1st Year: Rowena's Missing House Ghost

Rowena Ravenclaw stood in line with the other first year students. They were waiting for their turn to be sorted. She was back amongst the living, but this time around her name was Lisa Royen Turpin. She had the common pale skin of those born and raised in the UK; her light sandy brown hair curled softly to shape her face and matched her hazel eyes.

When creating the school, the four friends had come to a decision. Their castle would be a safe haven for the children and their families. In order to protect them, the founders created a warding stone and safeguarded it within the very heart of the school. The centaurs came soon after seeking sanctuary and it was from them that the founders learned how to link their souls to the castle. As the years passed, the four friends made certain to add their magic directly within the warding stone linking their souls with the intent that if the school believed itself to be threatened, one of the founders would be reincarnated. Rowena hadn't been awakened before and wondered if she was the first, or if there had been other instances.

Getting accustomed to the new world around her had been fascinating. She grew up knowing who she was, but the full memories of her past life hadn't come to her until her eleventh birthday when her magic grew strong enough for her to attend Hogwarts. Now Rowena was back in their beloved school and her interference was needed. But why, and for what purpose? That remained to be seen.

There was a subtle variance in the feel of Hogwarts that Rowena couldn't quite put her finger on, but she was patient and she waited for the differences to make themselves known to her. The knowledge was trickling in when his name had been called along with the blatant stares, boorish whispers and uncouth pointing at the awkward young wizard with crooked glasses, black messy hair and emerald eyes. Harry Potter… whatever threat there was to the school it had to be directly related to that boy and the events that shaped his early years.

Harry ducked his head shyly and slid onto the stool for his turn at being sorted. Samuel was placed on his head by the deputy headmistress and the pair sat there in a silent conversation nearly as long as the Gryffindor girl, Fay Dunbar.

Rowena glanced over to the lion's table and took another look at the girl with short chestnut hair that was nearly as wild as the Potter boy's coif and was taken aback when Fay's dancing blue eyes met with hers. There was a certain aged and worldly look in her eyes that didn't belong in a face so young, much like her own, and one name came to mind immediately: Godric.

Rowena blinked when Fay's grin grew impossibly larger. The Gryffindor girl sat up straighter and, if Rowena had to guess, Fay would have gladly bounced out of her seat in order to greet the not-yet-officially-sorted-Ravenclaw.

"Gryffindor!"

Samuel's announcement broke whatever had held Rowena's attention. The Great Hall burst into cheers, courtesy of the Gryffindor table. A pair of twin redheads was the loudest with their 'We've got Potter' chant. On the other hand, Harry was rather silent about his sorting. The young lad blushed deeply as he set the Sorting Hat back onto the stool. The shy boy then gave the deputy headmistress a sheepish grin before scampering to his new house table.

The stern looking professor - who introduced herself to the first years as Professor McGonagall - called out "Rivers, Oliver" and the sorting continued.

Rowena's attention drifted again, taking in any and all changes that the castle had gone through over the years - like the feel of the wards, the sheer size of the castle itself, how much the Great Hall looked the same, but larger - until she heard, "Turpin, Lisa."

Making her way to the stool, Rowena gave the deputy headmistress a polite nod and sat waiting for her turn to speak with Samuel. As soon as the hat was placed on her head she heard a gasp, 'Dowager Ravenclaw?'

A serene smile graced her features, 'Hello, Samuel. It is such a pleasure to speak with you once again. How have you fared?'

'Well enough, well enough. Did you realize the others are already sorted?'

'That girl, Fay Dunbar…'

'Sir Gryffindor,' Samuel confirmed, 'Countess Hufflepuff is currently known as Megan Jones and Duke Slytherin is Tracey Davis.'

'All four of us…'

'Yes,' Samuel agreed, but continued by asking, 'What does this mean, Dowager Ravenclaw? One would be reincarnated when the school was in need, but all four at once? Should we be concerned? The four of you haven't been together under Hogwarts' roof since…'

'Since we all transitioned from our first lives; yes I'm aware.' Rowena sighed softly, 'I don't know what it means for Hogwarts, but we must be vigilant. Something is afoot and if that young Harry Potter is involved…'

'Yes, he is a fascinating one.'

'Fascinating?' Rowena didn't ask for specifics, there was time to ask at a later date, 'Well, we'll simply need to keep an eye on that one. Thank you for the update, Samuel. Shall we continue on to the sorting now?'

'Dowager Ravenclaw, I…'

'Yes, Samuel?'

The Sorting Hat hedged and gave the impression of shaking one's head in the negative while saying, 'Never mind' before he called out, "Ravenclaw!"

The young witch took the hat from her head and lovingly set it back down on the stool with a fond smile. The Sorting Hat gave her a small nod of its patched tip in response before Rowena sat with her fellow eagles. She bit her bottom lip, lost in thought and utterly ignored the two remaining students to be sorted and only gave the headmaster a cursory glance when he announced, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

The food appeared on the table and Rowena looked around at what was offered. She chose a light dinner of vegetables and chicken, but skipped the sweets in favor of fruits. The chatter that went across the table between her classmates during the meal was inane and childish, but then Rowena's soul was aged with a lifetime of experience and it was hardly fair of her to judge them. The only part of the conversation that she participated in was the brief introductions. It would behoove her to know her housemates, after all.

Further conversation was lost on Rowena as she looked across the Great Hall at the other tables. Samuel had said that all four of the founders had returned. Rowena searched for them while she ate her meal. Her eyes drifted to the closest table and she spotted Megan Jones and tried vainly to see Helga within those dancing brown eyes. This girl was slender, with olive skin and dark brown hair, nearly black. Such a contrast compared to her petite dear friend, Helga Hufflepuff with fair skin, long red hair and light blue eyes. Then there was Godric Gryffindor, tall, blazing red hair, green eyes, a muscularly built warrior. The man was more comfortable in a suit of armor with his goblin-made sword at his side than he ever could be in a robe. That larger-than-life man was now tiny Fay Dunbar. Fay was a little thing with chestnut hair in a pixie cut. Last was quiet Salazar Slytherin with the mischievous grin. He was a thin man that wore expensive robes that hid his form. Salazar had wavy black hair, and nearly black eyes, but now he was a young girl with straight auburn hair that sat too far away for Rowena to get a better look at.

Shortly after the meal was finished the headmaster once again stood to address the students. "Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you." Dumbledore looked over his half-moon glasses and said, "I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful and gruesome death."

And with that announcement, things were slowly becoming rather clear to Rowena. The four founders were all reincarnated in order to protect Hogwarts as they had sworn on their magic to do. They were brought together for reasons that were still coming to light, but their first problem was the headmaster and whatever it was he had stowed on the third floor. There was trouble brewing within the castle itself.

She looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw the concern on Godric's face as their eyes made contact again. It was a mutual feeling and their attention was soon drawn towards Harry. Rowena's eyebrows drew in a frown of curiosity - and concern - when she noted the boy was rubbing his forehead vigorously while wincing in pain.

The students were dismissed to their dormitories. Rowena wasted no time in crossing over to meet up with Godric while motioning to the other two. Salazar's eyes widened a moment as understanding became evident in his gaze. Making excuses, Salazar made his way over towards the other three, but Godric hadn't waited until he arrived before he scooped up Helga in a hug, "Helga!"

Helga laughed merrily, "Behave, Ric!"

"That's enough, you two; we don't have much time before they question why we've waited behind." Surely the sight of four eleven-year-old girls - all from differing houses - gathered together in the Great Hall would raise questions that they didn't want to answer. When Salazar arrived, Rowena held out a hand towards him which he grasped immediately. "It has been much too long, Sal."

"While it is always a delight to see old friends, this has the earmark of a bad omen," Salazar said. "We are all here at Hogwarts at the same time, there is imminent death to any that wander into the forbidden area on the third floor of our school and the boy, Harry Potter, has come back to the wizarding world after his ten-year absence. This cannot be coincidence."

"Of course it isn't," Helga agreed, "we were brought back to protect our students and our school."

"Did you notice the boy rubbing his forehead?" Rowena looked at her friends and each of them nodded in affirmation. "Anyone note what brought that on?"

Godric spoke up to add what he had overheard, "I wasn't sitting too far from him. Soon after he winced in pain he asked about the man sitting beside a Professor Quirrell; Potter was referring to Professor Snape, Sal's head of house."

"Interesting. The only way he'd have been able to attack the boy in such a subtle fashion would be with legilimency. The question is: Would he be so brazen to do something in front of the entire school? He's of my house, I simply don't see-"

"That isn't what I'm saying," Godric cut off the rambling before it could go full circle, gaining a huff from Salazar. "I'm simply relaying Potter's question. I personally don't believe it was Professor Snape that hurt him. The look on the man's face wasn't one of malice but query. The professor then looked from Potter to the man wearing a turban that sat beside him and back."

Salazar was the first to spot the approaching professor and quietly murmured, "Time to go."

"What is so important that you're willing to risk being caught out after curfew on your first night in this school?" Snape had emphasized the first word with a snap in his voice. Much like a parent does when trying to catch their child doing something they're not supposed to. The man stood with his hands held behind his back, towering over the four first year students. The potions professor received four calm, seasoned gazes from the newly sorted students and momentarily frowned. Before any of them spoke, the man's features cleared.

"Good evening, Professor," Rowena spoke distinctly, "I apologize for our delayed exodus. We haven't seen each other in quite some time. We will depart to our Common Rooms forth-with."

Snape's eyebrow twitched before he nodded at the girl. "See that you do."

"Good night, sir." Salazar greeted with a small nod of respect and turned on his heel to exit the Great Hall followed by his three friends, each of the friends spouted out a polite greeting as well. They paused in the Entrance Hall before parting ways to say their good nights, making plans to meet once again and discuss their current situation further.

Godric and Rowena made their way up the moving marble staircase, while Helga went to the basement and Salazar left for the dungeons. Rowena sighed softly as she instinctively avoided the missing step only to pause at the next landing as the stairs moved directions. "Honestly, Ric, what were you thinking when you made this staircase?"

"It was just a bit of fun, Ro." Godric grinned and nudged her playfully. "You remember how to have fun. Don't you?"

"Missing steps, moving staircases, doors that are walls and walls that are doorways… these are not my ideas of fun."

"Yet you love all of the hidden passages and specialty rooms; admit it."

"Those do come in handy."

They had reached the fifth floor landing and paused. Godric looked as if he wanted… to say or do… something. Rowena laughed softly and hugged the indecisive man in an eleven-year-old girl's body. Godric held on tightly and sighed with a release of emotion, "I've missed you, Ro."

"I've missed you, too." Rowena soothed her friend for a brief moment, reminding him that the hour was growing late, "Now get moving and don't be caught out after curfew. I will see you tomorrow at breakfast."

Rowena could feel her friend nod and the pair reluctantly let go of each other. She really had missed her friends. It had been much too long since they had been together. Rowena wiped a tear from Godric's cheek and smiled kindly. Godric huffed, pulled away in embarrassment, and swiped his sleeve across his eyes. "Silly female hormones."

"Good night, Ric."

With a nod of finality, Godric continued up the steps towards the Gryffindor Tower. Rowena watched for only a moment longer before turning towards her own tower. She picked up her pace as she moved closer to her common room. It would not do to be caught out after curfew, especially after having to remind Godric to be careful.

Rowena made it to the Ravenclaw tower and smiled warmly at the brass door knocker. Even after nearly a millennium, the eagle stood the test of time. She reached out and stroked the eagle's beak gently. The eagle woke as if she had knocked and opened its beak to ask its riddle, but snapped its mouth shut in surprise. The door knocker blinked at Rowena and instead simply stated the obvious, "You've returned."

"I have," Rowena agreed. After a silent moment of the eagle simply staring at the girl, she continued, "I am pleased you have survived so well, Iolaire."

"I'd say it is a pleasure to see you again, but if you've returned there's something amiss in the castle," Iolaire countered.

Rowena let out a soft amused chuckle, "An unfortunate truth."

"Yet I have faith you will sort things out," the knocker said as the door swung open to allow the girl entry sans the need to answer whatever riddle the eagle door knocker would have asked any other student.

"It is nice to know that you have faith in my abilities," Rowena said softly and entered her common room, ignoring the brassy chuckle of the closing door behind her.

The room was much as it had been during her lifetime: bookshelves lining the circular room, two staircases that led to the dorm rooms and seating areas that encouraged both studying and relaxed reading. Rowena wasn't sure what to expect seeing how the 'tower' of her time was the same height as the rest of the castle. The only new thing in the room sat in the center of the two staircases; it was a large statue... of her.

Rowena looked at her face and pursed her lips. It wasn't a kind likeness, but then each work of art was the artist's concept and view of their subject. Rowena was startled when she caught sight of the diadem sitting atop of the statue's head. She felt her throat tighten and had to swallow back a sob. That blasted thing had cost her dearly. Oh how she loathed that diadem. She crossed her hands over her stomach, suddenly feeling ill with the regret that swept through her once again.

"There you are," came a voice to her right. Rowena saw a girl walking towards her from the staircase. She recalled the girl's name - Penelope Clearwater, Prefect - and gave a small smile. Penelope had a relieved look on her face as she motioned Rowena forward, "I was worried. I thought I had lost you somewhere in the halls." Penelope looked up at the statue that Rowena stood before and grinned. "That's Rowena Ravenclaw; our founder."

Rowena just nodded mutely without any idea of what to say to that until a question came to her, "Do all houses have a statue of their founder in their common room?"

"No idea," Penelope admitted. "I've never been in any of the other common rooms. Come on. I'll show you where your dorm is."

She thought to tell Penelope that it wasn't necessary to escort her, but Rowena was supposed to be a first year student; therefore, there was no logical way in which Rowena would know where the dorms were on her first day. With a nod of acquiescence, Rowena moved towards the stairwell and followed Penelope up the staircase. She listened politely as the girl told her about the Ravenclaw library, the expectations of the house and the availability of prefects for any questions they may have. Penelope opened the dorm room door and looked at Rowena expectantly. The young girl smiled up at the fifth year and thanked her for her kindness. Before closing the door, Penelope reminded her, "Breakfast is at seven thirty. I'll be waiting in the common room and we'll go down together as a group at seven fifteen. Don't be late."

"I won't," Rowena reassured the prefect. "Good night."

"Night girls," Penelope called out and closed the door to the dorm room as the other girls called out their own farewells.

The dorm room was a semi-circle due to the tower's influence. There were five beds around the wall with a wardrobe to the right, a trunk at the foot and a desk to the left of each one. From the hall door, there were three students set up on the left and two on the right with another door, leading to the shared facilities, across from it.

Rowena found her assigned area on the right side next to the bathroom door and completed her evening ablutions before settling down with a book. Her roommates had been busy getting changed into their nightclothes and were discussing other students.

"I only said he's cute . I didn't say I wanted to marry him!" Sue exclaimed as she crawled under her covers. Ignoring Mandy as she began mocking Sue's declaration, the girl in question began fluffing her pillows and arranging her blankets with a huff.

Morag groaned and flopped back on her own bed. "Leave off, Mandy. We're eleven-"

"I'm nearly twelve," Mandy corrected.

"Still," Morag sat up again and glared at their roommate. "We're too young for marriage and it's too late in the evening for your silly antics." With that, she settled in for the evening. Rowena tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she propped her book on her bent knees, ignoring the other girls. It was a few minutes before she noted the room was silent and the lights were growing dim. Rowena pulled her curtains around her bed closed before casting a couple of spells: a blue flame fire and a privacy ward. The moment the ward was up a soft pop announced the arrival of a house elf.

The elf was characteristically small with large ears, bulbous blue eyes and a tuft of blonde hair at the top of her head with a blue ribbon tied in it. She wore the traditional tea towel toga with a crest, but it wasn't the Hogwarts crest she proudly wore, it was the Ravenclaw crest. The elf practically vibrated with excitement as she curtsied, "I am Moppsy. Sworn elf to House Claw." Moppsy looked at Rowena with a look of fear and wonder. "Mistress Row'n Claw has returned to Hogwarts."

"Greetings, Moppsy." Rowena took the elf's hands in hers as the poor thing kept twisting them nervously. It had been almost a thousand years since she passed and the small elf hadn't been born to the family yet. "Something is happening in our school."

Moppsy nodded frantically, "Yes, Mistress. Moppsy understands." Of course she did. The Ravenclaw house elves knew that something was amiss if/when one of the founders was reincarnated. Each of the four houses had a family of house elves that worked directly for their line. Moppsy's family would care for the Ravenclaw Tower and only they would be allowed within these walls. When an elf spouse was accepted into the family, that elf was made to swear loyalty to the house and couldn't speak of what they had learned to any other staff or their past family associations.

Rowena gave Moppsy's hands a gentle squeeze, "Excellent. I knew I could count on you." The house elf beamed at the praise and Rowena couldn't help but smile at her. The smile slipped away as Rowena continued, "Moppsy, we have all returned." If it was possible, the elf's eyes grew even larger with concern and Rowena nodded, "Yes. We don't know what is coming, but it must be big to warrant our return en masse."

"Yes, Mistress." Moppsy nodded in agreement, only much slower that time. "Moppsy will keep ears open for danger and will let Mistress know what she hears."

"Thank you, Moppsy." With another gentle squeeze, Rowena released the house elf's hands. "Now the hour is growing late and I have classes in the morning. Please ensure that I am awake by six."

"Yes, Mistress." Moppsy gave another quick curtsey and popped away.

Rowena doused the blue flames and tucked her wand under her pillow before she was fast asleep.

AN-Ajellah: Listening to Game of Thrones on audiobooks, I thought to do the chapters like he does... only this isn't GoT so don't think we're going to go and kill people all willy nilly. Basically each chapter is from someone else's viewpoint (no, not first person, just following them that chapter). The name of each chapter is that person's name (i.e. Rowena I, Salazar II, etc.). It makes sense in my head, so hopefully it will make sense to you as you read along.

AN-Elipsa: This story is written completely - mostly edited except for the last few chapters - so there will be no longer pauses between updates. So yay? Also, for the founders original timeline, we are assuming that they spoke Scottish Gaelic. As neither of us are native speakers of the language we will be using Google Translate. We are aware that Google Translate is not always accurate. Also, if we create a spell to use for the story, it will be part of this section as well. So, with all that being said, we would like to introduce:

Google Translate Time:

Iolaire = eagle