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Practice makes perfect, or so her mother had told her during any of her music lessons as a young girl. Hermione didn't normally share that bits of information with the rest of her friends, that she'd had a multitude of different music lessons while growing up. Throat exercises, vocal sessions to tune her voice, guitar and piano lessons. Plus other random lessons when she showed an interest in another instrument. She'd grown up with the ability to learn and improve her own abilities in the musical world for as long as she could remember.
Never before had she been more delighted by that fact. Currently, Hermione was sitting on a couch that the Room of Requirement had given her as she took a rest from the exhausting practice she was holding for herself, preparing for the first "trial" of the talent show. A part of her found it amusing that the whole process seemed stretched out a bit. Three 'entry' trials that you had to pass just to enter the actual competition, and from there the talent 'show' – that had become a competition almost overnight would hold another three rounds before finals.
It seemed a bit extensive, and Hermione couldn't help but wonder if she was partially to blame, for deciding to make an appearance as Harmony – though she wasn't so self-absorbed to question it openly. Regardless to the changes, Hermione was determined to make her parents proud by taking to the stage as Harmony – with Synergy's help of course.
Once again, the young teenager stood up, touching the largest star on the bracelet around her wrist, "Show time, Synergy!" She called out, and in a flash was Harmony once again. It never failed to amaze her the differences in herself that Synergy could inspire. She glanced towards the mirror for a brief moment, running her fingers through the pale pink hair that fell to her waist, the bottom half coiled in soft curls. Even her eyes – now a rich and vibrant blue rather than her normal brown, seemed so different. Beyond eye and hair color (and of course the clothing) she was still Hermione though. Her facial features were the same – her height was the same. Everything was the same . . . and yet, she didn't feel like Hermione.
When Harmony took the stage, just the way she carried herself was a disguise . . . Hermione didn't have any of Harmony's confidence, any of her flair and playfulness . . . well, she did, but it was never properly displayed. Harmony was like her own separate persona, and just the subtle personality changes kept it from being obvious as to just who she was.
Harmony turned from the mirror, taking the mic in hand once more, as she brought it towards her face, singing the lyrics softly, "There's music in the air, news is in the makin'. Music in the air, somethin' big is breakin'. Wow, look around at the sight and sound, did we take you by surprise?" Harmony paused, with a soft shake of her head, frowning at the blank she kept drawing once she got to that point. She moved towards her book of her mother's songs, shuffling to find the one she was working on. "Only the beginning, only the beginning. It has to be here somewhere. Ah ha!"
Pulling the sheet forward, the young musician smiled as she looked over the line she was fumbling with. "Bet you can't believe your eyes, oh whoa." She read softly before grabbing the mic to start the section over again. "Wow, look around at the sight and sound. Did we take you by surprise? Bet you can't believe your eyes, oh whoa." Feeling satisfied that she had the lyrics right, once more, Harmony began to look over the rest of the song, occasionally whispering the lyrics out loud before smiling faintly, "This might just work, indeed." She mused herself. "And it's Only the beginning," she added with a soft laugh.
Ginny Weasley was running a brush through her hair as she eyed up Hermione who was currently reading another book, "Hermione, the first trials for the talent show are about to begin. You are preforming right?" She half asked, half demanded. Hermione shrugged, not looking up from the book in her hands, "Hermione, stop reading for once. Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?!" Ginny half squealed, finally pulling Hermione's attention from the page she was on.
Hermione eyed her friend momentarily, before shrugging, "It's a good book." She countered, hugging it to her chest so that Ginny would be able to sneak a peek at it. "You look lovely by the way. Is your routine ready? You are dancing right?" She asked, drawing Ginny's attention back to herself, a technique Hermione had been using with the Weasley family for years to avoid their questions when she didn't want to talk about something.
Instantly Ginny began to tell her all about her plans, "Oh, yeah. Totally. I'm going to be dancing, but I think I'm going to sing a little too. Mom always told me I had a beautiful voice, so I bet doing both will help me get into the talent show with ease. It'll be so exciting! Who knows, maybe when I hit finals, I can talk Harry into doing a duet with me." She gushed in excitement.
Hermione had to smile slightly, amused by the younger girl's optimism, already planning her finals routine, not that Hermione could blame her. Hermione, herself, had her next few set of songs picked out . . . well, more like just the next one, but . . . she was still optimistic about making it to at least the next level.
"Well, I better go, Ginny. Headmistress McGonagall wanted to see me about something." Hermione stated, before carrying her book with her as she headed towards the exit of the common room, and into the hallway. She was only partially lying. She was leaving because of Minerva, but only due to the fact that the teacher had a private room set up for her to change in, to risk exposing her secret to soon.
Slipping into the room, Hermione smiled to herself as she hid her book before touching her bracelet with a gesture that had become very familiar to her with in the last few days, "Synergy?" She called, before watching the Hologram appear before her, smiling in greeting, "Alright, Synergy. This is it. The first trial of the talent show . . . Can . . . can you help me with looking the best I can?" She asked, almost shyly. Show time, Synergy."
Synergy smiled as she let her abilities flow over Hermione, Harmony taking shape as her hair lengthened, and the curls became more manageable, curling only at the ends where it hung around her waist, the candles in the room reflecting off the pale pink hue. Harmony grinned as she felt her clothes re-shape around her until she was in a pair of silver leggings, and a long pale blue shirt that reached half way down her thighs. The loose fabric at the top of the shirt draping against her chest. She glanced down as her shoes changed into silver wedges, not noticing the silver and pale blue hair pieces that pinned her hair back from her face. Her makeup was less classic though, her lips painted a silver tone, while her eyes had pale blue on the lids that flared out dramatically, with pale blue stars giving her a touch of her mother's traditional 'odd' make-up choose during her time of Jem.
Harmony smiled as she hugged Synergy, "Good luck, Harmony. You'll do wonders out there." The hologram assured before Harmony nodded and began to make her way out of the room.
She headed towards where many of the other students were waiting their turns, ignoring the questioning glances she was getting from some, and the curious ones from others. A few even called to her, asking who she was, but she merely smiled in response, making her way to McGonagall, "Headmistress." She greeted with a curt nod.
Minerva smiled, looking over her favorite lioness with amusement and delight, "Your mother would be quite proud to see you now, Harmony." She mused, before handing the girl her number. "When your name is called, just head onto the stage. I'm sure you know what to do on a stage." She stated, a faint sparkle in her eye.
Harmony nodded, returning her smile, "Of course, it runs in the blood after all." She stated, taking the number, and allowing someone to pin it to the back of her shirt. "I'm going to go check out the competition now." She added, giving her head of house a final smile before walking around to check out some of the other students.
Ginny was with Harry and Ron – though only the siblings had numbers. Harmony could see Pansy squawking in an attempt to practice her 'vocals'. Even Draco (who was sitting down, and looking bored) had a number pinned to his back. A few others were scattered around, some practicing dance routines, others were flying around, practicing aerials on their brooms. There was a lot of talent that would be show cased, but Harmony refused to let herself become nervous. She was Harmony, daughter of Jem, she was born to take the stage . . . and she was ready for today.
The first student was finally called, and Harmony stood by the curtain to watch, noting that while there were many students waiting their turn, there were just about as many in the audience, watching. The teachers were sitting up front, taking notes as the first student (a first year hufflepuff) showed off a bunch of muggle magic tricks. Hermione would have scoffed at the idea of showing muggle tricks in a school of magic, but Harmony had to give credit to the first year's bravery to go with something familiar.
Soon other students took the stage: a third year ravenclaw who showed off a bunch of different bird calls, a group of four third year slytherins who put together a dance routine that looked more appropriate for a movie belonging in an adult movie rental shop, even a seventh year hufflepuff stepped forward to demonstrate his talent of flexibility (clearly double, or maybe triple jointed).
Finally though, Harmony heard her name called. Just the single word. No year. No house. Just Harmony. She stepped forward, using a bit of magic to allow mist to rise up on the stage, as she made her way to the mic, her eyes down casted, when she reached it. Holograms appeared behind her – a drummer, a keyboard player, and a bass player appearing – and Harmony slowly allowed herself to smile, her hand closing around the mic.
"Show time." She mumbled to herself, before her eyes snapped up to the crowd, and the lyrics fell from her mouth with ease, her mother's song carrying over the students as many stared in surprise and wonder, "There's music in the air, news in the makin'. Music in the air, somethin' big is breakin'!
"Wow, look around at the sight and sound, did we take you by surprise? Bet you can't believe your eyes, oh whoa. Well this is only the beginning, only the beginning. Now, now's the time, when our star's on the climb. Watch us try for the prize, we're already on the rise, whoa. Well, this is only the beginning, only the beginning, only the beginning.
"Only the beginning. Only the beginning. Only the beginning." As she repeated the three words, each time, her voice went softer, and softer until ending it with a hush, her gaze on the ground once more. Clapping was immediately heard and Harmony smiled proudly before snapping her fingers so a flash of pale pink and blue smoke appeared where she and her 'band' were at. By the time it faded, the holograms were gone (as was their equipment) and Harmony had already left the stage.
"Well done, Harmony." The teenager smiled, dipping her head in acknowledgement to her Headmistress as she left the stage, ignoring many of the curious and impressed students around her. Heading back to the room, Harmony touched the bracelet on her wrist, smiling to her reflection in the mirror, "Show's over, Synergy." She declared, and watched as her hair returned to a bushy brown mess, and her eyes faded to the familiar honey-brown color. Hermione, had returned. Grabbing the lyric book, she quickly made her way towards the audience, finding a spot to sit, as she watched the other contestants preform, her nerves returning now that the show was over – and hoping desperately that she'd done well enough to make it to the next set of trials.
