"Why thank you, good sir." Gwen said, taking his arm as they headed out into the hall. However, when he paused, she looked over at him. When he confessed as to not knowing where the kitchens were, she gave him an amused look. "Ah, yes. That would be a great crime. You should always know where the kitchens are in a place, just in case you are in need of a midnight snack after class or something.
"It is just your luck that I have been down there a time or two while becoming acquainted with these confusing hallways. I figure I had best know them as well as one can as you never know when or where you will be needed. I suppose I shall have to do so," she said when Merrick as her to lead the way. "The trick, really, is knowing how to get in. Though it was Helga's creation, I think Rowena added a little touch to protect her dear friend, whereas one must know how to appeal to the painting protecting it." With a mysterious look in her eyes, she picked up her skirt with her other hand and led him quickly through the hallways, leading him straight to the dining hall, which he said he knew the way to already but this was the closest access to the kitchens as well.
Here was where she slowed down to give him time to memorize the path to the correct staircase leading them down a level. Then another two hallways and they were confronted with a painting of a pear. "The Hufflepuff dormitory is around here somewhere as well, though I'm not quite certain as to it's exact location. Likely best that way to keep those things a secret to prevent people not of the house from trying to walk right in uninvited." She explained.
"Now, what you have to do it," with her fingers slightly curled, she reached out and scrunched her fingers over the fruit the same way that she would to Lora's belly at times to get the babe to laugh. "You have to tickle it and..." The door slid open. "There we are!"
A rush of heat came bursting out of it, followed by the sounds of house elfs hard at work and Helga giving directions, all the while working herself. Practically a great storm of activity and Gwen almost hesitated. But she knew it was now or never. Ushering him into the room, carefully dodging moving house elfs, she walked to where Helga was though giving the woman some distance - just in case. "Helga, might we have a quick moment of time? Sir Raine has had an idea and he though to run it by you for your opinion." She spoke loudly over the din surrounding them.
01-04-2022, 12:38 AM (This post was last modified: 01-04-2022, 12:38 AM by Helga Hufflepuff.)
By the graces of whomever had gifted it to her, Helga had been working nonstop through out the night. Between the gardens, kitchens, dining hall, and her house dormitory she hadn't a moment to even think of sleeping. She was used to this though, often in her younger years she would be awake for days when inspiration struck and she had to try to recreate a dish her mind had invented. Her children had helped with that as well, keeping her up several days both during and post pregnancy. Still, with the experience of lost night on her belt last night felt like no other. Her physical appearance on the other had was showing a few signs of her lack of sleep. The faint pale tone of her skin under certain lights and the faint dark circles under her eyes as just a few of the visible signs. True she could have waiting until morning to take care of things but she wanted to make sure things were great and went off with little to no issue. Hence her evening spent hard at work with the house elves. Thankfully they had agreed to take shifts through the night so they unlike her could get some sleep.
She was hard at work breaking down a large venison shoulder when she heard her name. Turning around she spotted Gwen and Merrick looking a little out of place and overwhelmed in the bustling kitchen. She quickly wiped off her hands and set down the large cleaver onto the table before giving them a small gesture of her hand to wait a moment. "Dhutta, could you please come take over for me dear?" she said turned to nearby house elf carrying a large stew pot. The elf nodded and hurried over giving Helga a chance to step away and a bit closer to the two.
"Its a little busy and loud in here so how about we step back out into the corridor?" Helga added to the two gesturing towards the door they had just entered from. "We won't have to shout or avoid any knives or flames when they start jumping about." Before they could answer however Helga was already politely ushering the two back towards the door. Possibly knowing something as a moment later a pan flew across the room where they had just been standing.
If it weren't for Gwen's hand on his arm he would have insisted upon doing this another time because clearly, the woman was very busy. But the slight curl of her fingertips against his forearm gave him a little courage and a warm fuzzy feeling inside that as the Founder led them back outside, he found himself bowing slightly.
"Pray, pardon o'r intrusion Lady 'ufflepuff," he said with reverence. "Tis jus' tha' I, erm, well ye see..."
Merrick swallowed hard and looked over at Gwen who gave him a look of encouragement and excitement. He couldn't bear to let her down. He turned back to Helga and nodded. "I 'ave, I believe, finally mastered an enchantment I plan on usin' fer me class when it be cloudy ou' o' foul o' weather. I can enchant me ceiling wit' the nigh' sky ye see."
"T'was Lady Moore 'ere who suggested tha' maybe we de it te the Great Hall's ceilin' so tha' e'eryone can enjoy it," he finally managed to get it out. "As tha' be yer d'main, we were wonderin' wha' ye thought on the matter."
Still a little nervous, the man watched the woman's face for any signs of displeasure. Hopefully, she wouldn't be mad at them pulling her away from what was surely a venison feast just to ask her a question of whether or not he could enchant the ceiling of the Great Hall. Now that it had been asked, he almost felt as though it was a weak reason to interrupt.
Helga trailed after the two as they stepped out into the corridor. Immediately she took in the silence and the lack of heat, the cooler air was a nice relief from the warmth in the kitchen and she made a note to open the back door and a few windows upon her return to help vent out some of that heat. She had a chance to take a nice breath of the cooler air before she moved her attention to the pair looking at her.
As she listened to Merrick, her eyes lightly widened and an excited glint seemed to sparkle in her gaze as he described an incredible sight her mind couldn't appreciate big enough given the exhaustion but it hadn't stopped a bright smile from lighting up as he said he could do such an enchantment on the ceiling of the dining hall for student and teacher alike to enjoy.
"I absolutely love the idea Merrick." she said after a moment. "I couldn't figure out how to make use of the tall ceiling in the great hall. Try as I might I couldn't think of anything more then enchanting candles to hover in the air to light up the room. Oh but imagine getting to see the sky as if the room had no ceiling at all, day or night, clear or stormy sky. It will surely help excite and surprise the students, not to mention help draw attention to what they could learn about the sky."
Helga knew her excitement was no doubt spilling out but any chance she could create a space like no other to entertain and draw people together she was all for it. She had the food part to bring people in but something to grab at their minds and spirits was something sometimes her food couldn't fully grasp. This though, this would have their students talking and encouraging the lessons they hoped to teach them here.
"Do you think you will be able to do an enchantment that big though? By yourself at that? The space is nearly the size of several rooms and extends high up. If there is anything I can do to help you out with making it happen consider it given. I'm fully on board with such a wonderful idea." Helga said cheerful, her body forgetting her exhausted state for now.
Merrick was surprised by Lady Hufflepuff's informality in calling him by his given name. He usually had to give people permission to do that but he supposed, in this case, it was alright as she was simply trying to put him at ease. He considered the dimensions of the Great Hall, which was aptly named, before nodding.
"I believe I could de it," he said after looking over at Gwen who was still on his arm. "I mean, tis bigger aye, bu' the enchantment would loo' better on a bigger scale." He reached up with his free hand and rubbed at his jaw.
"If ye wan' I can attemp' te de it af'er the noon meal," he offered, knowing he was bound by duty to escort Gwen through lunch. "Wit' any luck I could 'ave it completed by the time of the feast tenigh'."
"Though I imagine we would 'ave te ask Godric an' the others befer proceedin'," he said as his hand dropped from his jaw. With Helga behind him and his idea though, surely the others would see the merit in it. Now he just had to deliver what he had promised and expand the enchantment to cover the whole of the Great Hall. He was reasonably confident that he could. He had been practicing the charm for what felt like forever and now that he had it mastered, it was time to prove it he supposed.
Helga was rather glad to hear Merrick could manage the spell on his own and he may even have time to have it up before the dinner feast that evening. If anything that fully set the idea into her heart of a necessity for the grand community space.
Though she took note of something in his expression for a moment when she had replied and traced back over her words. Surely she didn't accidentally say something rude or incorrect in her tired state but then she realized she in fact had been a little improper she used the mistake to pull back her excitement to a milder joy. Hopefully he wouldn't be one to hold it against her but from the stories she heard and read from Godric the young man was nice and good hearted person.
"First, let me apologize Sir Merrick for my poor display of manners. Formality is something while I should be using has always felt to formal and stiff for my liking and I often speak a persons name without titles and such unless a bold and grand enough occasion calls for the proper educate I should be displaying. Should you be more comfortable with a certain way I should address you please let me know and I will work on correcting myself before I speak incorrectly again." Helga explained calmly and she gave a small bow of her head as a further apology. It was a wonder no one had thought to set her up with a handler to help with her lack of proper manners instead of letting her fall into such bad habits. Using titles and formalities was just to proper. She liked to make things feel warm, relaxed, and well cozy homey and using someone's name with proper titles was her way of trying to express that though she knew the same wasn't always felt from the other person and she respected that. Whatever made someone comfortable she was willing to do.
"As for the the ceiling, I would say if you have the time to spare please feel free to go ahead and enchant the ceiling after lunch. As far as getting approval from the others let me take care of that. If anything I shouldn't need it as the dining hall and kitchen were my personal project. Rowena and Godric scaled their towers and Salazar dug his dungeon. My approval wasn't needed for anything they decided to do in those spaces so the same should apply here. If it will put you at ease I will seek them out before lunchtime and at least discuss it with them and get their approval for it." She continued, sounding a little more firmer on the matter. True while they had asked for her advise and input she let them do as they wanted in the spaces they wanted to express themselves and she felt like doing the same. What better then to give Merrick a chance to enlighten them all with the sight of the sky as they enjoyed meals together of all things indoors. Truly a sight no one else could possibly out do if they ever tried to build another school elsewhere.
"Tis quite alrigh', Lady 'ufflepuff," he said with a slight bow in return. "It jus' took me by surprise tis all." His face broke into a smile, one of relief that she hadn't seemed bothered by their interruption. He was glad Gwen was with him otherwise he might not have had the nerve to do such a thing and now here he was, getting to show his skills and something he loved with the rest of the school at large instead of just in his classroom.
"Aye? Truly?" he asked, almost in shock that she would allow him the opportunity so soon without a word from the others. He straightened up slightly to his full six feet of height, chest feeling like it was going to burst with pride. "I will try nae te let ye down m'lady."
Merrick shot another look at Gwen unable to contain the pure joy radiating from him. Not only would she get to see it, but she'd get to see it in such a grand way. It would be better suited to the Hall than the tower itself. "Thank ye fer yer time. I be sure tha' ye be busy seein' te e'erythin'," he bowed once more. Though it was likely a little more formal than Helga wanted, his training dictated that at first at least until he stood corrected.
Helga felt an inner push to voice her opinion that Merrick didn't need to be formal when addressing her but thought perhaps there had been enough of that for now. Another time or another day perhaps but in all honesty however he felt like addressing her she didn't mind.
Instead she let the matter go and offered a smile when her answer seemed to be enough for now. "I know you won't let anyone down Sir Merrick. No doubt it will be a breathtaking sight that could possibly knock us all off our feet in amazement. You have my full support and faith this will be wonderful and just what the great hall needs to make it complete." she said.
When he thanked her for her time, Helga smiled warmly again with a small partial shake of her head. "You were of no trouble at all and I should be thanking you for offering to share such an amazing enchantment with the school." she paused glancing at Gwen with a similar warm smile and hoped the poor girl hadn't felt left out during the conversation. "Well, I don't want to eat up too much more of your time. I can stop by at lunch to check in with you again Sir Merrick to see if you have need of anything before you begin but until then I should let the two of you carry on with your day. I'm sure you both have things still yet to do and I should be getting back before they begin to wonder where I've disappeared to again. We all seem to have our hands full on such a big day. If you can enjoy the day as the weather seems rather good outside and if I don't see you before the evening feast be sure to bring your full appetite, it will be a meal your memory won't soon forget." she said, giving the pair a another bright and cheerful smile followed by a small bow of her head. One would not think her to be as tired as she felt and going on fumes but she made it work somehow. With her farewell given, Helga calmly turned and after giving the ticklish pear something to giggle lightly at she stepped back into the kitchen to resume the preparations of the coming meals.
Gwen had absolutely no issue with standing back and letting the other talk around her. She was rather used to it actually. And really, it hadn't been concerning her anyway. Her purpose there was to give support to Sir Raine as he had seemed a bit nervous about broaching the topic with anyone other than her.
As she had expected, Helga agreed to the enchantment. There was no reason not to, really. After all, it was a brilliant idea that he had had and the students deserved the best possible atmosphere - something to draw them back time and time again. What better way than to give them the night sky without the cold, bracing temperatures that the Scot lands were known for? And to have it while they ate...
Gwen said a quick farewell to Helga as she departed, turned her head towards Merrick with a smile. Once the pear closed behind Helga and they were truly alone in the hallway, it turned into a playful smirk. "Ah see? And you were so worried." She teased gently. "But you should know by now - the brilliant more easily see and accept the brilliance in others. Now you have a task to do and I should leave you to it." She gently pulled her arm from his hold, knowing that this spell might be rather intensive on such a large canvas. He would likely need time to prepare and then cast it. To have it done by the feast this evening, he would likely need to focus all of his efforts on this instead of escorting her down to the trading post.
A little sad but this was important, of course. And she was perfectly capable of defending herself with the dirk that was hidden up the sleeve of the opposite arm which he had held. While her defensive magic was miserable, Gwen was more than talented enough with a dagger to make up for the fact.
Merrick was so excited he was tempted to grab Gwen by the waist and swing her about in a circle for her brilliance. But before he could do any such thing she removed her hand from his arm and was trying to leave without him. "Nae, m'Lady Moore. I made a promise te escor' ye an' I will nae go back on me word," he said firmly as he stepped up to her. "The spell can wai' until af'er o'r afternoon meal."
Offering his arm to her again he stepped up, looking determined and it was clear how loyal he was to her brother and this opportunity he had been given. "I was goin' te say tha' ye be as brillian' as ye be beautiful fer such an idea abou' the ceiling, thus thank ye," he said with a slight bow, unsure of what else to do or say. He would wait for her to make up her mind about whether she would be taking his arm again or not.
One thing was for certain though, she wasn't getting rid of him so easily. He watched her with his sea-green eyes, hope in them that she would give in because he didn't want awkwardness between them. Not that there was much between them to begin with, save for maybe a budding friendship.
