At Hogwarts, every year, the school selected one boy and one girl from each House's fifth-years to serve as prefects.
Prefects were granted special authority and duties. Once chosen, they kept the position until graduation. That meant twenty-four prefects across the school at any given time, six per House, and they were never replaced mid-term.
One of their tasks was to escort the new first-years to their dormitories on their very first night and assign them rooms.
At the moment, Ark and the rest of the Ravenclaw first-years were following one of their prefects, Robert Hilliard, through the castle.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw," Robert said briskly. "I'm Prefect Robert Hilliard. You can just call me Robert."
His tone wasn't exactly warm—it had the clipped, formal air of someone carrying out a duty.
As he led the young eagles onward, he began his speech.
"Ravenclaw is the most unique of the four Houses at Hogwarts—or at least, that's how we've always seen ourselves.
"Slytherin prizes bloodlines. Gryffindor exalts courage. Hufflepuff is honest and tolerant. I don't mean to say those are bad qualities, but I can state confidently: the cleverest witches and wizards in the entire school are always found in Ravenclaw.
"Our founder, Rowena Ravenclaw, favored students who were wise, fair, sharp-minded, learned, curious, and visionary. She was beautiful but stern, and she believed that intelligence above all led to greatness. That's why we treat study as our highest pursuit. Being Sorted into this House is proof that you are no fool."
Ark listened to Robert's lofty words and couldn't help but notice the arrogance running through them. It struck him as self-congratulation more than welcome. From that alone, he could already glimpse Ravenclaw's greatest flaw—an inflated sense of self.
Still, Robert wasn't wrong that Ravenclaw had produced plenty to be proud of. He rattled off a list of famous inventors and reformers: Perpetua Fancourt, who invented the lunascope; Laverne de Montmorency, who created love potions; Ignatia Wildsmith, who invented Floo Powder; and Millicent Bagnold, a former Minister of Magic. All Ravenclaws.
"Ravenclaw has always been home to brilliant inventors and reformers," Robert said proudly. "Those are only a few examples.
"Geniuses rarely walk the same path as ordinary people. Unlike some Houses, we believe you should wear what you like, believe what you will, and say whatever pleases you. We don't shun those who are different—on the contrary, we admire them!"
Ark let those words drift in one ear and out the other.
True, Ravenclaw had its share of eccentric personalities. But if someone was too different, they weren't celebrated—they were isolated. Luna Lovegood came to mind: nicknamed "Loony," mocked, and even bullied in her own House.
Knowing this, Ark quickly grew tired of Robert's posturing and tuned him out.
By then, the group had reached one of the castle's towers and begun climbing.
Hogwarts had three tallest towers: the Astronomy Tower, Gryffindor Tower, and Ravenclaw Tower.
Ravenclaw Tower stood on the castle's west side. It was the heart of the House, built of heavy granite with a spiraling staircase that wound its way upward. Inside, the design was airy and circular. The Ravenclaw Common Room and dormitories were located at the very top, meaning the climb was long.
By the time the students were breathless, Robert finally stopped before a polished wooden panel.
"This," he said, pointing, "is the entrance to the Ravenclaw Common Room. See that knocker?"
It was a bronze door knocker, over a meter across, shaped like an eagle's head. Its gleaming surface looked oddly mismatched against the worn wooden panel.
"This is the question-asking eagle knocker. It has three layers of protection. It uses riddles to test anyone who tries to enter. Only by answering correctly can you get inside."
Robert glanced at the first-years, his tone somewhere between encouraging and mocking.
"Anyone want to try?"
A handful of older Ravenclaws leaned against the walls with folded arms, watching with smirks, clearly waiting to see the show.
The new students exchanged uneasy looks until one finally stepped forward, reached out, and touched the knocker.
At once, the eagle's beak opened.
"Who is wiser—man or beast?" it asked.
The young wizard froze, then blurted out, "Obviously man! Who else could it be?"
"Incorrect," said the knocker.
He stared in confusion.
"Beast," another student jumped in, eager to seize the glory of answering first.
"Incorrect," the knocker repeated.
Now all the first-years were baffled.
"Not man, not beast? Then what?"
"There were only two options, weren't there?"
They muttered among themselves while the older students looked on, their amusement growing.
"The answer is the owl," Ark said at last, drawing every gaze to him.
In the modern world, owls symbolized wisdom and knowledge. Universities and libraries often used them as emblems. Their nocturnal calm suggested clarity in the face of darkness and difficulty.
In Greek and Roman myth, the owl was sacred to the goddess of wisdom, a symbol of insight and learning. Carvings of owls still stood on the Acropolis of Athens.
So yes, the answer was a beast—but not just any beast. It had to be named: the owl, the wizard's trusted messenger and companion.
"Correct," the knocker intoned, and the door swung open.
The first-years broke into applause.
"Wow, Byrne, that was brilliant!"
"I can't believe I didn't think of it."
"Of course it was an owl. Byrne's so clever."
The girls who already admired Ark became even more enthusiastic, while some of the boys frowned, trying not to show their annoyance.
"Hmph," Robert muttered, not looking pleased. "Since you answered correctly, let's go inside."
Without waiting for anyone else, he strode into the Common Room.
It was a wide, circular chamber. Graceful arched windows looked out over the grounds, hung with blue and bronze silks. The ceiling was a star-studded dome, and the deep blue carpet underfoot was also embroidered with constellations. Tables, chairs, and bookshelves lined the space. In one alcove stood a marble bust of a beautiful woman, and beside it, the doors that led to the dormitories.
"Girls, follow the girl prefect to your dorms. Boys, with me," Robert ordered.
He led the first-year boys toward the staircases to assign rooms.
Dorms at Hogwarts weren't a fixed size. The number of beds depended on how many students were Sorted that year.
For Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, the largest intakes, rooms usually held four or five. Slytherin and Ravenclaw tended to have smaller numbers, with two or three per dorm—and occasionally, someone ended up alone.
Ark quickly counted and realized one boy would be left without a roommate.
"I'd like to live on my own," he said, raising his hand.
He had no interest in sharing.
Robert's eyes narrowed. Seeing who had made the request, his instinct was to refuse.
But before he could get the words out, Ark whispered a spell under his breath.
"Confundo."