»I see you everywhere,

in the stars, in the river;

to me you're everything that exists;

the reality of everything«

-Virginia Woolf 'Night and Day'


Chapter one: Wit is man's greatest treasure


4 years ago

A pale eleven year old stood in the great hall, her big eyes taking it all in. She was one of many. Maisie hadn't even realised they were walking, the ceiling was just so enchanting. It was a midnight blue filled with a thousand stars, there were 4 long tables filled with older students. As they came to a halt many 1st years stumbled still craning their necks to get a better view. Professor McGonagall (as she had introduced herself earlier) pulled out a brown three legged stool. On top of it she placed a hat which seemed to come alive. The hat sung a song worthy of a grand applause, afterwards the professor pulled out a dusty scroll. She began to read names of it, going alphabetically. First was a boy, Phineus Aveyard, who was sorted into Slytherin. He was greeted with an applause from his house, and by the look of his face he expected nothing less. The hat slowly made its way down the list as Trevor Davies was sorted into Ravenclaw. Maisie knew it would be her turn soon and surprisingly she wasn't nervous at all. She knew the hat would sort her into her rightful place. »Margaret Glenn« She frowned slightly, Maisie never particularly liked her given name. She thought of it old and out-of fashion.

Margaret took timid steps toward the hat and sat down on the stool, she felt the weight of the hat on her head.

hmmm, where should we put you?

The hat's voice echoed across her mind.

Brave and loyal to the end I see, not one too shy away from hard-work either. Slytherin could suit you, but I doubt that's your place. Not ambitious enough. You've got some good brains under your thick skull.

The hat was really taking its time.

You'll do great things, best for you to be in »RAVENCLAWW!«

He screamed so loudly Maisie flinched, her house erupted into an applause and she hurried over to take a seat at the table. The sorting went on for a while, but Maisie couldn't stop thinking about her sorting. What the hat had told her, she didn't even realise the food had already appeared on their golden plates. »Whatcha' dreaming about?«

She flinched and noticed a boy her age staring her way, with a mouthful of potatoes. »Wouldn't say that's any of your business« Maisie said quietly, trying to sound confident. The boy smirked and held his hand out »Trevor Davies« He said seriously »Maisie Glenn« she shook his hand which was stained with all sorts of food already. The feast dragged on late into the night, Maisie was half asleep by the time they were dismissed. But then again so was the rest of the school. The Ravenclaw prefect led them up countless stairs that seemed to change. They reached some big doors with no knob, only a bronze eagle knocker. »Instead of passwords, us Ravenclaws use riddles to sort the real Ravenclaws from the others. For a millennia nobody but Ravenclaws could get through«

»Tear off one and scratch its head, what was red's now black instead..What is it?«

The bronze knocker croaked and a few of the 1st years flinched. Everyone seemed more amazed and intrigued by the eagle than the riddle itself. » so this is an example of a riddle, that the knocker may pose you with..Don't worry if you don't get it though« she smiled with a clever look in her eyes. »so does any of you know the answer?« She asked her eyes roaming over the 11 year olds. A few hands shot up including Maisie's. The prefect looked a little surprised but she carefully examined every student who rose their hand. She had a spark of intelligence in her grey eyes, like most Ravenclaws. Her gaze fell on Maisie and she grinned. »you, tell me- Do you know the answer?« Maisie shook of excitement and nervousness, she was afraid that her answer was wrong. She was afraid that they would think she was stupid and throw her out. As every eye was on her she quietly cleared her throat. Before she could speak though, Maisie felt a warm hand touch hers. She looked up to see no other than Trevor Davies grinning and nodding at her. »a matchstick« She said still quietly but with a surge of newfound confidence. Everyone was silent and she had thought that her worst fear was true. Then a noisy creak filled the hall as the doors opened. A few students clapped and Maisie smiled, but the next scene took her breath away. They now stood in a big round room. »This is the common room« The prefect added only smiling at their expressions. The room walls were a midnight blue with high arched windows which were marble. On the ceiling were stars, it was just like in the great hall. The sky surrounded them. There was a fireplace in one corner and above it hung a beautiful painting, it was a portrait. On it was this very common room, a woman stood in front of the fireplace with floo powder in her hands. »That's Ignatia Wildsmith, a former Ravenclaw who invented floo powder« Penelope Clearwater (the prefect) said proudly and the woman in the painting turned around and gave her a wave. Maisie waved back, but quickly continued to observe the common room. She ran to one of the big windows and gazed out, it was pitch black outside. Still she could see the whole castle grounds, the view took her breath away. She noticed the long blue and bronze curtains hanging above the windows. When she turned back around, she only now noticed the blue couches, armchairs and loveseats scattered around the common room. There were mahogany desks in front of each of them. One corner of the common room was filled with bookshelves that had countless books on it. Maisie was quite sure that was more than a 1000 books. »After your last year at Hogwarts it is tradition for every Ravenclaw to leave their favourite book here with their name signed in it, so now you can read the favourite books of generations before you« Penelope spoke highly, every eye was on her. Finally there was a life-size Rowena Ravenclaw statue which parted into two directions. »Boys to the left, girls you're on the right..Now get some sleep before you all pass out« Penelope said softly as they all climbed to their beds.

As Maisie lay there on her bed, staring at the ceiling she thought about the events of this day. The wind whistled around the windows, relaxing and lulling Maisie to sleep after a day she'd remember forever.