September 4 - The More Things Change - Gryffindor
Title: The More Things Change
Author: bangles
House: Gryffindor
Date/Challenge: September 4th/Thou are not what thou wast before / what reason I should be the same?
Character/Pairing: Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff
Genre/Warnings (as applicable): Gen
Rating: G
"You've changed, Salazar."
Salazar spared a brief glance for the woman in his doorway before returning his attention to his open suitcase, flicking his wand with a mental comand to pack. "My, Helga, the look on your face. You're not here to convince me to stay, then?"
"Not this time."
So there were to be no more placating words, no Rowena rolling her eyes and telling him to be reasonable while Godric sulked on the other side of the castle, refusing to be the first to apologize. Good; it would just have been a nuisance. "Well, well. So even the magnanimous Helga Hufflepuff is unwilling to tolerate my presence further." He smiled at her humorlessly as his possessions whirled through the air. "What do you want, then?"
"I just... I need to know, what happened to you? You never used to be so, so twisted."
"Twisted? Really, such stinging words don't become you." The lid of his suitcase slammed closed. "We all change, Helga. Just look at us, lazing about in these towers, spending our days playing nursemaids to children - we used to talk of changing the world! You, Helga, what's happened to your dreams of equality, treating Muggles and Mudbloods as if they were decent people-"
"Do not use that word in my hearing, if you please." She raised an eyebrow at him. "My dreams are doing just fine, Salazar. We do have plenty of Muggle-born students at this school, if you haven't noticed."
"Yes, in this school, in this little retreat, this little hole. This isn't the real world and you know it. We've built a little fantasy world to play out our dreams in; we used to dream of changing the world, not hiding from it!"
"Oh, really, I hardly think we're hiding from anything." Helga gave him a frown that on anyone else might have been called a scowl. "We're not settling, Salazar. We are raising the next generation of wizards and witches here. You want to change the world? I can't think of a better place to start."
"Really? The only way you can think of to change the world is by hiding behind other people and getting them to do your work for you?" He sketched her a mocking bow as he passed, moving out the door. "Then I must apologize, Helga, I was quite wrong. You haven't changed at all."
Author: bangles
House: Gryffindor
Date/Challenge: September 4th/Thou are not what thou wast before / what reason I should be the same?
Character/Pairing: Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff
Genre/Warnings (as applicable): Gen
Rating: G
"You've changed, Salazar."
Salazar spared a brief glance for the woman in his doorway before returning his attention to his open suitcase, flicking his wand with a mental comand to pack. "My, Helga, the look on your face. You're not here to convince me to stay, then?"
"Not this time."
So there were to be no more placating words, no Rowena rolling her eyes and telling him to be reasonable while Godric sulked on the other side of the castle, refusing to be the first to apologize. Good; it would just have been a nuisance. "Well, well. So even the magnanimous Helga Hufflepuff is unwilling to tolerate my presence further." He smiled at her humorlessly as his possessions whirled through the air. "What do you want, then?"
"I just... I need to know, what happened to you? You never used to be so, so twisted."
"Twisted? Really, such stinging words don't become you." The lid of his suitcase slammed closed. "We all change, Helga. Just look at us, lazing about in these towers, spending our days playing nursemaids to children - we used to talk of changing the world! You, Helga, what's happened to your dreams of equality, treating Muggles and Mudbloods as if they were decent people-"
"Do not use that word in my hearing, if you please." She raised an eyebrow at him. "My dreams are doing just fine, Salazar. We do have plenty of Muggle-born students at this school, if you haven't noticed."
"Yes, in this school, in this little retreat, this little hole. This isn't the real world and you know it. We've built a little fantasy world to play out our dreams in; we used to dream of changing the world, not hiding from it!"
"Oh, really, I hardly think we're hiding from anything." Helga gave him a frown that on anyone else might have been called a scowl. "We're not settling, Salazar. We are raising the next generation of wizards and witches here. You want to change the world? I can't think of a better place to start."
"Really? The only way you can think of to change the world is by hiding behind other people and getting them to do your work for you?" He sketched her a mocking bow as he passed, moving out the door. "Then I must apologize, Helga, I was quite wrong. You haven't changed at all."