Idiosyncrasy |Harry Potter

Chapter Seventeen

Zakari scratched his head after Charms class let out, once again leaving him puzzled as to how he was going to perform the spell given to the class to practice. Franklin was gathering up the boy's things when Professor Flitwick glanced over in the boy's direction. He watched as Zakari looked back and forth between the wand and his hand with a confused but determined expression. The stout professor remembered when Dumbledore had called upon the entire faculty to explain the situation of the new child that would be attending. He hadn't been sure what the headmaster had meant by a "special" student until Dumbledore offered to explain further. When it was brought up that the child was deaf, the group of Professors seemed just as baffled by the idea either.

Many of them questioned why the child hadn't been brought to St. Mungo's for Healing, but when Dumbledore explained the entire situation, no one questioned anything after that. They waited to see what else the man was going to propose. Each of them had their concerns of how they were going to work with the child, as much as they would want to, they couldn't provide one on one with Zakari throughout the entire class and even if they met up with the boy afterwards, he still wouldn't able to get the attention he deserved and needed. The majority didn't seem to agree with the professor that integrating the boy in the regular classroom setting was a good idea.

However, Dumbledore overruled all of them claiming that the child had already been accepted to the school and they would accommodate him with what he needed to succeed because the man believed that no matter what, every child deserved a well-rounded education. He was sure that Hogwarts would provide the boy just that.

Zakari did fine with his course work when it came to essays and any written assignments. The boy was articulate and detailed in his writings, but when it came to class practicals, it was obvious where his struggles were. He had been informed by the interpreter that Zakari was capable of some speech, however, the boy was very self-conscious when it came to talking in front of people and didn't want to talk anyways. It would be possible to teach him non-verbal spells, however, Flitwick was not all that sure about it since the majority of his older students struggled with it.

While the Professor observed the child, he was able to see Zakari spell something out with his hands and the feather settled on the boy's desk moved. Flitwick's brow raised in curiosity as he walked over.

Franklin glanced up as the small professor approached the table where he, Zakari and Duncan were.

"Would you mind?" Flitwick asked him.

"Of course." Franklin said dropping the books in his hand onto the table.

"Tell him to try again. What he just did.'

Franklin seemed confused but didn't question it as he signed to Zakari. The boy watched him before nodding in Flitwick's direction and doing what he did before.

Franklin watched as he finger spelled the levitating charm out, it took a while but when he finished, the feather moved again.

The Professor's face lit up as he watched Zakari grin.

"Again." Flitwick said. "Perhaps ask him if he can do it, but just a little faster."

"Alright." Franklin said before relaying the message back to the boy. Zakari moved just a little bit faster the second time and the feather moved again. However, that time, the bottom of the feather moved off the table.

"That's amazing!" Franklin clapped his hands together causing Zakari to grin even wider. He wasn't able to finger spell that fast in ordr to get the feather to completely lift off the table, but the little progress that he had made was more than enough for him.

 He was thrilled. 

He was on to something.

Harry entered the library after Hermione's discussion in Professor Binn's class that discussed the monster that was claimed to be in the Chamber of Secrets. He knew Hermione was going to continue her search but he was on a separate mission that afternoon, leaving Ron completely confused as to what was going on.

"Why are we going to the library willingly?"

"Because I want to talk to someone."

"Who?" Ron asked. "You hang around the same people everyday, and we've seen them all today. Who do you possibly have to talk with?"

"I want to talk with Zakari Ollivander." Harry said. 'He was at the scene of the crime too. Maybe he knows something we don't."

Ron stared at Harry. "There's a lot wrong with what you just said." he sighed.

"What?" Harry looked at him.

"First off, how are you going to talk to him? He can't hear you. He can't hear anyone or anything if you needed a reminder."

"Then how did he show up to the same place that we did?"

"Maybe he stumbled upon it, he can't hear the voices that you heard, Harry. Besides, Hermione and I didn't hear anything either."

Harry rolled his eyes, frustrated that he was left with more questions than answers.

"Also, I know the boy's name is Ollivander, but have you heard what's been going around? He's the Crow's son."

"I don't know what that means." Harry said. "Because I highly doubt a crow gave birth to him. He would have a lot more feathers."

Ron pinched the bridge of his nose. "His father was a Death Eater....Roderick Lestrange...worked for You-Know-Who. People called him the Crow." he said in a low tone.

"Why did they call him the Crow?" Harry questioned.

"Because he was a spy and a messenger ...he could turn into a crow."

"So what happened to him? Is he dead?"

"I heard he's been in Azkaban for the last ten years. But I heard the other day that someone spotted Zakari outside with a crow. HEY! Knock it off, Scabbers!" Ron grunted as the rat struggled about. "Stupid rat, calm yourself!"

'Wait, so if his father is Lestrange, why is Zakari's last name Ollivander?"

"I dunno." Ron shrugged. "Probably kept his mum's name or something. I'd be careful around him, Harry."

The two suddenly came to a halt as Zakari appeared exiting the library, carrying his service dog in his arms.

"Yes, he seems terrifying to be around." Harry scoffed before leaving Ron's side and walking over to the boy.

Zakari allowed Duncan to lick his face a couple of times before he turned his head trying to get the dog to stop. He let out a small giggle as Duncan tickled his ear with his nose, but as he faced forward again, he came to a quick stop as he saw Harry standing before him, his friend Ron in the distance, slowly catching up.

Instantly he watched as Harry's lips began to move as he started talking to him. Ron clapped a hand over his face as he nearly turned as red as his hair as if embarrassed that Harry was trying to talk to Zakari.

Zakari attempted to lip read with the boy, curious as to why Harry had approached him but he couldn't piece it together and he was sure what he had made it out to be was wrong.

He didn't think Harry was trying to figure out if Zakari knew about the "horses in the pool." Zakari gave him a strange look before looking at Duncan that seemed just as lost as he was.

With no one around him to translate and no parchment paper or quill to write with, Zakari felt bad that he wasn't responding to the older boy's questions. Rather than leaving him hanging, Zakari swallowed hard before meeting the boy's green gaze.

"N-no." he spoke. "No. I do ...not.. under-understand."