KittyWillow - Thanx. It's okay. I'm too lazy to update my stories sometimes. Hope you like this one.
Chapter 4 - Teaching Harry
Harry flew around, desperately trying to find the Golden Snitch. Hermiquot;Two minutes, eighteen seconds. That was a great time, Harry!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Thanks for helping me train while the pitch was free. How about we go in now?"
"That sounds like a good idea. Looks like it might start raining soon."
Harry and Hermione got back to the castle just before it began to rain. They walked up to the Gryffindor Tower and sat down in the common room. Tala was drawing as she sat on a window sill in the room.
Hermione walked over to her and waited for Tala to look up to speak.
"What are you drawing?&sky and almost immediately spotted the small golden ball. By the time he had caught it he was sure he hadn't beaten his time.
"Two minutes, eighteen seconds. That was a great time, Harry!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Thanks for helping me train while the pitch was free. How about we go in now?"
"That sounds like a good idea. Looks like it might start raining soon."
Harry and Hermione got back to the castle just before it began to rain. They walked up to the Gryffindor Tower and sat down in the common room. Tala was drawing as she sat on a window sill in the room.
Hermione walked over to her and waited for Tala to look up to speak.
"What are you drawing?" asked Hermione.
"Take a look for yourself," said Tala.
Hermione gasped and her jar dropped when she saw the drop dead gorgeous drawing of the Slytherin prince, Draco Malfoy.
"Merlin, you made Malfoy bloody hot!" exclaimed Hermione who slapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she had just said.
Tala laughed loudly as Hermione rushed up to the dorms to wash her mouth out. Harry came over and looked at Tala's drawing. He had to admit that it was a good drawing of Malfoy. It was a drawing of him in the library reading a book on charms.
"Tala, do you mind if we start the lesson now? I know it's a Monday but I'm not doing anything right now and it looks like you're not busy. But if you are I could just go work on my Potions essay instead," rambled on Harry.
"It's okay. I'm done with this drawing anyway. We can start with the alphabet first."
Tala showed him the alphabet and said the letter before having him join her in signing it.
"A, B, C, D," started Tala.
"A, B, C, D," repeated Harry.
"Good. Now do the next five letters on your own."
Harry did so but Tala had to stop him when he did the letter h.
"H is with two fingers pointing this way. Not one. Try again."
The Gryffindor boy did it again and this time he was able to go on without Tala stopping to correct him. She only stopped him a few more times to correct the way he had his hand but after a while he was signing the alphabet without her doing anything.
"Good. I want you to practice that every day until you know the alphabet in sign language like you have known it all your life," said Tala when they were heading down for dinner.
All throughout dinner, Harry practiced the sign language alphabet while eating his dinner.
Tala explained to Seamus what was going on and he offered to help Harry learn.
"Thank you, Seamus. I'm sure Harry would be very happy to have some more help," said Tala.
Harry was too lost in thought doing his "extra homework" to hear what either Gryffindor said. Unknown to the Gryffindors, a certain blonde Slytherin was watching them closely. His gaze lingered on Tala the longest.
That worthless girl should be knocked down to her knees. There's no place in the wizarding world for a deaf witch, thought Malfoy.
"Hey Malfoy. You got a plan for the cripple?" hissed Blaise.
Malfoy turned to his fellow Slytherin classmate and threw him a smirk. Then he turned to look at Tala who was laughing at something Ron said.
"You bet, Zabini. By this time next month, Miss Tala Hunter will transfer back to good ol' Pine View," whispered Draco.
Tala was chewing on a strawberry when she suddenly had an odd feeling that someone was watching her. She looked up across the room and at the Slytherin table. The Gryffindor girl stared closely at Malfoy and Zabini. Both had smirks on their faces that she absolutely did not trust. However she just shrugged it off as a side effect of working hard on her homework all day.
Tala was quietly walking down the dark dungeons towards the Potions classroom. She had attended Potions class earlier on that morning but Professor Snape had told her to see him after the last class of the day. Nervously, Tala slowed down. Professor Snape had caught her drawing while waiting for her potion to cool down and had confiscated the picture she had been drawing.
All the sudden, the Bloody Baron floated through the wall. He stopped and stared down at her. She smiled weakly at him but he did nothing in reply.
"Hello. You must be the Bloody Baron. Ron has told me about you. I am Tala Hunter. I am down here to see Professor Snape," said Tala.
The Bloody Baron then did something that made her jaw drop and her eyes bug out.
"Hello, young Gryffindor. I have heard of you as well."
"You know sign language? Merlin, will wonders never cease," mumbled Tala.
"I speak sign language because as a ghost I am mute. It has been that way ever since. I only mumble a few things sometimes when someone is facing me. No one has ever spoken sign language to me though. Please come see me again so we may talk."
"Sure. Of course, we can always talk during meal time. How 'bout you come join the Gryffindor table at dinner tonight?"
"I would love to. I'll see you then. Farewell, young Gryffindor."
The Bloody Baron showed a small smile, another thing that shocked Tala, and floated through the wall opposite of that he had come out of.
This school is just full of surprises. Next it'll be Professor Snape taking points off of Slytherin, thought Tala.
She continued down the hallway until she finally came to the Potions classroom. Tala walked in to find the Potions professor sitting at his desk. He looked up when he heard her
enter the classroom.
"Hello, professor. You wanted to talk to me?" asked Tala.
"Yes, I did. Please close the door," replied Professor Snape.
Tala closed the door and walked back over to where she was. She sat down in the chair Professor Snape conjured up and nervously stared up at her professor. He opened a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. It was her second drawing of Malfoy. This time he was working on a potion and he looked like he was really concentrating hard.
"I'll admit that you are a wonderful student and artist, Miss Hunter, but I will not tolerate any drawing be done in my classroom. I do not want you to start drawing another one of my Slytherins and cause a potion to explode. This is just a warning. Next time, it will be three days of detention," warned Professor Snape as he handed back her drawing.
"It won't happen again, professor," promised Tala.
"See that it doesn't," sneered Professor Snape as he went back to grading papers.
Tala left the classroom silently and went back to the Gryffindor dorms. That night, every student and almost professor was shocked into disbelieve. Upon arriving at the Great Hall, you would find the Bloody Baron floating above one seat at the Gryffindor table and talking to Tala through the sign language.
"Please tell me I'm seeing an illusion," mumbled Draco.
"If you are, I am too," replied Blaise.
The Slytherins were not sure what to think, the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were fine with it and the Ravenclaws were trying to figure out a logic way as to why the Bloody Baron would be willingly speaking to Tala. It was the fact that the ghost was speaking sign language that really shocked them all.
"The students are funny. They are reacting as though they have seen a dementor sitting next to me," chuckled Tala.
"I am not surprised. I am after all the Slytherin's house ghost and I am sitting at the Gryffindor table at this moment."
"But anyone even ghosts can change. Did they never think of that?" asked Tala.
"I suppose not, young Gryffindor. It is all right. What other people think about me does not matter."
"You are very nice. People fear you for no reason. They do not understand that you are a kind, very talkative ghost," explained Tala.
"This is true. If the students got to know me better they may learn a thing or two. Well, I must be off but we shall talk again soon. Good-bye, young Gryffindor."
"Good-bye, Baron."
The Bloody Baron flew up and around the Great Hall, coming to a stop at the Slytherin table where he gazed over the Slytherin students.
"He's nice, huh Tala?" asked Seamus.
"He is. Once you get to know him he seems like any other ghost you know," answered Tala.
"Neat. I'll have to sign with him sometime," replied Seamus.
Tala smiled as she started to fill her plate up for seconds. That's when she noticed a envelope on her plate. She opened it and read the letter within it.
Dear Tala,
I need major help with my project for Art. I was wondering if you
could possibly help me. You're the only one I could think of that
would be able to help. I've drawn most of my drawing but I
seemed to have gotten stuck on the shading. I'll be in the room
five doors down from the Potions classroom. But I'll only wait
ten minutes.
Sincerely,
Blaise E. Zabini
Tala thought over the letter for a moment. She knew that there was something about Blaise she didn't like but she wanted to gain acceptance from at least one Slytherin. The Gryffindor stuffed the letter into her jeans pocket and stood up.
"Where are you going?" asked Harry.
"To see a friend. I'll meet you all back at the dorms," said Tala.
"Okay. Just don't be late for curfew," warned Hermione.
Tala nodded her head before leaving. She walked into the dark, cold dungeons with a plan in mind. She only planned to help Blaise out and then leave. As much as she wanted a new friend, she didn't want to risk it. Finally, the Gryffindor girl came to the classroom that had been mentioned.
Carefully, she opened the door and walked in. All the sudden, a burst of cold water fell on top of her. She didn't scream but did shiver. The water was freezing cold and it didn't help that there was already a cold breeze running through the dungeons. It was then that Tala noticed writing on the wall.
It said: Didn't anyone ever tell you that Slytherins don't associate with Gryffindors? Too bad! Guess you learned that rule the hard way. Upon seeing the words, Tala dropped her gaze to the ground. What made her feel bad was that she had been suspecting it may be a trick but she had wanted to give Blaise a chance instead of jumping to conclusions.
"Made another wrong choice," mumbled Tala to herself.
She left the classroom quietly. As she walked into the entrance hall, Seamus was coming out of the Great Hall and spotted her.
"Great Godric Gryffindor! Are you okay?" asked Seamus.
"I'm fine. I wasn't watching where I was going and a bucket of water fell on me," lied Tala.
"What about your friend? The one you were going to meet with?" quizzed Seamus.
"They couldn't make it. They sent me an owl apologizing for telling me too late at night. Listen, I'm really tired. I'm going to go up to the dorms, get out of these wet clothes and go to bed," said Tala.
"I'll go with you. I've already more than enough to tie me over until tomorrow morning," replied Seamus.
The two walked up to the dorms in silence. Seamus quietly studied Tala as they walked without talking. He could sense that something was wrong with his friend but he didn't push it. He knew that Tala would tell him when she was ready.
It went on like that for the next few weeks. The Slytherins showed no mercy towards Tala. The Gryffindor girl was tripped, pushed onto the ground, splattered with spilt potion, insulted, and hit with a few hexes. The sixth year Gryffindors tried to get Tala to go to a professor or the headmaster and tell them about what was happening but Tala always refused. She did not wish to give in to the Slytherins.
Tala finished taking her third shower which had finally gotten rid of the dungbomb smell. Zabini had thrown a dungbomb in her hair, making her hair smell quite grotesque. She finished drying off and dressed in her new clean uniform.
"I have already missed History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Binns would not have noticed but I hope Hagrid is not too upset," murmured Tala.
She grabbed her backpack and rushed down the stairs to Charms. She was a little early since everyone was still at lunch. The only person in the classroom was Professor Flitwick.
"Ah, good afternoon. How are you, Miss Hunter?" asked Professor Flitwick.
"I'm fine. I decided to skip lunch and come here instead," lied Tala.
"Very well. Would you like to help me with something?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"We'll be learning conjuring spells today and I was wondering if you could place an object out of this box here in front of each chair."
"Okay. But I thought conjuring spells just creates objects out of thin air."
"They do, Miss Hunter. You and your classmates will be concentrating on the object in front of them. I will then banish the items and each student will have to conjure up their item."
"Cool."
"Yes. It is very cool. Now I'll be back in a few minutes. I need to go discuss something with Professor Snape."
"Okay, professor."
The small professor left Tala alone in the classroom. Tala used a levitation spell to make the box float beside her as she put an object before each chair. Halfway through this process, Pansy and Millicent entered the classroom. Upon seeing Tala, smirks appeared on their faces. Tala silently groaned to herself as she did her best to ignore the two Slytherin girls.
"You know what, Millicent?" said Pansy loudly.
"What?" asked Millicent.
"I heard that Hunter's mother got attacked by a hippogriff when she was pregnant with her and that's why Hunter can't hear," sneered Pansy.
Tala had read Pansy's lips, understanding what she had said, and only flinched in response. Little did the three girls know that Professor Flitwick and Snape were standing in the doorway. Pansy growled angrily at Tala. She had expected the girl to yell at her but instead she had made no move to retaliate. Pansy stormed up to Tala and pushed her hard against the professor's desk.
"What's the matter, Hunter? Got nothing to say? Maybe it is true about your mother," snarled Pansy.
Tala stared defiantly at Pansy and quietly shook her head.
"I highly doubt it, Pansy. My mom has been working with hippogriff's since before my sister was born. She has the hippogriff's trained well enough so that they do not attack her. I was born deaf and it has nothing to do with my mother so I ask that you please leave her out of this," softly spoke Tala.
"How dare you call me by my first name, you disgrace of a pureblood!" yelled Pansy, lunging at Tala.
Pansy managed to scratch Tala on the face with her nails before Professor Snape pulled her away from the Gryffindor girl.
"That will be enough, Miss Parkinson. 50 points from Slytherin for attacking another student," sneered Professor Snape.
"But, professor!" exclaimed Millicent.
"We heard everything, Miss Bulstrode," warned Professor Snape.
The other girl clamped her mouth shut and looked at the ground. Professor Flitwick went over to Tala and began checking the scratches on her face.
"They are just minor scratches. You should just be fine. No need to visit Madame Pomfrey," remarked Professor Flitwick.
"Good," mumbled Tala.
"Miss Parkinson, Miss Hunter, you will both be coming to see the headmaster," commanded Professor Snape.
Professor Snape grabbed both by the shoulder and steered them out of the classroom. By now, the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins were coming up the stairs to class. Upon seeing Snape, both groups cleared a path for three, Gryffindors to the railing and Slytherins to the wall.
"Such a disgrace to the whole school. Indescribable display of-," Professor Snape mumbled the whole way down the stairs past both house students.
The Slytherins stared at Pansy in confusion. How much trouble did Pansy get Tala into with Professor Snape, thought the Slytherins. The Gryffindors stared at Tala in confusion. What had Pansy done to get dragged out of the classroom by her head of house, thought the Gryffindors.
As soon as Professor Snape and the two girls had disappeared down a hallway, the sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins entered the Charms classroom and sat down. The Slytherins tried to get Millicent to tell them what had happened but she kept shaking her head and looking at the door as if expecting Professor Snape to burst through. Professor Flitwick began the class but would look at the door every five or six minutes.
Professor Snape finally stopped them at the gargoyle statue and said the password.
"Sweet tarts."
The gargoyle moved and the staircase appeared. He led the two girls up the stairs and through the door, not even bothering to knock. The Headmaster was sitting at his desk with a few parchments on his desk. He looked up at the sudden entering into his domain.
"Hello, Severus. Is there a problem?" asked Professor Dumbledore.
Pansy and Tala stood in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk as Professor Snape stood next to it.
"I believe Miss Hunter could tell it better than any of us," said Professor Snape.
"Tala, will you kindly tell me what happened?" inquired the headmaster.
Tala nodded her head before she began speaking.
"I skipped lunch and went to Charms class early. Professor Flitwick asked me if I could set up some items for class. I told him I would do it and he said he had to go talk to Professor Snape so he left me alone in the classroom. Pansy and Millicent showed up a few minutes later. Pansy began talking about me, saying the reason for my deafness was that my mother had gotten hit by a hippogriff while she was pregnant with me.
I did not say anything and I guess she was expecting me to yell at her because she pushed me against Professor Flitwick's desk, yelling that what she said must be true since I did not say anything. Then I told her about my mom working with hippogriff's, that I was born deaf and it was not my mother's fault. I also asked her to keep my mother out of the conversation. I called her by her first name and that is when she jumped at me.
She managed to scratch my face before Professor Snape pulled her off of me. That is why he brought us here."
Pansy glared at Tala through hooded eyes. She hated the way Tala made movements with her hands when she spoke. She found it terribly disgusting that someone had her transferred to Hogwarts.
"Miss Parkinson, I would like to hear your side of the story," softly spoke the headmaster.
Pansy gazed at Professor Snape who looked thoroughly pissed. She sighed and surprisingly, told the truth of what had happened.
"Very well, Miss Parkinson. I do believe five days of detention will do nicely for you and Miss Bulstrode. Please return to your class. Tala, I would like to discuss something with you."
Pansy left the Headmaster's office in a fury of anger. Professor Dumbledore conjured up a cup of tea and handed it to Tala who took it with a thank you. He motioned for her sit down and she did. Fawkes flew in through an open window and landed on the armchair, staring intently at Tala.
"This wasn't the first time a student has done something like this was it, Tala?" quietly asked Professor Dumbledore.
Tala silently shook her head as she took a sip of her tea. Fawkes looked at Tala sadly and rubbed his head against her arm. She petted his head as if to reassure him she was okay.
"Tala, would you please tell us what's been going on and who exactly has been doing it? The other professors and I have noticed you have been putting some distance between yourself and the Gryffindors," stated Professor Dumbledore.
"It's the Slytherins. Only the sixth years and two seventh years. Miles Bletchley and Adrian Pucey. It started three weeks ago-," Professor Snape suddenly interrupted.
"Three weeks?!" exclaimed the Potions professor.
"Calm down, Severus. Let Tala continue," advised Professor Dumbledore.
So Tala went on to explaining everything that had happened from the day Blaise sent her a letter for help up to when Pansy had insulted her mother only half an hour ago. At the end, Professor Snape was shocked beyond belief and Professor Dumbledore was deep in thought.
I can't believe the Slytherins would do such a thing. They know better than that! Every one of them know that it's one thing to insult a pureblood but insulting a pureblood with a disability is something not even the Dark Lord would do, angrily thought Professor Snape.
"Albus, I strongly suggest you let me deal with the Slytherin students. They are, after all, my students and I think I should punish them myself," spoke up Professor Snape.
"In this type of case, I will permit it but do not be too easy on them, Severus. You can not let any student think they are above something like this," warned Professor Dumbledore.
"Yes, headmaster."
"Now Tala I am aware that you have Charms at the moment and Art afterwards but I would like you to go on a special trip to Hogsmeade. I think you have earned it. Severus, would you please go to Hogsmeade with Tala? I'm sure she would love your company."
Tala almost spit out her tea but managed to swallow without choking. Professor Snape on
the other hand looked pleased which mildly scared Tala.
"Certainly, headmaster. I have no more classes for the day and I would be happy to escort Miss Hunter to Hogsmeade for the day," answered Professor Snape.
That was totally unexpected. I wonder what brought on this change, thought Tala.
"Wonderful. Here's some money for candy and I don't want to see either one of you back until dinner," grinned the headmaster.
Both stared at him strangely before leaving his office. Professor Snape stopped Tala when they got to the stairs.
"Is there anything you want to take with you while at Hogsmeade? We will be there until dinner or else Albus will have my head," said Professor Snape.
"My sketchbook. It's in the dorm though," replied Tala.
"Then on to the Gryffindor dorms we go."
The two walked up to the Gryffindor dorms, thanking the four founders class was still in session. Finally, they arrived at the portrait of the fat lady where Tala hesitated in speaking the password.
"We don't have all day, Miss Hunter," growled Professor Snape.
Tala sighed and said the password.
"Slytherins drool, Gryffindors rule."
The portrait opened and Tala went in with Professor Snape behind her, silently shaking his head. He waited in the common room while Tala jogged up the stairs to her dorm. A moment later, a small white cat with emerald green eyes appeared. He hopped up onto the couch and looked up at the Potions professor curiously while the professor stared back at him. Tala suddenly reappeared with a smile on her face.
"I see you two have met. Professor, this is my cat. His name is Gabriel," explained Tala.
Professor Snape just nodded his head before motioning for her that it was time to go.
End of Chapter 4