“A Ravenclaw, huh? The house no one cares about!” The words followed me through the hall as Draco Malfoy approached, his smirk already grating. Cho had warned me about him – a pureblood, filthy rich, and with definite ties to the Dark Lord. A mommy’s boy, apparently, so I figured he’d be easily dismissed. I needed to be rid of him as quickly as possible.
“Ignore him, he’ll get bored eventually,” Cho said, and I shrugged, picking up my pace.
“Surprised to see an American? Not known to be the brightest,” he called after me, catching up.
I rolled my eyes, a habit I’d apparently developed around him, and sped up.
“Ignoring me now, Y/L/N?” Malfoy blocked my path, his silver-blonde hair gleaming under the flickering torchlight. I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. This boy was infuriating. “Can I pass, please?” I asked, a saccharine sweetness dripping from my tone.
“What’s the magic word?” he mocked.
“Flipendo? Stupefy? Incendio?” I spat back, listing off spells like a challenge.
“How dare you talk to me like that?” He began, his face contorting with indignation. “Do you—”
“Oh, shut up, Malfoy,” I interrupted, and he actually *flinched*. He recovered quickly, but the surprise was enough to fuel my own satisfaction.
“You know my name already, good,” he said, a predatory glint in his eyes.
“Of course. It suits you,” I replied with a smirk. He looked bewildered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded.
“Malfoy, from *mal foi* in French,” I said, letting the words hang in the air. He didn’t get it.
“Unfaithful,” I added slowly, watching as recognition dawned in his silvery-blue eyes. He didn’t look away, his gaze intense. A flicker of something – vulnerability? – crossed his face.
“A real nerd, maybe you do belong in Ravenclaw. Too big a mouth to be a Hufflepuff. Not that anyone would expect that, most Hufflepuffs are cute,” he said, the smirk returning.
“Damn, you really think you’re all that? I have to disappoint you. You’re even more of a twat than they say,” I sneered, forcing myself to meet his gaze despite his height advantage. I needed to appear confident, even if I felt a tremor of nervousness.
His annoyance was a balm. I found myself strangely enjoying this bickering, a challenge simmering beneath the surface.
“Let’s just go, Y/N,” Cho said, but both Draco and I ignored her.
“You’re one to talk. American, half-blood, and then your mother…” The last word hit like a physical blow. I clenched my jaw, forcing my expression to remain impassive. I was good at hiding emotions, a skill honed by years of practice. “Already stalking me, I didn’t know you had a crush on me, Malfoy,” I said, pushing past him with a playful smile. He didn’t respond, and I reveled in the small victory.
“That was scary, yet awesome!” Cho exclaimed as she caught up to me. “Are you sure you’re not a Gryffindor? Most people don’t talk to Malfoy like that.”
“Why not? He’s just a stuck-up brat,” I said, dismissing the question with a shrug.
“Stuck-up or not, his family is extremely powerful. You don’t really want to be on his bad side.”
“It’s too late for that anyway. How about you show me our dorms?” I asked, steering the conversation away from Malfoy. Cho’s face lit up. She took my hand and rushed me through the corridors.
“Since Dumbledore assigned me as your mentor, I believe you’re in my room,” she said as we reached the door of the Ravenclaw common room.
Cho knocked once, and silence filled the corridor. There was no keyhole, no doorknob, only a bronze knocker shaped like an eagle. As I stepped closer to examine it, the eagle’s beak opened, and I jumped back in surprise. Cho giggled.
“Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?” the eagle boomed. I stared, stunned. “Hmm… not quite sure,” Cho mumbled.
“What’s going on?” I asked, confused.
“You have to answer to open the door. What did you expect?” she said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“I think the fire came first, since it’s one of the most fundamental things on earth. Take, for example, the sun,” she said, rambling on about the origins of fire. The door remained stubbornly shut.
“Well, that’s surprising. Come on, say phoenix so we can get in. I can’t try anymore,” she said, exasperated.
“You really think it’s phoenix?” I asked, more to myself than to Cho. “It’s a circular argument. And there’s no beginning to a circle, is there?”
“Well reasoned,” said the voice, and the door swung open.
“Good job!” Cho exclaimed, practically dragging me inside.
Stunning. That was the only word to describe the room. Soft beige walls were filled with paintings, racks of books, and banners emblazoned with the Ravenclaw crest.
I gazed up at the domed ceiling, painted with constellations. Cho giggled as I stared in awe.
“It’s pretty great, isn’t it?” she said, sinking onto one of the couches. I could only nod.
“Chop chop! You’ve got loads of things to unpack, and it’s getting late. To your dorm,” she said, jumping up with her usual unpredictable energy.
I shook myself from my thoughts and followed her up the stairs. Our dorm was as inviting as the common room, with wooden beds and dressers, a large wardrobe, and tall windows draped with dark blue curtains.
“Welcome to our dorm. I used to share this one with Lisa, but she finished last year, so I suppose it’s just the two of us now,” she said, gesturing to her side of the room. I noticed a few pictures – of her family, and one boy in particular. I almost asked about him, but my attention was drawn to the large Quidditch poster above her bed.
“You’re a Quidditch fan?” I asked, my voice filled with excitement.
“Definitely! I’m our house’s Seeker!” she said with pride.
“Girls can be on the house teams?” I asked, astonished. At Ilvermorny, girls could play, but they never made the house team.
“Of course, silly. Couldn’t you at Ilvermorny?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Well, if you’re any good, you should come to try-outs. They’re this Friday,” she said. “We’re looking for another Chaser and a Beater, since Jeremy and Inglebee graduated last year.”
“I’d love to,” I said, a smile spreading across my face.
“I’ll let Roger know then. He’s our team captain. You unpack, I’ll see you in a bit.”