Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Harry Potter or its characters. That right goes to the beautiful and extremely talented J. K. Rowling.

Part 1: The Founders

Chapter 1: Witch-hunting Lullaby

Salazar

Thunder rumbles over the valley. Rain drizzles in through the windows, making the room uncomfortably wet. Every windowpane in the safe house had been broken during the raid. The carpet had been badly burned too, and the wood pile is nowhere to be seen.

Nobody knows how the locals had found out about them. The half-blood Crane is currently the main suspect, since he isn't with the remaining magical refugees and hadn't been executed, with several other witches and wizards that had come from their group, earlier that morning. But it isn't certain. Maybe he had just happened to be lucky enough to escape the muggles, and the villagers had been alerted of their presence some other way. But Crane's reputation isn't helped by his parentage. If he ever returned he would most likely be cast out.

One little wizard of about ten years old grips his mother's cloak tightly. The Garment is almost at the point of tearing. His eyes widen at every strike of lightening, then squeeze shut again at the thunder. It is dark and smells and he is scared. That is all he can think of. That, and the fact that he misses his home. He trembles from the cold and the fear. He wishes he didn't, but he knows he can't stop. His mother rubs his back reassuringly.

"Be still Salazar, it is only the thunder." Lady Slytherin whispers.

The boy nods, but doesn't let go of the cloak, leaning against the woman even more than before. The two had grown closer ever since Lord Slytherin had been executed for sorcery. Murdered in his sleep by a gang of muggles, poor man. Now his wife and son are fleeing to London, where it is supposedly much safer than their home in Ireland. Lady Slytherin had visited wizarding London many times. There used to be a little shop that sold robes she had absolutely adored. But nothing is truly safe anymore.

"Close your eyes my little one. You must rest now. We move on in the morning. "

"Will it be much longer before we reach London mama? I don't want another raid to happen!"

"No, Salazar. Only a week or so is left. Then we'll find safety again."

"Will we really be safe mama?" he asks her.

She ponders the question for a moment. Will they be safe? Is there really any place on this godforsaken earth where they could truly be safe anymore? Their kind was being hunted down for something the could not control, something they should be proud of instead of being killed for like her husband. She looks down at her son. The truth doesn't matter at the moment. She knows what he needs to hear.

"Yes, my son. We will be safe in London. I promise you. Now please, shut your eyes and rest like I've told you to."

He shows her a weak smile and does as he's told. In all honesty, Salazar is tired. Tired of running towards London. Tired of being hunted like an animal. Tired of living in fear.

He lays back as his mother begins to sing.

"Sleep my baby, sleep.

For now, you shall not weep.

Close your eyes

And dream of peace.

My love for you

Shall only increase

Sleep my baby, sleep.

Cast your worries at my feet.

Let rest bring you

Its sweet release.

My love for you

Shall only increase."

Rowena

"Rowena? Rowena, my love, where've you gotten to now?"

The girl in question looks down from the stars and turns towards the booming voice of her father.

"I'm here father! Come and see, the stars look beautiful tonight! I can easily see Venus!" she calls out to him.

"The stars are always beautiful Rowena" he wheezes as he reaches the room at the top of their house.

"Did you need me father?" the girl asks.

Her eyebrows raise as her father sighs, worry clouding his face. He takes a seat on a bench near a bookshelf and pats the cushioned spot to his right, asking his daughter to sit with him. She obeys and studies his face, wondering what's wrong

"There's something we need to discuss Rowena. Something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time, but haven't gotten around to because I just haven't the heart for it. But you need to know, as you are leaving in a week."

"Leaving!" Rowena exclaims. "Where we going father?"

"We are not going anywhere my love. You are going to London with your sister to stay with your aunt Cynthia."

Here he coughs, startling Rowena almost as much as his words did.

"But father, why aren't you to come with us? Helena and I will be traveling all by ourselves! What if we get hurt, or sick, and the other doesn't know what to do? What if we get lost? How could we do it without you? I am only thirteen! I can't take care of myself, let alone the both of us! What is going on?"

Lord Ravenclaw sighs again. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but that doesn't make it any less painful.

"Rowena, my love… I am dying. You have known about this for some time now, but I'm not sure you ever accepted it. I can't do anything. The muggle physicians can't do anything. The wizard healers can't do anything. I don't have much time left, and I want to know that you and your sister are safe in London with what family you will have left before I go. I don't want to leave knowing that there is a chance that your magic will be discovered. I want to leave in peace."

Rowena sobs "But you'll be all alone!"

"I know darling. But that's a price that I'm fully willing to pay."

Her she reaches out and hugs him tightly. A tear slips from his eyes.

"Hush now! Look on the bright side! You and Helena will be able to benefit from Albert and Cynthia's enormous library that you and your mother always went on about! Think of all you two will be able to learn from it, and from wizarding London! You will be safe with family and friends, and you will be able to live in freedom from fear for at least a little while. That's way more than you will ever receive here, more than I could ever give either of you."

"But no books or magic could replace youfather."

"I know Rowena, I know."

They sit there in silence for a few minutes before Rowena gets up.

"Shall I be the one to tell Helena father, or would you prefer to do it?"

He thinks about it for a moment, then tells her to go back to what she was doing. He'll take care of her sister.

When he leaves the room, Rowena collapses back onto the bench and cries. The wind blows into the room, the noise of it echoing against the rafters like a sad song.

Godric

Blood spurted onto the floor of the cottage. Another day, another fight. Somebody had dared to accuse him of being a wizard or sorcerer. So of course, he got what was coming to him: a fist in the stomach and a knee in the groin. Unfortunately, the other boy had been four years older than Godric, and several feet taller than him too. So the Gryffindor heir had been beaten by the older child before he could say pumpkin juice. Of course nobody else knew that what the other boy had accused him of was actually true, but he still had to defend himself! At least, that's what Godric is now explaining to his mother. The truth of the matter is that he had been itching for a chance to prove his bravery for the past week. When the opportunity came along, he took it! And his parents know it. Though they see the incident more as proof of their son's recklessness than his bravery.

"Mother! Father! Michael called me a filthy sorcerer, a wizard, and a traitor to the country! What was I supposed to do? Just let him get away with it? No! I turned ten last week, I've got to make sure they know I'm a man now! I had to defend myself! Did he beat me up afterwards? Sure. But did he not learn his lesson? No! His mama came out right after the incident and boxed his ears! Said he shouldn't be picking on younger kids like me! And she's damn right too. He's been nothing but a bully since he was seven. And he's had it coming to him ever since he stole poor little Sarah's doll last month!"

"Watch your language son" his mother warns.

"Sorry ma'am" he mutters, catching his father's eye.

Mr. Gryffindor is a stern man. Quick to anger, but also quick to forgive. Godric inherited that from him.

"Godric" he says calmly "You need to understand the difference between foolishness and bravery. There's a very fine line between the two, and if you're not careful you'll cross it and end up hurting yourself and others. I know that the boy insulted you, but you should not have struck him. It will only bring more trouble on yourself, as you obviously learned. Now, if he had struck you first, or harmed another person, then it would be absolutely right and brave to stand up and fight back then. But until that happens, you need to learn to stay cool and control yourself. A lesson I'm still learning too, if I'm honest"

Godric looks into his father's face and sees a twinkle in his eyes. He isn't angry. But he probably won't let him get off so lightly again. The boy beams at his mother, who smiles back at him before telling him to come and help her set the table. Godric groans and his father chuckles at him. All is well in their little hollow. For now.

Helga

The carriage swayed left and right. Ms. Hufflepuff sneaks a look out the window and her eyes widen at the sight. They definitely aren't in Wales anymore! Here the streets are cobblestoned and dirty. Small houses are stuck to each other. Children are playing in the mud and chasing a small dog around.

Helga sighs. She misses her country home. Her family is moving to a more populated city in England to try and escape the authorities notice back home. Her uncle had been caught using magic three months ago, and now her entire family was under suspicion. So they had left their little village and their manor and made the long journey into the neighboring country.

Now they were getting closer to London, where her family would split up. Her father was planning on heading northward with her aunt and uncle to ensure their safety before coming back, whereas her brother Daniel, her mother and herself were to go straight to Diagon Alley where they had bought a flat above a bookshop.

It was strange to think that she would soon be living in a small space with only five rooms in total, versus the huge family home she had grown up in for the first nine years of her life.

She jumps at the sound of her brother's shout from across her. He's looking out the window too and crying out for them to duck down. He says something about soldiers before the carriage comes to a halt. Her father glances outside and orders his family to stay calm. He and uncle Lewis will handle it. The two men step outside and go to talk to the group of people surrounding them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Helga hears her father asking.

Next thing they know swords are drawn and a big bang goes off immediately behind them. Her uncle fires a stunning jinx and her father a shield charm. Both run back towards safety. They had been found out!

Her mother is panicking, her aunt is turning as pale as a ghost and her brother is scrambling on top of the coach where the driver is stubbornly refusing to go on as that would be against the soldier's orders. Her father and uncle make it back inside just as Daniel pushes the driver off his seat and grabs hold of the reins, forcing the horses into a gallop. They speed off faster than the wind, with the help of a quickening enchantment applied to the carriage. Now Lady Hufflepuff is sobbing, aunt Teresa is sighing in relief and Helga is hugging her father's arm.

They've gotten away again!

Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading this first chapter! If you enjoyed it, feel free to rate and/or review it. I will try and update every Monday, but no guarantees. Thanks again and good night!

- Rion.