Status: Working On.
The Demon in Me
Prologue Part 2 - In an Age long ago
Six people stood in the centre of a massive stone hall. The ceiling of the room towering almost fifty feet above their heads as the brilliant colours from a large, round, stained glass window filtered a bright array of light across the cold stone floor, bathing it in a mixture of reds, greens, blues, silvers and gold. Four of the figures stood in a line facing the remaining two people, both of which wore long black robes. In was in that complete silence of the hall that one of the two cloaked figures stepped forward and addressed the room.
“You four founders, so strong each in your own way,” The cloaked Speaker paused and looked at the two men and two women that stood before them. “But not alone strong enough to hold the mantel that I now place before you. You are here today to make a promise, an oath, that will guild the hearts and spirits of this world for many generations to come,” He looked hard at the group, looking each up and down as he paused yet again.
“So I ask thee, do you swear on these strong walls of stone and brick that you will take into these hallowed halls the students of magic? Will you take under your wings every child that shows the talent - both the children of the ancient families and of the muggles?” One of the figures stiffened and the Speaker blinked slowly. “Will you take in the children faced with being not only magical, but part blood, half muggle, half wizard?
Seeking the eye of every person in the hall, the Speaker dared them to interrupt. “Will you take under your wing the children of the ancient days? The children cursed with the blood of demons?”
The Speaker paused again and under the hood red eyes flashed as silence reigned in the hallowed hall. “Will you take upon this oath ye Four Founders?”
“I will take up your mantel.” One of the men stepped forward out of the line and dropped to his knees in front of the Speaker, his face lifted, smiling up at the figure in front of him. He was not an ugly man, bright blue eyes and a long sweeping mane of red-gold hair that flashed ever time that he moved. He was built like an ox, strong and steady, ready to take on an army on his own. “I, Godric Gryffindor will take on your mantel. I shall take the bravest, the boldest, and the most chivalrous into my house. I shall teach them the values of life. I shall teach them the values of loyalty and never going back on your word. I shall take them and I will train them.” The speaker nodded, smiling softly as he turned and took a long silver sword from the man who had been standing behind him. A tall strong looking black skinned man who looked like he could have wrestled a bear and come out the better.
“Godric Gryffindor, you have taken my mantel and with it my blessing, take this sword and use it to defend the weak and this castle from those who might seek to harm them.” Gryffindor took the sword from the hooded speaker, gazing at the large red pommel, a stone the size of a small egg set into the handle that was wrapped with a tight black leather grip. “Thank you,” Was the soft whisper as Gryffindor held the sword out in front of him. “I will serve you well.” And with an expert flick of the wrist that sent the sword flashing skywards, Gryffindor, with practiced ease stood and plucked it from the skies, sheathing it across his back before stepping, finally, back into line.
“Who next shall take up my Oath?” The Speaker asked; eyes hard as the other founders hesitated.
Moments passed in the grand hall until, “I shall take on your Oath!” A woman, tall and graceful, stepped forwards, dark brown eye flashing with uncertainty as she called out. “I, Rowena Ravenclaw shall take your mantel upon my shoulders.” Rowena was the most beautiful in the hall, a tiny figure draped with a long midnight blue gown that swept the floors as she stepped forwards; her long black hair rippling in waves as she knelt and threw it over her shoulder to face the Speaker. “I will take the brightest stars, the ones who show the promise of intelligence that shines beyond their years. I will take those who are strong in wit, the minds faster than any others. I will take those willing to learn; and those willing to teach. I will take those into my care.”
The Speaker nodded slowly, satisfied with Rowena’s answer. “You have taken my mantel and with it my blessing, take this diadem Rowena and use it to show the world that beauty and brains do go together.” The Speaker winked at the woman who smiled as the light, silver diadem touched her temples.
It was at this point there seemed to be a moment when both of the last two remaining people wanted to come up first, but the first to kneel was a man, old and wrinkled but wizened. “I, Salazar Slytherin will take up your mantel; I will take the most cunning and resourceful into my house. I will take those strong of blood, and strong of mind.” The Speaker frowned slightly at Slytherin’s statement but none the less he lent forwards and placed about the older man’s neck a heavy gold locket emblazoned with his family seal.
“Salazar,” The speaker whispered softly so the only person who could hear him was the old man. “You have taken my mantel and so my blessing, but let me tell you one thing. Your pride,” The old man looked up at the Speaker, his watery grey eyes locked on the person in front of him. “Your pride shall be your undoing, make it well and you shall never fall.” The old man hissed under his breath as he got to his feet, his long, green, velvet robes trailing on the ground.
“And I,” The last woman stepped forwards, her bright red hair bouncing as she knelt and looked up at the two men with big bright green eyes that showed a kindness that none could measure up too. “I, Helga Hufflepuff, will take the rest! Those to whom friendship and loving others is the highest priority. Those who put others high above themselves and those who work hard no matter the job! Those just and true are to be in my house!” The Speaker laughed a soft, almost trickling laugh. “And I believe you Helga! So with accepting my mantel you too take my blessing!” And with a wide grin the Speaker handed Helga a small golden cup that the large, smiling woman held high with thanks as she got to her feet and stepped back into the line.
“You four here have taken my Oath upon your shoulders, taken it in knowing that now you will guild and lead the minds of thousands of young wizards to come.” What the Speaker said seemed to hang in the air for a moment, but just long enough for the four to really realize what it was they had just done before the Speaker said. “Now my Four Founders, Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!”
“You four founders, so strong each in your own way,” The cloaked Speaker paused and looked at the two men and two women that stood before them. “But not alone strong enough to hold the mantel that I now place before you. You are here today to make a promise, an oath, that will guild the hearts and spirits of this world for many generations to come,” He looked hard at the group, looking each up and down as he paused yet again.
“So I ask thee, do you swear on these strong walls of stone and brick that you will take into these hallowed halls the students of magic? Will you take under your wings every child that shows the talent - both the children of the ancient families and of the muggles?” One of the figures stiffened and the Speaker blinked slowly. “Will you take in the children faced with being not only magical, but part blood, half muggle, half wizard?
Seeking the eye of every person in the hall, the Speaker dared them to interrupt. “Will you take under your wing the children of the ancient days? The children cursed with the blood of demons?”
The Speaker paused again and under the hood red eyes flashed as silence reigned in the hallowed hall. “Will you take upon this oath ye Four Founders?”
“I will take up your mantel.” One of the men stepped forward out of the line and dropped to his knees in front of the Speaker, his face lifted, smiling up at the figure in front of him. He was not an ugly man, bright blue eyes and a long sweeping mane of red-gold hair that flashed ever time that he moved. He was built like an ox, strong and steady, ready to take on an army on his own. “I, Godric Gryffindor will take on your mantel. I shall take the bravest, the boldest, and the most chivalrous into my house. I shall teach them the values of life. I shall teach them the values of loyalty and never going back on your word. I shall take them and I will train them.” The speaker nodded, smiling softly as he turned and took a long silver sword from the man who had been standing behind him. A tall strong looking black skinned man who looked like he could have wrestled a bear and come out the better.
“Godric Gryffindor, you have taken my mantel and with it my blessing, take this sword and use it to defend the weak and this castle from those who might seek to harm them.” Gryffindor took the sword from the hooded speaker, gazing at the large red pommel, a stone the size of a small egg set into the handle that was wrapped with a tight black leather grip. “Thank you,” Was the soft whisper as Gryffindor held the sword out in front of him. “I will serve you well.” And with an expert flick of the wrist that sent the sword flashing skywards, Gryffindor, with practiced ease stood and plucked it from the skies, sheathing it across his back before stepping, finally, back into line.
“Who next shall take up my Oath?” The Speaker asked; eyes hard as the other founders hesitated.
Moments passed in the grand hall until, “I shall take on your Oath!” A woman, tall and graceful, stepped forwards, dark brown eye flashing with uncertainty as she called out. “I, Rowena Ravenclaw shall take your mantel upon my shoulders.” Rowena was the most beautiful in the hall, a tiny figure draped with a long midnight blue gown that swept the floors as she stepped forwards; her long black hair rippling in waves as she knelt and threw it over her shoulder to face the Speaker. “I will take the brightest stars, the ones who show the promise of intelligence that shines beyond their years. I will take those who are strong in wit, the minds faster than any others. I will take those willing to learn; and those willing to teach. I will take those into my care.”
The Speaker nodded slowly, satisfied with Rowena’s answer. “You have taken my mantel and with it my blessing, take this diadem Rowena and use it to show the world that beauty and brains do go together.” The Speaker winked at the woman who smiled as the light, silver diadem touched her temples.
It was at this point there seemed to be a moment when both of the last two remaining people wanted to come up first, but the first to kneel was a man, old and wrinkled but wizened. “I, Salazar Slytherin will take up your mantel; I will take the most cunning and resourceful into my house. I will take those strong of blood, and strong of mind.” The Speaker frowned slightly at Slytherin’s statement but none the less he lent forwards and placed about the older man’s neck a heavy gold locket emblazoned with his family seal.
“Salazar,” The speaker whispered softly so the only person who could hear him was the old man. “You have taken my mantel and so my blessing, but let me tell you one thing. Your pride,” The old man looked up at the Speaker, his watery grey eyes locked on the person in front of him. “Your pride shall be your undoing, make it well and you shall never fall.” The old man hissed under his breath as he got to his feet, his long, green, velvet robes trailing on the ground.
“And I,” The last woman stepped forwards, her bright red hair bouncing as she knelt and looked up at the two men with big bright green eyes that showed a kindness that none could measure up too. “I, Helga Hufflepuff, will take the rest! Those to whom friendship and loving others is the highest priority. Those who put others high above themselves and those who work hard no matter the job! Those just and true are to be in my house!” The Speaker laughed a soft, almost trickling laugh. “And I believe you Helga! So with accepting my mantel you too take my blessing!” And with a wide grin the Speaker handed Helga a small golden cup that the large, smiling woman held high with thanks as she got to her feet and stepped back into the line.
“You four here have taken my Oath upon your shoulders, taken it in knowing that now you will guild and lead the minds of thousands of young wizards to come.” What the Speaker said seemed to hang in the air for a moment, but just long enough for the four to really realize what it was they had just done before the Speaker said. “Now my Four Founders, Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!”
♠ ♠ ♠
Part TwoNixxy