Dinner

After several hours with silence, except the sounds from the computer, Sophia sighed and looked over at him again.

"Do you want dinner? We usually all eat together in the cafeteria, although we all make our own food. If you'd rather eat in here, that's fine too."

Albus considered for a moment. He would honestly prefer to stay in here, but he also should try to get to know some of the other members and see if any of them matched the descriptions of people he had heard were doing the bad things associated with The Order of the Hidden Dragon. And he had to try and mend his bad first impression with these people. He had been a little too hostile with them last night. He hoped the worst effect of the truth serum was gone by now.

If they started resenting him, his time here would be even more awkward. He didn't know how long that would be. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go. Rose had said she would contact him when it was safe, but that had been when she told him to flee north to the Saami people. Would she even be able to find him, now? Would an owl reach him here?

"Let's go get dinner."

Dinner was indeed a communal affair, or at least many of them ate dinner at the same time. Yet Albus noticed a clear divide between different groups. Sophia and some of her friends were one group. McLaggen and a few others were a different group. Yet others were somewhere in between but obviously wanted to be part of McLaggen's group.

Albus sat down rather awkwardly opposite two other men. He didn't know if the tables were divided by gender, or if that was just how things ended up. But this was a chance to get to know some of the other people here, not just Sophia.

"You survived your first night then?" one of the men said. He had a humorous glint in his eyes, which strengthened Albus' theory that nothing actually happened during the nights.

"I've had worse."

"I don't doubt that. Where's the worst place you've slept then?"

"In a room in a draughty old castle, surrounded by Dark Wizards that I still wasn't entirely certain believed I was on their side. Though it competes with the prison cell that only had a dirty old mattress on the floor. Compared to that, your guestrooms are pure luxury." He still gave way too many details. How long would the effect of the truth serum last? He hoped these men wouldn't ask him too many questions he would be compelled to answer. Maybe going to dinner wasn't the best idea after all.

The two men smiled at his reply though. Maybe he could change the topic and learn what he wanted to know another way.

"Anyway, I feel like we started on the wrong foot. I had a bad day yesterday, and probably didn't make a very good first impression. Hi. I'm Albus. What's your name?" he reached out his hand to appear friendly. He gave it a fifty-fifty chance whether the man would actually tell him a name, and the same odds that it would be his real name.

"Gregory Bainham, nice to meet you. I heard about your sudden appearance yesterday. It's been a while since we've had visitors and even longer since any of them elected to try to become one of us."

How long would this man consider long? Sophia wasn't that old, so she couldn't have been a member of this group for more than a few years maximum. Though maybe she found the group some other way.

"I'm not sure if I want to become one of you yet. I still don't know exactly what that would entail."

"Then why do you take the test?"

"Because I need a place to lay low for a while, and that was a condition to be allowed to stay here."

"I see. Let me guess, that was McLaggen's idea?"

"Yes."

"And he probably didn't tell you anything about who we are or what we're doing."

"No. I got the distinct feeling he would prefer if I hadn't come here at all."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he felt that way. But I think you might feel more at ease if I told you a bit about our history. At the least, it may make us sound less hostile."

"I would love to hear it. Just be careful not to earn McLaggen's ire with your stories." And it would probably prevent Albus from having to spill out more secrets while he ate.

"Oh, I don't worry about him. He's not quite the all-powerful figure he imagines himself to be."

And the man launched into a very long story about how a group of "like-minded individuals" a few generations back had gathered together and decided to start this group as a way to combine their talents. So, while everyone did their own experiments, this was a place where they could freely test them or ask for input.

"At least that's what it is supposed to be," Bainham said. But before he could elaborate on that last statement, Sophia came over to the table.

"Are you done eating?" she asked. "We have a lot more work to do."

Albus wanted to hear more, but he noticed that McLaggen and another man was eyeing him suspiciously. He also sensed some hostility from the table where Piers' sister sat. Time to go, though there wasn't any work to go back to. Maybe it was an excuse for them to get away from here. He didn't feel the urge to correct Sophia though. Maybe eating something had made the effects go away.

"I'm done. Thank you for a lovely story, Mr. Bainham."

"Call me Greg, lad. No need to be so formal."

As they walked away from the dining hall, Sophia looked at him with a strange expression.

"I hope Greg didn't bore you."

"Not at all. I am quite used to listening to stories like he told me."

"Which story did he tell?"

"The one about how this group was formed. Or at least I think that's where it was going. I have to admit, I zoned out for a time there. He's not nearly as bad as Professor Binns, but I wasn't prepared for story time during dinner." Yep, the effects had worn off. That was a great relief.

Sophia chuckled.

"There is a reason the seats on his table were all free. Him and Fred could go on and on forever about their projects or some historical anecdote. They're happy though, that's the most important thing. Both of them have been here forever, so no one wants to upset them too much."

"Yes, that's the idea I got as well. But what I want to know is…" Sophia stopped him before he could finish the sentence. A few moments later, McLaggen passed around a corner. Sophia stood very still, as if praying that he didn't notice them.

"Let's finish the discussion in my room," she said before walking away. Albus got a feeling that there was a lot more going on around here than he thought. He would make sure to check Sophia's room for surveillance spells before talking any more.

Sophia didn't say much when they were back in her room though. She opened her computer and started fiddling with the keys on it. Albus jumped as several loud bangs sounded around them. He had his wand out at once, but Sophia just laughed.

"The wand won't help much against this." she said with a smile.