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A few days after putting her name in the Goblet of Fire, Clara went to the Hogwarts library to begin looking into the history of Hogwarts. It didn't take her long to find the perfect book; Hogwarts: a History. Tucking herself into a nook between shelves, she delved into the rich history of the castle.
Clara sat in the library for hours, students came and went, but she remained constant. She sat in her nook, contently flipping through the pages. She found out about the founders, Hogwarts achievements, notable staff and students, and even the secrets of Salazar Slytherin.
The legend of the Chamber of Secrets arises from Slytherin's departure and has been the subject of debate for many centuries. Clara read, the legend itself concerns a chamber supposedly constructed by Slytherin deep beneath the school that he kept a secret from the other founders and sealed so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school.
"That must have been Voldemort," Clara whispered to herself.
The story goes that when Slytherin's true heir returns they alone will be able to open the Chamber of Secrets and release the horror within - a horror that will purge the school of those whom Slytherin believed were unworthy of studying magic.
Clara knew what that meant, as she had written an essay on the 1992 Petrified Students when she was in third year. She researched this part of Hogwarts, the Basilisk that infested the plumbing and targeted muggle-borns. She restated the event, and argued how Voldemort couldn't be the only true heir as when it was reopened his physical presence wasn't needed, so there could be loopholes for who could open the hidden chamber.
"Clara," she heard someone whisper. Her head snapped up from the book to meet the eyes of the voice, but nobody was there.
"Hello?" She asked quietly, standing.
She crept out from her nook, but nobody was there. The library was empty with the exception of a portrait in the corner and a student asleep on a table. There was no sign of life in the library, until she heard the whisper again.
"Clara!"
It came from behind the first section of the library, so she crept through the small archway into the next section.
"Will? This isn't funny," She said, "Andy, I know you're better than this."
Clara continued to cautiously tiptoe down the rows of books, looking down each row of shelves. She called out to her friends, hoping this was just a lame prank from them rather than someone from another school.
Her name was called again, louder. She walked further into the library, it seemingly getting darker. Until she reached a golden gate, blocking off the next section of the library. She gently pushed on it, and it wasn't locked.
"Come find me Clara, help me."
The voice was coming from the back of the library and as she began to walk towards the back, very determined and cautious, a hand gently tapped her shoulder. She jumped from surprise and turned around to see James.
"I've been calling your name, Clara," he smiled, "You must have been in a day dream."
"Yeah," she chuckled, "I do that a lot." Notreally.
"So, I actually had a question for you," he said, leaning against a shelf, "if you don't mind?"
"Well, you already asked." She stated, mater-of-factly.
"I did?"
"There it is again," she cracked a laugh at this and the confusion on his face.
"Okay, you get what I mean," James was smiling now, "I was curious about what it was like at Ilvermorny. Andy mentioned how it was moulded after Hogwarts, and that you're writing a comparative essay between the two. So, you're the girl I should ask. Right?"
Clara smiled slightly, "She told you?"
James nodded.
"Well, I don't think you want the full history," Clara said taking a seat at a table with him, "but basically: our founder, Isolt Sayer, always wanted to go to Hogwarts, but she wasn't allowed to. So, she ran away to the New World and came across creatures and people she would soon call her friends and family. After some "explosive" events, Isolt formed a school for her new family and they created houses much like Hogwarts."
"Copy-cats."
"I'm not done yet," she shook her head, "Isolt created the Horned River Serpent house, my house, her sons created the Thunderbird and Wompus houses, and her husband created the Puckwugie house."
"Can I be honest with you? That last house sounds stupid."
"Gryffindor sounds weird too," she shot back.
James continued to ask questions about Ilvermorny and America, and Clara answered every question promptly. As James began to run out of questions, it had already gotten dark. She was enjoying his company, but was growing tired.
"How come you haven't asked anything about my father? It's normally all I get asked when I meet someone," James said as he saw Claras face morph from near exhaustion to interest.
"Well, I've already studied practically everything there is to know about Mr. Potter," she answered, "Modern History of Magic basically covers his whole life in our second year, and the professor is practically obsessed with your dad, it's a little creepy."
"So there's nothing you don't know?" James raised an eyebrow.
She thought for a moment, "How does he take his tea?"
"How does he take his tea?" James repeated, stifling a laugh, "Why?"
"Because I never found it any books obviously," Clara smiled.
"He always adds milk and sugar, to his black tea," James smiled, thinking about it, "and every morning when he has it, he insists on having a little bit of chocolate for when he's done. I have no idea why, but he said it's something he picked up from his old professor."
"Very informative," Clara was smiling even wider now, "Thank you, James."
They talked for a little while longer until she was practically falling asleep at the table. They then left the library, James departing to the Gryffindor dormitory while she went to the Ilvermorny dorms. She was surprised with how much James could talk, and how she enjoyed having a conversation with him.
But she couldn't shake the underlying anxiety, of how he showed up in her dreams before she ever knew him.
