Chapter 36: Language

It was finally New Years' Eve and Harry and Ginny were next to Taran in the Hospital Wing. After what had happened the last time he received powers, they weren't taking any chances.

"I'm scared." Taran told his father.

"You'll be fine." Harry told his son as he gently squeezed Taran's hand.

Suddenly, an aura around the boy glowed red. Taran whimpered in pain for a few minutes before the glow stopped.

"What time is it?" Taran asked waiting for midnight to come and go.

"10 o'clock." Harry said.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Ginny suggested.

Taran nodded and closed his eyes. After what seemed like forever, the aura appeared again and he glowed blue. When that ended, he looked at his father for the time.

"10:02." Harry told him.

Taran groaned with frustration.

11:59

Spontaneously, Taran had spent the past two hours glowing and whimpering in pain. As the time passed, the glows seemed to last longer.

"Harry." Ginny whispered as Taran slept. "Listen."

Off in the distance, they can faintly hear everyone counting down to the new year. As the numbers decreased, Taran's breathing rate increased.

At exactly midnight, Taran started glowing a bright white trying so hard not to scream. As the teen groaned in pain, his parent turned to each other with pained looks. Their child was in pain and there was nothing they could do.

000

The next morning,

"TARAN!" a voice called.

The parents and teen looked towards the door. Taran smiled at his friends and their parents.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked her twin.

Taran nodded.

Tara was confused. She was one of the few people he would speak openly to. In fact, EVERYONE in the room were people he would speak openly to.

"He's a little embarrassed about a temporary side effect." Harry explained

"It can't be that bad." Sabrina said.

"Woulds't thou like to make a wager?!" Taran asked before clasping his hands to his mouth while blushing

"Maybe it is." Austin said.

"Since some of the powers haven't been around since those days, the knowledge was in that language." Ginny explained. "He'll be talking normally soon enough."

Taran then conjured up a quill and parchment. Writing something on it, he handed it to his father.

Use the Silencing Charm on me.

"We're not training." Harry told his son while shaking his hand.

So, Taran conjured a roll of duct tape and put some over his mouth to keep from talking. Peter, Hallie, Anna, Hermione, and Harry chuckled.

"Not going to tempt yourself to talk, are you?" Hallie asked.

Taran shook his head.

Just then, Ariel and Pomfrey came in. Ariel giggled at the duct tape.

"Bad move Taran." She told her cousin's son while holding up a vial of strengthen potion.

Pomfrey went over to the boy and took off the duct tape. Everyone winced

"OW!" Taran exclaimed.

"You should have thought of that earlier." Pomfrey said taking the potion from her apprentice. "How are you feeling Mr. Potter?"

Taran started for the quill

"Just state it." Pomfrey said.

"I fell as I twas trampled by a herd of rampaging hippogriffs."

"I'd give it a week." Pomfrey said.

Suddenly, the floo system activated.

"Came...as…soon…as…heard." Colin said panting.

"You okay?" Harry asked.

Colin nodded. "Work…crazy…others don't know…what's going on…"

Harry nodded. It wasn't too well known that Colin was an Unspeakable. In fact, only Harry, Megan, Colin's boss, and Remus knew.

"How are you doing Taran?" Colin asked.

"His vocabulary took a new direction." Ginny explained.

"I want you to REST." Pomfrey ordered the teen.

Taran nodded vigorously. He knew that there was no arguing.

0000

The next week,

"Hello Dear Brother." Tara came into the Hospital Wing with Taran's homework. He had absolutely refused to budge. "How art thou this fair eve?"

"Shut up and just give me my homework." Taran said irritably as he look out the window.

"Taran…asked me how I am." She said with a curious look replacing her mischievous grin.

"How are you?" Taran sighed.

The second those words were out, he realized what she meant. There were no 'thees,' 'thous,' or 'arts'

"I CAN TALK AGAIN!" Taran cheered.

Tara laughed. That had been the loudest she had EVER heard her brother. It seemed…very slowly…he was starting to not only come out of his shell, but was actually destroying it.

"Do you think anyone heard?" Taran asked embarassed.

As I said, SLOWLY

"I wouldn't be surprised." Ariel said from the doorway to the office. "If your language issue is over, you can go."

"Thankyou!" Taran said grabbing his sister by the wrist and dragging her out only to bump into Harry.

"I heard the good news." Harry told them. "As well as the rest of the hall. Taran. I'm impressed."

"With what?" Taran asked.

"That yell." Harry said. "Loudest I've EVER heard you. And that includes when you were a baby."

Just then, the Marauders showed up talking amongst themselves.

"Is everything alright?" Taran asked his grandfather and Co.

"Ah." Sirius said. "I see thou art talking normal once more."

If looks could kill, Sirius would be six feet under.

"There's activity in Yorkshire." James said.

"What now?" Tara asked her father.

"We train. Harder than before." Harry said.

TBC

"YOU'RE ALIVE?!" Iago exclaimed when he saw Taran.

"And you're ugly."