Hally Potter

Chapter Eight

First Day

After not being able to fall asleep for about two hours, I tiptoe downstairs to the common room and search for a sign language book. After finding a couple, I memorize where they are before taking one and sitting on a couch. I spend the night reading and practicing before students start coming into the room. I grab my book and quietly walk back to my dorm and change into robes before going back and sitting at a corner table. Shortly after, Kimiko and one of her friends join me.

"This is Sebastian. He's in my year," She introduces after saying good morning to me. I wave, and she introduces me, "You can call me Seb," he says before pointing my book. "My little brother has a hearing aid. He uses signs. I can see if he'll teach you." Sebastian offers. I nod, grabbing my notebook, 'That'd be nice.' it reads. He informs me his brother is in Hufflepuff and loves making friends. I smile at the two friends before Akemi rushes over.

"Good morning Mo, good morning, Sebby," Akemi says sitting next to me, "Zuri asked me to ask you to wait so the three of us can walk down together," she tells me. I nod smiling before pointing to my newfound book. She claps happily, and I show her some signs. We cover 'good morning', 'help', 'want', 'bathroom', and 'stop' before Zuri rushes in. "Sorry, Piper didn't want me in the bathroom with her, so I gave her some time before telling her to hurry," She apologizes as we quickly hurry to the Great Hall.

We sit at a table and are joined by a boy who introduces himself as Roscoe but tells us to call him Rocky. The four of us make our plates and are shown our schedule. I put a pancake and some fruit on my plate as Zuri says we have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Hufflepuff first. All our classes are with Hufflepuff.

I eat my fruit and half a pancake before looking for Harry. I spot him, Ron and Hermione sat together with the boy with the toad from before. I quickly walk over and latch onto Harry, hugging him very tight. He rubs my back, knowing I couldn't sleep, "hiya Winnie," he says as I sit next to him. "Neville, this is my sister Hally," Harry introduces me to the boy with the toad from earlier.

I smile and wave before looking down the table for the twins. They spot me and wave, I smile big and wave back before I turn my attention back to my brother, I write about my new friends to him. He congratulates me. I then tell him I'm learning sign language, and he tells me I have to teach him. Hermione then chimes in and says she can help. I thank her before saying bye and rushing back to my group as we walk to our first class.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year is Professor Quirrell, the guy who gave me the bad vibes, so I spend the class practically attached to Akemi. She senses I need her and allows it to happen as class drags by. As soon as the bell rings, she drags me out and to the hallway to wait for Zuri and Roscoe. When they join us, we immediately walk to the History Of Magic classroom together.

"Sorry, we left in a hurry, Hals had a bad vibe," Akemi explains. The other two tell us not to worry, and we walk into class. Professor Binns is our teacher, and he is a ghost. My friends find the class boring, but I seem to learn a couple of things by time the bell rings for us to have our free period. We find the library and spend the time teaching each other sign language.

While sat there, Sebastian's brother Dorian found us and helped teach us too before he headed off to his own friend group. We made good progress, and I can successfully communicate some things to every friend here. I thank them as the bell rings, and we head to lunch. Before walking in the twins, stop me and pull me aside.

"How didn't we know you were a Potter?" George asks as the two laugh, "Still wanna be our friend?" Fred jokingly asks. I nod multiple times, and the boys smile and ask me how my first classes were. I carefully walk and write, '1st was weird, Quirrell gives me the heebie jeebies. 2nd was slow, and Binns is a tad boring. But 3rd was my free period, my friends and I are learning sign language'.