Author's Note: This is my first story and it is about the founding of and the founders themselves of Hogwarts, and it starts with the events that led up to the founders meeting, becoming friends, and what they had to go through to get to the idea of starting a school. All comments are welcome and appreciated. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling I own nothing and am just borrowing. Hope you enjoy!
Prologue
A female house elf stood scanning the hall with piercing grey eyes, her only feature that did not betray her extreme age. Her uniform of sorts, to replace a lack of clothing, was a piece of tartan wrapped and draped to maintain modesty and allow for the movement that her duties required. With silvered hair, skin that had long ago sagged from her tiny now hunched frame, and a gait, which betrayed the ever-present stiffness of her limbs, a sense of quiet defeat would be expected. However an air of pride existed due to the fact no matter her personal decay, the honor and nobility of the Ravenclaw family who she served would remain undiminished.
"Mistress Rowena," Alva called into the open air, satisfied with the hall at last. With the faintest of pops a young woman appeared at her side. Her pale face was flushed and slightly dirty, long black hair swung wildly as if she had just come in from a wind, and a simple dark blue dress was stained with mud and damp from the misting rain that had begun hours earlier.
"Yes, dearest Alva what is it you require of me," she asked while trying to steady herself from her sudden travel.
Motioning to the hall, which appeared ready for a grand feast she answered, "All the arrangements have been made as the miss Helga requested with her due to arrive at noon time preceding your other guests tonight".
Rowena's dark brown eyes bright with excitement only moments before began to dull noticeably as she for the first time took in her surroundings and the adjustments that had been made to her normally austere furnishings.
"I had altogether forgotten about this most…unusual event," she said pausing as she began to walk further into the hall.
"Well I should hardly consider a young witch of your standing having other young people from the prominent families of the area for a feast unusual. In fact some would view your self-imposed isolation as the unusual event," Alva replied never taking her eyes off of her young mistress.
"There is no isolation self-imposed or otherwise. For one thing I have you, Nettie, and Duft. As well as Helga who I do not believe I could avoid if I wanted to. We have been the closest of friends since childhood as evidenced by the fact that I ever let her convince me to have this ridiculous gathering. Hardly a feast if it is only going to be us and two other guests".
The sound of swishing of skirts came through the entryway and laughter rang out, "My dear Rowena so long as the food and atmosphere are truly exceptional then a feast it shall be. And as I made the plans myself and they were carried out to perfection no doubt by your household of elves let us say with confidence that tonight shall be a fine feast," came the reply from a woman at the front of the hall. Her stature was small her build slight which suited the delicate if rounded features of her face. She was dressed in fine traveling cloak with her curly ginger blonde hair barely contained under a pointed hat, which matched the cloak.
Before Rowena had a chance to respond Alva stepped forward, "Welcome as always Miss Helga, I trust that you had a safe journey and that you will find everything to your liking during your stay".
"Yes thank you Alva, Duft has already taken care of my winged horse and I do believe Nettie is taking my things up to my usual rooms," Helga replied.
"Well then I shall retire to the kitchens to see that evening shall run smoothly from there," Alva gave a small bow to Rowena before turning to speak to Helga in a faux whisper. "Miss Helga I am to understand that the other members of your party tonight are in fact two wizards"?
With a smile spreading across her face Helga bent down to speak to the elf conspiratorially, "As ever Alva you are in possession of the facts".
With a significant look back at her mistress Alva turned once again to Helga, "Well then I ask that you do your best to get her into to one of the lovely gowns in her possession. I took it upon myself to lay out a few that I believe would do very nicely. And if not, at the very least if you could get her to remove the mud from her face, well I would be very grateful". A wicked smile was all that the two witches saw before with a snap of her fingers the elf was transported out of the hall to another part of the castle.
"I never tire of that elf, old as the air itself yet still sharper then an eagle's talon," Helga laughingly said.
"Yes well considering the Ravenclaw family's feelings towards wit she has always been an indispensable member of this household," Rowena agreed.
"Joking aside she does have a point about the mud Rowena, what have you been doing?" Helga questioned.
"To the south near the wetlands there is swamp which contains a type of toadstool that I believe has yet to be identified and may possess magical properties if I can just-," explained Rowena before being cutoff by her exasperated friend.
"Now really Rowena I am sure that there will be a time and a place when I will find your curiosities most engaging, but with all your intelligence you must realize that it is not here and now".
Rolling her eyes and making an effort to begin wiping the mud off of her face, "What then is it, my oldest and most dear friend, that you find engaging at this particular moment?" Rowena asked.
"Since you asked, it is figuring out why Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were so insistent upon seeing and speaking to you and I, regarding some idea of alliance between our four families".
