Memories are Made of This

Stephanie had hardly ever dared enterer the melodic studies room outside class. She loved singing and Melodic Studies was her favourite class at Beauxbatons but sometimes she felt a little overwhelmed with the feeling it induced. There was one item in the room to give her that emotive reaction. It wasn't in the very centre but it was there complete with the memories and the pain. One item she often tried to avoid looking at.

Today she decided it was time to face it. She had no clue where that thought came from. All Stephanie knew was that she needed to go into that room at a time when no-one else was around. The fourth year bit her lower lip as she made her way to the room, half fearful she might be stopped but no-one appeared. She was in and moved over to the focus of her reason for entering this room. The piano. Stephanie had not touched one in years. Not since her mother's death and her father's subsequent selling of the piano from which her mother had taught Stephanie.

She held her breath as she ran her fingers lightly over the piano before lifting the lid to reveal the keys. Stephie stared at them, wondering how much she remembered and how much she'd forgotten. Would she ever be able to play again? She pulled the piano stool away and sat down. Now was the time to find out. Sitting the way her mother had always told her she placed her fingers on the keys. It felt a little different. Smaller. Or maybe it was just that she'd grown a fair bit since her nine year old self last sat at an instrument like this one. Her fingers froze and then came a sound at the door and they unfroze causing an awful jarring noise as they hit the keys.

Even though Gus wasn't very good at singing, he still enjoyed belting out. Last time someone had seen him perform, they had laughed at him. But things were better now, Gus tried not to be as loud when he sung. He also taught himself to play the guitar so a beautiful melody went along with his voice. Maybe he'd sound decent along with the guitar, he needed much improving.

There were no classes going on so it was the perfect time to sing a song by yourself . He walked down the hall and pulled open the Melodic Studies classroom. He stopped his his tracks when he noticed a girl at the piano and he covered his ears when the sound left the piano. Did she know how to play or did he catch her off guard? "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't think anyone would be in here."

Stephie flushed at being found in here by not just an older student but an older Cerisier prefect student. She felt trapped and overwhelmed with fear. Only his question stopped her from flight. It didn't sound like he was here to tell her off. The fourth year willed herself to relax but she took her hands well away from the keys.

"I just wanted to see if I remembered," she began as the hands in her lap tightened into one intertwined fist. "I used to play...the piano I mean...but..." She trailed off and looked down at her knotted together fingers. "...I had to quit." She could feel tears threaten to fall as her mind dwelt on the reason for the ending of her lessons. Right now she really wanted to try it again but there was an audience and Stephanie had only ever played in front of family.

The girl looked up again as she realised just how much she'd just said without even intending to as well as not knowing his reason for being there himself. "I'm sorry. Am I stopping you from doing something in here?"

"I think playing an instrument is cool, pianos are so pretty. They make such a beautiful sound." He couldn't play himself but he liked when the professor player, he wanted to learn how to play. But knowing how to play more than one instrument would be hard for Gus, he hardly knew how to play one. "Are you okay?" He could tell that she was a bit upset, had he said something? He wouldn't pry though because it was none of his business and if she really wanted to talk about her feelings, she wouldn't do it with some stranger. "May I sit beside you? I would like to try it out. I'm probably no good at it, but it's still worth a try." He pointed to the bench, surely it was big enough for two. He smiled a little to show he didn't mean any harm and that he didn't bite.

"Oh, I just came to play a little music. I'm no good at singing, but I still enjoy it. I was going to sing and play a little guitar. But the piano sounds like a way better instrument. At least at the moment it is in my opinion." He liked to think he could get better with more and more practice. Maybe his mother would allow him to take vocal lessons over the summer.

Stephanie had never heard a piano called pretty, especially from the mouth of a boy, and she looked at him curiously. "Beautiful. They are beautiful. Pretty is inadequate. Beautiful is far better than just merely pretty."

She nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I just..." She put her fingers back on the keys and softly began to play the scales she'd been taught to do before trying anything else. Stephanie lifted her hands away again and shifted up the bench. "Yes. Certainly."

The forth year's ears perked up. "Oh I sing. I mean you could play and I'll sing for you. That is if I know the song." She bit her lip before adding a confession, "mostly I sing old songs. Folk songs. Songs from long ago." She absently pressed a few keys on the piano. "I probably should learn some recent stuff but most of it hurts my ears." Maybe she was a little old fashioned but then it wasn't really that surprising considering most of her family was like that. Stuck in the past, some would say.