2nd Year: I Am Salazar Slytherin
Helga bustled about her room, adding more pillows and blankets to the king-sized bed - Rowena loved having a good many of them if she remembered correctly.
All four of their parents had agreed to let them meet during the holidays at the Jones' home. Salazar and Rowena planned on staying for a few days while Godric had only been able to get his mother to agree for him to stay the night. Helga couldn't help but be thankful that they had all come back as females as that made it that much easier to spend time together without their parents putting up a fuss.
Soft, brown eyes flitted over to a neatly folded parchment and Helga felt her chest tighten just a bit. Godric had sent a missive explaining why he had not been allowed to stay longer. She had memorized the words from the man.
You must understand, Helga, that my mother is being protective of me. There is something... I have not shared with any of you as of yet. I haven't known how.
The words written had blots between letters as if the man had hesitated or was unsure of what he wanted to say. Godric, the one who rushed forward without thinking; Godric, the bravest of the four of them, had hesitated .
I do not know if you recall, but in our prior years, I had a little sister - many years our younger - but I had never been close to her. Most of my life I had Salazar as my friend and we were hardly separated, and a few years after you and Rowena joined.
And, like my parents, she was born without magic so she had been safe to be raised with them. So I saw very little of her.
This time though... I had an older sister: Lilliana.
She was three years older than me, and we were quite close. I was seven when she was kidnapped. I had been sick with the flu so Mum took me to the hospital to get a note for school and Father couldn't get away from St Mungo's. Lilliana had said she would be quite safe walking home after school and to take care of me. It was five minutes from my old primary school to our home. She promised we'd play chess again when I was well enough.
She never made it home and they found her body a year later. A few months later, Dad died from Dragon Pox.
Helga's fingers brushed against the soft fabric of the quilt she had been folding before walking over to the letter and placing it in her desk drawer.
I tell you this for many reasons. My sister deserves to be known and remembered. I know you and the others will do so and not give me pity. I also want you to understand why my mother doesn't trust easily. Especially since she is not magical and hasn't been around magic except for Dad and me.
Once she's sure our friendship will last, she'll reach out to all of your parents while we are at school and get to know them. If she's appeased, I will be able to stay longer next time.
I will tell Sal and Ro, I just haven't been sure when, as Ro is upset about Helena and, well, I suppose Sal already probably knows that something is amiss. If I do not speak soon he will drag it from me – the sap.
When I visit, I will tell all three of you in person.
"Megan?" Her father, Michael, knocked on the door lightly before peeking in. He had soft features and eyes that almost always seemed to radiate joy when around his family. She received the shape of her eyes, dark complexion, and height from him. "Your friends are here."
She straightened, pressing the quilt smooth, and smiled at her father. "I will be right down."
"You alright, love?"
"Yes, Father, I am well."
He stepped in, despite her words. Denim hugged his legs and a green, button down shirt complimented his hazel eyes. His strides, much like Helga's, was a smooth gait, calm and assured. They took him straight to her, and he bundled her up in his arms.
"I'd ask if you are sure, but you wouldn't admit it if you weren't." His grip tightened as her own arms wound around his neck. "So I'll just hug you. Because I can."
Laughing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, breathing in cinnamon and chocolate. "Will we see Jameson and Jackson this summer?"
"They should have a week off before you go back." Michael leaned back, tucking a finger under her chin. "Missing your brothers?"
"A bit." Helga sighed, relaxing into an easier smile.
"Their time off isn't a done deal, but they're both hopeful to be here at the same time. Perhaps we can have a mock game when they come home." He took a step back and smiled. "They'll let us know once they're sure either way. Now let's go save your friends. Your mam must be terrorizing them by now. Remind me of their names?"
"Would you like a crash course, Father, or just names?"
He stuck his tongue out at his daughter as she placed her arm in the crook of his elbow. "Crash course, if you would."
They walked at a sedate pace, Helga smiling serenely at her father. "We'll begin with Tracey Salina Davis. She's from the house of Slytherin and we call her Sal, but she prefers everyone else to call her Tracey. She's quiet and protective of her friends. She has auburn hair, the palest of skin among us and green eyes. If you try to trick her or prank her, she will see through it immediately.
"Lisa Royen Turpin is in Ravenclaw and goes by Lisa or Ro. She has sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. She is brilliant and her wit is as sharp as her tongue. Beware yourself around her, Father, she will tell you when you are behaving like an imbecile."
"Imbecile? Me?"
Helga smiled as they began down the steps. "Fay Richele Dunbar goes only by Ric. If you call her anything else she will resolutely ignore you. She is by far the most stubborn of people you will ever find, though she is the most loyal once you earn her trust. She is the shortest, in height and hair, chestnut in color and bright blue eyes. She is quick to anger and will not forget the insult even if it seems she has."
He glanced down, tappinging her nose with a finger. "And you're the most observant person I will ever have the pleasure of knowing."
"Pleasure, or displeasure?" She glanced upwards, a gleam in her eyes.
"Well, that depends on your mood."
Her laughter rang like a tinkling bell and a moment later she saw the bouncing figure of Godric coming to the bottom of the stairs, grinning up at her. "Helga!"
"Contain yourself. We are not -"
"Oh, shush you, I'm just excited that -"
"Yes, everyone is quite aware of how excitable you are."
"You too, Ro?"
"She is simply stating a fact," Salazar murmured.
Helga released her father and surrounded herself with her dearest friends, relishing in their warmth and love.
- - - - Founders - - - -
After supper - Helga's parents left the four alone with the warning of not staying up too late as Ric had an early morning - the friends made their way upstairs to Helga's room and sat in a circle on the large bed.
They all began talking about their holidays, their future plans, their families. Godric had gone quiet, fingers tapping against his leg and he had a pondering look on his face.
Salazar dug a finger into the man's side and said, "Out with it."
Godric jumped before grinning ruefully. "I was thinking about the discussion we had on the train, about Dumbledore's speech at the Farewell Feast. We agreed it was odd that he mentioned only that Quirrell decided to leave Hogwarts and not that he had attacked students and was taken away before anyone had been harmed."
Rowena nodded. "I remember."
"Well, I didn't send a letter to my mother explaining what had happened."
"Godric," Helga and Rowena exclaimed in unison.
"What? She would have pulled me out immediately had I done so." Godric continued before he could be reprimanded again, "I thought they would tell my mother about the incident and I would have to fight to come back. Imagine my shock when she never brought it up. She didn't even mention the troll at Samhain."
"Speaking of the troll, and Quirrell for that matter," Helga interrupted before Godric could go on a tirade about Dumbledore and the staff, "do we have any ideas on how we can communicate with one another without alerting anyone to what we are doing? I thought perhaps a book we can write in that only allows us to read?"
"Books are cumbersome at best. Besides we may not have time to pull one out as well as ink and a quill," Salazar immediately threw in.
"Would anyone believe that I was starting to take notes?" Godric asked.
"No," the other three immediately replied and Godric stuck his tongue out at them before flopping down across Salazar's legs. Salazar kicked and moved around until Godric rolled off and into the middle of their circle with a pout.
Rowena chuckled as she shook her head. "Sal is quite right. A book, while a splendid idea, would not be quite right for the four of us. I was thinking more along the lines of a protean charm on an ambiguous item. That way if it is noticed, it is also easily forgotten."
Godric stretched out on the bed and laid his head on his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. "It would have to be something that I wouldn't lose."
"As if we would believe you would do such a thing." Rowena retorted with a fond smile.
"You are quite religious in knowing where all your belongings are," Helga agreed.
"While true," Salazar mused, "I believe what Ric is alluding to, is that if he is needed to fight against Voldemort again then he will need something that wouldn't be lost in the scuffle."
"And something that would not hinder my movements."
"Valid points. I'll take them into consideration." Rowena frowned, looking off to the side.
Helga smiled at her friend and turned to the other two to allow Rowena's mind the time to ponder. "And how are you two faring?"
Godric turned his head to stare at Helga, his bright blue eyes locking on hers. "Where do I begin? Dumbledore is incompetent and the staff are far too trusting on his words alone. My mum is amazing and we have plans to go hiking once she picks me up in the morning, we tend to get lost and it makes for some entertaining trips. And while there is nothing wrong with the female form, and I have grown to like some styling garments, I am meant to have men bits." He dropped his head and groaned.
Salazar blinked while Helga covered her mouth to keep from laughing at the poor man.
"Are you still uncomfortable?" Helga finally asked when she had herself under control.
Godric pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I truly do not believe I will ever be accustomed to being in this form no matter how many years I may reside in it." He glanced over at Salazar. "I'm still not sure how you are so comfortable with it."
Salazar raised an eyebrow. "It is the body I have. I'm comfortable in it because it is mine."
"I don't get it." Godric sighed.
"I'll have to think on this more. I have a few ideas," Rowena said. "And you'll get used to your body after a while, Ric."
"I doubt it." He slid off the bed and went towards his bag. "Helga, which room will Sal and I be staying in?"
"This one."
"But," his brow furrowed. "There is only one bed."
Helga sent him a half smile and decided to have a bit of fun. "Yes, and it is quite a large bed. One that is quite easily able to hold all of us.
"No." Godric slammed his back against the door, shaking his head frantically. "I can't! It's unseemly!"
"What are you on about now, Ric?" Rowena carefully undid her hair, which had been wound into a braid. Her tresses curling just below her shoulders.
"Diarmid will challenge me to a duel when I see him next!"
Helga stared at Godric, pajamas held loosely by her side and asked, "How does my dear heart have anything to do with this evening?"
Salazar frowned, shaking his head and sighing, "Of course we are not sharing a bed with them. That is why we will be taking the floor."
Godric stopped trying to merge with the door. "Oh, well that's alright then."
Helga giggled, moving forward and taking Godric by the arm. "You silly, silly man. I promise Diarmid will not challenge you to a duel when next you meet him." Her smile dimmed just a bit before she gave a minute shake of her head.
Godric gave a dramatic sigh and skipped to his bag and Salazar's, throwing them both over his shoulder before reaching out to take hold of Salazar himself and dragging the man out of the room. "Good, because I would not have thrown the match against your husband, even for you. We will be back. We'll give you two ample time to change."
- - - - Founders - - - -
The rest of the summer had passed in a blur of time. Seeing her brothers again had been... odd. It had been a few years since they had all been together under one roof. After finishing law school Jameson had gotten a contract with the goblins at Gringotts Bank while Jackson had taken a job in France with the wandmakers there. She remembered her brothers, knew how to talk with them. She had years of memories with them laughing, joking, playing together - and of their childish squabbles, though Helga would continue to claim that Jameson and Jackson had been the ones to instigate them.
But now she had her original memories and while nothing was different, nothing was the same.
Still, they had fun and Helga loved her family dearly. That would never change.
"Darling, we need to head to the train station."
"I will be right down," Helga called, shaking her head and pulling herself from her thoughts. She stared around her quaint room, nodding when everything was in place. Her bed had been made with freshly laundered bedding - pink and soft grey mingling in swirling patterns. Dark grey drapes pulled back from the window with matching strings - the view of the Argyle Congregational Chapel in perfect view. Books on maths and science lay on top of her L-shaped desk, the rest of her muggle curriculum in the cubbies.
She pressed her fingers against her trunk and wandlessly and silently cast the feather-light charm before picking it up with a smile. Jameson had been the one to tell her that if she could cast wandlessly, then the ministry wouldn't know who specifically had cast it. Though she doubted her brother thought she would be able to cast anything wandlessly yet. She straightened, smoothed out the wrinkles in her jumper, strode from her room, down the carpeted stairs, and saw her parents at the front door.
Heather and Michael grinned at her descent. Heather, pale in complexion with brown hair and hazel eyes, enveloped Helga in a tight hug. She pressed her lips to her daughter's forehead. "I'm sorry I can't take you to the train station." She lovingly caressed Helga's cheek. "Have fun, tell me stories of you and your friends - maybe they can come over either for the Hols or next summer again - and I -"
"Heather," Michael chuckled. "Off to work with you. Your manager is aware of the day and knows you would be running late, but let's not take advantage of his good nature. I'll see you tonight once I make sure our daughter gets to the Express safely. Now, shoo."
Helga laughed, wrapping her arms around her mother. "Mother, Father is right. Off with you."
Flinging the end of the girl's braid into Helga's face, the woman huffed, "However did we have such a well spoken heathen?" She dropped her faux scowl and pressed one last buss to Helga, gave a kiss to Michael, and ran out the door.
Helga reached into the bowl that lay on the cabinet by the door, slipping a finger through the key ring and twirled the car keys around before asking, "How long do you think it will take her -"
"My keys! My keys! Where are my keys?" Heather came rushing back in, her bright yellow coat swirling around her. "Gregory is going to kill me, I didn't even notice the time and -" she saw the keys. She threw her hair over her shoulder. "Gem, light of my life, angel , owl me as soon as you're back at Hogwarts and tell me all about the new firsties! Ta!"
And out she went again, leaving the other two laughing in her wake.
- - - - Founders - - - -
Helga sat in the back carriage of the train, well before most of the children would arrive. Her father had to board a train to take him back to Bath in time to make a meeting for the Child Support Agency, which meant they arrived at the station shortly after ten.
The last conversation she had with her father brought a smile to her lips.
"So, you and your friends all have quite unusual nicknames for yourself."
"Unusual?" Helga looked over to her father who had a grin on his face.
"Not unusual, per se, more like..."
"A strange quirk of fate?" Helga laughed. "I know you saw what we did. Ric was the one who actually came up with the idea. The four of us, in the four houses, have befriended each other. While that is funny in and of itself, our middle names are close to the names of the founders of our houses.
"Ric started it and it's stuck ever since."
As the time neared eleven, more and more students were coming onboard. She twirled her wand lazily around her fingers, her free hand pointing idly at items and casting them in the air. The lighter objects: paper, quills, ink bottles, and the like held no trouble for her. Her trunk, her books, and anything heavier were a bit harder.
She didn't even attempt to lift her owl cage, which had a thick, sound quieting blanket over the top of it. Inside her newest friend resided: Tatiana, a Northern Saw-Whet Owl. She had been sent from North America by a family friend as a gift for Helga. The tiny, doll-like owl had immediately - as her mother lovingly said - imprinted on Helga.
Well, her being sent the owl wasn't quite on par with the truth. Tatiana had been sent to be a family pet, not to be used as a carrier of mail. Her stature was a bit too small to carry letters far distances, but Tatiana had proved herself up to the task.
Godric, Rowena, and Salazar found Helga in no time and the train began its trek to Hogwarts.
Godric and Salazar, as always, spent their time bantering. Rowena and Helga spent the time talking about Rowena's ideas for communication, but they were interrupted by a bushy haired girl making her way into their compartment.
"Hermione!" Helga stood up, reaching forwards and grabbing the worried looking girl and ushering her in. "Come, come. Why do you look so worried?"
"Nothing's really wrong," Hermione murmured when they all looked at her. "I was just wondering if you've seen Harry or Ron? They were supposed to meet up with me in a compartment and I haven't seen them yet."
"Sounds like a problem!" Ric bounded to his feet and edged past Helga and Hermione. "I'll go looking for them with you."
"What Ric is failing to say is that we have not seen them," Rowena murmured as Salazar pulled out a book and placed it on his lap. "If they come this way, we'll let them know you're looking for them."
Helga stood and brushed off her robes. "Ric, I'd put on your robes first so you don't forget. Also, be sure you either wear your skirt or close your robes to hide your trousers."
Godric rolled his eyes. "We won't be more than an hour or two."
"Two at the most?"
"Two."
"Your time has started." Helga ushered both Hermione and Godric out of the compartment. "I will go the opposite direction and see if I hear any news from other students that you may have missed, Hermione."
As Godric and Hermione walked away, chatting softly to themselves, Helga heard Sal murmur, "I wager he has forgotten what Helga will do to him when he forgets his time constraint."
"I will not take that wager."
Helga smiled at her two friends and popped her head in to ask, "Any advancement on means of communicating?"
"Only what we knew to begin with. Nothing to help in working discreetly. We're still searching."
Helga nodded, "Please let me know how I can help. In the meantime, I shall go on the hunt for the two missing children."