A/N: Down when Harry is speaking with Dumbledore, ALL of what Harry signs Dumbledore is saying out loud for the teachers so they can know what is being discussed between Albus and Harry.

Hear With My Eyes, Speak With My Hands

Chapter Two

He's Deaf

McGonagall now favored him with a very bewildered look.

"I beg your pardon Mr. Potter?"

Harry repeated what he had signed at her. Unfortunately this did not solve the problem nor answer her question. What he didn't hear, was Hermione Granger exclaiming aloud in shock, "That's sign language he's using, he's deaf, Professor McGonagall!"

All around him (though he could not hear them) were gasps, whispers and looks of shock and bewilderment. The Boy - Who - Lived couldn't hear or speak from what they were gathering.

McGonagall was favoring him with a look of surprise and confusion, concern also. "Child, are you deaf?"

Harry nodded his head.

"Then how do you know what I am saying, Mr. Potter?" she asked in disbelief, not wanting to believe what this conversation was telling her.

Harry motioned with his hands to her mouth and then signed out, 'I can read lips.'

"He can read lips, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore said. McGonagall turned to him in astonishment, which made Harry glance over to where she was looking. The man with the white hair who was wearing elegant robes, stood and then signed to Harry while speaking out loud at the same time so that Harry could read both his lips and hands.

"Harry, my name is Professor Dumbledore, are you able to speak in anyway aside from with your hands?"

Harry smiled recognizing the name and stepped away from McGonagall and nearer to Dumbledore. It was at that moment he realized that all the teachers were looking at him, he kept eye contact with the Headmaster and signed out, 'I can only speak with my hands sir, I've not ever been able to hear, I'm not sure how to speak with my mouth.'

"I see, Harry, you have been sorted into Gryffindor," the teachers and children in the room watched in amazement as Dumbledore's hands moved gracefully, speaking to the boy in a language a good portion of them could not understand. "The Gryffindor table is the last one to your right, please sit down, and after dinner I will need you to come with me so that the teachers, you, and I can discuss some important issues."

'Thank you, Headmaster,' Harry smiled gratefully and quickly descended the two steps down to the main floor, he sat across from Hermione who was looking at him in astonishment.

The sorting continued and Hermione asked him quietly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Harry gave her a sad smile and in one look conveyed his message, 'I didn't think you'd understand.'

He glanced up to the teacher's table and saw a man in black robes with lank black hair was looking at him strangely. As if thinking over something rather deeply. Harry hoped the teacher wasn't thinking about him, the last thing he needed was attention brought to his... Harry looked away from him to the children and did his best to pay attention and clap when needed.

Dinner was magnificent; all though the start of the year notices were rather disturbing. (Such as the one about the third floor corridor for example. Was Dumbledore serious?) And luckily, now that Dumbledore knew he was deaf, everything he said, he signed, in respect for Harry. Even more disturbing was, what did the teachers need to discuss with him? Was his being deaf a problem?

He hoped not. This was going to be hard enough as it was. To learn magic and be deaf? Harry hoped it could be done. But from the impression Hagrid had given him, Dumbledore could do anything.

Perhaps the professors here would have to take time out to tell him what to do specifically? Maybe he'd be made to take separate classes?

He remembered with quiet distaste at how his relatives had taken care of the fact he'd been deaf. When he'd been little, they'd assumed he was just a quiet boy. When he wouldn't come when they ordered- - they assumed he was stupid to top it off. Dudley had always had a store of rude degrading words waiting for Harry whenever he could manage to get Harry alone.

And instead of taking him to a specialist who could help him, or to a school that could help him- - they'd just not taken him to preschool and by the time he'd been put into kindergarten he'd been six years old and there had been absolutely no training. No schooling. No anything.

And when the school had found out he was deaf- -

Well the fuss they made was enough that they decided to 'home school' him. (Petunia had been none too thrilled about it and made sure that he was just as miserable about the situation as she was.) Still clinging to their money but not ready to face the consequences of having a deaf child in their home. And while home schooling did get them out of most their problems they still had to pay for a teacher to teach him sign language three times a week for a year before the school system would leave them alone (and other 'problem associations' as Uncle Vernon had called them).

By the time he was seven he was able to do simple writing, it was painstakingly slow and frustrating due to the fact spelling had been a problem... but Sign Language had been like a blessing from God, as had been learning how to write (even if he preferred one above the other).

Learning to read.... Well, Harry just tried blocking that out of his mind. The important thing was he could read. And write. And communicate by sign language. And granted he had to teach himself most of what he needed, he had done it.

He hoped that they wouldn't make him leave. He just couldn't go back to the Dursley's, he just couldn't.

Maybe if they knew what he'd gone through just to learn how to communicate with people they'd keep him because of how hard he'd worked to get to where he was today.

When the students had been told to sing the words to the school song Harry looked around nervously and decided to sign the words, some of which were so odd he had to spell out. He earned a few looks but they were of curiosity for they had never seen someone sign before.

The prefects were starting to lead the children away and as Harry stood he saw Professor McGonagall gesture towards him to come to her. He watched as all the professors including Hagrid, walk through a doorway off to the side. Which McGonagall was leading him to also. The room he was led to was lit up brightly by candles with a fire in the fireplace. Most the teachers had taken seats on the couches and chairs, the rest were standing up, leaning against the walls. Dumbledore stood by the fire; two empty seats were in front of the fireplace as well.

"Harry come here," Dumbledore said and signed to Harry. Harry went over to him and was offered to sit down, Harry did and Dumbledore sat in the chair before him. "I know you must be wondering why I asked you here instead of allowing you to go to the common room for the first time with your year mates."

Harry nodded.

"Well Harry, there are a few questions I need to ask you, first... How long have you been deaf?"

Harry signed to him and Dumbledore, for the sake of those around him spoke what Harry was 'Saying' as he signed, "The doctors said I've been deaf ever since I was a year old or so."

Dumbledore's eyes darkened but he continued onto the next question, "Do they know how you became deaf?"

"They reckon that the car accident I was in that killed my parents, was responsible."

The teachers around them seemed a bit disturbed and were moving their mouths quickly and Harry saw Hagrid move his arms and speak something he didn't catch. "I see." Dumbledore said to Harry, he was now frowning, "Do you mean to tell me that your parents died in a car crash?"

"That's what my Aunt Petunia said. That's how I got my scar."

"That's not true!" roared Hagrid, this time Harry could make out the words and could see the anger in Hagrid's eyes.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "I'm afraid your aunt was lying to you Harry, they did not die in a car crash, they were murdered by a dark wizard by the name of Voldemort."

"What?!" Harry's eyes were wide, "But why would he want to kill them?!"

"For reasons I cannot tell you right now Harry... But right now we have to deal with a more important problem. Whether or not we can keep you in this school."

Harry was speechless.

McGonagall stepped forward and Harry watched her as she spoke, "We can't teach him the things he would need to learn, Headmaster, Transfiguration for a mute boy? If he cannot say the words he can't cast the spell!"

Another little man piped up and Harry was finding that he had to look at many different places to keep track of who was speaking, "And charms would be impossible to teach him as well, if he can't speak the words properly there's no chance the spells will work!"

Many of the teachers were nodding in agreement and Harry felt his stomach bottom out, the feeling of nausea was slowly creeping up on him. Gripping his hands together he looked up as another teacher voiced his agreement with the other two. Harry was going paler with each objection.

The next one to speak was Quirrell, "I- I a-agree, P-P-Potter w-would not be a-able to- to c-cast the d-d-defensive spells needed to p-prot-tect the o-ones ar-around hi- him or him-se-self, f-for th-that m-mat-ter."

Harry's mouth had dropped slightly and he slowly began shaking his head, he turned to the black haired professor who he had been told was called 'Professor Snape' and saw the Professor was giving him a stern closed off look.

"The boy would have no problem with Herbology though!" a short woman commented, the ghost next to her nodded his head.

"Or History-"

"It doesn't take hearing to ride a broom really, as long as you're careful. And if balance is a problem, he can learn the basics through time. All you need is a little extra practice."

"But Divination would be almost impossible for him-"

Harry was now standing up eyes wide in fear as he turned to Professor Dumbledore who stood up with him. Frantically Harry signed, trembling almost, "You can't send me back! I- I want to stay here! Don't you understand?! I can't go back to the Dursley's! Please keep me here!"

Dumbledore spoke the words for the teachers to hear and some seemed a bit upset, although resolute. How could they speak to a deaf boy they couldn't understand?

"Harry, these are serious things we have to consider-" Dumbledore began. Harry cut him off with a movement of his hands and urgently, and in anger, began signing back to him, a glare on his face as Dumbledore spoke out Harry's 'words'.

"YOUR school sent me a letter telling me I would be taught here- - WELCOME here, as I wasn't in my own home. I was given HOPE that I could live somewhere where I wouldn't be picked on or beaten! I was given new clothes, things that actually belonged to me! And a chance for something better! If you send me away the only thing you've done is LIED to me, Professor Dumbledore! And I am SICK of being lied to!"

Professor Dumbledore was distraught over the turn of events, and those teachers around him were feeling a bit guilty at what Harry had said. They hadn't known he was deaf, and they HAD welcomed him... It was true then what Harry was saying. But they also were afraid of trying to teach a child that couldn't hear what they were saying. It would take special effort and more time for them to do so.

"But it wasn't a lie, Mr. Potter, we didn't know of your... Condition."

"Then you obviously haven't been paying very much attention to my family life have you?! Whose idea was it to send me to the Dursley's? How many of YOUR children, or the children that go here, have been forced to live in a closet for the first ten years of their life?! BEATEN for not understanding what's going on around them?! And been denied proper education and medical attention because their 'Guardians' were to stingy to part with their money for the hated burden that was forced on them?!"

Harry hated discussing his family life, or informing anyone about it. But this was his one chance at being treated humanely; going back to the Dursley's was insane. So to him, it felt as if he were fighting for his life. A chance for freedom at something he'd never had.

Dumbledore stopped translating and Harry was heaving in deep breaths quickly, tears threatened to spill over his eyes.

"Harry-" Dumbledore stumbled over his words for a moment, startling most the teachers, he then continued to sign and speak to him, "I - I chose for you to go there." Harry's eyes widened as if he had just been slapped, which felt like a stab to Dumbledore, "I didn't know- think they would hurt you or neglect you! They were your relatives-"

"Oo ated e!" Harry yelled. The teachers jumped slightly. Harry's words were slurred, his vowels mispronounced, and they sounded a bit nasally, but it was the first time he had spoken. And while it hadn't been close to perfect, his words were understood. 'Who Hated me.'

"Harry-" Dumbledore repeated.

"I was promised something wonderful and unique, the most wonderful gift I've ever been given in my life, and now you're saying that I can't have it! I came here to learn! I want to learn! I've never been to school before this! If you're not going to teach me, send me to an orphanage. Because if you send me back, I swear on my parent's grave, I'll run away. I'm not, I repeat, am-" here Harry gave a stern gesture towards him, "-NOT going back to live in that damn closet again!" he signed, tears spilled down his cheeks and he wiped at them violently with the sleeve of his robe. Dumbledore's eyes looked a bit haunted as he spoke his words for him.

Snape raised an eyebrow, almost smirking, he had been fully prepared to hate the son of his enemy, but this boy was proving to have quite a bit of backbone. It was also quite amusing that it wasn't beyond young Mr. Potter to use blackmail to get what he wanted, emotional blackmail at that. Very Slytherin of him, he wondered briefly, if that was why the hat had taken so long to place him.

"Harry, we never meant for this to happen but for you to cast spells would be quite impossible-" McGonagall tried to soothe him, Harry glared at her and signed at her angrily while Dumbledore translated:

"FINE! Then if I can't use magic you shouldn't have sent me that damn letter in the first place!"

On his last word he turned and glared into the fire, presenting them all with his back just as the pitcher of water that was on the fireplace went flying furiously, of it's own accord, across the room into a wall, shattering into a million pieces, water splattering nearly everywhere.

Dumbledore had felt the surge of magic come from Harry to send the pitcher of water flying, and knew it had not been intentional but merely uncontrolled magic.

There were a few screams of fright but once the pieces clattered to the floor they went silent and looked to the Boy - Who - Lived, almost fearfully and in a bit of shock.

"Can't cast magic, you say?" Severus Snape sneered in amusement.

Flitwick was more than astonished. "Did you see that?!" he was saying over and over again excitedly.

Hagrid was giving Harry a frown of confusion, "Dumbledore sir, why is Harry looking away from us?"

Dumbledore gave Harry a glance than looked to his colleges and friends, "For the deaf, it is an insult done in anger to someone who has upset them. Because he cannot hear, turning away from you, and presenting you with his back, means they are going to ignore you. And it seems Mr. Potter is more than angry with us..." Dumbledore cast a glance to the broken water pitcher, "I believe he's furious-"

"W-well... i-if we ar-are to s-send him a-away, w-why don't we d-do as the b-boy wishes and se-send him to a-an orp-orphanage?" Quirrel asked.

"Because, we don't need another similarity between the Boy - Who - Lived and Lord Voldemort for the wizarding community to pick on. They might believe he will turn out just like him.... And because Harry's done nothing wrong we are not allowed to break his wand..." Dumbledore said ignoring the flinches around him as he mentioned the name of their most hated enemy.

"So what are we to do with him?" Sprout asked.

"Why don't you have Pomfrey check him out first, to see if this is reversible or not? And if it is beyond her knowledge, than take him to St. Mungo's?" Snape asked rather snidely, as if they should have been intelligent enough to think about that first. "We still need to know if it is permanent. Just because Muggle's cannot cure him does not mean we cannot."

Dumbledore nodded, slowly stepping towards the irate child who was still scowling into the fire. He touched the boy's shoulder and Harry flinched, jerking his body away from the older mans grasp. Nevertheless he still looked up into Albus' bright blue eyes glaring through tear filled emerald ones.

"Harry, we're going to have Madam Pomfrey, our nurse, take a look at you, it may be possible to reverse your hearing loss."

"And if it isn't?! Then what?" he signed back with a sneer on his face that would have done Snape proud. In fact it almost did. Snape had to lower his chuckling a bit so he wouldn't be noticed.

"We don't know yet," Dumbledore replied.

"That's not good enough! You're leaving me hanging again! And I want to know whether I should be prepared to have the worst fall of my life or not!" he signed back angrily.

"Are you sure the hat put him in the right house?" Hooch asked with a grin as Harry's signing was translated.

"The hat! Of course! It placed him!" Snape said.

"Wh-what dif-difference do-do-does t-t-that make?" Quirrel stuttered alarmed.

Snape favored him with a scowl, "One thing you all have failed to realize is that if we could NOT teach him and if Mr. Potter here was not MEANT to be taught, the hat would NOT have sorted him at all! Obviously it is our duty and responsibility to take care of this child! To leave him defenseless and in the Muggle world is like handing him his own death sentence. All it would take is time and Voldemort's return to end his life, or worse, we just may discourage him enough that he might actually JOIN and follow the dark lord, and we all just saw how good he is at casting wandless magic."

Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick looked absolutely thunderstruck while Hooch and Binn's nodded in agreement.

"Professer Snape is right!" said Hagrid, "We can't jus' turn 'im loose, that would be murder, the boy can' defend 'imself! And do you really want ta be known as part of the people who allowed Harry Potter the Boy - Who - 'ad - Lived, to die? I lov' the boy too much! And if yer gonna make 'im go, I'll let 'im liv' wit' me."

Harry was now looking intently at Snape and Hagrid, the only two that had given him a good defense. "Thank you," he signed to them both.

Snape waved the thank you off but Hagrid smiled at him kindly.

"Very well, we won't release him back into the Muggle world," Dumbledore agreed, "but we need to think about how we are going to teach him. Let us have Madam Pomfrey look at him as Professor Snape suggested, I, on the other hand am going to have a little talk with the sorting hat."

Author Notes: Preschool is underlined cause I've NO bloody clue what they call it in England. Dammit.