Late at night, the castle corridors were silent.
As the fluorescent light gradually spread, Aileen and Luna, hand in hand, appeared at the end of the staircase.
It was already very late, and having spent more than a month together beforehand, they quickly fell silent again after a brief chat about the Ravenclaw diadem, each lost in thought as they traversed the shadowy castle corridors and stairwells.
After a summer vacation, Hogwarts Castle was still as complex and difficult to remember as ever.
As the route in her mind gradually became chaotic, Aileen wisely gave up on that struggle, and obediently followed behind Luna, waiting for her little wing to lead her back to her Ravenclaw bed.
According to Grindelwald, as world-changing dark lords, there were too many places in the world that needed their wisdom.
And insignificant little things like identifying directions and finding their way in the real world were mostly only focused on by ordinary people who couldn't see through the mists of the future. True wise men would never focus their attention on those trivial and useless things—
"Oh, right, today is Sunday! Uh... Aileen, watch your step!"
"What's wrong? Is there something special?"
Crack—
Before the invincible third-generation Dark Lord could finish the thought in her mind, Luna Lovegood's belated voice reached her ears. However, as Luna's voice fell, Aileen suddenly became shorter.
"Never mind... it's nothing..."
Luna shook her head helplessly and skillfully reached out to pull the white-haired fluff ball next to her out of the pit.
There were always many strange places in Hogwarts, and these randomly sinking stairs were the most common part.
Unlike the Gryffindor's permanently sinking prank step, on the way to the Ravenclaw common room, situations like this were more frequent and more interesting—they would appear in different states depending on the month and date.
"Hermione was right, letting you wander around the castle alone is a dangerous thing."
Luna looked at the embarrassed white-haired fluff ball next to her and nodded quite seriously.
The little tuft of hair on Aileen's head shook fiercely, and she said with some dissatisfaction while dusting off her body.
"Call me 'older sister', Luna—and don't listen to Hermione and the others' nonsense..."
"But Aileen doesn't know the way, not even by chance."
Luna shook her head seriously to correct her. As for the first half of the white-haired fluff ball's sentence, it was selectively ignored.
Strictly speaking, she was only half a year younger than Aileen.
If Aileen Kaslana a year ago could still create an "older sister aura" with her age advantage and mysteriousness, then as time passed and they spent time together day and night, Luna was no longer the little girl who could be intimidated by Aileen.
You know, due to bloodline factors, even Luna now was half a head taller than Aileen.
As for Hermione Granger and Hannah Abbott, who were originally older and more mature, it goes without saying, especially the iron-headed idiot who had supplemented her nutrition well in the past year, whose head was almost half the size of Aileen's.
This was also one of the reasons why Aileen insisted on running to Ravenclaw.
Compared to being reduced to the background board for the other two little wings, at least with Luna Lovegood, she could still temporarily have a sliver of final authority. If she had to maintain a runic state at all times even in daily play and frolicking, it would be too sad.
And as they spoke, they finally arrived at the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower.
The students who had been crowding the corridor a few hours earlier had disappeared, leaving only the rows of light blue velvet sleeping bags still hanging quietly on the wall as before, showing that they had not come to the wrong place—this was the most eye-catching "scenic spot" of Ravenclaw House since last year, symbolizing the limits of human wisdom and the last dignity.
Well, it seemed that the children of top physicists were indeed much better at logic.
Aileen raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, turned her gaze away from the sleeping bags, raised her hand and gently knocked on the old, smooth wooden door, just like she had done before when she secretly sneaked over to update the question bank for the Eagle Ring.
The bronze Eagle Ring's wings spread out, and its beak opened to emit a musical sound:
"Gryn and Sly want to know about the witch Raven..."
"Cough, it's me, Aileen Kaslana. I'm giving you this question—"
Before the Eagle Ring could finish speaking, Aileen carefully looked around, coughed lightly, and in Luna Lovegood's incredulous and shocked expression, secretly leaned to the side of the bronze Eagle Ring, and said with a playful smile in a low voice.
"Next time, change it to the sum and product of two different numbers within one hundred, that would be more interesting—"
"...Aileen Kaslana?"
The voice of the bronze Eagle Ring paused for a few seconds, as if stunned.
Immediately afterward, that gentle, singing voice hesitated for a moment and said softly.
"...Correct answer."
The wooden door rotated open, revealing the ethereal and beautiful Ravenclaw common room.
However, Luna Lovegood was temporarily not in the mood to pay attention to these scenes, but looked at the white-haired fluff ball next to her with a shocked expression, her already slightly protruding beautiful eyes seemed to have become a little bigger.
"Aileen, you—"
"Shh, keep it a secret."
Aileen raised her finger and winked mysteriously.
In the center of the Ravenclaw common room, which was hung with blue and bronze silks, there were still several students leaning on the soft chairs, leisurely reading books. Judging from the covers of the books in their hands, most of them should be the "Lockhart's Adventures" series.
Noticing the movement at the door, the students subconsciously turned their heads and looked towards the entrance.
"Luna? Where did you go before? Penelope was looking for you for a long time just now..."
Cho Chang put down the book in her hand, frowned slightly, and asked softly with a hint of complaint and concern.
Even though Luna had lived in Hogwarts for more than half a year last year, she was still a freshman this year. When the final count of people was taken and one person was found to be missing, the Ravenclaw witches and wizards were still a little nervous.
Of course, it was just a little worried.
Many students in Hogwarts knew very well that in terms of magical strength alone, Luna Lovegood was much more powerful than most second-year students. Even third and fourth-year students might not be her opponents if they were careless.
"I went to pick up Aileen, because she—um—"
Luna smiled shyly with some embarrassment, and was about to explain.
"Because, I don't know the answer to the Ravenclaw common room today. Fortunately, Luna told me Danny's answer, otherwise I might not be able to get in tonight. Oh, right... I've been sorted into Ravenclaw House."
Aileen inconspicuously retracted the paw on the little moon's butt, and explained with a smile on her face.
As the saying goes, learn from your mistakes. Ever since her old secrets were revealed by the iron-headed idiot and Hermione last semester, she had been quite alert to similar situations. Before Luna could finish speaking, she quickly said the prepared words.
"Eh? You, Ravenclaw?"
Cho Chang was stunned, her eyes scanning Aileen's face.
Compared to the students of other houses, she didn't have much goodwill towards this silver-haired devil, after all, in the Quidditch match last semester, this little witch led that group of madmen and almost knocked them all off their brooms.
But... if...
Immediately afterward, Cho Chang's eyebrows gradually rose, and she looked at Aileen with a hint of sarcasm.
"So, this year you will join the Ravenclaw team and continue your barbaric tactics?"
"Sorry, according to the agreement between Professor Dumbledore and the heads of house, I should be joining the Gryffindor team this year. However, after the game is over and the classes are over, I should still be going back to the Ravenclaw Tower to rest."
Aileen shook her head elegantly, and replied in a slow and unhurried voice, with a devilish smile on her face.
"Don't worry, dear Cho Chang, even if we meet in a formal competition later, I will try my best to make you lose consciousness and pain in an instant. Just think of it as sleeping and having a nightmare."
"...I see, we shouldn't meet this year."
Cho Chang's mouth twitched. She never understood why Aileen seemed to be targeting her.
However, this wasn't a big problem, because they also didn't like this dazzling little fellow.
Because of Aileen, she had already withdrawn from the team early at the end of the last semester.
And at least two or three other girls chose the same thing—as the Hogwarts "Moonlight Crowd" entered the second grade and scattered into various houses, the next game would become more and more dangerous, which was also one of the reasons why Cho Chang hated Aileen.
On the other hand, perhaps because they were both witches, Aileen's reputation in Ravenclaw House was also quite subtle.
In fact, this was already reflected in the sorting ceremony in the school hall not long ago.
After Dumbledore announced that Aileen would temporarily join the Ravenclaw table, the applause didn't sound immediately for the first time. It wasn't until Professor Filius Flitwick took the lead in applauding that sparse applause sounded beside the Ravenclaw table.
Apart from Luna Lovegood, almost no second Ravenclaw girl took the initiative to talk to Aileen.
"I hope you have fun in Ravenclaw, Miss Kaslana."
Cho Chang straightened up and said softly with some indifference, picked up the book and turned to leave the common room.
At the same time, the other girls who were friends with her also stood up one after another, looked at the silver-haired girl standing at the entrance of the common room with repulsion, muttered a few words in a low voice, and left the common room one after another.
"So, you shouldn't have come to wait for me... I told you before."
Aileen glanced at the empty common room, sighed helplessly, and looked at Luna beside her.
"As a freshman, you should take this opportunity to integrate into the group like Danilova—Ravenclaw is different from other places. Getting too close to me here is not a good thing."
"There's no need. Dad said that abandoning wisdom and right and wrong in order to gain recognition is the most stupid thing."
Luna shook her head gently, turned her head, and Aileen's face was reflected in her light silver eyes.
"You promised before that you would accompany me to look for the footprints of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Before you fulfill your promise, I don't plan to waste my energy on those who would rather believe rumors and slander than explore the truth of the world."
"Um, Luna... you are really..."
Aileen's eyes softened, and she reached out and gently scratched the little moon's nose.
Little master, there is more to this chapter, please click on the next page to continue reading, the following is more exciting!
"That won't do, if you continue like this, Neville and Mr. Scamander's grandson will be in danger..."
"Eh? Why?" Luna was stunned.
"It's nothing—"
Aileen shook her head meaningfully, "Go to bed early, you freshmen have to participate in training tomorrow. I'll have the kitchen send you some fruits and drinks, um... in your name, remember not to reveal it."
Speaking of……
Aileen said, raising her head to look at the clock on the common room alcove.
If Draco's information was correct, the "welcoming ceremony" on the Slytherin side should be starting soon, I wonder what surprise that reserve dark lord adjutant she personally appointed can bring her?
……
At the same time, below the castle.
Slytherin House common room.
This was a long, low basement with rough stone walls and ceilings. The basement was circular, with green glowing lamps chained to the ceiling. The room had a beautifully carved fireplace, and the crackling flames illuminated most of the common room.
One side of the common room was a large floor-to-ceiling window, and the curtains were decorated with silver-green stripes.
Most of the time the outside of the window was gray, but occasionally you could see the black shadow of a giant squid passing by in the Black Lake.
Unlike the common rooms of other houses, which were starting to become deserted, almost all the students appeared in the hall.
"So, it's that time again..."
In the center of the hall, a tall, beautiful girl took a deep breath and looked around at the Slytherins.
"We are different from other houses. In order to better manage the wizards in the house, we will start a challenge once a year at the beginning of the school year to select a student below the fifth grade to serve as a shadow prefect to assist the prefects in managing students in the first to fourth grades."
"After the shadow prefect is selected, starting from the last prefect, each person has one chance to challenge upwards. The winner can get the position of the loser—including me, Gemma Li'fa, will participate in the subsequent challenges."
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Chapter 1! 4000 words big chapter!
Mom ya!!