Tora finally got to the top of the stairs only to be confronted with that blasted door knocker again. Ugh. She really hated this door knocker. She tapped it and waited for the expectedly annoying question.

You are given a mystery ball and are told that it has a whole-number weight between 1 and 40 lbs (inclusive).
You are then given a balance scale are are allowed to pick four weights, each weighing any whole-number amount. You much choose these weights so that no matter what the mystery ball weighs, you will be able to determine its weight using just the balance scale and these four weights.
What weights should you choose?

Oh why could she not just enter the common room? She sat down at the top of the stairs and tried to puzzle it out but couldn't come up with anything. As she was sitting, she realized that she was sitting in yet another pile of dust and dirt. Astronomy homework time! Maybe she could figure out the answer after she sucked up some of this dirt. (Maybe she could suck the door knocker up too if she was lucky)
"Vacavus!" She said tapping the blue vacuum that she carried with her practically everywhere now. After a couple minutes she had finished sucking up any dust and dirt she could conceivably reach. The vacuum died out and she sat down comfortably leaning against the wall.
OOC: Just so you know, Professor, the homework part of this post is done

She got out her notebook and continued to attempt to figure out the ridiculous riddle. First she figured that she would need a 1 weight, so she could measure the least amount it could be, then she tried 1 and 2, but that would only get her to weights 1-3. So she tried 1 and 3 which would give her weights up to four but that seemed too little still. She continued to think for several more minutes, very glad that she had decided to use a pencil so she could erase the combinations that didn't work. Finally she came up with the numbers 1, 3, 9, and 27. She tapped the door knocker again and said irritably "One, three, nine, and twenty-seven. Now please just let me in already!" It was really frustrating that she couldn't ever seem to just get in the common room when she wanted. And now on top of that she had to go pay at the turnstiles!

The common room was feeling a bit stuffy, in part because people piled in there and then were afraid to leave and pay to get back in. Still, Mo didn't go too far with his little gargoyle friend. And he dragged a younger kid with him to do that whole 'paying it forward' thing. Plus Aquila was dead amusing.

"Now, then... we ought to come up with some tricks to do together, right? But maybe we just master the spell first." Mo sat on the top step and set his gargoyle at his feet. "Piertotum locomotor," he cast the spell and then gave his gargoyle a little shove with his foot.

What to do first? No marching or jumping or whatever, because that was pretty standard stuff. "Somersaults, little gargoyle. Three in a row and then some jazz hands at the end." He hoped that Aquila would see his gargoyle be all inspired and come up with a plan for their gargoyles.

Watching little gargoyles strut their stuff was funneh. But it would’ve been funnier if she could also do the same thing with her gargoyle.

Aquila followed Mo clumsily clutching her notes and her gargoyle and her wand. “Yeah funny funny tricks.” she nodded happily, although really that’s moreso wishful thinking on her part. She has yet to get her stone gargoyle to feign even a crack.

She set her gargoyle down on her notes that has the spell written all big and repetitive. Then the young one’s eyes grew large when Mo wanted to have his gargoyle do somersaults. “Uhm uhm okay....” she squeaked, pursing her lips together to concentrate. “Piertotum Locomotor” she said, tapping the gargoyle on the head “Do a forward flip!”

The gargoyle promptly fell flat on its face.

One somersault. Two somersaults. Three... well, sorta somersaults. Mo tilted his head at the half-done somersault and NO jazz hands before nudging at his gargoyle again. AND recasting the spell, "Piertotum Locomotor." DO IT. "Somersaults. Three. Go."

And now he could pay attention to Aquila, who looked once again like she was seeing the whole world for the first time. Her poor gargoyle seemed to have a case of the dropsies, and Mo scooted over and put his hand over hers on the wand. "You're saying it just perfect, okay? But you have to mean it. He doesn't feel bad if you boss him around, and the spell won't work unless you're really firm and feel it all the way in your toes. So be a little bossy." He wouldn't tell a soul if she was.

Her gargoyle moved! It moved! It....

... no it didn’t. It fell.

Aquila’s face crumbled disappointingly at her gargoyle that was seeming making like a star fish on her parchment. She looked up at Mo as he held her wand hand, then angled her head to the side “Bossy?...” she almost visibly shrank. She wasn’t really bossy, well at least there hasn’t been anything to make her react that way, content she was with just dreaming away “Right ok... mean it. Be bossy.” she repeated, psyching herserlf up and putting her mean face on.... which looked more perplexed than mean but hey least she’s trying.

“Piertotum Locomotor!” she uttered again, tapping the gargoyle on its back “Please get up....” oh no that’s not bossy “Uhm... I mean.... Get up! Do cartwheels. Now!”

The gargoyle flipped to its side and flopped on its back. Then it started to flail its tiny arms. Aquila stared. Was it trying to get up? She looked at Mo and winced, ready to apologize again when suddenly...

She brough out a small packet of liquorice comfits and sprinkled the sweets all over the flailing gargoyle. “There! Its making like a snow angel.”

*BEAMS*

"Key..." Mo sighed and dramatically dropped his face to her shoulder. She wasn't the least bit bossy, and now she was letting her gargoyle decide what it wanted to do. That was not the way this was supposed to work. But it was sort of endearing. Making the best of things always was.

"Just... put him up on his feet and let him try again. Maybe he's like a turtle and can't get up?" And yes, thanks, he was going to eat some of the candy she was dropping all over the stairs. Hungry boy was hungry.

Oh! "Piertotum Locomotor," Mo poked at his gargoyle and pointed out Aquila's flailing stone thingy-ma-bobber. "Pick him up. PLEASE." See? One could be polite and bossy both. She should try it.

Aquila gave Mo a sheepish smile and a small shrug “At least its moving yeah?” always looking at the silver lining this one.

She gazed in amazement at how Mo got his gargoyle to help her gargoyle up. Mo gave a command-- and it followed it. Her gargoyle was now up and stopped flailing—but it was still holding onto Mo’s gargoyle. “Piertotum Locomotor.... shake its hand and say thank you.” Wait can it talk?

No matter. Her little gargoyle moved its hands, shaking the hands of Mo’s little statue... and shook its hands... and shook its arms.... and started to hop around with Mo’s gargoyle in tow. Hop hop hop....

It was almost like it was hopping around to the tune of the old nursery song Ring-a-round a rosie, a pocket full of posies...

Good news was that Aquila's gargoyle had finally followed her directions. Bad news was that it was now dragging his gargoyle around. Maybe was even teaching his gargoyle bad habits. "Oy! Stop that!"

Mo reached out and put a hand on both of the gargoyles, settling them both to a stop with firm pressure and a very VERY stern look. "Behave yourselves, you two. We're learning tricks here, and those shenanigans are not helpful." And now he was being very bossy.

They needed to learn to do something together, especially because Aquila's gargoyle seemed more obedient when it had a friend. Strange little stone creatures... what could they do together? "BALLET."

Ahem. "Ballet. Piertotum Locomotor. Spin Aquila's gargoyle and then DIP."

Aquila was giggling. Her gargoyle sort of followed her command... before it went to do its own thing. Again. Or maybe its starting to do something for the first time ever. Who knows.

She resumed her perplexed stern face on the gargoyles when Mo grabbed them and made them stop. But the sternness quickly melted back to giggling when Mo commanded their statues to into a graceful ballet. Tapping her wand on her gargoyle she uttered “Piertotum Locomotor.... spin with Mo’s gargoyle and dip...”

The little gargoyle spun, just as it was told.... but then it started to dip Mo’s gargoyle too while it was being dipped. The result was Mo’s hapless little statue being flung through the air—

Gaaaasp! “Nuuuu!” she squeaked as she moved quickly to catch Mo’s gargoyle with her hands.

"OY, KEY!" Mo threw himself forward to catch his gargoyle before it crashed against the stairs and nearly smushed Aquila in the process. What was she playing at... making it dip while his was clearly dipping? THEY CANNOT BOTH DIP. This was just... how dancing worked. Rules of dancing 101: not everyone gets to dip.

He calmed down as he forced himself back on the top step and put his gargoyle back on the step. "Piertotum Locomotor. Now listen you," he addressed his gargoyle. "You're the boy, okay? You lead in dancing. You twirl your partner. You dip your partner. YOu do not get flung in the air, but IF YOU SHOULD, then you use those blamed wings and land again."

Mo settled back and watched his gargoyle bow low to Aquila's before taking the other gargoyle in his arm and spinning across the step. There now... that was good.

This was perhaps the second time—and from the same boy even—that Aquila encounters the main things about the male species. They were strong, far stronger than she was. And that was quite scary to her.

“Sorryyy Mo.” she whimpered as she nervously twisted the end of her hair out of habit. Her command to the gargoyle was to dip along with the Mo’s gargoyle—not do its own dipping.

Poor comprehensions skills little gargoyle statue. Or maybe it simply had a mind of its own...

She turned to look at her gargoyle, which was now flat on its back again. “Piertotum Locomotor... dance with Mo’s gargoyle... let it lead. And no throwing!” yeah she got a little bossy there in the last part.

Well her little gargoyle spun and spun just as it was told. Then it started to slow down and finally paused, spread it arms and wings in adulation of its spectators before making a gracious bow. These gargoyles are awesome and they know it.

Mika had been wondering what she wanted her little gargoyle to do next ever since she had left the common room. Heck, she had only made it to the bronze knocker – seriously, she was just standing in the hallway when it hit her. She could have her little guy run and hop and skip next to her to her next location.

Or she could just sit down and play with it – and that, that sounded far more interesting. “Piertotum Locomotor” she pointed the wand at the little guy and he snapped to life, as if listening for her next command. “Now, buddy will you go crawl on your hands and knees like a lethargic zombie?” She asked it and smirked, yep “and while you do this reach your hands out like you want to grab things” yep she was so teaching her thing how to be a creeper. But she didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she was teaching it how to attack and chase her. Nope, that was not the case at all.

Walking on to his last destination...

Forrest's eyes were searching tiredly for something dirty though everywhere seemed to be dirty to him and just when he'd lost all his hope, he found it.

It was actually lucky for him to have spotted it, because he was never too careful while looking around, and he had almost paid no heed this time too, save for a little jerk in that eagle. He'd climbed the spiral stairs out of curiosity, and he'd almost turned away with a disappointed expression, when it spoke.

He gasped and almost let go of the vacuum cleaner. He then GAPED at the knocker, which repeated its question.

He was lost since the first word of course, but it didn't matter. This was the entrance of Ravenclaw Common Room, the wisest people on earth. One couldn't help but wonder at it as they had to answer those impossible questions every day. And apparently they got it correct too, because there was no one lying in front of the door.

Except, him and his poor brain.

It took him longer than normal to get out of shock and fascination. He was FASCINATED to his last cell. He'd already known they were smarter than him, but he didn't know they were smart.

It was probably rude to stare greedily at the door, so he blinked and touched the knocker timidly as he smiled sheepishly to himself. He'd almost forgotten why he was there. Cleaning. Right.

Raising the hose (he hadn't dropped it this time!) he casted the spell quickly and directed the hose at the knocker, still wondering at the magic and brains. If it came up with a new riddle every day, that meant it had a brain, because even the best computer could never compete with a human brain, and he doubted magic would level it. Gasping as the idea fully hit him, he quickly pulled back the hose and ran down the spiral staircase excitedly to his favourite professor, Professor Airey.

Alistaire Firth arrived at the bronze knocker without seeing any sign of students. He was checking to make sure students weren't loitering to gossip but were actually getting back to bed as instructed. After checking on the Gryffindors, he had then made his way to Ravenclaw Tower.

Listening carefully, he waited to see if any conversations would reach his ears. However, he was pleased to find that the Eagles, much like the Lions, had at the very least moved their discussions into their common room. Excellent. That leaves Slytherin and Hufflepuff for Annie. It was definitely time to be getting back to bed.

After a slow morning wandering the castle and the grounds while trying to decipher her father's letter, Lily decided to return to the common room to get her stuff for lunch. She had heard about the issues with dementors being seen so just as a precaution, the fifth year had tucked her wand under her headband and behind her ear so that it was easily accessible.

As she stood at the knocker, she stopped to listen to the riddle and try to solve it.
I open wide and tight I shut, sharp am I and paper-cut fingers too, so do take care, I'm good and bad, so best beware...

After pausing for several moments, the redheaded claw decided to take a seat and try to puzzle the riddle out, pulling out some of her favorite candy as she thought about it.

So, after a few months later, Forrest had arrived at THE place once again to check out the knocker thingy. It was going to be very historical, you see, a SCANDAL even. Climbing all the stairs to the seventh floor PLUS the stairs to history with the energy of being just twelve years old, he stopped right in front of the door, and looked at the bronze shape. It asked him a riddle right away, of course, but who was he to have the brains to answer it? He just stood there and got engaged into a staring contest with the bronze. Surely no Ravenclaw would come out/in on a Sunday right after breakfast.

Sundays were perfect for sleeping in. Especially when one was up most of the night trying to catch up studying for NEWTs. With everything that had gone on this term.. and was still going on.. finding time to study was becoming increasingly difficult for the seventh year. But with time soon running out, he had to squeeze the time in where he could..

Though sleeping in had been nice, Ethan had missed breakfast in the Great Hall and now would have to make something himself in the kitchen if he wanted to eat at all. He was rather hungry, now that he thought of it, and scrambled eggs and toast sounded particularly appetizing this morning. He could actually make that particular dish pretty well too. Oh, and an espresso.. the boy could not function in the morning without caffeine.

He had pushed open the common room door to begin his trek down the many flights of stairs towards the kitchen, when his eyes fell on a smaller figure standing outside. Hmm.. trouble with the riddle? Ethan was about to hold the door open for the younger boy to head inside, knowing that those riddles could be tricky, especially for the littler ones, to gain access.. but he realized he didn't know this kid. And he wasn't a Ravenclaw anyway, was he? So what was he doing all the way up at Ravenclaw tower then?

"Hey, there.." Ethan directed a smile towards the younger boy. "Can I help you with something?" He looked a bit out of place here and that was his job as Prefect, anyway, right? To help out students.. even those not in his house..

History in the making. What had Professor Airey said? That it WOULD wear out one day. And Roweva Ravenclaw lived over 1000 years ago. Nothing lasted that long. One of these days it would stop--

But of course someone had to come in and ask him questions. Forrest looked up. Apparently, he couldn't resemble the stairs to not be noticed. Hmm. Was there a spell for that? He should learn it.

"No thank you, Mister Prefect." Cuuuute smiles and deeeeep breaths to hide he was kinda intimidated by him. One thing Hogwarts had taught him: Don't be intimidated by older students. Though it was easier to say than actually do it. What if he told him to go away? "I'm just waiting for the moment." Surely he knew what 'the moment' was, he was a Ravenclaw PREFECT. Would he like to join him too? It was boring to wait here alone.

Well, wasn't he polite? The younger boy earned a small smile from the Prefect as manners went a long way with Ethan. Seemed like the exception to the rule anymore.. though that line of thinking probably came from the lessons he had as a kid that he could not shake from his head.

Okay.. so he didn't need anything, maybe he was waiting for someone, like a Ravenclaw, to come out to meet him? Or.. the moment..? Umm.. Ethan looked curiously at the kid for a moment before looking behind himself and then just in the general vicinity. What was this child talking about? "The moment..?" he repeated questioningly as he looked back to the boy. "What moment would that be?" Curiosity got the better of him and he just had to ask.. he was a Ravenclaw, after all.

Forrest LOVED smiles. The sincere ones ALWAYS meant good stuff, and he just took The Prefect's smile as 'approval'. Like, 'I give permission to you to wait here.' Or, 'I approve of you as your prefect.' So Forrest offered his shy smile back, and turned his eyes at the knocker.

..."But you don't know?" He could watch the knocker for only a few seconds before he had to eye the Prefect in total shock. He even searched for a trace of mocking, but there was none. It looked like pure puzzlement to him.

Head of houses should be more careful with prefect choices, because this one was clearly the most ignorant student.

"The moment that the spell on this knocker wears out! The moment that the knocker won't be able to speak anymore. Every spell got a life, and Professor Flamsteed said this one might wear out soon." Okay maybe he didn't particularly said soon, but he did say it'd been around for over 1000 years, and that was A LOOOOT of time.

So. Soon. History in making.

Ethan let his curious eyes follow the young boy's gaze to the knocker, then he looked back at him again. Was he waiting to hear the riddle so he could attempt entrance? The Prefect would have had no problem with that except he knew this one was not from his house and really did not need to be inside. Or else he would know that one needed to knock with the knocker to get it to speak.

Was this the moment to which he referred? The moment the knocker spouted out its riddle?

Ethan opened his mouth to answer the boy. Of course he knew.. he knew how the knocker worked and he usually could work out the answer to allow him inside.. but apparently that was not what this boy meant. The 18 year old quirked an eyebrow at the young boy as he listened to his explanation. Well.. that certainly was an interesting line of thinking..

"Flamsteed told you this?" Green eyes lifted from the boy to wander over to the bronze knocker. "And he said that would be happening.. sometime today?" Or else the kid might be standing around just staring for an awful long time. He turned back to the boy, slightly amused. "Well, he is right about spells having an expiration.. but did you ever consider that the knocker might have already been re-enchanted?" And probably more than once was likely as old as it was..

"I have to re-cast the tracking charm on my cat all the time," he added with a shrug. Did Flamsteed seriously tell this unassuming child to stand here and watch to see the spell wear out on Ravenclaw's knocker.. or maybe it was another of the man's practical jokes.

Forrest nodded, dead serious. "Well he didn't say today particularly, but some time soon." And no offence Mr. Prefect, but he was missing the history by looking at him while conversing. He wanted to see EVERY minute of it. He wondered whether the knocker would choke or just stop talking. He looked back at the knocker as he nodded dead serious again.

"Professor said it hasn't, though. At least he's never seen it." So, he might be THE Ravenclaw, but they could still think of that possibility and Professor had ruled it out. So. It was gonna happen SOON. He just hoped dearly it wouldn't be in the summer.

Should he make small-talk while waiting? It would make the wait more enjoyable...

"Minerva said you live in Germany. Are you German?" Curious, short looks in his way; because he had to watch the knocker too.

Ethan just stared at the younger boy, not really sure of what to say. Even if it was true, it just seemed like an awful lot of time just wasted standing by and watching. And he didn't know if it would even be today? "Some time soon.." he repeated slowly as in thought. "Soon is a relative term though.. It could mean the next few hours or it could mean next month." Or even in a few years, to be honest. If one thought about it, five years was considered soon in comparison to 100 years, right? "Are you really going to just stand here, watching, without really knowing how long you'd need to do so?" Ethan glanced back at the bronze knocker before returning his gaze to the curious boy.

And that was only if it was actually going to happen, which was doubtful to the Prefect. He raised a speculative eyebrow in regards to Flamsteed. Really? What did he know about it? "Well.. he hasn't been here very long either. This is only his second year teaching." And if he went to school here, Ethan didn't know. But he had a hard time believing that if he did go to Hogwarts that he was a Ravenclaw, so he most likely didn't spend a lot of time in this general vicinity. "Is it not possible that the spell was re-cast while he was not here.. and without his knowledge? Certainly he hasn't kept his eye on this thing for 1000 years to know."

This boy was rather confusing in his willingness to believe the professor without really thinking it through, but Ethan found it somewhat amusing as well. He took a moment to look at the bronze knocker, then snapped his eyes back to the kid as he spoke, staring at him curiously for a moment. Um.. what? He didn't realize the boy knew who he was.. though it was probably the prefect position that gave him some recognition. "Oh.. you know Minerva?" he said with a hint of surprise. "Well.. yes.. I'm German," he replied with a hint of a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "What's your name, anyway?" He figured he must know his.. might as well learn the younger boy's as well.

Forrest nodded, dead serious, as the boy repeated his words. His eyes were on the knocker, but he was also eyeing the boy out of the corner of his eye. But his words made him kinda uneasy... maybe Flamsteed didn't know it all about the matter, yes... maybe he was just guessing... Forrest frowned, looked up at the boy in confusion. So it was a battle of sense and the desire to make into history. Could Professor Flamsteed really not know a thing? Well, he'd sounded vague but...

"Yeah she's helped me a lot..." he said thoughtfully as his frown got deeper while he examined the knocker with his eyes. It was obvious his mind wasn't with the Prefect. It was currently working full-capacity for the knocker. "I'm Forrest." He still wasn't looking at the boy--until he asked whether he was going to stand there all day.

"Library!" His face shone momentarily as he'd stared into the eyes of the older boy, and he ran towards the stairs without even excusing himself. He had to learn and make it into history!