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Hello! Sorry I'm a little behind schedule, but I am finally here for the Hot Seat!
This was such an interesting read. I don't read a lot of founder era stories so this was a nice change from the usual for me. Poor Salazar, he sounds quite heartbroken over losing Helga. He talks about her warmth and kindness, and how Godric had also fallen in love with her, and I have to wonder how her and Salazar ended up together and what made her choose him over Godric?
Also why weren't there any protections on the school to keep them safe and hidden from the muggles? Is that something they didn't add til later on? I'm quite curious to know more background story about the founders and Hogwarts' beginnings.
I did really like the bit with the locket and how he made it specifically for Helga and that she promised to wear it as long as she lived. Of course I don't blame him for taking the locket back after her death. It was his to begin with anyway, but I do wonder what he intends to do with it. i doubt he has any idea what it will become in the next 50+ years. I also wonder that he wouldn't want to take something more memorable of her, something particularly hers, but the fact that he made the locket with her in mind, and that it will still remind him of her makes in a very believable scene.
All in all, this was a wonderful one-shot! I really enjoyed reading it.
xxNix
Author's Response: Thank you Nix for such a lovely review! I am glad you liked the story and I am really glad that Salazar's actions were realistic. I honestly imagine that he was rolling in his grave when his heir defiled the locket. A lot of what happens in his name I feel he wasn't 100% behind. Sure, his basilisk was intended to root out muggles/muggleborns but honestly he was from a different time than when the basilisk was actually used. Not excusing his prejudice at all, I just understand it if you know what I mean - I understand his reasons so to speak - not that I would hold similar opinions. As for the protections, I imagine the castle itself was protected but maybe the grounds less so. I don't think Hogwarts and Hogsmede were as expansive as they are now, not to mention some magic has yet to be developed, while other ancient magics have been lost over time. Thanks again for a lovely review!
Hi,
So this was a reallu great story. I love that you took some of the canon that we know and weaved in your own story to make this! I really enjoyed reading it.
I don't read much founders, but I've never read Salazar being in love with Helga before. I found the idea really lovely. Your descriptions of Helga through Salazars eyes were so sweet and lovely, you could really feel his love shining through.
The way she died though, eugh it breaks my heart. It felt very fitting with what i would expect from Helga though, and it very much made me thing of the protection Lily gave Harry with her magic. Something born out of love to protect something which you love. Beautifully done.
Now, even though Salazar insists Helga isn't the reason he and Godric are fighting, I liked that that must have played an big part in their friendship breaking up. Again, something I hadn't come across but really loved the concept of. And again, perfect characterisation of Helga trying to repair their friendship.
But the twist for me, gah I loved it. Salazar leaving the Basalisk at the school to one day get revenge on the muggle borns who he blamed for Helgas death. It makes his actions here much more understandable, though still so wrong. I think what saddens me most is how disappointed Helga would have been with his reaction to her death. Brilliantly played and fit together though.
Finally, I didn't know about that myth but again I love the way you've weaved things that actually are true into your story. Brilliant.
Overall I really enjoyed this! I think your characterisation was spot on and I loved the story as a whole.
Well done!
Lauren
Author's Response:Lauren,
Thank you so much for such a sweet review. I knwo I am late in responding but it made me smile the day I got it and it makes me smile even now. I am so glad you liked the story and found the story to be believable. I am amazed at how many people never think of Helga/Salazar as a ship. That has been my hard core ship for a while now, and thus where some of the story was born. It was fun weaving all the parts together to making this a whole story and I'm so glad you enjoyed!
Hey!
So I thought this was a really great concept for a story. I love how you tie in some aspect with the canon we know. that's really awesome!
I wouldn't have thought of these two as a couple but I really love that you've put them together. Now I think about it you've really made it. I thought it was amazing that it focus on Helga's death which I really think that you nailed the emotion in that first scene with Slytherin not wanting Gryffindor near. He describes her in such a loving way too, it's so romantic but so sad at the same time.
I just adore the Helga that you've created, I love to think she was just so alive with adventure and I just adore the idea of the 'excitement' in her eyes and little grin! I can only imagine Helga to be awesome as she's so big hearted to take the 'rest'. I thought the flashback worked so well as a storytelling technique so we get more background into their relationship and Helga which plays really well for emotional impact. I thought you gave Helga an awesome death, dying to protect those around her! she's a hero <3
I love the ending with like Slytherin gone dark like his promise to avenge her death then charms the locket and stuff, genius. that's also interesting with the line about gryffindor. I thought this was a really awesome piece, I don't read a lot from those eras but I thought it was really interesting and engaging piece of writing!
- Abbi xo
Author's Response:Abbi,
I am sorry I am so late in responding to this review. However, I figure better late than never right? Anyway thank you for this wonderful review. I am glad you liked the couple and the emotion of the story. I've had a good number of people tell me they had never throught of Salazar and Helga together and I am a die hard shipper of the two of them. I admit that this is the only time I've tired my hand at founders era and I don't read any of it but this story was something that had been in my head and way back in the day a challenge was issuesed and thus the story was born it has been edited and tweaked from what it was before but the same story still stands. This is one little fic that I am still quite proud of. Thanks for the review!
Hello!
I really liked the way you started the beginning as it wasn't only intense but we also get to see Salazar become really overprotective of Helga which was really interesting because I don't really ship them together but I feel they're very convincing in this story from the way you described Salazar's protective reaction to her shielding her body and willingness to kill his former friend, Godric or anybody who touches her to the way his thoughts ran whilst sadly mourning over death. I really enjoyed reading the descriptions in this, for example, I liked the way you managed to capture Salazar's emotions from him being tearful of Helga's death to his doubtful thoughts regarding letting Muggles into Hogwarts and sharing the same school as them as the readers not only understand him more but also see why he had them in the first place.
Another thing that I loved was how you depicted his as the other founder's conflicting thoughts on the opening of Hogwarts too with Godric's willingness to go about with the school, Helena's excitement at the prospect of it happening, and Rowena's logical response. It's still really sad to see the love triangle as well as the disagreement about Muggles and magical folks at Hogwarts being the source for all of them being not as close and willingness to distance from one another. That aside, it definitely makes up for good conflict. Helga's and Salazar's relationship really was a delight to read because we get to see how much she meant both to Salazar and Godric as well. I really loved the moment with the locket between them because we get to see Salazar's being soft around Helga and it was very precious and sweet. I also found it quite interesting that the interaction between Godric and Salazar before the latter left to possibly hint that maybe his avenging of her probably was having the Basilik within the walls of the school.
As far as suggestions go, I do have one that I want to mention and that is I do want to say that I admit there were parts of this story that made me curious like how would Rowena Ravenclaw react to the conflict between the three other House founding members as she was part of the founding members to maybe a bit in depth look at the war that was going on. I think that's all I have for the suggestions.
All in all, I definitely not only reading this from Salazar's point of view but getting to see the expansion of the Hogwarts Founders as characters and everything they're experiencing in that moment! Thanks for writing this and keep up the good work!
-Anni
Author's Response:Anni,
Sorry for such a late reply to this review - it is very sweet. I very much enjoyed reading your review. I am a die hard Helga/Salazar shipper so I'm really glad they read believably well in this fic. Admittedly you are not the first person who has said that they would like to see more of my version of the founders. I've thought about it a few times but they aren't quite where my passion lies. As for Rowena, she didn't seem to fit in the story much and I feel like too much of her in this fic would detract from the main story. But I know in my head cannon she hated the love triangle and wished that it didn't happen.
Still, thank you for the review and I'm glad you liked the story.
Hufflepuff CtF Review
Wow, what a haunting story! I love the Helga/everyone ship, and you’ve done in justice here and brought out some really interesting subtleties.
I was confused as first, particularly with the first paragraph. I thought that Salazar’s “Don’t touch her” meant that Godric was about to hurt Helga, and that made me assume that what caused her death was a fight between Godric and Salazar. I got caught up after a while though, and this was really heartbreaking. It really makes sense how an event like this could underscore Salazar’s hatred/fear of muggles.
Oh, that was the last time he was at the castle? Okay, I expected there to be more. So that means he must have already created the Chamber of Secrets, and his vendetta against muggle borns was full grown, even before the death of Helga.
You did a great joy of characterizing Helga here, which is impressive as she’s dead. Her selflessness and compassion shown through very strongly, and I could really see how bright a person she was and how easily the others must have fallen in love with here.
I think the use of flashbacks here was quite effective, and their briefness definitely gave the feeling of Salazar rapidly remembering Helga and trying desperately to hold onto those times.
Well done!
Sam.
Author's Response:Yes Helga/everyone! It was something I determined long ago that Helga in her awesome charming personality and love for all would garner the affections of many people around her. I'm sorry for your confusion on the story some. As for the fear of muggles, there had been wars and riots all around and thus his fear/distrust was long standing and was solidified by Helga's death. I felt like I communicated that but maybe not, though you are the first person to express confusion so I can't help but wonder if CTF brain could have been part of it. I know the games muddled my thinking so hard too.
I am glad you like Helga and that the flashbacks worked. I had a lot of fun writing the story and writing Helga's character. Occasionally I've entertained writing more of these characters becuase they were fun.
Hey there, here for CTF!
Wow, well doesn’t this start off intense. I feel for Salazar, that must be awful to have someone you know and clearly love just gone like that, it must be awful for him.
Aha, you seem to have a think for shipping Slytherins and Ravenclaws together, and after reading a few of your fics I think it works.
Poor Helga though, dead because of a muggle riot, now wonder slytherin hates muggles so much. It’s very in character to have her perform that spell, I can see her wanting to protect her students, no matter what the cost would be.
I love the way he describes her, you can tell just how much he cared for her, and loved her. I also like the memory of the school, I like that it was Helga’s idea and I think you’ve got the characterisation of the other three founders perfect with how they react to the idea.
Oh dear, typical boys fighting over a girl, she clearly preferred Salazar though which is interesting. Wow, I love that he gave the locket to her, although I feel like if he’d left it on her it would have saved a lot of problems a lot further down the line :P
Oh, that’s interesting, I love that he took her home to bury her that was sweet, but the fact that he creates some sortof curse is both sad and understandable. Of course he wants the muggles to pay for this, but I don’t think she would have wanted it. But oh well, it probably helped him live with himself.
This was a really great story, so interesting and you write the founders really well!
- Shaza :)
Author's Response:Shaza,
Here I am still catching up on forver old reveiws. Anyway I'm glad that you liked this story. You are right that I am fond of Slytherins and Hufflepuffs together. They just click and work in my brain. It's just my thing. Anyway you are right that if things played differently there would be changes to the story but I wanted to fit this with canon and thus Salazar had to take his locket back, he also had to ensure that the chamber of secrets did their work. I hated writing some of it and it would have broken Helga's heart but cannon is what it is and honestly the man was emotional and made some rather rash decisons. Her burrial and the snake guardian over her tomb was the inspiration for the story though. Long ago a friend of mine introduced me to the legend mentioned her head cannon on it and I ran with it becuase I loved it so and really it kind of speaks of his love on some levels that he would not want her final resting place to be distrubed.
*Transferred from Ao3*
Helgazar. HELGAZAR! I am so here for this ship. I am also here for the review you requested on HPFT. :D
Ah, Founders fics are always so sad, especially when there's any romantic feelings between any of the four. But this one... it starts out sadly, and then gets even MORE SAD. D': Helga is dead, and it's not only Salazar who is suffering but also Godric, as they both loved her. And I feel really bad for both of them, as for Godric his feelings were unrequited and he never got to properly say goodbye, and for Salazar he's just kind of broken and bitter without her. He's kind of starting to lose it at the end there, maybe driven into madness and revenge on Muggles because of his grief? Because if I'm not mistaken, he just set the Basilisk loose... I know what Salazar is doing is wrong, but you've gotten into his mind enough to portray his actions as understandable rather than just him being Evil (which I definitely don't think he was).
More specifically, you asked about the flow of the ending and whether or not it feels too rushed. It is abrupt, but it doesn't feel TOO abrupt. I like the ending - it feels like it ends in the right place. Based on Salazar's state of mind throughout the piece, it's to be expected that he'd just kind of break, and do something abruptly. So he leaves. I love the way you incorporated a myth into the story as well, I thought that was a nice touch.
I also love that you put the locket into the story. Since Founders Era has such scant canon details available to include, it's always so great to see familiar things like the Locket appear. I also think you said a lot about Salazar with the story of the locket, all between the lines - it's such a wonderful example of Showing rather than Telling, so mega props for that. Firstly that he made it himself. I'd never thought of that before but I love the idea, as I could see Salazar taking pride in something like that. And that he gives such a prized object to the person he loves -because she means a lot to him, and also so she'll always think of him. And then towards the end when he takes it back from her once she's dead - again, really wonderful characterization.
Of course, the added aspect of Godric and Salazar being sort of in competition for Helga's love adds a lot to the known rift between the two men. It's a complex thing. I do really appreciate that it wasn't JUST because of Helga. Mostly it was the pureblood thing, which isn't discussed here, but I like that you made the distinction that there were a lot of things going on and while Helga played a part, it wasn't just the two fighting over a woman.
Some notes on word choice/typos/punctuation:
Salazar's voice echoed across the way as he held out his hand. A deadly warning echoed in his voice -- here, you've used the word 'echoed' twice; maybe for one of these use a synonym like 'resonated'?He lowered his long, bony hand and carefully, placed it on her still almost peaceful form. -- This sentence is a bit clunky because of comma placement. I'd suggest maybe something like this: "He lowered his long, bony hand, and carefully placed it on her still, almost peaceful form."
Godric was full hardy enough to buy into it. Surly Rowena saw the logic in what he was saying. -- in the first sentence I think you meant 'foolhardy'? and in the second, that's probably supposed to say 'surely'.
There would be no fight today not over the corpse of the woman they both loved. -- This sentence would flow better with a comma after 'today'
Okay, I think that's it for my corrections. This was a great story and I loved your interpretation of the Founders and what drove their separation. Wonderful characterization. I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks for requesting!
Author's Response:I figure with the transfer reviews I can transfer my response. Just so you know you are the sweetest and the best transfering reveiws as well as giving me a few new ones! Anyway bellow is my original response.
Stella! I'm glad you liked the story! Your review was amazing and more than I expected! You are amazing and this review is amazing! Thank you so much! It made me super happy to read it and I'm glad that the ending wasn't too abrupt and worked well for the story! I'm so glad I was able to fix things. Yes he did unleash the Basilisk so to speak. I'm glad everything conveyed well even if there are certain word choices and punctuations that are missing. I will be certain to go in and fix those soon! Thank you for that! I am bad about word repetition I thought I snagged most of them but clearly I missed one so thank you!
I know I keep saying thanks and am probably gushing a bit at you but seriously, I loved this review! :-)
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