Erwin's expression froze for a moment.
This was Ravenclaw? The very embodiment of wisdom—and yet she didn't seem all that sharp.
He cleared his throat. "Wait, let me think of how to... explain this to you properly!"
Rowena Ravenclaw's face darkened noticeably.
But Erwin didn't notice. He was too busy plotting how to outwit this apparently dim-witted founder into handing over her inheritance.
It was Rowena Ravenclaw's legacy, after all! Who knew what treasures it held? Just the fact that she and the other three founders had conjured the colossal enchanted fortress that was Hogwarts proved she was no ordinary witch.
Still, doubts nagged at him about this apparition's true identity. She looked the part, and her dramatic entrance befitted one of the four founders. But her sharpness felt off—too erratic, too playful for the legendary scholar.
Before Erwin could devise a scheme, Rowena spoke up. "You're my grandson, aren't you?"
Erwin's eyes lit up. Perfect—she'd handed him the ideal cover story.
He nodded eagerly. "Yes, Grandmother! I'm your grandson! At last, we meet!"
Rowena snorted. "Are you daft? My grandson would be ancient by now, if he'd lived. You're just a boy, without a drop of Ravenclaw blood in your veins. And yet you claim to be my kin?"
Erwin's face fell.
It was confirmed: this was definitely Rowena. Clever as a whip, but why aim her barbs at him? It made him look like a fool.
His cheeks burning, he shot back, "So, Lady Ravenclaw, were you just having a laugh at my expense?"
She nodded cheerfully. "Something like that. I was bored out of my skull! And you were such fun to watch. Trying to hoodwink me right to my face—no, you called it 'deceive,' didn't you? That sounds like an old tongue you're using. You speak an ancient language? How intriguing!"
Erwin's mood soured further.
He, Erwin, had been carving his path to greatness since he was six. And now this woman—this spectral founder—had bested him at his own game.
He wanted out. Forget the inheritance; he'd happily bail on this farce.
What was this nonsense? Didn't kids get any leeway?
A mischievous glint sparked in Rowena's eyes. "From that scowl, I'd say you're fuming. Over my little jest? So, you're tempted to storm off... but not really. No, you're probably cursing me under your breath while scheming how to turn the tables."
Erwin jolted. "You can read minds? Legilimency, is it?"
Rowena shrank to a more human size, folding her legs beneath her amid the starry void.
"Legilimency? Ah, that's your term for it! You mean the Art of Legilimency? Such a quaint name for a trifling bit of magic"
Erwin's jaw dropped.
A trifling bit? What sort of power did these ancient witches wield, if an Unforgivable Curse was mere child's play?
Rowena tilted her head thoughtfully. "Ah, now I understand. Clever ruse, really—I don't need Imperius on you, and in this form, I couldn't cast a spell if I tried. Mind-reading? Not my specialty. Your tells were just that obvious. Frankly, even back in my day, a wizard your age wouldn't match your slyness. But compared to mine? You're still green. Keep at it—you've got potential."
Erwin's mouth twitched.
What was the point of this spectral founder's endless ribbing? To deflate his ego?
From the moment she'd appeared, nothing had gone right. Just mockery and jabs.
Did they think he had no pride?
Staring at the luminous figure, Erwin drew a steadying breath. Some indignities you simply swallowed.
He dipped into a shallow bow. "Lady Ravenclaw, your insight humbles me."
She burst into laughter. "Ha! You're a riot, young wizard. Buttering me up for my legacy, are you? Is this the caliber Hogwarts recruits these days—cunning little foxes?"
Erwin exhaled sharply, exasperated.
This founder was relentless. In her presence, he felt like a dim-witted frog—Neville's Trevor, flopping about without a thought.
Exposed, utterly.
Seeing his silence, Rowena softened. "Come now, chin up. You're exceptional, really—better than my own daughter in many ways. Speaking of which, tell me about her! Did she live to a ripe old age?"
Erwin blinked, caught off guard.
"Oh! I nearly forgot," Rowena added, waving a hand. "My awareness slumbers, but I wove in a few charms to track the passage of time outside. Helena couldn't possibly still be kicking after all these centuries."
Erwin probed gently. "Then why assume she hasn't found immortality?"
Rowena shook her head firmly. "Impossible. True immortality? Only two have ever attained it. But enough of that—tell me of Helena. I'm dying to know. She must have come here, yet she never did."
Erwin filed away the slip: immortality, achieved by two. Who were they?
He craved eternal life himself—who wouldn't, if death loomed? A millennium wouldn't be long enough.
But Erwin was no fool; he knew such tales were myths. He'd never chased them.
Now, though? This was a lead. From Rowena, more secrets might spill.
For the moment, though, flattery was key. Cross her, and with her twisted humor, she'd clam up entirely.
After a pause, he said gravely, "I'm afraid your daughter didn't die peacefully in her sleep."
Rowena's features grew solemn. After a beat, she ventured, "The Bloody Baron? Did he do it?"
Erwin's eyes widened. "You knew?"
She shook her head. "Guessing, actually. The Baron was mad for Helena—I sent him to fetch her back. If he hadn't murdered her, she'd have returned to Hogwarts, to me. But she never did, so... it's the only explanation. Simple deduction, isn't it?"
...
With that said, guys—today's 5 chapters have been published!
If you love these mass releases, make sure to SMASH THAT POWERSTONE!
We conquered #50, but we aren't done yet. Let's show them the power of this community.
NEXT TARGET: RANK #25
— MrGrim