Human beings are curious creatures, whether they possess magic or not.
Curiosity is fundamental to human nature. If you lose all curiosity, you lose your humanity. A person without it is numb, their soul stagnant like a pool of dead water.
Salazar Slytherin, a great pure-blood wizard, possessed a curiosity that arguably surpassed even Godric Gryffindor's. He was especially drawn to the mysterious and the unexplained.
And a boy who had traveled over a thousand years from the distant future? That was the definition of "mysterious."
If his closest friend, Godric Gryffindor, hadn't been the one to confirm it, Salazar might have just obliterated Rey's mind with a spell. Because a story like that sounded like an impossible lie.
Legilimency. Again. The mental violation.
Rey wanted to cry but had no tears left. He had just been scoured by Godric Gryffindor, and before he could even catch his breath, Salazar Slytherin jumped in for round two.
"Truly astonishing!"
Salazar's level of surprise matched Godric's, though his expression was far more restrained. After all, Godric had already briefed him.
Rey had inadvertently mastered Occlumency during Godric's intrusion. So, Salazar only managed to see up to the Sorting Ceremony before hitting a wall of fog.
Just as Salazar finished, the magical portal in the rocks flared again. A young woman wearing a diadem stepped out.
Her hair cascaded to her waist, her robes swept the ground, and her figure and face were stunningly beautiful. Even Rey, fresh from Salazar's mental assault, was struck by her beauty.
However, no matter how beautiful a woman is, her curiosity often exceeds a man's. As the saying goes: women are curious creatures.
So, immediately after Salazar finished his Legilimency, Rowena Ravenclaw stepped up for her turn.
The feeling of mental violation didn't change just because the intruder was a beautiful woman. Under Godric's helpless gaze, Rey was violated for the third time.
This session was shorter. Rey's Occlumency had matured rapidly under the repeated assaults. Rowena Ravenclaw only managed to see as far as Rey's punishment in the Forbidden Forest.
"My dream! The warthog!"
Rowena Ravenclaw was just as shocked as the two men. Her small mouth hung open wide enough to fit a duck egg.
"Warthog?"
"What warthog?"
"Rowena, what happened with your warthog this time?"
Three questions. The first from a confused Gryffindor; the second from a puzzled Slytherin; the third from yet another woman who had just stepped through the portal.
The newcomer had shoulder-length hair and was also quite beautiful. Her question was filled with concern—clearly, she knew about Rowena's "warthog."
It was Helga Hufflepuff. All four founders of Hogwarts were now present.
---
Four founders, four Legilimency attacks. Starting with Gryffindor and ending with Hufflepuff.
Godric Gryffindor saw the most—everything from this life, though Rey had blocked his past life.
Helga Hufflepuff saw the least—only the memory of Rey waking up by the stream.
This wasn't because she was weak, but because she went last.
After three forceful intrusions, Rey's Occlumency was nearly perfected. Even if Gryffindor or Slytherin tried again, they would likely fail.
Rey felt utterly helpless. Standing before the four legendary founders, he felt zero excitement.
Under normal circumstances, meeting these legends would be thrilling.
But initially, he thought Godric was a lunatic.
There were plenty of crazy people in the wizarding world, but four lunatics pretending to be the founders appearing at once? If Rey still thought they were fakes now, he would be the crazy one.
Time travel. After probing his mind, the four of them discussed it amongst themselves. Based on their conversation, Rey confirmed it: he had traveled back over a thousand years, to a time before Hogwarts was founded.
Time travel was one thing. But getting mind-raped four times in a row by the greatest wizards in history the moment he arrived?
That was just... too much.
Rey felt an immense wave of grievance, like a wronged child. Even though he tried to hide it, his feelings were plain as day to the four powerful wizards.
An apology? No way.
Rey didn't dare dream of an apology from the Four Founders. He silently picked up his fallen wand and stood to the side, listening to them discuss Rowena Ravenclaw's "dream warthog."
The "warthog" wasn't an actual pig. It was Rowena's term for the omens in her dreams.
The first was a soaring eagle. The second was the diadem's function. The third was a blurry figure riding a black unicorn out of the Forbidden Forest.
Rey was the "warthog" of this dream.
"A warthog led her to a cliff by the lake, and that is where Hogwarts was built."
Rey remembered reading that line in Hogwarts: A History. He never imagined he was the warthog.
Why Rowena Ravenclaw insisted on calling all her dream omens "warthogs" was a mystery perhaps only Helga Hufflepuff understood.
After the founders finished discussing the location of the school, they all turned to look at the "little warthog" sitting nearby.
Four pairs of eyes fixed on him. Even though Rey felt wronged, he forced a smile instantly.
Situation dictates action. Or to put it another way: being bullied by the Four Founders of Hogwarts was practically an honor. If he went back to the future, there wasn't a student at Hogwarts who wouldn't trade places with him for the chance to be "bullied" by these legends.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seeing their true faces was worth a little suffering.
Was it really suffering?
Not really.
After rationalizing it with this kind of twisted logic, Rey found he didn't have much to complain about.
---
"Hey, sorry about that. We were just too surprised and... well, we got carried away."
The long-awaited apology finally came, spoken by Godric Gryffindor. He smiled, scratching the back of his head with genuine embarrassment.
"Your Avada Kedavra was impressive."
That was Salazar Slytherin's endorsement. An Avada Kedavra of that power exceeded the ability of most adult wizards. Plus, in Rey's memories, Salazar had seen that the Sorting Hat almost put him in Slytherin. To Salazar, Rey was likely a pure-blood wizard who unfortunately ended up in Ravenclaw.
"Your timing was excellent, and your grasp of the situation was remarkable."
Rowena Ravenclaw was a genius, and she appreciated intellect. Rey's quick thinking during the werewolf fight with Godric had impressed her. Furthermore, he was a future Ravenclaw student—evident from the crest on his robes. As the founder of Ravenclaw, she was naturally pleased to have such a capable disciple.
"That roast rabbit smelled delicious, even if it was a bit burnt at the end. And it's the first time I've seen Godric not waste food."
Helga Hufflepuff's praise focused on food. She was the one who usually cooked for the group, so she knew everyone's habits well.
Four compliments from four different perspectives. Rey nodded and smiled, murmuring polite responses. But deep down, he was screaming: "If apologies were useful, we wouldn't need the police!"
"Hey now, don't hold a grudge in your heart."
No matter how well Rey hid it, he couldn't escape Godric Gryffindor's sharp eyes.
The man had super-sensitive instincts. He could read the true feelings behind Rey's guarded gaze. Even if he couldn't read the exact thoughts, he knew the general direction.
"We four adults forcibly rummaged through his memories. You can't blame him for complaining internally. Is that any way for an elder to behave?"
Rowena Ravenclaw was wise, and she saw through Rey's feelings too. She walked over and pulled Rey into a protective embrace, like a hen guarding her chick.
"Listen here! Let's be clear. This is my Ravenclaw disciple. You elders bullied him like that; you can't just smooth it over with words. You need to give him something tangible."
Rey only came up to Rowena's waist. Her faint, pleasant scent filled his nose, making him slightly embarrassed.
But receiving Rowena Ravenclaw's protection gave Rey a sudden, profound sense of belonging to his house. He naturally accepted Rowena as his elder and protector.
---