“Come, man!” Salazar Slytherin pounded the table. “Do you not see the danger in exposing ourselves in this way? In polluting our bloodline with the traits of Muggles?”
“Salazar, if they have magical powers, why should we not teach them? Are you implying we cannot best the Muggles if it came to a struggle?” Godric Gryffindor raised an eyebrow.
“Hardly, Godric. I only believe it more beneficial to avoid a battle than to win one. Bringing those who are not of our world into it.... they bring a host of troubles with them! The Muggle-borns are corrupting our society, destroying our values and customs with their ignorance. Families who have no stake in our survival will use their newly found knowledge for their own devices. We are leaving ourselves open to betrayal and destruction from the inside.” Here, he turned to Rowena Ravenclaw for approval. “It seems only logical that we hide ourselves from this threat entirely, and not admit those whose blood is not our own.”
“Families would not turn on their own, Salazar! A father would not betray his son for his own gain,” Godric cried.
Rowena ignored his outburst and acknowledged Salazar’s appeal of her reason with a slight nod. “I find it far more illogical not to accept those students, Salazar. Which would damage us more- a handful of Muggles given free understanding and a minor place in our world, or untrained wizards casting spells unbeknownst, terrifying their families and neighbours with inexplicable feats? I would rather have a few Muggles given controlled access, and witches and wizards who know what they are doing, than men and women wielding magical power outside of our influence. Such a situation could only lead to increased mistrust.... and burnings.”
Salazar snorted. “My dear lady, how much magic could one of such low blood do without training? You have seen those students.... they come here far behind others of their age. If we did not tell them they could do magic, and train them in the same manner as the monkeys in a menagerie, they would not be able to levitate a feather, let alone terrify their neighbours. How much damage could one do without a wand? Besides, if the filthy Muggles insist upon burning each other, I say let them.”
Rowena daintily shrugged her shoulders. “Hazelwood is not altogether difficult to come by, Salazar. Branches of hazel are already used by Muggles to ward off evil; willow is plentiful as well. The risk is not just imagined, and we cannot justify allowing murders of any sort if we can stop them.”
Salazar shrugged his shoulders back at her, as Godric began again. “Surely, my good man, surely you do not believe that a brother would betray his brother simply over a difference in ability? Trust would carry through. Bonds of family, of love and friendship would be enough to maintain our safety.”
Salazar turned to glare Gryffindor right in the eye, before flatly questioning him. “Have you never heard the story of Cain and Abel?”
“Salazar.” Helga Hufflepuff put a hand on the furious man’s arm. “Salazar, Godric, please. It is my birthday.”
Godric caught up Helga’s hand and kissed it. “The lady is right. We should be celebrating the occasion and honouring Helga this evening. No more arguing tonight, eh?”
Salazar smirked, nodding to Helga. “Indeed. We should stop in honour of such a fair lady, especially as she so strenuously objects to disagreement of any sort.”
Helga’s laugh sparkled as Salazar patted her hand. “Hardly, Salazar. I do not object to disagreement, only to expressing it so violently. You were both about to come to blows!”
Salazar smirked. “I should not strike such an old friend over a mere argument, certainly not as I would be sure to swiftly defeat him. I should not embarrass him in front of you gentle ladies.”
“What ho!” Godric jumped to his feet, laughing and throwing his hat upon the table. “Embarrass me, my friend? I think you have an over-generous opinion of your duelling skills. I would have you at my mercy in a matter of mere moments!”
“You are so poetic with your words, Godric. Can you fight so eloquently?” Salazar rose from his seat, grinning.
“Steel or wands, my good man? Shall it be steel or wands?” Godric grinned back, rising to face Salazar. The two men drew their blades and began an elaborate duel, neither striking particularly fiercely, nor with any attempt at harm.
Rowena chuckled wryly as Helga screeched at the wizards in mock alarm. “You boys need to learn to behave yourselves! I warned you it would come to blows.”
Rowena hastily moved a candlestick out of the way as Godric spun away from Salazar, bumping into the table in the process. “Gentlemen, gentlemen, calm yourselves. We still have gifts for Helga, unless you knock a candle over and burn Hogwarts down, taking us and the gifts with it. It would be quite a shame, seeing as our students will be returning in a few weeks.”
“Ah! Indeed.” Godric sheathed his sword and bowed first to Salazar and then to Helga. “Allow me to present to you, my dear lady, a token of my estimation, in honour of this, the anniversary of your birth.” With a flourish (and an astoundingly hasty refocusing of attention), he presented a heavily embroidered bag to Helga. The forest scene on the side of the bag was brightly coloured and sunlit, and Helga could see centaurs flitting between trees. The clasp on the bag appeared to be gold, and Helga was astonished at the finery.
“Thank you, Godric. It is beautiful, and exactly the right size to contain the books I use to teach my students.” Helga smiled warmly at her oldest friend, the man who had first discussed with her the urge to educate and unite the wizarding world. Godric bowed again, with a flourish, and kissed her hand once more, before promptly sitting back at the table and knocking a candle over on top of his hat, which threatened to blaze before Godric quickly extinguished the whole mess.
Salazar snorted as he took his seat again. “You were never one for subtlety, my friend.”
Rowena shot Salazar a swift glare. “Hush. Helga, I have a broomstick for you. Now, now wait a minute; let me finish,” Rowena held up her hands to fend off Helga’s imminent protests. “You can sit facing sideways on this one, and it has been enchanted to not let its rider dismount without the rider speaking a specific phrase. It is the smoothest of all my flying broomstick enchantments so far, and I have invested a great deal of time to make it comfortable, safe, and easy. They really are so much faster than those old flying carpets.... and much, much faster than walking as you usually insist upon. This will make it much easier for you when we must travel through the air.”
Helga chuckled. “Thank you, Rowena. I am very grateful for your consideration. I never feel safe so far off the ground. I enjoy walking and feeling the solid ground, you know. You are sure this is the safest broomstick you have enchanted?”
Rowena just laughed as Helga embraced her. “Thank you, dear,” Helga said again.
The two wizards sat off to the side, chuckling at the spectacle. Salazar shook his head. “My dear Helga, they call you determined, but I am afraid you are just plain old stubborn.”
Helga laughed and swatted at the seated wizard. “Stubborn, you say? I suppose that means I should keep the roots you require for your most recent potion to myself for just a little while longer?”
Salazar rose, and bowed to the pink-cheeked woman standing before him. “Perhaps so, but I hope my gift may sway your resolve.” He withdrew a small book and extended it to her. “I believe you have been looking for a method of making certain your voice is heard? This can extend it to all of our posterity.”
Helga took the small book in her hands. The cover appeared to be made of a matte dragon hide. The green book was quite small and unassuming next to Godric’s glittering bag. It had no title, no shining lettering of any sort, and when Helga lifted the cover, she realized the pages were empty except for a short letter from Salazar, which she read silently.
“I thought you could write in it, keep memory of the good things, keep a record of what you wish to hold on to in the difficult times.”
Helga glanced up at Salazar, who appeared to be holding his breath. “Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes glistening. “Thank you so very much!” She suddenly embraced the slightly stunned man, who blinked as he began to stroke her hair. She looked up at him and flashed a dazzling smile. Salazar laughed and spun the witch around, knocking into the table.
“Again, with the candlesticks!” Rowena hurried to keep yet another flame upright.
Helga laughed and grasped her friend’s hand. “Oh, let them fall, and we shall all go down simultaneously in a fiery blaze, happy together.”
Rowena rolled her eyes, but Godric pressed a goblet of wine into Rowena’s free hand and grasped her shoulder. “A toast then,” he proclaimed, picking up his own goblet. “Here is to a beautiful witch and a dear friend on her birthday, and per her request, to going down together in a fiery blaze of glory.” He drained his goblet, and his friends laughed and followed suit.