This is, at the moment, going to be two chapters, explaining what instrument Remus plays and how Tonks finds out about it. There are two reasons I chose the partcular instrument, the first because I think its quite Remus, the second because it's one of the few instruments I know intimately enough to write about.
Disclaimer: I disclaim everything whih isn't mine, whcih is mainly the characters, but also includes the setting. However, I do claim the piano and Remus' instrument.
"Oi! Moony! Come for a session in the lounge? I saw your case arrive with you. For old times sake?" How could a voice be at once so pleading and so demanding, wondered Remus, as he yelled back, "Of course Padfoot! See you there."
Grabbing his instrument he left the rook, a sheaf of music under his arm and still more in his case. Setting up his stand, an old muggle one he'd 'borrowed' when the band he was in replaced all the stands, he could hear Sirius casting charms round his mother so she wouldn't yell at them while they were playing.
"So" said Sirius, sitting down on the nearest chair. "You soloing, then duets, then we sing? As always?" Remus nodded, sliding his slide in quick unconscious movements, "as always. Ave Maria? Just let me do a quick warm up." As Remus completed some fast slurs, Sirius began hunting through Remus' case. "Still in here?" He asked, glancing up to catch Remus wink and almost smile as he continued to warm up.
Finding the piece, Sirius set out Remus' music, then his own, running through a few scales on the old Black piano. Remus, resting his slide on the ground, said pointedly, "Padfoot. I refuse to go anywhere near such an out of tune beast. A charm for now, but after this, we will tune it."
Sirius nodded, murmured under his breath, and Remus pained face relaxed. "Concert Bb?" He asked, tuning up. Concert Eb major for a warm up? It'll get you in key. Minims." At the top they paused for Sirius to say, "Descending, triplet quavers' and then they returned by arpeggio.
"Right" Remus flicked the water key, "a bar for nothing. One, Two, Three, Breathe" instantly, he felt the music flow through him, letting an A sound clearly. Grinning as much as you can while playing, he realized how much he'd missed this, just him and the piano. Holding the high F at the end, he regained enough cognitive function to realize Sirius was just finishing the bar with a gently chord.
"You sound pretty good, Moony. Many pupils at the moment?" Remus shook his head, "And most of them are kiddlywinks. Shall we run the Norton? I promise a duet afterwards." Half an hour and several runs of bars 17 & 18, Remus proclaimed, 'From the top'.
"Alright Moony, warm down now." Sirius grinned, reaching for his own bag. "If only we had two pianos we could do Queen of Sheba." Remus hurriedly dismantled his instrument and slipped round Sirius. "This old Beethoven? You think so?" Sirius smiled. "If you're anything like me, practice has been a bit slack. Come on, two beats in." The first notes did seem a bit strange to Remus, unused as he was to the piano but by the time the second page was turned (handy spell, that one) both he and Sirius had settles into their normal rhythm. "That sounded decent Pads, but can we run page three again?" At the end of the page, Sirius nodded, "That's better" and with a huge sigh, "I'm sick of the piano. Start with Cavatina, then we can sing.
"Leaving the piano stool, he sat on the Black family chair, tuning his guitar while Remus fished out the appropriate music. This one they hadn't played much, indeed Remus had played it maybe three times, but Sirius, he new, had loved it. Sirius handled his guitar with professional ease, making the music sing as his hands rippled and his head bent low over the guitar. At the end, Remus remained hunched at the piano. Looking up eventually, he said, "What next?" Sirius flicked over a formidable pile of music. "A happy one? Jeremiah?" Remus smiled and dropped the music. "Happy indeed. Ready?" he tapped his foot against the pedal.
Content in role as base line, Remus started singing, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog." Sirius, working out the trials of the tune after long years, soon joined in. Grinning, the finished staring at each other. "Alright. Now what? Your voice is good toady." He added, grinning at the last time Sirius had sung- He'd just called Tonks Nymphadora. "The next is an old favourite." Remus looked up, "We have a lot of those. Give me a clue?" Padfoot smiled and played, just a few notes, but Remus immediately fingered a chord. The rich chorus, voices harmonizing clearly, made Remus feel alive again, excited, the best he had in some time. 'Bridge over troubled water' was their…theme tune.
Finished, the gaped at one another, still caught in the music. "Lets call it a night, ay? We'll tune that beast after dinner, if you're cooking?" Remus nodded, "I'd like to live to tune the thing, if you don't mind." Quickly, he raced for the door, Sirius running after him as they went to the kitchen.
Let us know, ay?