September 2, 1971

Last night was my first night at Hogwarts. I can't believe I'm FINALLY here. I was sorted into Ravenclaw, which the sorting hat told us (via song) is for clever students. LP ended up in Slytherin sounds kinda sinister. The hat said something about "You'll make your real friends" and "use any means to meet their ends". But whatever, I'm sure they're not ACTUALLY evil, it's just a song after all. Wulferic is in Hufflepuff which is for the "true and loyal" or something like that. They seem like a friendly bunch but who wants to wear yellow and black? You'll look like a bee all day every day for 7 years. No thank you. Now, blue and bronze, THOSE are handsome colors... It sucks that Faye ended up in Gryffindor though, I was hoping we would be bunk mates. But, on the bright side, she's supposed to have both "daring nerve and chivalry" so she'll probably sneak out to see me. Otherwise I'll need to go find her. It's lame that none of us ended up in the same house though. I calculate about 9% chance of that happening so I guess we're starting off the year unlucky.
 
There are SO many ghosts and they creep the hell out of me. They're always floating through people and talking about death, it's really off putting. I don't get why so many people love the ghosts. Although maybe it's just because I've seen too many ghost movies at Blake's place.
 
Speaking of Blake, I was really surprised when the sorting hat called me up. "Aurelia Reid!" really loudly and clearly. It's kinda nice, like the hat's on my side, you know?
 
There was so much food, I had to stop myself from suffocating under it. Honestly, I can see why some students get REALLY heavy here. I'll need to be careful not to overdue it, or I'll be a joke when I see the team again...
 
I miss them. I'm finally at school but I'm still not at school with my best friends. I hate that they can't know about me, about Hogwarts, about all of this. It sucks that KC is somewhere else, probably having fun without me, and I'm stuck so far away, at school but still... Maybe she misses me too? I should write to her! I wonder if they have a post station here? I wonder if a post station would take all the wizard money I have...
 
Okay on to the other news.
 
I was woken up last night in the middle of the night. Naturally, I freaked out, expecting some kind of ghost or goul or something. But when I looked over, it was a group of 3 5th year girls, all wearing dark robes with hoods, all carrying candles. They told each of us in my dorm that we had to come with them, and that they would usher us into Ravenclaw fully. I didn't really want to go, and the whole thing seemed really creepy and weird, but I wanted to make friends and I don't want to be the one girl who doesn't participate when everyone else is doing it. So I grabbed a cloak and headed downstairs with the rest. When we got down there, the common room was dimly lit with small candles all over the place. In front of the statue of Ravenclaw, there was a big fancy blue rug and in the middle a large bronze chalice. There were also candles floating above the rug and in the air. The 5th years told us to sit around the outsides of the rug and they gave us each a candle. I felt really silly for bringing my cloak because the room was warm and I was the only one who had brought it. Everyone else was just wearing pajamas. Even the 5th years were wearing pajamas under their robes.
 
The eldest, I think her name was Lauriel (she's one of the Ravenclaw prefects) recited,

Once upon a blackest night
The Raven cawed toward white light
and by the moon which waxed and waned
The noble bird was shadow hained
 
When she spoke of white light, the other two hooded 5th years raised their wands and an image of the moon appeared above the Ravenclaw statue, then moved behind it, covering us with shadow.
 
The Raven wandered, dark shape in darker night
when a silver pool came into sight

The bronze chalice filled with a silver glow, illuminating a second, much smaller glass to the side. Lauriel carried both to the girl 2 seats down from me and held them out for her to choose one. She picked up the chalice. Then Lauriel tapped it with her wand and it filled with a dark liquid.
 
She dipped her head, drank to her delight

The girl hesitantly took a sip...
 
But beware that tonic brewed to bite

 
She gagged and almost spat it out. But the expectation of the room was upon her and she slowly, grudgingly drank it down. Her face twisted in discomfiture. Lauriel's dark hood nodded once when she had finished and she took the glass and the chalice to the girl next to me, offering her the same choice. She took the small glass, only a few centimeters tall. Tapping it with her wand, the small glass filled with a clear liquid. The 1st year looked hopeful because, I think, she thought it was water, not weird potion. But when she drank it, she started spluttering and gagging. Her face turned red and she breathed heavily.
 
"It burns."
 
Lauriel nodded and brought the glass and chalice to me. I gave them both a whiff. It reminded me briefly of Uncle Blake's basement. The chalice definitely smelled like wine, probably cheap wine. The glass wasn't as definitive... maybe rum? Vodka? It was so clear that it might have been tequilla, but it could be a wizarding liquor too. I reached for the chalice. I'd tasted Blake's vodka once and did not want to repeat that experience. Wine I could stomach.
 
It was unpleasant, definitely bad wine, but I got through it better than the girl on the right. Lauriel repeated the ritual with the remaining 1st years, then continued.
 
The raven, bitten, the water she did strike
and from it's still surface, not unlike
shards of glass, it's reflection grew
into many ravens, into the air they flew
 
The other 5th years moved their wands. A dark shape fluttered about the chalice and that glass, then crashed and danced and broke into many different raven silhouettes, one for each of us, and they flew at us and vanished.
 
Fresh young birds danced in the air
they strode the wind without a care
but in the air they had not a thought
until the Raven, wise and clever, wished them taught
 
Lauriel, standing tall and dark like the raven, stopped chanting and addressed us. "You are all new, untrained ravens who flit in the dark. Today you receive your first lesson. But before you do, you must enter into the Ravenclaw covenant." She looked to one of the first years and motioned them forward, to the center of the rug. "The rest of you, join hands and form a circle around use" The two remaining 5th years and us 4 first years made a circle and Lauriel began.
 
"First, state your name."
 
"Lydia" the girl said.
 
"Repeat after me: "I am Lydia, sister to wisdom, mother to wit, daughter to Ravenclaw."
 
She repeated it. Then Lydia continued.
 
"On this day I proclaim my loyalty, my devotion, and my everlasting service to our Matron."
 
Again, she repeated it.
 
"From this day I set forth without hesitation towards great knowing and greater understanding. I shall walk paths by moonlight that others fear to set foot upon in the day. I shall seek that which cannot be sought and find that which cannot be found. I shall wander, seldom found but never lost, as the world opens before me."
 
She repeated it, and Lauriel moved her wand over Lydia's head, a shroud of shadow fell briefly over her, then vanished. Lauriel patter her on the shoulder, then moved onto the next of us.
 
One by one, we all completed the ritual. It took longer than expected because Lauriel spoke slowly, and so we spoke slowly in turn. Also, my head was feeling really fuzzy, partially due to lack of sleep, but probably more due to the wine. It had been a big chalice, more than a glass for sure. When we were done, we were all feeling the effects of the drinks. Lauriel lead us to the common room outer door and recited as she walked.
 
The raven devised a clever test
to view the young birds' mind
she barred them from her raven's nest
until the answer to her riddle they could find
 
Lauriel opened the common room door and motioned me outside. She said, "Don't take too long, or you'll get caught by the teachers. Wouldn't do for a Ravenclaw to be caught larking about on their first night. They might even send you home straight away..." When I hesitated, she pushed me lightly out of the room and closed the door with a loud "Cah-chink!"
 
So there I was, stuck outside, in the pitch blackness, no light, in my pajamas, without my wand, with a head full of alcohol. I was also really worried that I might get found here. I didn't really care if I got in trouble, but they wouldn't really send me home, right? I fumbled around for a minute, dizzying myself in the darkness, until I found the handle for the door. When I tried to open it, the handle quivered and spoke aloud to me.
 
"You have a 7-minute hourglass and an 11-minute hourglass. How can you measure exactly 15 minutes?"
 
I thought for a REALLY long time. Probably more than 2 minutes trying to figure it out. It was really hard to imagine flipping hourglasses in my head since everything was woozy and spinning and I was soooo tired. But finally I was able to come up with an answer! Two answers actually. I told them both to the door and it responded, "Intuitively done." and swung open. When I stepped back inside, Lauriel welcomed me with a hug.
 
"Welcome, sister."
 
The others repeated the tests and, though it took a long time, we all finally made it back inside. Lauriel finished the chant.
 
When the flock could find their home
the raven knew they would be wise.
Now whatever they do and wherever they roam
they forever will be Ravens in her eyes
 
"Welcome to Ravenclaw."
 
 
 
Then I went to bed zZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZ