Helga was in the back garden when the sound of the bell rang out from the Centre of Hogsmeade village. She looked up sharply from the patch of Wolfsbane she was tending to, her sister had clutched her arm in brief alarm, "Helga" she said worriedly, "what does that mean?" she asked, but Helga didn't know for sure, "there's to be a town meeting, Josephine, I don't know what for. Finish collecting the Wolfsbane, ill go ask Mother,"

Helga got up and ran inside the cottage, "Mother!" she called to an ageing witch who was caring for a sickly boy with the help of her older sister Margot. "Mother.. There is a meeting-"

"Yes, I hear the bell Helga, could you please go on behalf of the family?" "Mother that is a high responsibility," she replied, "you must! You are the only one of age available, your Father is at work, Persephone is looking after Friedrick and Genevieve, Hansel has not yet returned from his apprenticeship and I need Margot to help me tend to Lawrence. Roberta will finish helping Josephine in the garden." she said to her daughter, sending her off, "and don't let any of your brothers follow you," she added. Helga left, ignoring her brothers' calls obediently, hurrying towards the main village square.


"Rowena! Where is my tea?"

"Coming father-" Rowena was cut off as the bell began to ring. She hastily removed her stained apron and rushed up the stairs to her father's room, where her brothers had already arrived. "Father-"

"Rowena, hush now, Zachariah, Obadiah, you must go to the town meeting in my place,"

"Father, you could-"

"I must return to work," Obadiah cut across.

"Father.."

"That's alright, Zachariah can go on his own,"

"Father, could I go?" Rowena managed to say,

"Don't be ridiculous, child,"

"Why not?"

"You have tea to make,"

"You have a wand that works, do it yourself," she replied coldly,

"How dare you, you silly girl, remember your place!" he said before dissolving into a coughing fit, Rowena glared frostily at her brothers before retreating downstairs to the kitchen. She waited for the door to indicate her brothers had left and put on a deep blue cloak that matched her eyes and followed them, shutting the door softly on her Fathers raspy calls. He could make his tea himself.


Salazar was watching the crowd in the village square grow steadily bigger with every chime of the bell tower. He could hear his Aunt prepare his Uncle to go forth to the meeting. "Salazar," he heard his uncle say, he turned his head slightly to look at him, "would you come too?"

"Is it necessary?" he replied coolly

"I would like for you come. You are old enough."

Salazar sighed slightly, "as you wish, Uncle,"


"Mother, let me go, please,"

"Alright Godric, alright. Only if Francis permits it," she sighed,

"Who do you think told me of it?" he replied, kissing her on the cheek before grabbing his cloak and wand.

"Mother, can I go too?"

"Gweneviere, I don't..."

"oh come Mother, I'll take care of our Gwennie" Godric teased his sister, pulling on her red plaits playfully, she smacked his arm softly. "Albie will take me straight home if there's trouble, Mother," she said, gesturing to their house elf, who nodded wildly.

"alright then, hurry before you miss it then," she said as the children took the house elves arm and disapparated to Hogsmeade.


Eldritch Diggory was standing at the podium at the Hogsmeade village square, people were already forming a noisy crowd, most of the village had already arrived, along with the known wizarding family members from other communities. A Wizards meeting did not come around often, and when it did a member of every family had to attend. When people finished arriving, he finally spoke. "People of the wizarding world, it is with great regret I inform you, the last of the great elders, and founder of Hogsmeade, Xavier Gaunt, is dead."

The crowd fell silent "he was a wise wizard and he proclaimed to me that before he had passed he should leave the British part of the magical world in the hands of a new generation. So on this day, i have been elected by remaining children of the Elders, to be the new head of a council. I do so hope I shall be a worthy representative of our great nations magical community, and by decree I shall announce my first act in position."

he paused and looked round at the faces of the crowd, most looked shocked, still reeling over elder Gaunt's death, some curious, waiting for him to continue. "France, Bulgaria, Ireland and even in the America's, their communities are far more advanced. I can tell you why; it is because they start young, with experience. We, however, however do not have the means and I will tell you why, we are taught by family, therefore we are inexperienced. That is why I propose we build a school of witchcraft and wizardry. I will select a handful of people that will be responsible from our own community to teach our new generation, I hope from this we can grow and develop, because who knows where our gifts will take us."

With that he finished and got down from the podium. People broke into applause and after a while began to leave. Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were among the first to leave, going back to their very different lives, thinking the same thing, merlin help that handful.


authors note:

Hi and thanks for making it to the end. so this is my first published fic, i hope you find it okay, because i do have a plan, next chapter will be considerably longer. maybe just maybe if you could review what you think? also this is un-beta'd so all mistakes are my own i also own nothing :)