Richard noted that the bedroom was furnished with comfortable wooden beds covered with patchwork quilts and nestled in honeycomb-like alcoves. If desired, the bed could be separated from the bedroom by a canopy, creating a small private space. Additionally, a small closet was built into the wall next to each bed. A large space remained in the center, but it was occupied by small single-person desks arranged in a circle with a slight gap in front of the fireplace stove. The stove occupied the central position, and was intended to provide warmth on cold winter evenings.
In the UK, the ground floor is typically considered the basement, and the second floor is considered the first floor. Given that the Great Hall is located on the first floor, someone unfamiliar with the British approach to counting floors might mistakenly assume that the Hufflepuff common room is in the dungeons, like the Slytherin common room. This is actually incorrect. By international standards, the Badger dorm is located on the first floor, as evidenced by the round windows above the beds, which are located opposite the door.
Slytherin students, however, were unlucky: their dorm is located underground. But Richard was certain that the students' dormitories were on the same level as the Hufflepuffs'.
"Six," Richard stated.
Justin yawned widely and asked sleepily:
- What?
"Six beds. Six desks. Six wardrobes... If you count the number of large pieces of furniture individually and add them together, you get the devil's number. The designer had a sense of humor."
"There are only four of us," Justin noted. "Me, you, Ernie, and Zachary."
Ernie Macmillan was destined to become a handsome man in the future, but now he was just a charming boy with wheat-colored hair and blue eyes.
Zachary Smith resembles Richie and Ernie only in hair color-he's also blond. But the boy has dark brown eyes, a stocky build, a wide nose, and thin lips. He looked frightened and confused.
"Three blonds and you, Jas," Richard chuckled. "We have the fewest first-years. The only girls are Susan and Hannah. You know, guys, while the other houses have all-boys dorms, we're the luckiest of all. We have two whole beds available."
"Oh, my things are already here!" Zachariah said in a tired, thin voice, surprised.
"Mine too," Ernie said, walking over to the central bed near the window.
"Oh, and my suitcase is still there," Justin said, heading towards the bed next to Ernie.
- If no one objects, I think I'll move here.
Richie took his suitcase from the bed next to the door and took the empty bunk at the side. He figured there wouldn't be any drafts from the door or windows, and the warmth from the stove would be most noticeable. It was a cunning calculation, but in a dorm, it's always the first come, first served. And although Richard is wealthy in this life, in another world, during his time getting his higher education, the transmigrator had to live in a student dorm for a long time. And he was forced to notice that the comfort of a dorm from the future was no different from one from the past. Perhaps it would even be better here, as the room was twice as spacious.
In the morning, the boys were awakened by the alarm clock Richard had set the night before. A disgruntled grunt came from Ernie's bed. Justin pulled the covers over his head, curled up, and refused to get up. Only Zachary managed to open his eyes, sat up, and tried not to fall back into a horizontal position.
"Richard, are you nuts?!" Smith asked, his voice hoarse and sleepy. "It's only six in the morning. We still have another hour and a half to sleep."
"Go to sleep, I'm not disturbing you. If you know another way to wake up on time, I'll listen carefully and use it."
Muttering something incoherently, Zakhary collapsed his head onto the pillow, wrapped himself in a blanket and tried to fall asleep.
Richard was used to being woken up early, so he easily slipped out from under the covers and turned off the alarm.
Rich's first order of business was to inspect the bathroom and shower. They were shared by all the boys, but with a decent number of sinks, toilets, and shower stalls. Despite this, it would still be crowded a little later. But at six in the morning, there wasn't a single soul in the bathroom or shower.
After regaining his composure, Richie began writing letters. He didn't finish until just after seven o'clock, when people began to wake up and crawl out into the hallway, their faces rumpled.
In the living room, Richard found only one girl, about a year or two older. She was thin, had a sharp chin, and her hair was pulled back tightly into a ponytail.
Adjusting the cuffs of his snow-white shirt, Richard walked towards the girl.
- Good morning, miss. Lovely cardigan. This purple color suits you very well.
- A?
The brunette lowered the book and looked at Richie in surprise.
- We're not introduced. Richard Rich, or just Richie.
- Um... Megan Jones, second year.
- Nice to meet you, Miss Jones.
- Oh, just call me Megan, otherwise I feel like I'm in a class with Snape.
"Okay, Megan. It's perfect weather for sending an owl. Perhaps you'd be so kind as to tell me where the owlery is?"
"Do you need to go to the owlery?" Megan asked. "There's plenty of time before breakfast, let me take you."
- That would be very kind of you, Megan. I would be very grateful.