Silencio • Remus Lupin

02

"James, why is Evans trying to talk to Kat?"

The question from Sirius made the boy snap his head up to where he knew his sister would be sat alone with a book in her lap. He knew Kat preferred her alone time to read and sit in relative silence, which is why he and the others never really sat with her, but he always had an awareness of where she would be. 

"The first time she's talking to a Potter willingly, and it's not the right one," James grumbled, making Sirius laugh. The two were sitting underneath their tree waiting for Remus and Peter to come from the library but as James stood, Sirius realized that for the first time in five years, they might be waiting in a different spot. 

Katrina knew the second Lily Evans sat down next to her that her brother would be nearby soon. Whether it would be because he found his chance to talk to the girl he had a crush on for years or if it was because he was overly worried about other people being insensitive to his sister didn't matter, she just knew that he'd be next to her in a matter of moments. 

"Katrina, right?" Lily asked with a smile while making herself comfortable on the grass. The fact that it didn't seem like Katrina had friends infuriated the red-head and she was finally fed up and decided to take matters into her own hands. Kat nodded with a polite grin in response. "I'm Lily Evans, how are you?" Katrina looked around at the day around her, taking in the nice weather and calm air before smiling again and giving a thumbs up. 

Lily knew Katrina didn't speak during classes. Teachers didn't require her to answer questions and she wouldn't offer a response freely. When doing practical work during class, Lily had never been partnered with the girl but from the whispers from everyone else, she knew that Katrina did poorly during the first few tries but very quickly mastered the spells. Nonverbally. Even in first year. But what Lily didn't expect was for her silence to extend to any time and not just during class. Lily assumed that it was extreme shyness. 

Before any questions could be asked, two shadows fell within their vision and both girls looked up. Katrina with a wide smile and Lily with a grimace. 

"Hello, Evans," James greeted loudly. "I see you've decided to approach the more boring Potter twin - a poor choice if I say so myself."

Katrina responded with a smack to the boy's calf, although her face was still sporting a smile. Sirius plopped down next to the Potter girl and threw his arm around her shoulders while grinning cheekily at James. "I don't know, James, she's a lot less obnoxious and loud."

Both boys laughed and Katrina let out a quite chuckle. I don't know about less obnoxious she signed with a grin, making both boys laugh which prompted a confused look to cross Lily's face. I think it might be equal.

"Okay, so maybe the obnoxiousness is equal," Sirius corrected with a grin, leaning into Kat's side. "But you're still quieter."

What? she signed with a shocked look. How come you've never told me? 

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Sirius responded in a mock solemn voice. "I know this comes as a surprise."

Sometime during their conversation, James sat down in front of them and had been joined by Remus and Peter. "What's a surprise?" Remus questioned, looking around the group with a grin. "Did you finally tell the Potters that we all prefer Kat?" The group, excluding Lily, laughed at that, although Kat's face flushed slightly at the comment. 

"No, it has to be that Kat managed to reel Miss. Lily Evans in before James could," Peter chimed in, making both Remus and Sirius cackle as James pouted. 

It's because I'm cuter and smarter and overall better in every way Kat responded with a cheeky grin, making the boys laugh harder. James glared playfully at her and before he could form a response, Lily piped up.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to seem rude, but... what's going on right now?" she asked, confused and overwhelmed. 

I don't think she knows about sign language Kat signed to the boys, making them look around in confusion. 

But she's so smart? Remus signed with a confused look. I would expect her to at least understand? 

Sirius snorted before removing his arm from Kat's shoulder to take part in the silent conversation. Maybe she's just sheltered and has never known that deaf or mute people exist?

That is possible Kat responded while nodding. 

"Guys, it's rude to talk when not everyone can understand," James snorted, kicking his sister's foot with his own. He then turned to Lily. "Kat's been signing as a way of holding up her own end of a conversation."

Kat waved for James's attention. Make sure she knows that you all learned sign for me. None of the boys really added that tidbit into casual conversation, even James agreeing that it was a bit too self righteous and egotistical to try and use that as a way of boasting. They all felt uncomfortable about the idea of using their friends muteness as a way of bragging about themselves, but Kat had stars in her eyes every time she brought up her boys learning sign for her and wanted everyone to know how wonderful they were.

"She wants James to tell you that we all learned sign language so we could communicate more effectively with her," Remus explained after James pulled a face at his sister. "But none of us like doing that because it seems a bit too smug."

And at that moment, Lily realized that she had previously been wrong.