Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [79]

The Sorting Ceremony for the new school year had begun, and Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw, was leading it.

Nearby by the entrance, Professors McGonagall and Snape seemed to be discussing something heatedly.

Bruce could just barely hear snippets of their conversation—

“There’s no need to plead anymore, Severus!”

Professor McGonagall said, her tone angry. “At least seven Muggles saw them in that flying car. They must face consequences for their actions!”

“But it was the Weasley family car!”

Snape countered, “Surely we can just punish Weasley alone? Harry is innocent!”

“Severus, I am the Head of Gryffindor,” McGonagall replied coolly.

It sounded like they were discussing Harry and Ron’s airborne joyride.

Bruce decided to stop eavesdropping. Still, he couldn’t help but feel amused.

Snape was really looking out for Harry.

At that moment, Justin leaned over to Bruce.

“Bruce, did you visit Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while you were in America?”

Huh?

Bruce didn’t know why Justin was asking, but he remained nonchalant. “No, my schedule was too tight for that.”

“Shame,” Justin said wistfully. “There’s been an uproar at Ilvermorny recently. The tomb of their founder, Isolt, was dug up, and even the snakewood tree by her grave has vanished!”

Grave robbery?

Bruce was particularly sensitive to this kind of news now. It could very well be more agents of Barbatos, digging up graves to reanimate the dead.

But the mention of the snakewood tree made him pause; maybe this wasn’t related to Barbatos at all.

Salazar Slytherin.

Bruce thought of the name—perhaps the culprit was none other than Hogwarts’s own founder.

Digging up Isolt’s grave might not have been about her body, but rather about retrieving his wand.

And from the sound of it, he had succeeded.

“Kathoom, I have a question.”

Bruce said suddenly, “Slytherin was one of Hogwarts’s founders, right? He should be some revered figure, an educator. Why would he come back acting like a dark wizard?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Kathoom replied. “What made you think the four founders were all noble and good?”

What?

Bruce didn’t quite understand what the owl was getting at. Could the four Hogwarts founders have been… villains?

“Think about wizarding history, Bruce.”

Kathoom urged, “Consider how wizards lived back in those days.”

Bruce began recalling what he’d read in his History of Magic textbooks.

In many people’s eyes, wizards with magic were beings far superior to Muggles.

But in reality, it was quite the opposite.

Before Hogwarts was founded, wizards lived in secrecy and harsh conditions. They hid among Muggle villages, often disguised as herbalists or healers to coexist with Muggles.

They weren’t living above others; they were surviving in the shadows.

And the reason for this was—

“Spells!”

Bruce suddenly realized the key issue. “Back then, wizards never shared their spells with others lightly. Those spells were their means of survival.”

“Exactly, Bruce.”

Kathoom nodded. “Because of the secrecy between wizards, many powerful spells were confined to pure-blooded families and kept away from outsiders.

“Even spells that first-year students now learn, like the Levitation Charm, were unattainable dreams for many so-called ‘wild wizards’ back then!”

How could a wizard with only one or two spells hope to defend themselves against Muggles who lived in large, tightly-knit communities?

It was only logical.

“But the four founders changed everything.”

Kathoom continued, “Take a look at the Hogwarts library—there’s no shortage of books, even restricted ones. Where do you think all that knowledge came from?”

Bruce finally understood.

Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin.

These four were considered great because they transcended the limits of their era.

They gathered the magical knowledge of their time and placed it all in Hogwarts, declaring that any wizard could come and learn!

Hogwarts would always welcome all young witches and wizards!

Their greatness lay not in their power, but in their inclusiveness.

This commitment to education for all—that was the true legacy of the four founders.

Which led to another question.

Back when the four founders were gathering all those spells and artifacts, did they just ask nicely, and other wizards handed over their secrets?

Definitely not!

The founding of Hogwarts had been a path forged with blood and iron.

For the greater good, the founders had joined forces to conquer Europe, forcing wizarding families to bow and surrender their knowledge—at least most of it.

People like that weren’t just the kindly, smiling figures seen in portraits.

Bruce now fully understood why Godric and Salazar, once lifelong friends, had ultimately clashed.

Because Salazar’s heart had changed.

He had betrayed the school’s founding principle, opposing the admission of Muggle-borns to Hogwarts.

In doing so, he had essentially destroyed the founders’ shared dream.

“So, everything Salazar is doing now is just to fulfill his original vision?”

Bruce asked, “To build a new Hogwarts?”

“I don’t know—maybe he has other reasons.”

Kathoom shook his head, unwilling to delve deeper into Salazar’s motives.

He wasn’t Salazar, after all; there was no way he could truly know the man’s mind.

“The one thing we can be sure of is that Rowena and Helga are unlikely to join Salazar’s cause.”

Kathoom was a bit curious himself.

Salazar had already gone to America to retrieve his wand, but where were the other two founders?

They should’ve been able to reclaim their senses now that Jason was gone.

It didn’t make sense for them to remain completely silent.

Just then, the Sorting Hat called out a name—

“Ravenna Royle!”

Kathoom’s head whipped around to look at the first-year students.

A small, black-haired girl stepped forward from the crowd. She was young, but already strikingly beautiful.

In her gaze was a faint trace of amusement and aloofness.

Ravenna sat on the stool, and Professor Flitwick lifted the Sorting Hat to place it on her head.

But the hat didn’t even touch her hair before it shouted—

“RAVENCLAW!”

The Ravenclaw table burst into applause, welcoming their new addition with enthusiasm.

“Oh, great!”

Kathoom covered his face with a wing.

There was no need to guess.

He already knew where one of the founders was.

—

T/N: LMAOOO WHAT IS THIS OLD HAG DOING? I mean Hag Love <3