Ravenclaw

Chapter 75- Secret Hideaway

Song for the chapter: Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld with Alesso, Florida Georgia Line and WATT

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     "Remember to work on spellwork-- swish and flick!"
     The first-years of the Ravenclaw house gathered up their Charm books and notes issued by their Head of House, rushing out of the classroom and to the Defence classroom. Godric had accepted to take up Rowena's Defence classes for today, and seeing that he enjoyed them, he greeted the students warmly and started to teach. He winked at Rowena as she rushed past his classroom, and she quickly made her way down to the Quidditch pitch.
     It was the Ravenclaw house's turn for Quidditch tryouts, and even though Godric is the best at the broom and Salazar wasn't too bad either, she was pretty skilled at the broom, and in turn, was pretty confident about recruiting the best of the best.
     The bell that signalled the end of the last class rang just as she took out the equipment needed for the trials-- Beater bats, gloves, and the respective balls-- and many blue-tied students poured onto the pitch, clasping their brooms tightly and chatting about which positions they wanted to take up.
     Rowena got the students to line up according to which role they wished to try for and then to arranged themselves by year-- but then she realised that there were too many people to choose from, she'd take nearly the whole day. So in the end, she grouped them into teams of 14, asking them to play a little game of Quidditch for their trial.
     "Craig, that's a foul!" She said, sighing and crossing the young first-years name in out. In all honesty, most of the first-years only started their flying lessons late the first week of school, and even though they were four weeks into the new school year, there wasn't much talent seen in the Ravenclaw first-years. True to their house, they excelled better in their studies.
     She blew a whistle as a sixth year tackled a fifth, and then people started to become restless-- some abandoned their quest in getting on to the team and marched up to the seats of the stands surrounding the pitch.
     "I really need a break after this," She said, exasperated, and soon, she called the names of the faithful seven who performed superbly at the trials. "Alicia Connery and Marais Fitzburg from fourth year are my Chasers, Jackson Smith from fifth year as well...Skye Miller and Eli Jones from sixth year, you will be my Beaters. Evan Williams, seventh year, you will be our Keeper. And of, the position of our Seeker..."
     The crowd of Ravenclaws awaited her reveal with bated breath. Students from other houses trickled down to the pitch to watch the trials, to scope the competition. They strained their ears to hear who was to be their fated enemy in the sport that would be starting two months later. Rowena smiled, teasing the crowd.
     "Harper Davies, second year, welcome to the team."
     The faces of those who didn't make the team fell, but they pulled encouraging smiles onto their faces to congratulate those who have. Friends of the chosen few threw their hands in the air, screaming and yelling to celebrate the success of the new Quidditch team. The team in question, were greeting each other and immediately discussing tactics and strategies-- it was clear that their passion for the sport paid off.
     Rowena, completely and utterly exhausted from speeding round the pitch and breaking up fights in between players, that she waved a hand and made sure that everyone was at least on their way back to the castle before taking her broom and speeding off to her office, where she crashed through the window and instantaneously repaired the mess.
     Her eagle Fenella sat on her perch, a rolled up piece of parchment clasped in between her beak, and Rowena—sensing that it was something important, for the bird hadn't dropped it onto the table— rushed forward to take it from her. She grimaced a little as a drop of the bird's saliva dripped onto the edge of the parchment, but quickly sat down at her desk and started reading.
     It was a letter from her sister, and tragedy it beheld:

Dear Rowena,

I am writing to you in the hopes that Fenella will come to bring this to you, and that the letter would not be intercepted. It is of utmost importance that you do not reply— no matter how many questions you have, I'm afraid it would have to wait. It is too dangerous; I cannot risk being found communicating with you.