NOVEL WEB Chapter 8: A Letter
[Dear Mom and Dad,]
Although I've only just left home, I'm already starting to miss you. I hope you're both in good health and in good spirits.
Yesterday, we arrived at Hogwarts aboard a deep crimson steam train. The school is a majestic castle, surrounded by grassy fields, forests, and a lake. I have to say, the morning scenery here is truly enchanting.
By the time we got to school, it was already evening, and the first thing we did was the Sorting. As you probably know, Hogwarts is divided into four houses—brave and daring Gryffindor, just and loyal Hufflepuff, wise and knowledgeable Ravenclaw, and cunning and ambitious Slytherin...
At this point, Wade's quill paused slightly.
He suddenly realized that while the other three houses seem to focus on character traits during Sorting, Ravenclaw was the only one that emphasized ability.
So... someone who is both smart and brave might be sorted into Gryffindor, like Dumbledore or Hermione. Someone smart and loyal could end up in Hufflepuff, like Newt Scamander (the main character from Fantastic Beasts) or Cedric. And someone smart and ambitious might go to Slytherin, like Voldemort or Snape.
But what about the "smart ones" left in Ravenclaw? Maybe they're intelligent and quick-witted, but smart people are often more inclined to seek benefits and avoid harm. In the face of hardship and danger, they may be more prone to retreat and choose the easier or more advantageous path.
And to truly achieve something, intelligence alone isn't enough—mental qualities are the core source of motivation. Whether it's charging forward bravely, staying resilient, or being driven by ambition, someone who's clever but immersed in their own world, doing whatever they please, often ends up being seen as an eccentric.
That's probably why Ravenclaw is the least present of the four houses in the main story. Among the Ravenclaws who appear—whether students or alumni—almost all seem a bit neurotic, apart from Cho Chang.
Thinking of how the Sorting Hat had declared him best suited for Ravenclaw, Wade frowned slightly. But then he reminded himself—no hat decides who he is. Besides, the Sorting Hat had misjudged people before, like putting the cowardly Peter Pettigrew in Gryffindor.
After a moment's pause, Wade picked up his quill again and continued writing:
[A talking hat sorted me into Ravenclaw. I think it's the best recognition of my intellect. I do plan to spend the next seven years learning as much as possible, since I've heard there's no place in all of Britain with a more extensive collection of books than Hogwarts.
I must say, the wizarding world is far less forward-thinking than the Muggle government when it comes to this—there are no public libraries here. Valuable books are either stored at school or locked away in private family collections.
The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is quite an odd character. He has long silver hair and a matching beard, and his aura perfectly fits the image of a mysterious wizard—he's practically a living Merlin. Can you imagine? At the opening ceremony, his speech was just: "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" No one really knew what it meant. Still, better that than some long, boring address. Right after he finished, food appeared on our table (yes, just appeared out of nowhere—magic is truly amazing), and by then we were all starving.
Despite his oddness, the Headmaster is also humorous, kind, and gentle. He's considered the greatest wizard of our time. One of my classmates, who comes from a wizarding family, told me that Hogwarts is known as the safest place in the world precisely because Dumbledore is here. So you don't need to worry—I won't be in any danger. The students here don't go around cursing each other for no reason; they're not much different from kids in regular schools.
Our house, Ravenclaw, has its own tower on the west side of the castle. After dinner, our prefect led us there. You have to answer a riddle from the door knocker correctly to enter the common room. It's a large circular room, very spacious, with a deep blue domed ceiling covered in stars, and a thick carpet also patterned with stars—it feels peaceful and elegant. There are many arched windows draped in bronze silk, and from them you can see mountains, wilderness, and the Quidditch pitch.
The dormitories are in a turret beside the tower—and I have to say, it's quite a climb to get back to the room. But the upperclassmen said the stairs are usually friendly to Ravenclaws. They don't move around to mess with us as they do with others, and sometimes they even create shortcuts that cut the trip in half—probably because all the magical staircases in the castle were designed by Lady Ravenclaw herself.
Ravenclaw has the smallest number of students among the houses, and dorms are double rooms. Since there was one extra boy this year... I think you've guessed it—I quickly seized the opportunity and successfully applied for a single room.
The room has a warm bed, wardrobe, desk, bookshelf, and a private washroom. Everything is already prepared. We don't have to do laundry or clean our rooms—there are invisible little helpers around the castle. When I wake up, everything is already tidy. I assume they also brought my trunk up to the dorm—thank goodness I didn't have to haul it up all those spiral stairs myself.
The other students are very friendly. Our prefect, West, takes great care of us first-years. Worried that someone might get lost, he waited in the common room early this morning and took us to the Great Hall for breakfast. He also gave us our class schedules for the term—the coursework looks quite relaxed, so that's nothing to stress over.
After breakfast, he gave us a tour of the school, showing us where each class will be held, which areas are off-limits, and shortcuts to places like the library, the infirmary, and the Quidditch pitch.
We'll be starting flying lessons soon—I'll be riding a broomstick for the first time. Exciting, isn't it? I never imagined that humans could soar through the sky like birds. Of course, I'll follow the professor's instructions, stay safe, and avoid getting hurt.
Lastly, I just want to say—Hogwarts is truly an amazing school! I really like it here.
Love always,
Wade Grey]
Wade, having lived two lives, wasn't as carefree as a normal child. He understood all too well how deeply loving parents worry when their child leaves home. So, before class, he took the time to write a detailed letter describing everything he'd experienced at school so far—even including a hand-drawn sketch of the school layout tucked inside the envelope.
After finishing the letter, Wade reviewed it once more and changed the phrase "cunning and ambitious" used to describe Slytherin into "shrewd and proud."
It wasn't because he wanted to praise Slytherin House, but because he didn't want his parents to detect any tension between the houses from his wording and begin worrying about his situation. After all, Mr. and Mrs. Grey still associated the wizarding world with the dark times under the Dark Lord. Ever since Wade received his Hogwarts letter, they had been secretly guilty and anxious about him being a Squib.
Wade wanted to reassure them—it's okay now. The war is over, blood status isn't everything, and Hogwarts today is a great place. His origins weren't an obstacle, and his parents were never a burden.
He had always felt deeply grateful to be their son.
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