Extraordinary (Sign it Series; BOOK 2)

Chapter 27

Darienne sat on the floor of the living room, Remus and Sirius both with her, attempting to teach her how to play Gobstones. She had half a bar of Honeydukes Finest Chocolate sitting on her right side, which she would pick up and nibble occasionally, and half a bottle of Pumpkin Juice to her left.

She rolled one of the stones, and was squirted with a foul-smelling liquid. She wrinkled her nose and Sirius let out a half-hearted chuckle as Remus cleared the liquid from her platinum blonde hair.

"Thanks," she muttered, fixing her hair as if she didn't notice she were doing it.

Remus smiled softly, "It's my pleasure, Darienne." He started to tidy up the Gobstones when he noticed Sirius having no intention to do so, "You doing alright?"

Darienne shrugged, "Miss Simon," she said, "Drew him a picture and sent it, got his letter back today."

Sirius smirked, "Maddy and him having a good time?"

Darienne nodded, and took a sip of Pumpkin Juice, instead of bothering to swallow it, she just signed her next statement. Sounds like it to me. He said he couldn't write much details, because of fear of them being intercepted, but that he was volunteering at the Hospital Wing to have something to do while Maddy was at her tutor sessions.

"Remus was practically best friends with Madam Pomfrey when we were in school." Sirius barked out a laugh, "We used to joke he'd end up falling for her."

"I was in the Hospital Wing a lot because of my condition." Remus frowned, "I saw my Health forms after I graduated. Do you want to guess how many times I was there?"

Darienne nodded, gesturing for a piece of parchment that Remus gave her with a wave of his wand, and an ink well. And wrote down a number, and held it up so 160 showed bright

Sirius looked impressed. "Closer than I thought you'd be. The real number is 206 times in 7 years." Sirius smiled.

"I kept track. One hundred and forty were for full moons. I'd always stay the day before, and the day after, and that adds up over time. Twenty-six were for pranks that went wrong, a number I'm very impressed with. I thought it would've been more. There was one week I spent in Fifth year that was for my mental health after a certain incident we will not discuss."

Sirius muttered a soft "I'm sorry," which was immediately shut down.

"What happened happened. And the others were mundane visits, really minor injuries and panic attacks."

Darienne bit her bottom lip, and didn't answer, instead just nodding awkwardly.

Noticing the girl's silence, Sirius quickly changed the topic, "Guess what we're having for dinner?"

Darienne thought about it, "Mrs. Weasley's stew from last night?"

Sirius let out a face splitting grin, "Of course! I don't like cooking and Moony's leaving later before we eat."

"Something for the Order?" Darienne asked. Remus nodded, and Darienne noted not to push for any questions.

Remus stood up, "I'm sending Maddy a parcel, is there something you'd like to send your brother before I do?"

Darienne shook her head.

"Darienne, I bet that I can beat you in a race to feed Buckbeak."

"That's because you're taller!" Darienne exclaimed.

The small fluctuation in the young girl's voice made Remus and Sirius smile broadly. Still rather uncomfortable with her new hearing aids, she only talks in front of Remus and Sirius to better her speech, but always in a quiet, timid tone, as if afraid to be too loud, the whole reason she barely talked at the Orphanage before someone could afford to get her hearing aids. To her, loudness was a vulnerability, something to show her weakness to the word. The barely notable loudness in her voice showed how comfortable she had become with the two Marauders, and that thought brought joy to them.