The Pantheon
The Ravenclaw common room was a mystery to all not welcome, those who could not solve the riddle would forever wonder how it worked in the land of nerds and stuck ups. But to those nerds, it was a home.
The shelves were filled with books, books the ministry had banned centuries ago, and the sheer number of desks for research and testing were prone to being covered in non-tested potions and volatile creations of pure madness. One could assume all Ravenclaws used this for homework.
No, no, no Mon Cherie.
Each raven in that tower would much rather do personal passion projects than homework any day. Homework meant nothing to them.
But, despite their protests, the Taranis would never let any of them fall behind. For Ysabeau Abreo was not made Taranis for nothing. She was smart as a whip and could solve any riddle the door gave her in ten seconds flat or less. She was born for it.
Earning the title her fifth year, and now a seventh, she had lived up to her predecessors. And now, as she glanced around the gathered Pantheon, young, able, and brilliant, she preened with satisfaction. She had done this.
"I trust you know why I've summoned you." She picked her nails as she spoke, flitting around her six companions. "Acacia wishes to summon myself, Diggory, and Weasley for a meeting of House Leaders. Why escapes my knowledge. I have met with Diggory and Weasley, and while they are content to meet with the Queen, I wished to ask for all your advice before making my decision."
Preston Langley, the third-year rep, shook his head. "Slytherins care only for themselves. This can only mean trouble."
Maeve Imon sighed, "Acacia has only been kind to those outside her house." She had become her years representative in her own third year, now in her fifth, and she had never been dethroned. "This could be the chance for a united Hogwarts that we've been waiting for."
"Or it could be our doom." The ever-suspicious voice of Reese Thomas, first year brother to Dean Thomas, spoke up. The first-year rep was often switching between him and Margaret Smith, but he did his job well.
"Your paranoid, Reese, the most it could be is a chance to jinx us. And nobody would go against Ysabeau in a fight, not if they know what's good for them." Tiffany Underhill slapped the back of Reese's head as she spoke. One year his senior, but infinitely less paranoid.
Ysabeau looked around, only two had not spoken up yet. Her fourth and sixth year representatives. The two looking right back at her.
"Max, Luna, your thoughts?" She quieted the rising arguments coming from the other four.
"Acacia did a lot of good work last year. Slytherins have never been more... tolerant of other houses, and have even been seen befriending our own. I think she's just starting to reach out. I mean she can't be worse than Diana." Max explained, his hand rubbing at his neck.
"I think it will be worth it." Luna said, twirling her blonde hair. "There were wrack spurts around her before. But they've cleared now."
Not many cared for Luna's oddities. But Ysabeau felt that worse advice had come less odd people, and what harm did it really bring?
It wasn't long before they came to the census that Ysabeau would join Diggory and Weasley at the meeting. For the first time in two hundred and fourteen years, the Hogwarts Council would convene.
As she cleaned up the common room, she stared at her worktable. She just couldn't get her journal to work, something was missing, and she did not know what. Nothing she tried worked. Not runes, not charms, not potions. No spells could make her journal work right. It was meant record her thoughts, to keep track of all her questions and trails of thought while she experimented. But it wouldn't connect to the hairband she wore. And she didn't know why.
"Ysa," Luna said, standing in the doorway. Her shoes were gone, and her eyes spelled danger. "I don't think the tournament will end well." She whispered.
Ysabeau sighed, setting down her towel. "I know, Luna. I know."
"I am scared."
"Me too." The older girl whispered; she gathered the younger in a hug. "Me too Luna."
Luna let out a breath, "Acacia must mend her bond before we can save each other."
Ysabeau would pretend she knew what the blonde meant. Just as she did every time Luna said something like this. For all the top marks she got, for all the riddles she solved, Luna was the puzzle she could never figure out. And the one raven she would never be able to help.
"Go to bed, Luna. Tomorrow will come sooner if you do."