The Founders

The Beginning (Prologue)

A/N: Please note that I do not own any of the Harry Potter original characters, nor is this an official Harry Potter prequel story. This is a fan fiction written for entertainment purposes only.

Since mankind's beginning on this Earth there has been war. Brutal, cold blooded slaughter was always on the cards wherever you went. Whether you were rich or poor, Knight or servant, the only guarantees were suffering and death.

Even so, in the four kingdoms of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales that we know today as Great Britain, four unlikely heroes were born into ordinary families:

The first of which was born to a very proud noble Scottish family, named Godric. He was predestined to be a knight, like his father.

The second was born into a humble working class Welsh family, named Helga. She was destined to change the world with her kindness.

The third was born in Ireland a princess, her name was Rowena. She was fated to revolutionise many muggle customs with her wisdom.

And last, but by no means least, the fourth was born into a fabulously wealthy English family. Salazar was bound by fate to bring about the first British Union.

Of course, as far as fairy tales go, this would have been how the books were written had our heroes been born into the muggle families they were intended for. Alas, they were all born into not-so-well-known wizarding families instead...

...Growing up they were all aware of the other presences but had never once attempted conversation, much less friendship. It was, of course, as witch hunts begun and the slaughter of entire families became a daily occurrence, that they found themselves one by one on the doorstep of a rather odd looking cottage in a quiet forest, seeking help.

The woman who lived there, an old enchantress, was accepting new students, or so the whispers had stated. A rather strict and grumpy old woman, she made sure to focus on the strengths of each one, and most importantly to teach them how to hide their magic well.

Once she was satisfied with each one, she had a wand fashioned for each of them from branches of the old oak tree in the garden, and she bid them all farewell as they re-entered muggle society.

Years passed and all but Rowena and Helga lost contact, with the men being drafted into the muggle Scottish army. They would both often talk about the need for proper wizarding institutions, and had dreamt up the perfect school...