A/N: For anyone who is a little confused based on our writing we would like to clear up a few things. Harry can't hear, and is completely deaf. We may reference that some people "say" or "said" something in our chapters, this is because Hedwig interprets for Harry in real time through a mental bond they share as familiar and master. Harry is able to communicate in parseltonge though. Snake do not have ear and are generally unable to hear. Which is why they use their tongues to "see" or "hear" what is going on around them though the vibrations. Since Harry is a parseltonge he is able to use the same communication methods by sensing the vibrations in the air.


Italics = parseltongue

Sign Language = Bold


Chapter Seven

Winter holiday went by in a blur for Harry. He went skiing for the first time in his life, and subsequently discovered that he had absolutely no business being anywhere near skis. He also tried what must have been over one hundred different foods: antipasto, roasted red peppers, spaghetti bolognese, pollo parmigiana, and a bunch more that Harry couldn't even pronounce. Blaise made absolutely sure that Harry tried one of "Nonna Zabini's famous cannoli", and after the first timid bite, Harry practically inhaled the pastry, licking the remnants off of his fingers as Blaise's family tried to hide their laughter.

Sent back to school with enough leftovers to feed both of them for the next month - "I don't trust what they feed you in that school, young man!" "Yes, Nonna." - Harry and Blaise settled back into their normal routine. The mermaids, especially Jordan and her new little sister, Dela, were very excited to have their friend back. They sat at the big window for hours, trading stories of what happened over winter holiday in each of their lives. Whenever someone noticed Harry sitting in front of the window, one of the older Slytherins would say that it was just Harry being Harry, and no more was said about it. But Harry's signing was drastically improving, if he did say so himself, and it was a source of pride for him.

During one of Harry's conversations with Jordan, he found out that there was a portrait of a mermaid hanging inside the castle, close to the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. Jordan told Harry that this poor mermaid hadn't been able to use her own language, Myr, in at least 100 years. Harry knew what it felt like to have no one to communicate with, so he promised Jordan that he would find this mermaid, and help her to feel less alone.

After wandering around hallways that seemed to go in circles, Harry was about ready to give up on finding this painting. He started signing to himself, almost as if he were muttering. "How on earth am I supposed to find one painting in this giant castle when there are 75 paintings on every single wall? Will Jordan be mad at me if I tell her I tried but couldn't find it? How am I supposed to introduce myself to a perfect stranger?" Harry's nerves were getting the best of him, and he really wished there was someone to give him at least a nudge in the right direction.

Suddenly, as if his prayers had miraculously been answered, a portrait of a brunette woman was waving her hands in his direction. She beckoned him closer to her, and without knowing why, he obeyed. As he approached, he saw that this portrait began signing to him.

"Hello, child. You seem to be lost." The painting smiled at him kindly. Harry was very lost, and he told this woman so.

"I'm trying to find a very specific portrait, but all I know is that it's near the door to the Ravenclaw common room. Do you know where that is?" Harry was hopeful that this woman would know where to go.

"Who is this portrait of, child? Perhaps I can assist you that way, instead." The woman in the painting looked vaguely familiar, but Harry couldn't quite place where he recognized her from.

"The portrait is of a mermaid, and it's been hanging here for a long time." She thought for a moment, and then her face brightened.

"I know exactly which portrait you speak of. If you would like to follow me, I will lead you there." Harry took off running as the woman in the portrait seemed to fly through painting after painting, leading him to his destination. After running down corridors he had never noticed, Harry finally came to a panting stop in front of a painting featuring a rock covered in flowers on the edge of a body of water. Still panting, Harry asked the woman "You're sure this is the right one?"

"I know every painting in the corridor leading to the common room of my own house, dear child." Harry blanched, suddenly realizing who this woman was. He had unknowingly been signing with Rowena Ravenclaw, herself. It was all Harry could do to make himself sign "Sorry" and "Thank you" before she nodded and went back to her own frame. Harry shook his head to clear it, and wondered how to go about calling the mermaid to the surface of her painted lake.

Hedwig apparently had an idea of how to get the mermaid's attention. She made herself small enough to fit in Harry's palm and coiled up, resting her tail between his fingers. At first, Harry was surprised that she was so small, but Hedwig simply cocked her head to the side and hissed, "Occamy, remember?" If she was human, Harry would have sworn she was smiling at him. Shaking his head, Harry lifted his hand until Hedwig was close enough to touch the painting. And that was exactly what she did; she stretched herself out until her nose was pressed against the painting itself. Hedwig left her nose there for a couple seconds, and then pulled back. Nodding, she turned and slithered back up Harry's sleeve. Harry was confused. He was just about to ask Hedwig what that was about, when he saw it. A mermaid tail flipping just under the surface of the water in the painting! Vibrating with excitement, Harry waited for the mermaid to pull herself up onto the rock that was available to her.

When the mermaid did finally settle on the rock and turn to look at him, Harry was in shock. This was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He hesitantly raised his hands and signed "Hello, my name is Harry Potter. What's your name?" The mermaid's cerulean eyes nearly bugged out from her pale skin. She signed back, "My name is Leane. How did you learn to use Myr?" Harry let out a breath and told Leane that on land, this language was called Sign Language, and he learned it because he was deaf. "Deaf?" Leane asked, confusion written on her face. Harry explained about his childhood ear infection and how his ears don't work anymore. Understanding blossomed on Leane's face, and Harry seriously hoped that he would be able to see her again.

The pair signed back and forth for a while, mostly consisting of Leane telling Harry about living in a painting and Harry catching Leane up on the lives of all the other mermaids in the lake. As he told her about Cifi and Hanna and Jordan and new little Dela, Leane looked sad. Harry abruptly stopped and asked, "What's wrong?" Leane wiped her orange hair off of her face in an attempt to hide the fact that she was also trying to dry the tears on her cheeks. "I just miss my family. Do you know what that feels like?" Harry nodded, because he missed his parents every day, despite not remembering them. "Leane, I promise I'll find a way to bring you back to your family. Count on it." Leane let out a sad smile and told Harry that she would love to talk to him again another day, but she needed to be alone now. Harry nodded and smiled back, waving as he walked back down the corridor.