The road widened and became better maintained, a clear sign that civilization was near. As we drove on, the trees gave way to wooden fences, fields of crops, and a few small thatched-roof houses that looked like something out of a museum... except that people actually lived in them.
"Welcome to Rivenshire," announced Godric. "A prosperous and peaceful town... most of the time."
The entrance was marked by a simple arch with a carved coat of arms. It was a golden sun over a blue river. Nothing magical in sight, but it had its charm.
The locals came and went carrying baskets, tools, and fresh fish. Some stopped to greet Godric cheerfully when they recognized him.
"Sir Godric!" shouted a farmer, raising his hat. "What an honor to see you!"
"Greetings, Goor!" Godric replied energetically with a smile.
The overall feeling was warm. People smiling, children running around, and a dog barking at nothing for no reason—a typical village scene. Of course, some glances drifted toward our small group, more specifically toward us.
Edwin came up to me and whispered through clenched teeth:
"They're looking at us as if we'd stolen something from them."
"Just act normal," I said.
"What's normal when you're with people who can kill you with a glance?"
Touché.
We stopped in front of a tavern with a unique hanging sign depicting a smiling boar holding a mug of beer. I'm amazed they could achieve that level of detail without modern technology.
The place was called The Happy Boar.
Honestly, the boar looked like it was having a better time than I had at any party I'd ever been to.
Godric pushed open the door and the atmosphere inside immediately enveloped us. The smell of fresh meat, wood, beer, and something my brain quickly labeled as "typical English breakfast!"
"Morton!" Godric called out loudly.
From the back emerged a stout man with a prominent belly, a thick beard, and the widest smile I had seen since I arrived in this world. He looked like the kind of person who would give you a hug before asking your name.
"By all the Gods, it's Godric Gryffindor himself!" Morton roared, opening his arms and trapping him in a bear hug.
Morton pulled away, giving Rowena and Helga a knotty nod and Salazar a more courteous bow, which he accepted with a slight gesture.
Then his eyes fell on Edwin and me.
"And these two youngsters... apprentices?"
"Yes, our new students," Helga confirmed proudly.
Morton smiled so warmly that Edwin allowed himself to relax his shoulders a little.
"Well, if they're under the wing of these four, it can only mean they're talented." He leaned toward us and spoke quietly, as if sharing a secret. "Or that they have a lot of problems."
I gave him a thumbs up.
"Probably the second option, sir."
Morton laughed and led us to a long table near one of the windows.
We were served bread, cheese, fruit, and a thick soup that tasted like meat.
Everything was going great... until a man with a sour face got up from another nearby table and looked at us, squinting.
"So you're bringing kids with... those oddities back again, huh?"
The atmosphere in the place dropped a half degree.
Edwin cringed and I swallowed hard.
Morton frowned.
"Don't start, Arlo."
But Arlo was already on his way to giving us a mandatory lesson in classic medieval prejudice.
"Magic only brings trouble," the man spat. "Every time a 'special child' shows up, the only thing that comes with them is disaster."
Rowena didn't lose her composure and replied in a loud, clear voice.
"Magic isn't the problem. People's ignorance is."
Godric took a step forward. He didn't look threatening, but his mere presence was enough to change the atmosphere.
"Arlo, no one is forcing you to approve anything. But these children are under our protection and will be treated with respect."
The man hesitated, opened his mouth to reply... but when he saw Godric's look, the one that said "choose your next words very carefully," he wisely decided to keep his mouth shut, sit down, and focus on his beer.
Morton snorted.
"I apologize for him. Not everyone has overcome their old fears."
Helga dismissed it with a soft smile.
"Don't worry, Morton. Times are changing. Some just take longer to adapt."
As we continued eating breakfast, Edwin whispered to me.
"Is this what awaits us every time someone finds out what we are...?"
"What we are Wizards?" I finished.
He nodded.
"That's most likely. But at least now we have them," I said, pointing to the four founders. "If that doesn't protect us, I don't know what will."
Edwin took a deep breath and nodded, calmer.
After breakfast and thanking Morton for the food (and for acting as a social shield against Arlo the Bitter), we got ready to leave. Godric shook the innkeeper's hand firmly.
"Thank you, my friend. As always, your hospitality is worthy of songs."
"Bah, I don't think I deserve to be mentioned in songs," Morton replied modestly. "But if one day they write a book about your adventures and exploits, I hope you at least mention that my soup was good."
"I will," Godric promised solemnly (it's very likely they won't mention it, but who am I to take away his dream).
We left the tavern and returned to the main road of the village. What happened next was... less than warm, to say the least.
An elderly man, upon seeing us, frowned and spat on the ground. A woman pulled her son into her house as if we were infected with "smallpox."
That's when someone yelled at us.
"Get out of here! Magic only brings misfortune!"
A tomato flew through the air.
I blinked. Tomatoes? Seriously? The classic way to show medieval discontent?
The tomato didn't hit us, but it exploded half a meter away from Edwin. He jumped so high that he almost levitated on pure adrenaline.
"Hey! That was close!" I protested with my hands up, then wiped a few drops off my new (well, magically transformed) shoes.
Another tomato came flying from another angle. This one did hit... Salazar.
Absolute silence.
I didn't know whether to run, kneel, or write my will.
Slowly, very slowly, Salazar removed the piece of tomato from his cape. His expression was a perfect mix of "I'm going to turn you into a slug and make you eat yourself" and "this won't go unpunished, you filthy Muggle."
The air around him grew a little colder, literally. A faint dark green smoke began to form in his hand.
"I think it's time to have some fun," he said quietly with a dangerous smile.
"Salazar," Rowena warned, recognizing the tone that preceded his questionable decision-making.
Another tomato flew, hitting close to our feet.
A local teenager shouted,
"Go back where you belong, you damn monsters!"
I saw the vein in Salazar's neck bulge. The magic he was channeling rose a level, and a feeling of pure fear shot through my spine.
Godric stood in front of him like a human wall.
"Salazar," he said firmly, "No."
The air stopped shaking. The magic receded, Salazar clenched his jaw and reluctantly agreed.
"One scare would have been enough to teach those bastards some manners," he growled.
"You know we don't resort to fear," Godric replied. "We're better than that."
"Sometimes fear is the only way people understand," Salazar replied coldly.
Helga stepped between them, the calmest one in the situation.
"These acts, their attacks, come only from ignorance. They don't do it out of malice. Their fear... will heal with time if we are patient enough."
Rowena added:
"Responding with violence would only reinforce what they believe about us, Salazar."
While they philosophized about the good and evil in people, a third volley of tomatoes came straight at Edwin and me. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact... But nothing hit us.
I opened one eye, watching as the tomatoes remained suspended in the air, floating motionless in front of us. Rowena moved a finger and the tomatoes fell gently to the ground.
She looked at us with a slight smile.
"We'd better leave," she suggested.
Without another word, we resumed our journey out of town. Some people still hurled insults or hostile glances at us, but no one dared to follow or attack us.
When we passed the last mill marking the edge of town, Edwin exhaled as if he had been holding his breath for the five minutes it took us to leave.
"T-those people..." he stammered.
Godric placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Don't let a few define them all. There's more kindness out there than meets the eye, like Mr. Morton."
Edwin nodded, clearly still affected by his previous experiences.
For my part, I looked at the four adults as we walked. Not only were they powerful, but they were also somewhat different from each other, and yet they were together with a clear common goal.
That... was something worth learning.