The Ravenclaw first years followed their prefect out into the entrance hall then began to climb one of the staircases. The wall was covered in portraits of wizards and witches from past ages, all of them waving and calling out welcoming phrases to the passing children. Wren turned around at the top of the stairs to realise that Rosewaine was still half way down, waving a little disconcertedly at a seventeenth century lady in all her finery.
'Hurry up, Rosewaine or we will lose the others.' Wren warned.
'Sorry,' Rosewaine replied as she tore her gaze from the moving painting and hopped up the stairs two at a time to join her friend. 'Are they on a loop or are they sentient?' She asked Wren curiously. 'They seemed to react to me in real time.'
'Hhmm? Oh! Right, muggle pictures don't move.' Wren reminded herself.'Some are snapshots of events that repeat themselves. Most photos are like that. Paintings, especially those of people have their essence charmed into them, the best have most of the personality and memories of the real person.' Wren explained
The pair continued to follow the other first years down corridors lined with flaming torches and statues and up so many staircases that Wren lost count. As her thighs began to burn from use, she realised that she was going to become quite fit during her time at Hogwarts.
After around five minutes of walking, the first years found themselves climbing yet another set of stairs, however, in the cavernous room that they passed through countless more staircases criss-crossing above and below them. As Wren peered over the side of the carved stone bannister, she watched one of the distant stairs below begin to move, changing its landing point to an entrance at the other side of the room. Before she could even point this out to anyone, the staircase they were on shuddered, then began to drift, swinging away from the doorway they had been aiming for. The first years all scrambled to the bannister, clinging on for dear life as they were carried to a new landing, whimpering and squealing in fright. As soon as the staircase locked into its new position the prefect called 'come on now, no dilly dallying.' Wren and Rosewaine did not need telling twice as they practically sprinted up the stairs to safety before the ground beneath them decided to move again.
'This place is a bloody obstacle course,' Rosewaine exclaimed, catching her breath.
'Death trap is more like it!' a very pale boy concluded as the colour began to reclaim his face.
'There is always one,' Sighed the prefect impatiently. Wren turned to see the older girl still standing at the top of the stairs looking down. As Wren peared around the prefect, she saw a dark skinned girl with a halo of dark curls still clinging to the bannister in the middle of the staircase, her eyes squeezed shut in her frozen state.
'Come on, we haven't got all day. The staircase will move again soon and then you'll be sorry.' the older girl tuttedly iritably but the little girl didn't move, she just whimpered. Wren looked from the unsympathetic prefect to her new classmate and realised that this girl wasn't going to move without help. Fear had completely clouded her mind, locking her to the spot. Wren took a deep breath before walking back down the stairs. She wasn't great with these kinds of heights herself but she knew that someone had to fetch her.
When she reached the terrified girl she held out her hand as she crouched down in front of her. 'Take my hand,' She instructed in a kind, quiet voice. 'You don't need to open your eyes, I can guide you. Just let go of the bannister on the count of three and we will run up the stairs together ok.'
The girl gave a little nod, her eyes still clamped shut. '1,2,3' Wren counted and to her relief the girl did as she was told and released her grip on the staircase. They ran as fast as they could up the stairs to safety, Wren practically dragging the girl to ensure she didn't freeze up again. When they reached the hallway the girl finally opened her eyes and greeted Wren with a meek smile. 'Thankyou,' she whispered.
It took another few minutes of navigating the various halls before they found themselves standing in front of a door that led to one of the castle's many turrets. The door was a rather strange sight to behold. Without a doorknob or keyhole, it seemed impossible to open. The only indication that it might, was a large bronze door knocker shaped like an eagle's head situated in the middle of the wood. As the first years stared at it, perplexed at what to do, the door knocker seemed to come to life, its metal bending like clay as it opened its beak and spoke.
'I am tall when I am young and short when I'm old. What am i?' The eagle asked in a slightly scratchy, metallic voice. The first years just staired, dumbfounded at the animated door knocker for a moment.
'To enter the Ravenclaw Common Room you must answer a riddle. Other common rooms have simple passwords but we prefer to challenge ourselves, besides, anyone can get hold of a password. Only a true Ravenclaw can answer these riddles.' The prefect explained proudly.
The first years began to mutter amongst themselves, repeating the riddle over and over as they came up with suggestions.
'A tree?'
'No, don't be silly.'
'You think of something then.'
Wren listened to her peers bickering as she mulled the riddle over in her mind as she found herself looking around the portrait covered hallway. Her eye was drawn to a candelabra in between two ornate gold frames. She watched the wax dripping down its candle for a moment before she came to a realisation. 'A candle.' she whispered just loud enough for the others to hear.
'Correct!' Confirmed the eagle head and the door promptly swung open.
'Feeew, I thought we were going to be stuck out here for hours.' said one of the boys in relief as he walked through the door and up the stairs.
The top of the stairs opened up into the most beautiful circular room Wren had ever seen. Swathed in washes of sky and royal blues. The dark blue ceiling was dotted with shining gold leaf constellations. The upholstery on the many couches and chairs that dotted the centre of the room glimmered a silky sky blue in the candle light. Most of the walls were covered by darkwood, curved bookcases that climbed high up into the tower, cut in half by a mezzanine that encircled most of the room. There were many study desks on both levels and armchairs with little tables by each of the long, grand windows. At the opposite end to the entrance stood a white marble staircase that split in two directions on the first landing, accessing the mezzanine and the entrance to the dorms. In one corner, near the bottom of the steps stood a rather old looking wooden grand piano, though at first glance of the room it was easily missed due to the amount of books and nicknacks piled on top of its lid. The whole room seemed to be orientated towards the far wall which housed an enormous marble fireplace topped by a grand gilded mirror.
As it was getting very late, the first years filed through the common room that was dotted with older students and headed up the spiral staircase towards their dorms. The bathroom was pointed out to them as the first door they passed, then after they passed several more entrances, The prefect stopped them at another small landing that housed two curved wooden doors. The boys were directed to one and the girls to the other.
As Wren entered her dormitory she found herself in a semi circular room that contained five single, white wooden four poster beds, their headboards butting up against the curved walls, their bedding an inviting looking royal blue. Long windows separated many of the beds from each other, their low window sills festooned with comfy looking pillows. On the only straight wall in the room stood another fireplace, much smaller than the one down stairs but hewn from the same white marble. On either side of it stood tall wardrobes with pretty carved doors, each with plenty of room for all the girls' belongings.
Wren couldn't help but smile to herself. She had imagined her future dormitory many times over the years but nothing had been quite as lovely as this. She felt content in the knowledge that she was going to feel right at home here.
As the girls explored the room, they each found that their belongings had already been unpacked at their assigned beds and their pets sat on perches or lay on the beds waiting for them. Wren and Rosewaine were delighted to find that they had beds right next to one another. Zodiac was contently nibbling a carrot someone had given him, on Rosewaine's covers.
Eremial had made herself right at home perched on a bronze bird stand by Wren's bed, surveying the room.
'What do you think, Eremial? Do you like our new home,' Wren asked the bird as she sat down on her bed. The little owl hooted approvingly, then, spotting a cat that was eyeing her a little too intently, squawked aggressively in its direction. The fluffy ginger tabby bolted under its owner's bed.
'She is small but she is mighty.' Rosewaine giggled as she watched the white owl fluff up its chest feathers before settling down once more.
'Yes, well they are all going to have to learn to get along,' Wren said as she noted the other owl and cats in the room. 'Though I worry a little about your rabbit, what with all the cats about.'
'I had thought of that.' Rosewaine replied with a grin. Wren watched as Rosewaine began to unpack the rest of her belongings from the trunk at the end of her bed, shoving them haphazardly under it. Once the trunk was empty she removed a plate of wire mesh from its bottom and placed it on the open top, then she unlatched some bolts on one side of the case and pulled it down to reveal yet more wire mesh, creating a perfectly adequate hutch.
'My dad helped me convert the trunk over the summer,' Rosewaine explained as she began to lay down newspaper and straw in its wooden bottom and attached a drinking bottle to the mesh side.
'Ingenious' Wren complimented her friend's impressive resourcefulness.
The girls got ready for bed, brushing their hair and teeth in the bathroom and donning their pyjamas. They all sat around the fireplace for a while before heading to bed, getting to know one another.
The girl whom Wren had helped on the staircase introduced herself as Leonie Hallows, she seemed a shy girl at first but as she warmed up to her company she became quite the comedian. The owner of the Ginger tabby was a girl named Verity Brindle. A slightly chubby girl with mousy brown hair and fringe and watery blue eyes. She seemed nice enough but a little winnie. As the conversation continued she revealed that she was a muggle born just like Rosewaine so they talked a fair bit about their experiences in the wizarding world. The last girl in the group was named Freda Michaels. She had dark curly hair and olive skin with very mediterranean features. She had lived in Greece until recently and spoke with a thick accent. Although she seemed pleased to be at Hogwarts, she was evidently less thrilled with the fact that it was situated in the wet and drizzly British isle.
It wasn't long before the children began to wander off to their respective beds. The long day and digesting feast had made them all content and sleepy. Wren lay in her bed as she watched her new friend kneel down at her own bedside and produce a set of rosaries from her pocket. She muttered into them for a considerable amount of time before tucking herself under the covers and blowing out the lantern. Wren wasn't religious herself as none of her family had ever been inclined that way but she had always found people's faith in the unseen fascinating. And as she tried to get comfortable in her new bed, she wondered what Rosewaine had been praying for and if they had been answered before.
Wren had hoped that she would drift off in the darkness like the rest of the dormitory had but instead she found herself laying there, staring up into the pitch black listening to the slumbering breaths, snuffles and snorts of her roommates. She was used to complete silence in her room at home so all the noise was rather off putting. However , as she thought about her bedroom back home she was pleased to find that she didn't yet miss it. She had been told that homesickness was one of the hardest parts about going to Hogwarts. She just hoped it didn't strike her too hard.
Suddenly, something heavy pounced on her chest making her gasp loudly in surprise, however as she reached out for it, her nerves settled as her fingers felt fur. It seemed that Freda's Grey British shorthair cat had decided to give her a visit. She stroked the animal gently around the face as she settled a little more in the dark.
'Psst, are you awake,' Came Rosewaines familiar voice through the gloom.
'Yes. Can't you sleep?' Wren replied.
'No. too much to think about.' Rosewaine sighed.
'Like what?' Wren asked curiously.
'Moving stairs, paintings that talk. I'm rather afraid that I'm going to find a ghost standing at the end of my bed and quite frankly I doubt I would be able to find the great hall again even if you gave me a map, this place is a maze.' Rosewaine listed off all the thoughts that had been swirling around in her mind.
'Yes, it is all rather overwhelming. I can imagine how much more so for you though, of course. It can't be easy coming here not knowing things that the rest of us take for granted.' Wren sympathised.
'That's why I'm relying on you to keep me out of trouble.' Rosewaine chuckled softly.
'Well i don't know about that, i'm rather good at getting myself into mischief but i can definitely be your guide through the elements i know.' Wren giggled back.
'Well that is a comfort.' Rosewaine's voice sounded a little more sleepy now.
As the room fell quiet again Wren closed her eyes and with the warm, purring cat as her lullaby, she drifted off to sleep.