Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

After the Sorting Ceremony, Dumbledore stood up, his long, silvery-white beard shimmering in the candlelight. He gently waved his wand, and a string of golden musical notes appeared out of thin air, swirling in the Great Hall.

"The Hogwarts school song, you can choose your favorite tune." He winked. "My favorite is the funeral march version."

A soft laugh echoed in the Great Hall. Karen Hawthorne stood beside the Ravenclaw table, his eyes slightly narrowed. He saw Dumbledore's magical energy flowing like a vast galaxy, deep and unfathomable.

The school song's melody was chaotic, with some singing loudly and others humming softly. The Weasley twins even used the tune of a funeral march, dragging out each syllable, which made Professor McGonagall frown.

As the song ended, Dumbledore smiled and announced, "It's bedtime. Prefects, please lead the new students to their dormitories."

Robert Hilliard, the Ravenclaw prefect, a tall, grey-brown curly-haired fifth-year student, stood up, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and spoke with the characteristic Ravenclaw reserve: "New students, keep up. I hope your minds can keep up with your pace."

Following the prefect up the complicated stairs, we finally arrived at our destination.

The entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower consists of only an ancient archway with a bronze eagle-shaped door knocker hanging above it.

Robert stopped in front of the door, and the door knocker suddenly spoke, its voice deep and hoarse:

"What is the beginning of wisdom?"

The new students exchanged bewildered glances. Karen didn't rush to answer, but instead observed the flow of magic on the door knocker. Runes flickered on the bronze surface, as if waiting for a real answer, not just a simple recitation.

"Curiosity?" a boy asked tentatively.

The door knocker remained silent.

"Knowledge?" another girl guessed.

Still no response.

Robert crossed his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with amusement.

Karen pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Admit your ignorance."

The door knocker seemed to pause for a moment, then a deep voice echoed: "That makes sense."

The archway slowly opened, revealing a spiral staircase leading upwards.

Robert nodded slightly. "Not bad. At least this year's freshmen aren't just a bunch of rote learners." His tone carried a sense of superiority. "Remember, at Ravenclaw, we value the thought process, not just the correct answer."

Ravenclaw's common room is a circular space with a dome as deep as the night sky, sparkling with starlight. The walls are covered with portraits of famous wizards from throughout history, who converse in hushed tones and occasionally cast scrutinizing glances.

"The boys' dorms are on the right," Robert pointed to the spiral staircase, his gold-rimmed glasses gleaming in the candlelight. "There's no curfew in Ravenclaw, but I suggest you keep quiet unless your discovery is worth disturbing someone else's dreams."

Karen followed the other boys up the stairs and came to a wooden door carved with star patterns.

Pushing open the door, the bedroom inside was circular, with five four-poster beds arranged around it, and silver star trails embroidered on the deep blue curtains. Outside the window, the black lake shimmered, and moonlight refracted through the water, casting shimmering shadows on the stone walls.

The suitcases had already been delivered. Four little wizards, assigned to the same room, stood in the dormitory.

Karen broke the silence first: "I am Karen Hawthorne, from a Muggle family."

A boy with reddish-brown curly hair and freckles on his face immediately jumped up, almost leaping in front of Karen, and reached out his hand.

"Hey! Hello, I'm Wesley Cruz! I'm also from a Muggle family."

Karen shook his hand.

"Great! I was worried that everyone here was a pure-blood wizard and no one would understand my Muggle stuff! By the way, do you know what 'video games' are?"

Karen nodded: "I know, but we probably can't play here. Electronic devices aren't allowed here."

The black-haired boy among the remaining two said, "I am Fabian Blaine. I come from a mixed-race family. My mother is a wizard, and my father is a Muggle dentist."

The last blond boy overheard their conversation and frowned slightly. Then he said in a flat tone, "Ernesto Griffith, pureblood."

A brief silence fell over the room.

Wesley tentatively asked, "Uh... so, your family is one of those very old wizarding families?"

Ernesto glanced at him: "The Griffith family's history dates back to the Middle Ages."

Karen chimed in, "Then you must have quite a few magic books at home, right?"

Ernesto paused for a moment, seemingly not expecting Karen to ask that question.

Ernesto raised his chin slightly: "Of course, our family has many magic books, and many about dark magic and alchemy."

"Perfect timing, I'm very interested in alchemy, perhaps we can exchange ideas sometime," Karen nodded.

Ernesto stared at Karen for a few seconds, seemingly assessing his intentions, but Karen's expression remained calm.

Ernesto scoffed, "...if you can keep up."

The dormitory gradually quieted down, and the four students made their beds. Outside the window, an owl flew over the tower, and moonlight spilled onto the floor.

After washing up, Karen sat at the desk by the window, spread out a piece of parchment, dipped it in ink, and began to write a letter:

Dear Mom and Dad, and Lily:

I hope you are all well! I'm writing this letter now in the Ravenclaw common room, with the Black Lake of Hogwarts right outside the window. The moonlight shines through the water like flowing silver gauze. Hogwarts is even more amazing than I imagined, and I must tell you all about my day.

After I passed through that wall, there was another platform with a deep red steam locomotive filled with young wizards. I met a few classmates, all second-year students: Cedric from Hufflepuff, and a pair of red-haired Gryffindor twins, Fred and George Weasley, who had been playing pranks all the way, making Chocolate Frogs hop around everywhere.

Upon arrival, we followed a giant named Hagrid (he was at least ten feet tall!) across the Black Lake in a small boat. In the night, Hogwarts Castle was brightly lit, its spires like swords piercing the starry sky. Lily, you'll love those moving staircases; they're so lifelike, turning in different directions every now and then.

The ceiling of the Great Hall was enchanted, appearing exactly like the night sky outside. Professor McGonagall (the Vice-Headmistress, as stern as a ruler) led us in line to wait for our Sorting. Hogwarts has four houses: Gryffindor represents courage and fearlessness, Hufflepuff represents loyalty and diligence, Ravenclaw represents wisdom and knowledge, and Slytherin represents shrewdness and ambition.

I was eventually assigned to Ravenclaw.

Our common room is in the highest tower, and you have to answer a riddle on the bronze door knocker to get in. The bedroom is round, with constellation patterns embroidered on the bed curtains, and you can see giant squid swimming in the Black Lake from the window.

Tomorrow I have my first Charms and Transfiguration class. I'll write again when I have time!

Love you all

Karen

He folded the letter, sealed it with wax, and prepared to have Phoebus send it back the next morning.

It was late at night, and her roommates were already asleep. Karen lay in bed, gazing at the starlight in the dome, her thoughts drifting away.

What exactly was that professor observing?

Meanwhile, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office.

The candlelight flickered as Victor Eisenberg sat at a carved wooden table, his pale fingers tapping lightly on the surface. His black eye patch absorbed the surrounding light, and several strands of black magic threads were wrapped around his left wrist.

Outside the window, a jet-black raven silently landed, carrying an unsigned letter in its beak.

Viktor opened the envelope; there was only one line of text on the paper:

"How's the observation progressing? —NF"

He smiled slightly, tapped his wand lightly, and the letter burst into a ghostly blue flame, turning to ashes in an instant.

"Be patient, Nico," he muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the Ravenclaw Tower. "Let me see just how talented this lucky guy really is."