【哈利波特】拉文克劳欢迎信（中英对照）
拉文克劳欢迎信
【中文】
祝贺！我是级长罗伯特·希利亚德，欢迎你加入拉文克劳学院。我们的象征是鹰，它能在其他生物无法企及之处盘旋。学院的代表色是蓝色与铜色，我们的公共休息室位于拉文克劳塔的顶端的一扇门后面，门上有着带魔法的门环。拱形的窗户围绕着我们圆形的公共休息室，窗外可以眺望学校的场地：大湖，禁林，魁地奇球场与温室。其他学院都没有这样绝美的景致。
并不是要吹嘘什么，不过这个学院中的确生活着那些最为聪慧的巫师。我们的创始人罗伊娜·拉文克劳对于知识的珍视高于一切，这里的学生们也是一样。不像其他学院都将他们公共休息室的入口隐藏起来，拉文克劳不需要这样做。我们公共休息室的门在高耸的旋转楼梯末端，上面没有门把手，只有一个鹰头形状的青铜门环。当你敲门的时候，门环会问你一个问题，只要给出正确的答案，就能进入公共休息室。这一重简单的障碍在近千年中成功阻止了所有不是拉文克劳的学生。
一些一年级新生知道他们必须回答门环的问题之后吓得不轻。不过不用担心，拉文克劳们学得很快，你不久后就会喜欢上门环提出的挑战的。当你回到塔楼时，已经有二十多个人站在休息室门口思考今日问题的答案的情况并不少见。这给结识不同年级的同学提供了很好的机会——虽然这也有时也会变得相当不便，如果你正急着回宿舍拿你忘记的魁地奇袍的话。事实上，我建议你们在离开拉文克劳塔前反复检查自己包里是否带上了所有的东西。
另一件关于拉文克劳的很酷的事：我们的学生是最独特的——有些人甚至会称其为古怪。但天才往往在普通人中鹤立鸡群的。不像其它学院，我们认为你有权利穿自己想穿的衣服，相信自己愿意相信的观点，表达自己的感受。
我们不会视那些不同寻常的人为阻碍；恰恰相反，我们重视他们的价值。
说到古怪，你会喜欢我们的院长——菲利亚斯·弗立维教授的。人们常常小看他，因为他就身材而言的确很小，而且有着尖细的声音（我们觉得他有部分小精灵的血统，但从没有人冒昧到真的去问他），但他是目前世界上最好的，知识最为渊博的魔咒大师。他的办公室大门总为遇到问题的拉文克劳人敞开，而且如果你确实遇到麻烦*的话，他会从办公桌抽屉中的罐头里拿出些美味的小蛋糕，指挥它们为你跳支舞什么的。说实话，就为了看它们的摇摆舞也值得假装自己真的有些情况。
拉文克劳学院有着光辉的历史，巫师界大部分最伟大的发明家与改革家都来自我们学院，其中包括波佩图阿·范科特，发明了望月镜；拉维恩·德·蒙莫朗西 ，迷情剂的首创者；还有伊格那提雅·威尔德史密斯，飞路粉的发明者。著名的拉文克劳魔法部长包括米莉森特·巴格诺德，她在哈利波特在黑魔王的咒语下幸存的那晚是当政的部长。她为全英国巫师的庆祝活动辩护道：“我坚持人们不可剥夺的开派对的权利。” 除此之外还有洛肯·麦克莱德部长，一名十分杰出的巫师，但他喜欢通过魔杖尖喷出的烟雾来与人交流。嗯，之前也提到了，我们学院出产古怪的人。事实上，我们学院还为巫师界贡献了怪人尤里克，他把水母当帽子戴。巫师界的许多笑话中最精彩的几句总会提到他。
至于我们和其他三个学院的关系：好吧，你也许听说过一些关于斯莱特林的事。他们并不都是坏的，不过直到你充分了解他们之前，还是谨慎为妙。他们有着为达目的不择手段的古老学院传统——所以小心点吧，尤其是在魁地奇比赛和考试的时候。
格兰芬多们人都不错，如果非得提出一些批评的话，我会说他们有时会喜爱炫耀。他们对于不同的人的包容程度远不如我们；事实上，他们时常取笑那些对悬浮术感兴趣的的拉文克劳人，还有对巨怪鼻屎功效的研究，和蛋卜术，（你可能已经听说过这个）一种使用鸡蛋的占卜手法。格兰芬多没有我们这样的求知欲。比如说，如果你想要花上几天几夜在公共休息室的一角敲碎鸡蛋，并且记录下基于蛋黄掉落方式的种种预测的话，我们完全不会介意。实际上，你可能还能找到一些愿意帮忙的人。
关于赫奇帕奇嘛，没人会觉得他们不是好人。说实话，他们可能是整个学校里最友好的一群人了。我只想说你在比赛和考试时不用太担心与他们的竞争。
我觉得上面这些已经差不多了。噢，对了，我们学院的幽灵是格雷女士。学校里的其他人以为她从不说话，但对于拉文克劳不是这样。她在你迷路，或是遗失什么东西的时候会很有帮助。
相信你们会睡个好觉的。我们的宿舍在主塔的角楼上，四柱床上盖着天蓝色的丝质凫绒帷帐，窗外会传来令人放松的风声。
最后，再次祝贺你们成为霍格沃茨中最聪明的，最与众不同的，而且最为有趣的学院一员。干得漂亮！
【英文】
Congratulations! I’m Prefect Robert Hilliard, and I’m delighted to welcome you to RAVENCLAW HOUSE. Our emblem is the eagle, which soars where others cannot climb; our house colours are blue and bronze, and our common room is found at the top of Ravenclaw Tower, behind a door with an enchanted knocker. The arched windows set into the walls of our circular common room look down at the school grounds: the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch and the Herbology gardens. No other house in the school has such stunning views.
Without wishing to boast, this is the house where the cleverest witches and wizards live. Our founder, Rowena Ravenclaw, prized learning above all else – and so do we. Unlike the other houses, who all have concealed entrances to their common rooms, we don’t need one. The door to our common room lies at the top of a tall, winding staircase. It has no handle, but an enchanted bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. When you rap on the door, this knocker will ask you a question, and if you can answer it correctly, you are allowed in. This simple barrier has kept out everyone but Ravenclaws for nearly a thousand years.
Some first-years are scared by having to answer the eagle’s questions, but don’t worry. Ravenclaws learn quickly, and you’ll soon enjoy the challenges the door sets. It’s not unusual to find twenty people standing outside the common room door, all trying to work out the answer to the day’s question together. This is a great way to meet fellow Ravenclaws from other years, and to learn from them – although it is a bit annoying if you’ve forgotten your Quidditch robes and need to get in and out in a hurry. In fact, I’d advise you to triple-check your bag for everything you need before leaving Ravenclaw Tower.
Another cool thing about Ravenclaw is that our people are the most individual – some might even call them eccentrics. But geniuses are often out of step with ordinary folk, and unlike some other houses we could mention, we think you’ve got the right to wear what you like, believe what you want, and say what you feel. We aren’t put off by people who march to a different tune; on the contrary, we value them!
Speaking of eccentrics, you’ll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People often underestimate him, because he’s really tiny (we think he’s part elf, but we’ve never been rude enough to ask) and he’s got a squeaky voice, but he’s the best and most knowledgeable Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw with a problem, and if you’re in a real state he’ll get out these delicious little cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact, it’s worth pretending you’re in a real state just to see them jive.
Ravenclaw house has an illustrious history. Most of the greatest wizarding inventors and innovators were in our house, including Perpetua Fancourt, the inventor of the lunascope, Laverne de Montmorency, a great pioneer of love potions, and Ignatia Wildsmith, the inventor of Floo powder. Famous Ravenclaw Ministers for Magic include Millicent Bagnold, who was in power on the night that Harry Potter survived the Dark Lord’s curse, and defended the wizarding celebrations all over Britain with the words, ‘I assert our inalienable right to party'. There was also Minister Lorcan McLaird, who was a quite brilliant wizard, but preferred to communicate by puffing smoke out of the end of his wand. Well, I did say we produce eccentrics. In fact, we are also the house that gave the wizarding world Uric the Oddball, who used a jellyfish for a hat. He’s the punch line of a lot of wizarding jokes.
As for our relationship with the other three houses: well, you’ve probably heard about the Slytherins. They’re not all bad, but you’d do well to be on your guard until you know them well. They’ve got a long house tradition of doing whatever it takes to win – so watch out, especially in Quidditch matches and exams.
The Gryffindors are OK. If I had a criticism, I’d say Gryffindors tend to be show-offs. They’re also much less tolerant than we are of people who are different; in fact, they’ve been known to make jokes about Ravenclaws who have developed an interest in levitation, or the possible magical uses of troll bogies, or ovomancy, which (as you probably know) is a method of divination using eggs. Gryffindors haven’t got our intellectual curiosity, whereas we’ve got no problem if you want to spend your days and nights cracking eggs in a corner of the common room and writing down your predictions according to the way the yolks fall. In fact, you’ll probably find a few people to help you.
As for the Hufflepuffs, well, nobody could say they’re not nice people. In fact, they’re some of the nicest people in the school. Let’s just say you needn’t worry too much about them when it comes to competition at exam time.
I think that’s nearly everything. Oh yes, our house ghost is the Grey Lady. The rest of the school thinks she never speaks, but she’ll talk to Ravenclaws. She’s particularly useful if you’re lost, or you’ve mislaid something.
I’m sure you’ll have a good night. Our dormitories are in turrets off the main tower; our four-poster beds are covered in sky blue silk eiderdowns and the sound of the wind whistling around the windows is very relaxing.
And once again: well done on becoming a member of the cleverest, quirkiest and most interesting house at Hogwarts.
