Speak Up - Female Deaf Harry Potter AU

Mandrakes, Photos and Pixies

Their first class was Herbology. Hari, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. 

As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. Hari, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. 

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just helping Professor Sprout out! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels . . ."

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before - greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. 

"Hari! I've been wanting a word - you don't mind if she's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?" He grabbed her arm.

Hari shoved him away, quickly signing to Hermione to translate.

'Don't touch me! In fact don't come near me. I will get a restraining order put on you if you touch me again. I have witnesses.'

And with that she turned on her heel and strode into the green house.

Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the cen ter of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-coloured ear muffs were lying on the bench. When Hari and Hermione had taken their places between, she said, "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

Hari didn't usually bother answering questions in class, not that she didn't know the information, it was just too much of a hassle to have someone translate everything.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Hermione's hand narrowly missed Hari's glasses as it shot up again.

"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.

"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in colour, were growing there in rows. 

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout. Hari was glad that she wouldn't have to. They were old and kind of disgusting looking.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on. Miss Potter!" She said noticing Hari didn't have earmuffs, then added "Oh, right, never mind."