Speak Up - Female Deaf Harry Potter AU

The First Task

Hari was released from the hospital wing on the morning of the first task. Though Madam Pomfrey had not allowed her to leave the hospital wing, Hermione, Fred and George had been with her all afternoon of the day before, doing some last minute studying, and had found nothing. Absolutely NOTHING. No strengths, no ideas... nothing.

Hari sat at the breakfast table between the twins, stacking the toast Fred was passing her instead of eating it. People kept wishing her good luck or telling her that they would have tissues ready. The feeling of dread was just building as time past.

Someone tapped her shoulder. She looked up to see professor McGonagall.

"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now... . You have to get ready for your first task."
Hari nodded nervously. She stood up shakily.

"Good luck Harienne" George said

"You're going to do amazing out the Hariliny." Fred said, Hari nodded again, following McGonagall out of the great hall.

McGonagall seemed worried. 0As she walked Hari down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put a hand on her shoulder. Hari looked up at her.

"Now, don't panic," McGonagall said, "Just keep a cool head. . . . We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand. . . . The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you. . . . Are you all right?" 

Hari forced herself to nod. McGonagall looked a bit less worried, leading her around the edge of the forest to a tent.

"You're to go in here with the other champions," said Professor McGonagall, looking extremely worried, "and wait for your turn Hari. Mr. Bagman is in there. . . he'll be telling you the - the procedure. . . ."

She seemed like she was about to walk away, but then turned back, pulling Hari into a hug. "Good luck."

#) Thank you professor, I'll need it. (#

McGonagall left her at the entrance of the tent. Hari went inside.

Krum was leaning against one of the pillars, scowling. Fleur was sitting on a stool in the corner. She looked very different from her usual calm self. Cedric was pacing, he looked up as Hari entered and gave her a small smile, she forced herself to smile back.

"Hari! Good-o!" said Bagman happily, looking around at her. "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"

Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. 

"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them - "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different - er - varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too.. . ah, yes... your task is to collect the golden egg!"

Hari felt sick, at least the pooling ice in her veins would be good against fire.

• • •

Bagman was opened the neck of the purple silk sack.

"Ladies first," he said, offering it to Hari. Hari reached her shaking hand into the bag to pull out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon, a Hungarian Horntail with a number four around its neck. It stretched its wings as she looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs.

Fleur Delacour was next, she drew out a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck. Fleur looked resigned, she had known this was comming.