The Founders Four
Chapter 1: Happy, Headstrong Helga Hufflepuff Heads Out

It was a very fine day for Helga Hufflepuff.

It was the day she was to leave the comfort of the valley she had lived almost her entire life to begin a grand adventure to find her true family. Not that she didn't adore the house elves who had taken her in and raised her since she was an infant, but you crave the comfort of blood sometimes, and she felt it was time she learned her roots.

'Oh Miss Helga!' one little elf shook slightly, large tears in the corners of her wide, brown eyes. 'Oh we will miss you so much, Miss Helga!'

'On behalf of the Lollypop Guild, we would like to present Miss Helga with this gift!' another squeaked, a small, tearful smile on his lips as he held out to her a giant spiral of candy atop a paper stick. 'But a single lick from this enchanted lolly, made from the goodness of love and sugar, will increase your strength a hundred fold!'

'Oh Pierre!' Helga exclaimed, accepting the beautiful treat. 'Oh but this is far too valuable! Why, it takes years to brew the Strength of Love Potion! I don't deserve such a generous gift!'

'Yes! Yes! Please accept it, Miss Helga! It is just for you that we made it!'

'Sweet Miss Helga!" The small voice of a particularly small elf piped up. 'We've made sandwiches and lunches for you! Please take them and stay well on your journey!'

'Oh thank you!' Tears began to appear at the corners of Helga's eyes. 'Thank you all so much!'

'Miss Helga!' A small elf named Daphne tugged at her skirt. 'Daphne wishes for you to have this bottle! It will never empty of sweet water!'

'Oh no, it's too much!' Helga put her hands up. 'You're too generous!'

'Take it Please!' Daphne pushed it toward her, her eyes pleading to Helga to accept the gift. 'Daphne wants Miss Helga to have it!'

'Miss Helga.' Another elf approached her.

'Yes Nana?' Helga turned to her oldest friend, tears beginning to slide uncontrollably down her cheeks.

'Miss Helga is now setting off on her journey to become a great witch of the world. In this journey, you will not be alone.' Nana held up a small black kitten to Helga's hands.

'Oh! Nana, he's beautiful!' She gazed into the kitten's eyes and seemed to decide on something. 'His name is Totonicus!'

After naming the kitten, Helga turned to all of her elvin friends. 'Thank you! Thank you! I love you all so much! I promise I'll write to you all the time!'

'One thing more.' The eldest of the elves know as Papa Elf, approached her, looking on with his usual gentle eyes, but there was a seriousness in them now.

'Yes Papa?' Helga knelt down to look him eye to eye as best she could.

'When we found you, alone in the forest, you had with you this pocket watch. It is not much, but perhaps it can help you find your true family.' Papa Elf held out the golden trinket

'Oh Papa...' Helga said breathlessly, gazing at the watch in wonder.

'This watch was forged in the City of Sapphire. Perhaps this is where you will find your parents.'

'Oh Papa... Thank you!' Helga could no longer hold back the tears now flowing down her cheeks.

888

Helga couldn't help feeling a small pang of guilt at leaving, they had all been so good to her over the years, treating her like one of their own. But with the warm sun out, a well-lit path, a full stomach, an adorable kitten on her shoulder, and possessing many goodies in her sack at her side, it was hard to feel any negative emotion for too long.

After a few miles of walking, she reached into her knapsack and pulled out a shiny red apple and began to contentedly munch on it.

Helga sighed as she came to a dense forest, she had been told the next town lay just on the other side. As she made her way along the road through the wooded area, Helga allowed her mind to wonder to the future and all of the wonders it would bring. What would her parents be like? What kind of new people would she meet? Would she see any Crumpled Snorkyacks along the way?

Her mind fluttered back to the memory of the first time her "family" had sat down and told her about her history. Oh she'd always known she was different, what with her being a meter taller than any of them. But when she was thirteen, they gave her the whole story. She could still remember that day, very clearly….

- - -

It was the eve of Helga's thirteenth 'birthday' or rather the day that the elves had found her. And everyone in the valley had gathered for the celebration, proceeded by Old Squiggles' telling the tale of when the elves found Helga in a little basket.

'We found ye in a basket. Wrapped in a picnic blanket, ye was. And on this day of picnics gone awry, the wee baby was left alone in the wood.' Squiggy spoke in a slightly sad stuttering voice. 'T'was pure chance and by luck that I did find ye. That and the racket ye made.'

There was a chuckle from everyone, including Helga. She knew full well she could be quite loud when she wanted to be.

'And so we raised ye,' Squuiggy continued. ' as any decent elf would do put in that sitchiation, and we treated you as our own. And even as we love you like any elf child we would, even we can not deny that you are different from ourselves. What we means to tell you, what I have been asked to explain to you, sweet girl, is that you are indeed not an elf but a witch.'

The young girl's eyes went wide as saucers at that.

- - - -

A great deal had happened since then, and now she was determined to find her family and learn why they had let her go.

So it was off to the Sapphire City for this simple valley girl named Helga Hufflepuff.

Chica's Chatterings:

Euminides UNITE! This is the fabulous idea of Vega Sailor (who suggested a collaboration piece) and Sand3, (who thought of the brilliant story). And a most fabulous factionary tale it is!

Anyone else feel like saying when our powers combine?

Sand3 Sayings:

Do we get rings? I think we should have rings.

Okay, seriously, I can't take too much blame for this because they were encouraging me and they really ought know better than to encourage me

Also I might have had a bit too much sugared tea...

Vega's Ventings:

I want a ring!

No, ring? Oh well.

Don't worry folks we'll be meeting up with Rowena, Salazar, and Godric pretty soon, so hang in there.

Speaking of Salazar, I think he's really a -------- Sand3 smacks Vega upside the head

Sand3: Don't give away anything!

Vega: Dang, I was just going to say I thought he was a blonde as opposed to the common belief he has black hair.

Sand3: oh, sorry.

Writer Chica: rolls eyes My "partners in crime," ladies and gentlemen.