Idiosyncrasy |Harry Potter

Chapter Fourteen

Zakari had found a quiet place outside by the Black Lake as he sat beneath a tree with Duncan beside him. While Zakari stared at his wand in his hands,  Duncan stared intently at the birds that were resting in the tree. He would continuously growl at the birds and attempted to leap up, but his little legs didn't get him far. Eventually, Zakari brought himself to look up and watch the dog as he lowered his belly to the ground and shook his little behind in the air, preparing to pounce. Each time he flopped to the ground causing Zakari to giggle as he set his wand to the side.

He went to reach for the dog as Duncan began to bark up the trunk of the tree, however, before the boy could reach him, Zakari watched as the dog's ears flatten as he lowered himself back to the ground. Furrowing his brows in confusion at Duncan's sudden change in demeanor, Zakari immediately looked up in the tree. He saw the usual little birds hopping about on branches, but they seemed much more frantic in their movements before they fluttered off.

His eyes continued upward until his gaze fell upon one of the top branches where he caught sight of a rather large bird. At first, thought the large black bird was a raven, but at a closer sharper look as he squinted his eyes, he realized it was a crow. It was not a talent of Zakari's to tell birds apart by subtle features of tail feathers and head shape, he remembered one of the books he had read pertaining to the subject awhile ago. However, it was short lived as he showed his mother the wildlife book and pointed out the birds after pointing out the differences between a cheetah and leopard, and the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. She had seemed to be in amusement in the beginning but as soon as he turned the page and showed her the birds, her entire mood change.

He remembered her getting up abruptly and claiming she had to get dinner started even though it was early afternoon.

After that, Zakari believed his mother had some sort of fear towards birds so he didn't show her anymore pictures.

As he glanced up at the crow, the crow seemed to be just as fixated on him as well. After a moment, it fluttered down to a lower branch causing Zakari to tilt his head in curiosity, wondering what the bird was thinking. He suddenly felt a tugging on his pants bringing him to look down. Poor Duncan appeared to be shaking as he pulled at the boy's pant leg trying to get him to move away from the tree.

He lowered himself down and picked up the dog that wiggled greatly before looking up at the bird and proceeded to bark.

Zakari couldn't understand why Duncan appeared so upset by the one bird in general. But rather letting the dog continue, the boy collected his wand and his belongings before carrying the dog towards the school. However, as he made his way back, he continued to turn his head back to watch the crow who seemed to be watching him as well.

Once they were out of sight, Duncan seemed to be settled as Zakari lowered him down to the floor. As usual, Duncan looked up at him, waiting for Zakari's move first. Zakari motioned the dog to follow him as he continued down the corridor.

Inside the library, it was the perfect place for Zakari to work with Franklin, because there was hardly any distractions as it was to remain quiet or Madam Pince would pitch a fit. Franklin was able to go over Zakari's lessons in much detail that he would miss in class, while trying to keep up with everyone else. 

"How can I learn magic, if I do not speak?" Zakari dropped his hands down on the table waiting a response.

"There are some witches and wizards who can do magic without a wand and  plenty without words. You can do that. They do it with their hands  and mind only."

Zakari frowned.  "That does not sound easy."

'Not easy." Franklin signed. "But possible."

"Can you do it?" Zakari questioned him.

"A little."

Franklin wasn't helping the boy build much confidence of what he was going to be able to do. Silent incantations were not easy by any means, and if a grown wizard struggled with it, how was an eleven year old boy supposed to be capable of doing it?

He dropped his head down to the table again, and was sure by the end of their library session there would be a permanent dent in the table from where his head kept hitting it. He propped his chin up and stared in the direction of his wand. His eyes darted back and forth between his empty hand and the wand while Franklin watched him trying to figure out what the boy was thinking about.

Going to reach for his wand and pick it up, Zakari jumped as his wand moved slightly away from his hand and rolled over the table. His hand froze in place while his eyes became wide.

He saw the end of his wand flickering with light before it dimmed completely and faded. Glancing down at his hand, Zakari reached forward and was able to pick up the wand without it moving. He turned to Franklin who seemed to be just as surprised by the event.

A bright smile appeared on Zakari's face as a small noise of happiness escaped his lips.

His small noise was enough to alert a few others that were in the library as well, but Zakari didn't noticed as he began to sign excitedly to Franklin trying to figure out how he had accomplished whatever he had just done.

Harry Potter glanced over in the direction of where the strange noise had emitted from. He saw the boy that he had only encountered twice so far, each time more awkward than the last. The first, he was sure he caught the boy laughing at Ron who had received a Howler from home. When they had made eye contact, the boy hid his face behind a bagel. The second time while Harry had been casually strolling down the corridor, he had struck in the face with the boy's wand.

Rather than apologizing, the boy only snatched his wand and ran away in what appeared to be in fear.

But the boy who sat across the way in the library seemed to be in a bright mood as his hands were moving at a rapid speed that was making Harry dizzy.

However, he couldn't help but laugh at the boy's face and actions causing Ron and Hermione to look at him.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked.

"I'm...I'm not sure."