Summary: Scorpius was nervous about going to school, but his family was there to help put him at ease.

Rated: K

Genre: Family

Competition/Challenge Block
Written for/Stacked with: The Houses Competition (Year 8); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 4)
THC: Slytherin - Astronomy; Standard ([Event] Shopping; [Season] Summer)

MC4A: Su Bingo (3C-Chessboard); AU Bingo (1B-Hard of Hearing/Deaf); Fa Bingo (3C-Notebook/Binder); Settings Bingo (3D-London); Hunt (Su WD-Severe Allergy); Fa Consumables (Pie); Fa Items (Book)); Chimera (Protection; Cerulean); Link (Same Challenge Circle); Garden ([Blood & Water] Grandmother & Grandchild; [Blossoms] Jade Green; [Meteorology] Hot); Fireworks (Summer Fun); Hangman (Phrase Guess); ICs (Short Jog (Y); Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); Neurodivergent (Y); Rian-Russo Inversion (Y); Ethnic & Present (Y); Disabled (Y); Ship Sails (Y); Hold the Mayo (Y); Zed Era (Y); Ravenclaw MC; Slytherin MC x2; Magical MC x4; Old Shoes (Y); Go Fluff Yourself (Y); Colors Galore (Y); Adult Activities (Y)); BCs ([Primary] LL (Snow Lemon; Corvid Brain); ToS (Spinning Plates; Mother Hen); BAON (Sneeze Weasel); FPC (Not a Lamp; Ladylike); [Secondary] Shower (Tomorrow's Shade; Mouth of Babes); Fence (Machismo); Star (Wabi Sabi); [Tertiary] O3 (Oath); T3 (Tether); [Generic] TY (Enfant)); (LL; NC; SIN; ToS; BAON; FPC; MLG; ER; Shower; Fence; Star; Mea; TY)

Word Count: 1,243

Beta: Ash J; Dhrish; Hope

To Make and Build Friendships

It was normal for children to be nervous for their first year of school, even if they were accustomed to a more relaxed version of it with a tutor or some other form of informal education. Scorpius was in this same situation, but for him, he felt even more on edge than an average child because of the circumstances he was born with.

Being a deaf and mute since birth shaped his world very differently than it did for most others. Growing up in silence was his normal, his reality. So was having to learn to navigate a world that relied on sound, just as much as every other sense, was a skill he had long since mastered by the time he turned eleven. Speaking with his hands became second nature, just like being alert of everything and everyone around him. Even learning how to understand verbal language by watching people's lips and facial expressions was a handful of many tools constantly utilized by Scorpius to keep him safe, attentive, and a part of society.

Magic could only do so much, after all. The rest he had to handle himself.

Even though it was assured by the Headmistress of Hogwarts that Scorpius would be properly accommodated, his parents still hired a full-time personal translator to be with him. His parents' well-meaning actions didn't help the large pit in his stomach where the fear festered, the fear that he would be alone and friendless as he had been his entire life so far.

He and his parents were getting ready to head for London to do his school shopping. His grandmother Cissa showed up via Floo last minute to surprise them and join in on shopping for such an important event, as she put it. Scorpius knew she liked to shop, but his heart warmed at the notion that she was using shopping as an excuse to spend time with him.

The remnants of the summer heat clung to the air as they departed to the Apparition point on the Malfoy Manor's grounds. It continued to circulate around them as a sticky warmth on his skin when they arrived at Diagon Alley. The crowds of people bustling about only mixed with the overly hot end of summer morning. Scorpius went through the motions with his family, going through his list to make sure the correct books and potions ingredients were purchased, along with enough bound parchment notebooks, quills, and ink to last the school year.

Lunch soon came and with that the tedious shopping for school essentials was done. Scorpius was starting to feel excited to pick a pet and get his new wand next. But, even with the new bubble of emotion settling in, he still fiddled with his allergy bracelet to settle the nerves. Yet another product of his birth.

His mother looked tired, which meant she'd most likely be sitting out on the rest of their trip and having tea. She excused herself to the restroom and everyone else slowly finished up their lunch. Scorpius mostly played with the leftover shepherd's pie, picking out bits of it he still wanted to eat in the process until his mother caught his attention from behind the others.

"Scorpius, come here," his mother signed, waving him to her not far from the table.

"Excuse me. Restroom," Scorpius signed before getting up to meet his mother.

She quickly guided him out of the restaurant and back to the bustling street, the heat and sun rays slapping him right in the face that he had to squint his eyes.

"Let's get you sweets for the train," she signed, smiling warmly.

He returned it, nodding and headed for the busy candy shop alongside his mother.

"Which of your candies are processed and made without tree nuts or peanuts?"

Scorpius knew she was asking this out loud to the cashier once they got to the counter. He stayed close by but scanned over the countless colors and shapes of the candy displays that littered the space. He did not wander, however, due to the risk of having an allergic reaction, but he could still admire from afar.

They exited the store not long after where his mother turned and handed him a hefty assortment of approved and safe sweets. She cupped his cheek and he met her sparkling but tired eyes.

"To help you make friends," she said out loud while signing before smiling warmly.

They found the rest of the group outside the restaurant. His father took Mother to the teashop, leaving Scorpius with Grandmother Cissa. She placed a hand on his back and he looked up to meet her gaze.

"Let's go," she said out loud and signed.

They went to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Scorpius couldn't help but find these unexpected private shopping trips quite fun. It gave him a chance to spend individual time with his loved ones and wondered if his father was going to sneak him off somewhere next without his grandmother noticing.

Scorpius found a lovely set of Exploding Snap cards that featured the constellations. The backs were jade green mixed with a cerulean blue design on the borders. His grandmother found him a beautiful new chessboard, and he picked out a set of chess pieces carved from cherry wood with jade accents on their weapons and clothing for it. Scorpius even snuck a few prank items he found interesting into the mix, too. He was starting to feel a little bit better, more excited and less terrified, about going to school now.

Just to make sure all his bases were covered, Scorpius even picked up a set of starter Gobstones, grabbing a jade-colored green one as his main hitter stone to keep with the color theme he had going.

"One of the best ways to make and build friendships is to play games," his grandmother said slowly to him, her hands full of their purchases and so she couldn't sign. "They are a great way to break the tension and offer you something to do while you learn about one another."

Scorpius nodded slowly, watching her mouth movements carefully as he processed and translated what she was saying.

"I know you are worried about making friends, but I assure you that once the other children get to know you, they will want to be one."

His father was waiting just outside the shop, taking the shopping from his grandmother, shrinking the parcels down. Scorpius hoped they could get ice cream soon to help beat the heat before they went to get his wand. He could feel his face flushing every time he stepped out of a store because his skin was so sensitive, and despite how much he was enjoying the afternoon portion of this trip, he was ready to get home to unwind from it and get out of the heat.

"Let's find a broom, yeah?" his father signed, taking his hand to lead him to the Quidditch shop.

"Brooms are not allowed," Scorpius responded, to which his father only shrugged and smirked back at him.

"Will Mother come to the wand shop?" Scorpius asked instead, hoping that she would.

"Of course," his father replied, giving his hand a squeeze while signing with the other. "She would not miss it for the world."

Scorpius smiled at that, feeling that bubble of fresh excitement about getting a new wand resurface. Maybe going to school wouldn't be so bad after all.