The Very First Lifeguard

Isilarma

Written for the Hogwarts Classes Category Competition (History of Magic), the Gemstone Competition (Turquoise), and Round 1 of the 2013 Summer Fanfiction Olympics, and because I always wondered how this particular tradition arose. This one is set in AD975, a few months after the events of 'All It Took Was A Manticore.' Godric is nineteen, and Salazar is fifteen. I hope you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and am not affiliated with Bloomsbury or Scholastic Inc.

Godric's mouth fell open.

"What did you say?"

Salazar raised an eyebrow. "Is it really that surprising?"

"Yes! How is it possible that you never learned to swim?"

"There was never the need to," said Salazar mildly. "It is not exactly an essential skill."

"Of course it is!"

"Why? I have never lived near the sea, nor do I intend to, and there are many more important things I could be doing with my time."

"But we frequently travel by water! What if you were to fall in?"

"I would Apparate out."

"But what if you were too tired? Or unable to concentrate?"

"Godric, if I was so low on energy that I was unable to Apparate, do you really think I would be able to swim to safety?"

Godric's eyes narrowed. "I am serious, Salazar. There will be times when you will be unable to use your magic, and then what will you do?"

"I would not allow myself to get into such a situation in the first place."

"You will not always have a choice," Godric snapped.

Salazar sighed. "Godric, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Not always," said Godric quietly. "And it would be the height of foolishness to fall victim to something so simple to rectify."

Salazar said nothing, but his expression darkened. Godric frowned at him.

"Accidents happen, Salazar; you know that as well as I do. And you are the one who says we should always be prepared." He had no intention of dropping the subject until his friend saw his point of view, but he recognised the set of Salazar's jaw.

"I am sure I would manage."

"Be sensible," Godric snapped. "You cannot rely on magic for everything. It will not take long, and it may very well save your life someday."

"Godric," Salazar growled. "It is not happening."

"For God's sake, Salazar, do you really want to drown just because you cannot be bothered to take a few days to learn to swim?"

Salazar's eyes blazed. "Of course not."

"Then what-"

"Godric, I can barely walk! How exactly do you expect me to be able to swim?"

Godric's argument died on his lips. "Oh."

Salazar's lips twisted into a grimace. "Oh, indeed."

"I am sorry."

Salazar shrugged. "Not your fault." He kept his gaze on the floor. Godric sighed and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, in many ways swimming is a lot easier than walking."

Salazar did not speak, apparently fascinated by the circles he was scratching into the ground with his staff, but Godric knew him well enough to read his scepticism.

"I mean it. With the water supporting you, there will less strain on the muscles."

"That will not stop the pain."

"Maybe not," Godric agreed. "But it is unlikely to be much worse than it is currently."

Salazar was silent for a long minute. Godric bit back the urge to persuade him further; unlike him, Salazar always needed time to think things through further, and excess talking would only serve to irritate him.

But Godric had never been very good at waiting.

"It cannot hurt to try, at least."

"It might," Salazar shot back. "That is the problem."

"Salazar..." He was trying desperately to think of a way to continue the argument when Salazar let out a long sigh.

"You really are serious about this."

"Really? What gave it away?"

A rather curious expression played on Salazar's face. "Why?"

Godric rolled his eyes. "Why do you think?"

Salazar said nothing, but the very small smile on his face expressed his feelings perfectly well. Godric felt a familiar surge of protectiveness.

"It will be all right," he said quietly. "You will not have any problems."

"That is easy for you to say," Salazar muttered, but Godric saw some of the tension leave his shoulders. "Very well."

"You mean you will try?"

"Somehow, I doubt I will get any peace until I do."

Godric just grinned at him. "Well, I think you made an excellent decision."

"Of course you do."

Godric ignored him, his mind already racing with ideas. "This is going to be fun."

Salazar stared at the deep, blue waters of the lake.

"You have an interesting definition of fun."

Godric grinned and started pulling off his boots. "It will be."

"Really?" His eyes narrowed. "I thought it was easier to swim in the sea."

"It is," said Godric. "But this is less public."

"We have passed dozens of deserted sites over the past few weeks," said Salazar flatly. "Not to mention that there are such things as privacy wards."

Godric rolled his eyes. "Think of it this way: if you learn here, you will not have any problems if you do happen to get into trouble in the sea." Salazar muttered something under his breath, and his grin widened. "Besides, this way you will not have to worry about the tides and currents on top of everything else."

Salazar muttered something that sounded distinctly uncomplimentary under his breath. Godric pulled off his tunic and frowned at him.

"You did promise me that you would try."

"I never promised," Salazar muttered. He had yet to even take off his cloak. Godric found it hard to blame him; despite the midday sun, there was a distinct chill to the air, but they were there for a reason.

"Salazar..."

"All right, all right. I will join you in a moment."

Godric eyed him somewhat warily, but nodded. "Very well. Try not to take too long."

He just heard Salazar mumble an acknowledgement before he dived from the rock into the waiting water.

The icy water took Godric's breath away; he had been expecting fresh, not freezing. Once the initial shock had passed though, the sensation was quite exhilarating, and Salazar slipped from his mind as he revelled in the opportunity to stretch rarely used muscles. His father had taught him to swim as a child, and the exercise always brought back fond memories. It was a shame Salazar did not have such experiences to draw on.

That thought made his spirits dip. Godric still did not know exactly what had happened to Salazar's family, but he knew enough to understand exactly why learning to swim had not been high on the younger boy's priorities. Godric wasn't just doing this to keep him safe after all. Salazar had missed out on quite enough childhood experiences; he was not losing this one too.

Speaking of which... Godric realised with a slightly guilty start that he had come further than he had intended to; the rock upon which he had stood had shrunk quite considerably. More importantly though, Salazar was nowhere to be seen. Godric started back for the shore immediately; no need to give Salazar any more time to think of some matter that required his immediate attention.

Godric was nearly back when something made him pause. There was nothing out of the ordinary; the water was still and clear, and the only living creatures to be seen were a pair of birds wheeling through the air. Nothing that could possibly pose any sort of threat.

But Godric had spent most of his life fighting for survival. He had learned long ago not to rely on just his sight. But no sound reached his ears but for the lapping of the water; no scent or sensation disturbed him. Even straining out with his magical senses revealed nothing, but the familiar cool flicker of Salazar's magic. They were alone.

They were alone. Every sense told him so. And yet there was something...

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

Godric's eyes flickered open, the disturbance momentarily forgotten. "Very much so, thank you."

Salazar's head tilted to one side as he looked down. "Are you sure?"

Godric grimaced; the temperature of the water really was quite uncomfortable. He had not realised how deep this particular body of water ran. Maybe not one of his better ideas.

"I am fine."

Not that he was going to admit it.

"Of course," Salazar drawled. "You know, blue lips and red hair is a most fascinating combination."

Godric glared at him. "Are you coming in, or not?"

"I have considered the matter at some length. At this time, I would have to say not."

"Salazar..."

"Being able to swim will not do me any good if I freeze to death first."

Godric set his lips, but he was temporarily distracted from his frustration by a fierce stabbing pain in his calf. The cramp broke his concentration, and he let out a muffled curse as he had to kick hard to stay afloat.

"Godric?"

Godric coughed up some accidentally swallowed water. "I am well," he called. Even from a distance he could read the scepticism on Salazar's face.

"I thought you said that you were good at this."

"I am good at this," Godric shouted back. His leg twinged. "Just a little out of practice. Now, are you coming in, or do I have to come and get you?"

Salazar frowned. "Godric, I really do not think that this is the best idea."

"Do not be ridiculous," Godric snapped. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Godric-"

But what he was about to say, Godric never knew. His leg, already stiff, chose that moment to cramp again, and the muscles exploded with pain. He gave a startled cry as his rhythm faltered, and his head dipped beneath the water.

"Godric!"

Clenching his teeth, Godric kicked his way back up, but this time the sensation did not abate so easily. A stream of curses ran through his mind; more furious with himself than concerned. He should have anticipated this.

Then all other thought fled as something long and rubbery wrapped itself around his waist.

Godric fought back immediately, but it was no use; the tentacle, though thin, was ridiculously strong, and it proved it by tightening its grip. A stream of bubbles burst from between Godric's lips as the air was forced from his lungs, and he redoubled his attempts to escape. Salazar would never forgive him if he died like this. In response, the tentacle squeezed tighter. Godric gritted his teeth; black spots swam before his vision, and he could feel the blood pounding in his head. If he did not break free soon...

He was so concerned with finding oxygen that it took him a moment to feel the water rushing past and realise he was moving. He just had time to comprehend that the tentacle was actually dragging him, before his head broke the water.

The next thing Godric knew, he was suspended a dozen feet above the water. He caught a blurred glimpse of Salazar's stunned face, before the tentacle whipped through the air and released him.

Godric sucked in a grateful breath as the pressure on his torso relaxed, but his relief soon gave way to alarm. The ground was hurtling towards him at an alarming rate, and he had absolutely no way of slowing his descent. Godric almost found himself laughing; at least it was better than drowning. He set his jaw and readied himself for the impact.

Only to find himself abruptly jerked to a halt several feet above the ground. Godric let out a long breath.

"Excellent timing." He twisted in time to see Salazar appear next to him with a barely audible crack. The younger wizard's face was bone grey.

"You are an idiot."

"I could hardly have known," Godric began, but Salazar interrupted.

"You told me you were perfectly at home in the water."

Godric rolled his eyes. "It was just a cramp. I would have been fine."

"Of course you would."

Godric sighed. "Can you at least put me down before you continue yelling?"

He was half-expecting Salazar to drop him, and so was pleasantly surprised when he was lowered down and set gently on his feet. Salazar studied him.

"Are you all right?"

Ordinarily, Godric might protest the attention, but this would not be a good time to test Salazar's patience. He carefully stretched his muscles. "Leg aches." He took a deep breath and grimaced. "May have cracked a rib."

Salazar nodded. "Sit down."

Godric did so. While Salazar waved his wand in a diagnostic pattern, he let his gaze wander over the lake. The dark waters were once again still and clear as a mirror. No one could have known the secret it held.

"What do you think it was?"

Salazar shrugged. "I have no idea." His eyes narrowed. "Whatever it was, it was strong."

"I noticed that. It felt like some sort of tentacle."

"That was what it looked like too." He paused in his work. "There have been legends of squid-like creatures helping distressed sailors."

"But this is a completely different environment," Godric protested. "There is no salt in this water for a start, and the depth is all wrong."

Salazar raised an eyebrow. "We have seen stranger things."

That was a statement Godric could not argue with. "Well whatever it was, I am glad it was there."

"It cracked two of your ribs," said Salazar sharply.

"It was only trying to help. It probably does not know its own strength."

Salazar stared at him. "You cannot be serious."

"What? It saw I was having difficulties and tried to help."

"Or it just wanted you to leave it in peace."

"Why do you always have to think the worst of everyone?"

"Because there is no reason for such a creature to help us."

"Salazar, just because the manticore tried to kill us-"

"And the trolls," Salazar interrupted. "And the kelpies, and the dragon, and-"

"That does not mean every creature does," Godric finished loudly.

Salazar shook his head. "You are impossible." But his hands were gentle as they wrapped a bandage round the developing bruises.

Godric grinned at him. "Thank you." A thought struck him and the grin widened. "So, about your lessons..."

"Do not even think about it."

"But it would make sense to learn somewhere where you knew something would save you if you got into trouble."

"No!"

Laughing was painful, but Godric did not care. It was worth it.

Thank you for reading!