After the feast, Lauren joined her now fellow Ravenclaws in the long climb to Ravenclaw tower, the tallest tower in the entire castle. The group of somewhere between fifty and sixty Ravenclaws climbed the circular stone staircase, their voices echoing loudly in the tower, and as they finally reached the top, they stopped and the two seventh year students that were Head Boy and Head Girl faced the crowd that ran the length of the stairwell, nearly sixty pairs of eyes watching the two of them. "I knew this part would freak me out, Leslie. All those eyes staring at me," said the Head Boy, a young black boy with thick dark curly hair, and he and the Head Girl, called Leslie, chuckled. "Good evening, Ravenclaws! My name is Hamish Ripper, Head Boy, and this is Leslie Simmons, Head Girl. If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, suggestions or anything of the like, you come to us. We're sort of the student versions of Professor Flitwick." Some of the older students chuckled.
"Now, older students, bear with us for a moment," said Leslie, a beautiful blonde young girl with piercing blue eyes. "First Years, to enter the Ravenclaw Tower, you don't need to remember a password but instead, answer a riddle. It may be a challenge at first, but before you know it, you'll be just as adept to it as the rest of us are! And if you answer incorrectly, it won't let you try again, but someone will come along eventually to open the door for you, or you can just knock on the door and hope someone is in there that can hear you. But to get the riddle, you must knock with this bronze eagle knocker - surprisingly, we can't hear the knocker inside of the common room." She knocks on the door with the knocker.
"The man who invented it does not want it. The man who bought it does not need it. The man who needs it does not know it. What is 'it'?" said the knocker in a gentle voice.
"Would anyone like to attempt it?" asked Hamish.
"Make Lauren McGwyn do it! She's Ravenclaw's heir, after all!" said a third year boy, and someone shoved Lauren forward onto the landing.
"Come on, Lauren, don't be shy! If you don't get it, we're not going to be locked out. There's many other people here that can try it!" Hamish said as Lauren approached it.
"What was it again?" asked Lauren quietly.
"Just knock on the knocker again, dear," said Leslie, and Lauren did as she was told.
"The man who invented it does not want it. The man who bought it does not need it. The man who needs it does not know it. What is 'it'?" said the knocker again.
"Why... A coffin!" Lauren said. "It makes perfect sense. A man who buys something he doesn't need for someone who does, but doesn't know it must be for a funeral because the dead man no longer has the ability to know what he needs." The sound of the door unlocking reverberated through the tower and the door swung open.
"Very good! Inside we go, Ravenclaws!" cried Leslie, and the crowd of students piled into the common room, the older students diffusing into different rooms and the first year students staying in the common room area.
"Now, before we send you all off to bed," Hamish began, "just know that you will find your trunks, your pets and your class schedules by each of the beds in your dormitory. Boys and girls are separate, but unlike the other houses, we don't have any charms that prevent boys and girls sharing spaces. First years sleep in one conjoined dormitory but older students have the option to share a room either with one or more other students or you can have a room to yourself. I can't tell you how we've achieved this - all sorts of magical charms I'm sure - but it's something to look forward to. Goodnight, everyone!" With that said, the first year girls followed Leslie up one spiraled staircase and the first year boys followed Hamish up the other. There were six female Ravenclaw first years and six male Ravenclaw first years, but the number of male and female students weren't always equal; in the fourth year Ravenclaw class, there were four male students and seven female students. The six female students continued following Leslie until they were brought to their own dormitory, and what a beautiful dormitory it was.
The ceiling, like the great hall, was enchanted, but not to match the weather; instead, it was a beautiful animated scene of the cosmos. There were planets, a smokey violet haze of a former supernova (Hogwarts: A History said it used to be a star that exploded in 1549), and the sky was littered with stars that shot across the sky. The royal blue curtains on the six four poster beds bore celestial patterns that glittered in silver and the bedspreads were a brilliant royal blue and silver Tudor pattern. The walls were wooden-panelled and at each window was a cushioned alcove with pillows. The floor was wooden as well and at the centre of the room was a large circular fireplace that hovered over burning and crackling wood. "Oh, it's so beautiful," said a dark-haired Raven Solidago upon first glance.
"Glad you like it... Sorry, what's your name again?" asked Leslie.
"Raven," said Raven.
"That's a pretty name. Glad you like it, Raven. Enjoy your first night at Hogwarts, ladies!" said Leslie, and she left, closing the French-style wooden doors behind her.
"Well," said Elvira Sallow. "Guess we'd better get comfortable. Where's my bed?" Her's was opposite of the door and she went straight towards her emerald green trunk, opening it and pulling out a white nightgown. Pandora Higgens was the first bed on the left side of the circular room. Beside her was Olivia Eolien, and then River Solidago. Then came Elvira Sallow's bed, and then Lauren McGwyn's bed, and then Marlene McKinnon's. Lauren went straight for her trunk and pulled out a tiny doll's bed with a small padded mattress and a tiny green quilt, setting it on her nightstand.
"Is that a bed for a doll?" asked Elvira Sallow with a laugh, and Lauren then produced Pickett from her pocket, placing him on the nightstand and watching him climb into his little bed.
"Not really. That's Pickett. He's my bowtruckle. He was given to me by my uncle," said Lauren in response. The room was silent for a moment.
"You're very strange," said Elvira.
"That is usually a common trait among Ravenclaws," said Pandora in a sweet, soft, dreamlike voice.
"I didn't even know you could have bowtruckles as pets," said Raven, sitting down on her bed and glancing at her schedule. "Potions first thing in the morning? How dreadful..."
"That's probably because the Headmaster probably doesn't even know," said Elvira, picking up her own schedule and looking at it. Lauren, too, glanced at hers and read over it.
"Potions is only three times a week, Raven! I think we'll be all right," she said amicably.
"Why do we have to have flying lessons? I don't want to fly," said Olivia from the far corner of the room. "I don't like heights..."
"You'll be all right, I'm sure! And besides, it's only for the year. My older brother is a fifth year and he says you don't take flying lessons again after the first year," said Elvira. "I'm planning on trying out for the Quidditch team next year."
"I thought about it, too, but I'm not sure. It might get in the way of my studies," said Lauren. "Anyway, I don't know about you lot, but I'm exhausted!"
"I don't know how you can sleep. I'm wide awake!" exclaimed Elvira.
"I'm quite tired, too," said Marlene. "And we've got that class early tomorrow morning."
"I'm all for going to bed, too," said Pandora
"I suppose if the rest of you want to stay up, you can go to the common room downstairs while we sleep up here," said Lauren, climbing into her bed and drawing one of the curtains closed. Elvira huffed.
"Fine, I guess we'll all go to bed," she said. "Come on, Henry." She picked up a white persian cat and climbed onto her bed, drawing her curtains closed. Once everyone was in their beds with their curtains drawn, the only light in the room was that of the celestial sky above them.
Marlene, Pandora and Lauren got ready for their first class together while Raven and Olivia climbed out of bed and Elvira continued to sleep soundly, or at least gave off the impression that she did. The three girls descended the stairs and entered the common room, where several of the older students were already involved in Ravenclaw common room life. "Excuse me," said Marlene, tapping on a fourth year boy's shoulder. "How do we get to the dungeons?"
"Potions class, eh?" he asked. "Your best bet without getting lost is to go all the way to the entrance hall, go through those large doors into the entrance courtyard, go left and cross that very large stone bridge that'll lead to the viaduct and then enter that hall and then go down the set of spiral stairs into the dungeons. There's a portrait at the very bottom of the Grand Staircase that leads to the dungeons but she's a right bitch and won't give you the password unless you're a Slytherin."
"Oh... Well, thank you very much!" said Marlene, and the three girls left the Ravenclaw common room and started to descend the large spiral staircase.
"I'm excited for the Astronomy class tonight," said Pandora. "I've always loved the stars."
"As have I. They're beautiful where I live," said Lauren.
"Where are you girls from?" asked Marlene. "I'm from the Borders. English side, but I'm very used to Scottish accents."
"I'm from Wales, from a little town called Pontardawe. You know, that little town where Mary Hopkin is from," said Pandora. "She used to babysit me when I was younger."
"Is she a witch, too?" asked Marlene, and Pandora shook her head. "No, she was always very confused about the weird things that I did as a child." Marlene and Lauren chuckled lightly. "What about you, Lauren? Where are you from?"
"I'm not allowed to say the specifics since Mum is still in hiding, but I'm from Scotland, if you couldn't tell from my accent. I was born in the Glens, like Rowena Ravenclaw. We live on an island now, with a lot of muggles, and they speak Scottish Gaelic. So to fit in, we had to learn it, too. It was easier for me than it was for Mum since I attended school there."
"That's interesting," said Pandora. "I know Welsh very well." The girls entered the Grand Staircase and began to descend it.
"I don't speak any language other than English," said Marlene. As they passed the seventh floor landing, having to wait for the moving stairs anyway, a portrait swung open and out came James Potter, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black; that portrait must have been the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.
"Well, if it isn't Lauren McGwyn," said James. "Still got that bowtruckle?"
"I couldn't trust him alone, so he's in my bag," said Lauren. "Are you going to Potions class too?"
"Sure are," said James, referring to his own group, and the six of them descended the stairs. "I hear getting into the Ravenclaw common room is a challenge. They don't use a password?"
"Nope," said Marlene. "We have to answer a riddle."
"That must be insanely difficult," said Sirius.
"Not for them, Sirius. They're Ravenclaws," said Remus, and Marlene laughed.
"Just because we're Ravenclaws doesn't mean we're geniuses," she said. They continued down the staircase and stopped when they came across two other first years, Ravenclaw John Stebbins and Hufflepuff Dafydd Talog, seemingly lost standing beneath the large statue.
"Are you boys just as confused about where the classroom is as we are?" asked Lauren, and the two of them looked up.
"Someone in my house said to go to the viaduct, but I don't know where that is," said dark-haired Dafydd.
"Lucky for you, we're going to class, too," said Sirius cheekily.
"Mae'r lle hwn yn ddrysfa..." Pandora muttered under her breath in Welsh, referring to the castle as a maze.
"Mae mor ddryslyd!" said Dafydd in response, also in Welsh, and the pair of them started a conversation in their native language.
"Maybe you'll find someone here who speaks Scottish Gaelic!" said Marlene with a smile as the group exited into the entrance courtyard.
"Oh, I doubt that. It isn't spoken all over Scotland, just in parts like the islands, mostly, and maybe the highlands, too," Lauren replied.
"People in Scotland speak a different language?" asked James.
"No, gòrach! Just in parts," said Lauren with a laugh. The group crossed a large stone bridge, stopping to look down over the edge.
"Wow, that's high," said Sirius. "I wonder what would happen if you dropped something down there."
"It'd get destroyed, obviously," said James. "It doesn't take a Ravenclaw to make that observation!" Again, they continued on, pushing through a set of large wooden doors and entering another hall with a stairwell that led to the first floor corridor. "I wish we had a map of this place. It's going to be so easy to get lost."
"We'll figure it out. Come on, then, down that spiral staircase there, someone said," said Lauren, and down the tight spiral staircase they went into the dungeons, where many Slytherin students were already walking around. Blonde-haired first year Elisabeth Myers was standing outside of the potions classroom, seemingly nervous to go in. As James, Sirius, Remus, Marlene, Dafydd, Pandora and John entered the classroom, Lauren stopped outside and stood beside Elisabeth.
"You know, if your housemates reject you for being a half-blood, that's their loss, but there are plenty of others here who are blind to blood purity," said Lauren.
"How did you- Are you reading my mind? Wait... wasn't Rowena Ravenclaw a-"
"Legilimens? Not sure, but it runs in my family. My point is, if you feel unwelcome for any reason, I'd be happy to be your friend."
"Thanks... But I should be friends with people in my own house. Even if they are... Slytherins..."
"There's nothing wrong with Slytherins, Elisabeth. At least, not a true Slytherin student. A lot of pureblood families that tend to be hateful towards non-magical blood of any type are sorted into Slytherin because they are power-hungry and determined to do whatever they can to gain that power, but a lot of Slytherins are just highly ambitious witches and wizards who are put in Slytherin because they, too, are very goal-oriented."
"Hmm... I guess you're right."
"And there's no rule that says you can't be friends with people in other houses. Just stay away from Gryffindors, they're pains in the arse," said Lauren, and Elisabeth chuckled lightly and the two girls entering the potions classroom. Lauren sat down in the empty seat at a table with the red-haired Lily Evans, raven-haired Elizabeth Hawking and the greasy-haired Severus Snape, receiving a jealous look from James and giving him a smile in response. "Sorry, you don't mind if I sit here, do you?"
"Not at all," said Lily with a gentle smile. She was a very beautiful young girl with flowing fiery red hair, emerald green eyes the colour of Irish hills and pale skin dotted with freckles. She had a South English accent and spoke in a soft, friendly tone, seemingly very open to any and all types of friendships. "I'm Lily Evans, and you are?"
"Lauren McGwyn," said Lauren, and both Elizabeth and Severus seemed a bit surprised; Lily seemed unphased.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you," said Lily.
"You're Lauren McGwyn? You're not what I pictured her looking like..." said Elizabeth suspiciously.
"Not sure how I should take that..." said Lauren, not sure if she ought to be confused or offended.
"I thought you'd have red hair. You're Scottish, aren't you?" asked Elizabeth.
"If you couldn't tell from her accent," said Severus with a chuckle.
"Chan eil falt ruadh aig a h-uile duine ann an Alba," said Lauren in fluent Scottish Gaelic to confuse Elizabeth even more.
"What?" she asked, and Lauren laughed.
"I said 'not everyone in Scotland has red hair'," Lauren said in response. "Well, something like that. The translation is different..."
"The hell kind of language was that?" demanded Elizabeth, a tanned Mediterranean girl with thick raven black hair and piercing chocolate brown eyes, clearly of Italian descent.
"Scottish Gaelic," said Lauren.
"That's a weird language. Now, italiano é una bella lingua!" Elizabeth replied in fluent Italian. "Mum's from Italy, Dad's from Ireland. She's full-blooded Italian and he's full-blooded Irish, blonde hair, blue eyes, the works. When my sister and I were born, one of us came out looking like her and one of us came out looking like him. That's her over there." She pointed to a blonde curly-haired Slytherin girl sitting with a group of other Slytherins. "Dad went to Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor and Mum went to some Italian school called the Rhea Silvia Imperial Academy of Sorcery* where they apparently don't have houses, but they wear togas. Their colour was red and Gryffindor's colour is red so there's a lot of red in the house at home. But maybe my sister got her stuck up attitude from Mum because that's what people from her school are like."
"That's interesting. I don't know very much about other magical schools but I presume there must be more," said Lauren.
"Loads more! There's three in Italy alone. I think there's one in Greece, too, because I remember Mum talking about a rivalry with a Greek school," said Elizabeth.
"I find that so cool how there's a completely different world of magic just hidden away from view," said Lily.
"You haven't even seen half of it yet, Lily," said Severus with a smile, and at that moment, their professor, a stout man heavily built with grey balding hair, entered the room.
"Good morning, students! How wonderful to see such eager young faces this early in the morning!" he said enthusiastically. "Surely, you are most eager to learn, yes?"
"Oh, absolutely," said James in a mock-enthused tone.
"Marvellous! And what is your name, young man?" asked the professor.
"James Potter, sir," said James respectfully.
"Now, Mr. Potter, what can you tell me about Golpalott's Third Law?" asked the professor. Lauren put her face into her palm and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, expecting him to humiliate himself.
"Quite a bit, Professor. Golpalott's Third Law states that the antidote for a blended poison will be equal to the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components, meaning that the antidote for a batch of numerous poisons blended together cannot be simply made by combining the ingredients for the antidotes of each individual poison," said James, seeming to shock everyone in the room into silence for several moments. "I read a book on it once for punishment by my mum." He smiled at Lauren and winked.
"Good, Mr. Potter, very well done! Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, class, if I may begin... Today, we shall be learning about types of cauldrons and their various uses based on materials. But first, I need to know who you all are! I am Professor Slughorn and I will be your potions master for the next seven years here. Now, now..." Professor Slughorn said as he picked up a piece of parchment and adjusted his glasses. "Miss Jennifer Aberforth? Ah, yes. And Miss Hannah Anderson? Good morning, dear girl!" He went down the list, calling out all of the names in alphabetical order until he reached Lauren's. "Miss Lauren McGwyn- McGwyn?" He seemed almost stunned, then seemingly concerned. "I was not aware you would be starting school so soon, my dear. Where are you? Ah... You've got your mother's features. I recognised you almost immediately. I went to school with your grandmother, Athena Scamander, and all her siblings, and I taught both of your parents! How's your mother doing?"
"Very well, sir," said Lauren meekly, embarrassed at having attention drawn to her.
"Your family's still in Scotland, I see? The McGwyn family always has been, though. I also went to school with your father's parents. Two Ravenclaw purebloods, one from the Highlands and one from the Hebrides. But the Scamanders, they were an interesting bunch. Athena was a potioneer, as I'm sure you know, and a famed herbologist. She and her brother were both very eccentric students... He obsessed over animals and she obsessed over plants. Those Scamanders, though... Very charming people. I met with Mr. Newt Scamander and his American wife over the summer, very charming people..." Lauren smiled and nodded, and Professor Slughorn finally took a hint and continued calling attendance until he finished. "Now, cauldrons... Many of you have a standard size 2 Pewter Cauldron, I see, a very good cauldron for elementary alchemy, and some of you have brass and copper! How interesting. Ah, Miss McGwyn, is that a silver cauldron?"
"Yes, my Uncle Newt said he found it in the attic and gave it to my mother who gave it to me to use here. He said it belonged to my grandmother," Lauren replied.
"Remarkable! A famous cauldron in my classroom, touched by the very hands of Athena Scamander herself!" exclaimed Professor Slughorn excitedly, and several Slytherin students with bronze or copper cauldrons shot her a fierce glare.
"I am unsure of how it will handle potion-making, as I'm sure cauldrons were much less efficient in the twenties and thirties than they are today, but I am excited to put it to the test!" said Professor Slughorn. "Anyhow, back to the lesson... Pewter cauldrons have been in use since the early days and were used both by muggles and wizards, but for cooking by muggles of course..." Professor Slughorn turned to face the chalkboard and began to write on it, many students taking out notebooks to write down the notes.
*Taken from Italian Wizarding Schools by Highly_Illogical (excluding spaces)
( archiveofourown dot org / works / 9309470)