THE FIFTH FOUNDER ⚡️ [h.p./founders era]

Seventeen

Godric and I returned to the Great Hall side by side. I returned to my seat across from Salazar, and while Helga and Rowena were already busy writing letters, Salazar stopped and looked at me. I assumed he was waiting for my protest or argument, but Godric's words were enough to convince me that his intentions were honorable.

I knew Salazar's stance, and to be honest, I was not quite sure about mine anymore. I did not meet his eyes. Instead, I picked up a quill and started my letters.

And, thought it was hesitant, Salazar eventually began writing his too.

Dear Student,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been invited to attend the first class of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term will begin on the first day of September. We await your owl no later than the last day of July. We look forward to having you at our school.

Yours Sincerely,
Lyra Lydonbell
Head of Lydonbell House

I followed Rowena's template, replacing "student" with the prospective student's name, over and over until my hand felt like it was about to fall off. By the time I was halfway through my letters, I had to pause to take a break.

The others seemed to agree, stopping their work as they took in how many letters we had left to write.

We were writing twice as many letters as we anticipated would actually come to attend. I had no idea what we planned to do if they all decided to attend. Even with Godric's sister as our benefactor, how would we afford to house and feed them all?

I didn't have too much time to worry about this, however, because soon it was back to work.

~

There were four students of muggle descent that were discovered to have magical abilities. Today we were going out in groups to speak to each of them.

While Rowena and Helga went to London, Godric, Salazar, and I stayed a little closer to home.

I was nervous, to the point where my hands would not keep steady. I had to remind myself to keep breathing, otherwise I would hold it inside until my lungs screamed for air.

As we walked along the path toward the village, Godric kept a few paces in front of me, and I stayed behind him in case something decided to attack us, so he would be hit first. (That was mostly a jest.)

Salazar remained beside me, glancing at me every few minutes as if I was going to suddenly disappear or explode. I put on a mask, but the truth was, my feet were growing heavier and heavier with every step that I took.

I was almost sure that both Salazar and Godric could hear my heart about to beat out of my chest.

Nevertheless, I kept going. I started to think about the young girl we were about to visit. I imagined her as an older version of my daughter, getting the opportunity that she never did. No longer would she have to live in fear of who she is. She will be welcomed and loved.

It was almost like I was getting a second chance, and that made it all worth it.

As we neared her house, Godric stepped up to the door, Salazar and I behind him.

"If you don't want to go in, you don't have to." Salazar whispered to me.

I looked up to him and met his eyes as I let out a breath. Then, I smiled. "I want to."

Raising his eyebrows at me, as if to make sure that I was certain, he just nodded his head and turned back toward the closed door in front of us.

Godric lifted his fist and knocked three times on the door. For a moment, I thought no one would open it and we would go back home.

But I was wrong, as a tall, thin man cracked the door open, peering out at Godric. His eyes shifted between the three of us suspiciously, and I was sure we were about to be killed.

Godric cleared his throat. "Good day sir. Do you have a moment to talk?"

The man hesitated. "Do I owe you any money?"

"No, sir." Godric breathed out, and I imagined he was trying not to smile. "It's about your daughter."

The man froze, his eyes widening. "I don't have a daughter."

Immediately, I knew exactly what was happening.

Godric turned his head to look back at the both of us, sure that he did not mistake the wrong house.

Clearing my throat, I peered around Godric's large frame to look at the man. "Sir, we're physicians of sorts. We only want to help."

I lied to him, but it was only fair because he lied to us first.

He was not at fault; he did what many muggles do. He could not live with the blood of his own child on his hands, so he was forced to hide her away and claim she never existed. Unfortunately, my child's father was not this kind.

Both Godric and Salazar looked at me like I was crazy, but I was going to give this girl the life she deserved whether her father wanted me to or not.

For a moment, I thought he was going to slam the door in our faces or call his friends over to take us to the stake.

"We have a place for children like her, where they can be away from society." I continued on, dreading every lie that came out of my mouth.

But it was enough for him.

"When will you take her?"

~

"That was not okay, Lyra!" Godric all but roared at me when we returned to the castle.

"What did you expect would happen? That we would knock on the door, tell him we were wizards, and he would let us on our merry way?" I clapped back at him, walking through the door without one glance back at him.

"You lied to him!" Godric slammed the door behind him, making the floor shake.

I turned around so fast that I would have fallen down if I was not so furious.

"He would have killed us! Or called someone else to!" I shouted, laughing because he was being ridiculous. "What else were you expecting?"

Godric didn't respond at first, running his hand through his knotted mane. "Next time, you are not coming with us."