Closed Here we go! PV Nara Alora

september 1st, 2023
friday
nara alora
with: @Sage Willows
wc: 300

This would now be Nara's second time boarding the Hogwarts Express, and her first time doing it alone. Her mother had work barely an hour after the train was set to board, so Nara had been rushed out of the car with a quick kiss on the forehead and a quick 'good luck, love you!' as soon as she arrived at the train station.
Since she had arrived, there had been a tickle at the back of her throat. She had arrived at the same time she did last year, despite the fact that she had warned her mother to arrive earlier so she could score an empty compartment. Of course, with the fact that Nara had slept in again and also forgotten to pack the night before- it was inevitable that she would once more have to share a compartment with another student. Bummer. She was really looking forward to taking a nice nap on the train this year!
A sigh escaped her lips as she walked through the busy train. She had seen quite a few students who had been around in her first year, but even more that she didn't recognize. Must be the new first years, right? 'I hope I didn't look as clueless as these guys do,' is a thought that crosses her mind, but quickly dies out once she spots an almost empty compartment.
Almost, because there was a girl sitting there. Of course, what a real shame. But she might as well take the chance to score a seat in any compartment at all, rather than just keep moving and have to sit with three other people she didn't recognize.
"Er, hey," she calls, opening the door and peeking in. "Are you waiting on someone? Can I sit with you?"

Sage looked up to see a dark haired girl looking at her.
“What? Oh, sure you can,” she said. Sage’s hand absentmindedly wandered over to her prosthetic leg, waiting for a comment. She waved the girl inside the compartment.
“Come on now, you do not want to be blocking up the path for others to get through,” muttered Sage, even more happy she has arrived early. She looked over the girl. Dark hair, warm skin tone, she was older, at least a second year. Sage did not feel nervous at the fact there was a second year in her presence, no she was too daring for that.
“So, what is your name? I’m Sage,” said the brown haired first year. Sage glanced out the window of the compartment and saw the train was beginning to move.
“Here we go!” whispered Sage. She turned back to the other girl.
“Are you excited to go to Hogwarts?” Sage blurted out. She had to know if this girl was nervous like her, or ready for her first, or second year. Sage felt her body tense up a bit. She did not quite feel ready to be leaving Cassie and Kora yet to go to Hogwarts yet. Hopefully this girl did not notice Sage’s nervousness.

september 1st, 2023
friday
nara alora
with: @Sage Willows
wc: 250

Though the situation wasn't exactly ideal, Nara was still grateful. This girl- right, Sage- seemed to be a bit talkative, which was fine, not great, but fine. Nara would just have to pay more attention to the conversation at hand. Yeah, she could do that. Besides, the part robot girl seemed pretty friendly, and Nara could always use a friend.
"I'm Nara Alora, currently a second year in the Hufflepuff house." Hufflepuff house, she couldn't say that last year this time around. In all honesty, she hadn't expected to become a Hufflepuff, albeit she didn't know what a Hufflepuff was until long after she had been sorted. But, after hearing about all of the houses and what they represented, it was like her house was the one that represented her the least. Just and loyal...? Yeah no, that definitely wasn't her.
"Not really. School is just a bore, y'know?" Mentally, she could've yawned. "Way too many hours of not being able to nap, and then the homework after? Ugh. Staying at home is much more enjoyable."
Staying at home was what kind of got Nara messed up in the first place. If she had just woken up earlier then she wouldn't have had to deal with the traffic and getting to the platform late. What a total mess!
"You're a first year, right? You must be excited. Do you know what house you're gonna get into?"

Sage was relived that Nara had yet to make a comment about her leg. Sage’s hand rested on her knee as if she was preparing for some comment, negative or positive, to be made. Nara did not seem too excited about the school year starting again.
“Yeah. I am somewhat excited. My step-mom prepared me for any situation whether it be about my blood status or my leg. It is safe to say that my house is probably in between Gryffindor, that was my mom’s house, or Slytherin, my step-mom’s house. But I am really prepared for whatever house I get. I mean, sorting hat knows best, right?” Sage looked out at the hills the train was heading over. She remembered Cassie’s warning to take her leg off to let it rest when she had the chance. She was going to be very busy at Hogwarts. Carefully, Sage slipped off her prosthetic leg and set it next to her. She left her prosthetic liner on the remains of her limb. She glanced at Nara and realized it might be a bit awkward since she took off her leg. Remembering Cassie’s warning that most of the other kids had probably never seen someone with her situation, she asked Nara, “Is it okay with you if I sit without this,” she paused to hold up the leg, “on? It gets a bit heavy after a while,” Sage explained. Sage set her prosthetic leg back down next to her. Hopefully Nara didn’t think she was completely odd with her leg.

september 1st, 2023
friday
nara alora
with: @Sage Willows
wc: 250

Nara tilts her head, a curious look on her face. "You think you'll be in a house because your parents were in one?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. Thinking of her own parents, she definitely didn't think she'd be in the same house as her mother. Actually, now that she had thought of it- Nara wasn't entirely sure what house her mother had been in, if she herself had gone to Hogwarts.
During the entire summer leading up to her first year at the school, her mother hadn't really divulged any information about the school itself, save for the fact that she knew it existed. Any questions Nara had had about the school's interior or how it worked had been learned solely through experience, with her questions being answered with a simple "I'm not sure" or "I don't know, but you'll figure it out once you get there!", so that was less than helpful.
"Hm? Yeah. It's cool, you don't really need to ask." If she were really being honest, she only thought the prosthetic leg made Sage look more like a cyborg or robot, but she'd never say that to Sage's face- or anyone's face for that matter. It seemed like a rude comment to make, and Nara wouldn't want to be rude to this girl, she seemed rather sweet.
She opened her mouth to ask a follow up question but decides to shut it and shrugs absentmindedly. "It doesn't bother me, if that's what you're worried about."

“Well, I mean, I guess. Cassie- my step mom- has always said I will probably end up in the same house as her or my mom, but I do not know what the sorting hat will say,” said Sage when Nara seemed surprised she thought she would end up in Gryffindor or Slytherin. Sage breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Nara was fine with her leg being off. Good, she does not think I am an absolute freak for taking off my leg. If Nara seemed fine with her leg, maybe more people at Hogwarts would be accepting of it as well. She gazed out the window and quietly appreciated the beauty of the nature the train was passing.
“What is your favorite thing about being a Hufflepuff?” asked Sage out of the blue.
“My step mom has not really told me a lot about Hufflepuff so I would like to know more,” Sage added. She leaned over and picked up her leg and picked it up. Sage adjusted her liner and put her leg back on. After assuring that it was on, she stood up to help the suction of the leg to keep it on. She looked back at Nara as she sat down. Nara was her first friend, her first Hogwarts friend, and her first Hufflepuff friend. Maybe it would not be so bad if she ended up in Hufflepuff with Nara.

september 1st, 2023
friday
nara alora | werewolf, wandmaker
with: @Sage Willows
wc: 260

"That's true, I suppose. I'm sure your parents would know you best." On her first time riding the Express, she had spent most of the trip wondering about the houses and the castle alike. It was practically impossible to not think about the upcoming year and what would be happening while she was there- from both her own mind and also the chattering of other students. Trying to hide from both the gossip and rumors was a difficult task in and of itself.
"My favorite thing?" Nara asked, tilting her head in surprise. Did she really even have something she enjoyed more than others about her house? The common room was cozy, and that was really all she cared about. Although she did recall a boy in her year disturbing her sleep, so really it wasn't all that.
"Let's see... the common room is cozier than any other house, I think. I've taken more than a thousand naps on the couches. Oh, but one time some guy in my year woke me up- but besides that one experience, they were really good naps. Also, my housemates are surprisingly very warm. Not like in a physical way, but so far everyone I've met has been rather kind- and that's another thing."
Trailing off, Nara tried to think of something else to say, but nothing came to mind. What else was so wonderful about her mustard yellow house? She really couldn't place her finger on it.

Sage listened intently as Nara talked about the nice common room and nice people. Hopefully that meant there would not be too many rude people. But there always was and there always would be.
“That sounds really nice! Maybe you could show me around sometime? That is, if I end up in Hufflepuff,”Sage suggested. Sage turned to look out the window of the train. They seemed to be getting really close to Hogwarts. They would probably be arriving shortly. The time in the compartment seemed to have gone very quickly. Sage was glad she had Nara to distract her from her nerves about Hogwarts.
“Do we need to change into our robes?” asked Sage. Just in case they would need to, Sage had put her robes near the top in her trunk, right next to her extra prosthetic liners just in case her current ones were to start falling apart or ripping. Sage had no doubt she would probably need to replace her liners. Prosthetic liners usually last between six to eighteen months and Sage did not want to be caught unprepared. Sage carefully opened her trunk and pulled out her plain black robe. Before she closed her trunk, she noticed a small photo of her sister Kora. Sage smiled down at her sister’s laughing face and took the photo from her trunk. Kora was laughing in the picture. Sage was in the background smiling alongside Kora. Cassie was probably taking the picture. Sage stared at the photo for a few passing seconds before settling the picture back down in her trunk. She closed the trunk.

september 1st, 2023
friday
nara alora | werewolf, wandmaker
with: @Sage Willows
wc: 270

Showing someone around right after the sorting sounded kind of tiring. But it'd be rude to decline. A part of Nara hoped that Sage wouldn't get into Hufflepuff- but the girl was so upbeat and talkative, she kind of thought it was inevitable. Sage's personality reminded Nara quite a bit of the other students in Hufflepuff- if Sage did get into the house, Nara was sure she'd fit in just fine.
"Of course. If you'd like, I can show you around the castle tomorrow after classes. There are some places I go to skip class and take a nap- but you have to be really careful. The prefects and teachers always get a little too close." She shrugs despite what she says. "But when you're sleeping, it's much easier to not be worried."
Speaking of sleeping... that was exactly what Nara wanted to do. Sage was easy to talk to, since she led the conversation, but it was still enough to make Nara sleepy. Any action made her sleepy, but that was a conversation for another day.
"We probably should, yeah. It's getting dark out anyway so we should be there pretty soon." Her lips pressed together as she shuffled through her bag, looking for her robes and wand. Books and some galleons passed by her hands until she felt the cloth of her Hogwarts robes. The material was easy on her fingers, and she tugged it out with ease.
"What's that picture?" Nara asked as she pulled the robes over her outfit.