"First years, follow me!" commanded a girl with long, blond, curly hair. She was wearing a Ravenclaw prefects badge, and had been talking to the red-haired prefect at the station. She walked to the front of the group, and led them from the Great Hall and up the marble staircases.
Luna had been next to Rolf and Alex when she left the hall, but they had gotten separated by the crowd. After following the prefect up several flight of stairs, the group stopped outside a door with a eagle-shaped knocker. The door was simple and made of wood, but had no doorknob or keyhole.
"In order to get in," the prefect explained to the group of first years, "You have to answer a riddle the knocker asks." she knocked once, the sharp noise of knuckle on wood ringing. "If you give a correct answer, you will be let in. If not, you will have to wait for someone else to come open it for you by answering correctly. That way, you learn."
The voice was clear and loud as it asked "What is present until one says its name?" the knocker asked.
The prefect looked at the group. "Does anyone have an answer?" she asked.
In response, it was quiet for a moment before Luna spoke. "Silence." she answered on behalf of the others. The knocker responded in a cool voice "correct." before swinging open to admit them into the Ravenclaw common room.
"Well done." the prefect told her as she entered the room behind her fellow first years. "I'm Penelope Clearwater, by the way. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
Luna nodded distantly as she entered the room. The Ravenclaw common room was large and airy. The circular floor was carpeted in a thick, midnight blue, and there was a white marble statue by the wall. It was of an elegant, proud looking woman, wearing a crown, with the words engraved at the base: wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure. The domed ceiling was painted blue, with white stars dotted across it. Large windows looked over the Hogwarts grounds. The lake, quidditch pitch, gardens, and the edge of the forbidden forest all were visible from the common room. There were multiple bookshelves lining the walls, and a fireplace with armchairs and tables scattered around it. Behind the statue, on either side were staircases.
"Dormitories are behind the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. Boys on the left and girl on the right. Just follow the staircase up." Penelope Clearwater told them. "Your belongings will be by your beds."
Luna followed these instructions quickly, before anyone else went up. She took the door on the right to another circular room, this one with four four-poster beds with blue drapings. Each bed had a small wooden desk and chair next to it, and there was two shelves built into the wall above the desk.
Luna saw her trunk next to one of the beds and walked over to it, and sat down on the bed. She removed the books she had brought and placed them on the shelves, placing novels on one shelf and textbooks from the other. She then slung a shoulder-bookbag she had packed in her trunk on the chair.
By now, the three other girls she would be sharing a room with had come up the stairs. As they began unpacking their belongings, Luna changed into her pyjamas. She took her wand off the desk where she had left it, and took The Hobbit off the shelf. Yawning, she crawled under the covers of her four poster bed, which was right next to a window, from which she had a good view of the grounds.
She turned her attention to her wand, and focusing hard, she said clearly but quietly "Lumos." to illuminate her wand. One girl, who had been looking around from the bed next to Luna's looked at her, impressed.
Luna opened her book and read for a while by wandlight, before whispering "Nox." and setting down her book and wand on the table next to her.
Within minutes, she had drifted off to sleep.
.oO0Oo.
When Luna woke, the sun had just barely risen. The sun warmed the Hogwarts grounds, but there was an early-morning chill in the air. Looking at the clock on the wall, Luna realized she had plenty of time until breakfast, as it was only 5:40. She got up and quickly got dressed, taking care not to forget her necklace. She sat herself at her desk and found parchment and a quill and ink in the drawer. Unscrewing the ink pot's lid, she dipped her quill and began to write.
Dad,
How are you? I've been doing well so far. I've been sorted into Ravenclaw, and I think I made and everyone seems nice. The castle is amazing, and I start classes in a couple of hours. But I already learned how to do lumos and nox on the train ride. I was wondering if you could send me the next edition of The Quibbler when it's ready. If you can, please do. It'd be nice to be able to keep up with them while I'm here. Thanks.
I hope you're doing well, and I'll write to you as soon as possible.
Love,
Luna
When she finished writing her letter, she placed her school books, wand, quill and ink, along with the parchment, into her shoulder bag. She slung it over her shoulder and, taking care not to wake any of her roommates, she quietly went down the stairs into the common room. From there, she left the common room, taking the long spiral staircase down from Ravenclaw tower. She found her way into a hallway, and walked, almost silently, towards the owlery.
After around 5 minutes of wandering, she saw a silvery mist in the corner of her eye. She turned around to find herself looking at a silvery, transparent young woman.
As soon as the woman saw Luna looking at her she turned away to leave.
"No. Wait, please." Luna said. "Who are you?" she asked, her large eyes growing even larger. "My name's Luna. I'm in Ravenclaw. I need help finding the owlery. Could you please help me?"
The woman looked at her for a moment. "I am the Grey Lady. I am the ghost of Ravenclaw tower" hesitating slightly she added, "It has been a long time since a student approached me." she hesitated a moment, something miniscule changing in her expression. She then said, "follow me." and without any more explanation, drifted off down the hallway.
Luna hurried to follow her, going down more hallways going towards, Luna assumed, the owlery. They were both silent as they travelled quietly but quickly to Luna's destination. When they got there Luna broke the silence. "Thank you." she said gratefully.
The Grey Lady looked at her, hesitating before replying "It was my pleasure."
Luna smiled at her one last time before walking into the room full of owls, expecting the ghost to leave her there.
There were at least a hundred owls there, of all different colors and sizes, and multiple large windows on every side of the room for them to fly out of. The stone floor was littered with feathers and the remains of the owls' meals.
Luna walked over towards a perch. Sitting on it was a black owl with large amber eyes. When Luna stuck out her arm, the bird hopped gently onto it.
"This is for Xenophilius Lovegood," she told the owl. "He lives by the edge of Ottery st. Catchpole, in the house shaped like a rook chess piece.
The black owl hooted twice before taking the letter Luna gave her and flying off through the window. Luna watched her leave, the owl flying gracefully over the treetops, until the bird was out of sight.
When she exited the owlery, planning to find her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, she was surprised to see the Grey Lady was waiting outside for her.
"I would assume you need to get to the Great Hall?" the ghost asked her.
"Yes. And If it isn't any trouble could you please take me there?" Luna requested.
The Grey Lady looked at her with piercing eyes. "It would be no trouble, Luna Lovegood."
And with that, the two set off, ghost and girl, walking soundlessly through Hogwarts.
