Albus Potter and the Elder Wand

Chapter 2: The Fifth Roomate

I still don't own anything. Thanks for reading, and enjoy :)

***

Of course, as with most friendships, things were a bit awkward at first. Al, Harvey, Chris, and Felix unpacked in absolute silence. Not the kind between enemies. Not the kind where no one wishes to speak. The kind where each person is looking for something to say, but wants to avoid the standard, "How's life."

Or in Al's case, "What's it like being the son of the Harry Potter."

However, with Chris and Felix in the room, the silence didn't last long. "Exploding snap?" Felix asked, holding out a deck questioningly. Chris eagerly grabbed the deck and began shuffling.

"Alright," Al said, placing his final textbook in a pile. He scooted over to join his new friends.

Harvey, meanwhile, looked somewhat bewildered. "Exploding snap?" He asked. "They don't explode... do they?"

Al laughed. "Muggleborn?"

Harvey sat down, completing the circle. Chris and Felix chatted quickly, leaving only seconds for Al and Harvey to chime in. Al soon learned that Chris was a pureblood, and Felix was a half-blood. The two were neighbors, and had been best mates since they were young. They were late to the dormitory because they had gotten lost on the way to the bathroom. They both reminded him of his Uncle George, with their boisterous personality and constant joke-cracking.

Harvey, on the other hand, was born a muggle. "When my letter came, my parents thought it was a joke!" He laughed.

"Yeah," Chris chimed in, "we were wondering how exactly it is that muggles-" he was cut off as a pair of manticore cards exploded in his face. Felix roared with laughter, and Al had to join in.

The door slammed shut with a bang, revealing another boy, his face covered in soot from the explosion. Scowling, he wiped a hand across cheek.

Chris covered his mouth. "Sorry mate! Hey you must be our roommate! I'm Chris and this is Felix and Harvey and Albus as in Albus Potter you know him like Harry Potter's son so great to meet you!" He took a deep breath. "And sorry again about the explosion we were playing exploding snap you see and I-"

"It's fine," the boy said coldly. He stormed over to the empty bed and picked up his trunk.

After an pause, Felix spoke up. "Say, you never told us your name."

"Derek."

"Alright then Derek, would you like to join our game of exploding snap?"

Derek didn't answer, but instead scowled and snapped shut the curtains around his bed.

"Um.... so Derek," Felix ventured, "Go by any nicknames or anything? Or just Derek. Like Albus here goes by Al."

Derek hesitated for a second. Finally, lips barely moving, he spoke. "Rex."

"Rex, that's a cool nickname! Mind if we call you that?"

"Yes."

"You mean yes as in yes we can call you that, or yes as in yes you mind?"

Rex rolled his eyes and and slid through the curtains. Harvey, Al, Felix, and Chris gave each other meaningful looks. Finally, Chris cleared his throat.

"I think Re- er Derek's got the right idea. I for one am knackered from the sorting and all. We should probably get to bed. I'll...er...ask you that question about the muggle world later, Harvey."

The other boys chorused their agreement, and headed off to their beds, shutting off the lanterns.

"What's his deal?" Harvey muttered to Al, then turned pink as though he regretted saying it. "I mean, he just seems a bit..."