~By Noiseless Symphony- part 1/?~

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Note: Harry's in his Sixth Year at Hogwarts.

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They sat in the Common Room, and not a word was spoken. All the Griffindors were subdued at the news. The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was dead. Nothing dramatic- just old age. He'd only been teaching at Hogwarts for three weeks now, and had peacefully passed away in his sleep. His ghost had wandered to Dumbledore's quarters during the night and had informed him politely that he was going home to his daughter and pet canary in the Netherlands. Harry wasn't surprised. Professor Octave, the deceased, had a loving family and a warm home to go back to. If Harry had died during the night, he was sure he'd want his spirit to stay within Hogwarts- as much fun as haunting the Dursleys sounded, he didn't think he could stand spending all of eternity with them. No, instead he'd hang out with Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Friar, maybe even make friends with Moaning Myrtle, and play jokes on Peeves.

Harry shook his head, realising that his thoughts had become very bizarre. He glanced at Hermione and Ron. Hermione seemed shocked and a little upset at the sudden death, since Professor Octave had become one of her most favourite teachers. Ron didn't look too surprised. In fact, he looked as though he'd expected it.

Most of the Griffindors shared the same expression as Ron. The DADA position was thought to be jinxed since not one teacher had lasted more than a year for quite some time now. Three weeks was the shortest amount of time anyone had taught.

"Who d'ya think they'll get for DADA now?" Seamus asked no one in particular, breaking the silence.

"Maybe Snape will get the job," Lavender said, and Neville shuddered.

Dean groaned. "Oh great," he said, "he probably will get it. I mean, who else are they going to get, three weeks into the year? Why doesn't Octave keep teaching anyway, like Professor Binns does?"

"Because he, unlike some people," Seamus rolled his eyes, "has a life. His daughter doesn't even know he's dead yet. I mean, if you'd just died, wouldn't you want to spend some time with your family?"

"I suppose so," Dean said grudgingly.

"Death is such a funny thing," Seamus said loudly, apparently talking to himself. Everyone listened. "You never expect it, but you know it's coming to get you. It kinda makes you realise that life isn't to be wasted- that you gotta grab the brass ring before it's too late."

Nelly Cassidy, a fourth year, nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "Imagine if you died regretting all the things you wish you'd done. I'd hate that."

"Live for the moment," stated a second year.

"Carpe Diem," Hermione murmured.

Seamus turned to Fred and George. "If you knew you were going to die tonight," he asked, "how would you spend your time left? What would you do?"

"Make Snape wear a dress," George said immediately.

"Smack Malfoy upside the head," Fred added.

"Turn McGonagall into a cow."

"Invent more Brain Freezes."

"Flush Percy down the toilet."

"Make Ron French kiss Hermione."

Ron blushed at that, and Hermione stared very hard down at her hands.

"You know," said Ginny in a small voice from the back of the room, "we should learn something from Professor Octave's death." Everyone turned to look at her, and she shrank in her seat. "We should forget our embarrassment and our sensibility for at least a day," she continued softly, "and do exactly what we want to. Live for the moment, like Angie said. Death is unpredictable, especially to those who don't plan for it." She breathed a sigh of relief when everyone turned their attention back to the centre of the room, pondering what she'd just said.

"I'll tell you what," said Lee Jordan, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. "Let's get everyone in this room to do the wildest, craziest thing they've ever dreamed of doing. I mean, as long as no one gets hurt in the process. If it involves another student, we can do a Memory Charm on them later," the Griffindors gasped, "or maybe not," Lee sighed. He rubbed his eyes- he hadn't got much sleep last night, what with the intensity of Fred's infamous snoring. "Oh come on," he snapped at bored looking bunch of Second Years, "we've all got an unfulfilled wish that we've been too embarrassed to do anything about. Do it today. And tomorrow we can forget it ever happened, but remember that our life was not as useless and meaningless as it could've been." He folded his arms moodily, and Fred and George cheered.

"Well, I for one," Linton James, a Seventh Year student, spoke up, "don't plan on regretting my boring life when I pass on. The wildest, craziest thing I've ever thought of, eh?" He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "McGonagall is gonna have one helluva shock tomorrow!" he crowed, and everyone laughed.

"Yeah," Colin Creevey nodded, "I think I might teach that Ernie Macmillan a lesson for verbally abusing our House last Quidditch match!"

The room was suddenly filled with chatter and laughter about the things people had wanted to do for a long time. Harry could pick out the words, '…fist…', '…jelly-legs…' and '…sharp jabs…' from the many different threads of conversation running around the Common Room.

He shook his head. "Everyone thinks this is about revenge," he said to Ron beside him.

"Isn't it?" Ron asked, his eyes shining with endless vindictive possibilities. "I've always wanted to give Malfoy a real good thumping…"

Harry shook his head. "No, this is supposed to be about fulfilling dreams and wants that we're too self-conscious about doing every other day. Isn't there something you've ever dreamed of doing, but you're too shy?"

Ron's eyes darted to Hermione, who was talking with Lavender, and he quickly turned back to Harry.

"Well…" he said slowly. Harry grinned.

"Thought of something Ron?" he teased, and Ron blushed for the second time that evening.

"What about you?" he challenged, turning on his best friend. "Have you ever wanted to do something that you knew was extremely stupid and insane?" Before Harry could answer, someone crashed into him and he toppled off his chair onto the floor.

"Sorry," said Neville, quickly clambering off Harry. Harry dragged himself off the ground and dusted his jeans.
"S'okay Neville," he shrugged, ignoring Fred and George's guffaws.

"That was horrible!" exclaimed Angelina Johnson who was sitting with one leg draped over the other in an armchair. "I told you not to show him your monkey!"

"We were just trying it out," George protested, shoving the stuffed toy into Fred's arms. His eyes gleamed. "If Neville acts like that now, imagine what Trelawney will do!" he said, grinning.

"Yeah, she'll think she was-"

The portrait swung open, and Professor McGonagall stood in the doorway like a heroic conqueror, her hands firmly on her hips and her robes dramatically billowing out behind her.

"Go…to…bed!" she enunciated each word angrily, looking ready to throttle someone.

A minute later, everybody had scrambled up to their dorms, no one wanting to face the wrath of McGonagall that night.