Even when they reached the statue, Hermione still had not recovered from her daze. She held her wand out level, the wooden door to the Ravenclaw Common Room floating before her.
She could never have guessed that the door that had stood at the entrance to the common room for a thousand years could be removed so easily. There was not even any magic on it!
That wasn't magical!
"We're here. Stop staring." Su Er waved a hand in front of Hermione, glanced around to make sure no one was there, and took off the Invisibility Cloak.
A gust of wind blew through the open doorway, where only the frame remained.
It lifted Hermione's hair and brought her back to her senses.
"Oh, right, right."
Hermione nodded her little head and waved her wand, gently lowering the door onto the carpet. "What do we do next?"
You're asking me? A question mark popped up over Su Er's head.
Seeing Su Er's puzzled expression, Hermione sheepishly stuck out her tongue and took Ravenclaw's Diadem from her shoulder bag. Sunlight pouring through the window fell on the ruby on the eagle's breast, setting it agleam.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Castle, a translucent ghost who had been staring into space abruptly turned her head. Disbelief flickered in her usually placid eyes, mingled with doubt and delighted surprise.
She rose in frantic haste and passed through the thick stone wall, Evanesco.
"I guessed right." Hermione stepped back half a pace, her gaze falling on the base of the statue. The Diadem in her hand had Evanesco'd and was now nestled in the recess beside the inscription on the statue, a perfect fit.
"Next should be..."
She turned toward the wooden door on the carpet. "How do we get the knocker off?"
"Simple. All we