To Dwell on Dreams

"Good morning class, as some of you may have noticed in your timetable the lesson after this one is potions. Herbology links in directly towards potion making and so while I will spend this first hour teaching you how to care for plants and what their properties are, Professor Slytherin will then take you for potions. Now one of the most important things to recognise in Herbology is that not all magical plants are useful for potions and not all mundane plants are ineffective. The first year will be spent learning how to identify plants that could be dangerous or how they could be used in a potion. Today we shall be looking at a potion you will cover this year, the Forgetfulness potion. The first plant we shall be studying is Valerian, could you open your books to page two and seventy."

The class began to pull their books out from baskets and bags and there was a good deal of rustling of pages and mutterings within the class about finding the right page number. I had my own house and was also teaching Rowena's house, some of the students in my house seemed a little nervous of the Ravenclaws, but most appeared friendly even if they were competitive and clever. Teaching had slowly become easier, at least for me, there were challenges each day but I certainly felt more comfortable overcoming them and with each lesson learnt I knew how to apply what I had learnt to similar situations.

I wasn't so sure if the others were finding their ground, Rowena still found it hard to comprehend that some children would not grasp certain concepts and ideas as swiftly as others did, Salazar had the same problem and he seemed all too keen on keeping a cold demeanour about him, meaning the students rarely went to him if they were finding something difficult; the majority of the students, if not all, loved Godric and his broad smile, his enthusiastic manner in all his classes, though Rowena, Salazar and I were still tearing our hair out when Godric did not stick to his lesson plans and started trying to teach the children advanced magic. We forbad him after the hospital wing had to be created, when a spell went wrong and Larentia Culmus ended up with her face swelling up and Rowena screaming at Godric for being a fool. He swore to keep to his lesson plans after that, though he occasionally showed the children some advanced magic, but warned them not to copy him until they were older. I think it was the best we could hope for.

"Valerian is an incredibly potent plant used in many potions, could anyone name some other than the potion of Forgetfulness?" I asked, a curly haired Ravenclaw's hand shot up.
"Yes, Miss Yarrow?"
"The Draught of Living Death."
"Excellent, ten points to Ravenclaw. That's one of the most infamous potions Valerian Sprigs can be used for. Any others?"
A fair haired boy called Sam Abbot, who was in my house, cautiously raised his hand.
"Master Abbot?"
"A Sleeping Draught?"
"Yes, well done. Ten points to Hufflepuff."

Several of his fellows sitting around the bench and long table grinned at him; I pulled open my own book to cover my pride of my students. I suppose that was one of my downfalls at teaching, but Slytherins and Ravenclaws always tended to be very clever and even Gryffindors were a bright bunch, so I always felt a little swoop of pride when someone from my house got something right. Not because they were stupid or didn't work hard, I just knew they were often against some fierce competition. I would never deliberately undermine any of the others Houses, I was just content when my students got something right.

"We need more teachers." I said. It was dinner and the noise of students eating, talking and laughing filled the Hall. I smiled at all of them, this was what I liked best, the students enjoying themselves and talking with their friends, the ones from poorer backgrounds filling out their clothes and getting rosier cheeks.
"Cernunnos spare us, what else do we need Helga? We've already got a village being planned, a new way of sorting the children needed and now you tell us we need more teachers?" Godric said. I did not know why he was not in his usual jovial mood and despite the ill humour in his tone I continued, though my voice wavered a little.
"Yes, we do. We won't be able to take on all the classes when more students arrive, I know it was us four who started this together but we should find other talents, I know I'm not as good as Transfiguration as I am at Astronomy and Herbology, we should find the best people for the job. If we build the village then perhaps people who wish to be teachers can…"

Godric suddenly sprang up from the table and made his way down the hall, he marched past the children and walked into the Entrance Hall then up the stairs. Rowena wiped her mouth with her napkin and got up from her chair.
"I'll go and talk to him, it's a good idea Helga, don't worry about Godric."
She followed Godric's suit and left the Great Hall, leaving me with Salazar. He seemed unfazed by what had happened, bringing his goblet to his lips, drinking and then continued eating.
"Go on Helga, what were you saying?" his voice was too casual. I knew he had done something to anger Godric.
"Salazar? What happened?"
He sighed irritably, "A disagreement Helga, that is all, it's not for you to worry about."
"Don't treat me like a child, Salazar."

He finally did me the courtesy of actually looking at me, "Godric and I may be friends, but we don't see eye-to-eye on everything."
"Of course not, but why…?"
Salazar put down his knife and spoon and rubbed the bridge between his nose, "Helga, I really don't wish to speak about it. It will only make me angry and I doubt you want the children to see that."
I blushed, "No, this place deserves to be one of peace, where they feel safe and secure."
"Good." Salazar sighed, then lent back in his chair, "This will all be forgotten about tomorrow."
"If you say so."
Salazar's eyes narrowed at my response and he frowned, but I turned back to my plate and resumed eating. I saw Salazar roll his eyes and then get up from the table.
"Fine. I will go and apologies to Godric, if he and Rowena aren't busy fucking."
I nervously bit my lip at his crudeness and watched him leave the Hall. I tried to finish my dinner, but it suddenly felt like many of the students were watching me and a shiver ran down my spine. As I looked up over the busy, talkative Hall I felt a strange awareness that someday I would be the only one left. I would sit at this table, surrounded by many, yet feel entirely alone.

"Apologies for yester-eve Helga, it was rude of me to dismiss you and your ideas with such aggression. An honourable man should not be so rude towards a lady." Godric smiled at me and gave me a kiss on my hand. I noticed both Rowena and Salazar glance up when Godric gave the gesture, Rowena's expression was schooled into indifference, but her eyes blazed and I knew what Salazar had spoken of was no lie or petty rumour. Rowena loved Godric and they had been together, lain together, but it was more now. Neither Salazar's eyes nor expression gave him away, but there was a small twitch of his mouth and his eyebrows were slightly drawn together. I sat down with the others for breakfast.
"That is perfectly all right Godric; I should have understood not to bring it up if you were worried about something else."
He shook his head vehemently, "You hadn't done anything wrong and there was no reason why I should treat you with contempt."
"Well thank you for your apology."

Salazar pulled my chair out and I felt a tinge of both flattery and worry with both these men paying me attention. I had grown up with the beautiful Rowena, I was far more used to most men ignoring me or just purely being friendly with me, I had almost been jealous at first. But as Rowena tossed her glorious jet black hair and barely paid them any heed, while I snuck off once or twice and secretly kissed boys behind hay stacks, I grew to love the knowledge I won. Wit beyond measure may be a treasure, but it is certainly not the only one.

Rowena passed me a bowl of steaming porridge and another of currents, Godric raised a goblet of spiced ale to his lips and took a slow sip, then swallowed.
"Helga, you believe we need more teachers?" he said.
I finished my mouthful, "Eventually, yes. But it would be good to have them sooner rather than later, that way we can work out a curriculum and train some of the teachers."
Godric nodded then buried his face in his hands, I reached out instinctively towards him, but he shrugged off my hand.
"No Helga, you're too kind to us sometimes. That suggestion is perfectly reasonable and I was not in the right state of mind yesterday. Now about the Sorting."
Rowena scowled and rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything against it. I continued with my porridge, until the room fell deathly quiet and I glanced up. Three pairs of eyes were gazing at my intently and I forgot to blow on my porridge, so it burnt my tongue. I took a quick gulp of cold ale and frowned at them all.
"What?"
Godric chuckled, "Any suggestions Helga?"

A/N: Thank you again to all my reviewers and an especial welcome to The National Insecurity :) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Next chapter will involve the beginning of the Sorting Hat and the creation of Hogsmede - yes I am mucking around with the timeline a little bit, but then JKR wasn't hot on maths and dates herself, hey we're writers, maths is the devil incarnate ;) lol!