Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Elegie
Sirius was humming to himself as he walked down the hallway looking for a new way to secretly get out of Hogwarts. He turned down a new hallway and stopped when he saw Remus.
He was sitting on the floor next to an unused classroom with his eyes closed. Sirius was tempted to sneak up on Remus and scare him, but then he remembered that that was impossible. Remus would smell him and know he was there.
Sirius came up to him and stood before him. Remus didn't move for a minute then opened his eyes and jumped. That was very unusual. Remus was never startled.
"Sirius, promise me you will never do that again." Remus said, breathlessly, trying to calm his racing heart.
He cocked his head to the side, curious. "Do what? All I did was come over here. I didn't try to be subtle or anything. In fact," he gave a little grin, "I was walking louder than normal."
Remus didn't respond, but looked away, appearing embarrassed. Sirius' curiousity just got stronger. "What were you doing out here? It obviously wasn't studying." Remus glanced back at Sirius before answering.
"I was listening." He didn't expand, so Sirius tried to pry more information out of him.
"Listening to what?"
"Music."
"Music from…"
"A cello." Okay…
"A cello played by who?"
"A Hufflepuff." This was getting old.
"A Hufflepuff whose name is…""Ailati Yawron."
Now Sirius had to put it together. He hated putting stuff together. "So, you were sitting on the floor listening to music made by a cello played by Hufflepuff Ailati Yawron."
Remus nodded.
When Sirius couldn't hear anything remotely sounding like music he began thinking that Remus may have just gone off the deep end. He was considering to propose that he accompany Remus to the Hospital Wing, when he heard a gentle melody drifting out of the empty classroom.
Sirius craned his head to peek inside. Ailati was sitting alone playing the cello with her eyes closed. He turned back to Remus. "What is she playing?"
"The Prelude from Bach's Suite number 1 for solo cello. Before that she was playing Allegro Appassionato. My mum has an enormously large collection of records. One of her favorites is a compellation of cello solos and piano accompaniments." Remus explained looking slightly uncomfortable under Sirius' stare.
"It sounds good. She must be pretty skilled."
Remus nodded in agreement." She practices here every Saturday morning and after dinner on Wednesdays."
"So I take it you hear her often."
Remus was looking anywhere but at Sirius. "She needs recognition for how amazing she is."
"Have you ever told her?" Remus shook his head at Sirius' question.
"I've never had the guts."
Ailati finished the Bach Suite with a strong G major chord. There was a silence before a high piercing note cut through the air, then dropped a half step. Sirius waited for the phrase to end before turning to ask Remus what it was. Sirius had his mouth open but stopped before he made a sound. Remus had tears silently falling down his face.
Sirius sat on the other side of the door. He leaned over and whispered to Remus. "What's wrong?"
He turned to Sirius, tears still brimming in his eyes. "It's Faure's Elegie. It was written for a dead person"
"Sort of like a eulogy?" Remus nodded. "Who's it for?"
"I don't know, but it must have been someone very close to him. It sounds so intimate and raw."
They sat in silence for a little while longer, letting the music flow around them, until Sirius voiced another question. "Why did he write it?"
Remus thought a bit before answering. "To show people that suffering is universal. Everyone suffers, though in different levels of severity…" He trailed off as Ailati crescendoed quickly through the measure leading up to the climax. The melody, an octave higher, rang through the room and into the boys.
Sirius now understood why Remus was crying. He felt the pain, anger, hurt, wrath, depression, joy, and suffering of Faure. He saw his mother with hands around his neck, His father taking off his belt, sneaking downstairs to get ice for his welts. His first time meeting James and plotting to turn Lily's cat into a singing banshee. Going home for the summer only to find out he had been disowned and kicked out.
Sirius saw it all in a series of flashes. It hurt. It hurt so much. He felt as though he was suffocating, straining under the weight and pressure. When he felt as though he was going to be utterly destroyed, suddenly it all disappeared. There was nothing and he was nothing.
The lowest note, finally concluding the piece had an odd calming, freeing effect. It was ironic, yet perfect.
Remus waited a respectable length of time before continuing.
"Suffering may be universal, but so is healing and peace."