Elizabeth Orangevei - Chapter 5, Year 1

Instructions

The Ravenclaw common room was a circular room with tall, arched windows that overlooked the grounds. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with tomes on every subject imaginable. Comfortable armchairs and sofas were scattered around a central fireplace, where a crackling fire warmed the room. A winding staircase led up to the dormitories. Crystal and I climbed the stairs, eager to see our room. We found our names on a door at the end of a hallway: "Nightshade & Orangeveil." Inside, the room was just as inviting as the common room. Two four-poster beds draped with blue and bronze curtains faced each other, separated by a small table. Each bed had a trunk at its foot, and a wardrobe stood against one wall. The walls were decorated with tapestries depicting scenes from Ravenclaw history. "It's perfect!" Crystal exclaimed, throwing her arms around me. "I can't wait to start classes!" "Me neither," I said, already picturing myself poring over ancient runes and practicing complex charms. We unpacked our trunks, eager to settle into our new home. As we were finishing, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Crystal called. The door opened, and a girl with bright, inquisitive eyes entered. "Hi," she said. "I'm Penelope Clearwater. I'm a fifth-year, and I'm your prefect. Welcome to Ravenclaw!" Penelope explained the house rules, showed us the location of the library and study rooms, and gave us our timetables. "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask," she said with a smile. "We Ravenclaws stick together." After Penelope left, Crystal and I looked at each other, grinning. "This is going to be amazing," I said. "The best year ever," Crystal agreed. We decided to head back down to the common room to get a better look at the library before dinner. As we walked down the stairs, we passed a group of older Ravenclaws huddled together, whispering excitedly. "Did you hear?" one of them said. "Flitwick says this year's Charms exam is going to be the hardest one yet!" Crystal and I exchanged a nervous glance. Maybe this year wouldn't be so easy after all. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, we almost bumped into someone. He had golden, tousled hair and tanned skin, and was clutching a thick book to his chest. He looked up, startled, and I noticed his eyes were a warm, hazel brown. "Oh, sorry," he stammered, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I wasn't paying attention." "It's okay," I said, smiling. "We're new here, so we're still getting used to everything." "I'm Oliver Ashton," he said, still a little flustered. "I'm a first year too. Gryffindor." He added the last bit quickly, as if he expected us to judge him for it. "Elizabeth Orangeveil," I replied. "And this is Crystal Nightshade. We're Ravenclaws." Oliver's eyes widened slightly. "Ravenclaw! Wow. You guys must be really smart." Crystal giggled. "We try our best." "I'm heading to the library too," Oliver said. "Do you mind if I join you? I'm trying to find something on advanced transfiguration, but this place is huge." "Sure," I said. "The more the merrier." We walked together to the library, chatting about our classes and what we were most excited about. Oliver seemed to know a lot about magic already, and I had a feeling he was going to be a great student. He seemed a bit shy, but I could tell he was also really passionate about learning. As we entered the library, the delicious smell of old parchment and aged leather filled the air. Towering shelves stretched as far as the eye could see, packed with countless books. Oliver immediately headed towards a section labeled "Transfiguration," while Crystal and I wandered over to the "Charms" section. We promised to meet up later before the Welcoming Feast. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering with excitement. Hogwarts was even more magical than I had imagined.