{Half A Hero} Hufflepuff!Reader

Fifth year, Chapter 1: New Girl

You clenched and unclenched your fists, jaw in a complete lock thanks to your nervousness, eleven year olds around you softly chattering and shaking. The room had a mustiness only old mortar could muster. 

A boy tugged on your sleeve for attention,

"I don't want to be rude," He started. "And I'm sorry if I am, but aren't the fifth year kids suppose to be out in the hall?"

"I'm an exchange student, so I need to be sorted into a Hogwarts House. I'll be sorted after you guys. I think."

"Oh, I'm sorry. No one told us." 

He was very polite. You were sure his accent was American. very different from the way the other kids his age annunciated. 

You decided on asking him about the houses. He welcomed the change of conversation, stated new factoids for you to forget almost immediately. You feigned reactions here and there, both of you just trying to distract your nerves.

Until a Professor came in. She glided through the room of first years with such authority, pointy nose in the air and her dark green robes flowed around her. There was a quiet elegance in the way she ordered the kids. 

You gnawed on your bottom lip as she introduced herself. Professor McGonagall explained the ceremony, and confirmed that you would be called on last with an introduction from the Headmaster.

Your nerves had wore thin by the time you reached the front. You were sat on a rickety stool, before the school. The sorting hat resting on your head.

"Ah," It mumbled softly, just for you to hear. "Your nervousness makes you aggressive... hmm, that seems a bit Griffindorish... but you excel in studies... kind hearted but would hurt another if you are hurt..."

You closed your eyes. Dumbledore calmly explained the exchange student situation, he was going to introduce you after the sorting hat had done it's job 

"Hummmm... I think that you'll fare well in HUFFLEPUFF!" It finally exclaimed.

You heard a loud cheer from your left, McGonagall removed the hat.

"You can open your eyes, dear." She said, a hand squeezed your shoulder in reassurance.

"I'm trying."

She chuckled softly, you looked at her as she led you down to your table. You sat next the boy you spoke to earlier, Jon Kent.  He beamed at you.

The headmaster clapped his hands twice, silencing the chattering students, he introduced the new Defense teacher, Prof. Umbridge. The toad-like woman coughed squeakily for attention every few seconds.

You hoped you had no classes with her. But you were always bad with luck.

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"I feel like a python." 

"What?" Jon asked. 

He took quick steps as you all followed a prefect to the dorms. He wasn't the only American, you soon found. They were sprinkled throughout the years. Just a few. Certainly more than the school's reputation of being an 'only britsh-ish' school. 

A short kid brushed pass you, he muttered under his breath about incompetent students. Jon pulled the boy back. You watched a flash cross over those venomously green eyes.

"Damian Wayne?"

"Kent." He grimaced. "We saw each other during the sorting. Why are you acting so surprised?"

"You guys are gonna be the end of me." You murmured, trying not to be heard by the scary child.

Alas, Luck hated you, as you knew before. As you always had known.

"You don't know me, woman."

Apparently the Prefect had finished explaining the house rules. The little reunited friendship distracting you from probably useful information. Everyone flowed in to the common room, older years occupied what you had assumed to be their usual spaces.

Different hues of yellow and deep browns covered the room, worn wooden floors creaked in certain places. You bid the two boys goodnight, wanting to relax in an empty space while you still had the chance to.

You opened your room door,  flicking on a light switch. Your trunk and bags sat at the end of your four poster bed, waiting to be unpacked.

"Hey," A voice greeted behind you. "How are you?"

You turned to the girl standing in her doorway, opposite your room. Her hair glowed sublty. Her skin had an orangeness that put over tanned people to shame. 

She was beautiful.

"Hi." You shook her hand. "Doing great. Name's Y/N."

"Starfire." She grinned. "Can we be friends?"

You nodded, only to be suffocated in the girls arms as she squealed, gushing that she'd show you around, and that you both could sneak into the kitchen's whenever you liked.

You finally found a friend your age.