III: FIRST DAWN

                                    

                                          
Dumbledore's office appeared to be much like him in many ways, eccentric from even its entry point. The spectacled woman had led her down various hallways, each which seemed to wind down another darkened one, until she had finally rested her pace, mumbling off the name of a sweet to reveal a glowing staircase. Instead of leading as she had for the past few minutes, Mcgonagall instead ushered the girl up directing her to ascent the posteriors pathway. She of course obliged, heading upwards until she reached a room lined with shelves upon shelves of various books, all lit up under the glow of a dozen candles and torches. Although Dumbledore had yet to make an appearance in his office, the girl absentmindedly wandered around the cozy room, tracing the spines of  the books held by one of the bookshelves with her piercing eyes. One book in particular caught her gaze, almost drawing her forward with impossibly quiet whispers. It was a dark navy colour, worn with age and encrusted with golden pearls and seashells, almost as if the ocean had attempted to grab ahold of it only for a piece of itself to have broken apart in the process. Her fingers gently reached out hoping to discover its mysteries seeing as the embellishments of time had worn out the spine, leaving no title in its place. Just as her fingers grasped upon to the books edge Dumbledore's cheery voice rang through the warm air, causing her to let out a soft gasp and releasing the book. 
"Hello dear sorry to keep you waiting" 
"It's completely fine Headmaster, I was just observing your book collection"
At that, the aged man peered around her glimpsing at the book she had been holding not a moment earlier. 
"Ah a peculiar book that one"
He didn't care to elaborate further, instead moving across the small room to grab what appeared to be a dusty worn sack of fabric. Only once he pulled it out to its true form did she see the mouth and eyes which formed from the gaping shadows between the fabrics folds. 
"Well come on have a seat"
She nearly jumped back at the way the hat growled at her, hesitantly placing herself on the seat in front of the headmaster's desk. It fit snugly on top of her head, moving about as if it had to get comfortable enough to latch onto her thoughts. Y/n couldn't help but become slightly anxious at the thought of a sentient hat being able to wade through her thoughts, her desires, her secrets, all in one place for the sorting hat to devour and spit out without a moments notice. 
"Curious and curiouser, you have a lot of thoughts up in this pretty head of yours miss l/n"
The said girl tensed up slightly at his words hoping he would come to a verdict soon enough so that the whole matter of her stress could be laid to rest.
"My mother used to say brains before beauty"
"Hmmm did she now"
There was a string of hms and ahs from the hat as it continued to decipher where she could possibly belong. Until the girl suddenly felt a loss of movement upon her head as the hat stood still at attention before bellowing out its answer. 
"Ravenclaw!"
Dumbledore quickly plucked the hat off of her head, allowing for her hair to lightly tumble across her shoulders as she began wiping down her Beauxbaton uniform before picking herself up from her chair.
"Mcgonagal will show you to your room, unfortunately all of our shared rooms have been filled but I'm sure you won't have any issues making friends elsewhere"
Dumbledore looked at her with a twinkle in his eye and a warm smile which made Y/n believe he knew far more than he ever let on. 
"Thank you"
The girl carefully headed down the stairwell, hand grazing the spiral handrail before coming face to face with Mcgonagall who happened to still be waiting in the dimly lit hallway. They walked side by side in silence until they reached the top of the Ravenclaw tower, a bronze knocker before them. 
"Once you knock you'll have to answer a riddle to enter but your bedroom should be up the right, last door down the hallway"
Mcgonagall's expression softened, allowing her tensed shoulders to slightly relax,
"If you need anything please come find me or a Gryffindor student, they'll lead you to me"
Y/n smiled at her sudden warmth, nodding enthusiastically with what energy she could muster
"Thank you, truly"
Y/n parted ways with the professor, entering the doorway to find an airy room enhanced with blue embellishments. It almost reminded her of the Beauxbaton academy only with slightly darker blues. It was truly enchanting, filled wall to wall with golden and white bookshelves. A few students were straggling in the common area sparing her a few glances as they curiously watched her turn to the right to ascend a beautiful staircase. 
Her luggage had been set up in her room, lying atop a single bed adorned with a silk canopy which was pinned to each bed post. Deciding not to unpack her entire suitcase in the moment, she instead grabbed a set of silk pyjamas and her hairbrush, lying down onto her new bed. Feeling the exhaustion wash over her she began to glow out the various candles and torches which lit up her room in a buoyant glow. 
Even with the candles blown out the moonlight shone across her bed, getting off of the plush covers she waltzed across the room to the window, reaching for the curtains she began to draw them downwards. Her fingers halted as she saw the view below her. The Ravenclaw tower was high enough the peer across the grounds and whilst it was no beach on the French coastline there stood a body of water clear as day.
A lake which made her heart glow, feeling even slightly more at home.  
A/n 
Another slightly shorter chapter but I promise the love interests are on there way. Get excited everyone. I decided to put you into Ravenclaw cause I felt like I should make up for the lack of Ravenclaw love interests. 
Love, G