Confrontation and Consequences (Alfie and Helena)

[Melkor 'Alfie' Valenceus]

Alfie did not expect the little girl to try to stop him or he would have disabled her as well. Regardless when he heard the spell's incantation, Alfie spun on the spot. He summoned a mirror to shield him and the force of the body-binding curse shattered the mirror in Alfie's face and body. He pulled a large piece of glass from his arm and threw it onto the ground. He glared at Helena coldly, anger retaking his mind. Alfie slipped back under the influence of the dark spell that his father laid over 15 years ago. Alfie could no longer move his own body. He found his mind and body were the vessel of the spirit of his father now.

Alfie gazed at Helena curiously. No longer appearing to be angry. He figured the Ravenclaws were not called wise because of their ability to handle stressful encounters. "I hear you've read every book in the world." He spoke more to Rowena than Helena. "Well, I have mastered all the books that really matter." Alfie raised his wand, it seemed he had changed his mind about leaving. With the foriegn spirit now in control, there was no reason for him to leave. "Crucio!"

Alfie detected the movement of Rowena from the corner of his eye. He did not turn his head to look directly at her. Fearing the son's weak spirit would suddenly find strength at the sight. "Be still, woman. I am an artist with the curse. You would not want to deform your daughter in any way, I suspect." Alfie grinned despite a few large shards of glass still protruding from his face. There was one in particular on his lip that oozed blood and puss whenever he spoke. "Don't break my concentration. There's no telling what I might cast in the struggle."

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Rowena blinked. Then she moved her fingers and shook her head. She realised that the spell was broken and that she wasn’t bound anymore. Rowena looked at her daughter and hurried towards her. It was strange, but she was proud of her daughter and her quick thinking. The sound of breaking glass made Rowena turn and look at Alfie. Helena’s curse could have hit him if he hadn’t summoned the mirror. Rowena winced when she saw what the pieces of glass had done to his face. However, it was something that could be fixed in a couple of minutes. Rowena was frightened by the way Alfie glared at her daughter. He looked angry, but only a moment later he gazed at Helena curiously. Rowena looked at Alfie, frowning. When he raised his wand and cast a Cruciatus curse, Rowena took Helena’s hand and pulled her to the side. The curse missed them by inches.

Rowena was annoyed that Alfie refused to look at her. There was something odd going on and the only way to help him would be to talk to him. Rowena took her wand from Helena’s hand and stood in front of her to protect her. She raised her wand with shaky hand, pointing it at Alfie. “Don’t you dare touch my daughter!” Rowena didn’t want to fight, especially with someone as powerful as Alfie. There was a chance that she might win the duel, but she would most certainly get hurt. Rowena was intimidated by his grin and the crazy look on his face. However, she made a small step towards him, trying to force him to look at her. “Alfie, look at me.” She whispered. Perhaps he was right, perhaps his father was still alive and trying to overtake his mind again. Or maybe the others were right and she had misjudged him. Rowena would never admit that she was wrong, so she shook away the idea. “Darling you’re not your father, you’re not like him.” Rowena kept staring at him, hoping he would look back at her and ready to protect herself and her daughter if he attacked.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

Helena heaved a sigh of relief as her mother unfroze. She had been having doubts if the incantation had been right in haste. She was about to help her mother up, but, the sound of a mirror breaking into pieces made her avert her eyes from her mother and turn head to the direction of Lord Valenceus. Her gaze landed on his angry face instantly and she felt his cold glare at her. She cringed at the sight of his wounds brought about by the broken mirrors. Helena stood her ground and was about to try her luck with the bat bogey hex when his anger melted into curiosity and Helena wondered what type of mental problem or problems he had.

If it weren’t for her mother who pulled her out of harm’s way, she would have been cursed for the second time in her life. If Helena did not like Lord Valenceus before, she despised him now. She was actually scared for her life and also her mother’s. She observed him carefully as her mother tried to make him look at her? Helena made a face. Was her mother really in love with him or was she just under one of his curses, particularly the imperious curse. However, it was obvious that her mother was herself at that moment, because she was encouraging him to overcome his craziness. Well, it was how Helena viewed the situation. Helena braced herself for an attack to back her mother up. Yes, she did not have a wand but she was confident that she could perform simple spells without it.

[Melkor 'Alfie' Valenceus]

Alfie turned his head sharply when Rowena came into his view. There was no telling how weak they had made the son's spirit at this point. He could tell that the weak boy felt abandoned by them and thought they should be the only people that should care about him. "So pathetic. Shut up, young Rowena. Just like that other girl, you're not worthy of any of my sons. No foolish tutor ever will be." Alphard's torn soul had witnessed Alfie's treachery and knew things that even Alphard's main soul would not at this point. "Davian Lestrange? That useless cretin?" Alfie spat. "Living amongst Muggles. Apparently he missed a horcrux didn't he, dear?" Alfie tapped his own heart with the palm of his hand. "Yes. That is what you get for getting help from a Lestrange. Idiots actually think they're royalty. Incompetent."

Alfie gazed at Rowena for a moment. He smirked arrogantly. "Don't move or I'll kill you. Then I'd take her for the dogs to play with." Alfie inclined his chin at Helena. He turned and fled through the door with haste. He began to pull the glass shards from his face and placed curses on them before hiding them as he headed toward the exit to the school. These enchanted glass pieces would be the least of the Hogwarts Founder's worries in the days to come.

Alfie made it to the large doors in the entrance hall before someone caught up to him. He aimed his son's wand up to the second level door and cast a blasting curse at it. "I said stay put! I'll return for you when I am ready!" Alfie glared at a portrait of Merlin. He turned and blasted it off a wall. He continually blasted the portrait until it was mangled and unrecognizeable. The Entrance Hall lay in ruins before he'd finally finished with destroying the portrait.

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Rowena was standing between her lover and her daughter, with her wand raised up high. When Alfie finally looked at her, she returned the gaze. Rowena took a deep breath, shocked at what she saw in his eyes. He wasn’t the same person anymore, the person she had fallen in love with and for whom she would have done anything. Rowena backed away, trying to hide her daughter from his gaze. She kept staring at his empty dark eyes, but saw nothing but pure evil and coldness. It was true, old Alphard Valenceus had returned to life and he had taken over his son’s mind and body.

Rowena narrowed her eyes and raised her head. The silly old man had no idea, she was worthy of any man’s affection, but she had chosen his son. She was about to say something rather mean when he started to talk to himself. Rowena raised her eyebrows, trying to figure out what he was saying. She only wanted to slap him when he smirked at her. The old man showed no respect and it made her angry. Her Alfie would never treat her like that. Rowena held her wand tightly, aiming at him. When he fled, Rowena sighed and sat on his bed. She knew that he wouldn’t come back.

Unable to look directly at her daughter, Rowena lowered her gaze. Then she looked up at Helena and took her hand. “Darling, please stay here, you’ll be safe.” Rowena stood up, straightened her dress and walked towards the door. She couldn’t let him hurt any of their students. “Don’t follow me, I’ll be back!” Rowena walked out of the room and hurried down the corridor. Cursed shards of glass started flying towards her, as a flock of shiny attacking birds. Rowena wasn’t surprised, she raised her wand, breaking the curse and they fell on the floor. Rowena ran down a small staircase hidden behind a tapestry and kept running until she made it to the Entrance Hall. It was late at night, so the hall was empty. "Alfie!" she called after him. Rowena aimed her wand at Alfie Impedimenta! she thought. Her hand was shaking, so her curse missed him and hit the wall. Rowena stopped a few steps up from the foot of the stairs, hoping the noise hadn’t woken any one.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

One would be stupid not to notice that Lord Valenceus’ father took over his body. Helena looked indignant, stifling the urge to curse him, when the father of Lord Valenceus insulted her mother. He was obviously ignorant about her mother’s achievements to call her foolish. The young Ravenclaw paled when Lord Valenceus’ father revealed that a man called Davian Lestrange missed a horcrux. At the back of her mind, she wondered if Davian was, indeed, incompetent or he really just intentionally ‘missed’ a horcrux. If the latter was the case, then her mother must be careful in dealing with him. At that moment, Helena realized just about how many secrets her mother kept from her through the years and she felt empty.

Helena could now see that her mother’s judgement did not commit a mistake. The rude side of Lord Valenceus earlier was obviously his father acting up, not him. She now understood why he slipped in and out of ‘sanity’ as she called it before. Now, she kind of felt sorry for Lord Valenceus. It must have been hard for him to control himself when someone as strong-willed as his father was trying to take over his mind and body. She glanced at her mother and was not surprised at her expression. Rowena Ravenclaw looked like she was about seconds from slapping Lord Valenceus’ father.

Helena watched Lord Valenceus go and she was glad he did not attempt to hurt her mother and her. When her mother asked her to stay put, she just nodded, quite unsure she’d be able to follow her instruction. “Okay, I’ll be staying here.” Helena reassured her before her mother went out of the door. She sat on the bed and tried to be the type of daughter who followed her mother’s instructions. Plus, it was not like she would be able to help her mother much, she was wandless. However, when she heard the sound of broken glass, she quickly headed out of the hospital wing to check it out. Just as she was about to reach the entrance hall, a sharp pain made her heart stop. “Ouch!” She exclaimed. Helena limped toward the side of the corridor near the entrance hall to see what happened to her foot. Upon closer inspection, she saw blood oozed out of her left heel where a huge shard of glass protruded. When she heard the noise echo from the entrance hall, possibly made by her mother, she tried to walk shakily toward the noise. “Ow!” She yelped as her other heel met the same fate as the other one. Unable to walk now, she could only hope her mother was fine.

[Melkor 'Alfie' Valenceus]

Rowena's spell was close enough for Alphard to feel it. He looked back up at Rowena. There was a moment when he seemed to calm down. But it fled as soon as it had appeared. Alphard looked livid. He began to float suddenly and came to Rowena's eye level. Though he remained at the door to the outside world. Alphard watched Rowena for a moment before commenting. "Impede me and you will perish, woman. My desire to humiliate you is much more than my fascination with ending your life. Pray that does not change. I have business elsewhere." Alphard blasted open a window and floated toward it. When he reached it he stopped and turned around. "Why would you choose such a weak boy. As weak as his mother." Among many purebloods of Alfie's age, it was well known that Alfie's father considered him a failure and blamed him for the death of the man's wife. Old Alphard had secretly vowed to never let Alfie live happily ever again.

(Ah. You may rouse Alfie now. With that specific information, remember? Helena should probably hear the confession. I am tired of Old Alphard Valenceus. )

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Rowena was standing on the stairs, completely motionless, without taking her eyes off of Alfie. She hoped that nothing had happened to Helena and that she wasn't following her. Rowena had asked her to stay in the Hospital Wing, but knowing her daughter, she was sure that Helena hadn't obeyed her order. Protecting Helena from Alphard's curses would only weaken Rowena's concentration. Rowena flinched when the old man spoke to her. She managed to remain calm, even though she only wanted to curse him, or throw a large heavy object at him. "I am not afraid of you." she lied, clenching her fists. Rowena's eyes followed his movements towards the window. "He is not the weak one, you are." she said calmly, her entire body still shaking with fear and anger. She ran down the stairs to Alfie, determined that she wouldn't let his father win. Rowena took his hand and looked him straight in the eye. "Alfie, you have to fight him! You are stronger than your father!" Her tone was gentle, yet firm. "Please, I need you..." Rowena bit her lip and lowered her gaze, trying to find the strength to say what had to be said. "I'm pregnant." she whispered and looked up at him, hoping that her words would wake him up.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

When both of one’s feet are wounded by huge pieces of glass, walking was one of the things that was almost impossible to do. Helena Ravenclaw leaned against the wall for support as she shakily removed the protruding pieces of glass on her heels hastily. Having done that, she magically wrapped her ankles with bandages and started walking toward the noise. Upon reaching the entrance, Helena gaped at the surroundings. With a shoulder on the wall to support most of her weight, she tried to figure out what transpired before her arrival. Her mother’s facial expression was too complex to read so the young Ravenclaw waited for her mother’s words to enlighten her instead. And, when Rowena Ravenclaw revealed that she was pregnant, Helena’s eyes widened and she felt her heart stop. Then she felt numb, not believing that her mother never breathed a word to her about it, at the same time, she was not sure about how she felt about the situation. However, she knew how much her mother loved Lord Valenceus and most probably wanted and loved the child she was carrying so she started walking toward Lord Valenceus. “Please stay.” Helena tried to persuade the Lord. And Helena surprised herself by saying, “Please don’t let your child grow up without a father.” Still confused about her feelings and shocked about the news, Helena was only sure of two things: 1. She could hear her heartbeat as she fixed her gaze on Lord Valenceus; and 2. She did not want the child her mother was carrying to not have a father.

[Melkor 'Alfie' Valenceus]

Alphard had wished he hadn't stopped to wreck the Entrance Hall now. He knew that Ravenclaw woman would use some absurdly sappy confession to rouse his son. Alphard had been unable to overtake the soul that he and his son now shared first because of the Elder Wand and now because of Rowena. Alphard could feel the slipping of his possession on Alfie's mind. He stood in the window frame and gazed down at Rowena as she declared her need for Alfie. With his hands on either side of the window frame he was finally pushed from the mind of his first son.

Alfie had seen all that his father did using his own form. He also felt all of the fears and excitement. He did not know until now that his father had any fears at all. The man always seemed so stern and in control of himself. Alfie didn't think his father was ever overly excited at all either. Now he knew that the man was just extremely capable of hiding such emotions. Alfie grinned suddenly, he knew it was a silly thing to do after what had just happened. But he found it strangely euphoric that his father had always feared losing him all along.

Alfie looked from Rowena to Helena. His smile faded slowly as he gazed upon them. He knew that Helena was right. "I am afraid. Afraid I cannot stay. Danger follows me too closely." Alfie looked around the hall at the destruction his father had wrought. It was strange, the man had devoted the last years of his life to the school and left his estate to the school and was one of the first to defile it. Alfie wondered if his father's re-appearance had anything to do with Salazar growing angry about the debate over a permanent Head of the school position. "The poison. Viktor. My father. They're all connected, I know it." Alfie took a step out of the window frame and looked like he was going to jump down 20 feet to the floor but he floated down slowly instead. "The only answer is Salazar."

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Rowena had no idea that Helena was there and that she could hear her words. She turned around to look at her daughter, her eyes widened in shock. However, Helena’s words came as a much bigger shock. Rowena was confused, she would have expected her daughter to be angry or hurt, but she would never have thought that Helena would try to persuade Alfie into staying. Helena’s reaction was somewhat understandable, since she had grown up without a father. Rowena kept looking at her daughter and then she looked up at Alfie again. When she saw the grin on his face, Rowena winced, suddenly worried that his father hadn’t left his mind. She returned the gaze, staring at him carefully. Rowena sighed with relief when she noticed the change in Alfie’s expression and eyes. He was again the man she had fallen in love with.

“It doesn’t mean that you have to run away. Besides, I have brought more danger to you than you have to any of us.” Rowena shrugged. In a way, it was her fault that Viktor had taken the Elder wand. It would be almost impossible to take it from the boy, even though Alfie was still the master of the wand. Rowena was hurt and angry about the way he had used her to keep the wand safe from Viktor and Salazar. “Salazar?” Rowena said out loud, her dark eyes following Alfie’s floating down on the floor. She had no idea that he would be able to do that, it was just another thing he had never mentioned. However, there was no time for arguing, they had more important things to worry about. “You think that Salazar had something to do with, well, all of that?” Rowena frowned. Salazar would most certainly be capable of doing such things and perhaps something worse, only to keep Alfie from becoming the Headmaster. Salazar was also the only person who protected Viktor from Rowena. She would have expelled him long time ago if it hadn’t been for Salazar. “You might be right, but we don’t have any evidence. Or do we?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

The truth was, if it was not for the child in her mother’s womb, she would have pushed Lord Valenceus out of the castle. It was obvious that he was not himself and until he was not Helena knew that it would be for safer for all of them if he did not stick around, even just for a while. However, she could not find it in her heart to push him away for doing that would mean robbing her new half sibling of a father. Plus, she knew her mother would never forgive her if she made herself one of the factors that made Lord Valenceus, the man her mother love so much, leave her, especially now that she was pregnant with his child.

Whatever the two were saying was lost to Helena. All she knew was that he was back, and it was not supposed to be her to stop him from going this time. She was even unsure if she should be there at all. All of a sudden, Helena felt like an outsider. Now that Lord Valenceus was going to have a baby with her mother, she knew that soon she would be the one on the side lines. The half sister of her mother’s future child; the stepdaughter of her mother’s new husband; and her mother’s daughter who will surely get a lesser amount of her mother’s time than she was getting now, that is, if her mother was even going to spare her a time of her day.

Her heels were bandaged but they were not too well and she felt the need to be in solitude. A lot had been happening around the school and it was not making Helena even a tad bit happy. But, when Lord Valenceus spoke of Viktor and the poison and a lot of other things connected to it, Helena’s thoughts on leaving ceased and was replaced by a little anxiety and curiosity. Not trusting herself to talk, she just listened to their conversation. When her mother asked if Lord Valenceus had any evidence against Salazar Slytherin, she could not help but feel shocked. She knew her mother was friends with her uncle. How could she even think that Salazar Slytherin had something to do with Morgana Gaunt poisoning her mother and everything else? It was only then that she realized that he could convince her mother into thinking anything. “Maybe you were right. Maybe you should just leave.” Helena said all of a sudden, her gaze focused on Lord Valenceus, her facial expression unreadable.

[Melkor 'Alfie' Valenceus]

Alfie pressed three of his fingers to his forehead. He frowned as he listened to Rowena. To him, she seemed to miss obvious things. Alfie did not consider that Salazar could have ever been innocent. Perhaps he was projecting his own guilt and personality onto Salazar unjustly, but Alfie was sure of his convictions. But alas, he could provide no solid evidence. Salazar's conviction would have to wait until Alfie could coax the Founder into the open. Alfie swept sweat from his face and cast it to the floor. His head jerked toward Helena when she voiced her change of heart on the matter of his staying. Alfie was a bit annoyed that she had said anything on the matter in the first place. He would decide what he would do, not his father or anyone could decide for him. Least of all, an insignificant child.

Alfie turned back to Rowena and shook his head slowly. He glared at her coldly. He knew she probably really believed that these events were her own fault. But Alfie knew that he was to blame. His dark past had led to this turning point in history. "You know very little of my past, Rowena. There are dealings and events that I am not proud of. I told you before, I had a son. And I abandoned him. I am not fit to remain at your side." Alfie stepped forward slowly and took a knee before Rowena. "Not until I've paid for my sins." With that, Alfie stood again.

Alfie went to the door to the outside. He turned around and looked to Helena with dark features. He was never good with children and had a mild hatred for Helena already. She seemed very uncertain. Which was not a very good trait for someone who also spoke as much as she did. Or at least, he percieved that she spoke alot for her age. "Do not be uncertain, dear. You are surrounded by witches and wizards who are fully aware of their capability and knowledge. You should put some trust in them. There is no reason to doubt your Professors."

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Rowena quietly observed Alfie with narrowed eyes. She crossed her arms turning slightly in place to follow his movements. Rowena sighed and shook her head, casting a quick glance in Helena’s direction. She didn’t want to discuss certain matters in front of her. However, Rowena knew that Helena would never leave the room, now that she finally had a chance to dig into the best kept secrets. After all, Helena was her daughter and snooping was in her blood. Judging by the look on her face, Helena obviously believed that Alfie’s words had some influence on Rowena and made her doubt Salazar. Salazar’s behaviour was one of the things that she didn’t want to talk about in front of Helena.

Rowena kept her arms crossed and her eyes remained focused on Alfie. She didn’t like the way he glared at her, but he was probably just worried about her. Rowena sighed again when he spoke and moved towards him. “We aren’t talking about the past, but the future.” She whispered. Her voice was shaking when she spoke again. “You did what you thought was best for your son, he... he is probably happier now.” Rowena made another pause, nervously biting her lip. “There isn’t a person who has never made a mistake. You can’t let your past haunt you.” Rowena glanced at Helena before she whispered again. “I’ve raised one child on my own, I can deal with another one. If it will help you find your peace again, you may leave.” Rowena turned back to Helena, trying to suppress her feelings. She was too proud to tell him the truth, that she wanted him to stay, that she desperately needed him. It was easier to be cold and distant, as she always was.

[Helena Albertyne Ravenclaw]

Helena noticed how Lord Valenceus simply disregarded her words. Not quite used to not getting her way, she wanted to bolt and be somewhere out of the sight but her heels and her curiosity prevented her from doing do so. So, she just stayed put trying to make the most of the situation. Since, her mother normally always spoke of her personal life behind closed doors with her on the other side, she tried to take advantage of this rare opportunity, even though she was not feeling great.

When Lord Valenceus revealed that he once had abandoned his son and decided to dramatically abandon her mother, who was with another child, she almost wanted to blurt out: Outstanding. It’s not enough to abandon one child, you just have to abandon two. But, she kept it to herself, not wanting to draw attention and possibly be asked to leave. As she followed her mother’s movements with her eyes, Helena choked on what Lord Valenceus said next. Pay for his sins? Oh, that would certainly take a while. Good luck. She had a feeling that her sarcastic self would continue prevailing until all this was over, until Lord Valenceus left or stayed. She automatically hoped that the former would be the case.

Her mother obviously did not want her there for she started whispering to Lord Valenceus. Helena sighed and kept her face blank as she fought the urge to stay where she was. When her mother glanced at her before whispering again, she wondered what she was saying. With no way of knowing her mother’s exact words, she just resorted to lip reading. Unfortunately, from where she was standing, it was impossible to read her mother’s lips. However, she could see Lord Valenceus’ face but she found his expression not helpful at all. When her mother finally stopped whispering, she saw that she was back to normal. Her face as composed as always and Helena, surprisingly, felt relieved. The feeling did not last long for when Lord Valenceus spoke, she found herself trying to understand what was behind his statement. After all, he was the one who doubted one of her professors.