The New Apprentice

Several generations had passed since the majority of Britannia had forfeited the belief in the old gods and in magic.

The new religion, with their messiah Jesus, condemned magic and cast away all those who were believed to practice magic.

But on Britannia's northeast coast, close to the borders to Caledonia, there was a small village which still believed in the gods of old and their priestess was said to know spells of healing and defense.

The villagers had faith in the powers and the strength of their priestess. They knew that her name was Amelia Hufflepuff and that she had a daughter named Helga, but the villagers didn't know that she and her daughter was the last living members of an old magical family.

Their whole family had been hunted down by Christians in their crazy hunt for those with unearthly powers when Helga was just a baby.

Amelia had managed to get away with the baby and during her escape she had found the village, where the now dead priestess had made Amelia her successor.

Ten years had passed since that fateful day, and today Amelia was on her way down from the temple to the village to talk to the Ravenclaws about their youngest daughter Rowena.

She had been quite surprised when she had seen the child of a poor peasant using magic to let the flowers she had collected bloom. In order to make sure that the child wouldn't harm herself or anyone else, Amelia had decided to make her a priestess.

That way she would be able to teach Rowena magic without raising any suspicions.

Now all Amelia had to do was to convince the family to leave the just nine year old girl in her care.

Last year's harvest had been poor and the family was running low on food, and that was why Amelia had no doubts that they would approve of it. That aside, being picked as an apprentice of a priestess was a great honor for Rowena.

When Amelia reached the shabby thatched hut, she was still lost in her thoughts and was nearly run over by the children who just rushed out of the house. Their angry mother chased after them cursing badly until she noticed Amelia standing right in front of her.

She stopped in surprise and after some confused staring; Rolanda Ravenclaw re-gathered her composure and greeted Amelia. "Sacred priestess, what brings your eminence to our modest home, if I may ask?"

Still lost in her thoughts it took Amelia a few seconds to gather herself. "Dear Mrs. Ravenclaw, I came here today to discuss the future of your daughter Rowena with you and your husband. I would appreciate it if we could discuss this matter inside; if you don't mind."

"My... My d...dau...daughter?" stuttered Mrs. Ravenclaw. It took her a few seconds to regain her composure before she addressed Amelia again.

"Of course you may enter holiness. I hope you don't mind that the room is currently kind of in a mess. But the children created quite some havoc earlier."

After Mrs. Ravenclaw had invited the priestess in, she stepped aside to allow Amelia to enter the room first. With a nod in Mrs. Ravenclaw's direction, Amelia stepped into the hut and was greeted by chaos.

It seemed as if the children had destroyed the whole place. She decided to take no further notice of it in order to not disgrace the Ravenclaw family.

Rolanda Ravenclaw entered the room right behind her and went over to what seemed to be the kitchen part of it.

"May I offer you some cider and freshly baked pie before I go fetch Robert from the fields?"

"I would really like some cider, but I have to pass on the pie. I just had a meal at the temple before I left. Also, might you bring Rowena along with your husband? I think she should hear what I have to say."

Mrs. Ravenclaw had already started to pour cider in a jug and placed it together with a cup on the table while Amelia was still talking.

"Alright then, I'll be off to bring them here. It might take some time however."

"It doesn't matter how long it takes," chuckled Amelia, "As long as we can discuss the matter it is fine, unless you would prefer to get over with it quickly."

Rolanda Ravenclaw nodded a quick see you later at Amelia and left the hut in a hurry.

While waiting Amelia took a closer look at the inside and wondered once more how such a big family could live in such small quarters. She sighed and took a sip of the cider.

To Amelia it felt like she had only waited a couple of minutes, but when the three Ravenclaws entered their house, the empty cider jug on the table betrayed that feeling.

Upon seeing them she stood up and waited for them to sit down.

"Sacred Priestess, it's an honor to have you here. My wife tells me that your holiness wishes to discuss Rowena's future with us. May I asked why you wish to discuss this matter?" asked Mr. Ravenclaw after shaking Amelia's hand.

"Well of course you may ask. As a matter of fact, I think that Rowena is quite talented and I would like her to become my apprentice together with my own daughter. But I don't intend to make that decision for you. That's why I came here today."

This took the two adult Ravenclaws by surprise and they could just stare at the priestess in shock.

Rowena on the other hand jumped forward until she stood right in front of Amelia and looked at her with big brown eyes and some strands of hair covering her face.

"Does that mean I will become a priestess just like you? And that I will never have to bother with my stupid brothers again? And that I can gather a lot of knowledge?" asked the overly excited girl, anxiously chewing on her lip as she waited for Amelia to reply.

The person in question let out a small chuckle and looked at Rowena approvingly.

"Yes Rowena that is exactly what I meant. Though I think you should stay with your family for a few days, before you move in with Helga and me. And, before we make any plans we should ask for your parents' permission, don't you think so?" replied Amelia with a nod to the other Ravenclaws.

Amelia had hardly said the last words as the young girl whirled around and looked with big begging eyes at her parents, who seemed quite happy themselves. After all if Rowena was becoming a priestess it would mean a great honor and it would make her happier than anything her parents had ever planned for her.

"My darling, if it makes you happy, then we will let you go with the priestess. But you will have to promise us to come back to help us during the time of harvest, can you do that?" asked Mrs. Ravenclaw before Rowena could say anything to them.

Hearing that made the excited girl go wild and she ran and jumped like a wild animal through the whole hut.

Meanwhile Mr. Ravenclaw focused on the priestess.

"We feel honored that your holiness is willing to teach our little tomboy. May I make a suggestion though? Seeing how eager Rowena is, how about letting her start already tomorrow? She could come back on the weekends and help us out a bit until we are all settled with the matter."

"My good Mr. Ravenclaw that is a very good idea I think. I'm very grateful that you are willing to let me teach your precious and only daughter. If you don't mind, I'm going to take my leave now since I still have to prepare everything for your daughter. I suppose that you will accompany her tomorrow, so you can say your goodbyes. Until tomorrow then."

Amelia said goodbye to the Ravenclaws and walked back the way she had come earlier that day.

She was truly relieved that it had gone so well. Never had she expected that the Ravenclaws would have been so easily convinced.

While walking she wondered if the girl was still jumping around, very excited about this new opportunity.

The next morning Rowena woke up really early, despite her being not able to fall asleep until late in the night.

She had been imagining how it would be to learn a lot of new things and couldn't wait for her parents to get up.

A couple of hours later, Rowena and her parents were on their way to the old temple. During the journey she remembered that there would be another girl who would also be learning with her.

Rowena started to wonder what that girl was like and if they would become friends.

That night after Amelia had returned to the temple, she told her daughter Helga about Rowena coming to join in her training. Helga hadn't been too happy with the news and had thrown a tantrum the whole night.

The Harry Potter series with all its characters and lore belongs to JK Rowling and not to me.