Author's Note: It's taken me awhile to find the inspiration for this chapter, but I think it's going well.

Hogwart's Assignments:

Fairytales (4.1) - Write about a group of outcasts building themselves a new life. EP: (dialogue) "I know we can do this if we stick together! As weak as we may be on our own - together, we are stronger than all of them together.", (word) strength

Raise a Witch or Wizard Challenge:

Section 5 Part 3:

Write about the Founders, because, who knows, it could have belonged to them.

Ultimate Chocolate Frog Card Challenge:

Write about a long journey

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise.

Founding Principles

"Mammy, tell it again?"

Rose smiled as she pushed James' hair back from his face, smoothing the soft downy black fuzz against his skull. She leant down and pressed a kiss against his forehead as she tucked the quilt into his tiny body. In the cot in the corner, Evie gurgled quietly in her sleep, tiny fist gripping the sheets beneath her as she squirmed.

"Don't you want a different story?" she whispered as she sat down on the bed, careful not to squash his little legs. Her little boy looked up with wide, pleading eyes as he shook his head quickly and forcefully. "Oh okay," she sighed playfully, "I suppose I can tell it one more time."

"Yaaaaaay!" James cheered quietly, snuggling down until the quilt sat snug against his chin.

"Once upon a time, long, long ago, there were four friends. These four friends could not be more different from each other, but that was part of what made them the strongest group in the whole world…"

X

Salazar took the lead as the group of four friends walked across the uneven ground. His eyes darted across the landscape, alert for any danger, but he couldn't help listening to the soft, muffled tears of Helga and the whispered comforts of Rowena. Looking back he met the fierce eyes of Godric, who was bringing up the rear, and silently conversed with him.

They four had been banished, rejected by their respective families and had found comfort and solace in their friendship together. Salazar fiddled with his wand, the fact that their magic was also abnormally strong was something that made them feared. Every settlement they had come across had welcomed them with awe and shunned them with terror. It was emotionally and physically taxing, especially on Helga. She was a gentle soul, who lived to heal and help others, she couldn't handle this hatred for long.

With a sigh Salazar turned back around, he looked for somewhere to set up camp for the night and his eyes snagged on some crumbling, muggle ruins. At his instruction the four friends skirted a large, pleasant looking lake and avoided a sinister looking forest before sheltering in the ruins of what had once been a large, majestic castle.

Godric put wards around their location, Salazar started a fire and Helga, even in her upset state, started preparing something for them all to eat. They sat in warmth and silence, lost in the memories that had stolen them from their families and thrust them into this exile.

"I've been thinking," Rowena said, breaking the silence that had surrounded them. The other three looked up at their friend.

"It's safe to say we've all been thinking Rowena," quipped Godric.

"Ha ha, you're so very funny" she deadpanned, glaring at him. "No, what I mean is. I've been thinking of a way to bring the whole wizarding community together. I mean, we're only out here because they can't all work together, this whole problem is built on fear and mistrust, isn't it?"

"Yes," sniffed Helga, "but what can we do about that?"

"We're going to educate them!" she declared grandly. "We will bring the young wizards and witches from across the land together. When they get to know each other, and their powers, then it won't matter that they're different because they will be able to work together."

"But, would that mean we could go home?"

"Well, that's what I'm hoping," Rowena said softly. She took Helga's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, Helga, he'll wait for you. I know he will." The other woman blushed fiercely and ducked her head, but smiled a secret smile.

"And where exactly would we bring all these children that we're going to teach? And how exactly are you going to convince parents to let us take their children? Don't you remember we're feared around here?" Salazar sneered, bursting the hopeful little bubble with his harsh words.

"I don't know how we're going to get them here, but once a few start coming, once the world sees that we aren't evil and are actually here to help, then the rest will follow. We'll think of something, we always do. I know we can do this if we stick together! As weak as we may be on our own - together, we are stronger than all of them together."

"Here?" asked Godric, frowning.

Rowena smiled. "Look around you Godric, look at the landscape, look at the beauty, the space. Look where you're sitting! We should build our school here, in the foundation of this castle. Look how magnificent it was, imagine how amazing it could be with a little magic. We four will found this school and we will teach its students the most important lessons in life, not just magic. We will teach them to be brave, to have strength, to have wisdom and to be kind. But we have to do it together." She looked at each of her friends. "Will you help me?"

X

"And even Salazar Slytherin agreed to build this school to help the whole wizarding world and together those four friends built and founded the great school of Hogwarts," Rose whispered. "The end."

As Rose finished her story, she was met by the soft, even breathing of her infant son. The toddler was fast asleep, despite his best efforts, and the breaths whistled between his lips, parted slightly. His lashes fluttered against his pale, chubby cheeks and Rose hoped he was dreaming.

She hoped he was dreaming of dragons and princesses and castles and Hogwarts and, most importantly, magic.

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Much Love, MaryandMerlin x