A young wizard with fluffy blonde hair considered the question seriously for several long moments before finally answering, "I don't know."
"You don't know what you've been thinking about?!" Michael felt certain that because of these two friends—Anthony and Terry—he would lose several years off his life expectancy.
As for the elegant yet efficient dining technique he'd mentioned earlier, the explanation was simple but grim. A poorly funded orphanage always found creative ways to make life difficult for its charges. Though these methods were useless except for tormenting the children's bodies and minds, the caretakers benefited—they had endless excuses to be harsh and critical.
Shawn had been forced to learn certain things through this ordeal, including proper etiquette: dining posture, comportment, and even sleeping routines. Small mercies that came with heavy costs.
At least I escaped from there, Shawn thought with quiet relief. Otherwise, Matron Anna—facing imminent job loss—definitely wouldn't have let him leave peacefully.
In Hogwarts Great Hall, life unfolded in comfortable chaos. Dumbledore chatted and laughed with the professors at the staff table. Shawn continued methodically working through his plate. Michael flirted shamelessly with nearby witches from other houses. Shawn kept eating. Terry frantically scribbled notes about Dumbledore's every utterance. Shawn maintained his steady consumption.
Finally, the noise in the hall gradually subsided, and the food on the tables vanished as if it had never existed—golden plates gleaming clean once more.
"Now that we are all fed and watered," Shawn heard Dumbledore's resonant voice carry through the hall.
Fed and watered? Actually, no, Shawn thought silently, eyeing the spot where dessert had been moments ago.
Dumbledore continued with his traditional start-of-term announcements, delivering three crucial warnings: the forbidden corridor on the right side of the fourth floor, the Dark Forest beyond the grounds, and the prohibition against nighttime wandering. His tone carried unusual gravity when mentioning the corridor—something about "a very painful death" for those who entered.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore called out with infectious enthusiasm.
Shawn watched closely and noticed all the professors around Dumbledore wearing frozen, pained smiles—the expressions of people facing an ordeal they'd endured many times before.
Soon, Shawn understood their suffering completely.
"It sounds absolutely terrible," Shawn muttered, covering his ears as cacophony erupted around him.
"If you don't want to hear it, you have to sing louder!" Michael bellowed with passionate enthusiasm, despite being spectacularly tone-deaf. "If you don't torment others, others will torment you!"
"That's surprisingly logical."
So Shawn joined in, applying a melody from his previous life to the ridiculous lyrics:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees...
The absurd words continued through verses about filling empty heads, dead flies, bits of fluff, and learning until brains rotted. By the time the last discordant notes finally died away, even the ghosts looked relieved.
"You sang brilliantly!" Michael leaned over enthusiastically after the ordeal ended.
Shawn nodded modestly. He'd simply applied a popular tune from his previous life, and the effect had been remarkably effective—at least the surrounding wailing had diminished considerably during his section.
Soon they followed a tall female prefect out of the Great Hall, up a spiral staircase, then up another spiral staircase, then continued climbing yet another spiral staircase...
"These stairs are going to kill me!" Michael gasped, leaning heavily on the stone railing, looking thoroughly lifeless.
"You just said the prefect's legs were going to kill you," the wizard named Anthony pointed out with an eyeroll.
"Hey! You can eat pudding carelessly, but you can't speak carelessly! Anthony, this is a sacred secret between brothers! How could you expose me like this!" Michael somehow found renewed energy, instantly pouncing to tickle Anthony in retaliation.
When they finally entered the Ravenclaw common room, Shawn's face was deathly pale, breath coming in laboured gasps. If the stairs had been any longer, his malnourished body simply couldn't have managed it.
'I need to find a solution,' Shawn thought grimly, trying to control his ragged breathing.
At this point, all the Ravenclaw first-years had reached the common room entrance, most looking similarly winded. The blonde-haired prefect waited with a patient smile, allowing the young wizards time to catch their breath and recover.
Once everyone was breathing relatively evenly, the prefect spoke with warm pride: "Congratulations! I'm Prefect Penelope Clearwater, and I'm absolutely delighted to welcome you to Ravenclaw House. Our emblem is an eagle, soaring at heights unreachable to others. Our common room is located at the very top of Ravenclaw Tower."
She gestured toward the arched windows. "Through these windows, you can see the entire Hogwarts grounds—the Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the greenhouses. The other houses aren't fortunate enough to enjoy these views. Many students think the climb isn't worth it, but I can tell you honestly: once you learn to ride a broomstick, you'll understand why this location is absolutely perfect!"
Penelope's eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm. "Our house ghost is the Grey Lady. Others claim she never speaks, but she will talk to Ravenclaws when we need guidance—a very elegant lady. There's supposedly some complicated history between her and the Bloody Baron, but you can explore those stories yourselves."
She paused, then continued with a knowing smile. "She's particularly helpful when you're lost or can't locate something important—which happens more often than you'd think in a castle with moving staircases. I'm confident you'll all have wonderful nights here, because our four-poster beds are covered with sky-blue silk eiderdowns, and the sound of wind passing the windows is surprisingly soothing once you get used to it."
Penelope straightened with obvious pride. "I'll say it once more: congratulations on becoming part of the cleverest, quickest, and most interesting house at Hogwarts!"
Her brief, enthusiastic speech ignited something in the young wizards' eyes—pride, curiosity, determination. Michael and the other Ravenclaws applauded with genuine enthusiasm, and Shawn found himself clapping along despite his exhaustion.
"Flying broomsticks," Shawn murmured thoughtfully, remembering that some skilled Ravenclaws would eventually fly directly back to their tower rather than climbing endless stairs. He filed this information away carefully, placing its importance just after securing his scholarship.
Then he surveyed his new home with analytical interest.
The Ravenclaw common room was said to be one of the most spacious and airy rooms in Hogwarts Castle, and the description proved accurate. It was a large, circular room with elegant arched windows set into the walls, hung with flowing blue and bronze silk that caught the moonlight beautifully. Through these windows, Ravenclaw students could observe stunning views of the grounds below.
The ceiling was domed and decorated with painted stars that seemed to shift and twinkle. The deep blue carpet beneath their feet was also patterned with constellations. The room contained numerous tables and chairs for studying, along with bookshelves lining the walls—already well-stocked with interesting volumes. In an alcove opposite the entrance stood a white marble bust of Rowena Ravenclaw herself, her carved expression serene and contemplative.
A wooden door beside the statue led to the dormitories above, currently being indicated by Prefect Penelope.
"Now, everyone come collect your class schedule from me, then proceed through this door to your dormitories. Your dormitory assignments are written on the back of your schedules."
The prefect methodically directed the young Ravenclaws to form an orderly queue. Shawn accepted his schedule and immediately scanned the contents. The most difficult class—Potions—was scheduled for Monday morning, two consecutive periods.
This discovery sent urgency coursing through him. He needed to return to his dormitory immediately to review Magical Drafts and Potions. He'd only memorised it once, which wasn't sufficient. If he couldn't recall the information instantly during class, that would be disastrous. Professor Snape certainly wouldn't teach him patiently like some benevolent mentor.
"Shawn!"
Michael called out excitedly. Shawn turned his head in confusion.
"My grandmother always says people who appreciate good food are never truly bad!" Michael waved his class schedule enthusiastically.
The dormitory assignment column read: Room 404: Shawn Green, Michael Corner.
Walking into the bedroom with Michael's arm thrown companionably around his shoulders—entirely Michael's unilateral decision—they discovered walls decorated with blue and silver tapestries depicting famous Ravenclaw scholars throughout history. Each bed had its own dedicated bookshelf, already stocked with useful reference materials. Arched windows were draped with blue silk curtains that moved gently in the night breeze.
Shawn barely registered these details. His attention fixed immediately on the thick azure bedding—soft, clean, and genuinely warm.
'I won't freeze anymore,' Shawn thought, something tight and painful loosening in his chest. For the first time in eleven years, he would sleep without cold seeping into his bones, without fear of illness, without the constant anxiety of survival.
He ran his hand across the silk coverlet, marvelling at the simple luxury of warmth and safety. This was real. This was his now. He just had to work hard enough to keep it.