Idiosyncrasy |Harry Potter

Chapter Thirteen

Classes were quite complicated for Zakari as he quickly learned during his first Charms class. Professor Flitwick stood at the front of the classroom going over the levitating charm, otherwise as Wingardium Leviosa, and while the other students were able to cause their feathers to shift or float, Zakari stared at his still feather that seemed to be glaring back at him. It was a silent reminder that classes were not going to be as easy for him, especially when vocals were needed. He frowned as he looked to Franklin who seemed to be trying to come up with a solution for the boy but failing just as miserably as Zakari.

The boy swallowed as he noticed the other students staring in his direction as he continued to hold his wand. He didn't want to speak in front of them and he was sure he wasn't going to pronounce it right, only making matters worse for the boy. His hands were shaking slightly as he was becoming more and more nervous as he felt under pressure to actually perform the charm.

To take away the attention from Zakari, Professor Flitwick cleared his throat loudly and began lecturing the importance and limitation of the spell. Franklin began to translate to Zakari but Zakari wasn't paying attention as he stared in defeat at his feather. He didn't understand how his wand could have chosen him, if he wasn't even capable of using it.

Franklin watched as the mood of the Charms class stuck with Zakari as the boy sat in the Great Hall during lunch and stirred his food around on his plate, but didn't eat any of it.

"Eat." he signed to Zakari eventually when the child looked over in his direction. Zakari shook his head and pushed his plate away from him, before setting his chin on the table.

Thinking of all the other classes he would face throughout his time there, Zakari's confidence was dwindling thinking of all the barriers and challenges he was going to have to face. With Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology...even Potions, he was going to have to use his wand but he wasn't sure of how he was going to do that if he could only do it vocally.  Now he understood where his mother's nerves stemmed from when she worried over him attending.

Suddenly, two people joined him at the table. He lifted his eyes up to see Jean and Eve sitting across from him. He could see the confusion on their faces as the girls eyed each other. Eve was probably more confused as to why the Gryffindor Table was sitting at the Slytherin table but she didn't bother to question it as the two girls greeted him with a wave.

He returned with a weak wave before he returned to his sulking state. They asked Franklin what was wrong with the boy, and when the man explained the situation, the frowns appeared on their faces as they learned of his dilemma. Watching as people frowned at him, Zakari grew irritated as he didn't want them to pity him, nor did he want the cause of their frowns to be him. Standing up abruptly, Zakari motioned Duncan to follow him, but as Franklin stood up to follow, Zakari signed for him to stay, lying that he was going to use the bathroom.

Stepping outside of the Great Hall, the boy sighed in relief as he didn't have to see anymore of the sad expressions. He looked down at Duncan, who of course, was looking up at him, his ears and eyes alert to whatever Zakari was about to do. Except Zakari didn't do anything but walk over and sit in a window seat. The amount of anger that was surging through him reminded him of the time when he was younger and couldn't communicate with his mother or grandfather due to the lack of sign language between them. He would become so frustrated trying to tell them what he wanted or needed but because they couldn't understand, he would continue to lose his temper and just completely meltdown in frustration.

He was reaching that level, and just staring at his wand, he was losing control fast, before he completely lost it, he threw his wand away from him down the corridor. His fists clenched at his sides as Duncan sat before him. The dog sat back on his hind legs and placed his head in the boy's lap in attempts to settle the child.

Zakari stared down at the dog before placing his hands on the dog's head and gently petting him as he calmed down.

Suddenly, he found his wand in his face again, startling him. He jumped, knocking Duncan's head back and looked up to see someone returning his wand that he had thrown. Embarrassment washed over his face even further as he recognized the boy from earlier that day. The boy's green eyes didn't seem to hold any anger as he held out the wand, however, Zakari noticed where he was rubbing the side of his head from where the wand had struck him.

He opened his mouth in fear that the boy was going to say something to him, but he realized he wouldn't be able to respond appropriately and he was sure the boy didn't sign. In a panic, Zakari quickly snatched his wand from the boy's hand and took off away from the scene of the crime. Duncan stared at the bespectacled boy who seemed more than confused at Zakari's actions. He peered down at the dog, who then left down the corridor after his owner.

When Zakari felt like he was a far enough distance, he rounded a corner and came to a stop to catch his breath. Looking down, Duncan appeared and sat by his feet. He wanted to return to the common room, but he wasn't sure how he was supposed to get in if he couldn't verbally provide the password. Sliding down the wall, Zakari slumped to the floor and blew one of his curls out of his face before facing the dog once more. Duncan held Zakari's wand in his mouth until the boy was ready to take it from him.

"How am I supposed to do this?" Zakari asked himself. 

He rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"What am I doing here? I'm just wasting everyone's time and my own."