Chapter 2
As he glided up the steps to Ravenclaw common room, Baron thought about how strange it was that he had never been to this part of the castle. He hadn't gone to somewhere new in hundreds of years, come to think of it. The rest of the castle was as familiar as the back of his hand, but not Her domain. Not Helena's. He thought of her with a sad longing and barely noticed when shimmery silver blood began oozing from his phantom wounds. A thought struck him. Over the years since his demise, he had lost many recollections, including memory of his own name. Now he was simply, "Baron" or "Bloody Baron". But she was the one person here who had known him. The only one who had spoken his name in life. Maybe she would tell him. But no, She never would. Not for her murderer. The man who took everything from her deserved to remain nameless. He sighed and drew up to the ornate fowl on the Ravenclaw entrance. Time to babysit Peeves. Again. Yet the privilege of seeing Her made it worth it.
Inside, Peeves sat with three frightened first years. He was somehow tied up tightly to a chair, and Helena was looming over him as if daring him to act out. "Wh-what is the correct way to pronounce the summoning spell? I can't seem to get it right." One girl asked tremulously. "Oooh let me sees. I say the spell is pronounced EXSMELLIARMUS!" Peeves's outburst caused two fourth years nearby to pass gas loudly. Both boys jumped up in alarm. One raised a wand to shout a spell that gagged Peeves with bubblegum. His fellow Ravenclaws laughed and applauded him. Not too shabby for a young wizard, Baron thought.
Some children made a hasty exit as he entered. Helena merely glanced up with a scowl, before turning her attention to Peeves. She muttered something under her breath, causing a slimy wad of gum to eject from Peeves's mouth. He coughed and wretched dramatically.
"Do as you are bidden Peeves. Otherwise, I will have to personally give you a less pleasant consequence." The poltergeist jumped at the sound of Baron's voice. He immediately began to grovel, "My apologies, your bloody highness, sir. I will keep me trap shut unless my advice is requested by the ickle firsties." He wrung his hands unnecessarily long.
Baron came to float beside the gray lady, and they went a half hour without speaking, aside from chastising Peeves. Finally, Baron spoke, "Are you attending Nicholas's deathday party?" He asked disinterestedly.
"Don't talk to me."
Well that put a stop to that conversation. Yet there was something…the way she smiled at him during the meeting. As if part of her still remembered a time they weren't enemies. He desperately wanted to go back to that time. He would give anything to be her friend again. Yes he had been enamored by her, who wouldn't be? She was regal as Rowena Ravenclaw; ambitious too. Then there was the way she would tap at his window in the middle of the night, informing him that she had a new daring scheme. "(Whatever his name had been) come now. We must be off to the village at once. You and I are going to be the first wizards on this island to tame a sphinx for our pet. Now don't be like that, I absolutely need your assistance. I couldn't ask for a more loyal accomplice." Her sweet compelling smile got him in all sorts of trouble. That is until she decided to finally carry out a plan without him. The last she would ever make. He never could stop seeing the images of that night flash through his mind. Maybe that was part of being a ghost, always reliving death. Feeling the coolness of riding his horse through the dark forest. Seeing Helena in a pool of moonlight, the accursed diadem atop her head. Driving him mad with admiration. Feeling the way her insults and rejection cut through him, boiling over into a rage he had never experienced. He pulled out his dagger, almost senseless in his anger. She fell to the ground, diadem rolling away. She said his name then, shock clear on her face. How he wished he could remember her voice saying his name. And then all the rage was extinguished by an overwhelming wave of regret, loss, and self-loathing. He could not go on, not without her.
The hour was up. "Alright Peeves, off you go. Do not even consider lingering here in the tower of Ravenclaw." Helena waved her hand, casually dropping his restraints to the floor. Peeves blew a raspberry and whirled out of the room. Baron bowed to Helena, "Milady." Then he drifted to the door to leave. "Goodbye, Baron. I will see thee at Nicholas's party." If he could stumble he would have. After all these years…maybe his wish would be granted.