The new Ravenclaw wizards filed out of the Great Hall, led by the brisk, efficient Prefect, Penelope Clearwater. Allen noted that another Prefect, who had been closely observing Penelope's preparations, nodded briefly before slipping away among the upperclassmen, having apparently finished his duty.
"Be careful of the spiral staircase; do not miss a step, and certainly do not walk too close to the edge, or you will find yourself late and injured," Clearwater warned sternly. She paused for effect, then added with a touch of pride, "The constantly changing staircases at Hogwarts were actually conceptualized and designed by Rowena Ravenclaw, one of our glorious founders, to keep the students mentally agile."
"Our common room and dormitories are situated in the high western tower of the castle, which means it's quite a long walk. Watch your footing!" She reiterated. Indeed, one truly had to be cautious. Some of the castle's staircases were wide and grand, while others were narrow, rickety, and unpredictable.
"Ah!"
A sudden, sharp scream caused the column of students to stir violently. Allen turned quickly to see Lisa Dupin, the final student to be Sorted into Ravenclaw, walking at the back of the line. She was desperately clinging to the rough stone edge of the steps.
"Oh, that cursed step! I forgot to mention that steps will occasionally vanish without warning. Remember to jump over it next time. But honestly, how did she manage to get into Ravenclaw while being so clumsy? I specifically warned everyone not to crowd the edge… Every year, some idiot falls and ends up spending the night in Madame Pomfrey's care," Penelope grumbled, already rolling up the voluminous sleeves of her wizard robes. She was preparing to mount a rescue.
However, the small witch was clearly very quiet and physically less robust than most of her peers. She was already losing her grip, and though the young wizards nearest her reached out, they were too late. She slipped and began to fall within two seconds. She was, after all, not a reckless Gryffindor lion cub; most stronger young wizards could have maintained a grip with pure arm strength.
Just then, a slightly immature but clear male voice sliced through the rising panic: "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The little witch instantly stopped her descent, rising gently into the air. A surprisingly agile figure leaped down the stairs in three swift strides, breaking the spell's hold on the trajectory of the falling witch. The agile figure caught her securely in his arms.
"Wow, did you see that? He can do magic!"
"He's incredibly talented, his wand movement was so fast!"
"That was super quick thinking; Penelope didn't even have time to cast anything yet."
"Yes, yes! Brilliant!"
A chorus of exclamations erupted. The young wizards, particularly the young witches, gazed at Allen with open awe. Compared to most first-years who couldn't even manage a simple Swish-and-Flick, Allen had not only successfully cast a levitation spell, but his magic was potent enough to hold a human aloft. Crucially, in terms of appearance, he was the most striking of the young male wizards. Boys his age were generally far less mature than girls; their admiration was simple, based purely on the excitement of seeing a friend use magic to perform a daring rescue.
"Ha! Look at this display! A newly registered wizard who can use such proficient magic and exhibit power well beyond his age. Flitwick, if I were you, I'd be investigating this thoroughly." A sneering voice echoed, and a bat-like silhouette emerged from the deep shadows. The greasy-haired Professor Severus Snape raised a single, skeptical eyebrow, peering intently at Allen. He drawled sarcastically, "It's no wonder he was such good friends with the famous disaster-magnet boy even before enrolling, training as a supposed pure-blood in the Muggle world."
"Professor Snape, I am the Head of Ravenclaw. Our wizards are renowned for their wisdom and prodigious talent. I believe the emergence of a gifted wizard like Allen is a wonderful asset to Hogwarts," retorted Professor Flitwick, who, despite his diminutive size and high-pitched voice, possessed a powerful, authoritative presence. "And ten points to Ravenclaw! For your exceptional presence of mind in saving Lisa Dupin."
"This is an exceptionally trustworthy Head of House," Allen thought, relieved. "Not only does he defend his students, but he memorized their names instantly. Truly remarkable. However, my actions in the Muggle world are clearly being tracked."
Taking the cue from their Head of House, Prefect Clearwater quickly regained her composure. "Watch your steps now, and please continue to follow me."
"Harris, thank you so much for saving me," Lisa Dupin stammered, her steps still noticeably shaky with lingering terror, yet she insisted on thanking Allen first.
"Don't mention it. At least we'll both definitely remember to jump over that step next time," Allen replied gently. He saw her face more clearly now—a very plain girl—and quickly abandoned any heroic fantasy of a damsel in distress. Still, he had performed a good deed and earned goodwill from his Head of House.
Chatting quietly, they climbed the tall tower until they reached the entrance to the Common Room. Located at the very apex of Ravenclaw Tower, the entrance was marked by a smooth, ancient slab of wood with a large, bronze, eagle-shaped door knocker.
Penelope tapped the knocker three times. A deep, mysterious, magnetic voice emanated from the eagle: "If you want your dreams to come true, what is the first thing you must do?"
"Wake up," Penelope answered without hesitation.
"The other houses have rigid, fixed passwords," Penelope explained as the door swung silently inward. "We do not. As long as you can answer the philosophical riddle asked by the enchanted knocker—and there is often no single 'right' answer, just a compelling argument—you are granted entry. Don't worry about security, because for nearly a thousand years, no one outside Ravenclaw has been able to bypass this simple barrier."
Allen found the security intriguing but somewhat flawed. "A thousand years is a long time, but what if the Eagle Knocker itself has the ability to differentiate between visitors? If it views Ravenclaw's standards as being too low, then encountering an outsider may actually make the question easier to answer than what a Ravenclaw might expect."
"Do not be afraid of the Eagle Knocker's questions," the Prefect continued, gesturing for the students to enter. "We Ravenclaws are quick learners, and you will soon enjoy the mental challenges it presents. It's not uncommon for a dozen or twenty students from different years to work together to answer the day's riddle, which is a great opportunity to get to know the older students. However, you might find the challenge annoying if you forget your book or Quidditch gear and have to rush in and out… so I recommend double-checking your bags before leaving the Tower."
Penelope then addressed the core philosophy of the House. "We are all highly individualistic—those from other Houses might even call us eccentric—but genius often operates outside the norm. Unlike other Houses, we believe you can wear what you want, believe what you want, and say what you want. We do not look down on difference; on the contrary, we appreciate the unconventional."
Allen couldn't help but think about the famously eccentric girl who wouldn't enroll until next year, Luna Lovegood. In the most supposedly tolerant of the four Houses, she was still shunned by her own peers for her quirks. Just how incredibly weird must she be?
Stepping through the doorway, they entered a large, circular room. It was magnificent. Elegant arched windows draped in rich blue and bronze silk offered breathtaking glimpses of the beautiful grounds outside. The ceiling was a high dome, once again charmed to resemble a star-filled sky, and the dark blue carpet beneath created an atmosphere of deep mystery and quiet contemplation. The room was lined with large tables, comfortable chairs, and endless rows of towering bookcases. Opposite the door, set in a carved niche, sat a white marble bust of Rowena Ravenclaw—a woman of both beauty and obvious intellect. A discreet door beside the statue led up to the dormitories.
"From the arched windows of this Common Room, you have an unparalleled view of the entire Hogwarts landscape: the Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the greenhouses. No other House is lucky enough to enjoy this perspective," Penelope concluded, before briefly outlining the layout of the Common Room and, specifically, the different locations of the boys' and girls' dormitories, emphasizing the severe consequences should a boy 'accidentally' wander into a girl's quarters.
Penelope then returned to the center of the Common Room.
"Speaking of eccentricity, you will absolutely love our Head of House, Professor Filius Flitwick. He is often underestimated because of his size and high-pitched voice, but he is the world's most knowledgeable Charms professor; many of us suspect he has Goblin ancestry, but please do not be rude enough to ask him."
She continued, a fond smile gracing her lips. "His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw in trouble, and if you are ever feeling down, he will pull out those delicious little pocket muffins he keeps in a tin and make them dance in front of you. You can even pretend to be unhappy just to watch the muffins perform the cowboy dance; it is definitely worth trying!"
"Ravenclaw has a glorious history. Many of the great wizarding inventors and innovators came from our House, including Perpetua Fancourt, the inventor of the Moon-Mirror; Laverne de Montmorency, the great potioneer who invented many of the popular love potions; and Ignatius Wildsmith, the inventor of Floo Powder."
"We also claim prominent Ministers for Magic, including Millicent Bagnold, who was in office the night Harry Potter was freed from the Dark Lord's Killing Curse. Bagnold defended the celebrations of all British wizards, stating, 'I assert our inalienable right to party!' Then there was Minister Loxias MacMillan, a brilliant wizard who preferred to communicate by blowing smoke rings from the tip of his wand. And, of course, as I mentioned, we produce eccentric types. We even claim Uric the Oddball, who wore a jellyfish as a hat—a classic figure in many wizarding jokes."
"I believe that covers everything. By the way, our House Ghost is the Grey Lady. Some people believe she never speaks, but she occasionally volunteers information to us Ravenclaws. She is the daughter of the Founder Rowena Ravenclaw and a very beautiful lady. Rumor has it she has issues with the Bloody Baron—though, of course, we never ask her. She's especially useful if you are lost or can't find a specific object."
"Finally, I repeat: Congratulations on becoming a member of Hogwarts' cleverest, most agile, and most interesting House."
Having finished her lengthy, memorized introductory speech—delivered as if completing a required task—the Prefect waved her hand casually, turned, and walked into the girls' dormitory, leaving the slightly bewildered first-years to find their own rooms.
Allen found a bed easily and was slightly surprised to realize he was in the same dormitory as Edward Fox, the tired boy he had just spoken with. Edward, still looking immensely weary, bid a quick goodnight before collapsing onto the four-poster and immediately falling asleep.
This was unsurprising; the bed, covered with a beautiful sky-blue silk quilt, looked incredibly inviting. Allen quickly completed his ablutions in the adjoining bathroom, then threw himself onto the mattress, sinking into the luxurious softness. Closing his eyes, he listened to the gentle breeze whistling softly past the high windows, settling in for a comfortable and well-deserved rest.