A/N: This is the fanfiction version of a Founders Era RPG game. Hogwarts and its Founders are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and we only borrowed them to play with them. Salazar Slytherin's parts were written by pen name angelis, Rowena Ravenclaw's parts were written by pen name dramioneshipper, Helga Hufflepuff's parts were written by pen name boogum, and Godric Gryffindor's parts were written by pen name junsui. Our OCs in this chapter are Jalila Kash (written by pen name shewalksonme) and Ender Archer (written by pen name xalent). We (junsui and boogum) are the ones editing it into a fanfiction with their full awareness. Check out everyone's accounts! Our ability to play our parts improves as the story progresses, we promise.
A NEW YEAR BEGINS
Ender Archer stood before the great entrance of Hogwarts, looking out. All of the other students had already entered the great school and were wandering about until the Sorting feast began, but Ender stood facing the giant double doors looking outward.
Why am I not Head Boy? How can Roxas be considered more suitable? he asked himself in agony. Six years he had worked for that position only to never receive the badge. Ender had made Prefect in his fourth year because he was a role model for other students. He was not the smartest and not the most talented, but he was still knowledgeable and had some inborn skills. He worked harder than anyone else, as he had to prove himself worthy as the adopted heir of the Archer family, a Pureblood among Purebloods. Only the house of Black outranked his.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jalila walked through the empty, grand halls of Hogwarts. She was so glad to be back, even if it would be her last year. She was finally seventeen and was of age in her world. Her father had been trying to marry her off for years now. She knew that, if she didn't find someone, he'd likely sell her off to some old man with more wrinkles than she knew spells. With a sigh, Jalila turned the corner and leaned against the wall. A smile danced on her features, pushing all thoughts of marriage and her father away.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Salazar Slytherin sat patiently waiting in the Great Hall for the students to arrive for the Sorting feast after putting away their belongings. "I wonder what sort of surprises are in store for us this year..." he mused as he surveyed the walls and doors.
Rowena lay listlessly in her room. "Another year of learning. Another year of cute little first years to watch grow into ANNOYING pranksters who don't take lessons seriously. I honestly side with Salazar on the whole jokes and laughter being annoying...in class. Godric and Helga think laughter should be everywhere...which is why students usually fail to learn much in their classes. Because half the time Helga is tending to a little creature who's hurt, and Godric is off saving the world. Again." She sat up and critically eyed her decorating. "All blue, as usual. I would change it to red or green, but Salazar and Godric would kill me. And yellow is too...sunshiny. Who LIKES the sunshine anyway?"
Rowena grouchily but gracefully marched down to the Great Hall to wait with Salazar for the students to arrive. Salazar chuckled, knowing that Rowena was probably despairing again about the seriousness level displayed by their other two fellow founders. After being together for so many years, he could read her like a book. Eying her more closely, he paused. "Are you well, Ravenclaw? You don't seem quite yourself. Did something happen while we were gone from the school?" When Rowena didn't respond, Salazar suggested "Perhaps it has something to do with the war...?" He shrugged his silver-green clad shoulders slightly.
Rowena gave a delicate snort. "You would know about the war, Salazar. I can't believe you let him do that. Just let him take Hogsmeade simply because he had been in Slytherin. Now all of our students are in danger. You know Helga wanted to close the school, but Godric went ahead and tried to be brave. 'Hogwarts will not fall.' Honestly. If you hadn't given him permission to go into Hogsmeade by the Hogwarts grounds, he wouldn't have gotten in."
As Rowena continued lecturing, Helga Hufflepuff entered the Great Hall and looked around with a small smile. Oh, there they are. She thought, her smile growing wider as her eyes rested on Rowena and Salazar. As she approached them, she asked, "When shall we begin the opening feast and-oh!" Suddenly she realized that one founder was still missing. "Where has that Godric gone off to this time? Really, if he's trying to slay dragons again, I might have to have a word with him," she said with her hands on her hips.
Salazar gave Helga an absentminded greeting and motioned for her to join them at the table as he responded to Rowena's lecture, ignoring Helga's question. "I don't think that we need Hogsmeade that badly. Besides, remember how many wards and shields the four of us erected over the school?" With a sneer, he continued, "'Simply because he had been in Slytherin', you say? I beg to differ. I don't believe that Gregory Iudicium is going to be anything as bad as previous Dark Lords. Really, Rowena...you think that just because I'm a master of the Dark Arts I'm going to join his side or become a Dark Lord myself!" He laughed at the very thought. "Godric trusts me-why don't you?"
To herself Rowena thought, I really don't care if Salazar claims he is not and never will be a Dark Lord...he helps them, and that's no better. No, that's not smart at all. Out loud she hissed, "I wish you would at least consult me. You know I can help you with what is smart to do and what is not. You've come to me in the past, why not this time?"
"Rowena, I know that you don't trust me. I won't let you run any errands for me because of that! You should know me well enough by now. After all, we've known each other for nearly forty years now..."
"Do I have a REASON to trust you? After what you did to me thirty years ago?"
Salazar hissed, "Ravenclaw, what happened thirty years ago was not my fault! I was also deeply hurt by what happened!"
"Are you two arguing again?" Helga asked as she smiled at the incoming students, including Jalila Kash and Ender Archer. "Look, the students are here. I don't think it's fitting to be bickering in front of them. What's done is done. There is nothing we can do."
Ender greeted Lady Hufflepuff's smile with a nod as he walked towards the Slytherin House table. In that moment, he had not watched where he was walking and bumped into someone. "My apologies," Ender said in a cold voice, his face dull and emotionless. It only took a moment before he recognized the person's face. "Jalila."
Jalila really wasn't paying attention when Lady Hufflepuff smiled at her, but Jalila was jolted from her thoughts when someone ran into her. She stumbled slightly but regained her balance quickly. She looked up when someone said her name and recognized the speaker as Ender Archer, another Seventh Year under the tutelage of Lord Slytherin, much like herself. She had been surprised when she found he wasn't named Head Boy, but instead some boy from Gryffindor, whom she had never really bothered herself with, had been chosen. "What, don't we have manners anymore?" she questioned. She'd been so lost in thought she hadn't heard anything he said before saying her name, so she thought his lack of apology was very rude. After all, he had ran into her, not the other way around.
Ender was not surprised by Jalila's response. "I said 'my apologies'. Is that not enough, or are you deaf?" Instead of moving on as he always did, for the first time in his life, Ender decided to stay and listen to a response.
For a second, Jalila felt confused, then she realized that he had probably done so before she had registered anything, while she was stumbling backwards. Oh well, it isn't as if I was ignoring it on purpose, she thought.
"No, I am not deaf." Jalila informed him, frowning. "However, I was pre-occupied with steadying my balance, so I must not have heard you."
She stared him straight in the eyes, her brown ones meeting his, her gaze steady. After a few moments, she broke the contact and turned to walk away to take her seat for the upcoming meal. She walked slowly, just in case he had anything else to say.
Ender had returned Jalila's stare with his own steel-blue eyes. His expression was as cold as before. It was only after Jalila took her seat that Ender realized he had just stood there motionless, and his eyes lingered on the girl for no apparent reason. Small things seem to bother him now that he had lost the Head Boy position. Ender turned his cold gaze at the proud Salazar Slytherin before turning about and taking his seat at the Slytherin table.
Suddenly the doors of the Great Hall burst open as Godric Gryffindor strode into the room. "Sorry I'm late!" he called to the other founders. "I had to help an old lady cross the street in Diagon Alley, and then one thing led to another...anyway, what did I miss?" His eyes surveyed his friends as he took a seat and asked, "Salazar, did you pick a fight again? Rowena looks a little ruffled. Haha, ruffled Rowena! I make myself laugh sometimes."
Salazar smirked at Helga, recalling her earlier words, readjusting his cape and vest a bit. His quick eyes had caught the interchange between his two students, and he didn't miss that Ender wasn't entirely happy with him despite Ender's cold exterior. He was his Head of House, after all. He sneered at the boy, displeased with his attitude.
Ender caught Salazar's sneer. He could tell the Head of his House knew Ender was displeased, but he was more anxious to hear the reason why he was not chosen for Head Boy than he was displeased at the moment. Ender looked up from his seat and noticed coldly and irritably that Jalila was the closest Slytherin sitting in his vicinity.
Salazar turned away from Ender and rejoined the conversation. "In response to your earlier question, Helga, Godric was actually doing some errands for me." Turning to Godric, he asked, "Did you get what I asked for?"
"Of course I brought what you asked for. I'm still perplexed about your reason for needing it...but perhaps you'll explain it to me in due time...or not. You are yourself, after all, but I am your best friend."
"An errand?" Helga asked. "My, my, Salazar, you couldn't have done that yourself? You know how Godric gets. He says he'll do one thing and ends up doing another..." all because of that sword ... "Well, at least we are all here now. We can start the feast."
Salazar smiled slightly at Godric, accepting a small, black bag from him. He whispered to Godric with a questioning look on his face, "They didn't give you any trouble getting it, did they? If they did..." he trailed off, threateningly gripping his wand with the hand not holding the bag.
"Calm down, my friend, there was no trouble at all." Godric told Salazar. Putting on an injured tone, Godric said louder, "Is Helga insulting me? What happened to your quality of loyalty?"
"I am merely saying, Godric, that we are supposed to be having an opening feast for the start of term, but you were off running errands." Helga shook her head in slight exasperation.
Godric responded cheerfully, "Well, with the three of you here to keep things running smoothly, I'm hardly needed, am I?"
"How much was it, friend?" Salazar asked Godric. "It wasn't too terribly expensive, was it?"
Godric winked at Salazar. "Anything for a friend, Salazar. You gave me plenty to procure it."
Still stewing about the earlier argument, Rowena suddenly burst out, "Helga, doll, please don't ruin the mood; your smile is usually the only one we see. Do you two mind? It is quite unnerving to hear you two banter off like that. We should start the Sorting! And Salazar, stop glaring at the children. You're scaring them!"
Used to Rowena's tempers, Helga amiably asked with a grin, "Rowena dear, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? You are right though; let's begin the Sorting. I'm sure the children are dying to eat, poor things."
"Let's get the Sorting and the speech done with then..." Salazar said as he turned to Godric. "Godric? I do believe it's your turn to start. Hence, why we waited for you." He smirked at his friend, getting comfortable in his own chair.
Godric grinned cheerfully and began to make his selections from the First Years, while Rowena just could not let the subject of her irritation die. "NO, Helga, I did NOT get off up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. You know very well I'm like this every day. And then Salazar makes me remember what happened thirty years ago..." she switched her irritation towards Salazar. "You were hurt too? Ha! YOU were the one who allowed my brother to stop our marriage! You were too cowardly. Whatever...it's old history now."
Salazar ignored Rowena as the Sorting proceeded. Once all of the First Years had been sorted, Salazar stood and addressed the student body. "Welcome to Hogwarts! I assure you that the Dark Lord nor any of his followers will be able to get into the school. This is the safest place you can be! I'm sure that Godric agrees with me on that one..." he chuckled then briskly continued, "On another note, no one is to go out into the forest that we've now begun to call the 'Forbidden Forest'!" During the summer, Salazar had given Gregory permission to use the forest for research. The longer a location was steeped in magic, the more magical creatures of all variety were attracted to the area. At least that's what Salazar thought...instead Gregory had used the forest as an avenue to invade Hosgmeade. The forest wasn't included in the wards that protected the rest of the school. "If any of the founders or other teachers catch you there, it will mean detention and loss of house points! I hope you enjoy your meal, now go ahead and dig in!" He took his seat as food appeared on the tables.
As soon as the students' chatter had once again created a dull roar, Rowena attacked Salazar verbally with, "How come you never told them the details, Salazar? Still too much of a coward?"
Helga looked at Godric with a sigh. "Here they go again. Why must we be caught in this lovers quarrel?"
Godric stared at Rowena with an odd look on his face. "Oh, Salazar told me, at least, all about it." Suddenly he yawned. "All of those things I had to do today have drained me. I'm too tired to get involved in another lovers spat, Helga. Does anyone object to me taking a nap? I'm sure you two can catch me up on your arguments later...if anything new actually pops up."
"Sure, Godric, take a nap. Won't change much." Rowena grouched. "Helga, don't worry about me. I'll be happier tomorrow when we're not as stressed out as today. Salazar, do worry; I'll always be like this to you...coward."
"You'll be fine, Godric." Salazar hardly glanced in Godric's direction as he finally responded to Rowena's statements. "Tell them what? You're just upset that you have nothing to prove that I'm going to join the Dark Lord. I wouldn't join my former student! It would be like a father serving under his son-it's absurd..." he trailed off, finally beginning to eat the food laid out before him.
Godric shook his head and rolled his eyes before saying, "Salazar, don't think this means I won't remember to ask for an explanation later." He winked and then strode out of the Great Hall.
Rowena didn't even seem to register that Godric had spoken again as she continued her diatribe. "That you let the bastard in isn't proof? That the danger and the whole situation is all your fault! And-UGH! How can you EAT pig's intestines?" Finally Helga's and Godric's comments registered. "WE'RE NOT LOVERS! Anymore. Coward," she grumbled under her breath.
Salazar scowled at the rest of his food. Abruptly tossing his silver back onto the table with a clatter, he pushed his chair back and left the Great Hall in the same direction as Godric with his cloak billowing after him. "Good night!" he called when he was halfway to the door.
"Was it something I said?" Rowena asked. Getting no response from her remaining tablemate, she glanced over to see Helga tending a wounded mouse. "Oh, brother." She unobtrusively exited the Great Hall by a side door, not liking to make an impression as much as the other two.
Helga looked at her plate solemnly. "Why does this always happen? The students are going to wonder what on earth is happening after that scene." Helga sighed slightly and dismissed the students to bed.
Perhaps I should go talk to Rowena, she thought to herself, She seemed a bit upset.
A/N: Well, what do you think, guys? We've tried to stick to the original as much as possible, just changing the order and wording slightly to avoid inconsistencies and make it a proper story.
About the ages, we think it was determined that wizards don't age as quickly as muggles, thus why Dumbledore was still alive and not decrepit. We figured that wizards look about half their age in muggle years. So the founders are all about sixty, but they look thirty tops. As for meeting times, Salazar and Godric have known each other since childhood; they met Rowena as young adults. Helga became part of their group in their thirties right before the founding of Hogwarts. Rowena is the youngest of the four, and Godric is the oldest at a few months older than Salazar. Hopefully that explains the numbers being tossed around.
The credit for the idea for the title goes to dramioneshipper, who plays Rowena.