The Snake, the Badger, the Lion and the Eagle by Mudbloodandproud
Summary: Rowena Ravenclaw; the wise, the brilliant. The stern, yet proud mother who is too stubborn to admit her own faults.
Helga Hufflepuff; the kind, the forgiving. The young woman trying to find her place in a place of warring friends and difficult relationships.
Salazar Slytherin; the ambitious, the cunning. The man trying to find the difference between right and wrong and keep the friends he holds so dear at the same time.
Godric Gryffindor; the brave, the caring. The hopeless pursuer of Rowena, the hopelessly pursued by Helga.
Helena Ravenclaw; the traitor, the rebel. The daughter trying to live up to the standards of her mother, the girl who wishes she was anything else, anyone else.
Categories: Historical Characters: None
Warnings: Character Death
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: No Word count: 4043 Read: 1177 Published: 04/25/16 Updated: 06/03/16
Story Notes:
The character death warning is for the ending (sorry for the spoiler.) Not bad, most people know the story of the Gray Lady and the Bloody Baron anyways. Just realized I had to add the warning. I couldn't add a suicide warning as well, there was a glitch or something.
Chapter One by Mudbloodandproud
She was deathly white. Helena, gone. Salazar, gone. Her diadem, gone. Helga, distant. How could a year change so much?

–Godric, please… send word to the Baron?” she whispered, grabbing his hand.

–Of course, Rowena,” he promised. He paused in her doorway. –Rowena, I’m sure you’ll be better soon; and the Baron will find Helena. Of these things, I am sure.”

–Oh, Godric, you have always been so sure of these things,” she chuckled softly.

–I wish Salazar was here. He would comfort you. He cast a spell upon you… that I could never break. He might be the only one to bring Helena back.”

–Salazar… was not… Helena’s father,” she coughed. –I never… broke… my vow… of faithfulness… to my husband… I stayed faithful… till the day… he died.”

–Regardless, she always wanted it to be true,” Godric reminded her.

–So much has changed…” she whispered, voicing her repeating thoughts. –What I wouldn’t give to see my Helena again.”

~Helga~

She pressed her ear to the door, listening closely as Godric - ever brave, ever strong, ever faithful - comforted Rowena.

She slumped to the floor. Her closest friend was dying and all she could do was sulk. Because Godric loved Rowena instead of her. If only she could be as selfless as him. If only she could stand for the traits she had built her house, Hufflepuff, on.

If only she had made up her mind. If only she had made Salazar stay.

If only she could go a year back in time and fix everything that had happened. –So much has changed…” Rowena whispered through the door.

–So much has changed,” Helga repeated, buring her face in her arms.

~One Year Earlier~

–Helga?” Salazar burst into the room, already dressed for the day in a handsome green tunic. She sat up immediately, knowing that her auburn curls were a dreadful mess and she was dressed only in a pale yellow nightgown.

–Y-yes?” she asked, pulling up the blankets as best she could. He laughed.

–Helga, as if I haven’t seen you in your nightgown before. I’ve known you for years, little badger.”

She wrinkled her nose at her nickname. She was a grown woman, the same age as Rowena, and yet she was still known as –little badger” to both Salazar and Godric.

–Is she up yet? The feast is today, Helga!” Rowena peered into the room. Her black hair was in an elegant braid that snaked over her shoulder and she was dressed in a long, draping deep blue gown.

–I’m getting up, Rowena. I had forgotten the day, that’s all,” she sighed. –Now please, give me some privacy while I dress?”

–Of course, little badger,” Salazar said with a smirk. He wrapped an arm around Rowena’s waist and guided her from the room, shutting the door behind him.

She climbed out of bed and changed into a yellow silk gown, then pinned her curls up in a loose bun and hurried out her door - nearly slamming into Godric, who was trotting past.

Seeing him took her breath away. His brown curls were carelessly tossed, yet perfect in every way. He was dressed in a red-and-gold tunic and black trousers, and she practically bounced off of him, yet he caught her before she could hit the ground.

–Godric!” she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice as he stood her upright.

–Helga. Have you seen Helena? Rowena asked me to find her, because she never returned to the Ravenclaw common room last night apparently.”

–She probably couldn’t get in. She told me that sometimes she can’t get the question, but the paintings help her so she doesn’t have to stay out all night. She probably slept in a classroom or in an empty spare bedroom built for teachers.”

He gave her an appraising look. –Sometimes I think you know her better than Rowena,” he chuckled.

She laughed. –I would guess she’s outside, by the lake. If you see her, leave her there, though. She’s usually out there because she wants to be alone.”

–It must be difficult, being Rowena’s daughter,” he rumbled thoughtfully. –She is so wise, sometimes her wisdom blinds her. She can’t see her own daughter. But it happens rarely, and Helena knows that-” He broke off at the sound of a loud argument.

–Does the pureness of a wizard’s blood matter? No! What matters is how smart they are. If they know the reason a spell does what is does, the important things like the theory behind Transfiguration and the philosophical questions of life! You cannot go through school without knowing these things. Therefore, we should only accept students that can and will understand them,” Rowena was saying.

Helga hurried ahead, eyes narrowed. Rowena and Salazar were practically nose to nose in the Great Hall, glaring at each other.

–Haven’t we already decided this? I sacrificed my hat for the Sorting!” Godric said indigantly, arriving at Helga’s side.

–Helga, Godric - don’t join in. I know you have your own, silly opinions,” Salazar snarled.

She raised an eyebrow. –I am a founder of Hogwarts and equal to you in every way, Salazar - in blood, in age, in power - and my opinion matters no less than yours. Not just this, but my opinion is far more sensible!”

–What, that we should ‘take the lot?’ as you put it?” he sneered. She recoiled, stung. –And how do you know you’re equal to me in power, little badger?”

Godric stepped forward, pushing Helga behind him. –You go too far, Salazar,” he warned.

–And you. ‘Only if they’re brave and courageous.’ Bravery is no judge, Gryffindor. And courage is for weaklings,” Salazar spat. Then he spun on the spot and marched away.

Not even waiting for Rowena and Godric to say anything, Helga took off after him, long sleeves streaming out behind her. –Salazar!” she called. –Salazar, wait for me!”

–What is it?” he said gruffly, turning on her. She could see in his eyes the guilt in what he’d said.

–I know you didn’t mean what you said,” she said stoutly.

–Oh really, little badger? How do you know that I didn’t mean it?” he snorted.

–Becuase I know you, Salazar. I know that you respect all of us - even Godric. What made you say things?” she demanded, falling in step beside him.

–It’s just - Rowena. She can be so - infuriating sometimes,” he sighed.

Of course it was Rowena. –She loves you, you know. At least, I think.”

–I love your knack for honesty, little badger,” he laughed. –The problem is, Rowena is so blind - to a lot of things.”

–Funny, you’re not the first person to tell me that today,” she told him.

–I’m not surprised. I’ve seen how I’m not the only one under her spell. But - I feel like that spell is breaking. And with it, the spell tying me to Hogwarts.”

Her breath caught. Salazar - leave Howarts? –Leave Hogwarts?” she whispered, freezing in her tracks.

–I don’t know. It’s just - Helena, have you never, ever wondered if we’re being a little too broad with who we offer education to?” he asked.

She bit her lip and started walking again. She wanted to say no, but that wasn’t the honest answer. The honest answer was yes, and that question tormented her dreams. After all, her House was supposed to stand for loyalty, kindness, and fairness, and she didn’t demonstrate any of those in her thoughts. But yes wasn’t the answer Salazar needed to hear. –No, Salazar. What kind of people are we, if we don’t distribute education to everyone? If we only give it to the smart? Or the pure-blooded?” She avoided his penetrating gaze.

–I don’t know, Helga,” he sighed. She actually stopped again. Had he just said her name? –Little badger,” he corrected, the moment gone. She looked up at his face, silently fuming, and saw the trademark sly twinkle in his eyes.

–Salazar,” she groaned, sighing. He laughed - his real laugh this time.

–Little badger,” he repeated. She pulled her wand from a cleverly concealed dress pocket.

–Don’t make me use this on you,” she threatened, brandishing it.

He raised an eyebrow. –Oh really?” He withdrew his own wand and flicked it, sending hers clattering to the ground. At least, it would have, if she hadn’t performed a quick Shield Charm and deflected it. –Good wandwork, little badger.”

She rolled her eyes.

~Godric~

–I’m going down to the kitchens, to see how Helga’s suggestion of using house-elves will help. It will certainly be less of a toll, no longer having to dole out pay to workers,” Rowena sighed.

He nodded. –By the way, Rowena, your daughter is fine. Simply resting beside the lake with a book.”

That was all it took to bring about the smile he so admired.

~Helena~

She pulled her cloak around her and held out her wand as she climbed over a fallen tree, eagerly glancing around her. Perhaps there would be werewolves, or even a troll. She had never paid much attention duing Care of Magical Creatures, so she didn’t have much of an idea what kind of animals would be roaming the Dark Forest.

–Helena Ravenclaw. Or shall I say Helena Slytherin? I’ve heard some interesting rumors about you, Helena, that lead me to believe that you and I have more in common than I ever thought,” a charming voice chimed. She withheld a sigh. It was the Baron. Her newest suitor.

–Hello, Sir Baron,” she said with a curtsy, turning to face him while surruptiously stowing her wand away in her pocket.

–Lady Helena. What a pleasure to see you on such a fine day,” he said pleasantly. She resisted the urge to squirm.

–Yes, it is a fine day. But a little cold, I think,” she said casually, reversing directions back towards the castle.

–I think it will be a long day. Cold days are usually long days, don’t you think? At least we have each other’s company. Otherwise, long days can sometimes be quite a bore, I think…”

I do agree that today with be a long day… a long day spent in the company of a boar, she said to herself. It was hard to hold back a sly smile at her own joke.
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