It think you all get the drift with the disclaimer by now.

Thanks for sticking around for chapter 4. This one was probably the hardest to write yet. Hope you enjoy it.

The Feast and the Common Room

Elizabeth glanced around her, finally aware enough to absorb her surroundings again. Most of the Ravenclaws were chatting quietly to each other or reading various books as they ate. Something about the scene struck her as welcoming, allowing her remaining nervousness to evaporate.

Her stomach at last settling, Eliza turned to the food piled high on platters before her for the first time and wondered what enchantment allowed it all to appear seemingly out of thin air as she began piling portions on her own plate. When her stomach had stopped rumbling at last, she turned her attention to the conversations surrounding her. A little further down the table a group of third years were discussing their summer assignments, one girl in near anguish over something she had forgotten to include. A small smile broke across Elizabeth's face; Ravenclaw was definitely the place for the knowledge obsessed and brilliant.

The brunette sitting next to her had been questioning the prefect sitting on her other side since they had started eating, discussing anything and everything from classes to textbooks to the entire contents of the school library. Elizabeth had been content to continue eating in silence until she heard the girl mention Quidditch. She began listening in earnest.

"Well, first years aren't allowed brooms of course."

"Why not?" Elizabeth chimed into the conversation, "are we not going to learn to fly?"

"You will have flying lessons but you'll have to wait until next year to bring your own broom. There were too many accidents when they tried allowing first years to bring them. Honestly though, the idea never appealed to me in the first place, I'd rather my feet remained on the ground. Thank you." The prefect said the last with quite a bit of feeling, making Elizabeth wonder if he was afraid of heights.

"We do have a house team, though, right?" Eliza's voice rose with concern, gaining her an assessing glance from the brunette first year, she thought her surname was Reed.

"Of course, each house does. Although it's usually the Gryffindors and Slytherins that take the star in that field, Ravenclaws, as I'm sure you've realized, are really more the studying sort rather than athletic."

"Oh, I noticed, thanks." Elizabeth replied quietly, prepared to go back to her self imposed silence only to be stopped by a pair of cool blue eyes staring at her. It was the brunette, only now she had fixed her attention on her fellow first year instead of the prefect.

"I'm Merigold Reed by the way, with an 'e'. Call me Mer, though; I don't much like anyone who uses Merigold, such an atrocious name, that. I'm really not sure what my parents thought they were doing."

Elizabeth, who couldn't help but smile at the rambling introduction, responded in kind, "Elizabeth Wood but I prefer Eliza, short and sweet, you know?"

Mer nodded her head vigorously, face set in a sincere impression. Then they both cracked, reduced to stomach clenching laughter that left them gasping for air. "You know, I think I'm going to like you," Mer said, when they could finally breathe again.

"Ditto," was all she got in response, and indeed, nothing more was necessary.

The girls were still smiling at each other when Professor McGonagall called for everyone's attention. Dumbledore stood at the top of the dais, his silver robes sparking in the candlelight as he addressed Hogwarts.

"I am happy to welcome you all back to for what I am sure we all hope will be another fine year at Hogwarts. I must remind you that the forbidden forest is, of course as the name suggests, off limits to all students. Beyond that, I wish every one of you a wonderful year. Now, off to your common rooms, we don't want any students falling asleep in the Great Hall!"

Everyone rose at once, noise returning deafeningly to the hall after utter silence from the Headmaster's audience. Prefects began yelling for first years to follow them while the upperclassman gathered in groups catching up with each other as they exited the hall. Mer and Eliza stayed close to the prefect they had been talking to, following him with the rest of the Ravenclaw first years through the large double doors which now stood open.

They turned left, ascending the giant marble stair case behind a group of Gryffindors. A few more staircases and some gasps at ones that moved on their own far above their heads later, they turned onto a corridor. Torches flickered along the wall, growing brighter as they passed and dimming once they left. The prefect led them along corridor after corridor, each one lined with paintings and tapestries which all blended together to the point where Elizabeth doubted she would remember the route.

Finally they passed though an arched door and found themselves at the base of a tight spiral stair case which seemed as though it could reach the clouds themselves. "This is the base of Ravenclaw Tower," the fifth year said, "You'll get used to the climb soon enough," and he started up the dizzying climb, everyone falling into step behind him.

After what seemed ages, they reached a door with a knocker intricately carved in the shape of an eagle. Elizabeth couldn't see a door handle. She watched in interest as the Ravenclaw Prefect knocked on the door softly. After a moment, the eagle spoke in a low voice, "What prideful beast commands feather and hoof both?"

It seemed to be addressing the prefect, for after a moment he provided the answer, "a Hippogriff."

The door swung inward on its hinges, allowing the young Ravenclaws entry to their new home.

Elizabeth resisted the urge to gasp as she stepped across the threshold to find the circular common room beyond. Arched windows lined the cream colored walls, the domed ceiling displayed a star specked night sky and couches, chairs, and tables were grouped about the room. Book cases took up much of the available wall space, each one filled to the breaking point and a small alcove in the wall directly across from the entrance displayed a marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw herself, her lost diadem gracing her brow.

The prefect turned to face the wide eyed first years, "I am Prefect Hilliard Barts. As you just saw, each time you wish to enter the common room you will have to answer a question. If you get it wrong you'll have to wait for another Ravenclaw to come along and get it right. I'm sure you will all come to enjoy the challenge. Girls dorms are to the left through and boys are to the right, you trunks are already there. Before you go, you should all know that Professor Flitwick is our head of house and his office is always welcome to any Ravenclaw who needs anything, including a listening ear. Beyond that, your schedules should be with your other belongings, good night." Hillard turned and disappeared through the door to the boys' dorms.

Eliza and Mer headed to the left, both exhausted by all the excitement and ready to sleep before they had to worry about the start of classes tomorrow. It didn't take them very long to find their canopy beds, each dressed in royal blue curtains and sheets. Their trunks waited at the foot the beds, a sheet of parchment resting on top of each.

"Thank Merlin we're next to each other. I had visions of being in completely different rooms." Mer said as she moved the paper and began rummaging in her trunk

"Yeah," Eliza uttered, only half paying attention as she glanced at their schedule, it consisted of all the basic courses with the classes spaced out fairly evenly across the week. She set it carefully on the stand next to her bed and got out her pajamas, changing quickly and collapsing in bed, a book clutched in her hands.

"Are you really going to read? I'm so exhausted I can't keep my eyes open anymore!" Mer whispered from her own bed.

"I always read before going to bed, I can't sleep otherwise. I promise it won't be for long, I'm just as tired as you are." She fell silent as she found her place in the novel, not even hearing Mer's quiet alright.

Just before Elizabeth went to sleep she wondered how Lily was doing and if she liked Gryffindor; Elizabeth herself was quite content with her own house.

And so, their arrival at Hogwarts drew to a close.

Thanks for the encouraging reviews that some of you have already sent me! Hope you'll keep telling me your thoughts.

~Em