A Sword for Gryffindor

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October 1003

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"I am telling you that this is not the best present!" Rowena insisted for the third time this evening. She tried to keep smiling at their guests, but her feet hurt from the high heeled shoes she was wearing. Usually, she only wore flats. But this was an important party and as one of the representatives of the school, she had to look her best.

"Oh, come on", Helga replied laughingly. "It'll be alright. Shouldn't he be happy about whatever we give him?"

"And this sword has cost us hundreds of Galleons", Salazar pointed out. "It is Goblin-made after all."

"If you say so", Rowena conceded though she was still not convinced.

The Great Hall was filled with important witches and wizards, most of them Ministry officials but even royal delegations from different countries had come.

"So many people", Helga wondered Rowena's thought aloud. "If Godric knows all of them?"

"It doesn't matter", Salazar said at once. "He should meet every one of them, they are great connections – for all of us."

"And it doesn't happen often that one of the four founders of Hogwarts turns 30," Rowena added.

"Well, I've had my 30th birthday a long time ago", Helga chuckled. "There wasn't even a Hogwarts there, yet."

Rowena and Salazar smiled as well. They were all already in their 50ies, so Godric had always been some kind of nestling for them. For a while, she had dreamed about him marrying her daughter Helena, but they were just so different. At least they were friends. Her daughter was now dancing with a rich lord from Wales although Rowena had asked her earlier in the evening to dance with the Baron of Elphinstone, a fine Slytherin graduate, but apparently, as always, Helena did what she wanted to do and not what her mother had asked her to…

"We should mingle," Salazar then pointed out. "Talk to our guests and get some information we can use to our advantage."

Helga rolled her eyes. "It's not all about power, you know."

Salazar merely wrinkled his nose before he went with a brilliant smile towards the King of Denmark.

Rowena took a deep breath before she started to walk into the crowd. She didn't like these kinds of social events and preferred books to boring conversations, but Salazar was right: their young school needed all the connections and help it could get. She looked around and decided to speak to the Bohemian queen who seemed rather intelligent.

"Good evening, your Majesty," Rowena greeted politely and bowed. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities."

"Oh, very much," the young queen replied and smiled. "This is my first visit to England, and I cannot say I am disappointed."

"Scotland," Rowena couldn't help correcting her and cringed automatically afterwards. Having knowledge and wit could sometimes be a burden.

But the queen didn't seem to mind. "My apologies. Scotland, of course. Tell me now, do you approve of your colleague's view that Muggleborn should not be taught magic?"

Rowena hesitated a moment. Of course, she found Salazar's views ridiculous and it could only benefit them to teach as many witches and wizards as possible – everyone deserved the chance of education – but if this Bohemian queen was in favour of ignoring Muggleborns, she could affront her severely. In the end, she decided to speak the truth. "I do not."

"Oh, good," the queen replied relieved and smiled. "At least someone with sense in this school."

Rowena merely smiled politely. Before she could continue their chit-chat, however, the music of the orchestra stopped and Godric's voice, magically enhanced, sounded through the Hall.

"My dear guests, I thank you for your wonderful presence and kind words of congratulation. I am truly honoured to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday in this beautiful Hall." He looked at the ceiling where a thousand stars shone through the roof and even more candles floated in the air. "And I want to thank my co-founders who made this whole project of creating a school for young witches and wizards in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland possible."

"Hear, hear," the crowd replied and lifted their glasses.

Helga was suddenly at Rowena's side. "We should give him our present now," she whispered, and Rowena nodded. It was only appropriate that they would be the first.

So the three co-founders stepped towards Godric and Salazar spoke in a loud voice so that most of the guests would be aware of their present. "Dear Godric, it is our honour to present you with this special item on this your special birthday."

It was rather compelling to watch Salazar lie so easily. It was common knowledge that he and Godric almost hated each other due to their different world views. But prestige and reputation had always been more important to Salazar than honesty.

Godric was polite enough to accept our gift with gratitude, though his smile was only real when it grazed Helga and Rowena. He opened the long box and enwrapped a sword.

"It's Goblin-made," Helga told him and giggled in excitement. "And there are rubies on it since red is your favourite colour, and we even inscribed your name into the blade."

Godric looked at the sword from all angles and even took a swing. Then he smiled and said: "Wow. Thank you very much. This is really… great."

Rowena was the only one to notice that he didn't really like his present and smugly thought that she had been right. It wasn't until a few hours later, however, that she had the chance to speak to Godric alone. "It's too small, isn't it?" she said and pointed towards the long sword in his hand.

"Um, well," Godric stammered. "Yes, it is." They laughed in good humour.

"I told them you needed a broad sword, but they wouldn't listen. At least, it's goblin-made and won't break soon."

"Yes, but I look like a giant swinging a toothpick."

Rowena chuckled.

"Well, I guess it's the thought that counts, right?"

She smiled at their youngest founder. "A very Hufflepuff-like view."

He grinned at her and then asked her to dance with him.