The Magic Ring

The Magic Ring (1/2)
Written by Yen

Hierthent, the floating citadel of the Dark wizarding coalition known as the Thirteen, had numerous spires, and in the walls of these turrets were as many window to each lofty tower as there were steeples to the whole castle.

Each window was unique. No two had the same shape and size. There might similar openings, but never identical windows.

From a large window which resembled a pair of sparring bears, Lord Lyle Kilton of the Thirteen gazed down, watching Salazar Slytherin, once of the Thirteen, cross the shimmering sun-dappled lawn to his personal mount, a Thestral.

The ebony black winged horse tossed its head as a greeting to its approaching master. Standing beside it and raising a hand in a welcoming gesture as well was a young flame-haired wizard. Godric Gryffindor was his name, Lyle had been told.

He continued watching, nothing the almost indiscernible stiffness in Salazar's movements as he returned Godric's wave with a slight jerk of his head. As soon as Salazar reached them, he said something to Godric. This something Lyle couldn't hear as he was too far away and several stories higher. However, keen-eyed, Lyle read the short words formed by Salazar's lips.

Let's go.

A few moments later, they left Hierthent. Salazar, ahead, on his Thestral. Godric, followed, riding a Hippogrif.

With that, the Thirteen had lost one of its own to the Light.

"He's gone," said Lyle.

"Who's gone?"

He turned from looking out the window to stare with amusement and just a touch of irritation at his brother and twin, Turin. The other was standing at the Potions table, his back turned towards Lyle. Turin was engrossed in a beaker, which was full of something green.

"Salazar is gone," Lyle elucidated, approaching Turin, who glanced back momentarily. With a shrug, he looked back to his beaker, saying, "It's his choice." He bluntly added, "A stupid idiotic insane decision, but his choice nonetheless."

Lyle agreed with his brother silently, reluctantly accepting the events that had transpired. Salazar withdrawing himself from the group in order to help found a school with Light wizards was what had happened. Unbelievably but uncomfortably true, one of the Thirteen, which consisted of the most powerful Dark wizards and witches everywhere, had left. There was no precedent. Lyle was surprised Turin was taking it all so calmly.

The others weren't as unaffected, even by a third. The head of the Thirteen and Salazar's own teacher, Lord Trenzel, seemed weary these past few days after Salazar announced his resolution to leave the coalition and instead assist in the building and administration of this school called Hogwarts. He had chosen this school over them. It was unnerving.

Trenzel had kept quiet at this announcement, but his face had turned white at his student's words, and he finally looked every bit as old as his age, which was a hundred and fifty-four.

Lord Jiswell Rathal didn't take Salazar's decision as calmly or as collectedly as his senior counterpart. The Council Hall had fallen quiet at Salazar's declaration, but the atmosphere had taken on a deadly silence after Jiswell' shriek at Salazar to go.

LEAVE THEN, SALAZAR! DO NOT EXPECT ANY OF US TO PREVENT YOU!

How eerie it had felt in the cavernous room as Salazar bowed to them low and deep, silent, and then turned to leave. Even more strangely, Lyle couldn't recall Salazar's footsteps making any noise as he walked away from them. His going was as silent as the sinuous slithering of those serpents he favored.

Lyle however could remember the nearly overwhelming desire to jump up from his chair and go after the other wizard. Stop him! His mind had shouted at him, but something else deeper inside him had held him back, telling him to leave it be.

Respect his choice, and he had. However, even now, Lyle doubted his inaction. Hierthent wouldn't be the same without Salazar.

"You look so pensive, Lyle." Turin's words broke through his thoughts, and he blinked blankly at his twin, only then realizing that his brother was now facing him and holding not a beaker in his hand, but a ring instead.

Curious and glad to be distracted, Lyle nodded questioningly at the ring and while feeling a little dumb, asked, "What's that?"

***

"No, Godric, you are not coming."

Godric opened his mouth to protest, but Salazar had already turned away from him to inform Helga the same.

"And why not?" One very fair eyebrow arched upwards imperiously as its owner glared at Salazar, daring him to give a satisfactory explanation as to why she and Godric could not accompany him and Rowena into Knockturn Alley. Godric clamped his mouth shut, feeling quite frustrated that Helga managed to get a word out before he did.

Over Salazar's shoulder, Godric could see Rowena smile at him before turning her full attention to Salazar and Helga facing off against each other in the middle of the intersection of alleys Diagon and Knockturn.

Godric frowned when Salazar tilted his head towards him, referring to Godric. Helga's eyes followed the direction of the indication, and she frowned as well.

"What about Godric?" said Helga, looking back to Salazar. Godric stared at both of them with increasing bewilderment and bother. They were talking about him as though he wasn't there.

Salazar said, "When merchants see him, they double their prices." Salazar stated it as if it was a fact. Godric started and fumed when Helga made an understanding ahhhhh sound.

"That is not true," he complained, but they acted as though they hadn't heard him say anything.

Helga asked, "But what does Godric's naivete have to do with me not coming?" Although Godric was peeved by this query, he was confident Helga wasn't about to let Salazar off alone into Knockturn with Rowena.

Salazar sagely replied, "Helga, you know very well Godric cannot be left on his own. (Stop growling, Godric.) And I need Rowena with me to charm Scrimbles."

Godric and Helga were about to retort simultaneously when Salazar added lightly, "Do you want the finest luxurious leather at the lowest possible cost?" They hesitated at the Dark wizard's hint.

***

A while later, Helga was thinking that it was to Godric's credit that he didn't sulk. After Rowena and Salazar went into Knockturn Alley, the two left behind decided to explore Diagon Alley instead of just standing around waiting for their companions to return. Walking a half step behind and to the right of the wizard, Helga watched Godric attentively. They paused often and lingered as various merchandise attracted either's eyes.

Godric, Helga observed with unease, had an inappropriate interested in Muggle instruments of war. Swords, in particular, fascinated him. She knew he had quite a large collection, which had accumulated over the years.

He also had an unhealthy or too healthy an interest in dangerous beasts and creatures. Helga almost sighed out loud when Godric stopped in front of Distral's Dragon Den.

"No, Godric."

"I just want to look, Helga."

"I still remember the time you brought home a dragon egg."

"I explained about that many times already. Salazar gave that Liondragon egg to me."

"I still don't believe you. Why would he ever give you a dragon egg? Those things are ridiculously expensive."

Helga was a bit taken aback when Godric cheekily answered, "He knew you would be irritated." He hurriedly stepped into the shop while Helga was still recovering her wits, and she heard him mutter. "Not to mention he probably knew I'd get into trouble with you about it."

"... Godric, no more dragon eggs." Helga called out to him. She heard what sounded like reluctant affirmation from him, but she didn't go in after him to make certain. She hated dragons. Nothing would convince her otherwise.

***

If there was one thing Godric couldn't understand about Helga, it was her perpetual dislike of dragons. He simply couldn't understand why anyone would hate dragons. They were wonderful. Dragons were his second and close favorite after unicorns.

He paused just a few paces inside Distral's Dragon Den. There was a group of wizards in the center of shop. They were shouting, throwing up their arms and waving their hands in excitement.

Godric's heart jumped when he heard a high-pitched all too familiar cry. It was undoubtedly a dragon's. He joined the crowd just as a hefty wizard yelled, "Distral, I'll give you 30 galleons for it."

***

Helga was scowling, and she had a very good reason to. She glanced back, glaring at Godric who was walking just a step behind her. He was carrying a cage with a dragon inside it.

"You said you wouldn't!"

"I couldn't help it, Helga..."

She looked away from him, eyes rolling at his mournful only slightly regretful tone of voice. He is hopeless! What irked Helga even more than the fact that Godric had bought a live dragon was that he wouldn't say how much he had paid for it. It surely must have been a large amount, and even if the cost wasn't as high as she thought it was, it was still a wholly useless purchase.

***

The only time Godric could remember Helga being nearly this upset was when Salazar had kidnapped Rowena from right under their noses. As soon as they arrived at Hogwarts, Godric quickly strode away from Helga, his pace quickly turning into a fast clip as he headed in the direction of his private study. There were delays along the way as students spotted what he was carrying, barred his way and clamored to see the dragon he had bought.

"Wow! It's a beauty, Sir!"

"Can I touch it?"

"Sir, may we play with it?"

Without looking behind him, Godric knew Helga must be absolutely furious. As the cage was jostled, the newly purchased dragon within stared warily at the faces all around it with only the slender bars of its cage in between. It suddenly snorted, and everyone, except the one carrying it, backed away as tiny twin streams of blue fire burst from its nostrils.

"Godric!" Screamed Helga just as he bolted down the hallway.

***

The little dragon didn't like Godric. Disdainful puffs of smoke rose from its twitching nostrils as it glared at its new owner, who on the other hand was delighted with his new pet. Regardless of the fact that it had already bit him thrice.

"It's all right," Godric said to try to reassure the mini dragon as it paced to and fro. Its cage was only twice the size of its occupant." Through the bars of its home (prison), black rimmed yellow eyes narrowed cat-like with sheer dislike at the wizard.

***

"You must be hungry." Gryffindor's voice was tinged with eagerness to please his recently acquired dragon.

"Turin," said Lyle somberly as he and his brother gazed at the mirror showing Gryffindor hastily looking for something edible to give to the small beastie.

"Yes, Lyle?" queried Turin rather absent-mindedly. Like Lyle, nearly all his attention was caught by the events reflected in the mirror, which was showing what the dragon familiar was seeing.

"If anything happens to my dragon..." Trailed off his younger brother dangerously.

"She'll be fine, Lyle. Don't worry."

***

Godric was beginning to worry. He had tried more than a dozen varieties of food - from the usual kind such as greens, lamb, chicken and venison, to delicacies such as sturgeon's eggs, oysters, cassava, and even live mice. The little dragon killed the mice but didn't eat them all up, just their heads.

He sighed as he removed the dead rodents from the cage. At least, his new pet had stopped sniping and trying to bite him each time he stuck his hand into its enclosure. It was currently ignoring Godric having sullenly presented its small scaly-ridged back towards him.

Godric paused in mid-cleanup, taking a few moments to admire... What do I call her? Since it was a she... Dracaena? Ranae? Hmm... Drasia... Kalis... He formed quite a number of names before he found one that felt suitable. Ryais... - Yes, that is a nice-sounding name. It seemed an appropriate nomenclature for a female dragon. She was a pretty little beastie with smooth iridescent sky-tinged scales.

Ryais was a miniature blue dragon from the main land. The runt of a large litter, Distral had informed him. The only little one. That also meant she was most likely sterile, which was probably why Distral didn't demand more than the gold Godric had paid for her. Though one hundred and twenty galleons was a very large sum indeed. Godric had outbid all other interested buyers.

As Godric was about to properly dispose of the decapitated mice, Ryais started hacking. Godric dropped the rodents as he looked worriedly at the little blue dragon. It was choking on something.

He had opened the cage gate just as Ryais coughed a small object out. It landed with a clear metallic clink on the cage floor. Though covered in what Godric could only assume to be dragon saliva, it was clearly a ring.

***

"Tell me, Turin. How exactly did you make her eat the ring?"

"It wasn't easy, Lyle."

"I hope she bit you hard."

***

It was a plain-looking ring. No jewels of any sort set in it. It appeared to be made out of silver. Godric washed it clean before examining it carefully. Meanwhile, in her cage, Ryais, looking less ill tempered, had laid down before curling up to sleep. Godric glanced to her before turning his eyes back to the ring. He wondered how it had gotten into Ryais.

... Perhaps she had bitten off and eaten the finger that had been wearing it.

That sounded plausible, decided Godric as he absent-mindedly turned the ring over and over in his fingers. Just then, it slipped down his right forefinger, and Godric was alarmed when he felt it tightening. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach as he began pulling it off.

It wouldn't.

***

"Run me through this nefarious plot of yours once more, Turin."

"I already explained it to you, Lyle."

"Elucidate again. Some of the finer points have escaped my mind."

"I suppose I should. You do have quite a bad memory."

"Turin..."

"Very well. We shrunk our dragon-"

"You mean you shrunk my dragon."

"Unimportant details, Lyle. Now, let me finish once again. Once the ring is destroyed, our-" "My," said Lyle." "- dragon returns to its correct size and wrecks havoc, chaos and mayhem at Hogwarts."

"But what if the ring isn't destroyed?"

"It will. It will be. They have to destroy it."

"... What else does it do?"

"Haven't I told you?"

***

"Godric, what is the matter?" Though Helga was still peeved at the wizard for buying the dragon (she didn't care that it was a little dragon and that it would always be a little dragon), she was concerned that Godric had seemed restless and uncomfortable since the start of the noon meal.

They were seated at the High Table, and the Great Hall was filling and becoming noisier as more students entered to have their midday repast. Rowena and Salazar hadn't returned yet and that was another thing worrying Helga aside from Godric fidgeting in his chair.

Clear unguarded brown eyes looked towards her, and Helga turned suspicious at the obvious guilt on Godric's expressive visage.

Without preamble, Helga demanded, "What did you do now?"

"Nothing, Helga." She didn't believe him. Godric was a poor liar.

"Godric..." She said warningly.

After a short while, he let out a weary sigh before hesitantly lifting his clenched right hand from his lap and showing it to her. Helga frowned, feeling confused and wary. He had been hiding his right hand in the folds of his robes when she met him at the entrance of the Great Hall. Helga had contented herself with her imagined very satisfying reason that Godric's new pet had bitten his right hand.

Serves him right.

But his hand appeared to be in fair and undamaged condition. Helga counted the number of fingers. None had been ripped out, none with parts that had been bitten off. There were recent fang bites, but they had been mended already. She had thought Godric wanted her to treat and to heal whatever injuries he had sustained from foolishly taking care of such a dangerous creature such as a dragon. Never mind its size.

Her brows furrowing, Helga took Godric's hand in hers and straightened its fingers, turning his hand over to examine its palm. It was sweaty, but that was barely a cause for concern unless he was coming down with a fever or another illness with sweaty palms as a symptom. Even so, in case of fever and such, the patient's hands are not the parts of the body to be examined.

"Your hand looks fine, Godric," Helga finally said, sounding dubious of his mental state. There was an exasperated noise from Godric, and he turned his hand back, showing its knuckles up. The ring on his forefinger glinted in the flickering torch and candle light.

"It's the ring, Helga," he muttered.

"What about it, Godric?"

"It won't come off." Godric looked very embarrassed. Helga hesitated a little before suggesting water and soap. Godric groaned at this and jerked his hand back.

"Helga how stupid do you think I am," he complained. "I tried that already. I also used oil, lard, butter- They didn't work."

"Did you try magic?"

"I did. I used Enlargo on it. Nothing Happened."

Helga became genuinely concerned when she heard this. It could only mean that the ring was enchanted. She wondered what else it was enchanted to do besides making itself impossible to remove.

"Where did you get it?" Asked Helga as she reached out and took hold of Godric's hand again. Intent on trying to pull the ring off Godric's finger, it was a while before she realized he was taking a long time in answering her very simple question.

She wondered at discomfort in his face. "... Godric, where did you get this ring?"

After quite a while, he reluctantly answered, "From Ryais."

Helga almost dropped his hand. ... Ryais... The name conjured a picture of a slender willowy girl with flowing raven locks and laughing green eyes in Helga's mind. That's what her imagination told her a girl named Ryais must look like.

"... Well, Godric. I must say this Ryais must be a very possessive-"

"Good grief, Helga!" The Great Hall quieted at his loud exclamation, and flustered, he continued in a barely discernable whisper.

"Ryais is the miniature dragon I bought today."

After a stunned second, Helga dropped Godric's hand in disgust.

***

At that very moment, Rowena and Salazar entered the Great Hall. Students stopped talking and straightened respectfully as they passed before returning to their meals and their conversations. The Heads of Houses Ravenclaw and Slytherin were discussing about something as well, talking about the shipment of goods and materials that would arrive at Hogwarts from Scrimbles the next day.

Rowena was more embarrassed than satisfied with the results of their visit to Scrimbles. Salazar had not been exaggerating about the admiration Scrimbles had for her. The other wizard had kept praising and fawning over her. He barely paid mind to the terms of the contract they had presented to him. Rowena now fully understood why Salazar wanted her to come along, and she was also thankful that she hadn't gone alone. Her MindReading talent had warned her that Scrimbles had seriously considered the idea of kidnapping her.

She couldn't suppress a shudder of fear as she recalled the thoughts she heard from Scrimbles, and she instinctively moved closer to Salazar, who glanced at her fondly. His arm moved from his side and crossed her back. She felt his hand rest possessively and protectively on her waist before decorum made him release her reluctantly. They were in a public place with many a student observing with watchful eyes.

Rowena smiled at his reticence and was about to say something to Salazar when he froze. She looked up to him and saw that his green eyes were dazed and staring at something straight ahead. There was a helpless light in them. Puzzled, Rowena turned in the direction he was staring at. All she saw was the High Table where Godric and Helga were already seated in their chairs. They seemed to be arguing.

Suddenly, Salazar started running. Rowena was alarmed as he dashed down the main aisle. Students looked up from their plates, turning curiously towards the sound of running feet. Many pairs of eyes blinked and widened at the sight of Lord Slytherin leaping unto the raised dais where the High Table was.

Lord Gryffindor and Lady Hufflepuff turned towards them, their faces distracted as their conversation had been interrupted. They became bewildered when Lord Slytherin slammed his hands down on the table, in front of Lord Gryffindor.

The entire hall fell silent when Lord Slytherin loudly declared, "I love you, Godric."

To be continued.