair and gazed at the table, as though deep in thought, "I met with Helga today when she was tending some wild roses. An entirely useless plant…"
"Unless required to show some sentiment, a lover's intent." Rowena smiled mischievously. Salazar raised an eyebrow and Rowena fell silent.
"As I was saying, an entirely useless plant. With no magical properties and very few herbal qualities…"
"The thorns can be used in a love potion." Godric said, he was casually leaning back in his chair, arms behind his head. He grinned benignly at Salazar, who scowled vehemently at the interruption.
"Such potions tends to have a short term effect, either if the person stops supplying it or a remedy is found." Rowena interjected. Salazar filled his wine glass again and carefully took a sip.

"This brings us to my discussion points. What purpose does something serve if it has no real purpose? Or as Helga said, 'Cannot something belong in our life, even though there is no real reason for it belonging there?'" he finished.
"Salazar, you cannot suggest there must be some reason to find things fair. For one person they may find a painting or building fair, but to you, it may not be. It is all a matter of taste." Godric said.
"Perhaps I have better taste than others." Salazar smirked and Godric chuckled. "But surely the better something is, the more it serves a purpose."
"Perhaps its purpose is to be beautiful." Rowena said.
"Would you desire to only have the purpose of beauty and not be considered to have anything else?" Salazar asked.
"Nay, I would be offended. But then I am not a rose and I find my purpose through wisdom and learning." Rowena replied.
"Though you are as fair as one, with all the wisdom you deserve." Godric raised his glass to her and she rolled her eyes. "But what does Helga think? After all, tis her beloved roses she must defend."

I carefully folded my napkin, slowly thinking as to what I should say. I knew Salazar and Rowena often grew impatient with my apparent slowness at times, but I did not like rushing my thoughts.
"I think…My roses serve a purpose in making me happy, in seeing them bloom and thrive. I have no need in seeing them make anyone else happy, but they do so for me. Thus they serve a purpose."
"In selfish happiness?" Salazar said, I looked up and smiled.
"Who said it was selfish? Anyone is welcome to share in my happiness of them."
"Well put, Helga." Godric said, draining his glass and pouring himself another measure.

"My second question, is paraphrasing what Helga said somewhat. 'Can we not enjoy the things we find the most rewarding?' and so, are the things we enjoy in life easy to come by or must we find them through hard work and strife?" Salazar asked.
Rowena put down her spoon, "I believe it unfair to conjoin the phrase 'hard work' with strife. There is no need for the two to be paired. Hard work can be enjoyable and rewarding."
Even Salazar conceded her point to be fair. Godric placed a large hand on his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully.
"That is a good question. Many would have us believe the best moments in life are easy to find, yet whether that is true…Hmm, I think I would be in more favour to say nay. Life is challenging, but rightly so. Enjoyment stems through finding and pursuing what we desire, gaining and having the reward when done."
"But if something is too difficult to gain or win over, then perhaps it is the wrong thing entirely." I said.
"What do you mean by that Helga?" Rowena asked.
"Well…sometimes…I…" I could feel myself getting flustered as all their gazes turned to look at me and I tried to recall what I had been going to say. Godric gently placed a hand on top of mine.
"Your opinions are valid and well put, gather your thoughts, we shall wait."

I breathed a sigh and smiled a little, Godric's green eyes lit up and he gripped my hand a little tighter.
"Will you always worry if your students present you with a question, Helga?" Salazar said. His lips were a thin line of displeasure and his eyes were narrowed, I saw them flicker down to Godric's hand resting on my own, then look back to my own.
"Nay, of course I will do my best. But I find the example I shall use now uneasy."
Godric put back his head and laughed then, "We must surely hear it now!"
I nervously bit my lip, took another breath, then said, "My example is love…"
I could feel my cheeks heat up once more, but I quickly took a sip of wine and continued, "Often I have seen men fall in love with women they have no hope in gaining the affection of, whether because of family disagreements or status or another reason entirely, sometimes just simple dislike on the part of the woman. Yet, if the man is kind and honourable, he may have another woman in love with him. He may easily win her heart and affection, warm and good as it is, but instead he spurns her…"

I tailed off, but Rowena and Godric nodded, Salazar looked deep in thought.
"A fair point." Rowena said.
"But is it not more honourable to seek his lady-love's affection?" Godric said.
"If there is no hope in the matter and he will never gain her affection what then? If he wishes so much for love and companionship, surely he could learn to love the other woman's affection in time?" Rowena said.
"Can love be learned?" asked Godric.
"I have witnessed some arranged matches, turning to love within a few years." Rowena said, "Learned love is not an impossibility."
"My point is to have something so near and so willing to be given; surely it is more a crime to ignore it? To never consider it?" I said.
"In so many stories, they praise it when a man purses the object of his affection." Godric said.
"Yet, we speak not of stories, but of reality. I believe it to be far more likely a man would give up his affection for the first woman and seek another, rather than to persist in seeking the foremost." Rowena said.
"I concede that is more likely and true." Godric said.

Salazar suddenly leaned forward, his fingers pressed together and his eyes remaining fixed on mine, "Do you believe then, Madam Hufflepuff, love is not worth pursing?"
"I…No, any pursuit of love is noble."
"Then why do you believe that a man should forget what he truly longs for and instead takes another, the second best?"
I fiddle with my napkin again and then look back up to him, "And what if the man did not realise what love that second woman could give him? That her love for him was far superior and more willingly given, than any false affection the first woman must pretend to give."
"If you were in love with someone would you so willingly give them up? Would it be so easy to part company with them for another, however well they professed their love?"
"I did not say that…I just think many overlook what they could have, in some desperate hope that their affection will be returned. You forget Salazar I saw daily trials of love, men in love with unobtainable women and women making sheep-eyes at men who…"

"Sheep-eyes?" Godric interrupted.
"You know," I made my eyes wide and stared balefully at him, giving a little lover-lorn sigh while doing so. Godric gave another roaring laugh.
"Ah yes, I'm well acquainted with that expression. I break far too many hearts."
Rowena chuckled and gave Godric a withering look.
"Anyway, sometimes when you are presented with such an image there is a desire to make things simple. To make people realise who they could be with, what love they could have…that in many ways they are wasting on another, who will never return their affection. In seeing all three parties suffer and no one find happiness…it is difficult not to wish something could be done." I finished; I considered it a rather lame ending to my argument, but I believed I had argued my point well enough.