[Note: Read up to Chapter - 99 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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With the castle lights dimmed, Aris made his way through several corridors and staircases before finally reaching the West Tower, where the Ravenclaw common room was located.
Thankfully, the portraits along the way were kind enough to guide him—otherwise, he might've wandered about for much longer.
Climbing the spiral staircase to the top floor, he came to a stop in front of a large, eagle-shaped bronze door knocker.
"Only by seeking boundless knowledge, grasping its truths, and rising above the mundane can you enter this place."
As Aris approached, the voice came from within the knocker itself—smooth, measured, and laced with mystery.
"Pardon me," he replied calmly, "but where exactly is this 'place' the riddle refers to?"
He already knew that, unlike other houses, Ravenclaw required its members to solve a riddle before entering. It was the only way through the door.
Aris frowned—not because the question stumped him, but because it was unexpectedly easy.
"Surely the answer is 'Ravenclaw Common Room'?"
"Indeed. That is correct," said the knocker, as the door creaked open slowly before him.
"Honestly—not much of a challenge," Aris muttered, shaking his head with a wry grin.
While the knocker's riddles were usually well-thought-out, tonight's felt far too casual.
Seems Ravenclaw's entry standard could do with a bit of tightening.
Perhaps, Aris mused, I ought to have a word with the knocker. Maybe convince it to toss in a few maths problems now and then. Wouldn't hurt the little Ravenclaws to flex those brains a bit—it is, after all, a house that prides itself on wisdom.
Just as he stepped into the common room, a wave of cheerful voices greeted him.
"I told you he'd crack it straight away—Shafiq's no joke!"
"Come on, that riddle was way too easy…"
"Aris—mind if I call you that?" A boy approached, clearly excited, and held out his hand. "I'm Terry Boot. Like you, I'm a first-year!"
He beamed. "You've no idea—what you said in the Great Hall earlier? Caused an absolute stir! You're probably as famous as Harry Potter now, if not more!"
"Nice to meet you, Terry!" Aris replied with a look of mock disappointment. "Shame I missed the excitement myself."
"No worries. Just wait till breakfast tomorrow—everyone'll still be buzzing about it. You're going to be the centre of attention again, no doubt."
Another voice chimed in nearby. "I'm Anthony Goldstein—pleased to meet you, Aris. I've got a feeling you're going to be one of those rare Hogwarts legends."
"To be honest, it's not something we see often. Ravenclaws aren't usually the flashy type, so we don't tend to get noticed as much…" Cho Chang's voice cut in behind them, and she gave Anthony a mildly reproachful look. Realising what he might've implied, she added quickly, "Of course, I didn't mean to suggest you're attention-seeking or anything!"
"It's alright—I know what you meant," Aris replied with an easy smile and a shake of his head.
Cho sighed, a little exasperated. "I already told them they should head off to bed, but clearly your speech has them all hyped up."
Aris glanced at Terry and Anthony, both practically glowing with energy, and chuckled. "You don't say…"
He hadn't expected a few bold words to inspire this kind of reaction—seems some of his peers were already starting to see him as something of a role model.
At that moment, the glint in Terry and Anthony's eyes was unmistakable—it was clear they'd been thoroughly swept up by Aris's earlier speech.
The group lingered in the Ravenclaw common room, chatting away until Aris himself finally suggested wrapping up what had unexpectedly become their first bit of house bonding.
"By the way, Aris," Terry piped up as they were parting ways, "Professor Flitwick's sorted out a private dorm for you."
"Our room's already packed, you see. But if you're feeling a bit lonely, I'd be happy to ask the professor if I could bunk in with you."
Aris smiled warmly and shook his head. "Cheers, Terry, but honestly—I'm quite used to living on my own. Professor Flitwick's arrangement suits me down to the ground."
"Alright then…" Terry clearly looked a little deflated, but nodded nonetheless.
"Well, I'm off to bed now. Night, everyone!"
Aris gave them a final wave and slipped out of the common room.
Once back in his dormitory, he gave the room a quick once-over. Sure enough, the welcome gift had been delivered, and a fresh class schedule was laid out neatly on the desk.
Having a whole dorm to himself was absolute bliss.
Aris grinned to himself. With so many secrets of his own, a bit of solitude would go a long way. At the very least, when Iris—the little dragon—wanted to stretch her wings or pop out for a bit of fun, he wouldn't have to sneak about avoiding prying eyes.
Just thinking of her made Aris glance toward the window.
The silver moon hung high in the night sky, and from his vantage point, he had a perfect view of Hogwarts bathed in moonlight.
Although most of the grounds were cloaked in darkness, the outlines of the pitch, the Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch stadium, and Professor Sprout's potion garden were all faintly visible under the moonlight.
No one could deny it—Ravenclaw Tower boasted the finest view in all of Hogwarts.
But Aris wasn't paying much attention to the school grounds. Instead, his gaze was fixed skyward, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Beneath the silvery moon, the night sky appeared calm and unremarkable.
Until, that is, he heard it—the low, distinct rumble of a dragon's roar, one only he could hear.
It was Iris.
That familiar call reached him through their magical bond, a quiet telepathic message carried on the night air.
He moved quickly, unlatching the dormitory window.
A sharp gust followed—the sound of wind splitting open—and in the next breath, a blur came soaring through the opening.
"You're back at last, Iris!"
Aris caught the red streak as it barrelled into him, wrapping his arms around the creature that tackled him with unrestrained joy.
She'd grown. In just a month, Iris had become much larger, and the sheer force of her landing nearly bowled him over.
Luckily, Aris was ready for it. He shifted his weight, letting them both collapse onto the bed in a tumble of limbs and scales.
"Wraaah~"
The little dragon gave a cheerful babyish cry and hopped around in front of him like she was showing off.
"Alright, alright—I get it. You're amazing, yeah?"
Aris grinned, reaching out to ruffle the top of her head.
Thanks to his gift for understanding the language of magical creatures, their bond had deepened into something that went far beyond simple words. He could feel her excitement, her pride, her longing—all of it radiating from her in warm waves.
At that moment, as the little dragon chattered away about all the fun she'd had with Luna, Aris found himself picturing the scene.
A soft smile crept across his face without him even realising.
"Cheers for that, love. You've done well," he murmured, gently stroking Iris's head. He let out a quiet sigh. "She's far too lonely on her own back home... you should keep her company more often, yeah?"
"Wraaah~" Iris gave an oddly human-like nod in reply.
"Right then, off you go for now. I'll let you out again tomorrow for a proper bit of fun."
With that, Aris called Iris back into the pet space, then reached for the letter she'd brought with her.
Even before unfolding it, he could picture the little girl bent over her desk, tongue between her teeth, writing each word with painstaking care.
Another smile tugged at his lips.
He stretched out on the bed, letting the moonlight spill across the sheets, and began to read the letter.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 99 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]