February, 34 I had always been made fun at school, both as a professor and student. I was used about students whispering behind my back, about how emo I was and how I always gave them extra homework. It wasn’t like I wanted to torture them, it just… brought back memories. But there was only one student who didn’t seem to talk at all: Inka Granger. Ever since the beginning of December she acted like she was deaf. She didn’t talk at all and whenever I asked something her would just shake her head and not even say anything but, she wasn’t like this before, when her friend, Linh was alive she was a huge chatterbox. She would talk to her even during my lectures and I had given both detentions. It was like that until day Linh died. “Today, we we’re going to learn about the shrinking solution, and no, I don’t care if this is third year material, I knew this when I was your age and your going to do too” I announced to the first year class My eyes darted towards Inka who had her eyes on me but she didn’t seem to be following what I was saying. “Miss. Granger, can you please tell us what the key ingredient of the shrinking solution is?” I asked, my black eyes, looking at her pale face. Everyone’s head turned towards her Inka turned red. “Miss. Granger, if you don’t answer anything I’ll give you detention!” I threatened. Nothing. “Well then, detention! Seven o’clock sharp! My office!” Still nothing. “Anyway, Miss. Vain, can you tell us the key ingredient to the shrinking solution” The class drone on from there, students hesitant to answer questions. Soon, I found myself at my office, waiting for Inka to come for detention. She usually wasn’t so late. True, it was only seven-forty, but usually, she would come an hour earlier than expected. But this time, it didn’t seem like that. I figured it was just piling homework. I glanced at the cloak again; seven-thirty. Now there was something severely wrong. Maybe Inka had decided to not come to detention at all. “Minerva!” I called to my colleague, making her stop in her tracks. “What is it, Severus?” Minerva asked, the hem of her green robes on the ground. “Have you seen Miss. Granger?” I panted “Which Granger?” She asked, her face perplexed “The youngest one! You know, the one who’s rude and doesn’t answer anyone?” “Oh, she’s in the library. Like always” “Right, thanks Minnie!” I turned towards the library, my black robes billowing around me and my greasy black hair covering my eyes. This reminded me of when I was eleven, trying to find my way to the library when I was just learning to navigate the castle, asking older students and professors where it was. I reached the library, the large doors towering over me. I pushed the doors, grunting how heavy they were. “Hello Severus!,” Irma greeted as I walked through, “have the Weasley twins been suspicious of walking through the forbidden section again?” “No, why do we even have a forbidden section when it’s forbidden?,” I muttered, “I’m looking for Miss. Granger. You know, the newest one” Irma pointed towards the stack of books “She’s over there,” she said, “She’s been here a lot more than usual. Ever since, you, she doesn’t talk anymore either” I nodded as I walked towards the stack, a small pale face buried a heavy volume of: The tales of the disabled witches and wizards. Right next to her was Rosila Estelle and Iris Granger, both Ravenclaws in second year. “Inka,” Iris said softly. “You must start talking, you can’t keep going like this. Your failing your classes too! You must tell us what’s going wrong” “Miss. Granger, Miss. Estelle, you can leave her now” I ordered, rolling ups up my sleeves. The students listened, stepping a few steps back. “Miss Granger,” I addressed, my voice rising, “You’re about an hour late to your detention. Stop pretending you can’t understand me and come on!” Inka shook her head, as if refusing to come, “I rant tear” she whispered, her voice trembling. I raised an eyebrow. Iris almost jumped back. “That doesn’t make sense,” I muttered, pulling her arm, “You’re going to detention!” Inka yelped, trying to free herself from my grasp. Iris and Rosalia stared, not trying to cause too much disruption.
I pulled Inka all the way to my office. “Why have you been deciding to skip detention?,” I snapped, handing her a sponge and pointing to the steel cauldron, “You’ll be cleaning cauldrons tonight. No magic. Learn to live like Filch” Inka did what I told her, scrubbing all what she had of strength. “That’s more like it” As I sent Inka back to her dorm, I headed towards the library, hoping to have a few flashbacks of Lily. I opened the key to the door. Sure, the library had been closed, but that didn’t mean teachers weren’t allowed. I lit a candle and slipped into a desk. This was the way to spend the midnight, sitting here and remembering Lily. As I was writing lesson plans with my quill I noticed something bumping my quill. A small leathery notebook. Out of curiosity, I grabbed it , feeling it’s bound leathery cover. ’10-31-1993’ It read as I opened it ‘Dear, Linh My eldest sister, Hermione asked me what I wanted from Hogsmeade before she left on the trip. I said I wanted a notebook, at first she was a bit confused but got it anyway. What she didn’t know was that it was to contact someone: you. I decided to not join the Halloween feast, it wasn’t going to feel the same without you. You promised you would get better before Halloween so we could join the feast but, I guess that would never happen. My hearing hasn’t gotten much better. By saying, it’s gotten worse. Today, I couldn’t hear my sister, Isabella calling for me until she was like a few yards away from me. I’m scared, Linh. I feel like one of those old people going deaf. I hope your doing well, Inka’ I flipped the page immediately. This was Inka Granger’s diary, maybe this would explain why she was being quiet. ’11-01-1993 Dear, Linh Today I only could grasp half of what McGonagall had said during class. It’s impossible to hear anything when unless your in the front row. There’s nothing to recall from today, but I will still try writing to you almost everyday. I’ll promise. Love, Inka’ I think I was starting to understand her behavior. I read pages after pages ‘Dear, Linh The silence has finally swallowed me whole. I've been failing my classes too, Hermione's getting suspicious and I can tell she's concerned for me too, my other sisters also are, but I'm also pretty sure they're felling like I'm being rude to them too because every time I try to communicate my trouble they shoot annoyed looks, I know I should try speaking but every time I try speaking all the words feel... wrong. It's all my fault, if I'd just listen to your advice this would never happen. 'Winter break is coming in about two weeks and I know I promised that I would stay at Hogwarts during winter break but my cousin, Isla is coming to our house for a family reunion and I haven't seen her FOREVER. I know she's also going to think I'm rude too like everyone else-’ I slammed the diary shut. I understood everything, her behavior, her silence and I certainly didn’t need to know her personal life. “Filius!,” I barged into my co-worker's office, “You need to read this” ______________ Me totally not listening to Shah Rukh Khan writing to this: *literally singing along to the songs with horrid pronunciation* I know I said I wouldn't be able to post another chapter this week but I'm not joining BoB and my reflection write-up is done and I just came to Washington today (the jetlack is terrible, it's like 6 pm rn but it feels like it's 9 ahhh) I'm only staying here for a month or two but my parents enrolled me at this school here just in case we can't go back to Florida. Anyway, love you guys!
