Dear Mum

Dear Mum,

What had happened? Everything had gone so fast. One moment I was happily enjoying the sun, next I'm somewhere in the sewers of Hogwarts. It's been quite some months since I last wrote to you, hope Tag is still doing fine. Anyway, let me tell you what happened. Salazar returned! Yes, the over-inflated ego Slytherin. Quite a surprise, especially for Godric. He never liked Salazar. Rowena and me kept asking questions, why did he return, and, what did he do all this time? Not that he answered any of them. He grumbled and headed up the stairs, where his chamber was. Godric wanted to kick him out, but we stopped him. It was late, and we didn't have the heart to send Salazar back on the streets again.

The next few days was overwhelming. Suddenly the entire atmosphere changed. Mysterious things appeared. And every time one of our students cast a spell, it would go wrong. Every potion became poison. Of course, the first person to suspect was Salazar. We decided that one of us had to go and talk to him. Rowena forced me to go, saying I was the calmest one of them all. I'm sure you'd disagree Mum, you always told me I was a little bugger at young age. Anyway, so I headed upstairs, and saw Salazar chanting weird things! So I panicked, ran downstairs and called Godric, who drew his sword and ran up to the chamber.

After a while, the noise stopped. And you know me, I'm as curious as a rat in a cheese store. So I headed upstairs, opened the door... And I saw Salazar hurt on the floor. I remember Godric holding his sword up high. And that's when I did something which you would think was really stupid. I stopped Godric. I told him not to hurt Salazar. I will never forget the look he gave me. It was the look that said that I was now not to be trusted. He stormed off (by the way, was your house rebuild after the last storm? I heard it was a bad one). I roused Salazar, but he wasn't happy with my interference. He told me that. And then, he held me. You know, kind of what lovers do. He told me he loved me.

Oh, but I'm not stupid Mum, you raised me well. I could see it in his eyes, he was planning on using me. Little gullible Helga. Oh, I've heard the gossip. Rowena never could stop her tongue from wagging. And he bent down (can I help it that my length doesn't match his?) and kissed. Not that I responded to his kiss. I just stood there and let him do it. Maybe I should have punched him in the gut. He said that Godric and Rowena were lying. I just wiped my mouth and left. I would have liked to see that look on his face when I left. He was probably surprised. Or shocked. Or maybe he just shrugged and went on with his evil things. Who knows?

But I mentioned sewers before. Well, the thing is, soon Rowena started to pester Salazar, and you know what happens when those two fight. Soon Godric told me there was some monster, and told me to go away. Hah! Not that I left. But maybe I should have. Maybe. It was then I discovered Rowena and Godric had gone underground. I've never been underground before, so could you imagine when I headed in? It was cold, wet and the stench, ugh! I followed the tunnel until I saw some light. And indeed, there I saw Godric, Rowena and... Oh god. They had killed him, Mum. Until now I still wonder if they had given him a fair fight, or attacked him when he wasn't looking.

However, to my surprise, he wasn't dead yet. He was still breathing. I ran there, surprising both Rowena and Godric and knelt down beside Salazar. I remember yelling all kinds of obscenities to those two behind me. What they did after that, I don't know. My attention was to Salazar. You stupid child, he told me. He then held my hand, and I felt him grow colder. He was dead. I remember screaming. And punching. I think that was me. I punched his face, even though he didn't feel it. His last words were to insult me! Why couldn't he, even at his death, let go of his pride?

It was then I realized he was just very sad. I kissed him on his head, and left him there. Rowena and Godric were long gone. I felt so broken. I wondered about so many things. Was the reason that Salazar hated muggleborn really the reason he had to leave? What were Godric and Rowena hiding? And why did Salazar try to seduce me? The rumours were that he had a heart for Rowena. But maybe all his life was a lie. All that's been told to me was just so I could be my happy self. And to think I never suspected anything. Until Salazar came back.

I'm afraid this will be my last letter to you Mum. Right now, I'm in the Astronomy Tower and my faithful owl is waiting for me to tie this letter to his leg. Thing is, I've been lied to ever since I came to Hogwarts. I will stand on the ledge of the window, Mum. I will bring together all my courage, to send myself to the place where Salazar is. The only person who told me the truth. Don't cry Mum. I think it's best for me. Just make sure you tell Merlin what is going on, he'll put a stop to whatever foul plan Godric and Rowena are up to. By the time you receive this letter, I'll be in Heaven.

Your loving daughter, Helga.