The Ravenclaw Aerie

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Luna's Eclipse: Chapter 1

This time, you have an invitation, and as it’s between Terms, you think it would be fun to go. No borrowing brooms for late-night flights, no (you hope) crazy mixed up Magical Creatures... just a few days in Norway with Luna and her boys.

You take Muggle transportation, because you’re not allowed to use magic outside of school. The train fascinates you. You watch the landscape outside the window change. It is a nearly three-day journey from London, via Cologne and Copenhagen, to Oslo, and you enjoy the whole experience, including the sleeper car between Cologne and Copenhagen. The Hogwarts Express takes a day, but you’ve never had to sleep on a train before. The little bunk makes you happy.

Rolf Scamander, who is somehow more... solid than Luna, meets you at the station. He takes you to a tavern in Oslo that, like the Leaky Cauldron, seems to be invisible to the passing Muggles. Inside he sits at a table and orders soup and bread for both of you. “Luna and the boys can’t wait to see you,” he says. “We’re glad you’ve come.” He tells you that this pub--the Heksebrygget, which roughly translates as “The Witch’s Brew,” is the gateway to Norway’s Wizarding community in much the same way that the Leaky Cauldron is the gateway to Diagon Alley. “Someday you can visit the Veiviser Landsbyen--the Wizarding Village--with us, but for today, since you’re only up for a short visit, we’ll just use the Røykkanal Nettverk--the Floo Network to you!” He leads you to a big fireplace and throws a bit of what you recognize as Floo Powder into the fire, and shouts “Scamandershuset!” and you step in and you’re speeding off in an instant, and then you see Luna’s happy face as you re-orient yourself after the usual bumpy Floo ride.

You hug Luna and the boys, who come running as soon as you step out of the fire. Rolf materializes behind you. “All right, boys, grab your things!” Rolf says joyfully. “Snowshoes! Rucksacks! Everyone wearing their long johns? Luna, my dear, we’ll see you in a day or so, and give you two time to catch up!”

Before you know it, they are out the door. You look through the window and see the three of them on snowshoes, shrinking away into the distant snow.

Luna smiles. “Rolf and the boys hate tidying and packing,” she says, “and we have such a lot to do before we set out.”

“Where are you going?” you ask, befuddled.

“Oh! Well, you know--Ravenclaw needs to win that House Cup back, dear one! Rolf and I decided we’d be better off a little closer to Hogwarts, in case you need any help! Now. We’ll be setting off on January 1, of course, just in time for the new Term. But there’s so much we can do right now to get things in order.”

And she begins a list...

1. Ielith’s Queue Revitalists thread--it’s a contest for those who get their queues usable before Term starts! Miniskeins are at stake, my friend! You should go do this!

2. The Advanced Studies thread--plan your OWL! If you think OWLs won’t help us win that cup back, you’re kidding yourself. Not enough fun? Plan a NEWT! Too much? Plan an Order Mission!

3. The Chores Tag thread--get your house in order so you can craft, guilt-free, in January!

4. Stashdown! Pledge to use your stash in 2012! Craft smarter!

5. The Accountability Partners thread--to help you find a buddy to work with in your quest!

6. SadieLou Plans! You know you want one! This magic link will take you straight to a fabulous idea of GazeboGal’s... a spreadsheet. Doesn’t that make your Ravenclaw heart go pit-a-pat?

7. And don’t forget that you can finish a project on the first of the month for Detention!

You get excited... you will help Luna pack and get ready for her Epic Eclipse. We will see that Cup back on our Mantel, to be sure!

Do It For Luna!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

2011 Fall Convocation: Luna's Adventures

Editor's note: In September, 2011, the following story was published in the Convocation thread. Many of you followed it; some did not. Now we invite all Ravenclaws to read the story. You can follow links at the bottom of this post to the rest of the story.

At the very end of this tale, you will learn that Luna has a request, a hope, for us Ravenclaws. Will you rise to Luna's challenge? Will you sign her pledge? Will you Do It For Luna?

You are in the Common Room, just settling down with that great book on Muggle Particle Physics you’ve been hoping to have a chance to read all week. The Common Room is quiet--everyone else must be down at dinner, or up in their dorms. You spot Ember sleeping in a ball up on the mantelpiece, and Foxy’s tail disappears up the stairway to the dormitories, but otherwise, all is nearly silent. Ah, well, you think, this will make for excellent reading time.

As you sink down into a particularly comfy armchair by the fireplace, you hear a sound over in the corner by the bookshelves. “Psst!” You look up, puzzled, and seeing nothing, you look down again. “Psst!!” There it is again, louder and more insistent this time. When you look up, you see--something--disappearing between two bookshelves.

You put down the Particle Physics text and glance around to see if anyone else has seen. Ember is still there, but she doesn’t even open an eye. You rise, too curious to just let it go, and move quickly over to the bookshelves. There! You had never noticed it before, but there’s a space big enough for one person to fit between the two book cases in the corner. You take a deep breath and turn sideways, sliding in between the cases, and you emerge in a room with high ceilings and tall windows. The evening’s last rays of the sun stream in through the windows and illuminate a small round table surrounded by several spindly ladderback chairs.

This is the Breakfast Chat Room, you realize. It’s no wonder you didn’t recognize it: you’ve only ever been in here in the early morning. The moon is rising over the Scottish countryside and twilight is creeping in, and yet here is the Breakfast Chat Room, ready for tomorrow morning. Steam rises from the two cups of tea on the table.

“Sit down,” says a dreamy voice behind you. You jump, heart pounding, and turn around to face...

Luna Lovegood. That is, Luna Scamander. She is married now.

The Pride of Ravenclaw is here, in Ravenclaw Tower. You’ve seen pictures, of course, of the girl she was when she attended Hogwarts all those years ago. The long blond hair still hangs to her waist, but on her head is a green pith helmet, and she wears a khaki vest and skirt as if she has just come back from safari. Her voice is as soft and lilting as you’ve always imagined, even though she must be in her … you do a quick calculation … mid thirties now.

Luna gestures toward the table. “Please, sit down. Do you take sugar in your tea?”

You nod as you slip into a chair, your eyes glued on Luna. She puts two cubes of sugar in your cup and hands it to you, and you sip. The tea is warm, and tastes faintly of some exotic spice you can’t quite name. Eightlegeddj would know, you think, and then you shake your head. You seem to be drifting off, and it’s important to stay awake! Isn’t it? You wonder, briefly, how you know this, and then Luna speaks again.

“I need your help,” she says, her large silver-grey eyes meeting yours. “Rolf and I have been off cataloguing Magical Creatures, and we have come across some... oddities... in the newest generations of several magical breeds.”

“Oddities?” you ask. “What kind of oddities?”

“Well,” Luna answers, her eyes shining, “some of them are a little mixed up. We don’t know how it happened, but we have found several Magical Creatures that... just... aren’t quite right.” She grows suddenly serious. “We need you,” she says. “We know you’re still in school, but we’ve read some of your papers for Care of Magical Creatures and you’re just the right woman for the job. Of course, it may be dangerous, tracking down these poor creatures and setting them straight, so naturally, you should only accept the challenge if you’re ready and willing. You probably won’t get hurt... much... but still, it’s up to you.”

If you accept Luna’s challenge, follow this link (link now removed) to sign the Magical Waiver and Release Form. If you do not wish to accompany Luna on her Quest, do nothing. You will return to the Common Room. That Particle Physics Book awaits.