The King
Book One
Prologue: The Truth of the Founders
The fall of the last king of Magical Europe, was the story of Merlin Emrys and his four apprentices. Merlin had been growing old when he took four apprentices under his wing, old even by magical standards. By the masterful application of diplomacy and only necessary violence, he had united Europe from Ireland in the West, to Poland in the East. He was a wise and benevolent ruler, and maintained strong relations with the muggle rulers, including with the Christian pope. However, his apprentices were plotting behind his back. Between themselves, they agreed on how to split up Merlin's lands into four parts. Helga Hufflepuff, mistress of herbology, was to take charge of Eastern Europe, from Poland to Germany. Salazar Slytherin, potions inventor and Parslemouth would take over the South and West of the mainland, including Italy, France and the Iberian Peninsula. Godric Gryffindor, master of the arts of battle, would rule over the wild Scandanavian countries. That would leave Rowena Ravenclaw, a masterful artisan of runes and charms mistress, would look after England and the surrounding islands. In the year 981, the four put their plans into action. As Godric and Helga took care of the kitchen staff, Salazar replaced the drink with a rune activated sleeping potion, and Rowena placed the rune upon Merlin's cup.
Later that night, Merlin died suddenly in his sleep, leaving none knowing that it was an assassination. However, as the four divided up Merlin's land as they agreed, the four came across the flaw in their plan. They had absolutely no idea how to rule. Only Rowena managed to convey the wisdom and mercy that Merlin had been able to rule with. Whereas on the continent, the other three tried to rule with fear and terror. It did not end well for them. Rebellions spread throughout the countries they ruled. As they called on Rowena for assistance, she refused to aid them. Her reason, that she was busy educating her dominion's future, having taken several wizarding children within her castle of Hogwarts, and had begun to teach them the basics of magic. Alone and outnumbered, the remaining three took to desperate tactics. They started performing attacks on the muggles, in order to try and force them into a response. In the end, their tactic did not work. Their joint armies were defeated by the armies of the rebels in 992, and so each place created their own states, free of outside influence, and bonded closely together by their joint stopping of their shared enemies.
However, the last resort against the muggles had a knock on effect. The pope, concerned about these attacks, and the random and horrific nature of the attacks by the wizards, used this chance to make his personal feelings about the new rulers known. He reasserted the ban on magic, with deadly efficiency, naming wizards and witches followers of the Devil, and normalising violence against them.
Broken and seen as pariahs, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff mad their way to Hogwarts. They were granted safe haven by Ravenclaw, but with one condition. They were never to leave the castle, staying there for their own safety and to help educate the future. She would personally oversee their teaching, naming herself the headmistress of the school. Over time, the four became friends once more, with the three former rulers paying reparations to the new governments of magical Europe. However, Ravenclaw and Slytherin were concerned about the increasing levels of muggle violence. Too many people were being killed and hurt by the muggles. And so, Ravenclaw and Slytherin started working on a project to protect people from the muggles. A place where wizard kind would be safe from fear and violence. Although they finished their project, their knowledge could not last. Ravenclaw died shortly after finishing the project, and Slytherin managed to pass his knowledge on to his son via his personal diary. But it was not retained. Ravenclaw's scroll was discovered and burned by the muggles when it ended up in the hands of her last descendent in America. However, Slytherin's diary was stolen from his son by people unknown. It was then passed around, sold, and moved on through hundreds of ways, until it eventually turned up in the most unexpected of places. In a small shop, frequented by sinister characters, in an old, dusty and forgotten corner, of Borgin and Burke's. And it's rediscovery by Slytherin's heir, set off a course of events, that would change the world forever.