The Four Shadows

Chapter 24

  It was cold and the wind grew stronger as every minute passed. It howled as it brushed against the empty window panes, the tiny pieces of shattered glass moving inches across the floor.
Helga stood in the front courtyard and stared into nothing. Her arms were crossed and her face was tear stained and blotchy. Neither of the girls knew what to do with James and Godric. Rowena went down to the lake and stood on the edge, her shoes just barely touching the water. Chills crawled everywhere as her hair came undone and the wind got colder. 
  Hellas hair was half out and her now shredded dress didn't do her any justice on keeping her warm.
  The gargantuan door behind her creaked and she jumped, turning around and pulling her wand out. She stepped back, her shoes tapping on the stone being the only sound in the air. The door started opening and Helga was about to attack anything or anyone who came out of the door.
  A foot, then a leg emerged.

It was Godric.

Rowena sat down at the edge of the water and slowly pulled her wand out. She tapped the water gently and it rippled. Rowena twirled her wand until flowers emerged from the water.
"Stunning, really" a voice said behind her. Rowena shot up and turned around, expecting an enemy or intruder.
But it was James. His hands in his pockets and a full torso, the hole absent. Not to mention a comforting smile across his face.

  "No" Helga breathed. "You cant- You- Not possible-" she continued. "Dead"
"I asked myself that the same thing" Godric said. Helga couldn't comprehend what she saw. All she did was sigh with relief and run directly to him. They embraced in a hug and she grabbed his arms rather tightly pulling away.
"You're real" She said. "How?".
Godric laughed as the cold wind stung his face.
"My imagination can't even go beyond this" he said with a smile before Helga hugged him once more.

  "James?" Rowena whispered. She took a step backwards, her heels touching the water. "You're dead". Rowena's breathing increased and she closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. "This isn't real" she said. James furrowed his brow, took his hands out of his pockets and embraced Rowena.
"It's real" He said.
She opened her eyes and noticed that the man she saw get murdered was alive and breathing, his blood rushing like nothing happened.
They stood in silence as the wind was the only sound they heard.

As much as they wanted to sit in front of a fire together, their job wasn't finished.

  Salazar snapped his eyes open, as he laid on the floor of Marians chambers. Groaning, he sat up and looked around, his memories rushing back to him.
  "What have I done?" He whispered into the emptiness. Salazar rubbed his face before looking up. His wand lay inches from him. Reaching over, he grabbed it and whispered Lumos.
  A hard hit of reality checked him in the gut. He got up quickly, the light being only illuminated by the feeble glow of his wand. He swung it a circle as the chandelier of candle flamed back to life.
  Salazar tore apart the room, throwing books of the shelves and shattering artifacts onto the floor. He yelled in frustration and slammed a fist on a shelf.
  "Revelio!" Salazar exclaimed. The books and broken items on the floor shook before a golden shine began to beam from the very bottom shelf in the back of the chambers.
  Salazar squinted and walked over. He knelt down and squatted, reaching for a leather bound book that rattled. The golden glow was shining from behind it. Salazar pulled the book out, but it stopped, as it was attached to a thin chain. He tilted his head and frowned, and then yanked it harder, making a small click sound.
  The entire shelve case of books lowered into the ground, rumbling as it moved down. It revealed a tiny circular walk in closet. Artifacts, illegal potions, wands and anything imaginable in the wizarding world sat on the round shelves. Some had price tags on them, some had SOLD stamped on the tags. A couple had names on the tags with RESERVED above it.
  Salazar walked in and looked at the items, running his fingers lightly over the edge of the shelves. At the top of the closet sat a large black egg encased in glass. A beige tag hung from it that read:
  RESERVED FOR SALAZAR. POSSIBLE.

"Bloody hell...." He muttered as he pointed his wand.
  "Accio egg" He said. The egg in the case flew off the shelf and into the hands of Salazar. It was Marians last Basilisk egg that she was saving for him. She was a manipulative and evil business woman who showed no mercy.
  "If they see me as evil. Then let them see it." He said.
  Salazar apparated, leaving the chambers in a swift motion.

 

   Godric had Avada Kedavra'd Marian once more. Him and James had lifted Marians lifeless body and tied 6 pound rocks to her ankles. They reached the lake around Hogwarts and rested her on the ground.
  "Is this humane?" Godric asked.
"She was a corrupt woman, Godric." James spoke. "She caused misery and manipulated Salazar. Who knows how many other people she has caused pain to."
  They raised her body with their wands and lowered it into the lake. They lowered her feet by feet, reaching the very far and very bottom of the lake. Her eyes glassy as they stared off into the abyss of cold water. James and Godric hadn't spoke a word before walking off and back to the castle.
   Marians body would rest and decay at the very bottom of the lake for millennia.

   
  The four set an Oblivion charm upon the school, erasing their memories from the start of the dementor attack.
  Confused, the students merged back into the lobby of the entrance as the teachers were behind the closed doors to the Great Hall. They set everything back to it was, and Rowena had added color to the ceiling, like a watercolor painting.
  Helga had repaired her dress with a simple charm and the four teachers stood together.
  "Let's try this again shall we?" Rowena said.
Together, they all opened the great oak doors as the students happily flooded in, not a clue of past events or even the slightest of fear was shown. The ball pressed on and frankly, all was well.