[It's not every day someone loses their best friend. Godric dealt with it in various ways, most of the time it involved not talking about it. Ever. With anyone.]
[He laughs, continues teaching, continues stealing Rowena's books, stealing pieces of Helga's pie, teaching his students how to break the rules. None of them ask.]
[But Hogwarts has still lost Salazar and that will never go away.]
[And sometimes... sometimes he doesn't want to ignore that.]
[He finds Rowena, of course, in the library, huddled over some books. And before he second guesses himself -- not that he ever really does -- he comes up behind her, wraps his arms around hers and hides his face in her shoulder.]
[ She'd dealt with it the same way she dealt with many things, in that she didn't exactly. They're all coping with it in their own ways; Helga confines herself to her cooking where she thinks no one will catch the tears falling from her eyes, Godric continues to laugh merrily, and she turns to her books and buries herself in them as much as she can.
Salazar is gone and no amount of magic or enchantments will ever make the idea sit right.
But they've got the school to carry on and children to teach and examples to set, so Rowena tries her best to forget the fact that it feels like someone's ripping apart the people closest to her. She knows Godric's hurting the most because Salazar was his best friend and the fact that he won't mention it only confirms her suspicions. Still, they play this little game where he doesn't show the worry in his heart and she doesn't ask. She's not sure what comfort she could offer, or what condolences, if it were ever brought up -- Helga's the one that's always been better at this kind of thing.
But when she feels the arms encircle her connected to the ever-warm body she's come to recognize as Godric's, she slowly marks the page in her book, careful not to damage the pages, and places it down gently. ]
Godric? [ Her voice is kind and surprisingly soft, even to herself, but she knows this doesn't feel like any of the moments when Godric's come to tease her while she studies. Her hand drifts to cover one of his and she squeezes it wondering if this is the moment when he's been pushed to the brink and can ignore his problems no more. ]
[The tone and concern in her question is mildly surprising, though Godric's always known she was kinder than she usually let on. He might have smiled, another time.]
[He draws in a breath, a sigh, but lets his name hang in silence for a while. Her hand and the contact is a little more than he expected. He didn't know what he expected, really; he was still working on just what had pushed him here in the first place. There was the obvious answer, but today was no different from the others in the moving on process.]
[When he finally speaks, he doesn't realize what comes out until after, voice muffled]
[ If he's surprised, then she's doubly so. Firstly, his lack of energetic babbling feels like a lack of presence -- she's never known Godric to be so demure and it doesn't suit him. Secondly, the apology startles her because Godric is many things and one them is proud. She can likely count on her hands the number of times she's heard him apologize and to hear it now, when isn't quite sure what he's apologizing for, is perplexing.
It sounds like there's more meaning behind it than anything directed at her and she lets out a heavy sigh. There's only one thing she has her suspicions about that could put him in such a mood, but even bringing it up could do more harm than good. Maybe she can try to coax it out of him instead. ]
Whatever for? [ She brushes her fingertips over the back of his knuckles, like she's seen Helga do sometimes, and hopes that the same effect is carried over from her touch. It's a little awkward at first, but she's willing to try at least. For him. ]
[He laughs, but it's hollow and not anywhere near his normal boisterousness. Her attempts to comfort, however, don't go unnoticed, and at contact from her fingers, Godric tightens his hug, just for a moment.]
Interrupting? [It's a light offer, because he's still not sure.]
[Except maybe he is -- well, not sure what he's apologizing for, but in coming to terms with why he's here. Rowena and Helga are the only two things left he's sure about anymore, in their steadiness, in all their closeness. Losing that in Salazar is taking a toll on him, more than he wants to admit, even mentally.]
[His instincts always figure things out before his brain does, anyway.]
[ It's a true testament to how long they've all known each other when she can tell that the laugh he lets out pales in comparison to his normal one. She can't blame him when none of them have felt like even cracking a true smile lately. It feels too soon and anytime she'd even come close, she'd caught herself and wondered how it was possible to feel any joy when there was still so much anger and hurt that lurked. She'd known it was only natural of course, and had rationalized to herself that she couldn't keep holding onto the negative emotions forever. Yet, despite this, she'd kept a heavy hold on those feelings and they still circled within in.
There's a slight sound of surprise as he tightens the hug and she hopes that it's from doing something right in her comforting. ]
And does this include all of the other times you've interrupted me as well? [ Though her voice is slightly stern as always, it's an equally light attempt at something. Anything, to maybe get him back to his usual self. ]
[He actually does break into the smallest of smiles at her question; everything about it so familiar and so Rowena and she's trying that he can't help when he does. Maybe that's why he's here, too, because if there's anyone who knows him well enough, it's Rowena, and that's how she works. He's an open book most of the time, but she has the experience in closed ones, too]
Tragically, no. I'm afraid you're unlikely to get any more than just the one.
[And if he's being honest, he's not even very sorry right now to have interrupted. He rarely is. Godric is a weird mix of selfless and selfish, and though he likes to tell himself that the selfless part wins most of the time, it doesn't. Not always.]
[And selfishly, he wants his best friend back. He knows Salazar was in the wrong, but years and years of camaraderie can't easily be forgotten. Selfishly, he doesn't care what Rowena might have been doing before he found her just now, because even if she's not the comforting sort akin to the likes of Helga, it's the eagle he instinctively sought out, and at the end of the day, Godric always trusts his gut. Her familiar shape in his arms is grounding.]
( The term “workaholic” won’t be invented for another few hundred years, but it suits Salazar well enough even know. Sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the lighting in his dungeons practically non-existent, he pours and stirs concoctions from vial to cauldron and back again. Some smell sweet, some are thick and bubbling, some are as fine as mist. All are precise and perfect and geared towards a specific task. Salazar Slytherin is the finest potion maker to ever live.
Salazar Slytherin cannot cook to save his life. It’s a guilty, hidden secret that everyone happens to know. For some reason, when ingredients go from newt tails to pounds of sugar, his skills escape him entirely. And so he has come to very much to value those who can do what he cannot.
And so today, he is lured up from the dungeons by instinct, which is affirmed by the faint smell of something baking as soon as he steps towards the kitchens. Can he sneak in, grab something, and be back at his work before anyone notices? He’s going to see. )
[ The answer is 'absolutely not', because it's not just the house elves working on Helga's instructions - she's there herself, doubled over one of the long tables surrounded by activity. From house elves rushing to bring her the ingredients she needs to the various bowls stirring themselves, Helga is truly in her element. Which also means she can detect anyone that could not only disturb her but the freshly baked goods sitting on another table. ]
You're more than welcome to anything I cook, Salazar, so long as you ask first.
[ She's certainly not mad at him, hands on her hips and a grin on her face, but she does appreciate people not trying to sneak up on her or into her kitchen. ]
( Salazar freezes. He’s got an awkward, spindly way of moving, and as he straightens up his long arms clamp to his sides. He hides his guilty expression by pursing his lips. )
You seemed busy, Helga. I didn’t want to disturb you.
( Yes, that was an excellent cover. Good job, Salazar. Gold star for you. )
[ Beaming at him, because it's Helga and she's doing her best to reassure him that he's not interrupting her at all. Dusting her hands off on her apron, she makes her way to his side. ]
I rather like seeing all of you stop by, though everyone seems to be convinced that they're the only one who has thought of it.
( Those smiles are infectious and he's about to give her one in return, really, he is. Except that then she mentions the others and he can't help but scowl. Because somehow if they're all sneaking in here without him, he thinks they must be conspiring against him in some way. Salazar: the paranoid guy who chills out in dungeons. )
All of us, is it? And what did the illustrious Madame Ravenclaw and Lord Gryffindor have to say?
( He's sneering their names. It's not bad-natured, though certainly mocking. )
[ That gets him a chiding look, before she's waving her wand and there's a plate floating in front of Salazar at a convenient height for him to grab. ]
That depends on the day. Rowena simply comes into chat and manages away with a few pastries now and again [ Read: she comes in to steal food and ends up staying for hours ] while Godric always announces his presence [ By which she means he throws the portrait open and disrupts everything by the time he's shooed out by the elves with arms full of whatever he can grab ].
[ No plotting here, Sally. It's Helga's kitchen. ]
( He considers not grabbing anything off the plate for about a second, but that urge doesn't last long. It's Helga's cooking, after all. No one can resist it. So he grabs an apple something or other and turns it over in his hands, looking sheepish. )
You'd think they could find better ways to spend their time than bothering you.
[ there's a potion that she works on brewing for weeks. it's experimental; so far, all rowena hopes is that the outcome will prove to be an effective antidote for most of the known poisons out there. she's already mixed in several bezoars, which would be great if it didn't also mean that she's quickly starting to lose track of her own progress. not that she'd ever admit it. (but she is and somewhere in the midst of scribbled writing on scrolls, even she'd begun to get confused between what had been crossed out and what remained legible).
which was how she found herself treading out into the open field of the newly built castle's grounds. much of it is still wild - a fact which rowena can't help but appreciate at the moment as it means she won't have to go far to gather a few last minute additions.
the air is thick and humid as she walks, a storm is already brewing on the horizon and getting closer by the second. the witch knows she'd best hurry as night falls, but her quest keeps her walking further and further into the wilderness; to any observer she'd soon start to look like a speck, lost in her thoughts and letting her feet carry her further than she'd anticipated. ]
[He bounds down to her workspace without second thought, only much to Godric's surprise, his favorite scholarly witch isn't... there. But the room bears sign of fresh use, so it's not like she could possibly have gone far.]
[Godric is just as smart as the rest of them, or else why would they be starting up this school? So it's not hard to figure out she ran out of what she needed, or at least was missing something unexpected. He heads swiftly outdoors, a rumble of thunder greeting him in the distance once he steps onto the grass.]
[He catches sight of Rowena right away, tiny speck that she is, but even from this far away he can pick up on the tell-tale signs of her being lost in thought. With a grin, he breaks into a jog across the grounds, hoping to catch up to her before she hits the woods.]
[No one would ever call him sneaky, but he's pretty impressed with how quickly he lessens the gap between them, as well as the fact that she hasn't seemed to notice him yet. It's that thought that stops him from calling out to her, and he slows into a walk once he's certain his longer strides can easily reach her.]
[Which is why he's only a few feet behind her when he finally speaks up.] Don't tell me the thunder was louder than I?
[ when he speaks, godric manages to do a rare thing and actually startles her. rowena spins around quickly in surprise, but her expression calms when she spies the familiar face staring back. ]
Are you saying you've been following me this whole time?
[ she's rolling her eyes - affectionately, of course - but also chiding herself for actually not noticing. had she been so lost in her thoughts? getting consumed by her work wasn't anything new for the witch; it was the fact that she'd ended up quite a ways further from the castle and she can only thank merlin that it was only godric who'd managed to sneak up on her. ]
Or you just happened to be out for a stroll? [ the last part is said with a frown directed at the sky and the nearing grey clouds. though she did admittedly like the rain, it was usually from behind the window in her tower. ]
[He tries really hard not to laugh, and he wins - so long as wide grins don't count as laughter, because his face brightens with the victory of his success.]
Not the entire time. [A pause.] Though, by technicality, I was also out for a stroll.
[The kind of stroll that just happened to involve trailing after her. Not that he has any doubts of her capabilities in defending herself (chivalrous, he may be, but Rowena is one of the most powerful witches he knows; he followed her with the primary concern of wanting her company.]
[And maybe making sure she didn't end up in the woods in the middle of a storm. He knows what she's like when she's overly focused, too. As much as it's a normal and often progressive part of her in the academic direction, that sort of distraction right now feels more like a liability.] Tell me you've never gone for a walk in the rain!
Certainly not without any kind of protective charm over me - unlike certain wizards.
[ she raises her eyebrows to give him a pointed look because they both know she'd never normally be foolish or reckless enough to do such a thing - not like godric, who seemed to thrive off of the possibility of recklessness alone. ]
I suppose now that you're here, there's no sense in you not accompanying me. Perhaps you can help make my search end quicker.
How terribly boring! We'll need to fix that. [That means don't you dare put up a charm when it starts raining today, since it's definitely going to. Someone is suddenly super determined to make sure she gets this experience.]
[Godric matches her pointed look with an overly innocuous grin, but it widens into something genuine when she tells him to tag along.]
I can only help if you share what you're searching for. [He's already moving to catch up and walk at her side, though.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
FOR GODRIC because sads
IMAGE UNO
[He laughs, continues teaching, continues stealing Rowena's books, stealing pieces of Helga's pie, teaching his students how to break the rules. None of them ask.]
[But Hogwarts has still lost Salazar and that will never go away.]
[And sometimes... sometimes he doesn't want to ignore that.]
[He finds Rowena, of course, in the library, huddled over some books. And before he second guesses himself -- not that he ever really does -- he comes up behind her, wraps his arms around hers and hides his face in her shoulder.]
no subject
Salazar is gone and no amount of magic or enchantments will ever make the idea sit right.
But they've got the school to carry on and children to teach and examples to set, so Rowena tries her best to forget the fact that it feels like someone's ripping apart the people closest to her. She knows Godric's hurting the most because Salazar was his best friend and the fact that he won't mention it only confirms her suspicions. Still, they play this little game where he doesn't show the worry in his heart and she doesn't ask. She's not sure what comfort she could offer, or what condolences, if it were ever brought up -- Helga's the one that's always been better at this kind of thing.
But when she feels the arms encircle her connected to the ever-warm body she's come to recognize as Godric's, she slowly marks the page in her book, careful not to damage the pages, and places it down gently. ]
Godric? [ Her voice is kind and surprisingly soft, even to herself, but she knows this doesn't feel like any of the moments when Godric's come to tease her while she studies. Her hand drifts to cover one of his and she squeezes it wondering if this is the moment when he's been pushed to the brink and can ignore his problems no more. ]
no subject
[He draws in a breath, a sigh, but lets his name hang in silence for a while. Her hand and the contact is a little more than he expected. He didn't know what he expected, really; he was still working on just what had pushed him here in the first place. There was the obvious answer, but today was no different from the others in the moving on process.]
[When he finally speaks, he doesn't realize what comes out until after, voice muffled]
Sorry.
[For what? Disturbing her? He doesn't even know.]
[But he doesn't move]
no subject
It sounds like there's more meaning behind it than anything directed at her and she lets out a heavy sigh. There's only one thing she has her suspicions about that could put him in such a mood, but even bringing it up could do more harm than good. Maybe she can try to coax it out of him instead. ]
Whatever for? [ She brushes her fingertips over the back of his knuckles, like she's seen Helga do sometimes, and hopes that the same effect is carried over from her touch. It's a little awkward at first, but she's willing to try at least. For him. ]
no subject
Interrupting? [It's a light offer, because he's still not sure.]
[Except maybe he is -- well, not sure what he's apologizing for, but in coming to terms with why he's here. Rowena and Helga are the only two things left he's sure about anymore, in their steadiness, in all their closeness. Losing that in Salazar is taking a toll on him, more than he wants to admit, even mentally.]
[His instincts always figure things out before his brain does, anyway.]
no subject
There's a slight sound of surprise as he tightens the hug and she hopes that it's from doing something right in her comforting. ]
And does this include all of the other times you've interrupted me as well? [ Though her voice is slightly stern as always, it's an equally light attempt at something. Anything, to maybe get him back to his usual self. ]
no subject
Tragically, no. I'm afraid you're unlikely to get any more than just the one.
[And if he's being honest, he's not even very sorry right now to have interrupted. He rarely is. Godric is a weird mix of selfless and selfish, and though he likes to tell himself that the selfless part wins most of the time, it doesn't. Not always.]
[And selfishly, he wants his best friend back. He knows Salazar was in the wrong, but years and years of camaraderie can't easily be forgotten. Selfishly, he doesn't care what Rowena might have been doing before he found her just now, because even if she's not the comforting sort akin to the likes of Helga, it's the eagle he instinctively sought out, and at the end of the day, Godric always trusts his gut. Her familiar shape in his arms is grounding.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
FOR SALAZAR
no subject
Salazar Slytherin cannot cook to save his life. It’s a guilty, hidden secret that everyone happens to know. For some reason, when ingredients go from newt tails to pounds of sugar, his skills escape him entirely. And so he has come to very much to value those who can do what he cannot.
And so today, he is lured up from the dungeons by instinct, which is affirmed by the faint smell of something baking as soon as he steps towards the kitchens. Can he sneak in, grab something, and be back at his work before anyone notices? He’s going to see. )
no subject
You're more than welcome to anything I cook, Salazar, so long as you ask first.
[ She's certainly not mad at him, hands on her hips and a grin on her face, but she does appreciate people not trying to sneak up on her or into her kitchen. ]
no subject
You seemed busy, Helga. I didn’t want to disturb you.
( Yes, that was an excellent cover. Good job, Salazar. Gold star for you. )
no subject
[ Beaming at him, because it's Helga and she's doing her best to reassure him that he's not interrupting her at all. Dusting her hands off on her apron, she makes her way to his side. ]
I rather like seeing all of you stop by, though everyone seems to be convinced that they're the only one who has thought of it.
no subject
All of us, is it? And what did the illustrious Madame Ravenclaw and Lord Gryffindor have to say?
( He's sneering their names. It's not bad-natured, though certainly mocking. )
no subject
That depends on the day. Rowena simply comes into chat and manages away with a few pastries now and again [ Read: she comes in to steal food and ends up staying for hours ] while Godric always announces his presence [ By which she means he throws the portrait open and disrupts everything by the time he's shooed out by the elves with arms full of whatever he can grab ].
[ No plotting here, Sally. It's Helga's kitchen. ]
no subject
You'd think they could find better ways to spend their time than bothering you.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
come at me bros
don't reply to this yet ok i just didn't want to lose the image.
no subject
no subject
which was how she found herself treading out into the open field of the newly built castle's grounds. much of it is still wild - a fact which rowena can't help but appreciate at the moment as it means she won't have to go far to gather a few last minute additions.
the air is thick and humid as she walks, a storm is already brewing on the horizon and getting closer by the second. the witch knows she'd best hurry as night falls, but her quest keeps her walking further and further into the wilderness; to any observer she'd soon start to look like a speck, lost in her thoughts and letting her feet carry her further than she'd anticipated. ]
no subject
[Godric is just as smart as the rest of them, or else why would they be starting up this school? So it's not hard to figure out she ran out of what she needed, or at least was missing something unexpected. He heads swiftly outdoors, a rumble of thunder greeting him in the distance once he steps onto the grass.]
[He catches sight of Rowena right away, tiny speck that she is, but even from this far away he can pick up on the tell-tale signs of her being lost in thought. With a grin, he breaks into a jog across the grounds, hoping to catch up to her before she hits the woods.]
[No one would ever call him sneaky, but he's pretty impressed with how quickly he lessens the gap between them, as well as the fact that she hasn't seemed to notice him yet. It's that thought that stops him from calling out to her, and he slows into a walk once he's certain his longer strides can easily reach her.]
[Which is why he's only a few feet behind her when he finally speaks up.] Don't tell me the thunder was louder than I?
no subject
Are you saying you've been following me this whole time?
[ she's rolling her eyes - affectionately, of course - but also chiding herself for actually not noticing. had she been so lost in her thoughts? getting consumed by her work wasn't anything new for the witch; it was the fact that she'd ended up quite a ways further from the castle and she can only thank merlin that it was only godric who'd managed to sneak up on her. ]
Or you just happened to be out for a stroll? [ the last part is said with a frown directed at the sky and the nearing grey clouds. though she did admittedly like the rain, it was usually from behind the window in her tower. ]
no subject
Not the entire time. [A pause.] Though, by technicality, I was also out for a stroll.
[The kind of stroll that just happened to involve trailing after her. Not that he has any doubts of her capabilities in defending herself (chivalrous, he may be, but Rowena is one of the most powerful witches he knows; he followed her with the primary concern of wanting her company.]
[And maybe making sure she didn't end up in the woods in the middle of a storm. He knows what she's like when she's overly focused, too. As much as it's a normal and often progressive part of her in the academic direction, that sort of distraction right now feels more like a liability.] Tell me you've never gone for a walk in the rain!
no subject
[ she raises her eyebrows to give him a pointed look because they both know she'd never normally be foolish or reckless enough to do such a thing - not like godric, who seemed to thrive off of the possibility of recklessness alone. ]
I suppose now that you're here, there's no sense in you not accompanying me. Perhaps you can help make my search end quicker.
no subject
[Godric matches her pointed look with an overly innocuous grin, but it widens into something genuine when she tells him to tag along.]
I can only help if you share what you're searching for. [He's already moving to catch up and walk at her side, though.]
no subject
[ don't you dare thwart her charms dude!! she is perfectly fine not having had this experience tyvm also why else were protective charms invented.
she pulls out a small scroll from a pocket insider of her robes, reading through the list to see what she still needs to get. ]
A few herbs and roots from the forest. [ look she will even show you the thing ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)