The Four Figures

Chapter 25

    Godrics home village had been named after him. Godrics Hollow had a nice ring to it. The four spent the night there and recruited 1 professor who was more than intelligent with the knowledge of Herbology. The next day the sun rose and the villagers swished their wands away for normal daily business.
Helga and Rowena strolled through the village early morning. A witch offered Helga a peach and Rowena purchased a book from an old man who was more than pleased to say his son was currently at Hogwarts.
The stone beneath their shoes felt uneven as they walked around barrels of wine, carts of fruit and bustling wizards. Helga bit into the sweet peach and they turned a corner, greeted by more people.
"Do you think Godric and Salazar are dueling like children?" She laughed a bit. Someone enchanted an instrument to play gentle melodies that echoed throughout the street.
"Possibly. This door-" Rowena grabbed Helga and yanked her to a simple cottage on their left.
"His name is James Kedt and apparently, he knows a lot about Hexes". Rowena said, reaching, and knocking on the wooden door.
It slowly creaked open and a pair of eyes poked out from the side, staring at the two odd women standing outside his house.
"Can I help you?" His voice had an old tone to it.
"Are you James Kedt?" Helga asked with a kindhearted smile.
"Y-yes why?" His wrinkles had depth to them and his gray scruff splattered on his face shone in the morning sunrise.
"I'm Helga-"
"Hufflepuff. Yes yes I know and you're Ms Ravenclaw". He finished, still gripping the door. "Come in come in". James gestured quickly with his boney and frail fingers. Helga and Rowena looked at each other before James shook the door and yelled at them to hurry in. They stepped into the unlit cottage.

Crack
"You can do better than that"
Whip
"Ha! There it is!"
Salazar and Godric were dueling in the middle of the stone road, throwing spells and jinxes at each other while villagers accumulated around them. They clapped and Godric bowed like a king and Salazar was bitter and left the conglomerate of villagers in awe of the two wizards. Godric hopped down from atop the cart and called after Salazar.
"What, you're embarrassed I beat you?" Godric scoffed as he tossed his wand on the table in his house. Salazar inhaled.
"No. Just concerned about Helga and Rowena". He lied through his teeth.
"Ah I see. They're recruiting someone. Tea?" Godric offered. He shuffled to the kitchen and clattered around before heating up water over a fire.
"Helga" Salazar said from the other room.
"Eh, what about her?" Godric asked.
"Has she seem off lately?" Salazar asked, slowly walking into the kitchen and leaning against the wooden doorframe. "About, you know, Lex".
Godric laughed. "Lex is a niffler, Salazar. He's roaming around Hogwarts obtaining- ouch! - all the students valuables". Godric burnt his finger on the hot kettle. Salazar bit his lip.
"Mmhm" he hummed.
"Cat gor your tongue?" Godric chuckled, pouring hot water into metals cups.
"If I tell you something, you'd promise to keep it a secret?" Salazar asked lowly. Godric turned around and raised his eyebrow.
"I guess" he said. He turned back around, crushed up herbs and lowered them into the water. Salazars eyes darted all around the cottage, wondering if telling Godric about Lex would be a good idea.
"What if I told you that Lex was an Animagus". Salazar said as he walked to the wooden table and took a seat as Godric slid a cup of tea to him. Godric pulled a creaky chair out and sat. He laughed into his tea and took a sip.
"You're mad"
"But what if I'm not"
"Where'd you get that rubbish idea anyway"
"That crystal ball"
The mention of the crystal ball had stopped Godric from drinking his tea. He slammed it down on the table, it splattered around and a loose hair came undone.
"Take that remark back! You're mental!" He yelled. Godric leaned back on his chair and it creaked as if it was going to snap in half at any moment. Salazar leaned to the left and picked up his bag which was close to falling apart. He slid a cloth off the table, put it on his hand and reached in the bag. Godric watched slowly and contentious.  Salazar kept his eyes on Godric as he pulled out that familiar glassy white crystal orb.
"What in the bloody hell you've got that for?" He yelled, face painted in exasperation.
"Evidence. Lex IS an Animagus. You have to believe me". Salazar had wanted desperately to tell Godric but was stopped by the creaking of the wooden stairs. Someone was coming down.
"Mother?" Godric asked.
It was Godrics mom and she looked like the vibrant colors were drained tempestuously and her eyes had sunken in with dark circles. Her lips were dry and her bones were visible they would break at the slightest touch.
"Mother?"
"Godric?"
Henry Gryffindor had came bolting down the stairs after Ella Gryffindor and had a sorrowful expression smeared on his face.
"Godric I- what In the Gods green earth is that doing here?" His eyes widened at the sight of the reflecting ball.
"Mr. Gryffindor, you know what this is?" Salazar asked genuinely concerned for the ghostly figure of a mother before him and the worried father profusely sweating behind her.
"I- I do. It's one of those Prophecy things. Remember the group I had told you about?" He said, laying a gentle hand on the pale skin of Ella Gryffindor and moving to the boys. She stared at the ceiling like she could see stars punching holes through the wood. Her stare drifted on and on.
"Apologizes, but I forget the name"
"Order Of Heriot"
"Ah"
"Yes quite dangerous. Don't understand why people would want to get rid of wizarding education. They're known for having Animagus' too. Oh and spies". Henry chuckled. "I'm an old man, I don't think I told you that the other day" He took his wife by the hand and led her upstairs again. Once they had settled upstairs, A thousand questions raced in Godrics mind. He had the urge to fight like a muggle and throw a fist at his father for keeping his mother a secret and for another reason, he couldn't figure out why. Godric turned back to Salazar who was now worried.
"So Lex is working for the Order of Heriot and so is Eldon". Godric said, affirming.
"Spies" Salazar repeated.

  James Kedts house smelled of cats and rotting fruit, which was the case. Nobody could sit anywhere because the chairs and couches were piled of parchment, tiny cauldrons, and tattered leather books filled with spells. The roof was caving in and you'd be lucky not to get your foot stuck in a floorboard.
"So Mr. Kedt" Rowena begun, dodging a towering stack of books.
"James" he coughed.
"James. So you know well in Hexes and Spells?" She asked cautiously.
"All of 'em" He replied, throwing tins full of tea to the ground. Helga barely missed being doused in 7 month old mint tea. Luckily, the cat licked it up.
"Sorry, all of them?" Helga asked. "That's impossible". She laughed a bit to lighten the mood.
"It is not my dear. Let me show you". He tied his ratty robe tight, pulled his wand out and pointed it directly between the eyes of his cat, chanted an incantation Helga nor Rowena recognized, and the cat grew a third eye. A 5 different color eye. James had continued to tell them all about his own studies but was rudely cut off by rushed slamming on the front door.
"No worries ladies I'll get it". He shuffled to the door and cracked it open.
"Hi are you James Kedt? No time, I'm Godric Gryffindor, you have my friends I need-"
"To go away"
"No your not listening"
"I am"
Helga and Rowena appeared behind James and almost gave him a heart attack.
"James, you've probably met Godric" Rowena said a little embarrassed.
"Impatient". He mumbled. "Go ahead. Contact me whenever you please. I'd be more than happy to help at your school". He held Helgas hand and the two left the shabby cottage. James slammed the dirt layered  door in their faces.
"Impatient you are!" Helga said, adjusting her bag.
"He probably thinks we've got mental friends because of you!" Rowena commented. She looked at Godrics face and tilted her head. "Are you alright Godric?"
He stared between the two with tension.
"I've got something to tell you".