Tina and the baby were released home the following day, well-stocked with painkilling potions and an enchanted medical baby kit that Newt bought from a St. Mungo's healer witch upon their exit. The kit cost ten galleons and included a pile of potions and creams and strange booklets. Neither parent had any wish to inspect the products at the moment; they dumped the new kit on the kitchen table and immediately lay down for a nap (with the baby sleeping on Newt's continually rising and falling chest). The house was silent and peaceful, the only sounds being the steady breaths of two adults and a tiny newborn.

They awoke sometime late afternoon, around five, so Tina could feed the baby for the first time. Newt stretched and headed for the kitchen to make an early dinner. Outside the kitchen window, he could see the trees' shadows growing longer. It was now late August, and the heat was dying down considerably. The garden was beautiful this time of year; their daughter had chosen a wonderful time to be born.

The next few weeks were very calm and unexciting, usually one long stretch of silence occasionally punctuated by the baby girl's cries. Newt and Tina had decided upon her name- Lark –after the cheery little bird that sometimes nested in their garden and sang beautiful tunes. Queenie thought the name was lovely and reminded them of the symbolism of the name; the Lark was a joyful bird that represented happiness and fertility. They had a little party for Lark's name-giving, inviting Jacob and Queenie and Newt's parents and Newt's brother Theseus, who came with his wife and son. All invitees remarked on the child's sweetness (except for Theseus's little boy Mark. He was a right pain).

All through that time Lark remained a very quiet and passive baby, though satisfactorily curious quite often. She had very big brown eyes and soft, downy hair; all-in-all she was a beautiful and charming baby, even though her parents worried a bit about her absence of noise. They talked to Newt's mother about the matter and she assured them that Newt had been a very quiet baby as well and that there was nothing to stress about. That settled their nerves and left them much calmer about their mostly silent daughter.

And then the realization came when Lark was about three months old, and Newt and Tina were starting to get bored of their dull domestic routine.

It was a chilly November afternoon. Newt was out in the garden, tending the plants, and Tina was baking inside. Queenie had taught her to make cookies that went deliciously with jam, and they were a great success in the household.

There was a small thump; Tina turned to see Lark lying on her blanket on the floor (where she'd been set down) with a toppled book beside her. Lark seemed a bit shocked by the fallen object, and she stared at Tina with a surprised look on her little face. Tina laughed out loud and scooped her daughter up, hoisting her on one hip and returning to the kitchen to pop the cookies in the oven.

As soon as the crunchy pastries were in, Tina shut the oven door and sat down on a kitchen chair. Lark was perched on her lap, making soft cooing noises and brushing Tina's trouser legs with her tiny fingers. Tina bounced her knee a bit, making Lark yelp, and stopped instantly. They waited for Newt to come back from the yard.

Then there was a buzzing sound. Frowning, Tina stood up and peered through the kitchen doorway to see what was making that noise. It was the baby kit from St. Mungo's, propelling itself through the air with puffs of drained magic. She furrowed her eyebrows, confused, and then the kit started moving towards her and Lark.

Tina stumbled backwards a bit until her legs hit the kitchen chair as the baby kit jerked to a halt right in front of Lark's face. Tina gasped, but before she could do anything the kit let out such a loud noise that she squeaked without meaning to. Lark didn't even blink, staring at the kit as though it hadn't made any sound at all.

"Lark, sweetheart, are you alright?" Tina turned her daughter and looked into her eyes. Lark blinked slowly, unfazed by her mother's concern.

"Newt?" Tina raised her voice so that he'd hear her from the garden, eyes still fixed on little Lark's face. "Newt, can you come here? Quickly? Now?"

There was a little scuffle and Newt hurried in through the yard door, wrapped in a scarf with his blue coat on. He grinned at his wife and daughter, but the smile faltered when he noticed Tina's worried expression. "What is it, love?"

Tina sat down on the kitchen chair, cradling Lark to her chest as if the baby were in terrible danger.

"Remember that baby kit we bought at St. Mungo's when Lark was born?" she asked.

Newt nodded.

"Well, it just floated in here by some pranking spell and made a very loud noise right in front of her face."

"So?"

"So Lark didn't even respond to that noise, Newt, and I'm nervous."

Newt nodded again, fiddling with the edges of his yellow-and-black Hufflepuff scarf. He seemed to be thinking deeply. Tina tapped her foot on the kitchen floor as she tried to let out worried jitter.

"Okay." Newt said finally. "This doesn't mean anything- I mean- she could just be a very calm baby, sound-wise."

Tina raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

Newt sighed. "Fine. If you insist."

He leaned forwards and clapped his hands together right by Lark's left ear. Tina yelled and ducked away with the little girl, trying to protect the child's delicate baby ears. But Lark didn't turn her head or jerk from the noise; in fact, she seemed very surprised that her dad was even beside her.

Newt and Tina glanced at eachother, their worst suspicions practically confirmed.

Lark was deaf.