82 Chapter 82: Two Ghosts
The next founder to leave Hogwarts was Godric Gryffindor in the year of 1008. The man had passed away alone in his home. His wife had left him some years prior to live with her daughter, who had married into the proeminent House Peverell, which was a house of very famous and talented enchanters. Godric Gryffindor's magic will reading was another event. Dozens of people tried to participate in it claiming that Godric Gryffindor was their father, which could be totally the truth with the way that the man slept with anything that had a pair of boobs, but the instructions on the will were very clear to that: only the listed people could participate. His main personal assets, meaning vaults, lands and possessions, were left for his daughter that he had in marriage. His magic title and his quarter part in the school were separated from his lineage. If one wanted the Gryffindor title, one would have to find his sword, and only by wielding it, one would have his quarter of the Hogwarts' castle.
–
The next years were bountiful ones for the school. The education level went up under the watchful eyes of the Ravenclaw Family and magic innovation was the word. It was at this time that a first-generation wizard invented the port-key. An item that allowed its user to be transported almost instantly to a predetermined location. The first thing that the Ravenclaw Family did, in their place as Hogwarts de-facto owners, was to equip every student that could be considered 'at risk' with one portkey for emergencies. And it worked very well. Just in the first year of its implementation more than twenty students' lives were saved because of them. Some students even managed to save the family members that were persecuted with them too and the Hogsmeade Village was growing healthy outside of the castle.
The school had too received a student that looked very familiar to Aria. One Agnar Longbottom. After talking with the boy, Aria visited his parents. It turned out that Bjorn, her deceased husband's sworn brother had 'founded' a new family with his wife and named themselves the Longbottoms. They owned a very profitable business in medicinal herbs and animal husbandry, and the school would soon receive a second Longbottom if their younger daughter's accidental magic episodes were anything to take into account.
–
But not everything was flowers. In the year 1019, at the age of sixty-one, Aria, Erik's mother, fell ill. Even with all his magical and medical knowledge, Erik couldn't save her. What made him and his wife, Selena, even more sad was that she died without a grandchild and that sent Selena in another loop of guilt that evolved into depression. She blamed herself for not being able to give Aria and Rowena a grandchild, even if both the women had never blamed her or anything. Even worse, she blamed herself for not being able to give Erik a child. It had taken some great work from Erik and Rowena to pull her out of that depression.
–
Five years later, the castle of Hogwarts was, for the first time since its creation, under attack of external forces. A self entitled Dark Lord with his small army of followers appeared one day at the castle's gates and tried to force their way in. Unfortunately for them, the castle's wards were constantly being updated by the Ravenclaw Family and easily stopped the attack. When Erik came to the gates to see what had 'tickled' the wards, he came across a group of dark robbed individuals that looked very disheveled and angry. It even made him chuckle. And seeing a wizard chuckle at him, made the new Dark Lord furious. The man started to demand the surrender of the castle, saying that it would be the perfect headquarters for their plans of conquering the world. That made Erik start to laugh openly, infuriating the Dark Lord even more. The man then started to launch a wide variety of curses at Erik's direction but it was a futile attempt. All curses just splashed on the wards of the castle and each 'splash' just made the wards stronger by absorbing the magic of the attack to feed itself.
When the Dark Lord tired himself, he ordered his minions to attack Erik. The same happened again and Erik just stood in his place, waiting for them to tire while smiling and probing the mind of the attackers lightly. What he found was just the same history as always. The man arrived at some villages, freed some people accused of witchcraft while doing some flashy magic. The true wizards and witches saw the magic and were impressed. Then came the speech about how they were superior because of magic and should be the one ruling the ones without it, and not the inverse. And people fell for it. They banded together and started to attack villages and small groups that 'hunted witches'. After they boosted their morale, they decided to go big and attack Hogwarts. Unfortunately for them, the castle's wards showed to be a 'little' more powerful than they predicted. When they finally tired themselves, Erik snapped his finger and all of their wands jumped off their hands to inside the wards of the castle. Eri had hit all of them at the same time with a disarming hex and that had scared them.
*sigh*
"You guys have no idea of the size of the world, do you?"
Erik said to the group of phonies.
"Well, whatever. Are any of you here because you are being forced to be here?"
Erik asked the group and two of the men raised their hands. He had seen that one of the methods used by the Dark Lord to get support was coercion using the person's family's lives. Erik then separates the two from the rest with a wave of his hand after checking them up. The rest of the group tried to protest but they found themselves temporarily petrified.
"As for the rest of you, have a nice trip."
Erik says, and an enormous blue magic circle materializes under them and in five seconds the Dark Lord and his phonies disappear in motes of blue light.
Erik then looks at the two individuals that were separated from the rest and makes a 'shooing' motion to them while their wands go back to them.
"Go home. They will not bother anyone more."
Erik says to both the man and turns back to walk to the castle while whistling a merry tune after sending all the remaining wands to Hogwarts' treasure. The duo of 'freed' men look at each other and then start to run away from the castle after mouthing their 'thank you' to Erik, apparating away soon after.
–
Four thousand kilometers away from Hogwarts, in the middle of the Sahara Desert, a blue magic circle lightens the sands. Soon, a series of muffled 'thud' sounds were heard. As the light from the magic circle disappears, the sound of a lot of people spit sand is heard.
"Where the heck are we?"
One of them mouths out loud after looking around and seeing nothing beyond sand. Luck for them the moonlight gave them a little visibility.
"I have no idea but judging by all the sand around, we are in some kind of desert."
Another said while looking around.
"Does anyone have a wand?"
Another one yelled. They then started to pat themselves in search of their wands but were not successful.
"I will kill him!"
The group heard a disgruntled yell. It was the 'Dark Lord'.
"Shut up, you fool."
Yelled a man.
"Yeah! It's because of your brilliant idea of taking Hogwarts that we are here, wherever 'here' is."
Yelled another one back.
"Should have listened to Jonas. His elder brother went to school some years after Lord Ravenclaw. He said that his brother told him stories of the man's feats with magic when he was just a student. And look what he had done to us all."
A man said.
"Alone."
Another one added.
"And without a wand."
Yet another one added too. The self entitled Dark Lord was just sulking to the side. He had thought that it would have been an easy job to take control of Britain, but he was grossly wrong. Now he had to go back defeated. But first, he had to survive the journey from here to there, and his chances were nothing good if the way that his 'minions' were looking at him meant something.
Needless to say that the group was never seen again in Britain.
–
At the age of eighty-one, Rowena Ravenclaw dies. She passed away peacefully while reading a book inside her quarters. Following her wishes, Erik and Selena had buried her body at a secret location that was as protected as Hogwarts. On her head was one of her most famous treasures, her enchanted Diadem. The ceremony was a closed one, only to family and the closest friends. Rowena Ravenclaw's magic will reading was a fast one too. She had left everything to her daughter. No exceptions.
–
Two months after Rowena's death, two ghosts appeared in the castle. Being a magically strong place, it was a common occurrence for ghosts to appear there. Of course they could have been forced to leave, but, after making a deal with the owners of the place to help watch the children, they were allowed to stay. But the new arrivals' identity froze Erik and Selena.
It was Helena and Robert ghosts.
"Sister!"
Selena said and jumped at Helena's ghostly form. Unfortunately for her, she passed right through the ghost. Selena looked back in confusion and then it hit her: Helena was a ghost. She got up and walked to the ghostly Helena. Stopped in front of her and smiled sadly. A single tear escaped from the corner of her eye. At the side, Erik was having his own reunion with his beast male friend.
Later, after the quartet had let out all their feelings and the ghosts were put on par with the recent happenings of the castle, came a question that froze the ghosts a little.
"So, what do you both intend to do from now on?"
Selena asked. Helena and Robert's ghosts looked at each other and then back at the alive couple.
"We want to stay at the castle, if it would not bother you both. This was Helena's home, and it was mine too for seven years."
Robert's ghost said while taking Helena's ghost hand in his.
"Of course you both can stay."
Selena said to the ghostly couple.
"What she said. And it helps that a magically strong environment helps you both to not get mad."
Erik said and added with a smirk.
"Do you want married quarters? I think that we can add a double bed in Helena's old bedroom. Mom had not touched it since your death."
Selena said, teasing the ghosts for their horror. Selena and Erik then started laughing at that.
"But talking seriously, your presence here will help with the plans that Selena and I have."
Erik said while snaking an arm around Selena's waist. Both of them were nearing their sixties, but they didn't look older than they looked in their thirties. Even so, the age was getting to them. The ghost looked curiously at Erik.
"Erik and I… We intend to do a ritual. A very special one."
Selena said to the ghosts slowly.
"And what will this ritual do that would be easier with our presence?"
Helena said while looking at her sister with squinted eyes.
"It will trigger our evolution."
Erik replied to the ghosts.
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