The ceremony continued, but unknowingly to anyone, the Sorting Hat was talking to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. At the first, he didn't feel it, but the Sorting Hat had sensed something extraordinary within the young wizard, and Dumbledore knew that Thomas would need special guidance so that will not fall to the dark side.

As Thomas talked with one of his upperclassmen when he felt a sudden surge of magical energy aimed at him. It was almost like a sword being into him, thankfully Bahamut deflect it back towards the attacker. The backlash was felt by everyone inside the room and Thomas knew that he was screwed as he saw the professors at the head table flinch in surprise.

Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration professor and Head of Gryffindor, looked up from her dinner and scanned the students. Her sharp eyes landed on Thomas, and she studied him for a moment. McGonagall had a reputation for being strict, but she was also known for her fairness and wisdom.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor, had been watching Thomas since he entered the Great Hall. Flitwick was a short, cheerful wizard who was always eager to help his students. He was excited to have such a promising new student in his house.

Professor Snape, the Potions professor, scowled as he felt the surge of magic. Snape was a tall, imposing wizard with a hooked nose and greasy black hair. He was a formidable teacher who demanded perfection from his students. He didn't like surprises, and he didn't like what Thomas had done.

Professor Sprout, the Herbology professor, smiled warmly at Thomas. Sprout was a kind and nurturing woman who loved all living things. She was happy to see a new student with such potential.

Thomas looked once more around the Great Hall when he noticed that Professor Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, had also flinched at the surge of magic. From what his upperclassman told him, Quirrell was a nervous and twitchy wizard who seemed to be in a constant state of panic. He had a reputation for being easily rattled and was the subject of many jokes among the students which to be fair didn't strike Thomas like the man was the exact definition of a proper defense teacher.

When Bahamut deflected the surge of magic back toward the attacker, Quirrell stumbled backward and fell to the ground. He scrambled to get back up, his eyes wide with fear, but Bahamut's attack had already disappeared. The other professors rushed over to Quirrell to make sure he was okay.

"What happened, Quirrell?" Snape asked, his voice dripping with disdain.

"I...I don't know," Quirrell stammered. "Something hit me, but I didn't see what it was."

"Perhaps you should go to the infirmary and get checked out," Dumbledore suggested kindly.

"Yes, yes, I think that's a good idea," Quirrell said, his hands shaking. He got up and hurried out of the Great Hall, looking more frightened than ever.

The other professors exchanged worried glances as Quirrell left. They knew that the Defense Against the Dark Arts position had been cursed for many years, and they wondered if Quirrell's experience was a sign of something sinister was going to happen to the man.

"Keep an eye on him, Severus," Dumbledore said to Snape. "I don't want to take any chances with the safety of our students."

Finally, after he ordered Snape to keep an eye on Quirrell, Dumbledore approached Thomas, surprising everyone both teachers and students alike. His eyes twinkled behind his spectacles, and Thomas felt a surge of warmth and reassurance washing over him.

[That old man knows a trick or two to make people feel safe around him. Be careful, Thomas, he's quite strong for a human.]

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Thomas," Dumbledore said kindly. "I have a feeling that you are going to do great things here. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. I will be always free to help you."

Despite Bahamut's warning, Thomas decided to act naturally and smiled gratefully at Dumbledore, as for some reason he felt more at home in Hogwarts than before. He looked around the Great Hall and saw that the other students were no longer staring at him. They were now engrossed in their dinners and conversations, no longer sensing his magical power, which made the young boy sigh in relief.

As the evening wore on, the Hogwarts professors watched Thomas closely. They were curious about the power they had sensed and wondered what kind of magic he was capable of. McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout were excited to see what kind of spells and charms he could master, while Snape remained skeptical and aloof.

After the Sorting Ceremony and the unexpected incident with Professor Quirrell, Thomas and the rest of the first-year students were led out of the Great Hall by their respective house prefects. Before his prefect could take the Ravenclaws to their common room, Thomas waved to his Hermione, Ron, and Harry before following her. Once she saw that Thomas went caught up with the rest of the first years, the Ravenclaw prefect, a studious-looking girl with long brown hair, led Thomas and the other Ravenclaws through the castle's winding corridors.

Thomas couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he followed the prefect through the castle's ancient stone halls. The torches flickered and cast eerie shadows on the walls, making the journey to the Ravenclaw common room seem like something out of a fairy tale.

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, they arrived at a tall statue of a woman. The Ravenclaw prefect turned to face the first-year students.

"To enter the Ravenclaw common room, you must answer a riddle," she said with a smile.

The students groaned, but the prefect's smile only grew wider. "Don't worry, it's not too difficult. Here it is: I am not alive, but I grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I don't have a mouth, but I need water to live. What am I?"

The students looked at each other in confusion, some of them tried various random words, but nothing worked. Thomas tried his luck and unfortunately, the answer wasn't a vegetable, however, his answer did help another student to guess the right one.

"A plant!"

The prefect grinned at them. "Correct! Welcome to Ravenclaw!"

With a flick of her wand, the statue of the woman sprang to life and moved aside, revealing a hidden door. The first-year students followed the prefect through the door and into the Ravenclaw common room.

The room was circular and had tall windows that let in the moonlight. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with old tomes and dusty volumes. A fire burned brightly in the fireplace, casting a warm glow throughout the room.

Thomas and the other first-years were led to a table where they saw several older Ravenclaw students chatting and studying. The prefect introduced them to the first-year students and then left them to their own devices.

"Your dormitories are up those stairs," she said, pointing to a spiral staircase on the other side of the room.

"The girls' dormitory is on the right, and the boys' dormitory is on the left. You'll need to say the password to enter."

"What's the password?" one of the Ravenclaws asked.

The prefect smiled. "The password changes every week, so make sure to pay attention during our meetings. I'll tell you the new password every Monday, and if by some chance you forget the answer, please wait for one of your classmates or even one of the upperclassmen to help you."

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The Ravenclaws settled in, and Thomas couldn't help but feel excited about his new life at Hogwarts. He had always been interested in magic, and now he was finally going to learn how to use it. He thought about the Sorting Ceremony and the incident with Quirrell. He had a feeling that his time at Hogwarts was going to be anything but ordinary.

After a few minutes of rest and refreshments in the Ravenclaw common room, the first-year students were ready to be led to their rooms by their perfect. Thomas and his fellow first years gathered around the prefect eagerly, excited to see what their new dormitory would look like, after all, that would be their new home for the whole duration of their school years.

The prefect led the group up a spiral staircase that led to a narrow corridor. On either side of the corridor were several doors, each with nameplates bearing the name of the students. The perfect stopped in front of the first door on the left-hand side of the corridor.

"Here we are," she said, turning to face the new students. "This is where you will be staying for the rest of the year."

While the prefect was talking, Thomas peered into the room and was delighted to see that it was spacious and well-furnished. There were four beds, each with a blue and bronze quilt, neatly made and arranged around the room. Each bed had a bedside table with a lamp and a drawer for personal belongings. There was also a large window that looked out onto the Hogwarts grounds, letting in plenty of natural light.

The prefect stepped into the room and gestured for the first-year students to follow. "Each of you will have a bed assigned to you."

Just as the prefect was about to continue, one of the students, a shy girl with long, curly hair, approached the prefect hesitantly. "Excuse me, ma'am," she asked, "but how do we know which bed is ours?"

The prefect smiled kindly. "Your names are written on the labels attached to the foot of each bed," she explained. "You should have no trouble finding your own."

Thomas quickly located the room he was assigned to and made his way over to his assigned bed.

As the rest of the first-year students found their beds, the prefect gave them some final instructions before bidding them goodnight.

"If any of you need anything, just let me know. My name is Penelope Clearwater, by the way. I'm a fifth-year Ravenclaw, and I'm happy to help you settle in. Also, remember, that the lights are out at ten o'clock sharp. And don't forget to set your alarm clocks for tomorrow morning's classes. Sleep well, everyone."

With that, the prefect left the room, leaving the first-year students to their own devices. After the prefect left, Thomas and his three roommates were left alone in their new dorm room. They looked around, taking in the sight of their new home for the next seven years. Now that he could take a closer look, Thomas found the room even more spacious and well-lit, with large windows that let in plenty of natural light than he thought the room was when he peered through the open door.

"Hey, I'm Adam Wood," said one of the boys as he extended his hand to Thomas. "I'm from London."

Thomas shook Adam's hand and introduced himself. He noticed that Adam had neatly folded clothes and a few books in his trunk.

"So what do you want to study here? Other than the magic of course."

Adam rolled his eyes at Thomas's second sentence before he answered with a smile on his face.

"I'm interested in Charms and Potions. I mean who wouldn't be?"

The other two boys, James and Michael, also introduced themselves shortly after they heard Adam and Thomas talk. James O'Sullivan was from Ireland and Michael MacKenzie was from Scotland. James was interested in Quidditch, while Michael was more interested in the History of Magic.

As they began to unpack their belongings, they chatted about their backgrounds and interests. They were all nervous about starting Hogwarts but excited about the adventures that lay ahead. Thomas felt relieved to have made some new friends in his house since he doubt it would be easy to get access to the Gryffindor to spend some free time with Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

The boys continued to unpack their stuff when out of nowhere, James received a small package on their beds. Like the curious guy that he was James quickly took the package and found out that it was from his parents. Inside, he found some homemade cookies, and a photo of his dog together with his parents. The boy felt a pang of homesickness as he looked at the pictures of his family, but he knew that he had to get used to being away from home for long periods of time.

A few seconds later, he offered everyone a cookie, and they sat on their beds, munching on the sweet treats and chatting about their families. They talked about their hopes and dreams for the future, and Thomas felt like he had found a group of people with who he could actually become good friends over the years.

As they finished unpacking, they realized that they still had some time before dinner. "What do you want to do?" asked Thomas.

James suggested that they explore the castle. "I heard there's a secret passageway that leads to the kitchens," he said with a mischievous grin.

Adam looked hesitant. "I don't want to get in trouble on our first day. My mom would kill me if I end up in detention on my first day."

But James and Thomas were already putting on his shoes. "Come on, it'll be fun!" Thomas said, and the others two boys reluctantly followed their two mischievous roommates.

The more they wandered through the castle, the more the boys couldn't help but feel amazed by the intricate details on the walls and ceilings and how everything seemed to be charmed. Even Adam, who came from a magical family, was awestruck by what they saw. Every corner they turned seemed to lead them to a new place, different from everything they had seen before, whether it was a soaring archway, an armor suit that salute them, or a spiral staircase that seemed to stretch up into the sky.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a room full of portraits, each one staring down at them with a quizzical expression, making the boy freeze for a second. Thomas felt a shiver run down his spine as the paintings started talking to them in hushed whispers. At first, the boys found it unnerving, but they soon got used to the chatter and choose to ignore most of the talking paintings.

They quickly left the room and continued their journey through the castle, and after a while, they came across a hidden passageway that James had heard about. It was a narrow, winding staircase that led down to the kitchens, and the boys could smell the delicious aromas of cooking wafting up the stairs.

With excitement in their hearts, James led his new friends down the staircase, and before they knew they were inside the bustling kitchen. A group of house elves was busy cooking up a storm, but they looked up when they saw the students and greeted them warmly. Almost as if they were happy to see someone coming to the kitchen.

"Hello, young masters," said one of the older elves, a kindly-looking creature with big, floppy ears. "Would you like some snacks?"

The boys eagerly accepted the offer and sat down at a nearby table, their eyes widening as they surveyed the feast that had been laid out before them. There were sandwiches piled high with meat and cheese, delicate pastries filled with cream and fruit, and bowls of fresh, juicy grapes.

As they ate, the boys chatted happily with the house elves, learning about their daily routines and the secrets of the castle's kitchens. Michael even wrote down a few new recipes from the elves, and he promised to try them out in their dorm room kitchen.

After a while, the boys began to feel drowsy from the heat of the kitchen and the satisfying fullness in their bellies. They bid the house elves farewell and made their way back up the winding staircase, feeling content and happy in the knowledge that they had discovered a hidden treasure in the heart of Hogwarts. As they walked up the winding staircase, James turned to his friends with a glint in his eye. "Boys, let me tell you something," he said in a hushed voice.

"That secret passageway to the kitchen is like the holy grail for us students. It's the ultimate escape from the mundane meals served in the Great Hall. And the best part is, not many people know about it."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Really? How come?"

James shrugged. "It's a bit of a hidden gem, I guess. No offense Adam, but most of the students that came from families like yours don't exactly care all that much about their food."

"Don't worry about me. I don't like most of the other lads and lassies that are part of the magical families."

"Exactly, besides the house elves are always so busy cooking that they don't have time to wander around and tell everyone about it."

Thomas leaned forward, his eyes sparkling. "So you're saying that we can come down here whenever we want and feast like kings?"

James grinned. "Exactly. We just have to be careful not to get caught by any teachers or prefects."

The boys nodded in agreement, the excitement building within them. They had only been at Hogwarts for a few hours, and already they had stumbled upon a secret that felt like their own personal discovery. As they emerged from the secret passageway and made their way back to the Ravenclaw common room, they couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie. They were now part of a secret club, a group of students who knew about the hidden treasures of Hogwarts.

"I can't wait to tell the other Ravenclaws about this," said Michael with a grin.

James nodded. "Nah, mate, we can't let everyone know, even if they are our housemates. But we have to make sure to keep this secret from the Slytherins. They'd probably try to use it against us somehow."

Adam chuckled. "Don't worry, James we'll make sure to keep it hush-hush. It'll be our little secret. So from today forth, we will be the four kitchen knights, the keepers of the holy grail and the protectors of good food!"

All four of them laugh as they made their way back to the common room, feeling happy and satisfied from their adventure. When they returned to their room, they quickly settled into their beds, but before they fell asleep, they couldn't help but whisper excitedly about the secret passageway and the possibilities that lay ahead, and how many more secret places they might find. They were determined to make the most of their time at Hogwarts, and this was only the beginning.