Chapter 38
The Third Diary of Rowena Ravenclaw
“Harry…Harry!”
A voice from the darkness called to Harry, rousing him from his fitful sleep. He tried to turn over to see who it was, but the covers on the infirmary bed had tangled around his legs, making it hard to move. He kicked them off and rolled onto his side, looking up at the person who had been calling his name.
Dumbledore.
After the encounter with Bellatrix Lestrange the night before, Harry, Ron and Hermione had returned to the castle to find that the headmaster was still absent. They went to Professor McGonagall instead, and she immediately put the school on alert and arranged a search party from amongst the staff to go down into the crypt and search for any remaining Death Eaters. Professor Flitwick, who had headed the party sent to the crypt, returned only with a tangled knot of severed ropes, the same ones Ron had conjured to bind the Death Eater named Caspin. It was the only evidence that anyone had been in the castle.
Once the search party had returned and McGonagall realized the threat was over, she became very angry and demanded to know why they had ventured into the forbidden dungeons of Hogwarts alone. Harry tried to explain to her the chain of events that had led to them being there “ Wulfric Gryffindor, the stolen diary, Dumbledore himself telling them to go there “ but it didn’t do any good. She confiscated the diary and spent the next half-hour scolding them severely. It probably would have been longer if not for Harry’s head wound opening again, sending a small stream of blood trickling down his face. McGonagall immediately sent Ron and Hermione back to the dormitories and took Harry to the infirmary. Although Madame Pomphrey had patched him up in less than a minute, McGonagall insisted that he spend the entire night there.
It hadn’t been easy to sleep “ the encounter with Lestrange was still fresh in his mind, as was the image of the long lost diary and the gnawing curiosity he felt to find out what was inside. Apparently he had fallen asleep after some time, however, as he hadn’t heard Dumbledore come in. The headmaster stood towering over him, a concerned look on his face.
“Are you all right, Harry?”
“I’m fine, sir. I don’t even need to be in here…”
Harry quickly sat up.
“Professor! The third diary! Bellatrix Lestran”“
The old headmaster lifted up his hand, motioning for Harry to be silent.
“I know. I’ve spoken to Professor McGonagall. She told me everything.”
“Oh,” Harry replied, not sure if that was a good thing or not. McGonagall hadn’t given them much time for explanation. The headmaster sighed.
“I owe you an apology, Harry. It was reckless of me to send you into the crypt unaccompanied. In my excitement to find the next diary I overlooked any potential dangers I may have been exposing you to. For that, I am sorry.”
Harry sat silently, not sure what to say. He didn’t blame Dumbledore for what had happened “ there was no way he could have known there were two Death Eaters waiting in the crypt.
“We will talk more in the morning. I only wanted to make sure you were all right. Good night, Harry.”
The headmaster made to leave. Harry quickly kicked off the rest of his covers. He didn’t need to be in the infirmary. He wanted to know what was in the diary. “I’m fine, Professor, I’ll come with you. I can’t sleep anyway…”
“No Harry, stay here, rest,” the headmaster said. Apparently he understood Harry’s desire to find out what was in the diary, as he leaned towards him and whispered, “The diary has been unread for nearly 800 years. One more night won’t make much of a difference.”
Grudgingly Harry nodded and sank back into the bed.
“I will be waiting in my office when you awake. Good night.”
Eventually Harry was able to go back to sleep (he was more tired than he had thought) and awoke several hours later. Although it was still rather early “ the sky outside was just beginning to turn into a lighter grey with the rising of the sun “ he pulled the sheets off, grabbed his glasses from the nearby bed table, and rose from the bed. He had waited long enough.
He quickly put his robes on, slipped out of the infirmary (doing his best not to rouse Madame Pomphrey), and made his way to the headmaster’s office. The castle was pretty much empty at this early hour and he made it there without running into anybody. He quickly gave the gargoyle the password and ascended the staircase. Seeing that the oak door was already open, Harry walked through the doorway and into the office. Dumbledore sat at his desk at the other side of the room, deep in conversation with many of the portraits.
“Pssst! Albus! He’s here!” he heard one of the portraits say. The room fell silent as Dumbledore, along with the entire wall behind him, looked up at Harry. He could tell they were each as excited as he was.
“Good, now hurry up and give him the diary!” one of them muttered. Dumbledore ignored him.
“Ah, Harry. Even earlier than expected. Come in, come in.”
Harry walked across the office and took a seat in the chair opposite Dumbledore.
“You slept well, I trust?” the headmaster asked with a twinkle in his eye.
“Er…not really, sir.”
“I don’t doubt it. From what Professor McGonagall tells me, you’ve had a most interesting night. Now, I’ve heard Professor McGonagall’s version of events, but before we discuss anything else,” here several of the portraits shot him exasperated looks, “I need to hear your version. If you will.”
He made a motion with his hand indicating that Harry should begin, then leaned back in his chair and listened intently. The portraits listened too, though Harry noted a look of impatience on more than one of their faces.
He thought back to the night before and gave a detailed account of everything that had happened. It wasn’t exactly easy; his head was groggy from the lack of sleep and the anticipation of reading the diary, but he did his best. As he finished the headmaster nodded.
“I see. And you say Bellatrix Lestrange slipped through a hidden passage in the wall?”
“Apparently. I couldn’t see it from where I was, but Ron said he got a good look. Said that no matter what he did he couldn’t get it open. We would have investigated it more, but we thought we had better get out of there as soon as possible.”
“Of course. You made the right decision. We will have to investigate this more thoroughly.” The headmaster gave a heavy sigh and stood up.
“Well, we are very fortunate that nothing worse happened. Again, I apologize for sending you there unaccompanied. Not in my wildest dreams did I expect you would encounter two Death Eaters, but I still should have acted with more prudence.”
“But how did they get in, Professor?” Harry asked. “How did Lestrange know I would be down there? What does it mean?”
“It means that Lord Voldemort knows about Ravenclaw’s diaries. And the Half Blood Prince.”
The sentence hung in the air as the implications began to hit Harry. He suddenly got a sick, uneasy feeling in his gut.
“But…how? Why?” a sudden, chilling realization hit Harry. “Then…was he the one that stole the diaries and left the note?”
“No lad, the diary’s been missing for nearly 800 years, well before your dark wizard’s time,” said the headmaster Tradwell. “It is most likely that some pure-blooded twit just a generation or two after the founders caught wind of the scheme and spoiled it. It would make sense that””
“I hope, my dear Tradwell,” interrupted a slightly indignant Phineas Nigellus, “that you are not implying that those who believe in Pure-blooded supremacy are ‘twits’?”
“Not at all. Just the vast majority of you,” Tradwell replied without missing a beat.
Phineas was about to retort when Dumbledore rose his hand in the air.
“Tell me, Harry,” said Dumbledore quickly, before things could escalate. “When you last felt Voldemort enter your mind, he was at first interested in your memories of the Department of Mysteries, am I correct?”
Harry nodded.
“But you diverted your thoughts away from there and directed them somewhere else, did you not?”
Harry nodded again. He quickly thought back to the night in question. Voldemort had tried to get the prophecy out of him, so he had directed his thoughts instead to…
Harry started. He had directed his thoughts to the hidden Astronomy Tower room.
Dumbledore nodded. “Somehow, Voldemort recognized the secret room. Apparently he knows that the diary was once hidden there. What’s more, he knows that you know.”
Harry was stunned. His mind reeled as he tried to determine what it all meant.
“But wait, how could he even know about the diaries, about the Half Blood Prince in the first place? I thought Ravenclaw kept it all secret.”
Dumbledore shook his head. “She did. But somehow, eight hundred years ago, somebody found out about it. Whoever this person was, it is obvious that they were a pure-blood fanatic, somebody who would want the eldest son of Godric Gryffindor dead, or at least never found. My theory is that whoever that person was left a trail behind, just as Ravenclaw did, for others to follow in order to find the diaries. The note you found was the beginning of the trail. He or she only intended for followers of Slytherin to find the diaries and never counted on the security of the trail being compromised. After all,” he smiled proudly at Harry, “how many wizards out there can speak Parseltongue? At any rate, Voldemort must have stumbled across the trail during his extensive research on Salazar Slytherin while he was here at the school.”
Harry nodded slowly, deciding that Dumbledore’s theory made the most sense. Though he had dozens of other questions going through his mind, there were two in particular that were making him rather uncomfortable. He decided to ask the less worrisome of the two first.
“But how did he know I would be in the crypt? How did he know to send Bellatrix Lestrange at that precise moment?”
“It’s apparent, Harry, that Voldemort has a spy somewhere in Hogwarts. It is also apparent that there is a hidden way into the school that neither I, nor anyone else here, knew about. That would explain why Bellatrix Lestrange was able to enter the crypt without me being aware.”
The explanation made sense. Harry nodded, then swallowed hard, not wanting to ask the second question. He did it anyway.
“Then…is there any hope? I mean, if Voldemort knows about the Half Blood Prince, wouldn’t he have made sure he was lost, or killed, or that we would never be able to find him?”
Dumbledore nodded, as though he had expected the question. “That is the very thing we were discussing when you entered. We feel that there is. The fact that Wulfric Gryffindor’s name is still lit in Godric’s Hollow is a good sign “ it means he is still alive. We can also infer from that that neither Voldemort nor any other follower of Slytherin has ever found him, as they would have undoubtedly killed him if they had. Perhaps Rowena Ravenclaw prepared one final safeguard in case an intruder came across the diaries. Something with the map, perhaps. So yes, Harry, there is still hope. Wulfric Gryffindor is still out there, waiting to be discovered.
Harry was silent as he considered the headmaster’s words. They made sense and the confidence with which he said them was encouraging. It was quiet in the room for a few moments, then the headmaster named Tradwell spoke up.
“Well said, Albus. We agree with you whole-heartedly,” he said to nods from the other headmasters. “NOW WILL YOU GIVE THE BOY THE BLOODY DIARY?”
“Yes, Theodore, I believe the time has come,” said Dumbledore with a chuckle as he pulled out his wand. “Despite passionate protests from a few of my colleagues, I have kept the diary locked up ever since Professor McGonagall gave it to me last night. I thought it only fitting that you have the first look at it, since it is because of you that we even have it in the first place. So, without further ado…” He tapped his wand on the top of the desk, causing a drawer to open. He reached into it and removed an old, blue-bound book, still wrapped in animal skin. He handed it to Harry.
“The third diary of Rowena Ravenclaw.”
With a feeling of awe Harry reached out and took the diary from the headmaster, aware that every eye in the room was on him. He unwrapped it and felt excitement shoot through him like a jolt of electricity. He was experiencing history. As he opened the cover and flipped to the first page, Dumbledore spoke.
“Now, we have had considerable discussion amongst ourselves and it is our belief that this is the diary that details the argument between Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor, that one that led to Salazar Slytherin leaving the school and the four founders being reduced to three. While we know the separation occurred due to difference in opinion regarding the proper place of half-bloods and muggle-borns at Hogwarts, no one has ever known for sure the exact argument that triggered this separation.” Harry found the first page and looked up. Dumbledore smiled.
“We assume that after reading you will have the answer to that thousand year old mystery.”
With the eyes of every headmaster and headmistress Hogwarts had had for the past eight centuries on him, Harry slowly lowered his head and began to read. As with the other two diaries, it was hard going at first
1029 June. My…myself…and the…o…others met t..together at the con…conclo…conclusion of the y..year for our…now traditional dis…discussion on what…changes we felt the…s…school needed…to make the fol…following year.”
An image began to appear in Harry’s mind as he read. It was of a large, dimly lit room. He continued to trudge through the diary, the words slowly becoming easier as he went.
“After Godric, Hel…Helga, and I had each presented our re…respective ideas, we realized that Salazar, who had become increasingly sul…sullen and…withdrawn over the past couple of years, had yet to speak…”
The image of the room grew stronger and stronger in Harry’s mind while the book in front of him grew fainter and fainter, until it disappeared all together. The room around him slowly dissolved and he found himself in a large, open area that, other than being a bit smaller and not having an enchanted ceiling, looked almost exactly like the Great Hall. As the picture came into full view he saw that he was sitting at a smooth, wooden, rectangular table. Just across from him sat the plump, motherly figure of Helga Hufflepuff, who was in the middle of saying something.
“…so I think we should definitely consider clearing a space somewhere on the grounds for a sport such as this. Heaven knows our younger students could use a diversion of some sort. I think the western lawns would be perfect.”
Before Harry could figure out what she was talking about, Ravenclaw’s line of vision lowered from Helga to a piece of parchment set on the table in front of them. Her slender, pale hand was in front of him as though it were his own. She held a long white quill which she quickly brushed across the parchment, leaving the words, Proposes that we investigate starting some sort of sport at the school. Mentioned popular new sport out of Queerditch Marsh as a possibility. Could set it up on western lawns. behind. As he studied the parchment Harry realized it was full of similar notes “ each founder had their name written above a section of the paper, and below each name were written their comments and suggestions on how to improve the school. Apparently they did this at the end of each year, Rowena Ravenclaw acting as scribe.
As he looked closer at her tiny, neat handwriting (it reminded Harry of Hermione’s history notes) he saw that, while Godric, Helga, and Ravenclaw’s sections had been filled with writing, Salazar Slytherin’s was still completely blank.
Ravenclaw finished writing and looked up to the right, her gaze falling on Godric Gryffindor. Apparently several years had passed since the last diary “ there were several streaks of grey in Godric’s golden mane of hair, as well as some new wrinkles stretching across his brow, though he looked as noble as ever.
“That is a splendid idea, Helga,” he said enthusiastically, “it would be good to have some sort of competition amongst the students. Give them a break from all the studying, as well as a chance to develop some house pride. Let us talk more of this at our rendezvous in a couple of months.” He then looked at Harry.
“What say you, Rowena?”
Out of impulse Harry looked for Rowena Ravenclaw, then remembered that for the purposes of the diary he was Rowena Ravenclaw. She answered the inquiry in her even, almost monotone voice. It hit him then that he still hadn’t ever seen her face.
“I suppose so. As long as this sport doesn’t interfere with the students’ studies. This is, after all, a school above all else.”
Helga smiled appreciatively, and Godric nodded his head in approval. Harry felt Ravenclaw’s head turn to the left, towards the last remaining founder.
“What are your thoughts, Salazar?”
Of all the founders (the ones he could see, anyway,) Salazar Slytherin seemed to have changed the most. His beard and hair were almost entirely grey now and his face had become more gaunt and sallow than before, giving him a sober, foreboding air. In fact, he now looked much more like Harry had pictured him before he had ever read the diaries. While it was hard to place what exactly had changed, Harry thought it was mostly in the eyes. Where he had once seen alertness and the fire of an engaged intellect, he now saw only apathy and a callousness that hadn’t been there before. It was as if he no longer cared what was happening around him.
“Some sort of physical exercise would be beneficial to the students. This sounds as well as anything else,” was his answer, his voice stiff and emotionless. The three other founders exchanged a quick glance. It was at this point that Harry recognized a strained, uneasy feeling in the room that hadn’t been there before either. It wasn’t hard to guess where it came from.
Ravenclaw had just bent her head to write a new note when Helga spoke.
“You’ve…erm, been rather quiet tonight, Salazar. Is there anything you would like to discuss?” she asked bluntly. Harry noticed Godric’s eyes flicker up to look at Slytherin, the first time he had seen either one of them look at the other so far that night.
“There is, Madame Hufflepuff, but I feel it best to wait for my turn.”
Helga raised her eyebrows slightly, then turned towards Harry. “Well, I believe I have finished what I want to say. Rowena, shall we turn the time over to our friend Salazar?”
“Yes, let me just make a note,” answered Rowena as she looked back down at the parchment. Among the detailed set of minutes, under Helga Hufflepuff’s section and next to the Queerditch note she wrote All favorable, then looked back up.
“Go ahead Salazar.”
The founder of Slytherin house gave a small nod in Harry’s direction, then stood up.
“I am aware this is not the typical venue to express what I am about to express, but I feel it needs to be said.” Harry noticed Helga’s mouth curve downwards in a small frown. Whatever Slytherin had to say, it was obvious that it was much more serious than Queerditch Pitches.
“When I agreed to join in on the founding of this school eighteen years ago, it was with the understanding that the purpose of the school was to instruct and further glorify the wizard race, not serve as a vehicle for social experimentation.”
He looked around the room at each of the other founders. Godric had his jaw clenched, looking like he was fighting to bite back words. Helga had a sad, restless look on her face, as though she knew a storm was coming. Harry couldn’t see what Ravenclaw was doing. Slytherin continued.
“But it has become apparent that this is our true focus, namely, the furthering of relations with the Ungifted Ones. First we allowed half-bloods into our school, despite my many protests and against all of our better judgment. At length I agreed to the compromise of sorting the students and taking only those with pure heritage. I did so under the assumption that the demonstrated superiority of the pure-blooded students over the years would serve as evidence to each of you that we had made a mistake. Yet, despite my students repeatedly proving their superiority (here Godric’s fist clenched and even Helga’s face hardened in disapproval), we have still not reneged on our thinking. Instead, unbelievably, we have welcomed even more students with unclean pedigree into our school. This, to me, is utterly baffling.”
Slytherin had become more passionate by this time, the stony indifference that had been on his face before falling away. He inhaled deeply, then resumed his tirade.
“And now, this year, we have at last done the unimaginable. We welcomed the Ungifted Ones themselves into our school! Never, in all my years, did I imagine wizardkind would descend to such a level, that we…”
“We’ve been through this, Salazar,” Godric interrupted finally, unable to hold back his words. His voice had a tone of forced patience to it. “Diggins and Bott both have the full magical gift, despite coming from Ungifted parents. This gift therefore qualifies them as wizards, not Ungifted Ones.”
“Diggins and Bott are both the offspring Ungifted parentage, making them, Godric, Ungifted Ones,” Slytherin replied sharply. “It doesn’t matter what speck of magical power they presume to have. They are anomalies. Aberrations in nature. These individuals are not part of the wizarding race.”
Harry realized they were talking about Muggleborns, or Mudbloods. He was still surprised that anyone would have a problem letting them or half-bloods into the school; it was obvious they had as much magical gift as any pure-blood. He found himself disliking Slytherin immensely.
Apparently Godric was just as infuriated. He had been about to fire back at Slytherin when Helga gently placed her hand on his arm and shook her head. Instead he closed his mouth and looked determinedly away from Slytherin, who smiled sardonically.
“But this doesn’t matter. We can argue at great length, as indeed we have, on this topic and not progress at all. It is immaterial. What I want to say is this “ I’ll have no more. I’ve been reasonable. I’ve compromised. I’ve put my own personal convictions behind me for the sake of unity at our school. I now realize that this was a mistake, as it has only encouraged further experimentation. But no more. I am putting my foot down. Godric””
He turned to look at Godric, his eyes and brow furrowed.
“For reasons I am still unable to fathom, you continue to hold to the belief that these unnatural liaisons with Muggles (Harry noticed Godric’s eyes narrow in anger; he had never liked the word ‘Muggle’) are somehow beneficial to wizardkind. This is folly. Helga””
He turned to face her. She looked back, a stony look of disapproval on her face. “You have always support him in these views, which I assume means you share them. And Rowena””
Here he fixed his gaze on Harry, a most peculiar feeling. “You remain predictably neutral on the subject, despite our discussions and despite what your intellect tells you about this dangerous path we are taking, so it appears that I am alone.” He then turned his attention back to the entire group.
“So be it. If I must stand alone, if I must act as the bulwark of wizard tradition at this school, I will do so gladly. But here is my point”we will go no further. I have been reasonable and accommodating to your beliefs, I ask only that you show some consideration for mine. Do I make my position clear?”
There was a heavy, pregnant silence as Slytherin looked expectantly at each of them. Helga merely nodded. Ravenclaw gave a curt, “Understood,” then bent her head over to write more notes on the parchment.
“Your opinion is duly noted, Salazar. Thank you.” Godric said harshly, obviously simmering in the heat of held-back words.
“That is all then. As I have nothing else to add to this meeting, I will therefore take my leave. Farewell to each of you, until we commence next year.”
With that he gave a quick, obsequious bow and left the room.
Just as the door closed Ravenclaw looked towards Godric Gryffindor. He had a look of utter disgust on his face and had just begun to say something when suddenly the room became hazy and pale. Then it disappeared altogether. For a brief moment Harry thought something had gone wrong with the diary, then another picture began to form. It was nothing but blurry smudges of color at first “ some green, a little brown, a good amount of blue “ but after a few moments it came into focus. A large blue sky, vibrant green trees, a small dirt road surrounded by quaint little cottages “ he was walking through a small, familiar town. There was a lake off to the left. To the right a mighty, granite mountain towered over the village, covering part of it in shade. Though his mind first thought of somewhere else, Harry realized that he was back in Elm’s Hollow, the village Ravenclaw had taken him through in the first diary.
As they walked, the village gently bobbing up and down in rhythm with Ravenclaw’s steps, Harry noticed that the village had grown considerably since the first diary. Where before there had only been a dozen or so stout homes gathered around a small town center, there were now streets and streets of small buildings, all centered around a much larger town center. The buildings seemed to be mostly houses; simple, quaint little cottages with thatched roofs (many of which were obviously magical), yet there were a number of other, more curious dwellings whose purpose Harry couldn’t ascertain. They looked strange and foreign, as if the builders hadn’t even been human.
“Godric really has built a marvel here, hasn’t he?” said a female voice suddenly. Harry tried to look around to see who had spoken, but Ravenclaw’s current perspective wouldn’t allow it.
“Indeed,” she answered in her clear, even voice. “In all my travels I have never seen the likes of it; so many species and races living together in harmony. It is rather fascinating.”
“It’s a wonder to me that he has time for it all, what with managing the school and everything,” said the second voice again, whom Harry realized was Helga Hufflepuff. She was just to the left and slightly below Ravenclaw. Harry felt slightly disoriented at this sudden change in the diary “ they had gone from a heated discussion at Hogwarts to a pleasant stroll through Elm’s Hollow in less than ten seconds. Apparently several months had passed.
“Godric’s a man of admirable faculties, to be sure. I’ve even heard rumor that a small family of goblins now call Elm’s Hollow home.”
“Really? Goblins?” said Helga, surprised and impressed. “Remarkable. Godric’s the only man I know who could wage war against someone then meet up with them for a mug of ale afterwards.”
Ravenclaw gave a small laugh. They walked in silence for a moment, then Helga turned their way and said, with a sly, eager look on her face, “Speaking of rumors, I have heard something else about our dear friend Godric that I must say is most interesting.”
“Is that so?” Ravenclaw returned. “How interesting, for I too have heard a rumor about Godric, the truth of which I am most anxious to have validated.”
A look of mock astonishment came to Helga’s face. “Really, and what is the nature of this rumor?”
“Now now, dear Helga, we shouldn’t gossip. But can it be the same bit of news, I wonder?” Ravenclaw replied, with an uncharacteristic hint of girlishness in her voice. Helga giggled. For some reason Harry was reminded of Lavender and Parvati discussing boys in the Gryffindor common room.
“Well, I suppose we shall just have to wait and ask him,” said Helga, giving Harry a conspiratorial look.
The two continued walking through the town, Harry wondering what the rumor they had mentioned was all about. As they walked they came across quite a few residents of Elm’s Hollow who were remarkable in their diversity; wizards, witches, more than a few Muggles, even a couple of centaurs passed their way. Most of them exchanged friendly greetings with the two founders. While it was peculiar to see centaurs speaking with humans (the centaurs Harry knew would sooner shoot an arrow through your heart than exchange pleasantries), the most interesting encounter came as they crossed paths with a small, pointy eared creature who was pulling an ever smaller cart of wood.
The creature was unlike anything Harry had ever seen. It was short and wrinkly with large, orb-like eyes. Harry almost wanted to say it was a house-elf, but he had never seen a house-elf look so upright, confident, and at ease around humans before. His skin was a healthy, bronze color, and there was none of the whimpering, subservient attitude Harry associated with house-elves.
“A pleasure to be seeing you again, Mistresses!” the creature said merrily as he gave a bow. “Yet not a pleasure, as it means you will shortly be taking Brother away from us.”
“Good afternoon, Melke,” replied Helga cheerfully. “Yes, I am afraid it is that time again. Unfortunately a man of Godric’s talents and drive is in high demand.”
“And rightfully so, Madame Hufflepuff. The school is progressing well, I hear?”
“Oh yes, quite admirably. You shall have to come and visit some time.”
“Melke,” the creature looked up, directly at Harry. “Have you seen our other friend, the tall wizard named Salazar?”
“The one who always frowns when he sees Melke, Mistress?” the creature named Melke asked without the slightest hint of self-consciousness. “No, I have not. Would you like me to wait for him? Perhaps you have a message Melke can give?”
“No, that is not necessary, thank you. I was simply wondering if he had passed this way yet.”
“Well, we must be off. Farewell Melke!” said Helga.
“Give Brother my greetings!” the creature said, then headed on down the road.
“Brother? I am assuming he was referring to Godric?” Helga asked.
“Apparently so. That must be a title they have given him. Probably just the elves “ they always seem to prefer using titles.”
The statement surprised Harry. Elves? Is that what the creature named Melke was? He wondered briefly what type of relationship normal elves had to house-elves and why he hadn’t heard of them before. He would have to ask Hermione. Or Dobby.
They walked in silence for a moment, then Helga turned towards Harry.
“Do you think he will come?” Her voice was sober, almost sad.
Harry heard Ravenclaw give a low sigh. Apparently she had been having the same thoughts. Harry assumed they were talking about Slytherin.
“I don’t know. He was very careful not to commit to anything when I spoke to him.”
“What did you say to him?”
“Well, I learned long ago that we can’t rely on his sense of camaraderie and friendship. Instead I tried to appeal to his desire for the school to succeed. I told him that, while this is not an official Hogwarts meeting, it is a tradition and his presence here would go a long way in smoothing over some of the bad feelings.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he would think about it. He wasn’t angry, just…noncommittal.”
Helga nodded and the two female founders walked in thoughtful silence for a couple minutes. Gradually the ground beneath them began to tilt upwards and they made their way up the small hill where Godric Gryffindor’s home was. As it came into view Harry noticed that it too had increased in size. It now looked like a small castle.
As they reached the front door Harry saw the suit of armor that had greeted him the first time he had visited. It said, “Welcome, Mistresses,” in its creaky voice, then motioned for them to enter. As they did so they were greeted by a young, brown-haired woman with large doe-eyes. She smiled at them, a pretty yet nervous smile, as though she were not quite at ease around them. Somehow she looked familiar to Harry.
“Oh, welcome! Please come in. Er…Godric is waiting for you in his study,” she said softly and motioned to the hall on their right.
“Thank you, dear. No need to trouble yourself, we know the way,” said Helga in a motherly tone. As they passed the large, red tapestry of the Gryffindor coat of arms and made their way towards the study, Harry realized where he had seen the woman before. It had been in the first diary. She had been tending the flower gardens out in front of Godric’s manor and had smiled shyly at them then too.
They entered the study to find Godric sitting at the table in the middle of the room. He rose.
“Ah, here at last. Welcome Helga, Rowena! Come, have a seat,” he said jovially, circling around the table to greet them. They sat down and Godric waved his wand. Drinks appeared in front of them; an elegant wine glass filled with red liquid for Rowena, and a cup filled with something white for Helga.
“Good to see you again, Godric,” said Helga as she raised the cup to her lips. “Your holiday has been relaxing, I trust?”
“Most relaxing, dear Helga, most relaxing. I forget how fond I am of this place.” He looked out the window to his left, a contented smile on his face. “If Hogwarts is my first love, then Elm’s Hollow is a close second.”
“Yes, we were just discussing how much this town has grown. You truly have accomplished a rare feat here.”
Godric took a long pull from his mug of ale. “Well, I wish I could take credit for the whole thing, but to be quite honest with you,” he leaned forward and grinned, “I never had any intentions of starting a village in the first place.” He laughed heartily and set his mug down on the table. He seemed to be in good spirits, even more than usual.
“All I did was grant some land to a couple of friends and a refugee or two, promise them protection from marauders, and the next thing you know we’ve got a ruddy village! I had no idea what it would grow into.”
“It’s astonishing, really,” Harry heard Ravenclaw say. “Never have I seen such a variety of creatures living together.”
Godric shrugged. “You know, I’ve found that among all creatures there is a desire to live in peace and security. It links us all together. All we’ve done in Elm’s Hollow is provide that for those who seek it, regardless of race or species.” As he said this, Harry noticed his eyes flicker inadvertently to the empty seat reserved for Slytherin.
“Yes, they all seem very fond of you,” said Helga. “In fact, we hear your official title among the townspeople is now ‘Brother.’”
Godric laughed. “Yes, yes. After the first of the elves came everyone insisted on calling me ‘Master’ or ‘Lord’. It got dreadfully tiresome. I finally had to threaten banishment if they kept it up, so we settled on ‘Brother’ instead. Not what I would have preferred, but a far cry better than ‘Master.’”
Just then the door to the study opened and Salazar Slytherin walked into the room. Harry couldn’t help but be slightly surprised “ he hadn’t expected him to show up. Apparently neither had Helga, as she exchanged a surprised, hopeful look with Harry.
“Ah Salazar, welcome! I am glad you made it,” said Godric as he stood up and greeted his one-time friend. He looked genuinely glad to see him. “Please, have a seat.” He waved his wand and a slender glass of yellow liquid appeared in front of Slytherin.
“Thank you, Godric,” said Slytherin. He nodded towards Helga and Ravenclaw, then took his seat. While his manner wasn’t cold or unfriendly, there was a rigidness to it that suggested he wasn’t entirely comfortable. Helga leaned over to him and placed her hand on his arm.
“Thank you for coming,” she whispered.
“We are all here. Excellent. Down to business then, shall we? Now I’ve looked more into this ‘Queerditch’ sport we were talking about, and it turns out that…”
“Hold on there, Godric,” Helga said, raising her hand for him to stop. “Before we start on business, Rowena and I have one small matter we would like to clear up with you.” She exchanged a crafty look with Harry.
Godric stopped and looked at her, slightly surprised. “By all means.”
“Well, we both seem to have heard a certain rumor flying about concerning you, and we were wondering if there was any truth to it.”
“And what rumor would that be? I daresay there is enough gossip out there to make one’s head spin.”
“Have you no idea the one I am referring to?”
Harry noticed a small smile creep onto Godric’s lips. “Not an inkling, my dear Helga. Perhaps if you told me what it was, I might be able to confirm or deny it.”
Slytherin looked from one to the other with a puzzled look on his face. Apparently he was just as much in the dark as Harry.
“We have heard that you are engaged to be married, Godric,” Ravenclaw blurted out. “Is this true?”
Hufflepuff grinned expectantly. Slytherin’s eyes grew wide in astonishment.
“Married?” he said, obviously surprised.
“Dear me, where did you hear such a thing?” said Godric, though he was unable to keep from smiling.
“I believe your expression answers our question perfectly,” said Ravenclaw with a laugh. Slytherin looked from Ravenclaw to Godric, back to Ravenclaw again.
“Godric, is this true?” he asked, a friendly tone in his voice that Harry hadn’t heard for some time.
“It is, Salazar. I am afraid my days as a jolly bachelor will soon be at an end,” he said with a smile. “I am to be married.”
The three other founders gave exclamations of joy at the announcement. Godric laughed merrily.
“Congratulations!” Helga said happily. “Though I didn’t think we would have to have heard such a thing second-hand.”
Slytherin still looked surprised, but pleasantly so. He even laughed. “I scarcely believe it! I never thought any woman would be able to tame the mighty Godric Gryffindor.”
“Neither did I, Salazar. Neither did I. But I have begun to feel the effects of age creeping upon me, and feel the time to settle down has come at last.”
“Congratulations! I drink to you,” Slytherin said warmly as he raised his glass towards Godric, and for a brief moment Harry glimpsed the once strong friendship between the two.
Godric then outlined the plans for the wedding and how he didn’t imagine married life would interfere with his duties at Hogwarts. The other founders asked him questions and teased him about soon wanting retirement. They each seemed nearly as excited as he did.
“So who is the fortunate lady? When shall we meet her?” Helga asked at length.
Something happened in Godric’s face just after the question was asked, something that Harry found himself reflecting on long after he had read the diary. The expression of happiness that had been there just a moment before disappeared, and in its place was a look of reluctant resignation. It was the look of someone who knew they were about to do something painful, but was resolved to do it anyway. He hesitated a moment, then answered.
“You can meet her right now. In fact, I believe you already have.” He turned around in his chair, facing the open study door. “Oh, Adriena!”
There was silence for a few seconds, then the door opened and the pretty, brown-haired girl Harry had seen earlier stepped into the room.
“Yes, Godric?”
Godric turned back to face the others. No one said anything at first. They all appeared to be startled.
“Adriena, I would like to introduce you to my colleagues. Rowena, Helga, Salazar, this is Adriena Grayestone, my future wife.”
Hufflepuff looked surprised, though she still had the smile on her face. Rowena’s gaze immediately turned to Slytherin, who, for some reason, now looked very serious and his face had turned ashen gray. Harry couldn’t tell why they reacted this way; from what he could tell the woman seemed perfectly normal. Other than a definite age difference between her and Godric, he couldn’t see any reason they would object. The silence lasted for only a briefest of moments, however, for Helga quickly rose from her seat and walked over to the girl, wrapping her arms in hers.
“Oh dearie, I am so happy for you! I wish nothing but happiness for the both of you.” The girl smiled appreciatively, apparently relieved at Helga’s reaction. Ravenclaw stood up.
“Congratulations. I wish nothing but happiness to you,” she said with a slight nod.
“You’re joking,” said Slytherin in unbelief. Harry noticed that the friendly tone was gone from his voice. The room suddenly went very quiet.
“No Salazar, I am not,” Godric replied.
Slytherin looked infuriated. He looked wildly from Godric, to the girl, to Harry, then back to Godric. “Are you insane?” he spat at him.
“I am very much in my right mind, Salazar,” Godric replied coldly. “I would advise you to be so as well.”
Slytherin sputtered for a moment, completely at a loss for words. He rose from his chair, knocking it over in the process.
“You are Godric Gryffindor! Your family has one of the most pure and noble bloodlines in all of wizardry!”
“I am very well aware of who I am, Salazar,” Godric replied, his voice a low growl.
“Yet you mean to marry this woman. This woman?” He motioned towards the girl with a crude, jabbing motion, as though he were pointing out a cow or beast of some sort. The girl looked down in shame. Godric’s eyes glinted dangerously.
“Yes, Salazar. I mean to marry this woman.”
“ARE YOU RAVING MAD, GRYFFINDOR?” Slytherin bellowed out suddenly. Ravenclaw jumped.
“I knew your affection for these lesser creatures was unhealthy, but never did I imagine that you, yes, even you, could descend to such a level!” His voice was acidic.
“Salazar…” Helga said, trying to calm him down, but he plunged forward.
“You, the product of a proud, noble bloodline, attach yourself and your progeny forever to this? This barely human animal? This…filth?” he shouted. Then, with a look of utmost disgust for the quivering girl before him, he spat at her.
Before anyone else could react Godric erupted out of his seat, completely tipping over the stout, wooden table as he did so. Quick as a flash he had his wand out and pointed straight at Slytherin’s heart. The look on his face was terrifying.
“THIS WOMAN HAS MORE WORTH THAN A POMPOUS, SELF-IMPORTANT WASTELAND OF ARROGANCE LIKE YOURSELF EVER WILL!” he roared, causing the very furniture to shake. Helga cried out, as did Ravenclaw, but Harry couldn’t hear what they said. Slytherin looked back at Gryffindor, a helpless yet insolently look in his eyes. He was at his mercy. Harry tensed up. Gryffindor was about to strike, about to blast Slytherin into a million pieces. He could feel it.
But he didn’t.
Instead he took a couple steps closer to Slytherin, still keeping his wand pointed at his heart. When he spoke it wasn’t a yell, but a lower, far more dangerous growl.
“Be gone! You are no longer welcome in my house. You are no longer my friend. Never darken my doorstep again!”
Perhaps the longest, most painful silence Harry had ever experienced followed this command. Slytherin, still utterly disdainful, stared back at Godric with a look of pure malice.
“Do not worry about that, Gryffindor. For from this moment on you shall see me no more. None of you shall. A pox upon your school!”
With that, Slytherin turned and walked out the door. The girl began sobbing and Godric went to comfort her, while Helga and Rowena stood silently, afraid to move. As the room in front of him began to fade, Harry heard Ravenclaw whisper to herself.
“Thus ends the founders four.”
The room faded completely from view. Harry found himself in a small, cramped room that he had never seen before. The ceiling was even lower than the Astronomy Tower room and there was a large window on one side of it. To the left of the window was a small, wooden bookcase, completely empty. The now familiar old, raspy, female voice spoke out.
“Invenio Altus.”
This last image began to fade, and before he knew it, Harry found himself back in the headmaster’s office. Dumbledore and the rest of the headmasters were watching him intently.
“Did you see it? The breaking of the four founders?” the headmaster named Phineas asked excitedly. Harry nodded.
“Well, what happened? Was it a duel, a disagreement over a certain student? What?”
“No, nothing like that…” Harry stammered, still trying to process what he had just seen. His eyes fell on the diary in front of him, on the large blank space under the last paragraph.
“Then WHAT? What happened? Speak up, lad!” demanded Tradwell. The rest of the portraits nodded impatiently.
Harry looked up. He didn’t think any of them had bargained on this.
“Godric Gryffindor married a Muggle.”
Harry Potter and the Legacy of the Founders by VoldemortsPatronus
Chapter Notes: Here it is at last, sorry about the wait. This one just about killed me. Hope it's worth it. As always, let me know what you think.