CHAPTER 1.2
Clara spent the rest of her journey sat by herself in a compartment. That was fine by her, what was the point in making friend when they may not even be in the same house as she would be.
The train arrived to the platform, Clara had been told previously to follow Hagrid the games keeper, with the first years to the boats, as her arrival would then be during the sorting ceremony.
"First years and transfer students this way!" a big burling man yelled.
Clara knew this was who Dumbledore had described as Hagrid and set off to follow the crowd.
"Hello there, ye mus' be Clara?" Hagrid asked sweetly.
For such a big daunting man he seemed awfully friendly.
"Y-yes sir I a-am" Clara replied with a smile.
"Follow me to ter front Clara. Ye and I can ride in ter first boat, that way ye can be the firs' to get sor'ed ter yer house" Hagrid said.
Following Hagrid, they did as he had said and soon Clara was entering into the Great Hall with Hagrid, and the first years following behind them.
Hagrid led them straight up the aisle to a cat-like lady who had a dirty wizard hat in her hands and a stool placed in the centre.
"I am Professor McGonagall head of Gryffindor house. When I call your names, you will step forward and sit onto this stool. I shall place this hat, the sorting hat, onto your head and he shall decide which house is your destination. This year we are happy to announce that we have a transfer student into our fourth year. I hope that those of you who are in the house that she ends up being sorted into, will take her in and show her the ropes." The cat-like lady cleared her throat, "Clara Nightingale".
Clara took a deep breath and stepped forward, taking a seat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head.
"Hmm" the hat spoke, making Clara jump slightly, "you are brave, but not in the conventional way, smart but cunning yes, you know how to use it, hmm, there's great care I see that, but loyal very loyal. Better be, Gryffindor!" The hat roared along with the sea of red students down one column of the tablets.
Clara noticed her robes changed to show her new house colours and she went to take a seat with her fellow housemates.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, we didn't know we were having a transfer student. It's so exciting! I'll take you round, show you everything!" Hermione gushed, greeting Clara.
"Oh, t-thank you" Clara replied with a smile.
Others were introducing themselves; Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, Seamus. Clara didn't have time to manage more than a "hello" before they were interrupted by roars of cheers as the first years were sorted into their houses.
Once the sorting was finished, Dumbledore conjured up an extravagant feast and all the students dove straight in.
"So Clara, why are you transferring?" The ginger haired boy asked, Clara was pretty sure this was Ron.
Clara noticed Hermione elbow Ron and give him a stubborn look, "Ron, you can't just come straight out with those kinds of things! That could be personal, don't you use your brain! Sorry Clara, Ron's mouth often gets carried away" she finished, flustered.
"That's o-okay, I just ha-ad a lot of issues at my p-p-previous school" Clara replied, noticing the curious looks she added, "o-oh I h-have a st-stutter, no biggie" with a laugh.
"That is fascinating!" Hermione practically yelled.
"R-really, do you t-think so?" Clara replied, unsure if she was being teased.
"Highly! Do you know what caused it? Was it from birth? I love reading and I've read a lot about stutters and what can cause them, knowledge is just fascinating I read as much as I can!" Hermione burst.
"She's not wrong there" Ron muttered in a low, humoured tone.
"W-well I can't exactly r-remember what c-c-caused it. Bu-ut it wasn't f-from birth. More an acc-cc-ident we think." Clara tried to explain.
"Facinating! I'm so happy you are in our house! Hermione gushed.
"Hermione, leave the poor girl alone, don't make her a study subject" Ron moaned.
"I-its okay, I'm usually teased so I'll take that" Clara replied with a smile that they all shared.
That evening, Clara shared jokes with her new housemates who quickly became her new friends. Clara made sure that her new friends knew that they could laugh at her stutter with her, instead of either feeling uncomfortable or making horrible jokes about her behind her back. They all accepted this and Clara felt once this was out in the open, they were all able to relax a little more.
Clara had to see Professor McGonagall, her head of house, to receive her timetable and speak about her options. Hermione accompanied Clara and helped to show her around.
Clara had a gift, from where they were not sure, but she was incredibly talented at healing. Due to this, Professor Dumbledore had insisted that she took lessons with Madame Pomfrey on a Friday afternoon. Clara could have sworn she saw a flicker of jealousy flash across Hermione's eyes, but was thankful when Professor McGonagall pointed out that this was likely to be the area Clara would go into after school, especially as she struggles in other areas, due to it being a rare gift they did not normally provide classes for this.
Hermione had insisted on showing her the library before bed and then took her up to the dormitory that Clara would be sharing with Hermione and Ron's sister Ginny. Apparently, this was slightly uncommon, as usually girls and boys shared with others in their year, and Clara had learned that Ginny was one year bellow them. Ginny had rushed to mumble in Clara's ear something to do with 'other girls being mean to Hermione last year' so with a knowing nod, Clara understood that she was not alone with having a painful past at school.
The girls spoke and gossiped before bed, neither at all affected by Clara's stutter. As they drifted off to sleep that night, Clara felt like she finally belonged, that this was where she was meant to be.