They walked through corridors steeped in age.
Numerous magical portraits that could converse and interact hung on both sides.
At that moment, they were studying the group of new students with scrutinizing eyes.
Walking among them, Cypher wondered whether this was the wizarding version of campus surveillance.
They passed through a corridor along the side of the castle toward another tower.
Suits of stone armor stood on either side of the corridor, giving the young wizards a strong sense of security.
Flitwick led the group while introducing Ravenclaw's history to the new students.
"Our house was founded by Rowena Ravenclaw. Its defining element is wind among the four elements, its symbolic animal is the raven, and its representative color is blue. How could the sky and eagles stay close to the ground? That is why our common room is at the top of another tower west of the Main Castle. When the time comes, I hope all of you can stay alert and make your legs obey your brains. I do not want to see any of you fall down the stairs and let out a memorable scream..."
A few snickers rose from the freshmen. Clearly, they thought falling down the stairs was an incredibly foolish thing—how could any student fall down the stairs?
Those snickers vanished after they rounded a corner.
Looking up, they saw a circular passageway that stretched an unknown number of meters high.
Staircases along the walls constantly appeared and shifted positions.
At the end stood a bridge suspended in midair.
Even with older students leading from the front and protecting them from behind,
the freshmen still inched upward on trembling legs, their hearts pounding with fear.
"Cypher, aren't you afraid of heights?"
Iris and Luna knew that even if someone fell from the stairs, they would merely be teleported back to where they had started.
In other words, if they fell while going downward, they would be teleported to the top of the tower. If they fell while climbing upward, they would be sent to the bottom.
This also prevented young wizards from being lazy and refusing to take the stairs.
However, this was Cypher's first time at Hogwarts. These stairs should have been his first experience with them.
"I'm fine."
Not to mention that he knew Mage Hand.
Although he could not fly through the air, he could at least slow his descent.
And in his previous life, he had visited tourist attractions with far more thrilling scenery. This height was nothing special.
"Huh?!" Iris looked somewhat dejected. "Luna and I only dared to walk on them after learning the stairs' secret."
"Fear sometimes comes from the unknown and from things you cannot do. Now that I know magic, there is naturally nothing to fear."
Cypher shrugged and raised a hand to comfort Iris.
"Oh! Junior, you are absolutely right! Those words express the creed Ravenclaw believes in: wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
Flitwick heard Cypher's words, turned around, and praised him loudly.
They finally reached the top floor of Ravenclaw Tower.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Cypher felt that they were hundreds of meters above the ground.
Spatial folding? Spatial expansion? An illusion? Or...
Thoughts churned endlessly through Cypher's mind.
Flitwick led the unsteady freshmen before an eagle statue standing beside a bronze knocker.
When someone approached, the eagle spread its blue-green metal wings, yet a clear female voice rang out.
"Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?"
Flitwick and Rupert stepped back, signaling for the freshmen to answer the question.
"The entrance to our common room requires answering a question. Only by satisfying the knocker can you earn the right to enter."
Everyone fell silent. Even Cypher felt exhausted in body and mind, let alone the two physically weaker girls.
He did not want to waste time here.
Cypher stepped forward and answered softly:
"A phoenix needs flames to be reborn, but flames can be born without a phoenix. Therefore, flames came first, and then the phoenix."
"That makes sense!"
The metal eagle accepted Cypher's answer, and the common room doors behind it slowly opened.
At that moment, only a few older students were chatting inside the Ravenclaw common room.
Probably because the freshmen were arriving to be assigned their dormitories today, the common room was no longer suitable for reading and studying.
The common room had a great domed ceiling covered in intricate yet orderly patterns.
A row of windows stood at the far end, enchanted to let in a little cool, fresh air while completely keeping the rain outside.
Blue and bronze silk tapestries hung from the walls, while cobalt-blue carpets covered the floor.
What drew everyone's attention most was a tall marble statue standing opposite the entrance.
"That is our house founder, Lady Rowena Ravenclaw."
Rupert spoke in a gentle voice.
Then she led everyone in respectfully bowing to the statue.
"The boys' dormitories are this way. Flitwick will assign rooms to you boys, while the girls will come with me."
After speaking, Rupert led the girls away.
"We're going to find our dorm now, Cypher. See you later!"
Iris and Luna waved goodbye to Cypher.
Making every boy present look envious.
"All right, gentlemen. You are in the same house. You will see each other often."
Flitwick's words did not work. Only after the girls disappeared around the corner did the young boys reluctantly look away.
"Rupert is a very gentle and responsible senior. You must not deliberately cause trouble for her. Oh! Right! I need to emphasize one thing! Boys are not allowed into the girls' dormitories, but ahem... So even when you are in your own dormitory, do not do anything too outrageous."
After saying that, Flitwick took out a sheet of parchment and swiftly, accurately assigned the dormitories.
Ravenclaws were all clever. After hearing it only once, everyone nodded to show that they understood.
"One final point! After ten-thirty at night, you may not leave your house common room without a professor's permission! If you are caught, house points will be deducted."
When Flitwick mentioned being caught, he deliberately paused and raised his voice, and everyone laughed knowingly.
"The headmaster has just emphasized the rest of the school rules. I hope no one gets caught! One offense brings a warning and a heavy deduction of house points; a second may result in expulsion!"
Flitwick's expression turned solemn as he said seriously,
"Today is Thursday. Normally, there should have been a class, but tomorrow's schedule will be posted on the notice board. So you are starting school with a three-day holiday. You may familiarize yourselves with the campus. I do not want to hear on the first day of class that someone got lost in the castle, arrived late, and cost the house points."
"Although, since school has only just started, the house has no points yet."
After another burst of cheerful laughter, Flitwick dismissed them.
The little eagles scattered to find their roommates before heading to their dormitories together.
"I'm very sorry, Cypher. There happened to be one extra boy in your year. If you would like a roommate, I can transfer you to a second-year dormitory."
Without looking down, Cypher knew that only Flitwick's voice could have come from below.
"No need, Flitwick. I like being alone."
"Oh, is that so? You should know that most young wizards do not want to live alone when they first leave home. They all crave companionship and friends."
Flitwick said with a smile,
"Do you need me to accompany you to your dormitory?"
"No, Senior."
After bidding farewell to the smiling Flitwick, Cypher found and pushed open his own "single" dormitory.
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