Chapter 3 – Gryffindor's Newest
The meal passed with laughs, friendly chatter and gossip about the last student to become a member of Gryffindor. Plenty of sweets and desserts, such as apple pie, chocolate éclairs, ice cream and pudding, were now on the table but most students were too full to eat anymore. Alex was wolfing down pastries while the other new Gryffindor students, who were all sitting around each other, talked about themselves. Oswald Umbertin was in the middle of talking about his family. He looked like an average boy his age with short brown and hair and brown eyes.
"I'm the first in the family to go to Hogwarts"
"Are you Muggle born?" asked Valerie Lebane. She had previously explained that she was born to a Muggle and a witch but was raised in the wizarding world. She was thin and taller then some of the boys. She had neck length black hair and blue eyes.
Oswald shook his head "No no. My father's side are wizards but most of them decided to live as Muggles." The rest of them looked at Oswald as if he had a very large toad on his head. He continued, "One of my uncles got accepted once though he didn't end up coming."
"Why would anyone turn down Hogwarts?" Xavier Neilson asked looking across the table in shock. Xavier had three parents; two dads and a mom who were all wizards. He had a bit of trouble explaining that to everyone. Xavier said he looked like his mother, having a thin face, pale black hair and brown eyes but had his father's olive skin.
"Well he was accepted the year Voldemort took over the school so -"
Gwen Arova gasped and everyone turned to her with a confused look. Gwen had curly black hair and dark brown eyes. She had a chubby face which Albus found to be out of place on top her small frame.
"Aren't we not suppose to say his name?" she asked with a worried expression. Valerie, who was sitting next to her, giggled and patted Gwen on the back. Oswald held back his laughter to explain.
"That old taboo was dropped when - well when Albus' dad defeated Voldemort" Oswald gestured towards Albus.
"Woor mester puttorz swon?" Alex said facing Albus with a pastry in his mouth. Albus stared back at him with a raised eyebrow. Once Alex swallowed his food he repeated himself.
"You're Mr. Potters' son?"
"Oh. Yes I am." Albus answered. Albus had never really heard anyone refer to his father as mister, especially a person his own age.
Alex smiled and said "That makes sense"
"How about you, Alex?" asked Jacqueline Kalstern who was sitting on the other side of Gwen, "Where did you grow up?"
Jacqueline was a Muggle-born but explained that the year she found out she was a witch she taught herself how to fly a broom. She told everyone she grew up on a farm so no one ever caught her flying.
"I grew up in Toronto" was all Alex said. Everyone looked at him, expecting more, but Alex didn't realize until he finished another pastry, "Canada"
"Ooooh" now they all understood.
"Do your mum and dad live there? Or did they come with you?" Valerie asked.
Alex shrugged, "I guess they do still live there" He grabbed a bowl of pudding and put a spoonful in his mouth.
"What do you mean?" Albus asked with furrowed brows.
"I never knew my parents. Grew up in an orphanage" Alex told them without looking up at them; not out of nervousness, he was just more interesting in his pudding at the moment.
"Is that where you learned to talk so funny?" Gwen asked.
"Gwen!" Jacqueline said in a stern tone. "What?" Gwen responded. Alex laughed.
"Everyone talks this way where I'm from"
"Alright everyone, quiet down" Headmistress McGonagall was standing in front of her podium, addressing all the students in the Great Hall. "Just one announcement before you all go to your rooms. Many of you know that I retired last year, but due to the Ministry being unable to find a fit replacement I have remained. But I am only here as acting Headmaster and you all will most likely have a new one by the end of this year. And of course, let us finish the banquet with the school song" McGonagall flicked her wand, signalling everyone to begin.
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot
All the new students who hadn't known the song before had sung it now like they'd been practising for years. Despite magically knowing the lyrics, everyone still sang it their own way.
At the song's end McGonagall smiled and applauded everyone before stepping away from the podium. Prefects were now gathering the first years to show them the way to their house's rooms. Albus had almost forgotten that his father was just sitting up at the head table.
"Hey Rose go on without me. I'll see you up there ok?" Albus said without even waiting for a response and walked against the crowd to get to the head table.
"Albus!" Rose reached out but missed him. Albus had already made it to the far end of the table and was walking up the steps to the head table.
"Dad!" Albus said when he got close enough to Harry. With a grin Harry welcomed his son with a pat on the head; he figured a hug might be too embarrassing.
"Are you and Uncle Ron staying for long?"
"We don't really know yet" Harry said, still with a grin on his face.
"What?" Albus asked with furrowed brows.
"Oh – it's nothing" Harry waved off the question.
"Albus!" Victoire had walked up to the head table, "Hi Uncle Harry, hi Uncle Ron" she waved politely then turned her attention back to Albus, "Come on, we got to go. Everyone else is tired." Albus nodded and as he walked away he waved goodbye to his father, who waved back; still with the grin on his face.
Since almost everyone else had already made it to their rooms, the walk up the shifting marble staircases was a quiet one other than the conversation Alex, Rose and Albus were having.
"I'm so full" Albus said with a hand to his stomach.
"Really? I think I could go for another chocolate" Alex said. Albus, remembering his train ride, reached into his pocket.
"Here" Albus offered him the Chocolate Frog he had saved. Alex took it with gratitude.
"What's this?" Alex said holding a glittering card with a picture of a brown haired witch on it.
"Their collectable cards; comes with each frog" Albus explained.
"Hermione Granger?" Alex read the name out loud while looking at the card. Albus and Rose let out a chuckle making Alex look at them with a confused expression.
"That's my mum" Rose explained.
"Wow cool!" Alex exclaimed, "So your last name's Granger?"
"No my last name is Weasley. You must have met my father since he accompanied you"
"Wow!" Alex said, "What a huge coincidence, meeting both of you! Wait…it is a coincidence right?" Alex asked with a rather serious face. Rose and Albus laughed.
"Of course it is!" they both said, still laughing. Alex chuckled a bit too before biting into the frog. They had eventually made it to a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink dress.
"Password?" she asked.
"Blast-Ended Skrewt" said Victoire. The portrait opened and everyone went into the Gryffindor common room. Victoire showed the new students where their rooms were – all the new students shared one room with 3 bunk beds in them. The boys entered their room and they chose the beds closest to their trunks. The boys changed into their pyjamas except for Alex who lay on the top bunk in his robes. The other boys noticed and looked at each other.
"Uh, you can get changed Alex. It's your room too" Xavier said.
"Yeah we won't stare or nothin'" Liam said.
"Speak for your self" Oswald said.
"What?" "Oswald!" Albus and Xavier spoke at the same time in cautious tones.
"What? I just think its interesting is all. Aren't you guys curious about it?" Oswald asked.
"Well yeah." Xavier admitted, "But I wouldn't want people starin' at me, if I was in his position"
"Alex?" Albus stood on the ladder that leads to Alex's bed, "Oh. He's asleep"
Xavier sighed, "Good. I hope he didn't hear you" He spoke to Oswald, who made a face back at him. They all climbed into their beds, Albus taking to one beneath Alex, Oswald took a bottom bunk with Xavier above him, and Liam got one to himself taking the top bunk.
They all fell asleep almost instantly.
Alex awoke in the dark room not knowing what time it was. In a sleepy haze he climbed down from his bed and out of the room. The common room was lighter due to the moon beaming in through the window. Alex sat in front of the fireplace and took a deep breath. Fire erupted from his nostrils and his breath guiding it to the wood sitting in the fireplace. The common room now had an orange glow to it. Alex lay down in front of the flames and closed his eyes; drifting off to sleep.
In the morning he would wake up before everyone else, climb back into his bed, and pretend he spent the night there.
A/N: Edited and cleaned 26/10/2011. Details on my profile.