Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Flood finds themselves standing in a large, crowded room. There are people everywhere, all of them looking at Flood curiously. A woman approaches, smiling warmly. "Welcome to the School of Magic," she says. "I am Headmistress Luna. Please, allow me to show you around." Headmistress Luna leads Flood through the school, explaining everything they see. "This is the dining hall," she says, gesturing to a large, cavernous room. "This is the library," she says, pointing to a room filled with shelves of books.

"This is the training ground," Headmistress Luna says, leading Flood to a large, open area. In the distance, Flood can see people practicing magic. "Every student at the school is assigned to one of four houses," Headmistress Luna says. "Each house has its own dormitory and common room. You will be sorted into a house by the Sorting Hat." "Sorting Hat?" Flood asks, confused. "Yes," Headmistress Luna says. "It's a magical artifact that will assess your personality and place you in the appropriate house.""The four houses are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin," Headmistress Luna says. "Ravenclaw values wisdom and wit. Gryffindor values courage and chivalry. Hufflepuff values loyalty and hard work. Slytherin values ambition and cunning." She stops in front of a small, wooden stool. On top of the stool sits a worn, patched hat. "The Sorting Hat will now place you in your house," Headmistress Luna says.

Headmistress Luna places the Sorting Hat on Flood's head. They can feel the hat shifting and moving, as if it's alive. After a few moments, the hat speaks. "Hmmm," it says. "You are full of curiosity and wonder. You have a thirst for knowledge and a quick mind. But you also have a strong sense of justice and a deep desire to protect those who are weaker than you. I believe you will do well in..." The hat pauses for dramatic effect. "Ravenclaw!" it shouts. The crowd erupts in cheers. "Welcome to Ravenclaw!" Headmistress Luna says.

Headmistress Luna leads Flood to a door at the far end of the room. "This is the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower," she says. "The password changes every week, but for now, it's 'eagleclaw'." The door swings open, and Flood enters the Ravenclaw common room. It's a large, circular room, with tall windows that look out over the lake. There are bookshelves lining the walls, and students are reading and studying at tables scattered around the room. A fireplace crackles in the corner, and the room smells of cinnamon and fresh-baked cookies.Headmistress Luna leads Flood to a small table near the fireplace. "This will be your study table," she says. "Your housemates will join you for meals and classes, and this is where you'll spend most of your time. But for now, why don't you explore the common room and meet some of your housemates?" She smiles and leaves Flood to explore the room. Flood introduces themselves to the other students, who are all friendly and welcoming. They find themselves drawn to a group of students playing a game of wizards' chess.

One of the students, a girl with long, black hair, smiles and gestures for Flood to join them. "Hi," she says. "I'm Ariadne, and this is Sebastian, Daniel, and Anya. We're all Ravenclaws." "Hi," Flood says, feeling a bit shy. "It's nice to meet you." "Why don't you play a round with us?" Ariadne suggests. "You can be on my team." Flood nods and takes a seat at the table. Sebastian and Daniel begin setting up the game, while Anya explains the rules to Flood. They play a fewrounds, with Flood quickly picking up the game. After a while, Ariadne leans over and whispers in Flood's ear. "I think you're a natural at this," she says. Flood smiles, feeling a rush of pride. "I'm enjoying it," they say. "It's like a real-life game of strategy." "That's exactly what it is," Ariadne says. "And it's a great way to test your logic and creativity." Just then, a bell rings out, signaling the end of the free period. "We should head to Charms class," Ariadne says. "Doyou want to walk there together?" Flood nods. "Yes, that would be nice," they say. The two of them gather their things and leave the common room, chatting as they make their way through the castle. They arrive at the Charms classroom just as the door opens, and a tall, thin woman with long, blonde hair steps out. "Welcome, Ravenclaws!" she says. "I'm Professor Siegel, and I'll be your teacher for the next few years." She gestures for them to follow her into the classroom.

Professor Siegel leads the class through a series of simple Charms, teaching them how to wave their wands and say the incantations. As they practice, Flood feels a tingle in their fingers, and they realize that they're actually starting to master the spells. At the end of the class, Professor Siegel claps her hands. "That was excellent work, everyone!" she says. "Ravenclaw is known for its magical prowess, and you're all living up to the name." Flood feels a swell of pride. They had never imagined they'd be able to do magic, but it seems like it might actually comenaturally to them. As the class packs up their things, Ariadne turns to Flood. "You're a natural at this!" she says. "Have you ever tried magic before?" Flood shakes their head. "No," they say. "But I always loved reading about it in books. It's incredible to actually be doing it now." "It really is," Ariadne says. "And I think you have a real talent for it." The two of them head to the Great Hall for lunch, feeling a sense of camaraderie.As they approach the Great Hall, they can hear the sound of hundreds of students chatting and laughing. They enter the hall, and Flood looks around in wonder. The ceiling is enchanted to look like the sky outside, and the four house tables are set with steaming dishes of food. "Have a seat," Ariadne says, leading the way to the Ravenclaw table. Flood takes a seat, and a plate of food appears in front of them. They look down at the food, feeling a little overwhelmed by all the choices. "What do you think you'll have?" Ariadne asks."I'm not sure," Flood says. "Everything looks so good." Just then, a student down the table speaks up. "I recommend the shepherd's pie," he says. "It's fantastic!" Flood smiles. "I'll give it a try," they say. They take a bite of the shepherd's pie, and they're immediately hooked. It's warm and savory, and it tastes like home. As they eat, they chat with their fellow Ravenclaws, learning more about the school and its traditions. They feel like they're really starting to fit in.After lunch, Ariadne and Flood head to their next class: Transfiguration. They enter the classroom, and the professor, a woman with short, red hair, looks up. "Welcome, students," she says. "Today we'll be learning the basics of transfiguration. If you follow my instructions carefully, you'll be able to transfigure a beetle into a button by the end of the class." The professor begins to demonstrate the proper wand movements, and the students follow along. After a few minutes, she asks the class to try transfiguring their own beetles.

Flood takes a deep breath and focuses on their beetle. They close their eyes and wave their wand, trying to picture the beetle turning into a button. Suddenly, they feel a jolt of energy, and when they open their eyes, they see that their beetle has transformed into a button. They look up, and the professor is smiling. "Wonderful work, Flood!" she says. "You're a natural at transfiguration." Flood beams with pride. "Thank you, Professor," they say. The rest of the class goes by in a blur, and before they know it, it's time for dinner.As Flood and Ariadne head to the Great Hall, Ariadne turns to them. "I'm so impressed by your magic skills," she says. "You're already one of the best in the class. Do you think you'll continue to pursue Transfiguration?" Flood considers the question. "I think so," they say. "I've always loved the idea of being able to change things with magic. It's like having a superpower." Ariadne nods. "It is a pretty cool power," she says. "Have you ever thought about becoming an Animagus?"

Flood's eyes light up. "That would be amazing!" they say. "To be able to change into any animal at will. What animal would you choose?" Ariadne thinks for a moment. "I think I'd like to be a dragon," she says. "Imagine being able to fly through the sky and breathe fire. That would be incredible." "I'd probably choose to be a cat," Flood says. "It would be so cool to be able to sneak around unnoticed, and I love cats." Ariadne laughs. "I think you'd make a purr-fect cat." Flood groans. "As they enter the Great Hall, the smell of food hits them like a wave. The tables are piled high with delicious-looking dishes, and their stomachs rumble. "That all looks so good," Flood says. "I'm starving!" They sit down at the Ravenclaw table and begin to pile food onto their plate. "What's your favorite dish?" Ariadne asks, helping herself to a large scoop of mashed potatoes. "I love the roast chicken," Flood says, tucking into a leg. "But the treacle tart is pretty great too." "You're right," Ariadne says. "Thedesserts here are amazing. They're almost as good as my mom's." "I've never had homemade treacle tart," Flood says. "Is it really that much better?" Ariadne nods vigorously. "It's so much better," she says. "My mom's treacle tart is warm and gooey, and it's filled with love. You can't get that in the Great Hall." Flood smiles. "Your mom sounds like a great cook," they say. "Maybe you could teach me to make treacle tart?" Ariadne grins. "That's a great idea! We could make it togetherafter classes one day. I could teach you all of my mom's best recipes." The two of them continue to chat and eat, enjoying the food and each other's company. When they've finally had their fill, they head back to the Ravenclaw common room. "That was a great meal," Flood says, leaning back on the sofa. "I can't remember the last time I ate so much." "You must have been really hungry," Ariadne says. "Or maybe the food here is just that good." Flood laughs. "I think it's a bit of both." They sit there, talking and laughing,until it starts to get late. "I should probably head to bed," Ariadne says reluctantly. "I've got an early class tomorrow." "I should too," Flood says. "But I've really enjoyed chatting with you. We should do this again soon." "Definitely!" Ariadne says. "We can make it a regular thing. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to about school, other than my roommates." "I'd love that," Flood says. "See you tomorrow?" "Absolutely," Ariadne says. "Have a good night!" "You too," Flood says. "