Here at the Salem Institute, we have four houses that you can be sorted into on your first day. Choose wisely which house you are sorted into, because your house will become your home and your housemates your family, and your house of choice will influence you every step of the way.




Richard Amesbury

Richard Amesbury was a powerful wizard whose ambition, daring and vision gave birth to the Salem Institute. Regarded as a shrewd and clever investor, Amesbury secured funding for the school's construction. He took in Susannah Stormalong after her escape from the Witch Trials, and realised that the danger to magical folk was greater than he ever imagined. In his eagerness to prevent any Muggle from ever endangering a witch or wizard again, his initial desire was to permanently ban any of Muggle blood from entering the school grounds, but Stormalong insisted that Muggle-born witches and wizards be allowed to learn, a viewpoint supported by Ichabod and Frogmorton. Amesbury bowed to his friends' will, and permitted Muggle-born students to join the school. His house symbol is a chalice, symbolising his pure blood and boundless vision. His personal motto, "Strive for greatness" became the motto of the house named in his honor, and he personally chose students who had the drive, willpower and vision to succeed.



Elspeth Frogmorton

Elspeth Frogmorton was Richard Amesbury's cousin. She wished to found a school to teach young witches and wizards, believing that home education was dangerous during the witch hunt frenzy taking over the country, and that they could protect young students of magic better in one location. She approached her cousin, Amesbury, with this idea, and he helped her achieve her dream. Elspeth's family motto was "Truth and Fair Play", two concepts she valued greatly and encouraged in others. It is believed her good influence helped forge a strong friendship amongst the four founders. Her house symbol is a pentacle, symbolising her love of Ancient Runes and her desire for balance and equality.



Joshua Ichabod

Joshua Ichabod ran a small private school of magic on the grounds the Salem Institute now stands upon. He wanted to expand upon his limited space, and provide a greater range of subjects for his students. Serendipity brought him to Amesbury and Frogmorton. When Amesbury proposed that Ichabod's school grounds be used for a larger, better equipped institute of education, Ichabod was wildly excited by the idea. He immediately signed over the lease for the land to Amesbury, and personally helped to design the school's floorplan, and expansive grounds. He was a wizard who sought to learn all he could, and to pass on that knowledge to young minds. As a result, his house symbol is two crossed wands, indicating that knowledge must be crossed with wisdom. His personal saying was always, "Knowledge is Power", and this became the motto for the house named in his honor.



Susannah Stormalong

Susannah Stormalong was a renegade witch who escaped burning by the Salem Witch Trials by attacking her jailers with stunning spells, and casting memory charms on everyone involved in her case. She was originally put on trial for daring to question the accusations of witchcraft made against multiple men and women in the small town, people she knew to be Muggles. Susannah believed in defending those weaker than herself, and in fighting for her right to be treated as an equal member of society. She was clearly a witch many centuries ahead of her time, but it was her staunch belief in equality and protection that spurred the founders on to seek out Muggle-born witches and wizards, and thus to spare them from burning by the Witch hunters. Her belief was in "Brave deeds, not words", and this is remembered by the house that bears her name. Her symbol is two crossed swords, symbolising protection and defence.






The Salem Institute was founded in 1693 by Richard Amesbury, Elspeth Frogmorton, Joshua Ichabod and Susannah Stormalong. The idea for the school came to all four founders in different ways, and the mission for the institute was this:

- To provide a safe learning environment for young witches and wizards.
- To provide a place free of persecution of magic and magical blood.
- To encourage young witches and wizards to learn all they can about the many respected branches of magic.
- To ensure that no child with magical talent is refused an education.

It took a year to build the school, using Muggle-repelling charms to keep the local witch hunters from discovering the secret sanctuary just outside of the village most notorious for persecution of witches. It was built by wizarding families and the four founders themselves. Once built, they sought advice and insight from existing wizarding centres of education such as Hogwarts and Durmstrang, which was received in abundance with the setting up of their curriculum, donated books and magical objects and even a gift of a ship from Durmstrang to carry students from all over the country to Salem Harbor.

A memorial was erected in the school, dedicated to the memory of the Salem Witch Trials victims, and a statement that their suffering should never be forgotten, nor should such an event ever be allowed to occur again.

All four founders worked in the school until their deaths, and it is said that their ghosts can sometimes appear if the school is ever in danger of being discovered.