"Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts, before we get started with sorting, we have a new student joining us this year. He his name is Troy Buckley and he is us from the Magic School for the Deaf in Wales. Mr. Buckley is not oral like our Miss Weaesly here so you need to be patient with him as he needs an interpreter. Now Mr. Buckley please sit here so we can sort you" McGonagall said. The interpreter Signed to the new boy what the Sorting Hat was saying.
"How come you didn't go to that school, Emma?" Danny whispered.
"It's for students who aren't trained orally. Maybe his parents felt he was ready to be mainstreamed, I don't know" said Emma.
"Gryffindor!" the Sorting Hat shouted. The boy walked shyly over to the table. Emma greeted him warmly.
'Hi my name Emma' Emma Signed.
'You deaf?' Troy Signed.
'Yes, I born deaf by trauma after birth. How you?' Emma Signed.
'Profoundly deaf. Parents deaf, Mum discourage when found I hearing. I lost hearing when two years old. Your parents deaf?' Troy asked.
'No, hearing, that my twin, Jack, he hearing too. James my cousin hearing too, I only one deaf in the family' Emma Signed.
'Your family Sign?' Troy asked.
'Yes, I read lips too' Emma said.
'You read lips?' Troy asked.
'Yes, Mum taught me Sign when I baby. When I two I learned read lips' Emma Signed.
'Your first language BSL?' Troy asked.
'Yes. Second language English' said Emma.
"Great they're having a conversation and we have no idea what they're saying" Danny said.
"Ooo, someone's jealous" Lizzie said.
"I am not" said Danny. A little girl was walking shyly around looking for her table. Lizzie stood up with her cane and walked over to the little girl.
"Are you ok, sweetie?" Lizzie asked.
"I can't find my table" the little girl said with tears in her eyes.
"Ok, sweetie, ok, don't worry. What house were you sorted into?" Lizzie asked.
"Gryffindor" the little said.
"That's the house I'm in. Our table is right there. What's your name?" Lizzie asked.
"Ellie" the little girl said.
"Ok Ellie, my name is Lizzie; let's see if we can find some new friends for you" said
Lizzie taking Ellie's hand. Suddenly Ellie made a little yelp. Ellie started to cry fearing people would make fun of her.
"I have Tourette's syndrome" Ellie cried.
"It's ok, maybe the nurse can you a potion to control your ticks, are you in The Triple H program?" Lizzie asked.
"Yeah, I need an aid in the dorm" Ellie said.
Lizzie spotted a few other nervous 1st years and brought Ellie over to them.
"Hi guys, my name is Lizzie, I'm a third year, this is Ellie, she's a first year too, can she sit with you?" Lizzie said. The other girls nodded. Jack smiled at Lizzie when she sat down. Ellie yelped again and a little boy touched her arm.
"My ticks are physical" he said.
"What?" asked Lizzie as she sat back down.
"That was really sweet. Look she has new friends" said Jack. Danny looked cautiously at Troy's body language. He didn't trust this guy. He wasn't sure why, he just didn't trust him. Danny tapped Emma's shoulder.
'Excuse me, guys, Em, you want come walk with me?' Danny asked. Emma smiled and nodded. Troy glared after Danny.
"Troy is really nice. It's nice to have another deaf student here" said Emma.
"Are we not accommodating enough, Em?" asked Danny.
"Oh Danny, no, all of you are really sweet, its just, I want a friend I can relate to also. You'll always be my best friend, Danny" Emma said sweetly. Danny noticed how Emma's hair seemed to glow in the moonlight.
"Your hair looks really pretty, Em" Danny said.
"Thank you, Danny" Emma blushed.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Hello 3rd years! Today we're going to start with Boggarts. Who can tell me what a Boggart is? Yes Miss Donavan" Harry said.
"They take the shape of whatever the person fears the most" Lizzie said.
"Excellent! Ten Points to Gryffindor. Now who wants to have a go first?" Harry asked. Jack raised his hand.
"Ok Mr. Weasely" Harry said. Jack stood in front of the closet. The Boggart turned into a pair of hearing aids. Jack looked at his sister ashamed.
'It ok' Emma Signed. And what Jack thought was funny was his sister.
"What did the hearing aids represent, Mr. Weasely?" Harry asked.
"I'm afraid of going deaf like my sister" Jack said. Lizzie was up next. Suddenly she caught in a large pool water.
"Lizzie, what makes you laugh?!" Danny shouted. A muggle sitcom appeared in front of her all of a sudden.
"Ok Miss Weasely, your turn" Harry said. Emma was surrounded by darkness. She was so frightened she couldn't think of anything funny and she started screaming.
"I'm scared please help me!" Emma cried. She felt a hand grab hers and pull her out of the room. Gentle arms embraced her; it was Danny, she recognized his sent. Emma looked up at him.
"It's ok, you're safe, Em, you're alright" Danny whispered as he stroked Emma's hair.
"I want to go to the nurse" Emma cried. Danny put his arm around Emma's shoulder and guided her to the Hospital Wing.
"Almost there, Em" Danny said more to himself because Emma had her head snuggled deeply in his shoulder.
"Hello Mr. Flaherty are you assisting Miss Weasely?" Susan asked.
"Yes Madam Bones" said Danny.
'Miss Weasely, you feel like reading lips now?' Susan Signed to Emma. Emma shook her head.
'Ok honey, what happen?' Susan asked.
'We study Boggarts in DADA I got really scared' Emma Signed.
'What your fear?' Susan asked.
'Dark' Emma Signed.
'Ok, you stay here for bit and we see how you feel' Susan Signed. Emma lay down in the bed and curled up.
'I don't like dark' Emma Signed.
'I know, Em. It scary to you' Danny Signed back. Fresh tears leaked from Emma's eyes and Danny stroked her hair. Harry entered the Hospital Wing with Annie to check on his niece. Annie stood on her hind legs to lick her owner's face. Emma Signed to Annie to get on the bed. The yellow lab obeyed and laid loyally next to her owner.
"Emmy, I'm so sorry, Sweetheart, I didn't think you were that scared of the dark still" Harry said.
"It's ok Uncle Harry" Emma said. Troy ran into the Hospital Wing and pushed his way to the bed by knocking Danny out of the way. Emma saw this.
'T-R-O-Y, apologize D-A-N-N-Y' Emma Signed. Troy unhappily Signed 'I'm sorry' to Danny who just glared at the deaf boy.
'You ok?' Troy Signed to Emma.
'Yes I fine' Emma Signed.
'You need anything?' Troy Signed.
'No thank you. I go sleep now' Emma Signed back. Emma closed her eyes and Troy left. Danny sat back down beside Emma. Harry smiled at the teens. It was like Ron and Hermione all over again.
"Danny will you take care of my niece for me?" Harry said.
"Yes Professor Potter" Danny said nervously. Danny stroked Emma's hair as he sat back down.
"Please don't leave us, Em, I know you're comfortable around Buckley but I really fancy you and I hope you give a hearing bloke a chance" Danny said.