The Heir's Witness: Part I
Mar. 18th, 2015 01:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
author_by_nightInserteth faketh Middlest Englishe heere.
Oh good heavens, that was painful.
Part I: Last Rites
When the Friar was called to Salazar Slytherin's deathbed, he was rather taken back.
The Friar had been in his fifth and final year - the seven-year system would be adopted later - when Slytherin left; he still remembered how sad the Heads had been. He'd heard Helga Hufflepuff herself begging Salazar not to leave, saying he would be forgiven. But Slytherin had fled, and as far as the Friar knew, not even his children had attended Hogwarts.
The Friar, meanwhile, had become respected both in the muggle village where he lived and within the wizarding world. His Christian name had been forgotten by most; even the Friar rarely answered to his real name. Friar suited him fine.
Still, Salazar Slytherin had become something of a recluse. So it was a surprise to the Friar when he received word that he was wanted at the man's bedside. The Friar was surprised further when Salazar sent his sons and grandsons out of the room.
The Friar couldn't help but be saddened by the man's appearance; once somewhat burly with a strong, powerful voice, he was now frail, and called to the Friar in a weak voice. It would not be long at all before his death.
"He's not quite right in his mind, either," Slytherin's daughter-in-law warned the Friar. "Sometimes he has trouble focusing on what he's saying... once or twice he's forgotten where he was, thought I was Rowena Ravenclaw..."
"Thank you," the Friar interrupted. He shut the door, took out his Bible, and prayed as Slytherin listened.
As soon as the Friar paused, Slytherin interrupted: "Prayers won't do me any good now, Friar. Too much damage has been wrought..."
"Ours is a forgiving God, dear Salazar."
Salazar was mumbling now. "It will kill all of them... head of Medusa... just as I planned, but not as I meant... if Septimus learns..."
"Septimus is one of your sons, correct?"
"You need to listen. I would destroy it myself, but I am too weak, and my sons... I taught them too well, especially Septimus. Muggles... he calls them descendants of Cain... I never said any such thing, Friar, but his ugly wife puts food in my mouth and he takes out my words and turns them into his."
"What are you saying, Salazar?"
"Septimus has done harm; of that I can be certain. A strange death occurred, a girl who showed signs of being a muggleborn witch fell through ice on a warm day... parents blamed fairies. I know who it was, and it wasn't any fairy. If they knew about... Hogwarts... they don't know I meant only for it to be protected. Or maybe I... didn't care then. Maybe I would have seen every one of those children die, as I fear Septimus would now. Maybe Godric was right about me after all."
"What are you talking about?" the Friar demanded.
"Monstrous beast... I saw it in a dream, Friar. It will happen, and it will be in my name, in my doing. He will find me in the bowels, magicked to give him all the instructions they need."
"What is this beast?"
"Godric, old friend, forgive me... we founded as brothers, parted as Cain and Abel... I was not your keeper."
"I need you to focus. Tell me how and where this monster can be found."
"You won't find it."
"Then what do I need to do?"
Slytherin grasped Friar's hand and held it tightly. "You need to know. Protect them. Promise me."
"How can I when I don't-"
"Promise me."
There was so much in the man's eyes; fear, anger, sorrow, regret... the Friar had never seen anything like it.
"I promise," he said. "I'll do everything I can."
Slytherin rested his arm and closed his eyes. "Then it is done."
"You haven't told me what the beast is," the Friar reminded him.
Slytherin didn't respond; the Friar touched the tortured man's forehead, said a few choice prayers, then summoned his family to give them the news.
When the Friar reached Hogwarts after a long journey, he found people crying. At first he thought it was for Slytherin, but it turned out that Rowena, too, had died following terrible the death of her daughter. Distracted by grief, and with none of the Founders who'd known Slytherin properly left, the Friar's warnings were not taken seriously.
"We've searched the castle," the new headmaster wrote after a month, "and there's no monster to be found. He probably meant his House, which does not appear remotely cursed. You're wasting everyone's time over the ramblings of an addled, dying man. Save your worries for real threats."
Try as he might, the Friar could never let the dying man's words go. So when he found that his soul had not been quite ready to rest, he naturally made Hogwarts home, ready to protect if the ramblings of an addled, dying man hadn't been.
Oh good heavens, that was painful.
I've never actually written this character before, but I've written some things centered around the Fat Friar from the Harry Potter series. The first installment is below.
Note: I know religion is discussed little in the books; however, this is about a Friar.
Also, I tried to stick as closely to canon AND medieval history/theology as possible; please forgive any errors.
Inserteth faketh Middlest Englishe heere.
Oh good heavens, that was painful.
St. Patrick's day and a few LJ conversations got me thinking about religion, which got me thinking about how little of it we see in the HP books, and the fact that we actually have a Friar in the series. So I bring to you some drabbles/ficlets centered around the Fat Friar - or, as he thinks of himself, just "the Friar."
ETA: Just wanted to add that while I have "parts" for these, they're also really standalones. I thought I'd be able to post them all together, but this piece ended up being longer than I was expecting.
Last RitesPart I: Last Rites
When the Friar was called to Salazar Slytherin's deathbed, he was rather taken back.
The Friar had been in his fifth and final year - the seven-year system would be adopted later - when Slytherin left; he still remembered how sad the Heads had been. He'd heard Helga Hufflepuff herself begging Salazar not to leave, saying he would be forgiven. But Slytherin had fled, and as far as the Friar knew, not even his children had attended Hogwarts.
The Friar, meanwhile, had become respected both in the muggle village where he lived and within the wizarding world. His Christian name had been forgotten by most; even the Friar rarely answered to his real name. Friar suited him fine.
Still, Salazar Slytherin had become something of a recluse. So it was a surprise to the Friar when he received word that he was wanted at the man's bedside. The Friar was surprised further when Salazar sent his sons and grandsons out of the room.
The Friar couldn't help but be saddened by the man's appearance; once somewhat burly with a strong, powerful voice, he was now frail, and called to the Friar in a weak voice. It would not be long at all before his death.
"He's not quite right in his mind, either," Slytherin's daughter-in-law warned the Friar. "Sometimes he has trouble focusing on what he's saying... once or twice he's forgotten where he was, thought I was Rowena Ravenclaw..."
"Thank you," the Friar interrupted. He shut the door, took out his Bible, and prayed as Slytherin listened.
As soon as the Friar paused, Slytherin interrupted: "Prayers won't do me any good now, Friar. Too much damage has been wrought..."
"Ours is a forgiving God, dear Salazar."
Salazar was mumbling now. "It will kill all of them... head of Medusa... just as I planned, but not as I meant... if Septimus learns..."
"Septimus is one of your sons, correct?"
"You need to listen. I would destroy it myself, but I am too weak, and my sons... I taught them too well, especially Septimus. Muggles... he calls them descendants of Cain... I never said any such thing, Friar, but his ugly wife puts food in my mouth and he takes out my words and turns them into his."
"What are you saying, Salazar?"
"Septimus has done harm; of that I can be certain. A strange death occurred, a girl who showed signs of being a muggleborn witch fell through ice on a warm day... parents blamed fairies. I know who it was, and it wasn't any fairy. If they knew about... Hogwarts... they don't know I meant only for it to be protected. Or maybe I... didn't care then. Maybe I would have seen every one of those children die, as I fear Septimus would now. Maybe Godric was right about me after all."
"What are you talking about?" the Friar demanded.
"Monstrous beast... I saw it in a dream, Friar. It will happen, and it will be in my name, in my doing. He will find me in the bowels, magicked to give him all the instructions they need."
"What is this beast?"
"Godric, old friend, forgive me... we founded as brothers, parted as Cain and Abel... I was not your keeper."
"I need you to focus. Tell me how and where this monster can be found."
"You won't find it."
"Then what do I need to do?"
Slytherin grasped Friar's hand and held it tightly. "You need to know. Protect them. Promise me."
"How can I when I don't-"
"Promise me."
There was so much in the man's eyes; fear, anger, sorrow, regret... the Friar had never seen anything like it.
"I promise," he said. "I'll do everything I can."
Slytherin rested his arm and closed his eyes. "Then it is done."
"You haven't told me what the beast is," the Friar reminded him.
Slytherin didn't respond; the Friar touched the tortured man's forehead, said a few choice prayers, then summoned his family to give them the news.
When the Friar reached Hogwarts after a long journey, he found people crying. At first he thought it was for Slytherin, but it turned out that Rowena, too, had died following terrible the death of her daughter. Distracted by grief, and with none of the Founders who'd known Slytherin properly left, the Friar's warnings were not taken seriously.
"We've searched the castle," the new headmaster wrote after a month, "and there's no monster to be found. He probably meant his House, which does not appear remotely cursed. You're wasting everyone's time over the ramblings of an addled, dying man. Save your worries for real threats."
Try as he might, the Friar could never let the dying man's words go. So when he found that his soul had not been quite ready to rest, he naturally made Hogwarts home, ready to protect if the ramblings of an addled, dying man hadn't been.
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Date: 2015-03-18 08:09 pm (UTC)There's SO Little & so little GOOD Religious Harry Potter fiction and this was really well done.
Thanks for writing this.
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Date: 2015-03-18 11:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-18 10:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-18 11:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-18 11:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-19 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-03-19 02:18 am (UTC)I'd actually planned something of my own where he officiates a wedding. Not Luna's parents', though. :)