The Founders Four

A Good Shot

"So what do you think this Salazar is like then?" Helga asked, as she and Godric traipsed through the snow.

They very much enjoyed this and usually had snow ball fights every winter but were under strict instructions to keep themselves dry for once.

"I don't know," he replied, running his hand along the frozen branches of the trees. "Can't say I've heard of him."

"Well, it'll be so much fun!" Helga beamed, skipping with happiness. "I can't wait."

They stopped dead in their tracks as a voice rung out through the bitingly cold morning. They turned to see Mrs. Lynch standing at the entrance of the castle and beckoning them towards her.

"Your Father wants a word!" She cried.

Godric and Helga exchanged puzzled glances but obliged all the same.

"What could he want us for now?" Godric asked thoughtfully. "He spoke to us barely an hour ago!"

Drying the bottom of their robes with a simple heating spell once they'd returned to the castle, Godric and Helga made their way to Lord Hufflepuff's study.

"What is it, father?" Helga asked promptly, as soon as she entered the room.

"I have a bit of bad news, I'm afraid," he said.

"Oh no...what?" Godric muttered, his brow furrowed in worry.

"I've just received an owl from Lord Salazar's adviser," he explained, looking rather flustered. "And - "

"He can't come?" Helga asked.

"No, the thing is - "

"He's not allowed?"

"No. Let me finish, Helga!" he said agitatedly.

"Sorry..." She muttered, going slightly red.

"He's not the only one that will be joining us," he sighed, slumping into his chair and rubbing his forehead.

"So more witches and wizards are coming?" Godric enquired, thinking that this wasn't bad news at all.

"No. It's quite the opposite. Muggles will be joining us," he said glumly.

"Muggles?" Helga said worriedly. "Who?"

"Well, it seems that when our young lord informed the king of his brief break he insisted he join him and so he and his family are planning to come here. The king is the worst person that could possibly be here whilst we plan on doing magic. If he discovers us we could be in great danger."

Godric and Helga exchanged nervous glances.

"Tell him he can't come," Godric suggested desperately.

"You can't refuse the king, boy!" He said darkly.

"What are we going to do?" Helga said sadly.

"I don't know, my dear," Hufflepuff murmured. "It seems we'll just have to try and get through the next few weeks the best we can."

*

"All aboard then!" The king called happily.

Salazar rolled his eyes once more. He'd had to share a coach with the king all the way to the docks on the western coast. He hated the thought of spending another great chunk of time in his company.

"Good luck," Benedick muttered in an undertone.

He would not be accompanying Salazar on his trip to Ireland. Salazar was glad because he'd get to have a break from someone he saw every day but in a strange sort of way he wished he could come along, just to occupy the king so that he wouldn't badger him.

"What if he discovers me?" Salazar hissed, his eyes wide with fear.

"He won't. Not if you keep your wits about you. Just behave as you normally do," he replied.

"How many days will I be on this ship for with him?" He asked, feeling glum.

"No more than a few hours," Benedick murmured and, when Salazar looked puzzled he leaned in closer. "Magic can be performed under a muggles nose without them even noticing, m'boy!"

He smiled in understanding and followed Rowena up the gangplank onto the ship.

"This is going to be great!" Rowena beamed. "Well, maybe not with my parents around but at least I'll have some bearable company."

Salazar nodded but did not reply. He very much liked Rowena's company but wanted to learn magic more than anything. He thought she may feel left out if he disappeared whilst at the Hufflepuff castle.

*

"They shall be arriving at any moment!" Lord Hufflepuff called.

All the workers within the castle were very edgy, as Hufflepuff had been getting very stressed all day, insisting everything should be perfect.

"They have passed the gates, Sir," one of the workers informed him.

"Oh, where are those two!" He grunted, referring to Godric and Helga.

They were, in fact, just outside.

"Helga, we shouldn't!" Godric laughed in amusement.

"You're just scared you'll lose!" She giggled, bending down towards the snow.

"Oh really?" He started to scoop the freezing snow up into his hands.

Hufflepuff jumped as someone announced the kings arrival and dashed towards the doors to greet his guests. The carriage pulled to a stop in front of the vast entrance and the king was the first person to step down, greeting Hufflepuff as he always did, with a booming voice and a firm handshake.

"Catch!" Helga laughed, lobbing the snowball straight at Godric's face. He turned, causing it to explode against his shoulder.

"You asked for this!" He shouted, grinning menacingly.

She squealed, laughing madly, and ran, Godric chasing her with some difficulty through the thick snow.

"Ah, your majesty, please come in, it's bitter out here."

"Thank you, Hufflepuff," he replied, beckoning his wife into the castle.

It was probably a good job that they went inside at that precise moment because, just as their cloaks whipped around the corner, Godric and Helga came whipping around the edge of the castle.

"I can run faster than you!" Godric laughed, catching up.

Salazar and Rowena, who'd just climbed down from the carriage, both turned to see what had come rushing towards them. Before he'd even spotted the two of them, Godric launched the snowball at the back of Helga's head. She ducked out of the way and Godric could only stare in horror as the snowball shot straight at Salazar, who had no time to get out of the way.

The snowball shattered on Salazar's chest, covering his face and robes. A deadly silence rung through the biting afternoon air. Salazar just stood there, staring down, still not quite sure what had just happened. Rowena stared from Salazar, looking shocked, to Godric, and Helga was trying very hard to hide her amusement. Godric just stood there looking apologetic and feeling mortified by what he'd just done.

"I...I...er..." Godric stammered.

Salazar slowly looked at him and it was hard to tell whether he was going to storm off or start shouting furiously.

"Well done, Godric!" Helga hissed, finding it difficult to contain her laughter.

"Shut up, Helga! I'm really sorry," he said quickly.

Everyone watched as Salazar slowly bent down towards the snow. He scooped up a handful of it, which chilled his fingers at once, and stood up, taking aim. Godric realised what was going on a second too late. He tried to dodge it but Salazar was too quick and the snow splattered across his face.

Helga laughed out loud and, as Godric shook the freezing snow from his eyes, he saw that princess Rowena looked rather amused too.

"Good shot!" Helga said, patting Salazar on the arm in congratulation. "You must be Salazar?" He nodded and she shook his hand, smiling. "Good to meet you!"

"Helga, I presume?" He smiled.

"That's right."

"How are you, Helga?" Rowena asked.

As Godric looked over at her he suddenly realised that it was the first time he'd really noticed her. Of course, he remembered her. How could he forget the day her father had seemed capable of killing him? She had changed in many ways but her smile remained as radiant as it had been the first day they'd met. He realised he was staring and quickly looked away, feeling himself go red.

"I'm well, thank you," she replied, hugging the princess. Godric had no idea they were friends.

"And who's this?" Salazar asked, indicating Godric.

"I'm Godric," he said, holding out a hand.

Rowena narrowed her eyes at this, as though in puzzlement.

"Nice to meet you. Is that how you usually greet people, by throwing snow at them?" Salazar laughed.

"No! I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," he beamed.

"Shall we go inside?" Helga suggested.

Salazar and Rowena nodded in agreement.

"I didn't know you two were friends," Godric muttered to Helga, indicating the princess.

"Well, the king sometimes comes to stay here so we just always played together," Helga replied quietly.

"Ah, there you are!" Hufflepuff boomed, emerging from a room to the right of the entrance hall. "Come on in."

The four of them followed him into the drawing room.

"Ah, there you are, Rowena," the king beamed, who was sitting comfortable in a chair. "You remember Lord Hufflepuff?"

"Of course," she replied, smiling.

"Ah, you possess beauty to rival your mother's!" Hufflepuff said.

"And who's this?" The king asked.

Godric's heart skipped a beat. He'd noticed him and was staring with narrowed eyes. Did he recognise him?

"Oh...this is Godric," Hufflepuff told him. "He's something of a son to me. I took him in many years ago."

Godric was frozen to the spot as the king continued to stare with those hawk-like eyes. He stared right back, trying not to look fearful. He hoped he'd changed enough for the king not to recognise him.

"Tell me, boy," the king said, looking puzzled. "Have we met before?"

Godric glanced over at Rowena, who looked straight back.

"No, your majesty, we haven't. It's a pleasure."

"Oh...you just looked familiar," the king said thoughtfully. "I must be thinking of someone else."

*

That evening, when Hufflepuff was quite sure the royals were tucked away safely in bed, he planned a meeting with Godric, Helga and Salazar to discuss how the holiday would work if Salazar was to learn any magic at all.

"So that's settled then," Hufflepuff muttered, his face half lit by the candle he held in his hand. "You'll learn in the day when I'll keep the king busy and Godric and Helga can take it in turns to keep Rowena out of the way."

The three of them nodded in agreement.

"What if Rowena asks where I am? She'll start to wonder. She expected me to keep her company over Christmas."

"Well, we'll figure that out when we come to it," Hufflepuff replied. "Come on, off to bed with you."

"Night," Helga smiled, kissing her father on the cheek.

She disappeared around the door, Salazar close behind.

"Sir," Godric murmured, feeling he had to say something regarding what was playing on his mind.

"What is it, my boy?" Hufflepuff asked, doubling back.

"It's about the king. I just wanted to tell you that before I came here I had...well, a bad experience with him and - "

"Say no more, Godric," he said soothingly. "Lord Schreiver told me all about it."

"Oh," Godric said in surprise. "What if he realises it's me?"

"Well, he certainly doesn't seem to at the moment, does he?" He chuckled. "Just try not to draw too much attention to yourself and everything will be fine."

"Okay. Thank you, Sir."

Godric watched as he left the room and stood in the dark, thinking for a few minutes before making his way into the corridor outside. As he made his way back to his room he almost woke the entire castle up with a shout of shock. How he held it in, he'd never know! As he'd emerged around the corner of the corridor leading to his room he almost walked into someone roaming the corridors in the dark.

"Sorry," she said apologetically, the dim light of a candle illuminating her pale face.

Even in the darkness, Rowena looked stunning. Her long night gown trailed along the floor. During sleep was the only time Rowena wore her hair down these days and she looked very beautiful like that.

"What are you doing here?" Godric asked.

"I just couldn't sleep," she whispered.

"Something on your mind?" He asked.

She stared down at the cold stone floor and Godric could tell immediately that there was.

"Rowena?"

"It's good to see you again, Godric," she muttered, after a short pause. "Good job my father didn't recognise you. You've changed."

"So have you," he smiled, admiring the smile she returned to him. "In a good way, of course. You're more beautiful than I remember."

Godric though she'd like to hear this, even though it was perfectly true, but her expression said otherwise.

"Everyone says that," she uttered. "I hardly recognised you myself. You look older."

"I am," he chuckled.

"I know. I just mean..." She broke off.

"I know what you mean."

They stood in the darkness for a moment. Godric remembered when he'd been quite a bit shorter than Rowena but now he was a head taller. He looked down at her, smiling at the thought.

"I should go back to bed," Rowena whispered, after a long silence.

Godric watched her go, her gown flowing like water behind her.