Snippet #2591921

Whenever the dorms get switched up?

Ennis stared at the notice board in the Saelin common room. Several people cast them weird looks, but they ignored them.

"Are you shitting me?" Ennis spun around on their heel and went to the nearest prefect they could find, and judging by the look on his face, they must look rather terrifying.

"Can I help you...?"

"Yeah, actually," Ennis said with a falsely cheery tone. "Want to explain why I'm dormed with girls? I thought these were separated by gender."

The look on the teenager's face grew increasingly more uncomfortable as he struggled to find words. "Yes, well, see- You're not really- I mean," he added hastily, seeing Ennis's eyes turn flinty, "You know what? I think I hear one of the 2nd years asking questions. I'd better go see if they need any help. Yep. Bye-"

Ennis groaned almost inaudibly. "Well, this isn't going to be awkward at all."

***

"Yeah, so actually I'm not a girl so I'm not sleeping in here because you all are and-" Ennis stopped and ran their hands through their hair. "Yeah, Harlow, that's going to work really well. Good job."

None of the girls assigned to the dorm had actually shown up yet, so Ennis temporarily stowed their bags on one of the empty bunks. "Right. Let's try this again. Hi, invisible dorm mates, my name is Ennis Harlow. I'm not a boy or a girl, so I'm understandably pissed that I'm put in the girls' dorm. I will not be sleeping here, and I'm not sure where I will actually be sleeping. Some tree somewhere, probably." Ennis cringed. "Nice. Brilliant. No way this could possibly go wrong."

"I think it went pretty well, honestly."

Ennis whipped their head around. Someone would be listening, wouldn't they.