In times remote and
ancient,
When we still lived in clans,
Young wizards and young witches learned
Their elders' skills by chance.
The lands were bare
and empty
No halls of learning stood
On these deserted moors, until
The Founders said they should.
They built up Hogwarts
Castle
Most magical of schools,
Then thought up a curriculum
To bind their powers in rules.
But when they started
teaching,
They found they disagreed
On magic's nature and its aim,
On Hogwarts' magic creed.
So by the by, they
wondered
Which spells and charms to teach:
"What's magic, and which powers," they asked,
"Should be within our reach?"
Sweet Hufflepuff just
chuckled:
"'tis strange that you should ask,
I've known since first I raised my wand
That magic is a task."
But Gryffindor, the
warrior
Said: "Magic is a blade;
To fight all evil is the truest
Magical crusade."
Wise Ravenclaw
retorted:
"No, Magic is a lore,
Is learning and is knowledge
With power in its core."
Coy Slytherin did not
agree:
"True magic is a tool,
To shape the world, the people, too,
To bend them to your rule."
The founders talked
and argued
All day, and through the night,
Until they found that magic's aim
Was not theirs to decide,
Because their magic
students
Would put their powers to use
In their own ways: The aim of them
Is each of yours to choose.
The artisan, the scholar
Both have a task to do;
Adventurers and strategists,
Our time needs all of you.
My task is now to sort
you
According to your strength.
It's up to you to find your powers,
To find yourselves at length.
Taken from my fic 'Unplottable' – for music notes, see my profile.