Luck of Nines

22

(An: early update because I am stressed and procrastinating-T.A.L.A.)

     'Harry' made sure the night continued like that, Malfoy headed to one bed, he discreetly cut them off and took it first. Now that it was clear who the main leader of this pack was, the first step was to establish he was the stronger option. The next would be to demonstrate that the previous leader had no sway over him. But that came later, once Malfoy really was the noticeably previous leader of the group, as it was now Malfoy's thoughts did matter, as unfortunate of a reality that was, so showing wasn't capable of making his wishes into reality would be a dent in his credibility.

Since Malfoy was going to claim one bed, he gracefully slid in front and took the bed, starting a conversation with Beckwith in the same motion, "I can't quite place your accent, did you grow up outside of the Britain Beckwith?" He'd not once heard the United Kingdom referred to the United Kingdom by the group, even when they should be using that term, only Britain was used. The same was true for many older wizards and witches too. It was best to, for now, mimic that. It didn't really matter to him anyway.

"Yes, but you can just call me Phineas," Beckwith answered, flinging himself down on the next bed over as Nott claimed the bed on Harry's other side. "Romania mostly, but I traveled outside of there too, Ukraine, Albania, Serbia, Poland, you know, just around Drumstrang territory, my mum wanted me to go there, but my pa put his foot down." He shrugged, lying back on the bed, shoes still on and fully dressed, with his hands behind his head. "So here I am."

"Beckwith's mother practices Egyptian heka," Malfoy claimed with a sneer, flopping down, as properly as one could indignantly flop, on one of the remaining free beds, Crabbe claiming the bed beside Malfoy and Goyle, after a pause, being forced to take the bed next to Crabbe, "his father traveled the world for a time, after his grandfather had a health scare, so he could see the world before taking up the lordship. Beckwith was born from an" a pause, "indiscretion. Although I suppose, Lord Beckwith could have done worse, from what I've heard, it's lucky the bloodline wasn't watered down for good."

From the mutinous scowl that settled on Phineas's face and the look of distaste that flickered across Nott's for a barely there instant, he could see that this was harsher behavior than normal. Malfoy had at least subconsciously sensed the challenge to his position and was lashing out already. Perfect.

"You've traveled Europe then, that must have been exciting." Harry spoke as if Malfoy had never even said anything to begin with, "personally I've never left Britain."

Phineas seemed to deflate a little, "I suppose none of the books were true then."

"Likely not, I didn't have much of any contact with the magical world as Harry Potter until I got my letter so I doubt anybody really knew what I was getting up to." He shrugged lazily and paused, leaning back with all the smug mystery that he could portray.

"But you did have contact with the magical world." Phineas caught on leaning forward.

Malfoy scoffed, "Of course he did-"

"None supervised, I suspect that the Headmaster didn't want me to have any at all, but I found ways."

He could tell that they were hanging on his every word now.

"Your guardians couldn't use magic?" Nott finally spoke up.

"Your guardians were squibs!" Malfoy half snorted half declared in shock.

"Not squibs, Nott, although close, they were muggles, my mother's family," he cast Malfoy a look that said exactly how stupid he thought the other was for not making the connection, and then turned to where Nott sat, "but you're right they couldn't do magic, they were boring and cruel, so I left them years ago," he waved a hand lazily, getting up and stretching.