Note: I'm shamelessly ignoring the language change from their times to ours.
Thanks to my beta Elegance Redefined. You know I love you. :D
Helga Hufflepuff was heartbroken, devastated, more like it. Her childhood friend and confidante Ayleth was dead. Killed by witch hunters. She didn't know what to do, or who to talk to. Who would understand her state of mind? Rowena, she thought to herself.
True, she and Rowena had fallen out of touch since the latter's marriage. Of course she understood that. But she felt a pang of guilt for not visiting her. Rowena Guid- Rowena Ravenclaw would understand and would want to help, she told herself: It was stupid of me not to tell her earlier. After all, we are friends.
She couldn't help but smile sadly as she thought of how she and Ayleth discovered that they were witches; how the two of them would go around the magical part of the town just so they could discover their powers. As young girls, they would break twigs off the trees in the woods and pretend that they were wands. As they grew older, they learnt magic at home, sometimes under Helena's mother and at other times under Ayleth's. Ayleth's father used to teach them powerful defensive spells and Helga was Mr. Slytherin's favourite, amongst the two of them.
"Helga," he used to say, "you're an incredible witch. Great things can be expected from you. What are you making today?"
"I'm working on enchanting a basket today, sir. If all goes well, it will refill itself automatically."
Years later, she would remember this simple statement when she stood on the threshold of Hogwarts.
She sighed as she thought about it. She had to get out of her house. She wondered how Salazar was doing. She'd check up on him later. Quickly, she sat down to write an owl to Rowena.
Rowena,
I hope married life is treating you well. I'm sorry to bear the news of Ayleth's death. She was hunted down by the Muggles, as they suspected witchcraft. Poor little Tybalt showed his first signs of magic last night, which was seen by those cruel hunters. They didn't even leave Thunder. Expect me at your place in an hour.
Helga Hufflepuff.
To be Continued...
A/N: Please read, review and recommend? What do you think about it? Questions, queries, requests? Anything. I'll respond asap.