The History of Magic lesson finally ended, much to the relief of the half-asleep students slumped over their desks.
With that, the first-years of Ravenclaw were officially done with classes for the day.
Free time at last.
Many of the new students perked up instantly, shaking off their drowsiness. Some made plans to explore the castle, while others decided to head outside and enjoy the afternoon air. Before long, laughter and chatter filled the halls, and Hogwarts once again buzzed with the bright energy of youth.
Ark, however, went straight to the library—where he'd agreed to meet Hermione.
The moment they saw each other, Hermione launched into an enthusiastic retelling of her Herbology class.
"Professor Sprout taught us how to plant dittany! Do you know what that is? It's a magical plant used in potion-making with powerful healing properties. You can extract dittany essence from it—it instantly heals cuts and lacerations, and when mixed with silver powder, it even treats werewolf bites! It's actually a pretty rare potion ingredient."
Hermione spoke rapidly, face glowing with pride, clearly eager to show off.
She went on to say that Professor Pomona Sprout was gentle and kind, and that she'd even called on Hermione to answer a question—earning Gryffindor five points.
Ark scratched his cheek awkwardly at that. He hadn't managed to earn a single point all day.
Snape, of course, never gave points to anyone outside Slytherin—he was far more likely to take them away—and Professor Binns didn't interact with students at all. He simply lectured until the bell rang, then drifted straight through the wall without giving anyone a chance to even try currying favor.
Unfortunately, Ravenclaw first-years had drawn the short straw today, having both of those professors back-to-back. They hadn't gained a single point. In fact, they'd lost several. It was a disastrous start.
Thankfully, Hermione was only bragging to Ark. If she'd said the same thing to other Ravenclaws, they probably would've accused her of rubbing it in on purpose.
It wasn't hard to see why Miss Granger didn't have many friends yet.
Ark, though, knew she didn't mean any harm. He smiled, praised her sincerely, and made sure to give her plenty of the emotional validation she clearly needed. It worked like a charm—Hermione beamed, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
They kept chatting until Madam Pince's sharp voice threatened to scold them into silence. Then they both buried themselves in their books again, reading quietly until dinnertime.
After eating, the two "book fiends" headed straight back to the library and kept studying until eight o'clock, when the doors finally closed for the night. Only then did they reluctantly part ways and return to their dormitories.
By that time, curfew was about to begin.
Hogwarts had plenty of school rules—students were required to wear the Hogwarts uniform during term; boys weren't allowed in the girls' dormitories; no excuses about "moving staircases" for being late to class; first-years couldn't own or use their own Flying Broomsticks; and no one was permitted to use Magic outside school grounds except under special circumstances.
At the Welcoming Feast, Dumbledore had emphasized the curfew policy in particular: after hours, students were forbidden from leaving their common rooms or dormitories. Anyone caught wandering the halls—or worse, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest—would face punishments ranging from detention and point deductions to parental notification or even expulsion.
He'd also mentioned, in that calm yet mischievous way of his, that students were not to enter the corridor on the right-hand side of the fourth floor. He hadn't explained why, of course, which only made everyone twice as curious.
Ark, however, knew perfectly well what Dumbledore was hiding there—and he also knew better than to get involved. That wasn't something someone at his level should be touching.
He had no intention of attracting the old man's attention just yet.
So he behaved himself, returning to Ravenclaw Tower and stopping before the entrance to the common room—only to find a small crowd of Ravenclaws gathered at the door, talking animatedly.
"Byrne!"
Someone spotted him and waved.
It was Padma Patil—his Potions partner from that morning. She was surrounded by a few other first-year girls, all chatting excitedly. As soon as she saw him, she called out, drawing everyone else's attention too.
"Good evening, Patil," Ark greeted, quickly stepping closer when he noticed a few older girls looking ready to approach him.
"Good evening!" Padma smiled brightly. "Finally got a chance to talk to you—it hasn't been easy!"
Ark chuckled. "What, do I look like Professor Snape or something? You think I'd take points off if you said hi?"
"Ugh, don't mention Professor Snape," Padma groaned, shoulders hunching. "If it weren't for you, I never would've finished that boil-curing potion. Merlin, I don't even want to imagine what he'd have said if I'd messed it up."
She lowered her voice. "A few girls from our House actually got scolded to tears today."
Several of the other girls nearby shifted uncomfortably—apparently, they were the ones she meant.
"Then let's change the subject," Ark said smoothly. "What are you all doing out here anyway?"
"We're trying to solve the door knocker's riddle," Padma explained. "It's harder than yesterday's! None of us have gotten it yet."
If you couldn't answer correctly, the entrance to the common room simply stayed shut.
So they were all stuck here, debating answers and hoping someone cleverer would show up.
As soon as Ark arrived, a few girls immediately called out:
"Perfect timing—give it a try!"
"You're really smart, Byrne, you'll get it for sure!"
"Please, we're counting on you!"
"If we can't get in before curfew, it's all up to you!"
And before he knew it, a dozen soft hands were pushing him gently toward the door.
"All right, I'll give it a go."
Curious, Ark lifted the bronze knocker shaped like an eagle and tapped it twice.
The eagle's beak opened and spoke:
"I come from nothing.
When alone, I am the smallest.
When with others, I am the largest.
What am I?"
That was what had stumped everyone.
But Ark barely hesitated before answering.
"It's a number—zero."
"Correct."
The door swung open.
For a second, everyone just stared. Then a chorus of voices erupted around him.
"It was zero?!"
"How did I not think of that?"
"He got it right in one go!"
Awe and admiration rippled through the group as they turned their wide eyes on Ark.
"You're amazing!" Padma said excitedly. "You got it so fast! But—why zero?"
The other girls chimed in one after another.
"Yeah, why zero?"
"The first part makes sense—'I come from nothing'—but why is it largest with others?"
Ark smiled patiently.
"Because when you put two zeros side by side, you get infinity—∞."
It wasn't a particularly difficult riddle; otherwise, no one would've made it into the common room that night.
Even so, quite a few students had been stuck outside—at least a dozen of them. It reminded Ark of something Hermione had said in the original story: that many Wizards simply lacked logical reasoning skills.
Perhaps Rowena Ravenclaw had realized the same thing, which was why she'd chosen riddles over passwords to guard the entrance. It encouraged mental sharpness—and made for a much better security system.
Tonight, Ark had to admit Hermione was right.
Once inside, the group dispersed—some to chat in the common room, others to head straight for bed.
Ark said goodnight to the girls and returned to his private dormitory.
But when curfew fell and the castle grew silent, he quietly slipped out of bed… and left his room alone once more.
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