A Wizard on the Streets: A Tale of Four Founders

[Ezylryb]

Jack Hoffer had lived on the streets of London for all his eleven years, begging for scraps and digging in the refuse for anything that could be eaten. His jet black hair was matted with dirt. He was covered in mud and muck from head to toe. Everybody stayed away from him, or screwed their faces up when they smelled him.


On the sweltering summer day this story begins, Jack was begging for food. His stomach grumbled loudly as he called out,"Have ye nothin' to give a poor boy?"

An old portly woman scrunched her face up and waved her fan furiously. "How can the king allow such-such refuse to live on our streets!" she exclaimed to the handsome young man riding next to her on a black stallion.

Jack hung his head and walked slowly away.

"Hey! You! Ja, I be talking to you, boy!" a voice called.

"Wonder what mischief that boy got into?" Jack said to himself.

Something squeezed Jack's shoulder. Jack jumped, startled, and whirled around. "Do ye want me to get off yer immaculate streets?" the boy growled.

"Merlin's beard, no!" the voice chuckled.

Jack looked up into the face of the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Silky brown curls wreathed her beautiful face. Her eyes, green as emeralds and gleaming like a polished sword, were soft. She wore a canary yellow kirtle over a gown as black as Jack's hair. Her feet were booted with men's riding boots.

Jack couldn't think of anything to say except: "Who died?"

The girl laughed. "Nobody died, lad. By the way, the name's Helga Hufflepuff. Vat is yours?"

Jack's mouth hung open in surprise. Nobody had ever talked to him except for his fellow street urchins...

[Ezylryb]

Helga Hufflepuff tapped her foot impatiently and started singing a song under her breath.

"Oh, me name! I'm called Jack Hoffer."

"Do you believe in magic, Mr. Hoffer ?"

"Are ye a witch?"

"You might say that."

"I'm gonna go report ye to the authorities!"

Jack stood up and started to run away.

"Who the authorities going to believe: a beggar boy or a lady?" Helga Hufflepuff called after him...

[Ezylryb]

Jack turned. "They would believe the one who has more money," he said.

"Exactly. Which is why you are going to listen to me," Helga Hufflepuff said.

Jack walked back to her. "What do ye have to tell me?" he asked curiously.

"I am inviting you to my school," she said simply.

"But I can't read or write..."

[Ezylryb]

"No matter. We teach you to read and write," Helga Hufflepuff said. "Godric! Come here!"

The handsome young man on the black stallion suddenly turned his mount around and turned towards Jack and Helga.

"Godric! Get back here!" the old woman shouted, but Godric payed her no heed.

"What do you want me for, Helga?" Godric asked Helga.

"You tink dis boy eligible for our school?" she replied.

"Hmm. Yes," Godric said thoughtfully.

Helga started walking away. "Come with me," Helga commanded Jack.

"What have I gotten meself into to?" Jack grumbled under his breath as he tried to keep up with Helga's swift stride...

[Ezylryb]

Jack followed Helga to a stable. Helga motioned for Jack to wait for her outside.

A few moments later, she came out leading two horses. "You know how to ride, no?" she asked him.

Jack shrugged. "A bit."

"Gunda, gunda. Choose your horse," she replied.

Jack scratched his chin thoughtfully as he inspected the horses. Roan or gray, stallion or mare?

"I'll take the roan stallion," he finally decided.

"Gunda. Me be quite fond of Thunderbolt," Helga said as she mounted the gray mare. "You be a sweetie, Thunderbolt, ja?" she crooned to her mare...

[Ezylryb]

Jack kept his eye on Helga. At first, Thunderbolt went on at a reasonably slow pace. Then, without warning, Helga leaned over the grey mare's neck, and Jack saw how she got her name.

The grey mare's muscles bulged as her hooves pounded the ground. Her neck was stretched out and her lengthening strides ate up the ground.

Jack urged his mount into a gallop, but the roan stallion was not quite as fast as the swift Thunderbolt...

[Ezylryb]

They stopped at a pub in the middle of the forest. Helga slid off of Thunderbolt's back with practiced ease. Jack did the same, but not as gracefully.

"Er...What's this doing here?" Jack asked cautiously.

Helga rubbed Thunderbolt's shoulder thoughtfully. "This be the Leaky Cauldron. It look like nothing, ja? You wait, see. Not nothing." She opened the door and led Thunderbolt through the door.

Jack shrugged and followed the young woman...