Forevermore

New Friends

 Though I'm on tenterhooks all weekend, there are no more strange voices or noises, and by Sunday night, I'm able to sleep fairly well in my new room. Before I know it, it's Monday morning: my first day of school here in Scotland. I'm not nervous really - just a little self- conscious.

 I stand in front of the mirror in my room. inspecting myself in my new uniform. It consists of a white long sleeved blouse, a black pullover sweater, a black-and-gray plaid skirt, black tights, and black shoes. Not my style at all.

 Mom peeks her head in. "Good morning, sweetie," she says. "Almost ready for breakfast? Oh," she cries when she steps all the way in, "look at you!" She claps. "Are you Gryffindor or Slytherin?"

 I sigh. "Slytherin for sure."
 Mom laughs. "You look very...Scottish, Ivy.  And adorable."
 I frown at her in the mirror.
 Mom crosses the room and pulls me into a hug. "Everything will be okay, sweetie. They'll all love you." She kisses my temple and glances at me in the mirror. "How can they not?"
 I smile and pat Mom's arm. "It's okay, Mom. I can handle it if they don't all love me like you do."
 She grins. "Just be yourself and you'll be fine.
 If only it were that easy.

~~~

 Niall and Mom drive me to school. I didn't want to have to ride a bus filled with strangers, so I'm glad. Glenmorrag High School is average size, brick, and all one story. It has a huge football field-"a football pitch," Niall calls it-that sits off to the side. As Niall comes to a stop in front of the school, I take in the sea of uniformed kids. The boys wear white shirts with black ties and black sweater-wests, and the girls are in outfits like mine, though some wear pants. Mom was right; I feel like I've arrived at Hogwarts. Too bad this school won't be nearly as fun. 

 I say good-bye to Mom and Niall and get out of the car. Then I take a deep breath and sling my backpack onto my shoulder, bumping into a girl with long firey-red curls.

 "Och, watch it," she says with a heavy Highland accent. "You nearly took me bloody head off with that thing."

 Embarassed, I give a hesitant smile. "Sorry 'bout that."

 Her eyes widen. "Och, an American," she says, and inclines her head. I've come to realize och is a standard Scottish exclamation meaning something similar to oh. She smiles. "I'm Emma." 

 "Ivy," I reply. "I'm new."

 "Well, Ivy, come on, then. I'll show you to the front office so Headmistress Worley can give you your schedule."

 I follow Emma inside, careful not to hurt anyone else with my backpack.

 "Where do you live anyway?" Emma asks me as we come to stop in front of an office door. 

 "Um..." I hesitate a little. "Glenmorrag Castle."

 "No way." Emma's eyes again widen. "I've heard that-"

 "Okay, Emma, you two might want to hurry along now." A boy our age appears at our side, He's tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair, silvery eyes, and very white skin. He glances at his watch and raises a dark brow. "Ye dunna want to be late, aye?" He smiles at me, then a little longer at Emma, then walks off to speak to another group of kids. 

 "Serrus Munro," Emma says, looking after him. Her tongue spins all the r's in his name. "One of the prefects. He's nay to bad."

 I watch the group of younger kids disperse the moment Serrus walks up. 

 "I think I read about prefects in Harry Potter," I admit, feeling childish.

 Emma grins. "Oh, yeah. Well, they're kind of like...patrolmen. Serrus is our age, a Sixth Year, and he sort of helps keep the younger ones in hand. But he's right." She glances at her watch. "Better go to class. You can go in and see the headmistress. See ya 'round, aye?"