Early morning.
Meadowes opened her eyes from the soft bed, realizing belatedly that it was a day off and there was no need to get up so early.
So, in the comfort that surged doubly, Meadowes wrapped the quilt tightly around herself and lazily turned over, preparing to sleep again.
However, things didn't go as wished.
The noise from outside the door was intensifying, making Meadowes, who rarely wanted to be lazy for a while, fail several attempts to fall asleep.
Finally, she could only sit up reluctantly from the bed with a blank face and hair messy like a bird's nest.
"Tessa, we don't have classes today, do we?"
"...No."
A female voice, also sleepy and dazed, came.
Meadowes sighed deeply, got up helplessly to wash and brush her teeth, and casually added a handful of grains to the hamster raised by her roommate.
Opening the door, Meadowes walked all the way towards the common room where noises were constantly coming from.
As the distance approached, the sounds of dispute and noise gradually became clear.
Her cheeks moved up and down.
Meadowes was chewing with relish on the strawberry pie she had sneaked into the kitchen to eat and take last night, not forgetting to pack some away at the end.
She arrived at the entrance of the common room where the door kept opening and closing for some reason, stood on tiptoe, and looked curiously towards the center of the crowd, wanting to know who the culprit was that prevented her from sleeping well this weekend.
And when she saw the person clearly, Meadowes' eyes suddenly widened!
It was a black-haired boy with distinct features and an indelible mysterious aura shrouding his temperament.
His hair curled slightly, casually hanging down to touch his handsome face.
When those deep black pupils like ancient wells cast a gaze—
An uncontrollable nervousness would spontaneously arise, like facing the scrutiny of some natural predator, making it completely impossible to treat him as a young child!
Although the other party most likely didn't know her, Meadowes knew exactly who this guy was.
In fact, over the past few months, she and her roommate had often discussed him as the center of their topics.
Even putting aside the bullying incident that made this boy famous not long ago—
A freshman who could be seen in the library almost every day since the beginning of school would inevitably attract the awe-inspiring gaze of other peers.
Not to mention the recognition of his ability that made almost all professors praise him endlessly, and the behavior of crazily adding points to Slytherin had long made Snape an out-and-out monster in the eyes of his peers!
No one had ever seen him make a mistake.
Even if others probed maliciously, in the end, it would be like a stone sinking into the sea without stirring up any waves.
Instead, the instigators would invariably end up suffering the consequences of their own actions, causing many onlookers to gasp and exclaim that this person must not be trifled with!
Even the famous Marauders repeatedly suffered setbacks at his hands, finally choosing to ignore him out of sight and out of mind, which once again deepened the impression of Snape being powerful and difficult to deal with in the eyes of others!
And on par with this impression was the other party's reclusiveness and mystery.
If not for Snape's well-known unapproachability, given the deep impression he left in the first year, he could most likely become a star more famous than the Marauders!
Meadowes agreed with this incomparably.
Because apart from a certain red-haired girl from Gryffindor, she had never even seen Snape walking side by side with anyone else!
This discovery once made Meadowes incredulous. Later, it was only after telling her roommate and confirming with each other that she finally affirmed this incredible discovery!
To be honest, Meadowes admired him very much.
In Hogwarts, not every student could calmly ignore the strange gazes of others, firmly resist environmental assimilation, and follow their own pace.
Moreover, judging from the other party's diligence that would make the vast majority of students ashamed, Meadowes sincerely believed that if he had come to Ravenclaw during the Sorting, it wouldn't have been surprising.
Therefore, seeing this maverick student arrive at the entrance of her own house early in the morning, the curiosity in Meadowes' heart couldn't help but grow vigorously.
Her original drowsiness vanished into thin air.
She couldn't wait to ask the surrounding students what happened while hurriedly pricking up her ears, striving to be on the front line of gossip.
Not disappointing Meadowes, Snape's words soon sounded vaguely from the center of the crowd.
"You lost. Do you plan to try again?"
"...Try, try again!"
Surrounded by the crowd.
Snape showed no timidity under the focus of pair after pair of eyes, letting the door of the Ravenclaw common room slowly close.
There were some simple and solemn patterns embellishing the surface of the door, and an eagle-shaped bronze knocker was installed on it.
When the door was completely closed—
Snape walked forward unhurriedly and then knocked lightly on the door.
The eagle on the knocker suddenly seemed to be endowed with life. After shaking its head and moving its wings, a low and stiff voice clearly emerged.
"What is something you didn't do but have to be punished for?"
"Homework."
As soon as the eagle's voice fell—
Snape spoke immediately, leaving almost no time for his opponent to think, directly sinking the third-year Ravenclaw student whose brain was spinning fast.
He wanted to argue unyieldingly, but was squeezed out by the little eagle behind who had long been waiting impatiently, gearing up to welcome Snape's challenge.
Thus, the door that had just opened closed again, announcing the start of this competition faintly tinged with the smell of gunpowder once more.
"A turtle fell off a cliff. Guess a flower name."
"Rose (Mei Gui - sounds like 'no turtle' in Chinese)."
"Another turtle fell off a cliff. Guess another flower name."
"Wild Rose (Ye Mei Gui - sounds like 'also no turtle' in Chinese)."
Opening and closing the door twice, Snape cleanly won another victory in the best of three.
Other little eagles were eager to try.
They wanted both to defend the glory of their house and to teach this first-year Slytherin snake, who had been in the limelight since enrollment, a lesson!
They were not those sinister villains from Slytherin, nor the reckless fools from Gryffindor.
Wisdom was the pass that allowed unimpeded access in Ravenclaw.
Even their common room never had a fixed password; only the wise who answered the question correctly could walk into the Ravenclaw common room!
This often led to little eagles unable to return to their dormitories, having to sneak in sheepishly when others answered the bronze eagle's question correctly.
Now that a Slytherin first-year student overestimate his ability and wanted to challenge them in their best field, these proud and arrogant little eagles naturally couldn't show any weakness!
So what if you're pure-blood?
Those who think pure blood brings wisdom are the real complete idiots!
What's more, you kid aren't even pure-blood. Where does the confidence come from to challenge us at our door?
Nothing more to say.
After Snape stated his intention, this competition spread rapidly throughout Ravenclaw, from one to ten, and ten to a hundred.
Quite a few upper-year students couldn't help but come up to see which first-year in this year's Slytherin was so brave!
And at the door of the common room, this unique contest of wisdom was still continuing.
Many little eagles who were laughing happily now didn't know.
In the many years to come, today would be regarded by them as the starting point for changing their lives
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