Rowena {a founders story}

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

          Rowena had never been to a wedding before, and stood nervously at the end of the Hufflepuff path; she could see blazing lights at the end, earth struck stars in the hazy dusk. Fiddling with her robes, she took a deep breath, stepped forward – then paused, stepped back once more.

It's only a silly party, she reasoned, frustrated with herself. You can do it.

Yet she stayed put, watching people move about in the distance. Her hair felt heavy in the braided up do Ms. Gray had done earlier, her robes constricting – she hated the laced up bodices and the uncomfortable shoes. She wanted to go home.

"Found the courage yet?"

Rowena whipped around, scowling. Godric Gryffindor was leaning against an old, twisted tree, grinning quite impishly. "How long have you been standing there?" she demanded.

He shrugged and moved towards her. "Long enough. Shall we head in?"

"I –" she hesitated. "I have never been to a wedding before." She said finally, a little sheepishly.

"Oh they are good fun! Especially Hufflepuff weddings, I have been to every one so far." Godric continued to shine his grin on her, and Rowena felt herself relax a little. "Come on, take my arm – I promise they are not scary."

"I cannot dance to save my life." She admitted.

Godric laughed, "And you think I can? Enough dilly dallying, lets go." With that, he took her arm and practically dragged her down the path, towards the music and laughter. Helga looked relieved when she spotted them.

"Thank goodness you are here," she sighed, looking over her shoulder. "My sisters are hounding me."

"We will hide you Helga," Godric laughed, and hid her behind his burly frame. The little group found their seats. They watched the simple ceremony, Thea and Haidar acknowledging their own and their families mutual consent to the marriage, the union of land and love, to share all that prospers and flourishes, in a new family.

Haidar took Thea's small hands in his rough, large ones, beaming; his deep voice rang over the audience, and Rowena thought it a pity he hadn't become a poet. "Thea Maen, I receive you as mine, so that you become my wife, and I your husband."

A shining Thea repeated the declaration; "Haidar Hufflepuff, I receive you as mine, so that you become my husband, and I your wife."

The Hufflepuff brothers began the cheering, and the crowd followed suit. The chairs disappeared, and platters heavy with food were brought out – someone started up the band, and soon there was dancing. Rowena shuffled to the side of the celebrations, but Godric caught her eye and grabbed her hand.

"Godric, really –"

He pulled her to his chest, whispering in her ear, "Let me lead."

Whenever Rowena danced with Salazar, she worried that they looked ridiculous. With Godric however, she didn't care; she was having fun being twirled across the grass, even laughing as Godric led her into a fiddle dance. In the firelight, twirling beneath the stars, Rowena let herself forget; she let her father and his idiocies slip from her mind, her fears of never creating anything, and just danced.

Godric held her to his chest, so she could feel his booming laugh vibrate through her as he danced her about. They had drank a few meads each, and as they stumbled out into the dark fields they laughed and clumsily held hands, feeling forbidden and dangerous and warm, fizzy inside and out.