The Five Greatest Wizards of their Time

Chapter Two: Snakes and Unicorns

Slowly and very carefully, the sun began to set and colored the sky with magnificent shades of pink, yellow, and purple. The clouds scattered across the horizon seemed to be running away from nightfall. A flock of birds flew overhead, heading towards the setting sun. The trees stood proud and tall as they cascaded shadows throughout the forest.

It seemed as though it were the perfect way to end a day.

"Have your paints come in from Diagon Alley yet?" asked Salazar, looking off into the distance.

"Oh, yah. The workers are almost finished painting my common room," said Rowena, breaking away her stare from the view.

"Good," murmured Salazar, being careful not to trip on any tree roots that jutted out of the ground.

Rowena looked back at the unfinished castle as it stood above them on the hills. It was larger than it looked from the inside.

"Salazar," she began, looking back at the sunset, "Helga and I, have been talking."

"Talking about what?" asked Salazar, not looking at her.

"Well, we just thought. It was crazy, but we had a slight notion that you were doing something other than fixing the pipes," said Rowena, trying not to look at Salazar's face.

There was no reply from Salazar's mouth, and his face remained expressionless, as though Rowena never said a word.

"It's crazy, right?" asked Rowena, now eyeing him.

"Rowena," said Salazar, stopping from his walk and turned to her, "You must understand two reasons. One of them you will not understand at this time. However, Rowena, Hogwarts is not just any normal school, like the others. There is something in these pipes that need fixing in order to be sustainable throughout the years."

"Salazar, what are you trying to say? These pipes, their only half a meter wide!" said Rowena, trying to make some sense from the man.

"That's just it Rowena. These pipes, they're not big enough!" said Salazar, his eyebrows rising up, and a tiny grin escaping from his lips.

"But, why would the pipes need to be made bigger?" asked Rowena.

"Listen, Hogwarts will be one of the biggest schools in all of Europe for the country. The dimensions of the pipes will not be large enough. I'm going to Diagon Alley in two days to retrieve the news pipes in India and won't be back for two weeks," said Salazar, the tone in his voice beginning to dampen.

"Two weeks? Salazar, we'll never get the chance to be together for two weeks?" squealed Rowena, slowly beginning to panic, "Take the day off tomorrow, who cares what Godric says! I need to be with you!"

"Rowena, get a grip of yourself. Our relation is not serious. We have not began to see each other for more than two weeks! Besides, Godric and I have an event to attend to tomorrow," explained Salazar, continuing the walk on the edge of the forest.

"An event? What is it?" asked Rowena, curious to know what the man was up to.

"Godric and I are going to the Dueling Arena in Surrey. We're leaving tomorrow morning very early and won't be back till late at night. Godric's given the orders that at the first sign of daylight, we put the protective charm on the school," said Salazar.

"The protective charm!" shouted Rowena, her face turning white, "But, we're not nearly powerful enough to provide enough power to lap around the castle! What is Godric thinking?"