Crystal Clear

Chapter Three

I waited nervously with the first years, dreading the sound of my name being called. However, they had just finished the C's so I knew my name was coming up soon.

"Anna Bulluck."

A little girl with pigtails hopped up onto the stool in the front of the grand hall and a talking hat, the sorting hat, was placed upon her head.

"Hmm ... Ravenclaw!" said the hat.

Everyone cheered for her, excluding the Slytherins who only cheered for their own.

"Clarissa Burkhardt."

I swallowed the knot in my throat and stepped up to the stool, tucking my robe under me as I sat down. The whole room was dead silent as the hat was placed atop my head.

"Hmm ... oh! Umm ... I'm sorry dear but it would be to ... uh ... dangerous to place you with other students." said the hat, bewildered.

I felt my face heat up from embarrassment as gasps of shock could be heard all throughout the room. People began turning in their seats to whisper to the person next to them.

"Did you hear that? She can't be sorted!"

"Dangerous? What does he mean by dangerous?"

"What a freak ... she can't even be sorted."

I grabbed the hat from off of my head and shoved it at the professor, ignoring its cries of protest as I ran from the grand hall, tears streaming down my face.

"Clarissa wait! Wait up!" I heard Hermione call from behind me as I continued running.

Seeing a set of double doors, I opened them and quickly hid myself in the room, relaxing as the doors remained closed behind me. The room seemed to be some kind of storage room, filled with random trinkets and magical objects. I roamed the rows of junk as I tried to calm myself and stop the flow of tears that were beginning to stain my shirt.

"I see you've found the room of requirment."

I jumped and turned around to face my intruder in a defensive position. I relaxed when I saw it was only a boy with brown hair and round glasses.

"Who are you?" I asked.

He looked slightly taken aback at my question but answered anyway.

"My name's Harry Potter. I'm a friend of Hermione's; she sent me and my mate Ron to help her look for you ..."

"Well now that you've found me you can leave me alone."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine I just want to be alone."

"Do you have any idea why the hat may have been ... unable to sort you?"

Of course I did, what it had said was completely true. I was a danger to others and I knew it. Not only would one of my nightmares be a nightmare in itself for someone to watch, but I could lose control at any moment and kill everyone within a mile's radius.

"Not at all." I mumbled, lying through my teeth.

Harry looked at me uncertainly, knowing full well that I was lying, but decided not to press the matter and for that I was grateful. Now if only he could just leave me alone.

"Well you're more than welcome to stay with Gryffindor, I'm sure no one would mind."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just see Dumbledore about getting a room of my own."

I went to the double doors and pulled them open, leaving Harry alone.