Chapter 25: ca 900 AD Have Relatives

On the way to Godric's betrothed Sal learned a lot about the wizarding world. He had lived with the goblins the last sixty years so he never had truly learned how the sorcerers were thinking and acting this century.

One of the improvements the sorcerers had made, were the wands they were carrying now. And with the newly invented wands sorcerers could finally cast spells with them - not like Sal who used his staff solely in rituals to draw runes, to chant and so on. There were also first spells that did not base on runes anymore - even if the major part in casting was still drawing runes in the air.

When Godric caught Sal scrutinizing him while doing magic, he finally asked Sal.

"What are you looking at?"

"Your casting" Sal answered.

"Why?"

Sal shrugged.

"It's interesting" he answered. "I have not seen someone using his wand like that…" There he stopped before saying anything that would bust him and the fact that he was a time traveller…

"What do you mean? How do you cast if not like that?!" Godric said a little bit stumped.

Sal just shrugged again.

"I normally use rituals - or wandless magic to get what I want. Some things I might not be able to do at all" he answered seemingly unconcerned. "I am a druid. I never learned how to be a…"

"Sorcerer" Godric suplied, staring at him.

One moment there was silence between them, then Godric started to speak again.

"So…" he finally said. "So that means you cannot cast spells like I do?"

"Yes" Sal answered. "My staff would not let me do it."

"Can I see… your staff…"

Sal hesitated, then he pulled it out of his wand-holster and unshrunk it.

When Godric took it he hissed.

"You alright?" Sal asked concerned. He had never given his staff to anyone so he did not know how it would feel to anyone but him.

"Yeah" Godric answered, his eyes fixed on Sal's staff. "But it reached out for my magic as soon as I took it. It did do nothing - but it felt really, really strange… you know… as if your staff was sentient somehow…"

"It did?!" Sal asked astonished. He could feel the connection to his staff even now but he never had thought that his staff would reach out to another ones magic.

"Yes" Godric said. "For a moment it felt as if it wanted to harm me - but then the feeling just stopped…"

"Oh."

"Maybe it would have harmed me if I had taken it without your consent."

"That might be" Sal answered shrugging. "Normally you do not give away your staff to anyone except maybe blood-relatives you trust. A staff is attuned solely to your own magic. Another one cannot use it."

"How so?" Godric asked fascinated.

"Cores" Sal answered shrugging. "It contains parts of creatures you are descendent from. The cores base on the major creatures your mother and your father are descendants of. Normally that combination is different enough to tune your staff solely to you. And of course your magic is imbedded in it after you have used it for a while…"

"Cores - as in 'you have more than one or two'?!"

"Yes" Sal smirked. "My staff contains eight."

"Eight?!"

"Yes. But I am an Olde one and the son of a Firbolg-born so my staff is an exception."

"Firbolg-born?"

"The son of two Firbolgs" Sal tried to explain, but Godric just looked at him confused. "Firbolg - like Phoenixes and dragons?!"

This time understanding lit Godric's eyes.

"Ah… you're talking about pure-bloods!" Sal nearly chocked on his own salvia. Pure-bloods?! The last time he had heard this word was over a thousand years ago when he still had been living in the future… And it definitely had meant something different at that time!

Godric did not notice his reaction at all, instead he looked again at the staff in his hands before handing it back to Sal.

"And a descendant of Myrddin Emrys" Godric said, continuing their conversation as if nothing happened - well for him nothing did happen… "Whatever magic you possess - I am sure it definitely is not normal…"

Sal just shrugged and shrunk his staff again to put it away. He had long ago given up on being 'just Sal'… or 'just Harry'…

After that incident Godric tried to teach Sal to use a wand - but his teaching was mostly fruitless because of the lack of a wand on Sal's side.

Finally, some weeks later, they reached the later British part of the island and with it the home of Godric's sister and her husband, the brother of Godric's betrothed.

"Here we are" Godric said, looking at the castle that indicated money. "Let's meet my relatives."

"I don't think you need me anymore" Sal said shrugging. "And I do not belong here - so why should I intrude?"

"You rescued my life - and you are fun to be with, so why shouldn't you?" Godric countered and then nearly pushed Sal inside.

When they reached the Great Hall of the castle, Godric just banged open the doors and cried. "Hullo! I'm back!"

In the hall Sal could see three persons sitting at a table, eating. All three looked up when the doors met the walls. Their gaze first locked with Godric's, then turned to Sal.

"And you have brought someone with you" a young man with raven black, unruly hair and warm brown eyes finally commended. "Did you pick him up - or did he pick you up?"

"Uh… well, Peverell… It might have been me that needed picking up…" Godric answered and shoved Sal forward. "But that doesn't matter. I can repay him for rescuing my life."

"Rescuing your life?! What have you been doing, Godric Medrawd Harryjames?!"

Sal nearly cringed himself when he heard the outraged voice of the tall female with long black hair and dark, nearly black eyes. She had a few striking, parallel scars at her left hand, which looked like a bird of prey had hit her with its claws.

Her voice was cool and somehow imbedded a slightly frightening tone. That she used a part of Sal's own name did not help at all.

"Well, at least I now know that my name was in my family long before I was born" he thought sarcastically. "And I even have the honour to be named after the Founder of my house in Hogwarts…"

"Nothing, my dear, nothing" Godric tried to sooth the woman.

"Nothing?" the other woman in the room asked. She had striking red hair and brilliant blue eyes. "That's a lame excuse, my dear brother - and definitely a lie."

Sal snickered at the eyes that were scrutinizing Godric.

The last weeks he had learned, that the Founder of Gryffindor House was stupidly brave and honourable but also a fellow no-one really could hate. He was a really sunny character, laughing and joking all the time. Normally his charm worked to help him out of situations like the one Godric was in now - but normally the others were not immune to his charm.

"Well… it's… it's long forgotten" Godric rumbled. "And it wasn't really grave… nothing life-threatening. Really…"

This time Sal snorted.

"I had to practically bind you for a week to your bed - and you tell them it was nothing life-threatening?!" he said while raising an eyebrow. "Really, Godric?! Maybe I should tell you exactly to which length I had to go to help you survive - and don't forget, I am a healer. I am trained to rescue lives."

The others now looked at Sal.

"You're a healer?" Godric's sister asked interested.

Sal nodded.

"I am."

"How long have you been a healer?"

Sal blinked at that question and asked himself why she wanted to know, but then he shrugged and answered.

"Several years" he answered. "And I know what I am talking about. I was a healer working in the war with the goblins."

"So you are experienced" the other woman, Godric's betrothed, said now scrutinizing him.

"I think I am" Sal answered shrugging. "But I do not see why you need to know that…"

The women looked at each other.

Then Godric's betrothed spoke up again.

"Do you have to be somewhere or do you have plans for the next years?"

Sal stared at her, then he shrugged again mentally. Anastasius was still by the goblins, so he did not need Sal at the moment - or at least not often. Sal did not delude himself thinking that his son would stay away from him for the next decades. It was more likely that Anastasius would turn up in at least five or six years, clingy like a small child and wishing to be fed again… after all, Anastasius was still not all grown up yet and because of that had still sometimes the urge to return to his parent to be fed again - and Anastasius would find him wherever he was, the bond between Firbolg-child and Firbolg-parent ensured that…

Still - Sal was free to do what he liked even if Anastasius would decide to turn up again…

"No" he finally answered the question. "I do not have any plans."

The answer was a Cheshire grin and a slightly worried feeling settled in Sal's stomach.

"How about working for us?" Godric's sister asked. "We would need someone like you…"

"I doubt you will be hurt often enough that I would have to do much" Sal answered sincerely.

"Well, maybe" the sister said. "But we need you anyway…"

Peverell snorted.

"You are planning to add him to your imbecilic idea of taking on more than one apprentice at a time?" he asked his wife, Godric's sister, and his sister, Godric's betrothed. Both just shrugged.

"I don't think it is an imbecilic idea" Peverell's wife said. "I am sure it will go well. And you know, my dear husband, we need to take on more than one apprentice. There are not enough masters who take on apprentices and we cannot let someone be untrained - it would end in a disaster!"

"Yes, I know, my dear. Still - why does it have to be you?!"

"Because we can."

"Except that we have no place shielded enough that the apprentices would stay save! This castle might be good for some apprentices - but it's not good for the extent you are planning! And think about the Gathering of the Lords! Do you really think that they would grand you the right to train their children?!"

"I am Lord LeFay" Godric answered shrugging. "And you are Lord Grim - we should have enough influence to turn the tides to our liking."

"I should have known my sister Rena has recruited you for her plans" Peverell sighed.

"Of course I have, Peverell" Rena, Godric's betrothed said. "He will be my husband soon so it is best if he is also helping us."

"Yes" Godric grinned. "And I will be able to teach the apprentices fighting and duelling without having to teach them all the other stuff I do not like to teach."

"Figures that she would rope you in like that" Peverell said sighting.

"May I ask what you are talking about?" Sal cautiously asked.

"We plan to open a place where we can teach a lot of apprentices at the same time" Godric's sister answered. "And by the way: I am Helga Grim."

"Oh! Excuse me! I should have done that before even trying to recruit you! I am Rowena Grim, soon LeFay, and that's my brother Peverell Grim" Rena said.

Sal thought for a moment that his heart stopped. Rowena?! Helga?! And Godric Gryffindor ?! He did not stumble over the Founders, did he?!

"A pleasure to meet you" Sal said. "I am Salvazsahar Emrys."

"Salazar Emrys ?!" Helga asked. "Emrys as in Myrddin Emrys?!"

Sal just winced when the next of the Founders tortured his name.

"Yes, Emrys as in Myrddin Emrys" he answered.

"So the line of Emrys still exists" Peverell said, now scrutinizing Sal. "Your lord should attend the Gathering of the Lords. He has a right to do so."

"Emrys is no line of Lords. We are commoners" Sal answered shrugging.

The others stared at him as if he had lost it.

"You are descendants of Myrddin Emrys, lad - and you think you are commoners?! Even if you might one time have been - since the Gathering of the Lords gathered the first time we counted the House of Emrys as one of us. Myrddin Emrys was the teacher of Camelot and its ward-holder. There is no way to still count him as a commoner!" Peverell said with wide eyes.

Sal just shrugged.

"I never thought of claiming a lordship" he said shrugging. "And fath… and Myrddin taught a lot of people - I don't think that that is so remarkable."

"You?!" Godric blinked at that. "I thought you were just a descendant - I never thought you were the Head of House!"

Sal did not know what to tell him. Maybe it was best just to tell outright that he was the last of his house - that would explain the most.

But before he could think of even answering, Rena spoke.

"I might be inclined to think that Salazar was away for a long time. I am sure if we ask him he will tell us that he has not been in the British sorcering world for some decades." She said.

Sal looked up. Her knowing eyes met his and he cringed inwardly. She had heard when he nearly said father instead of Myrddin before.

"I wasn't" he answered. "I did not even know about the existence of the Gathering of the Lords until some decades ago."

"Well… when you did not know, then you know now" Peverell said. "You should come with us and claim your seat next time."

"Maybe" Sal answered.

"And you should maybe think about teaching with us" Rena said smiling. "We could need another hand."

Sal raised an eyebrow at that.

"I believe I will not be of use teaching" he answered. "I do not know myself how to use a wand as I never had one myself. I will be unable to teach that."

"But you know potions" Godric pointed out. "I have seen you brewing often enough. And… runes… or healing…"

"Yes, but…"

"And we need you as a healer anyway" Helga intercepted. "When we really plan on teaching more than one apprentice at a time we will need an experienced healer. And you do have your healer's oath, don't you?"

"I do" Sal answered. "But…"

"Well, then it's settled" Helga said. "You have time, you are a healer and you have experience in some fields of magic. That's enough. And do not worry about your lacking knowledge about wand-magic. We will remedy that shortly."

"But…"

Soon Sal discovered that protesting was no use with the founders. They stomped all his protests with the fact that he had nothing to do right now and could help because of this. At the end of the evening Sal had surrendered to teach potions, runes and healing in their planed school.

The next morning he was met with two enthusiastic witches and an enthusiastic sorcerer - Peverell had just grumbled about paperwork and left - who decided to bring him to Londinium and Diagon Alley for a wand.

So they mounted some horses and rode two hours until they finally reached Diagon Alley. There they entered and brought Sal to Ollivander's.

It was the first time for Sal to enter Ollivander's again since the founding of the business. He somehow smiled when he saw that the shop had not changed much.

"Hey, Thoenel Ollivander! We bring you a customer!" Godric cried while entering. The man that answered Godric's cry was young and looked a lot like a younger Ollivanneder - Sal's godfather. It nearly hurt to see him because of the reminder of the dead.

"Greetings, Lord LeFay and the Ladies Grim" the man replied. "What can I do for you today?"

As an answer Sal was shoved in front of the counter.

"He needs a wand" Godric answered.

Ollivander blinked.

"He looks a bit old to not have one" he then said.

Sal rolled his eyes and extracted his staff.

"I just have this" he said, showing his staff in his full length. "I am a druid, I never bothered with getting a wand." With that he glared at Godric. "Well… until someone decided I need one…"

Ollivander blinked, then he took Sal's staff.

His eyes widened.

"A true master piece" he said with gleaming eyes. "And old, very, very old."

Sal just shrugged.

"It is mine" he answered. When Ollivander looked up Sal saw that the man had understood him. Sal had meant 'It was made for him' - but hadn't said so because of his company. Of course, Godric knew it was made for Sal as Sal had said something like that to him indirectly - but Sal definitely did not wish to remember Godric of it… especially after his staff had been declared as 'very, very old'…

"I am sure I am unable to make something like that" the old man said. "But I can surely find something that can accompany this master piece."

Sal just raised an eyebrow.

"I am not sure if I will be ever able to handle a wand right" he said to the wand-maker.

The man just smiled.

"I am sure you will be able to - using a wand is definitely easier than using a staff like that… with a little bit of practice I am sure you will do well" he answered. "And now I will need you to come with me. I will take you to my ingredients and you will pick those that feel right to you. The same goes for the wood. I am sure we will find something that will fit you."

Sal sighed but then he followed Ollivander. In the back of Ollivander's shop was his work-place. There a thousand of cores were stored on shelves around the room. On the earth there were boxes filled with woods. The last time Sal had been here, the cores had been at the same places, the woods instead had been standing in one of the corners - staffs were simply much longer then wands…

"Here we are. Feel with your magic what fits you" Ollivander said. "As a staff-carrier you should be able to do so very easily."

Sal sighed again, but did as he was told. He closed his eyes and tried to feel a pull from something. Soon he really did. At his right he nearly could feel a connection to him. What affinity would call him? Sal knew he had eight affinities but he also knew that this time not all eight would end up in his wand - so what affinity was stronger than the others? And would it stay the same throughout the centuries or would it change? Would it again be a Phoenix feather for him?! He followed the slight pull he was feeling and ended up with a glass in his hands. When he opened his eyes he recognized it instantly.

"Dementor blood" he said. So no Phoenix feather…

Ollivander just smiled.

"A potion master, I see" he commented and took the glass. "And now go on, please."

Sal closed his eyes again and again he spread his magic through the room. This time he felt a pull from his left and followed it again. When he opened his eyes again he had in his hands a glass with feathers.

"Thunderbird feather" he said, giving up the glass to the wand-maker.

"A curious combination" the wand-maker commented. "Very deadly and very dark. Nothing a light sorcerer could use at all."

Sal pressed his lips together. He knew he wasn't dark but he also knew he definitely wasn't light. He had killed and maimed in battle to protect the innocent and he had not regretted it at all. He had learned the Dark Arts - even if he was a healer.

No, this wand was definitely nothing a light sorcerer would have. This wand wasn't something a healer would have… But Sal never had been a normal healer…

"You seem to worry" the wand-maker said in that moment. Sal just shrugged.

"I am a healer" he said as an explanation. The wand-maker blinked and looked at the ingredients in his hands.

"You are?!" he asked astonished. "I would never have guessed that with these… a healer should not even be able to have those…"

"I also am a protector" Sal answered sighing.

Ollivander stared at him.

"How? Your oath should prevent you from killing…"

"My oath is worded differently" Sal answered. "It is a variant of the healer's oath. I am able to kill - but I will carry the consequences if I kill the wrong one."

"Ah… a Guardian Healer" the wand-maker said understanding. "I heard about them - but I never thought that I would meet one of them. And then you are also old…"

"It would be better if you would not tell my company about my age or…"

"I understand" Ollivander answered smiling slightly. "Just one question: Who are you?"

Sal hesitated for just a moment, contemplating on his course of action. How much truth should he give? How much trust to a man he didn't know? But then - the man in front of him was a wand-maker. He would not tell. So Sal answered with a variation of the truth.

"I am Myrddin Emrys' son" he said and the wand-maker blinked again, his mouth hanging slightly open.

A few minutes silence reigned the air, then the wand-maker shook his head to clear it, closed his mouth, opened it again just to close it a second time.

"Well, we should continue" Ollivander finally managed to say and then instructed. "Put your hand in the box there - wait if a wood flies into your hand. If it doesn't, try it with the next box."

Sal nodded and kneeled. He did as he was told and finally after the fifth box a wood zoomed in his open hand. He pulled it out.

"Maple" he said.

"And there is the connection between the light arts of healing and the dark arts of the protector" Ollivander said. "Your wand will be able to heal and to protect - even if its dark cores will make it better as a protector then as a healer. Maybe you have to protect more this time then to heal, Myrddin's son."

"Maybe" Sal answered.

"Now go out to your friends. It will take a few days until I have crafted it." Sal nodded and left.

"How did it go?" Godric asked.

Sal rolled his eyes.

"I closed my eyes and let my magic guide me to the ingredients - how did you think it would go?!"

Godric just huffed.

"You know I did not mean it like that, Salazar!"

But Sal just ignored him.

Instead he and the women left the shop. Godric followed them instantly.

A few days later Sal returned and paid for his wand. After that his training began. Rowena, Helga and even Godric seemed to think of him as a test subject in teaching. With Sal's memory and their guiding it did not take long for him until he was able to use his wand like them.