In medieval times, there was no wizarding school. Witches and wizards were either taught magic by their parents, or through experience – which, as you can imagine, would often go horribly wrong.
In the 10th century, four great witches and wizards agreed that this had to change. They set up a school specifically to train young people in how to use their magic. They named this school Hogwarts. Its founders were named Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin.
It soon turned out that they did not completely agree on which young witches and wizards to take on. For a while, it seemed like they would split up and each start their own school. But then one of them came with a solution: they could simply divide the students of Hogwarts into four groups, Houses, so each founder could take on the students that best fit with them.
Hogwarts soon became the largest and most prestigious wizarding school in Britain.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Gryffindor
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Godric Gryffindor founded the Gryffindor House. He valued courage and bravery, believing these were the two most important, most virtuous personality traits a person could possess. Therefore, the courageous children were sorted into his House, to be taught under him. Of all the Hogwarts founders, he was the most in favour of accepting Muggle-born children into the school.
Gryffindor came from a small village in West-England that is now called Godric's Hollow. He was known to be the best duellist of his time. He created and enchanted the Sorting Hat, so that even after the founders' passing, children could still be sorted into the right House.
Apart from the sorting hat, Gryffindor also left behind his sword. It was goblin-made and adorned with rubies, and is said to appear whenever a "true Gryffindor" needs it. The sword was special in that it absorbed powers from those it had slain, becoming stronger and stronger with every battle.
Ravenclaw
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Rowena Ravenclaw founded the Ravenclaw House. She valued intelligence, wisdom and creativity over anything else. Therefore, she chose the most studious children to teach. It is said that both the location and the name of Hogwarts were chosen by Ravenclaw. She came from Scotland and dreamt that a warty hog was leading her to a cliff by the lake. She also came up with the ever-changing floor plan. She had a knack for divination.
Ravenclaw died after falling fatally ill. The story goes that this happened because her daughter Helena broke her heart, by stealing her mother's diadem and running off with it. This diadem, which still exists as an ancient relic, was said to enhance the wearer's intellect. Helena later became the Grey Lady of Hogwarts as a ghost.
Hufflepuff
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Helga Hufflepuff founded the Hufflepuff House. She was a kind and warm woman, and believed that loyalty, patience and hard-working were the most important assets in a person's personality. However, she accepted all students without preference.
Hufflepuff came from the broad valleys of Wales. She is said to have arranged for the house-elfs to work in the Hogwarts kitchens, so that they had somewhere safe to work, where they would not be mistreated or abused. She is also said to have had a gift for food-related charms.
The relic Hufflepuff left behind was a small golden cup. Legend has it that this cup has magical powers, though which powers they were remains unknown.
Slytherin
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Salazar Slytherin founded the Slytherin House. Above all else, he valued cunning and determination. As both a Parselmouth (having the ability to speak with snakes) and a Legilimens (being able to look into people's minds), Slytherin was considered to be one of the greatest wizards of his age.
Slytherin did not trust Muggle-born children and wanted to stop them from being taught at Hogwarts. The other founders did not agree with him, however, so eventually he left the school to never return. Legend has it that Slytherin created the Chamber of Secrets before he left, which concealed a basilisk. This room could be opened by a descendant of Slytherin and the basilisk stood ready to obey this descendant and help purge the school of those Slytherin found unworthy of studying magic – Muggle-borns.
Apart from this chamber, Slytherin also left behind a locket, emblazoned with the letter S. Once Voldemort turned it into a horcrux it had magical powers, but it is unknown whether it had these powers before Voldemort took it.
