"Welcome, young man."
Helga's voice was gentle, even more reassuring than her smile and eyes. As she spoke, the herbs growing in the room seemed to come alive, swaying softly.
"Hello." Tver gave a respectful bow. He had no way of being discourteous to someone like her. "I presume you are Madam Helga Hufflepuff?"
Helga tilted her head noncommittally, making her seem somewhat more lively.
"And you, young visitor? Could you tell me your name, and how much time has passed?"
"My mistake. I should have introduced myself first." Tver dipped slightly. "You may call me Tver, Tver Foley, currently the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."
"As for the time, a thousand years have already passed."
A flash of fervor crossed Tver's eyes. This really was Helga from a thousand years ago!
"A thousand years..."
Helga seemed intrigued. She gave him an interested once-over, examining him more carefully this time.
"After a thousand years, are all the professors at the school as young as you?"
In his pleasant mood, Tver relaxed considerably as well.
"Only me. That's because I'm exceptionally talented."
"And can you tell me how such a young, exceptional professor found this place?" Helga asked with a soft laugh.
At the mention of business, Tver's expression turned serious.
He raised the badge in his hand. "It was guided by this badge."
Helga's gaze sharpened. The warmth in her eyes vanished, gradually replaced by a keen edge that revealed the bearing of a legendary witch.
"Can you give me that badge?"
Her words puzzled Tver.
If the badge had been made by Helga, she ought to know more about it than he did. She should not have shown such an expression.
Things seemed to be heading in a direction unknown to him.
He strode forward and