November 2022
–Hi Joe,†Elizabeth said. The others looked around. Joe had entered with Henry.
–What, not even a hello for me?†Henry asked teasingly. Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him.
The others greeted the two of them and they sat down, squashing Elizabeth on the sofa in retribution.
A few minutes later the rest of the Potters arrived, via the Floo Network. Hermione got everyone seated at the table, and then she and Harry brought out the food.
Over the meal - which everyone seemed to be enjoying - Ron spoke up.
–Eddie, Harry said you’re thinking about going to Muggle university,†he said.
Eddie nodded shyly from his place between his father and his sister.
–Nottingham, probably,†he said quietly.
–What do you want to study?†Joe asked curiously.
–Music,†Eddie replied. –There’s not really anywhere in the Wizarding world to do it. But it’s kind of hard to do - I can get into the course, I’m fairly confident, but it’s all the extra stuff.â€
–Moving out on your own, getting to know people, sorting yourself out,†Joe said, nodding in understanding. –I know the feeling. You get the hang of it, though.â€
Eddie nodded.
–It’s mostly fitting in that I’m worried about,†he said. –The Integration Holidays group can give me a back story, but it’s not like I’ll have much in common with the others, except for music.â€
–And I take it you’re going to have to learn to use a computer, and all of that stuff?†Joe asked. Eddie nodded.
–We’re not sure where to go for that,†Harry said. –Me and Hermione were brought up Muggle, but we left aged eleven - and things have changed a lot since then.â€
Joe swallowed his piece of potato thoughtfully.
–I could teach you,†he said directly to Eddie. The sixteen-year-old looked surprised.
–Really?†he asked. Joe nodded.
–No problem,†he said. –Computers, phones, iPods, a bit of popular culture - easy-peasy. Take a bit of time, but you’ve got a year or so.â€
Eddie looked delighted now.
–That’d be brilliant,†he grinned. –Thanks, Joe!â€
–You’re welcome,†Joe replied. –It’ll be kind of fun for me as well. I get to act like I know everything.â€
The others at the table laughed.
–Just give me a shout - probably via Henry,†he continued. –We can meet up every so often, however you want to do it.â€
Eddie nodded enthusiastically and the meal continued.
~
September 2024
–Here, Zak, pass us the coke,†Adam called from the other end of the table. Zak obliged, but not before pretending to aim the bottle at Adam’s head. Amy scowled at him, and he stuck his tongue out.
–Honestly,†she said –boys.†But there was no venom in her voice, and everyone just laughed. Zak reached across the table and helped himself to another slice of pizza. Their little kitchen meant for six was crowded with ten - it was the end of their first week at university and they’d decided to celebrate, so everyone from their flat and five from the one above had got together and ordered pizza. Zak was just biting into his slice when Louise, who was sitting on the windowsill, spoke.
–Heads up, everyone.â€
–What is it?†Josie asked, moving towards the window.
–People down there with a suitcase and some boxes - looks like you lot are finally getting your sixth flatmate,†she said. Zak raised his eyebrows. Room Four in their flat had been empty all of Freshers’ Week, and there had been much debate about to whom the uninhabited room belonged.
–Reckon we should go down there and give them a hand?†Adam asked. Louise shook her head.
–Nah, looks like he’s alright,†she said. –He’s getting hugs… and the others are leaving… and he’s picking up his suitcase and two boxes. Looks like he’ll manage alright, and anyway, are any of us really going to abandon the pizza?†This got another laugh as Sam and Webster both reached for the same piece at the same time. There was a brief and silly tussle as they both tugged at it before it came apart, most of it in Sam’s hand, who cheered. Webster threw a plastic fork at him. The group had mostly started talking again when they heard the door open. There were a few footsteps, and the sound of someone dragging something heavy, and then the kitchen door swung open a little way and the new boy stuck his head through the gap.
–Hey,†he said, smiling cautiously.
–Come in!†Zak grinned. –You our mysterious Room Four, then?â€
The boy squeezed through the doorway - he couldn’t open it all the way, as there wasn’t enough space. But he managed it, and Jake and Holly moved along so there was room for him to perch on the sideboard.
–Yep, that would be me,†he said, nodding. –I’m Eddie.â€
–Jake.â€
–Holly.â€
–Louise.â€
–I’m Amy - this is Adam, this is Sam and that,†Amy continued, gesturing to Webster who now had a plastic fork stuck in his hair, –is Webster.â€
–Emilia.â€
–Josie.â€
–Zak the Obnoxious,†Zak said, giving a carefully calculated grin and watching for a reaction. Eddie just gave a short laugh, and nodded.
–I’ll try and remember them all,†he said.
–How come you’re a week late, Eddie?†Louise asked, hand checking her hair subconsciously. Zak glanced at her, and then had a quick look at the other girls in the room. Their attention was almost entirely on Eddie. Eye candy, is he, girls? Zak thought, amused. And Jake, he added, spotting the carefully observant expression of his fellow student. The newcomer was striking enough, he supposed - almost unnaturally pale skin and scruffy, jet-black hair. He was short, too - make that very short, Zak realised - as he sat balanced on the edge of the sideboard, his feet were a good foot from the floor.
–I’ve been ill - nasty bit of flu,†Eddie said, and then laughed when Jake recoiled from him jokingly. –Don’t worry, I’m not contagious now - but I was told I had to stay at home until I got better.†He shrugged.
–That’s got to be a record,†Zak suggested, –freshers’ flu before you even get here!†It wasn’t a great joke, he knew, but it got a laugh, and slowly everyone went back to chatting.
–Pizza, Eddie?†Emilia asked. His face lit up.
–If you lot don’t mind? I didn’t exactly pitch in for it…†he said
–No worries,†said Webster, –scrounging off others is what student life is all about.†Eddie laughed again, and took a piece out of the box being offered to him.
–Thanks,†he said to Emilia, as she took the box back. She grinned, and Zak bit back a laugh. Eddie clearly had no idea of the reaction he was getting, which wiped out any natural feelings of jealousy he might have had of such attention.
About an hour later, Amy was chiding them all into tidying up.
–You won’t want to do it in the morning, guys,†she said.
–Yes, mum,†Zak quipped, and the others sniggered as Amy pretended to get him around the head with the empty pizza box she was holding. When everything was reasonably tidy, Jake, Sam, Webster, Holly and Josie trooped back upstairs.
–Are there only five of them upstairs?†Eddie asked. Zak shook his head. –Nah, there’s Henrietta too, but she’s got freshers’ flu, so apparently they left her asleep earlier.â€
Eddie nodded.
–Fair enough.â€
They left the kitchen and switched the light off. Zak helped Eddie drag his suitcase and two boxes into his room.
–You haven’t brought much,†Zak commented. One box seemed to have bed linen in it, but the other had a lid so Zak couldn’t see what was inside.
–Well, I wasn’t really sure what I’d want, apart from the obvious. My sister’s coming up in a week or so, so I’m going to ask her to bring anything else up then.†Eddie grinned. –That is, if I can persuade her to do anything helpful for me - I may have to bribe her with chocolate.â€
Zak laughed.
–Well, I’ll leave you to unpack then. See you in the morning?â€
–Yeah - what course are you doing?†Eddie asked.
–Music. Same as Amy, Adam and Emilia, and Webster, Sam and Henrietta upstairs,†he said. –I think they decided to lump us all together. What are you doing?â€
–Music,†Eddie grinned. –Do we have anything tomorrow morning?â€
–Not anything in the morning, but there’s some kind of meet and greet on campus at two - we were all gonna walk up there together. You in?â€
–Yep, thanks. See you tomorrow, then.â€
–’Night, Ed.â€
–Goodnight.â€
~
Eddie woke up the next morning in something of a panic. Where were the red hangings of his bed in the Gryffindor dorms, why was the door on his right as he lay in bed and not on his left, why was everything so different? Then his memories caught up with his sleep-addled brain and he forced himself to relax. There was nothing to worry about. This was his new room, his new home. University. Student accommodation. Eddie sat up as his breathing slowed, and pulled his blanket around him to look around his room in the light. He hadn’t had much of a chance the night before.
This room was much smaller than his room at home, which was to be expected. It was rectangular, and the head of the bed was about two feet to the left of the door. In between bed and door was a little bedside table. At the foot of the bed was the left hand side of a desk that reached to the furthest wall from the door. Under the desk and part of it was a chest of drawers; above the desk were shelves. There were two chairs at the desk, one lower than the other. Eddie could see that if you sat at the desk you would be able to look out of the window. The other side of the window to the desk was taken up by a sink with a mirror above it, and a wardrobe next to that. All of the furniture was simple and functional, and Eddie decided that he liked it. A good thing really, seeing as he was about to spend a year living with it. Getting out of bed and pulling on his dressing gown, he wandered out into the kitchen with his bread to make some toast for breakfast. Hopefully someone would have a toaster.
~
The discussion was quiet, the tone casual, just in case anyone could overhear.
–How much protection will the boy have there?â€
–Hard to tell. His father is irritatingly subtle. But minimal, I think, compared to their home - and that was easily penetrated, wasn’t it?â€
–I’d hardly say easily, Os -â€
–Don’t use that name, idiot.â€
–Sorry.â€
There was a pause. Then the shorter man’s superior spoke again.
–Never mind sorry. Have you installed the device yet, got it working?â€
–We’re trying, but it’s nearly impossible to understand without the papers.â€
The taller man sighed.
–Then steal the papers,†he said, as though stating the blindingly obvious.
–We’re - we’re not sure -â€
–Oh for Merlin’s sake, do I have to do everything around here? Look, get hold of the papers you need, and I’ll cover it up. Get on with it. I want to hear good news next time we speak.â€
The shorter man was left standing awkwardly as his taller companion stalked away down the street. Sighing, he made his way towards a nearby telephone box and stepped inside.
He dialled, and a voice was heard inside the box.
–Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.â€
The short man took a breath, and began another lie.