The Four Shadows

Chapter 10

It was early in the morning, because the sun barely shone through the tall windows of Hogwarts. It was still drafty and cool through the corridors, but Helga didn't care.
She walked rather quickly through the halls to the Hufflepuff common rooms. As she approached the wall of barrels, the smell of breakfast from the kitchens wafted into her nose.
Helga didn't tap the barrels, instead she knocked calmly on one, careful not to wake the students.
"Friar!" She whispered. Helga knocked again. "Friar!"
In a split second, a transparent ghost had emerged from the other side of the wall. He was chunky and bald, his eyes crinkled every time he smiled, which was often. He coughed and cleared his throat before fixing his robes.
"Morning, Miss Hufflepuff. What's the issue?"
"Not an issue, friar, but a plan" She happily said. The friar raised a ghostly eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
"Okay I need your help with something" She asked. The friar listened. "A ball" Helga almost squealed. The Fat Friar tuned out and crossed his arms.
"Pardon?" He asked. "A ball?"
Helga sighed and rubbed her eye. "Yes a ball, Friar. Have you been living under a big rock? Salazar's mind has gone elsewhere and we need something to cheer the students up. Also, they've been so caught up in work and testing they deserve a break" She said. The friar wasn't too keen on the idea. Plus it was so early in the morning she might regret this idea later.
"Sounds alright Helga.... Hogwarts deserves something fun too! I think after a year of battle crazy witches and wizards trying to take you down you deserve something good!" The Friar reassured.
"Thank you Friar! If you were solid, I would hug you" Helga happily said before practically hopping away. Once she was far enough, the Friar mumbled to himself.
"Oh dear"

Now every student was eating and chatting in the Great Hall, as the sun shone hotly through the windows. Godric, James and Rowena were chatting happily, which was a sight Helga hadn't seen in a long time.
She entered the Great Hall and as she walked down the aisle, she noticed a very sad Monolithos Malfoy. His head was down, not touching his breakfast. Helga sat down next to Rowena who was talking about the incoming first years next year.
"Morning, James" She said, pouring cold pumpkin juice in a golden cup. James and Godric looked at her then each other, raising eyebrows.
"Someones awfully cheerful today despite everything.." Godric said, eating toast. Helga pursed her lips in excitement. Rowena sighed and rolled her eyes. "I know that look. Go on then" Rowena said.
  "A ball" Helga quietly squealed. James almost choked on his food. Sputtering, he managed words. "A ball? as in formal wear and dancing and pretty lights?" James asked, wiping his mouth.
"Well I think its a grand idea Helga" Rowena said as Godric agreed too. "Despite this mess with Salazar I think it will be healthy for us and the students" she said. When she mentioned Salazar, Godric and Helga looked at each other with unease and James noticed.
"Alright you two. You know something me and Rowena don't" He questioned.
  "Well we went through Salazar journal last night" Godric confessed without hesitation. Rowena gripped her fork so hard, it could have snapped in half. "You're mad! You dont just go through peoples things like that! Ive seen him write in it and if he finds out its missing he'll kill you!" She said hotly. Godric cocked his head at her. "Then let him kill me. If we want peace and unity again, we'll work from the inside. None of us want to lose Salazar." he indignantly said. James held up his hands.
"Im speaking from Salazars point, but I would be quite upset if you literally went into my room and stole my personal things. Am I the only one who thinks logically here? Now enough fuss, what about this ball, Helga?"

  After another day of teaching, casting spells, and petting the oddest of creatures, everyone filed in the Great Hall for a feast.
"Some student tried to sneak a grindylow in the Defense Against the Dark Arts today" Helga said as the four professors strolled in the Great Hall. "But I've got a few ideas for our ball!" Helga excitedly said as she slid in at the professors table, scooping steaming and mouth watering food onto her plate. James leaned in closer to Godric and spoke very low to him, keen to not let the ladies next to them hear.
"What exactly did Salazar say in his journal?" James asked. Godric seemed impressed and cracked a smile.
"Odd things" Godric said. He also spoke quite low and quiet. "Like for instance, he talked about a tournament that would get students killed. It said something about 3 students from different schools competing for a cup. Not sure what he had meant by that but I guessed he wanted students doing tasks and it would end with one student alive. So the other students were killed. Then I read about his Basilisk plan and it turns out he's been using that damn crystal ball behind our backs. He carved his face in the Chamber and it's him, but in the future when he's old and gray. Although nothing too menacing came across, I found a whole lot of personal thoughts" Godric said. He was going to continue but Helga turned to James and Godric, excited to tell her ideas for the ball.
"What are you two talking about?" She smiled.
"Your brilliant idea for the ball of course! Come on then what are your thoughts then?" James gently smiled. Helga put a roll of parchment on the table, and unraveled it. She began listing decorations and formal wear before Godric almost fell asleep on the table.

Monolithos Malfoy rested his head on his hand at dinner. He hadn't spoke a word of what happened to his best friend, Algar. Although Algar had immediately knew something was up since he was called out of Potions. Lithos poked sadly at his meat while Algar downed three cups of pumpkin juice. He put his cup down on the table rather hard after his third drink.
"Alright mate. What's up? You've been upset since you were pulled out of Potions" Algar interrogated. Lithos looked up at him with desolation and gloom. It was the most upset Algar had seen him.
"That look... I know somethin' is funny with that lot!" Algar clenched his hand into a fist.
"I'm pretty sure Professor S tried to kill me" Lithos said lowly. Algar was taken back and quite shocked.
"Kill?" He leaned forward. "Did they torture ya or somethin'?"
Lithos shook his head and readjusted himself. "They needed me to confirm something, but then they figured it out themselves, so I wasn't needed at all. But as I was waiting outside for them, Professor S snuck out of some giant Chamber. It was a big circular door with snakes carved on it. He had the most evil look on his face, Algar. He told me not to move, then held me with his wand pointing in me". Lithos sighed. "I know... I shouldn't be upset but I'm so shaken up! I can't believe what's gotten into him".
"You have every right to be sad. I'm gonna get to the bottom of all of this. Professor S don't show up for almost a week and holds one of his own as a hostage. Outrageous! And a chamber? Like a real chamber? Good Lord..." Algar shook his head.

"We'll announce it at lunch tomorrow..." Helga's chatter drifted away with Rowena as they left the empty Great Hall. "You coming?" She called to James and Godric from the entrance.
"Just a moment, love. We're discussing students dreadful work!" James replied. Helga laughed and said goodnight, leaving the two men alone. James waved his wand at the door and it shut by itself.
"Tell me. What else did you find?" James asked Godric as they still sat at the professors table. Godric sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Er- it was quite personal" he said. "Like the fact he fantasied about murdering his father. But enough about that. The crystal ball."
James was keen on hearing.
"Yes what about it? It seems that Eldon person really took a toll on you lot". James felt pitiful for him.
"He wrote something about his 'heir unleashing the Basilisk' and he used the crystal ball to do it." Godric explained. James tilted his head.
"How could that ball help him like that?" James asked.
"Well the ball connected us to students. It was odd, but that ball sees everything, James. I was connected to some boy named Harry and some girl whose names started with an H also. I can't remember but it was like they stuck out to us. He used the ball to find his student that stuck out to him, finding his heir. So he put the Basilisk earlier than he wanted to, so Salazar has some evil plan brewing up behind our backs." Godric scoffed at the sight of Salazar being eaten by his own Basilisk. James however, tapped his finger on the table.
"I have an idea. But you have to trust me for this" James said sternly. Godric laughed with unease.
"Whatever it is, do it," he breathed, "I just don't want Salazar Slytherin dying knowing something we don't."