This is a series of drabbles about the Hogwarts Mystery protagonist, meant to take place in between the major story beats and show another side to the Hogwarts student life. Each chapter takes place in a different year, but sometimes there are drabbles for the same year more than once, since I pretty much just write when inspiration strikes.

YEAR 1

Andrew wasn't sure what to expect when he walked into the first year bathroom. Sure, he'd taken baths with his brother when he was little, but other than that he had never even changed out of his trousers in front of anyone, and had even asked Rowan to turn around when they had to change into their robes in the Hogwarts Express. Their Prefect had been quite clear, however: they were to shower, change into their pyjamas, and go to bed.

They were smelly, he had to admit; being cooped up inside a train all day and then climbing crazy stairways that moved did that to you.

He'd walked in with the four other boys, one in pants, most in dressing gowns. Andrew hadn't brought one. Who even wears those, he remembered asking while reading Muggle comics. Hogwarts students, is who, he thought miserably, arms crossed over his bare chest as though that would hide anything.

"What's wrong?" Rowan asked as he placed his y-fronts atop one of the stalls. There were stalls, so that was a relief, but they had no doors, and the dividers were so low that anyone could see the other side if they just turned their head.

"N-Nothing," he replied, but privately he was wondering how his friend could be so brash. Once his question had been answered, Rowan simply shrugged and turned the nearest faucet, letting the hot water wash over him with a carefree smile. He didn't even bother to turn away.

The other boys were similarly relaxed, tossing their dressing gowns and underwear about as though they did this sort of thing everyday. ...And they would have to do it everyday, Andrew realised. The five of them shared a dormitory, they were roommates, they were... family. Andrew paled.

"Andy?" asked Rowan again, and this time the concern was clear in his voice. In his face, too. Rowan was staring at him with eyes full of uncertainty.

"He's just shy," said one of the other boys from a nearby stall. 'Egwu, Andre,' the Deputy Headmistress had called him. He remembered because he thought an Andrew and an Andre in the same house and the same year would be confusing. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, mate," the boy continued, "but you can wait until the rest of us are done if you want."

"Chester won't like that," said Rowan, his concern taking an entirely different tone. Chester was their Prefect, and they didn't want to upset their Prefect on the first night. "Maybe you can shower in your pants?" he whispered, a dubious look on his face.

Andrew couldn't help but giggle. "That's gross," he said.

Maybe he was just being silly. They were boys like him. Rowan didn't look any different from him apart from his brown skin and maybe also his muscles, which admittedly had surprised Andrew a little bit. Egwu was right though, there was nothing to be ashamed of.

Andrew quietly but determinedly stepped out of his pants and headed for the stall next to Rowan's, grateful that none of the other boys made any comments. He turned the water and just enjoyed the sensation for a while. The ride had been tiring, but the trip to the Ravenclaw Tower had been worse. Chester had led them through so many stairways and corridors that Andrew wasn't sure he'd even remember the way come tomorrow.

"Do you reckon we got to climb those stairs everyday?" he eventually asked, turning his head to Rowan without bothering to open his eyes.

"I read that Hogwarts has many secret passages," Rowan offered. "Maybe there's an easier way?"

"What, like a slide?" joked Egwu from his stall. He had a hearty, pleasant voice that sounded a bit older than most other first years.

"I wish," said one of the other boys. Andrew couldn't see him since he was sandwiched between Rowan and Egwu, but he suspected he wouldn't be able to remember his name anyway. "Mum says Hogwarts keeps you fit," he finished.

"My mum says that too," said Rowan, "though probably not as much as the farm."

"That's right, you said your parents owned a tree farm," murmured Andrew, more to himself than anything. That explains the muscles, he thought.

Rowan went on about his family farm for a little bit before the other boys lost interest in the conversation. Soon there was a comfortable silence as they all washed themselves.

Since he'd entered last, Andrew lagged behind as the other boys headed for bed, except for Rowan, who stayed with him to chat.

"I know your brother was a Ravenclaw," he said, already dry and wearing a towel around his waist, "but what about the rest of your folks?"

"My dad is a Muggle, and my other dad is a Wizard, but he's not from around here. I got two," he added excitedly when Rowan raised his eyebrows. "I got a mum too, but she doesn't like it when I call her that."

"What d'you call her then?"

"Auntie."

Rowan opened his mouth to ask for details, but Chester chose that moment to stick his head in. "Khanna, what are you still doing there?" he chided. "I told you to go straight to bed."

Rowan didn't need to be told a third time; he quickly gathered his things and scampered back to the dormitory, pausing only to wish Andrew a quick goodnight. Andrew, for his part, quickly lost his newfound confidence and covered his privates as soon as he saw the older boy.

"Ribeiro, what's taking you so long?" asked Chester, eyeing him suspiciously. He didn't seem to notice Andrew's face growing beet red, or maybe he just didn't care.

"Um... s-sorry, Chester," squeaked Andrew.

There was a moment of deeply uncomfortable silence.

"Right. Don't be late for Charms in the morning," said Chester, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, having finally realised it was in poor form to barge in on first years showering, Prefect or not. "Professor Flitwick is our Head of House, so don't go losing any points in his class, you hear?"

Without another word, Chester left their dormitory. Andrew let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding, then quickly towelled himself dry, remembering only afterwards that he'd left the shower running. It was a bit of a struggle to reach the faucet without getting wet again, but once that was done, he took stock.

The bathroom was kind of a mess. Andrew didn't know who was responsible for cleaning up their dormitory, and seeing it now, he didn't want to find out. There was water everywhere, for one. The floor was wet all the way to the door, and nobody but Rowan had bothered to pick up their pants or dressing gowns, so the ones lying on said floor were wet too. Egwu's garish purple and gold boxers and his equally colourful dressing gown were about the only ones still dry, since he had quite reasonably placed them on the nearby bench, next to where Rowan had been sitting.

Andrew sighed. The five of them shared a dormitory, they were roommates, they were family, but gosh, living with four other boys was going to be hard work.

...Even so, there were worst blokes to be stuck with.