A/N: I am loving the attention this story is getting! Keep it coming :)
"Did having a discussion with the hat change anything," Lisa asked with a chuckle.
"He commented on my age," I replied, tucking my elbows in from hitting the boy next to me.
"You're the exchange girl, correct," he inquired.
"You are quite correct," I answered, lowering my voice as the sorting continued.
"I'm Matt, Matt Edington." The brown haired boy next to me extended a hand as a welcome gesture.
"Christine Hetter." He returned a smile and played with the gold fork next to his plate.
"I'm a prefect," he confess, "A notoriously strict one." His lips curled into a grin as he completed his sentence.
"I don't intend on stepping too far out of line for the one year I'll be here," I responded.
"Oh strict my ass," Lisa cried, "The only ounce of strict he has is that he follows any of the rules." She dealt him a kick under the table, and I felt the rackety wooden frame shake. The tirade next to me was distracting to the point that I missed the last of the sorting. A few more young faces had joined our table. They were seated towards the end and attempted to make small conversation amongst themselves without attracting too much attention. I turned my eyes towards the raised stage where the Headmaster stood waiting for the students' attention.
"Now that you are all sorted into your houses," he began, "Let the feast begin!" Revellus waved his hands and mountains of delicious foods appeared on the tables. Brad and Matt were well on the way to overstuffing their plates before Lisa and I had any chance of getting to the good food. She laughed at my frustration of dealing with these teenage boys and their eating habits. After I was allotted the ability to grab some chicken and potatoes, I let myself dig in. Never in my life had I eaten anything so delicious, and I made sure to fill my plate two more times. I was told not to finish a meal without filling my glass with some pumpkin juice. When dessert was finished and the tables cleared I sighed and listened to my stomach grumble in fullness.
"Before you all head to bed, I have a few last minute start of term remarks," Professor Artiste announced to the crowd of increasingly rowdy teens, "The forest is off limits to unaccompanied students and this year we are extending a new policy on final exams." At the mention of end of year exams, the students immediately quieted.
"O.W.L and N.E.W.T exams will be held, but for students who maintain excellent attendance and receive highest marks for the each semester of this year's term, you will be exempt from Hogwarts finals." Massive cheering erupted from each table, this new policy seemed to truly invigorate the student body.
"Finals are brutal," Lisa groaned, "But this is going to make the end of the year so much more enjoyable!"
"And to make this new policy attractive to our students," the Headmaster continued, "The house in which the most students are exempt will be awarded two hundred and fifty points at the end of term luncheon." The tables burst into even more cheering and upperclassmen hats were tossed in the air.
"Lastly, we will be continuing our tradition of the tenth annual commencement ceremony for our seventh years." The cheering decreased to the crowd of seventh years who began stomping on the floor and chanting.
"That is all, follow your prefects to your dorms and get some rest."
"Ravenclaws this way," shouted Matt as he asserted himself as a figure of power for the table. I watched the younger students scurry to follow close behind, and I felt the urge to join them, but stuck back with Brad and Lisa.
"Our dormitories are in the West Tower," Brad told me, "With a great view of the mountains."
"To gain access you need to answer a riddle, but you'll be able to do it, after all you are a Ravenclaw," Lisa added with a chuckle. We climbed some staircases and all of a sudden I felt my balance off and hung onto a railing for dear life.
"The staircases move whenever they please," Matt called back to the group, "It's best to keep this in mind for first years and estranged first timers at Hogwarts." My face turned red as I received his jibe towards me.
"Just a few more flights and a right turn." We followed our Prefect towards a tower and came to a halt at a winding spiral staircase. Matt counted the group to make sure no younger students had been lost along the way and we began to climb the staircase in pairs. When are ascension was complete we stood in front of a large wooden door with a bronze eagle as a knocker.
"Ravenclaw house is different from the other three in one stark way," Brad told me, "To enter the common room you need to answer a riddle."
"If you don't answer it correctly you're stuck outside until someone comes along and answers it correctly," Lisa tossed in.
"What can be swallowed, but can also swallow you," the wispy voice asked. The crowd sat in thought, stumped since they had been on break for so long.
"Pride," I mumbled, taking a guess.
"Speak louder," the door cried.
"Pride," I repeat with a bit of reassurance in my quavering voice.
"Excellent, you may enter."
"Show off," Matt mumbled as he walked through the door as it swung open, "Boys dorms are downstairs and girls rooms are upstairs." I stood for a moment taking in the decor. Midnight blue carpet covered the floor and matching couches spotted the spacious room, most concentrated around a roaring fire. Bronze pillows accented the furniture and a combination of blue and bronze wallpaper hung along with posters and tapestries. The most profound decoration in the room was an immense marble statue of a woman wearing a crown.
"That's Rowena Ravenclaw, our house founder," Matt stated, letting go of the twinge of bitterness he had before, "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
"It's a beautiful statue, and what a beautiful common room," I replied. He did not answer and followed the rest of the boys downstairs.
"It's not uncommon for people not to spend the first night in the common room," Lisa announced, "Get the joke, uncommon for the common room?" I laughed with her as we made our way upstairs. The first door we passed was open, and I identified the 6 girls who were sorted into Ravenclaw as first years. They were unpacking their things and taking out decorations for their rooms. We climbed the stairs to the top of the tower and finally reached the door which held a wooden plaque that read 'Seventh Years'. I pushed it open and saw three other girls sitting down on the bronze and blue clad four poster beds.
"This is Amy, Kelly and Morgan," Lisa told me as we stepped in and closed the door behind us. Amy was a tall, slender brown haired girl with freckles; she jumped off her bed to shake my hand.
"It's so nice to meet you, we didn't get a chance to see you at the feast." Her voice had a slight Irish brogue, and I assumed she was from Southern England or even Ireland. Kelly was readhead, a fair six inches shorter and slightly heavier. Surrounding her bed were various Quidditch posters, the largest was the Italian Quidditch team.
"I couldn't help but notice your broom over there, do you play," Kelly asked.
"I was keeper back home, and I'm hoping to try out for the open spot on the house team," I answered.
"I'm a beater, and I hope you get the spot!" I smiled back turned to meet my last roommate. Morgan was a tiny thing, shorter than me with vibrant blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.
"I'm a chaser, started out as seeker but my spot was given away," she groaned, rolling her eyes at Lisa.
"Oh let it go that was third year," Lisa yelled back, I could tell it was a running joke between the two. As they continued to bicker I walked over to the bed that was adjacent to Aeschylus asleep in his cage. The thick navy and bronze comforter looked so inviting, but I could not stop exploring my little space. On the chair next to my bed there were three blue and bronze ties, sweaters, socks, gloves, a hat and most exciting of all a massive scarf. I tied it around my neck and immediately fell in love with the warmth it produced. On my small desk also was two grey skirts and a black skirt and a few white shirts, I assumed those to be my uniform for during the day in classes. Lastly on the floor were a pair of black shoes. Seeing all of these articles of clothing made me extremely happy and excited to start classes the coming Monday. When I picked up the skirts to put in my trunk I discovered a piece of paper.
I give my child Christine Hetter permission to travel to Hogsmeade.
-Andrew Hetter