Under the cover of night, Godric and Helga went into the forest. Once they had made it inside, Ismanna appeared nearly silently beside them, only the barest whisper of twigs and leaves and bushes rustling at her movements gave her away.
They traveled deeper into the centaurs territory before coming to a halt.
"Have you spoken with Harry and Hermione yet?" Helga reached out and Ismanna's head came out to press against her palm, blocking the woman from Godric's view. Ismanna gently butted her head at Godric and he obligingly began to scratch her scales.
"I have not."
"When will you?"
"Friday, after potions, most likely. That would be the last class before lunch and the closest to classroom eleven. I'll have more time to explain what will be needed from them then without Hermione worrying about whatever her next class is."
Helga chuckled. "Yes, I imagine. She is quite serious about her studies."
"I am glad she has stopped hounding me about studying with her and Harry."
"What are they -"
"What are you doing in our forest?" The angry voice had Godric looking at the large group of Centaurs, all of whom had their weapons drawn.
Ismanna hissed and drew herself up and bared her fangs, wrapping the two friends in her coils.
"Who are you to command the Protector?"
Godric stared at the large body of Ismanna and sighed, placing his hands on his hips as he called out, "This is not your forest, Centaur! The forest is on Hogwarts land and you are here by -"
Helga pressed a hand against his shoulder and Godric stopped talking.
"We are here to warn you as well as perhaps solve one of your issues."
"What can two human children do?" The centaur mocked, but Godric could hear them stumbling backwards and he sorely missed seeing Ismanna snap at the centaur. "What have you done to the Protector?"
"Nothing," Helga explained calmly as she sat on the earth. "She is the Protector of Hogwarts and the inhabitants inside. While you live on Hogwarts grounds, as agreed, you have threatened us. Stow your weapons, speak with us, and we will be on our way."
A few minutes passed and Godric vibrated with energy and he glanced over at Helga. He hadn't been sure exactly what she needed him for. He could make children laugh. He could weave stories of battle. He could battle. He could never handle... delegations.
Helga smiled up at him. "You will need your sword, dear. Not to use, of course, but as proof of who we are."
He reached into his pocket for a spare coin and quickly swapped it out with his sword, a grin spreading across his lips as the familiar weight fell into his hand. "Do they need a show?"
His friend laughed and made a gesture that Godric happily took as a go ahead.
He began running through his forms. He enjoyed the pull of muscles. The sweat that pooled down his back. His body moving as he wanted with a fluid grace he had worked so hard to get back.
Ismanna began uncoiling herself, but she kept the largest part of her body behind both Helga and Godric, protected. Godric twisted his body into the more difficult forms, flowing from one to another without pause. He kept his eye on the group of centaurs who had stowed their own weapons.
Helga stood. "I am Helga Hufflepuff, the one with whom your ancestors made a deal with. They and their descendents could live in peace from the war that ravaged their lands." She stepped forward and Godric finished the set he was on and followed her, staying a step behind her as she worked. He watched as the centaurs stamped their hooves against the earth. "They came to us, begged us for sanctuary. The land gifted to us by Salazar Slytherin to build Hogwarts was vast, still is vast, though we could only set protections on the castle itself and the land directly adjoining it. I explained that we could not spread our protections this far outwards, but they were welcome to live in the forest and, if needed, they would be welcome in our school so they could be protected."
The leader of the centaur's eyes widened as Helga continued walking forward sedately and Godric fought down his laughter. "How do you know this?" The centaur rasped out. "You can not be Helga Hufflepuff and," the eyes darted to the sword in Godric's hand, "Godric Gryffindor. This cannot be. How are you here?"
Helga knelt, burying her hands in the dirt, Godric standing protectively over her and Ismanna keeping her head beside them. The earth rumbled under their feet and the dirt and rocks and roots writhed under the centaur's.
"It was your people who told us that we could link our souls to the castle so we could continue protecting the people. The innocents. I suppose that knowledge has been lost to time, " she murmured. "Your ancestors allied themselves with us, vowing that they and their kin would join us." She stood up, an earthen barrier rising and corralling the centaurs in. "Have you forsaken your vows?"
"We were not the ones to forget!" The centaur raised up onto his hindquarters, front legs lashing out. "They were the ones to forsake us!"
"How so? You still are allowed to live in the forest, unshackled, not hunted, and free, unlike your ancestors. You raise your bows to children and claim these lands, Duke Slytherin's land, as yours?" Her voice dipped to a whisper and Godric grinned at the wild look in their eyes. He did so enjoy watching Helga let loose.
However, it was his turn. He allowed his magic to flare out. "Surely you have an answer for Lady Hufflepuff. I would also like to hear what you have to say." He twirled his sword almost idly as all of the centaurs' attention turned to him. All of them shifting their weight and fingers twitching towards their weapons.
Silence stretched on and Ismanna hissed, impatiently. Her tail lashed out and smacked against a tree, only hard enough to shake it and not fell the tree.
Finally the centaur in the front bowed, as did the others. "We will not forget again."
"See that you don't. The next time we will not be so lenient." She released her hold on the earth and Godric watched as everything seemed to meld itself back to the way it was before. Godric pulled his magic back. Ismanna hissed and gently nudged Helga, who patted her snout.
Godric stepped forward. "We are here to warn you of a battle to come."
They all straightened and their hands flexed to their weapons, but did not draw. "What battle?"
"Tom is coming." At all their blank looks Godric huffed and clarified, "Voldemort." That got the reaction he was expecting.
"He was here four years ago," one of them murmured.
"Yes, but he is no longer some shade. He has his own body back and is working on infiltrating our school. His goal is the immediate future. We do not plan for the fight to ever escape the castle itself. If it does, you will be needed."
The centaurs all nodded.
"That is all we came for. To remind you of your ancestor's oath and to warn you of the battle. Good evening."
"What of the giant?" The lead centaur pawed at the ground, arms folded across his chest. "He is chained and should not be here."
"Neither should the Acramantulas," Helga commented idly.
"We warned Hagrid of -"
"We know of the giant," Helga interrupted, turning her back on them. "We are handling the situation."
The herd backed up, the shadows and trees and shrubbery shielding them from sight. Godric turned and followed Helga who patted Ismanna's side. "Take us to him, darling, but no eating."
Ismanna hissed and began the journey to where the baby giant resided.
- - - - Founders - - - -
Friday after potions, Godric and Salazar were leading Harry and Hermione down a less used hallway to classroom eleven. However they had a tail: Seamus. For a moment, Godric blissfully thought the boy wanted to talk to either Harry or Hermione.
"Hey, Ric!"
Godric looked over his shoulder. "Seamus."
"The last Hogsmead trip is in a few weeks."
Godric rolled his eyes. "I'm aware."
His eye was twitching and Salazar had turned slightly towards him so Godric could see the hint of his best friend's amused smile. He knew what Seamus wanted, but he wasn't going to make -
"You should go with me. As a date. Just us."
Hermione sounded as if she was choking so Godric kindly gave her a harsh pat on the back.
"No," Godric answered, still refusing to stop walking. They were almost to the classroom and he could slam the door in the boy's face.
"Just go once with me."
"No."
"What's wrong with going with me? You always go with Helga, Tracey and... and... what's her name in Ravenclaw."
"What's her name?" Godric stopped and finally turned around. "Did you just call Ro... What's Her Name?" Salazar immediately stood beside him.
"Why would Ric ever deign to be with someone who can't even remember his friends' names?" Salazar asked, steel in his voice.
Harry took a step forward to stand beside Salazar. "You do realize that Ric is a bloke, right?"
"So? Blokes go out all the time. What's the issue?"
Godric pinched his nose, fighting his temper. "Seamus. I don't fancy you. I will never fancy you."
Hermione spoke next, "Seamus, you need to stop."
But Seamus didn't look deterred, instead focusing on Salazar, eyes roaming up and down. "Well, if Ric isn't interested, what about -"
Godric had moved before he realized he was. Godric punched the boy on the nose and sent the boy sprawling backwards, the snap of a bone echoing in the hallway.
Godric glanced downwards at the boy who was bleeding and holding a hand over his nose. Godric glared. "Leave Sal, leave all of my friends, alone or I'll do worse than break your nose."
He led the way to classroom eleven.
The two children sat, Salazar stood beside him as he called the wards up.
After a few moments of orienting himself, he explained to the two children that something was going to occur before the end of the year. He asked if they would help and described what the two would be doing once that time arrived.
They accepted. Though, as Godric had known, Hermione had many questions.
A/N-Elipsa: Seamus? Seriously? Wtf.
A/N-Ajellah: Half_of_Erin commented: I'd love to find out about McGonagall's conversation with Ric.
If there are any conversations that we skimmed over, you're welcome to request them and we just may post them in the one-shots after this is completely posted.