A New Home

James was climbing up the staircase, looking at the door on the top of it. It had no doorknob or keyhole, only a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. When he reached it, he heard a voice coming from the knocker: "A box with no hinges, sides, or a lid, but inside a golden treasure is hid. What is it?". After a few moments of reflection, he was pretty sure he found the solution. "An egg?" he tried. In response, the door opened and let him pass.

Even if he still hadn't spent a lot of time at Hogwarts, James had already grown to love the Ravenclaw Common Room. It was an airy and wide circular room, located in one of the highest towers of the Castle. With big arched windows hung with soft blue and bronze silks, and a domed ceiling painted with stars, one would really feel like he's floating in the middle of the sky when being here. But the thing James loved the most was the breathtaking view one would have when looking through the window: one could see everything, the Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch Pitch, the Herbology Gardens and even the mountains surrounding the grounds. He often just sat in an armchair and admired the landscape while listening to the relaxing sound of wind whistling around the windows of the tower.

This really was his second home, and as so, he really wanted to meet all those who would share it with him. Unfortunately, since he arrived, he didn't really have the opportunity to get to know many of his fellow House members, except for Aurora, a kind girl he had met the day before at the Owlery. Suddenly, James heard the door of the Common Room open again. Snapped from his thoughts, he swiftly turned around to see who it was.

As she ran into the castle from the direction of the lake, Aurora realized she wasn't quite sure which staircase to take. She knew the one she had taken before wasn't there. Glancing upwards, she saw a familiar stair about five stories above her. Since that one wasn't available, she started up another one. At the top of this staircase was a portrait of a kind-looking old man.

"Excuse me, but do you know how I can get to Ravenclaw Tower?" Aurora asked him politely.

"Certainly," he replied. "This staircase never moves, you see. Just go straight up, and then turn left. The spiral stair there will lead you to the common room."

"Oh, thank you!" Aurora cried. "I have urgent homework." Taking the suggested route, she soon found herself at the door, where a bronze eagle-shaped knocker was set.

"Only one color, but not one size; stuck to the ground, yet easily flies. Present in sun, but not in rain; doing no harm, and feeling no pain. What is it?" The knocker had opened its mouth and spoken in a clear voice.

Aurora thought for a long time. "A shadow?" she eventually tried. The door swung open. Aurora flung herself into a squishy blue chair near the fireplace. "Hi, James!" she exclaimed when she noticed who was sitting beside her. She pulled out her homework, but then voiced a question she had wondered about when she had met him in the owlery.

"You said your parents were Muggles? My mam's one too. She tries to hide it, but she gets so lonely when my siblings and I did things, and when my dad used his wand and stuff..." She was rambling now, unconscious of James beside her, staring into the ever-dancing orange flames of the fire in the grate. "I wish... I wish..." Realizing James was there, Aurora snapped out of her thoughts just in time. She hadn't meant to almost speak aloud her dearest wish. "Anyways, does your family ever feel like that?"

The door of the Common Room opened and Aurora entered. She headed towards him and sat in one of the comfortable armchairs. "Hi, James!" she exclaimed when she saw him sitting next to her. "Hey" he replied as she was taking out a piece of parchment from her bag. Thinking that she probably had something to do, he decided not to bother her.

"You said your parents were Muggles?" she asked after a couple of seconds. James nodded, as she was pursuing: "My mam's one too. She tries to hide it, but she gets so lonely when my siblings and I did things, and when my dad used his wand and stuff... I wish... I wish...". However, she stopped and James remained silent, as she didn't seem to want to talk about it. "Anyways, does your family ever feel like that?" she added. "Well, they didn't even know magic existed until recently. But when I received my letter from Hogwarts, everything changed. I think they are now a bit scared and worried about me being a part of a world they know nothing about." he admitted, looking at the sky through the window.

A moment of silence followed, and James decided to talk about something a bit more cheerful. "Did you have fun at the Lake with Isabella?" he inquired, before adding: "I'm sorry I didn't come, it was already late when I got out of the library."

"Oh! Oh, yes!" Aurora responded, glad that James had changed the subject. "Yes, Isabella and I met Professor Terzic there, actually. Then I got lost trying to come back here. That knocker really is something, isn't it?" she asked him. "Did you find anything good at the library?" she inquired. "I haven't had the chance to go there yet myself, though it's supposed to be one of the best in Wizarding Britain." Aurora decided to stop asking so many questions. She had found early in her life that if she asked too many, people tended to get annoyed quickly. She didn't want her over-curious brain to lose her all of her friends.

"Yes, Isabella and I met Professor Terzic there, actually. Then I got lost trying to come back here. That knocker really is something, isn't it?" she asked. "Yes, it really is. The other day, I got stuck in front of the entrance for twenty minutes alongside two other Ravenclaws, until another one arrived and solved the riddle." he replied, smiling.

"Did you find anything good at the library?" she inquired after a few moments. "I haven't had the chance to go there yet myself, though it's supposed to be one of the best in Wizarding Britain." "You have to go, it's really amazing" he replied, remembering the long shelves filled with thousands of books. "I wanted to borrow Hogwarts: A History so that I can learn a bit more about the Castle, but every copy was already taken." he explained with a somewhat disappointed voice. "So I got this instead" he added, taking out Quidditch Through the Ages from his bag. "It seems quite interesting" he said, contemplating the book, which appeared to be very used, as the green cover was severely damaged on a few spots. "So what is professor Terzic like? Does he seem strict?" he inquired, since their first Charms lesson was scheduled for the following day.

James didn't seem fazed by Aurora's onslaught of questions. "You have to go, it's really amazing," he said in response to her library question.

"Okay, I will," Aurora said, smiling.

"I wanted to borrow 'Hogwarts: A History' so that I can learn a bit more about the castle, but every copy was already taken." he continued. "So I got this instead. It seems quite interesting." James took out a battered copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages' from his bookbag.

"Oh, my family has a copy of that, but I've never really read it," Aurora mentioned. "I don't understand why Quidditch is so popular. I hate broomsticks."

"So what is Professor Terzic like? Does he seem strict?" James asked her.

"No! Not at all. He was really very nice. He let me pet the squid. It was a lot of fun, actually," she told James, remembering her doubt at touching the strange creature. "He asked me my name and seemed sincerely interested in what Isabella and I were talking about."

"Oh, my family has a copy of that, but I've never really read it," Aurora mentioned. "I don't understand why Quidditch is so popular. I hate broomsticks." "I have to admit I'm not looking forward to flying on one either." James replied. "I just thought knowing a bit more about it would make me more prepared."

She then told him about professor Terzic and their little adventure with the squid. "So there really is a giant squid in the Lake?" he asked, admiring her courage. He was glad to hear that the professor was very friendly. "It will make a nice change from professor Clark" he added with a smile, remembering his strictness during their first History of Magic lesson.

He then remembered something he noticed a bit earlier on the Common Room Noticeboard. "I saw you were in charge of the school's newspaper." he said, curious to find out more.

"I saw you were in charge of the school's newspaper," James said to Aurora.

"Yes, I am. I don't know if there was one before the school closed. Also, if it hadn't closed, an older student would be in charge, probably." Aurora recalled her despair when she was worried the school wouldn't open and she couldn't go. "But there is one now, and I hope to get more journalists soon. You know, Quidditch correspondents and etc. I'm the only writer now. Are you interested?" she inquired, knowing that not everybody shared her enthusiasm for journaling. She looked at the notice board, where her ad was posted, alone except for the Quidditch try-outs poster. Next to the board was a marble bust of the stately beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw. Upon her head was a replica of her legendary diadem, destroyed in the Second War, sadly. Aurora drew her eyes away from the statue to look at James again, still wondering what he thought about writing for her newspaper.

James listened carefully as Aurora was explaining how the newspapers worked. "But there is one now, and I hope to get more journalists soon. You know, Quidditch correspondents and etc. I'm the only writer now. Are you interested?" she asked him. "I'd be glad to help." he replied with enthusiasm. "Though you should know that I don't have any experience when it comes to journalism." he admitted. "And I'm not really informed about all that's been happening around the wizarding world lately. For instance, what's the story behind the school's closure?" he inquired. He recalled headmaster Gray mentioning something about troubled times but he wanted to know more, and figured that working for the newspapers may be a good way to stay up-to-date with important events occurring in the magical community.

"I'd be glad to help. Though you should know that I don't have any experience when it comes to journalism. And I'm not really informed about all that's been happening around the wizarding world lately. For instance, what's the story behind the school's closure?" James asked her.

"Great!" Aurora almost shouted. She needed journalists badly. "You know, I don't have that much experience either, but this is a great way to get some. Yes, the school closed because there were Dark wizards attacking the Ministry. But we just fought them and now they're in hiding. My sibs and I were super worried that we wouldn't get to go. But I do, and now that we're getting taught, we can fight too!" Aurora paused for breath. She was getting really worked up about this. "So anyways, what do you like writing about?"

Ambrosius entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. At first sight, it appeared deserted, but he then noticed two students sitting in armchairs by the window. "Miss Finnigan and mister Riddle" he said when they turned around. He had just met his first-year pupils a few days earlier during the first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. "Where are all the other Ravenclaws?" he asked, looking around.

Before James had a chance to reply, the musical voice of the eagle knocker interrupted them. A deeper voice ansered, and the door opened magically. Professor Umbranox entered.

"Miss Finnigan and Mister Riddle," he said, looking around at the empty common room. "Where are all the other Ravenclaws?"

"Um, I don't know, sir," Aurora answered him. "I've only been here for a few minutes myself. And it's not like there are very many of us in any case. I have a little bit of homework, and then I was going to go to bed." She thought of her beautiful bed, with star-spangled blue curtains around it, and the warm comforter on top. Oh, it was bliss. She had never had such a bed, as her family had had to provide for four children. But she turned her attention back to her House Head.

"It seems that it is just the two of you then, at least for now. Do not worry, I won't be long." he replied with his calm voice. "I just wanted to tell you that as Head of Ravenclaw House, you can come see me anytime in my office above the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom if you have any concerns or difficulties. Of course, I expect discipline and most importantly hard work from you if we want to win the House Cup this year. Furthermore, I am also responsible for the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team, so contact me if you want to join it. Now, if you will please excuse me, I have to go". Heading towards the door, he turned around and added : "And please pass the message to the other House members when they show up. Good night."

"So anyways, what do you like writing about?" Aurora asked him. James took a few moments to think about it, but before he could answer, the door opened again and Professor Umbranox walked in. "Good evening, sir" James greeted him while he was approaching. He then let Aurora answer his question about the other House members. The teacher told them that they could see him for help or for a position in the Quidditch team and then left, wishing them good night.

James waited for the door to close, then looked at Aurora. "He's really unusual" James commented, thinking about the teachers pale appearance and his overly calm voice. "But he seems to know what he's talking about concerning Defence Against the Dark Arts" he added, recalling the way the professor was describing his subject.

"He's really unusual. But he seems to know what he's talking about concerning Defence Against the Dark Arts," James said as Professor Umbranox was leaving.

"Yes, he is, isn't he?" Aurora replied. "And, yeah, his class was really interesting. Lumos!" she commanded her wand. It lit up quickly and produced a bright light. Aurora smiled. "Nox!"

"So are you going to try out for Quidditch?" she asked James. "I'm not, I already told you how much I hate brooms."

James observed Aurora light her wand with ease, and then turn it off with no more difficulty. "Impressive" he said with a smile, admiring how she mastered the charm in such short time. He had succeeded casting it during the lesson, but his light was far less powerful and bright.

"So are you going to try out for Quidditch?" she inquired. He was about to ask her the exact same thing. "I'm not, I already told you how much I hate brooms." "I don't think so either" he replied. "I mean, the game seems interesting, but flying at dangerous heights and speeds on something as unstable as a broomstick doesn't seem like something I would particularly enjoy." he added, smiling. "I hope that someone will join the team though, or else we have no chance of winning the cup. Winning the House and Quidditch cups seems to be really important." he commented, recalling what Professor Umbranox had told them a couple of minutes earlier.

"I don't think so either. I mean, the game seems interesting, but flying at dangerous heights and speeds on something as unstable as a broomstick doesn't seem like something I would particularly enjoy. I hope that someone will join the team though, or else we have no chance of winning the cup. Winning the House and Quidditch cups seems to be really important." James said.

"Yes, it is," Aurora replied. "My dad's house, Gryffindor, won a lot when he was at school. He likes Quidditch, but he never actually made the team. I hope we win, I really do."

"Me too" James replied, looking through the window. It was already dark outside, and one could barely see the outline of the Quidditch pitch in the distance. Recalling that Aurora mentioned she wanted to finish her homework before going to bed, James decided that it was time for him to leave. "It's getting pretty late and we have a hard day tomorrow." he explained as he was picking up his bag and placing it on his shoulder. He then headed towards the boys' dormitories. "Good night" he added with a smile as he was about to climb the stairs leading to them.

"Me too," James said. He looked out the window and then told Aurora, "It's getting pretty late and we have a hard day tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night," Aurora responded, and then took her homework out of her bag to finish before it was completely dark. An hour later, she felt she was done, so she packed her bag and climbed the stairs to her dormitory and her bed.