Harvey rubbed his bulging belly with a look of pure satisfaction, only then realizing in hindsight...
Was his appetite perhaps a bit too exaggerated?
"Eating is a blessing; I won't overthink it," he muttered.
Perhaps the food at Hogwarts simply suited his tastes perfectly.
As most of the teachers and students finished their meals, Albus Dumbledore stood up once more.
His white beard twitched as he spoke in a resonant, powerful voice:
"First-years, please note: the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits at all times, unless accompanied by a professor."
"Additionally, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that night-wandering is forbidden!"
"Most importantly, if you do not wish to suffer a terrible fate or a painful death, avoid the right-hand corridor on the fourth floor."
"Finally, before we head to bed, let us sing the school song!"
"Everyone, feel free to choose your favorite tune!"
Several professors at the High Table visibly winced upon hearing this.
Professor Severus Snape, with his hooked nose and black cloak draped like bat wings, looked particularly icy.
Old Dumbledore used his wand like a conductor's baton, closing his eyes in self-indulgence as he tapped the air.
"Ready—sing!"
"There was a girl, she was a bit headstrong..."
Harvey was obedient, choosing a classic tune from his childhood memories.
But he barely finished the first line before he couldn't go on.
The chaotic, cacophonous howling surrounding him was genuinely irritating.
Yet Dumbledore seemed deaf to the noise, continuing to wave his wand with a satisfied flair.
Finally—the terrible school song segment came to an end.
The prefects began calling out to the new students.
"First-years, please follow me."
Robert Hilliard, the fifth-year prefect, led the nine Ravenclaw first-years out of the Great Hall.
Harvey kept a low profile, following the group through the side doors and along the corridors.
They headed toward the Ravenclaw Common Room located in the West Tower.
Prefect Robert explained various school rules along the way.
Eventually, they arrived before a door with no handle or keyhole—only an eagle-shaped bronze knocker.
"The dormitories are above the common room. To enter, you must solve the riddle posed by the knocker."
"If you cannot answer, you may ask for a new question or wait for a classmate to help."
"However, I hope not to see any young wizard here with the intellect of a mountain troll."
Robert stepped forward to demonstrate.
The bronze knocker spoke:
"Always by your side, yet hard to track; impossible to hold, yet it shapes your life. What am I?"
Robert thought for a moment and replied, "Fate."
"Correct!"
The door swung open automatically.
The first-years gasped in awe; they hadn't expected the prefect to solve it so quickly.
Robert walked inside with a calm expression.
"Philosophical questions like that are relatively simple. If you encounter a logic-based math problem..."
"That will be everyone's nightmare!"
"I remember once, no one could answer the math problem the knocker gave us."
Harvey couldn't help but interject, "Did you have to ask a professor for help?"
Robert slowed his pace and glanced at Harvey.
"Actually, that math problem was allegedly one of the ten greatest unsolved mysteries in the Muggle world. Not even the professors could solve it."
"In the end, our entire House had to spend the night in sleeping bags out in the corridor."
Harvey's lip twitched. Being in Ravenclaw comes with the risk of being homeless?
"It's getting late. Don't get too excited, first-years. You have double Potions tomorrow morning."
"The Potions Master is... well, strict. If you're late, he will definitely deduct House points. Get some sleep."
Robert didn't dare speak ill of Professor Snape in public. He showed them the common room and then departed.
Once the prefect was gone, the first-years began chattering.
"So, who assigns the beds?"
"Are we supposed to pick for ourselves?"
"I bet it's a test. There must be a challenge to get a room..."
The Ravenclaw Common Room had a domed ceiling adorned with painted stars.
The room was neatly organized with tables, chairs, and bookshelves filled with volumes for studious "Eaglets."
In a niche stood a white marble bust of Rowena Ravenclaw.
It looked a bit eerie to Harvey.
He was half-afraid the statue would suddenly start moving.
The arched windows offered a beautiful view of the Hogwarts grounds.
In the dark, he could faintly see the Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the greenhouses.
After surveying the room, Harvey ignored the others and headed up the tower stairs.
He left the remaining students with a bold guess:
"Is it possible Prefect Robert simply forgot to assign our rooms?"
"Impossible! The smartest fifth-year prefect wouldn't make such a rookie mistake..."
Reaching the upper levels, Harvey ignored the protests behind him.
He checked all the open doors representing unoccupied rooms.
He intended to pick a dormitory with the best "Feng Shui."
In his opinion, the Ravenclaw dorms were the best of the four Houses.
The Slytherin dorms were underwater; they probably had to stare at lake monsters every morning.
Hufflepuff was in the basement—likely damp enough to cause rheumatism.
Gryffindor was on the eighth floor—far too high for anyone with a fear of heights.
Thus, Harvey was quite satisfied with Ravenclaw.
He picked an empty room and placed his trunk in the corner.
It was a four-person dorm with a set of bunk beds and two four-poster beds by the window.
The room was clean, with soft sky-blue bedding neatly folded.
Being high in the tower, the natural light during the day would be excellent.
Feeling a bit stuffy, Harvey opened the window. The cool night breeze blew in, calming his mind.
There was a private balcony outside the window, likely for students using broomsticks.
Since Harvey hadn't learned to fly yet, he just leaned against the frame to enjoy the view of Hogwarts under the moonlight.