Chapter Six:

After that, Gwen set of to her dorm.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure how she could stomach going back there, but she declined his offer to come home with him to help him pack. So much for family.

Seeing as how he wasn’t returning home in the afternoons anymore, the headmistress permitted him to portal home today to get whatever he needed. She was nice enough to leave it open for him to return whenever, and honestly he was going to take advantage of that. There were still exams going on so the place was still in lockdown and who knows how long packing would take. The headmistress didn't spend too much time with him after he returned from parting with Gwen. She seemed rather disturbed and rather busy. But she wished him well, told him to find the Cancer dorm, and that her door was always open.

Honestly, as much as he liked her, this was shit.

How was he supposed to just live in another building?

But he wasn't in the mood to feel bad for himself, so he decided to just pack whatever he could see himself needing.

He grabbed some tooth paste, his(?) toothbrush and some soap. But they only had the liquid scented soaps left and he hated those. They made you smell clean but not actually be cleaning. He never really felt clean unless the water in the shower was close to boil and he could attack his skin with something sharp and spiky and a good chemical scented bar of soap.

As for clothes, still he had no uniform so he tossed in jeans, tracksuits, shirts, jerseys. He didn’t own pajamas- that’s what old clothes were for.

What else should he pack? He’d take the tv if he could but electronics were shut down by wards in magical areas. Security and what not. Youtube was safer without any exorcisms or Gwen’s starting an angry ranty podcast. Miss Maizley would do perfectly well on tik tok though.

Just as he was about to laugh it suddenly hit him that he had no idea when he would be coming home again. He sat down on his bed feeling a strange emptiness coming on. He didn’t like sleeping in other places. The few times he slept over at his mother’s house he had hated it.

There wasn’t anything he could take to make that place feel like home.

At least he could spend one last day here.

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“What the hell is this dorm?”

He’d woken up far later than he’d expected from his last nap in the house. By the time got through the portal it was well past 7pm and by then most staff and students were off campus, and a surly prefect didn’t seem bothered to actually show him the where the Cancer dorm was and just gave him some vague nonsense directions.

The walk was proving to be closer to a marathon. He might just have to invest in a broom, or carpet at this rate. The Cancer dorm was nearly twenty minutes away from the other dorms. The other dorms were all located within five minutes of the main castle, to make it easier for students to head to classes and the dining hall. But the Cancer dorm was closer to the forest, to make it easier for students to be stalked by a knife wielding killer.

But when he did find the dorm it was... Well the campus itself was an old magical castle with various other buildings built around it. Each building built for a specific use and there were several sports grounds and the other dorms looked nice enough and the scenery was gorgeous so far with lots of flowery trims on the walkway to and from each place . But the cancer dorm...

It was below the walkway level and he had to take a set of old stairs down a janky hill to get to the dorm. Obviously, it wasn’t unkempt or broken down. But it was an ugly sight compared to the newer dorms. If he had the deceitful self serving soul of a real estate agent he would describe the old warping wooden trimmings as rustic and natural. The century old design as vintage, the strangling vines on the house as close to nature and the lawn- honestly even a real estate agent couldn't find a spin for the lawn.

The lawn wasn’t even a lawn. Instead of a front lawn there was a large murky pool making up most of the front of the yard of the house and he couldn’t see what it was but something large was swimming inside. Normally predators were stealthy. You’d never be able to see them. So either this was a large prey, something magical probably. Or just something so strong it didn’t care who saw it.

He made his way round the pool to a small double story house. Up close it didn't smell of antiqueness and must as he had expected- it smelt strangely of gunpowder.

He heard the water ripple behind him, and felt a shiver.

Then he grinned. This place was going to be a lot more fun than the other dorms, which either looked like glass apartments or row houses lifted from some strange soccer-mom suburbia.

He wondered if he should knock, honestly there didn’t even look like there were other people here. Better knock just in case he intruded though. He knocked once, but no response. After knocking a second time. He heard a loud yell of:

“Coming!”

And the door was opened by an Indian kid in jeans and a striped jersey and glasses. Younger than him by a few years.

“Can I help you, sir?”

“Yeah. I’m Jess... Uh, Sir.” He said, introducing himself despite been taken aback. “I’m a new dorm mate here.”

“Really, in the middle of the year?” The boy asked, and then immediately seemed to regret speaking. "I'm, sorry. I didn’t mean to sound suspicious just now.”

“Don’t stress kiddo.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Can I take your bag for you?” The boy asked.

Jeez, was this another Gwen situation?

“I can carry it myself, but thanks sir… Hey, you want some doritos?”

And some five minutes later they were sitting in the kitchen eating doritos and hot chocolate- the kid took black coffee.

At least the dorm had coffee, and tea, and hot chocolate provided.

“Sir-”

“No sir.” Jess said immediately.

“But sir, a fourth year told me that you had to use sir for everyone older or mister or miss.”

“Did you ever hear anyone else speak that way?” Jess asked, casually licking the dust of a dorito.

“No, sir.”

“Then he was messing with you, wasn’t he?”

“I figured as much.” The boy said nervously. “But they pick on first years a lot so I didn’t want to fight back.”

“It’s like the friggin Lord of the flies here- or a Disney channel movie.” Jess muttered.

“It’s fun most of the time just some kids can be mean.” The boy said-

The boy?

“So what’s your name, sir?” Jess asked.

“Raj.”

“Like Koothrapali?”

“No- I was named after my father.”

“Cool beans." Jess said, looking around. "Aren't there usually more people here? What kind of dorm is this?”

“Oh, yes!” Raj piped up quickly. “This is the international dorm there’s only 10 of us now including you. This is the boys dorm, the girls dorm is the building behind this one. It’s a bit smaller so you probably didn’t see it from the front yard.”

“I didn’t actually,” Jess said. “Must be exciting.” He grinned.

“What is?”

“Drink your coffee.”

“You can’t sneak into the girls dormitories without a magic tag if that’s what you’re thinking.” Raj said suspiciously.

“I was hoping to be invited actually.” Jess said making a second cup of hot chocolate.

“That’s a lot of hot chocolate.” Raj said, somewhere between envy and warning.

“Yeah, well I skipped like two meals already so I’m starving.” Jess said. “So there’s nine international students?”

“No, there’s only 6 of us. But there’s two students who got sent here because they got kicked out of their dorms.” He said, lowering his voice so much that Jess had to hunch down to hear him. “They sometimes send the bad students to the international dorm.”

Wizards didn’t really trust foreign wizards too much. Too much history, too much secrecy. Too much competition too. When Spanish wizards invented staffs, they thought it would be better for the market if they wiped out bunches of wand makers in Asia. Lot’s of little fun history bits like that. Some happened last week. Some happened this morning probably.

“Ah, no wonder this place is a dump." Jess realized. "They just throw the students they don’t want in.”

“Does that include you?” Raj asked, peering over his coffee.

Jess laughed, nearly spilling his mug over. “Man, you’re of those! Give you an inch and you take a mile.”

“I’m so sorry! I just meant- I didn’t say it right- how come they sent you to the Cancer dorm. You’re not from overseas, are you? You don't have an accent. You sound Keralian*.”

“No, no. I’m from here.” Jess yawned. “I guess because I started late they had to throw me in wherever there was space.”

“Oh, I see... Mr Jess, how come you didn’t ask about the other student?”

“No mister."

Raj looked relieved and Jess smiled.

"Jess?" Raj said, still slightly nervous.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you ask about the other student?"

"What other student?”

“I said there were six international students and two who got kicked out.”

“Ohhhh, that’s eight right? Jeez, man don’t make me do math this late.” Jess grinned. “So who’s the other student?”

“That’s Kate, she’s Nora’s twin sister-”

"Twin.” Jess repeated, sitting up so fast he shook the table.

“Yes-”

“Oh!Ho!Ho!” Jess clapped and burst into peels of laughter and swearing. “Man, Chowder’s going to love this!” Jess exclaimed rolling up his sleeve.

“What is a Chowder?” Raj asked.

“A very very jealous man, who I’m going to enjoy telling this to- once I get a phone signal again.” He grabbed a marker from his bag and wrote ‘Twinsssssss’ on his arm so he wouldn’t forget the message. But jeez twins, and basically a shared dormitory. It was like freaking harem anime. Honestly, at the moment Jess didn’t care too much because he was bloated and sick from the sugar and hot chocolate but teasing Chowder might make his pain more tolerable.

He pulled his sleeve down and tossed the marker back in his bag.

“Anyway," Jess said, back to normal like nothing had happened just now. "So who’s Nora again?”

“A student here,” Raj said, smiling a little himself because of Jess’s outburst of mirth. “She’s kind of scary.” Raj said, the smiling leaving his face. “She was kicked out of the Virgo dorm and placed here. Then her sister Kate came too because she didn’t want to leave Nora alone.”

“Hm.” Jess nodded. “So how about the rest? Where are the others now?”

“In their rooms, but the fifth years and up have astronomy tonight so they’re all out waiting for the exam to start probably.” Raj said.

Man, this kid was helpful.

“Do you know if I have a room here? They didn’t even let you know I was coming.”

“There’s a spare room on the second floor.” Raj said. “Maybe they meant for you to use that one.”

“I’ll go check it out later.” Jess said.

“I can show you if you want.” Raj piped up.

“Nah, I can find it. You don’t stress, bossman- and don’t call anyone else Bossman-” Jess added pre-emptively. “You enjoying the doritos?”

“Oh, yes. It’s quite good. I haven’t tried this flavour.”

“So what are the other dorm members like?”

Raj shrugged.

“Everyone keeps to themselves. Or they just chit chat, but they don’t always talk to me so I don’t know them to well. They don’t seem to like each other. Well-”

Jess smacked his forehead.

“Are you alright!” Raj yelled, almost slipping off his bar stool.

“Yeah, fine.” Jess answered. Jeez, he forgot the wizards in this dorm were all foreign too, so they wouldn’t like each other either. It wasn’t dorm against the school here. No wonder the demons were always one upping the wizarding world since they were all bickering amongst themselves.

“So, no one’s nice to you here?” Jess said, rubbing his sore forehead.

“No no,” Raj said in a panic. He was probably afraid someone would over hear them. “Well Kate and David always talk to me. It’s not that the others can be unkind, everyone just keeps to themselves or they have their own friends.”

He looked nervous despite his protests.

“That so.” Jess said, rummaging through the fridge here. All the food was marked, not even a communal bottle of milk.

“Well, there is Brentley.” Raj said nervously. There we go, Jess thought. He'd get the story soon enough. “He’s the worst." Raj said softly. "He was kicked out of the Aries dorm.”

“Why what did Brentley do?” Jess asked lazily. “Hide someone’s pens? Make you call him lord Brentley?”

“He pushed a teacher through a window.”

Jess lowered his mug.

“Jesus. Accidentally right?”

Raj shook his head.

“How the hell is he not in prison?”

“I heard someone say that his mother smoothed things over somehow and the only punishment he got was that he moved to this dorm. I think he liked it here better.” Raj whispered. “There’s no teachers watching us here.”

Jess was surprised. He didn’t blame the Headmistress really. Some of the students and their families sounded like they just were untouchable. Still, he was kind of surprised there was this much going on here and she was tolerating it. I guess even someone like her had their limits- or maybe these people were just in an unpunishable class. This was Boxtens after all. There were other wizarding schools in the country but this was where most of the best came, and most of the best came from the oldest, richest or just loudest families.

“Brentley ever ask you to call him sir?” Jess asked weakly.

Raj shook his head. “He borrows stuff from me sometimes.”

“Doesn’t give it back?”

“No. He gets in lots of fights too- and I don’t know if it’s true but they almost expelled him once because he was pouring acid into some of the water tanks in the zoology wing.”

Jess swallowed the last of the hot chocolate. They were just dealing with Disney channel pre-teen villains a second ago and now they had 80s Stephen King nonce cultists.

“Let me know if he bothers you again.” Jess said.

For some reason that made Raj look even more terrified than before.

“So, where’d you say my room was?” Jess said, before Raj worked himself up.

“The second floor. I can show you-”

Jess laughed. “Night, bossman.”

*This book is set in a fictional country. Called Keralia. The locals are called keralians.