"Ravenclaw!!!"
Aurelius lifted the Sorting Hat and stood up. He respectfully placed back the sorting hat on the stool. A thunderous clap rained over the great hall. Some of the Ravenclaw seniors waved their hands to invite him to the Ravenclaw table. The mood in the great hall was filled with positivity. As he descended down the stage, he could feel three peculiar eyes observing him. But Aurelius didn't look back. The last thing he wanted was to make them even more suspicious of him.
He sat down beside Damon at the Ravenclaw house. He observed the first years who were sorted into Ravenclaw. There were eight students, including him and Damon. Damon was talking enthusiastically with a boy to his right. The boy was quite tall and had dark brown hair with bangs falling over his eyes. He was in need of a haircut. Aurelius commented inwardly. Judging by the boy's expression, he didn't find what Damon was saying interesting. He recalled his name as Tarry Boot.
"Hi, I'm Lisa Turpin," said the girl sitting opposite to me. She had blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. She exuded a nerdy aura. Of course, all the Ravenclaw students were nerds in essence. "I don't mean to be rude by breaching your privacy and all. But do you have a tattoo on your forehead? You know what? Forget it. I was rude, didn't I?"
"Oh, it's ok. I'm Aurelius Voyantil," said Aurelius. The students nearby were looking at his forehead instead of paying attention to the on-going sorting ceremony. Aurelius faintly heard the prof. McGonagall shout "Weasley Ronald." He ignored the sorting ceremony temporarily to explain his marking to the curious students. If not, he was sure that they would keep stealing glances at his forehead the entire dinner. Aurelius lifted his bangs to give them a clear view of his marking. "It's actually a hereditary trait of my family. I heard that my father had it, too."
"Wow, that's so cool. Your family has hereditary traits of their own." a boy with a slightly tanned complexion and short-cropped dark curly hair interjected loudly. His voice was filled with fascination. If Aurelius remembered correctly, the boy's name should be Anthony Goldstein.
"Is it like Parseltongue? I mean to say if the marking has any power. It does look like an eye," said a girl who seemed to have Indian heritage. She had a reserved and calm posture. Aurelius remembered that the girl was called Padma Patil.
"Yes, it is indeed a vertical eye-shaped symbol," admitted Aurelius. He had already formulated plans for the visible and eye-catching marking on his forehead. Since hiding it was not an option, he would benefit more by revealing the obvious information and deceiving about what could be hidden. This way, he could manipulate others into believing what he intended. "It gives me the ability to see fragments of the future, although in a passive manner."
"Wow, no way!!!!"
"That's fantastic."
Aurelius could see that some believe him while others don't. He decided to demonstrate rather than tediously convincing them. Aurelius stole a glance at the staff table. He could see that Quirrellmort was looking at him with cold eyes and a fake anxious expression. If he revealed that he could see the future, he was confident that Dumbledore and Quirrellmort would suspect him even more. They would watch him like hawks. However, he was confident that they would give up after witnessing his talent for magic. Besides, they would let their guard down, thinking he was just another child, special but a child who cannot keep secrets.
"I will prove you. Just watch." Aurelius decided to humor them to foster a good relationship. After all, he would be at Hogwarts for seven years, and these first years will stay with him till graduation. A good relationship with everyone is essential for comfortable school life.
"Zabini, Blaise," "Slytherin." A handsome boy stride toward the Slytherin table after he was sorted. He was the last student to be sorted. The sorting ceremony was now officially over. Prof. McGonagall waved her wand, and the stool was sent away from the stage. She carried the hat and went away somewhere.
"Ok guys. Listen. I will recite what Headmaster Dumbledore is going to say just in a few moments." At his words, nearby students couldn't help but look over at the eccentric headmaster wearing purple robes and stars. Aurelius deliberately spoke in Albus Dumbledore's kind old man voice. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
At his somewhat loud voice, even the second- and third-year seniors looked over in amusement. Aurelius stood up and waved his hand, imitating the headmaster. "First, a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
Aurelius glanced around to gauge their reactions. While the first years wore confused expressions, the second and third years widened their eyes. They recalled the eccentric way of speaking of headmaster Dumbledore from previous years. Although they didn't remember the exact words, they remembered the headmaster saying odd words that have no particular meanings.
"And now, some important announcements. The caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you all that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes, nor should any student venture into the Forbidden Forest. Also, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." He paused dramatically. "Now, let us enjoy the feast!"
Aurelius set down after his performance. Some of the first years still have some suspicions. Aurelius raised one of his eyebrows and asked in a smug voice. "Wanna bet? One sickle. How is it?"
"I bet that you're wrong. Here. One sickle."
"Take mine too."
A boy called Michael Corner and Lisa Turpin took out one sickle each. Others were trying to be polite or just genuinely believe him. Polite people win all.
"And I bet that you will lose," Damon brought out a coin. Aurelius looked at him incredulously.
"Why are you betting when you already know that I can?" said Aurelius, although he kind of knew the answer.
"Just because I don't want to believe it," said Damon with conviction.
While they were talking, the long-awaited headmaster's speech came. Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat, and the hall quickly became quiet. His silver beard glowed in the candlelight, and his eyes sparkled with an unusual brilliance. "Welcome!" he started, his voice serene but commanding. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
At this familiar opening of the speech, all the first, second, and third years students of Ravenclaw House widened their eyes and looked at Aurelius, who had a smug face. Damon hissed in dissatisfaction, though his eyes gave away that he had already expected this.
He paused, his eyes twinkling as he surveyed the students. "First, a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
A hush of stunned silence fell, followed by a wave of laughter that swept through the hall. Professor McGonagall seemed to be holding back a smile. However, some of the Ravenclaw students could not smile. They seemed to be struggling to comprehend the reality of the situation.
Dumbledore's expression turned slightly more serious as he continued. "And now, some important announcements. The caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you all that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes, nor should any student venture into the Forbidden Forest."
A hush fell over the room as Dumbledore's voice grew a touch sterner. "Also, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Gasps were heard among the students. However, some of the Ravenclaw house had the most stimulating reaction. "No way!!" "Is it for real?" "That boy was right. He can see the future." Aurelius smiled at the intense reaction of the students. Their exclamation drew even the headmaster's attention. The nerdy students lowered their heads in shame. They belatedly realized that they were interrupting the headmaster's speech.
However, he didn't scold them, thinking of it as another mischief. He concluded his short speech. "Now, let us enjoy the feast!"
After the headmaster Dumbledore set down, the great hall was immediately filled with activity and laughter. The empty gold plates were filled with foods. The real feast of the night began. Aurelius was bombarded with questions by a group of nerds. He realized that he would not have the peace of eating his own food. The Ravenclaw students were far too excited. In just a moment, the entire Ravenclaw table started talking about whether or not his ability is a fluke. Some of the seniors even came to the first years and introduced themselves, ultimately to ask the real situation. Aurelius could see that Damon was smiling wickedly in his direction. Damon seemed to be mocking him for his earlier flamboyant attitude, which he now very much regrets.
After the feast, headmaster Dumbledore sent away the students. The first years followed the prefects obediently. Some of them were already sleepy due to exhaustion. Aurelius had to suppress his urge to curse loudly. He didn't have his fill of dinner due to several enthusiastic students.
The first years followed the prefects, climbing the moving stairs, exclaiming in amazement at the living portraits, and trying hard to remember traps at the stairs, which are not dangerous but annoying. The long and dark corridors of Hogwarts were lit with many enchanted candles. Along the way, the prefects talked about the know-how of Hogwarts, like where is the library, which is the most important place in the entire school for the Ravenclaw students, where is the quidditch field, where is the school nursery, and so on.
Aurelius had to admit that the prefects were taking their jobs seriously, which was commendable. After five minutes of walking, they finally arrived at a door with a knocker in the shape of an eagle head. 'Not obvious at all,' thought Aurelius. If he remembered correctly, to enter Ravenclaw, the students must answer the riddle posed by the eagle head. The students from other houses can enter the Ravenclaw common room as long as they can answer the riddle. This was a way to say that dumb people cannot enter the Ravenclaw dorm, the house of smart.
The male prefect knocked the knocker while the female prefect explained the situation to the curious first years. "This is the door to the Ravenclaw common room. We have the airiest dorm of all houses. The view in the common room is so enchanting, I'm sure you will all be amazed. We even have a library of our own, which others do not. Isn't it awesome?" At the female prefect's explanation, the first years started to get excited. Especially when they knew that they would have an exclusive library, their excitement was palpable.
"Nerds," Aurelius glanced at Damon, who was criticizing others in a soft voice. But as the best friends who know each other very well, Aurelius could tell that Damon was excited at the mention of the exclusive library, too.
"However, you will need to answer the riddle of the eagle knocker. If not, you will have to wait outside until someone who can answer comes." The prefect girl continued. Her eyes glinted with amusement. But the first years got even more excited. As nerds who like to showoff, this kind of system, where you can show everyone how knowledgeable you are, is taken as a good opportunity and challenged by all Ravenclaws.
"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?" A rusty voice exited the moving mouth of the eagle knocker. The male prefect turned around and asked the first years. "This is an easy one. Who would like to answer?"
Aurelius saw the boy, Terry Boot, stepping out and raising his hand. "Please let me try."
The male prefect shrugged and made way for him. "Ok."
"It's an echo. The answer is an echo," said Terry Boot, looking intently at the eagle knocker.
"That's correct," replied the eagle knocker. The door was opened. The female prefect said while clapping, "That's brilliant. Keep it up. Now, let's give him some applause."
The first years clapped hard, imagining themselves answering the riddle. Terry Boot shyly stepped back. The prefect boy walked in and signaled them to come in. "Let's go in. You guys must be tired."
Aurelius and the first years followed like little ducklings. They exclaimed loudly when they saw the wide circular room. Graceful arched windows adorned the walls, draped with blue and bronze silks, offering the Ravenclaws a breathtaking view of the mountains by day. The domed ceiling, painted with stars, reflected onto the midnight-blue carpet below. Furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases, the room also featured a tall white marble statue in a niche across from the door. There is even a library. One word entered the minds of first year students simultaneously. "Awesome!!"
The prefect girl stood by the white statue, looking proud. "Awesome, right? That was my reaction as well upon first seeing this room. This is Lady Rowena Ravenclaw's statue. So, beware of your manner near the statue. Or you might get berated by several angry seniors." Her expression was cold when cautioning the first years. The students nodded their heads heavily. The girl prefect didn't seem like she was telling a joke.
*Clap Clap*
"I know you guys are tired already. Girls to the right and boys to the left. Since there are five males, three will take one room and two will take another. Your room has your name on the door together with your trunks. Just walk along the corridor. That's it. You can go now," said the boy prefect.
Aurelius and the other four Ravenclaws left the common room in search of their respective rooms. Not long after, they discovered two adjacent rooms with their names on them. Fortunately, Aurelius and Damon were placed in a room. They bid their peers good night and entered the room. It featured four-poster beds draped in blue eiderdowns with navy blue curtains, a wooden nightstand beside them, and their school trunk at the bed's foot. Wooden boards flanked each side of the bed. A blue upholstered armchair was positioned on one side, near the nightstand and the window. On the nightstand rested a teacup and a piece of parchment. Opposite the bed stood a wooden bookcase, its shelves loaded with books. The dormitory was adorned with three carpets per student and featured a lamp with a navy shade and three glowing candles.
Aurelius and Damon looked at each other and shrugged. The room was cozier than Aurelius' new house. Aurelius took a bath and slept without hesitation, without the urge to explore the dormitory. Meanwhile, Damon retrieved a book titled 'Mixture and Alchemy: Advanced' and resumed reading post-bath. It was only after an hour or two that he extinguished the candles and drifted into a deep sleep.
---
The next morning, Aurelius savored the taste of pumpkin juice as he ate his breakfast. He hadn't had his fill last night. So, Aurelius was eating with passion and vengeance. The morning was peaceful since the Ravenclaws were being polite and not disturbing him again, looking at how he was enjoying the meal. As Aurelius was elegantly eating or devouring, as Damon would like to say, a commotion happened at Slytherin's table.
"What's happening?" asked Aurelius to Damon, who was standing on the bench to watch the show. He continues to eat without stopping.
"Apparently, the Malfoy and his gorilla gang were picking a fight with a boy. You remember the pink-haired one from last night?" answered Damon. His tone was a pitch higher due to excitement.
"Of course, a Japanese name. Ryomen Sukuna, correct?" Aurelius also rose from the bench to observe. However, the crowd gathered near the fight obscured his view.
"Stop this instant!! You bunch of baboons," a professor with a black cape billowing behind him quickly approached the scene as he roared. The figure of the professor was also obscured by the crowd from Aurelius' viewpoint. "Who dares to raise a wand? Do you have a death wish?"
While the fight scene was hot with excitement, Aurelius felt a pair of eyes observing him. He glanced at the source only to find bright green eyes. Harry Potter was looking at Aurelius with confusion and suspicion.
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