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

Eighteen

I sat outside with my eyes closed as the sun hit my face, bathing me in its warmth. I lost track of how long I had been out there.

Ever since Godric and I argued with each other, I avoided him at all costs. We saw the world through two entirely different lens, and I knew one day we would get over differences, but for now they were almost too much.

I hated that he disregarded my opinions and my beliefs so easily. I hated that my experiences weren't valid because they didn't agree with his worldview.

And I hated crying, but eventually that was what I found myself doing.

I cried for the girl that I almost couldn't save, and I cried for the boy that Godric and Salazar were going to visit tomorrow. I began to pray to any higher power that everyone would return okay, but ultimately I feared the worst.

"Don't listen to him." I recognized Salazar's voice as he sat down beside me. I jumped slightly, not expecting him to announce himself like that, but I was relieved that he was here over anyone else.

"You did the best you could under the circumstance." Salazar put his arm around my shoulder. "He shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

Using his other hand, he wiped the tears away from my eyes until they were all gone. His hand lingered on my cheek as he met my eyes, and I couldn't bring myself to look away.

I caught myself in his eyes. His beautiful, forest green eyes. They reminded me of the trees in the summer, the wind swaying with them in a magnificent dance. His eyes seemed to hold that same magic.

"Are you going with him tomorrow?" I asked quietly, making no attempt to move away from him.

He nodded. "Someone has to make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble."

"Please be careful." I reached out and grab onto his arm, as if he wouldn't be there if I let go.

He responded by kissing my forehead, letting his lips linger on my skin.

~

The next day, I watched them leave without me. Godric decided Helga should go with them, and she agreed without much convincing. I hoped maybe she would be smart enough not to get into trouble.

Rowena and I stayed behind at the castle.

After they left, I tried to distract myself with walking around the castle and finding something to put away or to clean. But eventually I found a window and I sat down, staring out of it.

I'm not sure how long I stayed there, but by the time the sun disappeared, I could see that the three of them finally returned. And they had a fourth, smaller person with them.

Tearing myself away from the window, I all but ran to the front door, throwing it open.

Salazar and Helga were supporting Godric, who was barely walking. His face was covered in blood, as a gash on his forehead was spilling out all over him.

"Get Rowena." Salazar called out to me, and I wasted no time.

I almost tripped over the hem of my dress as I ran down the hall to the library, where Rowena liked to spend most of her time.

"Rowena?" I asked as I ran in, looking around for her.

"What is it?" She asked, stepping out from behind a bookshelf with a book in one arm and Helena in the other.

"It's Godric." That was the only answer she needed.

I led her toward the Great Hall, where Salazar and Helga laid Godric out on a table. That's when I saw the other gash in his leg, and I felt like I could be sick.

Helga then turned back toward the door. There was a young boy waiting there for her, and I could only assume they brought him back to save him from the muggles that attacked them. She took him away from the room, probably so that he wouldn't have to watch anymore.

"What happened?" Rowena gasped at the sight.

"The Muggles. They attacked us, after..." Salazar explained, his voice trailing off as he looked down at Godric.

Rowena sat down beside him, brushing his long, auburn hair out of his face with her hands. Godric inhaled sharply and reached up, taking her hand in his own.

"You're going to be fine." She whispered to him as she took out her wand.

Looking away from the two of them, I met Salazar's eyes. He moved toward me and wrapped his arms around me. His sudden movement shocked me, as every move he made was always calculated, but this was unexpected.

"I didn't know if we would make it back." He whispered to me, so that only I would hear.

I embraced him tighter, causing him to release a gasp. I let go, looking him up and down.

"You're hurt too." I touched his side, seeing the blood seep through his shirt.

"I'm fine, Lyra." He moved my hand away and covered the spot with his jacket.

"No you're not." I shook my head.

Taking his hand in mine, I led him out of the Great Hall toward my room.

Once we were inside, I made him sit down while I found a cloth and a bowl of water. I dipped the cloth in the water and wrung it out.

When I returned to him, he had taken his shirt off and was inspecting the wound himself. I could have stood there forever, but fortunately I looked away before he caught me staring at him.

I sat down beside him as he grabbed his wand and healed his gaping wound himself. I watched as his skin stitched back together, leaving only a bruise and the leftover blood as evidence.

I took the cloth and pressed it to his bare skin, cleaning the blood off of him until there was nothing left.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" I asked carefully.

Salazar sighed, looking away from his wound to the floor. "He wanted to tell the boy's father the truth, and even though I disagreed, he did it anyway. As you can imagine, he wasn't very happy that we were accusing his son of witchcraft.

"He was a blacksmith and had an older son working as an apprentice for him. They attacked us. Godric got the worst of it. Thankfully, Helga stayed out of the way and went to find the boy. When she did, the boy's father tried to attack him too, but I stopped it. We had to make them forget.

"The boy knew he wasn't safe there anymore, and he asked to come with us."

I was more than angry that Godric would put them all in danger like that, and I hoped he would have learned his lesson. Especially when he put a child's life in danger like that.

Salazar continued, "Now Godric is convinced that he needs to bring his sword everywhere we go."