Wizardry - (a Harry Potter Phanfiction)

Chapter 4 - Class time

I woke up falling, a second of stomach-twisting nothing following by a loud (and painful) thump. There was a smattering of hastily muffled laughter as I sat up groggily, forgetting for a moment where I was.

"You alright there, Phil?"

Several pairs of hands grabbed my arms and shoulders, pulling me to my feet. I blinked, rubbing sleep from my bleary eyes. Two boy's faces came into focus; one pale with a blonde cowlick and the other freckled with a mop of brown hair. It took me a moment to recognise them; Andy and Jacob, two of my fellow Hufflepuff first-years.

"Did... did I fall out of bed?" I asked, embarrassed, stumbling as I tried to kick the tangled bedsheets off my legs.

Jacob grinned, grabbing the sheets and unwinding them.

"Yeah, you did," Andy answered, leaning down to help, his mouth twitching as if he were about to burst out laughing. "Sorry, it was pretty funny."

"You alright?" Jacob asked again, chucking the sheets unceremoniously onto my bed.

"Yeah," I said with a rueful smile, "I'm good, thanks."

There was a knock at the dormitory door.

"It's Carlos here, can I come in?"

"Sure, come in!" Several voices called from across the dorm

I hurriedly straightened my sheets as the door creaked open and Carlos strolled in.

"Everyone awake?" Carlos asked, glancing around at all the beds.

"Phil's the last to wake up," Andy said, an impish grin still curving the corners of his mouth.

"Good, okay, we're heading down to breakfast in ten minutes," he announced, pointing at an old wooden clock hanging above the door. "If anyone needs help with their ties, I can tach you."

There was a chorus of "Okay"s and "Thank you"s as my dorm mates retreated behind curtains to change.

"Already dressed, Phil?" Carlos said in a quieter voice. "That was quick. I thought you were the last to wake up."

"Umm... I kind of fell asleep in my robes..." I said awkwardly.

Carlos chuckled. "That's very efficient of you. Do you need help with your tie?"

"Uh, yes please."

I picked up a tie from the bedside table and stared at it for a second, totally lost. held it out to Carlos.

"It's not that hard to learn," he said, tucking it around my neck and showed me how to tie it, patient even when I messed up and tangled it into impossible knots. After a few tries, I got the hang of it.

"Awesome!" He said, stepping back to check my work. "Good job, you're a fast learner. How about you go and teach some of the other boys now, we can spilt the work in half."

I felt a glow of pride. The way I was immediately trusted and included here made me feel like I finally belonged. Despite knowing my fellow Hufflepuffs for less than a day, I was already part of their family.

Ten minutes later, our dorm was ready to go. The common room was buzzing with excited conversation, several people squashed into each armchair and shouts of greeting yelled across the cosy room.

"Alright guys, let's roll!" Carlos called, fist bumping his classmates as he passed.

Through the hidden door and up the corridor we walked, or skipped, in the case of some people. Delicious smells wafted through the warm air; frying bacon and sausages, honey-soaked pancakes and freshly baked bread. My stomach growled impatiently.