Chapter 7: Chapter 0007 - Seesaw
As the group of first-year Ravenclaws approached the entrance to their common room, they were met with a sight both imposing and intriguing. Towering before them stood a magnificent set of double doors, crafted from rich mahogany wood that gleamed in the soft light of the corridor torches. The doors, adorned with intricate carvings and elegant brass handles, exuded an air of timeless grandeur.
Above the doors, perched regally on a stone ledge, was a majestic eagle statue, its keen eyes seeming to gaze down upon the students with intelligence and curiosity. As the group drew nearer, they noticed that the eagle appeared to be more than just a mere ornament. It was as if it were alive, with its wings poised for flight and its beak ready to speak.
"Welcome, seekers of knowledge." The eagle's voice resonated through the corridor, its tone wise and commanding. "To gain entry to the Ravenclaw common room, you must answer a riddle. Are you prepared?"
The first-year students exchanged excited glances. This was their first encounter with the famous riddles that guarded the entrance to their house. With eager nods, they waited for the eagle to pose its question. With bated breath and excitement palpable in the air, they prepared to answer the riddle.
"Whoever wants to answer it, could you take a step forward?" I said as I stood at the back and watched one.
The muggle born girl who raised her hand during the story of the founders took a step forward. She had been clutching her robes with a tight fist as she tried to calm herself down. It appeared that she had some form of social anxiety.
"Are you ready, child?" the eagle asked. It waited for the girl to nod in response. "You see it; you saw it. What am I?"
"A seesaw," she responded eagerly.
"Well done, child. You all may now enter," the eagle said as they could hear cogs turning.
With a series of soft clicks and whirs, the intricate lock on the mahogany doors began to disengage. The students listened intently as the sound of cogs turning and gears shifting echoed through the corridor, each motion bringing them one step closer to entering their common room.
Finally, with a resounding thud, the heavy doors swung open, revealing a warm glow emanating from within. The students exchanged excited glances, their anticipation reaching a crescendo as they stepped over the threshold and into the heart of their new home away from home.
As they crossed the threshold, the doors closed behind them with a soft thud, sealing off the outside world and enveloping them in a comforting embrace. With a sense of wonder and excitement, they made their way deeper into the Ravenclaw common room.
I walked in front of them, leading them deeper into the common room. As the first-year Ravenclaws entered their common room, they found themselves enveloped in an atmosphere of quiet elegance and scholarly charm. The main working/lounge area greeted them with the soft glows of ever-lasting candles casting gentle shadows across the room's stone walls.
In the centre of the room stood three rows of seven chairs each, arranged neatly in front of a magnificent statue crafted from the gleaming marble of Rowena Ravenclaw. Beside the statue, a pair of staircases curved gracefully upward and downward, leading to the upper levels of the common room, where the dormitories, additional study areas, and more libraries were located.
As the students made their way through the room, they passed by a collection of bookshelves meticulously arranged along one wall. Eleven shelves stood tall, each filled with an assortment of ancient tomes, magical texts, and literary classics such as 'Beedle and the Bard' and a signed Gilroy Lockhart collection.
The common room itself was predominantly constructed of cool stone, its surfaces adorned with accents of silver and gold that caught the eye with their subtle shimmer. Splashes of royal blue and regal purple added touches of colour to the space.
"Could I have your attention, please? Thank you. You guys have around 5 minutes to explore this floor. I am going to meet Professor Flitwick now, and after, I will be speaking to you about three important topics. Afterwards, Professor Flitwick will address you before the prefects show you towards your room," I said. "Just for a heads up, there will be two people in a room, so one of the girls will be by themselves. You guys can discuss amongst yourselves who that person is going to be. Thank you again."
As I turned around to ascend the stairs, a soft tug on my robes brought me to a halt. I glanced back to find a young brunette girl standing before me, her eyes wide with timidity. Her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her robes as she struggled to meet my gaze.
Kneeling down to her level, I offered a warm smile, hoping to ease her apprehension. "Hey there," I said gently, extending a hand towards her. "What's wrong?"
She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I'm scared. It's my first time away from home."
A pang of sympathy tugged at my heart as I listened to her confession. Taking a small piece of parchment from my pocket, I conjured a delicate dandelion and tucked it behind her ear, a silent gesture of comfort.
"You're not alone, you know," I reassured her, my tone soft and reassuring. "Hogwarts can be overwhelming at first, but you'll find your place here. Just give it some time."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded, grateful for the reassurance. "C-Can I... can I share a room with my sister? She's only a year older than me."
I offered her a reassuring smile, understanding her longing for familiarity in this new environment. "What's your sister's name?" I asked gently.
"Kelly. Tasha Kelly," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'll see what I can do," I promised, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder before watching her timidly return to the group of first-years.
I then turned around, went up the spiral staircase, and walked towards Professor Flitwick's office. I knocked on the door and waited until he gave me the go ahead to enter the office.
"Good evening, sir," I said.
"Good evening, Percival," the half-goblin responded. "The watches are over there. I'll be down in about ten minutes. You can go ahead and start without me."
"Okay," I said as I picked up the box he pointed at. "One more thing, sir: one of the first years would like to share a room with their older sister. Could you do something about it?"
"What's the girl's name?" Professor Flitwick said as he looked up from the documents.
"I didn't get her name, but her sister is Tasha Kelly, if that helps," I said with a shade of embarrassment in my voice.
The professor opened a drawer, pulled a stack of parchments, and flicked through them until he found the one he was looking for. "Tasha Kelly found her. Um, yes, we could absolutely make that happen. I'll notify the house-elves to re-arrange the rooms. But we now have two minor problems: Miss Kelly is going to be on the fifth floor with all the second-year students, and the first-year students will have an extra room. Any ideas?"
"I'm sure the girl will not be a problem, and we could use the extra room for the Triwizard Tournament. We could use it for something like a cultural exchange with whoever we're sharing with," I replied.
"I'll have to check if that's okay, but I don't see anything wrong with that. Good job," Professor Flitwick says as I walk out the door. "Mr. Ebonwood, before I forget, could I speak to you in private after we address the first years?"
"Of course, professor," I said. "I hope I'm not in any trouble."
I made my way downstairs, and with the box in my hand, I placed a watch on everyone's seat before standing in front of the statue. Once they saw me, they quietened down and took their seats in front of me. I took a few deep breaths before I started my speech.
"My family and I are simple people. In our apothecary, we made cures and tonics. They were probably used in the inoculations you had before coming here. No one in my life expected very much of me. And that is precisely what makes this moment so extraordinary. A few years ago, my potion opened our ports to the wilder world and put magical Britain back on the map. But yet, it still disappoints me.
Rowena Ravenclaw once said, 'Wit beyond measure, man's greatest treasure.' Yet all I saw were some childish bookworms that were trying to get a gold meddle with a red and blue ribbon. Oh, how this great house has fallen. Ravenclaw's of old were united by their insatiable thirst for knowledge and our unyielding commitment to intellectual pursuits. Oh, how we've fallen.
Being a member of Ravenclaw is not just about being clever or academically inclined. It's about embracing the full extent of our minds in all of their capacities in the pursuit of academic excellence, exploration into uncharted territory of magic, and innovation and progress in magic itself.
I can wallow in self pity at what House Ravenclaw has become, or I can guide you to your full potential. For the past couple of years, Professor Flitwick and I have been trying to rectify and build up the true Ravenclaw mindset.
You are a part of a community that values curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning and innovating above all else. Here, you will find a sanctuary where your intellect will be nurtured and progress will be celebrated, where even the strangest ideas will be welcomed and encouraged, and where innovation will be at the forefront of everything we do.
I know I have been talking about my achievements, but being a Ravenclaw is not all about individual achievement. It's about collaboration, cooperation, and the sharing of ideas. The watches in your hands are proof that what we are doing is working. And what it looks like when you have progress and innovation at the forefront of your mind. My fellow prefects will explain what they do when they come and speak in front of you."
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