The Ravenclaw common room is a wide, circular room at the top of the seventh floor. Graceful arched windows punctuate the walls, which are hung with blue-and-bronze silks. During the day, Ravenclaws have a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. Overhead, the ceiling is domed and painted with stars, which are echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. There are tables, chairs, and bookcases, and in a niche opposite the door stands a tall statue of white marble: Rowena Ravenclaw. A delicate-looking circlet has been reproduced in marble on her head with the tiny words 'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure' etched into the diadem. The statue stands beside a door that leads up to the dormitories above.

Come in, have a seat and make new friends. Welcome to Ravenclaw!

Chelsea walks into the Ravenclaw Common room for the first time and looks around.

"Well, this is a pretty cool place actually."

Chelsea then proceeds on to the girl's dormitory.

Jen wanders slowly into the Ravenclaw Common Room after a magnificent feast, she comes to a dead stop after she sees how big and beautiful it is. She could definitely get used to this. Wondering when her other friends would show up, she sat down on a comfortable looking armchair next to the fire, thinking about how amazing this year was going to be.

Ellie walked into the common room.

Oh My Gosh. It looked just like the pictures- only more magical! There was so much blue! Her eyes traveled all around. From the silk hangings, to Rowena Ravenclaw's statue, to the tables and fireplace, to the mountainous view from the window, until they came to rest on the ceiling. She gasped. That was amazing! This whole room gave her an odd feeling. But at the same time, homey. She smiled to her self. Wow.

Vashti, happily skipping into the common room that she'd missed so much over the summer, grinned to find two of her first year friends already there, looking around in awe. "Ellie! Jen! What do you think?" she asked brightly, walking over to them. "Isn't it great?"

"Yes," Ellie agreed cheerfully. "It's very comfortable. And beautiful."

Victoria walked into the common room, a look of awe appearing on her face. She couldn't believe how beautiful the place looked! She noticed Jen, Ellie, and Vashti, but wondered if she should go other there. Suddenly, she heard a meow and looked as Mittens came from the girls' dormitory. With a smile, she picked up the small kitten and pet her before sitting down on the couch, beginning to feel comfortable.

Arlie came down the steps from the girls dormitories and peered into the common room. There were only a few girls there. Were there no boys in Ravenclaw? Shrugging it off, the girl headed for the window and plopped down in an empty chair. She then opened the book of poems she'd gotten from Aaron on their last birthday, and peered over the top of the book at the decor the room boasted. It was actually quite tasteful, considering it was a room in a tower of a school. And considering that everything was blue.

Vashti nodded in agreement to Ellie's reply, plopping herself onto the couch beside Victoria. "Ahhh, yes, these are comfy. I love them. They're perfect for reading on - or even sleeping on sometimes." She grinned teasingly.

Victoria smiled as Mittens looked at her in curiosity. "These do feel nice...I wonder how the girls' dormitories are...?"

Ellie also found herself wandering over to the couches and chairs. She was exhausted, but wanted to wait for the rest of her friends to come up before heading to bed. Tomorrow should be a long day. she thought.

Cooties. Everywhere. In the corner, in the hallway, and ESPECIALLY in the Boy's Dormitory of the Ravenclaw Tower. But thankfully she wasn't allowed in there. And there was always the Girl's Bathroom or the Girl's Dormitory to seek refuge from such infestation. Cooties may be an irrational fear, but it wasn't for Mercedes Finklestein. To her, it was REAL. And not something to take lightly. It was life or death. Merlin, this was COOTIES. Cedes had to be alert and on her toes.

Glancing around, the girl walked into the Common Room with much caution. Were there any boys around? One would think that such a fear would've ended around fourth grade when childish elementary school crushes began to form, but no... that was probably the time that such a fear developed. Boys. Cooties. EVERYWHERE. She wasn't safe.

"The dorms are great as well," Vashti answered, grinning as she reached over to scratch Mittens behind the ear. "The beds are really comfy too." Glancing between the two for a moment, she then asked, "So how do you like Hogwarts so far?"

Victoria nodded with a small smile. "I like it so far...probably be better once I start talking to more people and actually begin classes. Honestly, I can't wait for Charms and Herbology."

She smiled even more as Mittens jumped onto Vashti's lap. She twirled a couple times before curling in a ball and lay there, allowing the girl to continue to pet her.

Arlie did not fail to notice the nervous-looking girl enter the Common Room. Frowning slightly, for she had no clue why anyone could be worried when they were safely locked inside a big school with thick stone walls, the girl closed her book and set it next to her. She debated with herself over whether or not to go introduce herself to the girl. The nervous girl looked old... but she was probably nice enough, right?

Arlie figured she would take her chances.

Leaving the book of poetry on her chair so no one would take her seat, the eleven-year-old stood up and walked lightly over to the nervous girl. She tapped the girl on the shoulder and cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said politely. "Are you okay? You look real worried, and probably not 'cause of classes because they 'aven't started yet even."

"Honestly? I'm in love." Ellie laughed. "But, no really. Everyone here is so nice. And it's so amazing. I'm in a state of ecstasy. It's dream-like." Yes, she was finally here. Siiggghhhhh.

Jen smiled at them. "I could so get used to this!" she trilled

Brody walked into the common room. He had just spent a train ride with girls, then hung out with his gorlfriend. He wanted to talk to someone he didn't know. Preferably a guy, but anyone would work just fine.

Kel walked cheerfully into the common room, looking forward to getting a comfortable armchair by the fireplace and relaxing. Maybe talk to a friend or two. Wonderful, right?

His hopes were quickly dashed when he entered the big, blue room. Merlin! There were so many girls. Little girls. Little girls that Kel didn't know. Oh, how lovely. Maybe I can sneak through and get to the boy's dorm without being noticed.

As he thought this, Kel started the long quest to the Boy's Dormitory. It was a real downer that the dorm was on the other side of the common room. But! He could do it. He quickly made his way to the wall closest to him and put his back against it. Then, when his back was safely covered, he started inching his way around the wall toward his dorm. He could make it, he could make it...

It was these rare moments that Cedes wished she was a Slytherin, which was really a ridiculous idea but at least she'd be with Lucky. That girl was probably her best and one of her only friends. Sure she needed to make more friends, but what did it matter when it was compared to the risk of cooties? But Cedes had vowed to her father that she wouldn't be so impossible and would just deal with it like a man. But then she told him that she wasn't a man and men had cooties. Well at least, men that were under the age of eighteen. But after reading this article in the Cootie Digest, Cedes wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe the male professors had a chance in getting it too!

In the midst of all this thinking, Cedes had stood planted in the same place she had been upon entering. Should she stay here in the Common Room and possibly get exposed to cooties? Or go into the safe haven of the Girl's Dormitory. Even though Cedes wanted to make an effort to make more friends this term, and MAYBE with some of the opposite gender, but it was clear what her choice was going to be. Just as she was about to head for the stairs. She felt a tap on her shoulder and Cedes froze.

BOY? No. Waittt... the voice sounded like a girl's.

Cedes turned around to look at a small girl with brown hair and a curious expression on her face. Or maybe it was puzzled. Who knows? She was no mind reader.

"Oh. Hellooooo... I'm mighty fine, thank you for asking. It's nothing really. I think the coast is clear," she said, nodding her head as she glanced around. No men. Whew. Back to the girl. Well wasn't she just a sweeeeeeeeetheart?!

Ellie nodded in agreement.

"Indeed."

Arlie grinned. The girl was okay! And she seemed nice, too. That was always always always a plus. But something she said puzzled Arlie, and the first year tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean, 'the coast is clear'?" Clear of what? Mice? Maybe there had been a mice infestation, and that was why the girl was nervous. Uh-oh. Arlie didn't like mice, or any other rodent. Or any other animal, for that matter.

"My name's Arlette, by the way," Arlie said, standing on her tippy toes so that she was closer to five feet tall than she normally was. "What's your name?"

Adam walked into the common room, smiling and greeting everyone. He found an empty couch to sit in, as he began to draw his mystery girl.

Brody saw an older guy walk into the common room. A guy! Ecen though he was older he was not a girl!

"Hi," he said to him. "My name is Brody Coons, first year." He offered his name for her to shake.

Jen noticed Adam sitting alone and she smiled and snuck over to him. "Hey, stranger." she whispered in his ear and giggled.