Livia found that she needed to move her belongings to a new room, which she would share with Shelley, Selene, Athena and Ted, as well as three additional male Ravenclaw third year students, Don Stevens, Terence Barrow and Barry Atkinson, all very athletic, tanned young men who played Quidditch for Ravenclaw. She only partly knew them and knew they had little knowledge of her, other than the infamous episode she had with Professor Snape the previous year and her defense of Selene, which prompted the unusual housing situation. The guardians of every resident agreed to it, to help Selene and Don come up with a situation everyone accepted. Some called it a pilot program, though others refused to see it as more than a one-off proposal solely to protect one resident in a fashion that maintained some aspect of discipline. It wound up being the latter, for good or ill. Professor Dumbledore thought it could obscure Livia's talents a bit more and as such was worth doing.
Regardless, both boys and girls involved handled it in a straightforward manner, conscious of its purpose and unwilling to expose Selene to additional problems by misbehaving. The boys would not disappoint star player Don, either. Livia's protection seemed sufficient to many, but Selene's family preferred the certainty that Don looked out for her. Later, it just became habit fueled in part by liking Livia's mimicry and the congeniality of the group.
Hagrid, after ensuring Livia had acquired everything she needed for at least the first term, if not the entire year, made sure she had successfully relocated for the year. He also assured her that Sydney and Mel, as well as their Barn Owl friend (who he found odd to call Sevy), remained healthy and happy. Moreover, he expressed delight when she told him she would be taking an elective in the Care of Magical Creatures, stating how much he loved them all and how he hoped someday to be able to share his love with more students.
"I opted to take this course to see how I would get on with them," Livia said. "I do not know if they can or will want to speak to me. Typically, I can read animal behavior well, but since I am completely unfamiliar with these animals, I have few expectations of their gestures or the significance of them."
"Many are misunderstood and thus feared," he stated. "Perhaps you will find the means to make them less so. I hope you can."
The train from London and transport from the depot prompted brought the students to Hogwarts at their expected time on Monday, 1 September. The returning students met first in a separate area before assembling in the Great Hall. Shelley and the others were happy to see her and, owing to Livia's typical placid demeanor, could not tell if she had succeeded or not. The pixie blonde Athena reached her first and as everyone sat down, she asked Livia how her exams went and if the faculty had approved of her promotion to third year status.
"Yes," Livia affirmed. "I think the headmaster will say so, but he has already told me that the faculty unanimously voted for this."
Ted, hearing Livia's answer, could not help himself, "How did you get by Professor Snape? I was sure he would make your test so difficult that he could find a reason to vote 'no.'"
"I did not give him much choice," Livia replied. "I made the potion he requested and I doubt he could find much wrong with it. I guess I disappointed him in that regard." Livia consciously chose not to mention anything else that happened, since she knew he had a reputation for treating only Slytherin students with even a smidgen of consideration.
"Perhaps that supposed Slytherin tie kept him from trying to undermine your efforts," Shelley suggested.
"Maybe," Livia responded. "Still, he did try to distract me, but he did not disrupt me. Instead, I turned his attempt to break my concentration into a joke. I may not be physically tough or remarkably strong with my wand work as of yet, but he knows he cannot upset me."
"I do not get that at all," Selene added. "He scares me almost daily. How does he not intimidate you in the least?"
"I guess I am just confident in myself and, since I had to deal with mean or unfeeling people who have seriously attempted to harm me, a tongue-lashing does not affect me as much. That does not mean he will not try, but given that I have survived the Snape Gape unscathed and choose not to speak much, he finds little reason to go after me."
"Oh yes," Shelley recalled. "You survived the full stare. That is miraculous." Everyone laughed loudly.
Just then, the new students entered the room, led by Professor McGonagall towards the front where the chair and sorting hat awaited them. The headmaster welcomed them to the school and made several announcements before the sorting, including the introduction of Professor Seward and a few changes in staff and procedures, as well as his common availability on Friday afternoons to help students who sought him out. Lastly, he mentioned that Ravenclaw student Livia Woodcock, who had completed her first year last spring, had successfully passed her second year exams prior to start of the new term and, by unanimous consent from the faculty, would be promoted to level three. Livia's friends at the Ravenclaw table led them in all vigorously applauding her accomplishment, with Shelley prompting her to acknowledge everyone. The other tables applauded some, with Reggie and Clara the most enthusiastic, though the majority merely did so politely. The faculty salute varied, with Professor Flitwick beaming and other faculty applauding. Professor Snape took the more polite route, which Livia totally expected. In fact, she sent him that message that she expected nothing more and asked him when he would screen that Monty Python film her brother loved. He told her he would see it someday, but she should watch her step with him, because she would get no special treatment in his class. She sent him another thought that no one heard them or would know, and she would maintain her vow, but that did not mean she would suppress herself entirely. He let the matter drop, hoping that this commentary constituted her response to what he had done a few days before.
Then the sorting of the new students took place, and everyone assembled enjoyed their first meal before retiring to their respective quarters. Professor Flitwick and student leaders toured with the new Ravenclaw students, introducing them to various students in the rooms. One new girl, the modest, tiny, fragile-looking blonde Phoebe Allens, asked Livia about the headmaster's announcement: did it mean she could help new students when they had problems with their work.
Professor Flitwick heard and decided to answer first: "Yes, Miss Allens, Miss Woodcock completed the equivalent of two years of schoolwork in one calendar year. Besides specific classes, I would suggest to you and any other student having trouble doing written assignments to ask her about them. She writes extremely well. Few students here in any year could do better. If that ever became a subject here, she should teach it."
Livia simply shook the girl's hand and said if she could help she would, though repeated what Professor Flitwick typically said – that Ravenclaw had tutors and many resources available for anyone seeking help, including himself. Still, she reinforced that writing assignments might be the area she could assist with the most and suggested she let the other students know that they could consult her if any had a problem with those.
Before leaving with the first year students, Professor Flitwick gave the older students their schedules, with Livia's including a weekly set time to meet with him for exercises in dueling. She nodded, pleased, though she was a little put out that her Potions class took place early in the day, in that she might not get assistance from sleepy owls and hoped whatever crows she could assemble would prove sufficient, should Professor Snape endeavor to challenge her again. She realized she needed to maintain tight control over herself to avoid repeating last year's incident, for that reason alone. Besides, the headmaster would want her to do so, anyway.
The morning schedule went without incident, though the gauntlet had been laid down by several demanding instructors, including Professors Snape and McGonagall. Livia looked forward to her afternoon schedule more, since she had Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures then. Before she headed to the latter, Professor Quirrell pulled Livia aside to ask about how her cat remained in her room in a box. She explained the muggle use of a technological form of high heat cremation and that the box she had contained what they called her ashes. He also indicated that he wanted to meet with her and Professor Flitwick about her muggle musical knowledge and experiences. He had already agreed to meet the next day at four o'clock, a time Livia found agreeable, also. She wanted to ask both about her idea of a muggle music event, already, which might intrigue them both. She knew there would be challenges – especially in playing the music and given the fact that she should never seek much credit for the event – but thought they both would find value in it. The timing might prove useful to students winding down from the term and beginning to prepare for exams. Organizing such a thing could become an assignment for students to find items they would accept.
First, though, Livia would learn more about what the Care of Magical Creatures course would entail. She felt disappointed they had not gone outside immediately to meet any, though understood why students required preparation before such encounters took place. The range of these creatures seemed quite interesting, since Livia had never heard of the creatures she would soon meet. She also wished Hagrid was leading the class, given his enthusiasm towards animals, which the actual professor did not entirely share. Ultimately, Livia would seek out Hagrid for more information about them than anyone else. Since she got to see Sydney and Mel at the same time, it proved to be a most valuable use of her time. That she could return to the school after she spent maybe an hour with her Walkman outside, thoroughly enjoying the R.E.M. compilation John sent via Tom. Professor Snape, realizing Livia had gotten a new tape, decided to turn it up as he worked. He found "Cant Get There From Here" as catchy as she did, though the lyrics did not seem to him equally enticing. He did not know what exactly to make of them:
When the world is a monster bad to swallow you whole
Kick the clay that holds the teeth in, throw your trolls out the door
If you're needing inspiration, Philomath is where I go by dawn
Lawyer Jeff, he knows the lowdown, he's mighty bad to visit home*
He just let it go and returned to his work. Other songs, of course, drew him in, but he never told anyone he had even heard of David Bowie, U2 or anything she ever played. For the head of Slytherin house, it was a non-starter to ever even admit he heard anything. That a half-blood or pureblood witch liked any of this also would startle many, though he understood the origins and nature of her continued interest, thanks to the pensieve: her brother and her other unusual talents. He had to admit she had decent taste, if a bit childish or silly.
That night, Shelley seemed particularly excited that Livia's schedule entirely matched hers, but finally understood how strange it was that Livia spent her time in class mostly passively and seriously. Shelley wanted to sit next to Livia and at times asked her things. Livia typically wrote something in Shelley's book that both answered a question and kept Shelley in tune with the course material. Livia told her she would answer anything in their room or at the meal table but tried to focus entirely on the class activities, so nothing escaped her notice. She experimented in their room with sending her a message without speaking, simply asking if Shelley could hear her. Shelley did not respond at first, so Livia sent it more forcefully. Finally, Shelley heard her and it startled her. "How did you do that?" Shelley asked.
"I am looking at you and you did not hear me the first time," Livia said, softly. "I have to make the message stronger. For others, I do not need to concentrate as much. The question is: can you do it back to me?"
Shelley tried or she said she did several times. Livia could read her but not hear her. So knowing what Shelley said was entirely because of Livia's acuity, not Shelley's. "I can understand you, but not because I hear you the way that, say, an owl can wordlessly speak to me," Livia said. "I never want to be accused of disrupting a class again so get my attention another way and let me write you an answer. I need to be highly disciplined about this. I am not trying to be rude or unfriendly. So please do not think that." Livia also made a note to herself: never try to do any thought sending to Shelley in Professor Snape's class. He would surely hear it, because Livia had to try so hard to get Shelley to hear her.
The next day, Livia got her chance to meet with Professors Quirrell and Flitwick and see what they wanted from her, as well as how receptive each would be to her idea. Professor Quirrell wanted to see the box that held her cat's remains and she produced it without trouble. She begged him, however, not to open it so she could view the contents. He and Professor Flitwick wanted to open it, so Livia closed her eyes.
"Tell me when it is closed," she pleaded. "I am not ready to see it. I am not sure I ever want to be, frankly." They looked, locked the box, said she could open her eyes and returned it to her. She put it back in her room, which remained out of everyone's sight. "I am guessing you want to know something else."
"Y-yes," Professor Quirrell said. "I am n-not sure if it belongs in my class or in a M-muggle M-music after school club, but I-I think you need to r-recount your attendance at Live Aid. I-I learned a b-bit more about it d-during the summer and it-it seems like a re-remarkable sh-show."
"I can get copies of pictures taken at the event – muggle pictures, obviously," Livia stated. "Would that be useful or is there a way I can project my own memories for the class to see?"
"Do you ever take mental photographs?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"All the time – that's how I memorize things," Livia answered.
"That I think we can get you to project," he said. "There is some advanced skills involved with this, but if you can store your own photographs, you are about half-way there. How about moving pictures, like a memory?"
"Yes, I remember specific aspects of that show," she said. "Though some of are very personal. Others less so. I also have an idea for the two of you to consider, and I think I should ask now as well as note that the headmaster would not necessarily object to my idea – only if I got too much attention from it."
"What do-do you h-have in m-mind?" Professor Quirrell asked.
"Well, you both, to varying degrees, have an interest in my musical tastes, which may serve either of you. My idea for either a class or extra-curricular project would be for a group of students to help put together an end-of-classes event, before studying for finals gets serious, as a dance featuring muggle music. The students could propose or locate items and you could review and consent to who or what can be played."
"How would this work, from a practical standpoint?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"Well, it would have to be in the Great Hall," Livia said. "I have seen some form of phonographs and basically we would have to replicate some kind of speaker system to ensure whatever got played carried the room. I could volunteer to play DJ – the person who picks and plays the records – but I think that would be too showy of me. Perhaps an older student or a staff member could do that. As I think both of you know, I treasure much of the music I have listened to over the years, for very particular reasons. I would hope a sense of enjoyment or even frivolity could entice other students to shake off the end of the semester burdens and reinvigorate them to study for their exams."
"You-you know that Sl-slytherins w-would complain h-hugely about th-this," Professor Quirrell said.
"Indeed," Professor Flitwick said. "And I can only imagine how Professor Snape will object. The headmaster will have a problem there."
"Let me take care of that," Livia asserted.
"What!?" they both exclaimed. Professor Flitwick continued: "From what I have gathered, he hates all things muggle-related AND he is not exactly your best friend."
"I know," she admitted. "But he has pushed my buttons enough to know which ones he should never try to push. If you recall, he compelled me to make a potion in class and did not provide all the ingredients. Despite his annoyance towards how I fixed that, the potion was perfect. I guarantee you that, whilst Slytherins will stay away and he will say that he approves of their decision, he will not stop it, either."
"Do you know something we don't?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"I think so, but the headmaster made me vow that I never say anything." Livia opted to use an artful bluff. "Let me ask you: what if I could send a howler letter out to anyone and sound like him? I possibly could replicate his handwriting, too. Then there is the fact he acknowledges me as a Slytherin legacy. As much as students know not to cross him, he won't do it to me, either. I don't know if anyone has ever said that, but I have never feared him – and he knows it very well."
"I had no idea," Professor Flitwick stated. "If you think this can happen, I will be glad for my club to sponsor it and host it, which I presume includes a lot of your students."
"Y-yes," he agreed.
"I will present the idea to the club and put together a group to organize it," Professor Flitwick offered. "You have no objection if older students take the lead?"
"Not at all. I just look forward to helping acquire whatever they want to use and helping in however they wish to proceed. Tell no one this is my idea. Those who know me will realize it. No one else needs to figure it out."
Livia left quite satisfied as to how the meeting went. She satisfyingly anticipated the first meeting of the Muggle Music Club, to see if enough students would like putting a dance together. Later, she told Shelley about the idea, but to not tell anyone it had come from her and not them. "I will help promote your role, should you want one, but I plan to merely support the project, not lead it in any way."
"Why are you so modest about something as innocuous as this?" Shelley asked.
Silently, she forced her thoughts to Shelley: If I tell you the entire truth, you have to promise NEVER to tell anyone ever about this. Livia felt Shelley consented. So Livia continued: the headmaster has made me promise not to draw attention to myself. He has some sort of idea as to what he wants to do with me in the future, but it depends on me being quiet, in case any undesirable dark witch or wizard finds me too formidable and attempts to harm me before Professor Flitwick can prepare me to defend myself better. Shelley audibly gasped but indicated that she understood and would try to maintain Livia's modest appearance.
Shelley, however, was not perfect and a few days later tried to get Livia to explain something about one of Professor Snape's demonstrations. Livia simply wrote in Shelley's book, "Just ask P.S." Shelley did not want to ask him, given that he often intimidated her, if not quite as much as Selene. She kept trying to draw Livia's attention, and an exasperated Livia made the mistake of forcing herself to say silently I can't answer you here.
Just then, almost in mid-sentence, Professor Snape stopped and walked towards Shelley and Livia. "Just what is going on here?" he asked. "Miss Silver, I see you keep pestering Miss Woodcock over something. Miss Woodcock, what did you write – it says 'Just ask P.S.' – I presume you meant me?"
"Yes, sir," Livia affirmed.
"That might be the most intelligent thing you have ever written. So, I take it your third year isn't so easy, after all," he asserted. "Perhaps I cast my vote for your promotion incorrectly. And you, Miss Silver, why are you bothering a promoted student in her second year, if at level three, regarding what I am doing?"
"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, but Livia can explain things to me in a way I understand more readily – perhaps because she knows me better."
"So I take it you think she belongs here?" he asked. "How interesting. Do you think she can teach this class better than I can?"
"I do think she belongs here," Shelley answered very quietly. "She is gifted – you must know that. And to me, maybe she can teach me better because we spend a lot of time together."
"Don't tell me what I should know, Miss Silver," he snapped. "If you cannot learn sufficiently here, that is your issue, not mine. And I had no idea Miss Woodcock has to hold your hand, rather than the other way around. "
Livia sent him her thought: I gather you heard me try to shut her down. I'm sorry I had to do that. She does not hear me as well as you do. Please pick on me more, instead. I can take it better. You know that.
"And I have not forgotten about you, Miss Woodcock. You may have proven yourself last year, but that counts for nothing now. You will get no special allowances from me. I have yet to see a shred of evidence that you belong here beyond your friend's perhaps misguided belief. I will be deducting ten points from Ravenclaw and more if my potion does not turn out well."
Fortunately, it did go well and he seemed satisfied by the time he dismissed the class. Livia silently thanked him for listening to her and that, in the future, she would do her best to keep Shelley in check during his classes. Before he left, Professor Snape sent her a somewhat terse acknowledgement that she had done the right thing and needed to ensure her friend did the same.
At lunch, everyone wanted to know about what happened in Professor Snape's class. Athena, who sat towards the front with Ted and Selene, found it shocking that Shelley wound up getting his ire, though Ted thought it more bizarre that he picked on Livia so much, given that Livia really did nothing wrong.
"He thinks one day he will push the right button with me," Livia observed. "He knew Shelley already dreaded the incident, even if she didn't exactly back down."
"You can say that again," Shelley confirmed. "Why did he pick on you so much?"
"Because he can or he likes to," Livia answered. Silently, she said to Shelley: He heard me try to direct thoughts to you because I have to try so hard for you to hear them. He can hear everything. Later that night, Livia walked Shelley through his demonstration to her satisfaction.
Livia also began engaging her new roommates on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team if they ever tried to outthink the opponent with set plays or strategies, say for isolating the snitch for the seeker. They had started to sit by Livia and her friends during meals, so this seemed a good opportunity to get to know them. Don Stevens had taken up the conversation first, though someone could mistake one of the three guys for the other, especially if not looking at their faces. All were tanned, rather tall for third-year students and had medium blond hair. Don asked Livia what she specifically meant.
Livia drew up something on a napkin that just happened to be in their room. Don wondered how she got this idea, telling her it required very capable broom riding skills, given the way the snitch moved.
"I saw a match and was asking about set plays and strategy, since I could not figure out the rationale for player movements," Livia said.
Don grabbed Livia's scribbled diagram and showed it to Terence and Barry. "Did you come up with this?" Barry asked Don.
"No, she did," Don said, pointing at Livia.
"It might work," Terence asserted. "We would need to gain better broom skills, but I like the concept. We have to show this to the coach. Nice job, Livia. Are you sure you never played?"
"I never have," Livia replied. "Perhaps being able to ride a broom adequately is about as athletic as I will ever get. I dance better – I need my feet on the ground, I guess."
Livia's first dueling lesson with Professor Flitwick had its high and low points. She picked up how to disarm fairly well (though she had merely physically grabbed Charlotte's wand before), for a first lesson, but the true knockout blow she lacked entirely. Professor Flitwick tried to motivate her, that disarming alone would not suffice, especially against a determined or sadistic Death Eater, or several. She had to fight as if she was defending someone's life – every time. Whilst they used practice wands and some protective gear, he urged her to find the venomous side of her, to imagine a great hatred for whomever she dueled as if that person had been the bane of her existence. "Can you think of someone you can hate enough for that?"
"I think I can pull that out of myself," Livia responded. "It would be my adopted sister, who bullied me for years and lied in order to get me sent to a juvenile prison for nearly two years."
"Yes," he affirmed. "Imagine you have a chance to lash out like you never could in a muggle environment. Dish out your wrath. Just act it until you can feel it. And do it every time, using all that you remember – be they charms, hexes or whatever. Also, anticipate what your opponent will do to block his or her moves and act steps ahead of him or her."
Livia blocked very well, he thought. She had no problem predicting. He realized she potentially had great skills in penetrating the mind of an opponent. She just could not let up because that would be her downfall. Professor Flitwick duly informed the headmaster of what he found and discovered that Professor Dumbledore had figured this would be exactly how Livia behaved.
"I have discussed this before – though not directly with you," he stated. "She needs what they call a 'killer instinct' – even if not killing anyone – and I hope you can get through to her how vital it is that she have it, or she will not survive in this world for as long as I would like."
"I do not understand who you discussed this with, given that she is my student," Professor Flitwick asserted.
"Keep this to yourself, but I have discussed her abilities over a wide range of things, including this, with Severus," the headmaster revealed. "She allowed him access to her memories through my pensieve as part of what happened last year. That is how he knows why she does not fear him. We both agreed that her fearlessness could be lethal to her someday. I also have suspected she does not value her own life enough versus that of, say, her brother. Use that – that if she attracted an enemy here, if she did not kill or fully disable that person, he or she would kill her brother. She needs that kind of motivation."
"So noted," Professor Flitwick confirmed. "She also proposed a kind of muggle music-based dance at the end of regular classes, before final exams. Both I and Professor Quirrell thought Professor Snape would strongly object. I think I have a sense now as to why she thinks otherwise."
"As long as she does not lead the effort, I have no objection. Severus will probably make noise about it and discourage his students from attending, but I agree with her. You already know this: She is incredibly bright and talented. She just has to see her own value and become aggressive, when necessary. I fear for her if she cannot master that as well as her wand. You know why."
"Unfortunately, I do," Professor Flitwick admitted. "I will do my best. Since you brought him up, I wonder if a younger sparring opponent, especially one like Severus, who has crossed swords figuratively with her, might drive that point home better. She probably could conjure up enough hate then and, as you say, a 'killer instinct,' against him better than with me."
"Maybe," the headmaster mused. "I don't think she hates him, though, but I cannot tell you how she feels about him. She tolerates him better than anyone not a Slytherin, and they do so because he treats them differently. She betrays her emotions very infrequently, like when her cat died. She speaks and behaves very differently than so many of our students typically do."
"I noticed," Professor Flitwick said. "Her self-control is remarkable, especially given her ability to decipher the emotions of others. She is very sensitive and yet so disciplined. And I don't mean 'for a teenager,' either. I mean this is extraordinary for anyone here, let alone a sensitive adult. I could not conduct myself the way she does. I have to find and harness her emotions for her to direct them outwardly and lash out, should she need to do it. I understand the challenge."
"I am glad you see the need and the challenge so well." The two bid each other farewell for the night and Professor Flitwick departed for his quarters.
Soon thereafter, Livia got to meet her first magical creature. She tried connecting to him. At first, she could not tell if the animal was reluctant, difficult or insensitive to her attempts to reach out. But when she saw Alastair fly by and greeted him and heard him return her call, the magical creature eyed her somewhat differently. He asked her if she spoke often to crows.
Livia told him she could speak with crows, owls, various mammals – many creatures she had encountered thus far. What she did not know concerned him, what he liked, what he might want said to him or want to say in return. She wanted to give him her respect and allow him to decide if or how he wished to communicate, whereas her ability to speak to other animals just evolved on its own and seemed very straightforward.
He indicated that he liked straightforward, honest and simple. He did not do tricks, but when treated with respect, if not caring, he responded to people, whether they could speak to him or not. When the instructor asked for a volunteer to greet the creature, Livia stepped forward, smiled, bowed and very carefully, methodically approached him. He said he appreciated her deliberateness as well as her nod and slow blink, and he liked when people made slow gestures or movements, as it kept him calm. She asked if she could gently touch him, just as a civil sort of goodwill gesture. He agreed and she gently patted him a few times, bowed and slowly retreated, moving backward for several feet before turning around to exit the pen.
Several jaws – other than Shelley's, of course – dropped. Even the instructor found this encounter quite unusual. Others tried to echo what Livia had done but with only a limited degree of success. The subsequent students often did not get Livia's speed, subtlety or they did not read the animal's outward behavior well, let alone have any idea what the creature could say. After the last student practically ran away from the creature, no one else dared to enter the pen. To the rest, she asked what they thought Livia had done differently.
Shelley spoke. "Livia was very deliberate in her movements and seemed to gain the animal's trust. She showed great respect and restraint in what she did."
The instructor agreed as did several other students, including those who had less successful meetings. She then turned to Livia and asked if the class had missed anything.
"Not anything they can replicate," Livia offered. "Shelley knows I can speak to domestic and non-magical wild animals of various types. I also, after several attempts, got this creature to talk to me. It was only after the crow I call Alastair flew by, though. He sensed that if a crow felt comfortable doing that, he also could trust me."
"You speak to animals?" a third year Gryffindor asked, quite surprised. Livia did not remember his name. She only realized his hair was a lighter shade than Selene's.
"Quite a lot, actually," Livia answered. "Shelley and other Ravenclaw students know I do not own an owl yet send and receive mail from several Barn Owls routinely. I call for them – the ones outside. I know them by name, two of which joined me from London, and Hagrid takes care of them since I do not want to domesticate them. They have an owl box outside of his home."
"How did you know this creature would speak to you?" another asked.
"I had no idea if it would happen, until it happened," Livia replied.
"Why did you volunteer to go first?" the instructor inquired.
"By then, I got a fair sense of him," Livia revealed. "I think animals also react to fear, and I have none. So I thought even if the creature would not tell me much, I could be slow and gentle enough to gain his trust. If I did that, all goes well."
The instructor asserted that Livia had given a great tip about approaching new animals, in terms of fear, action, intent and sensitivity, both in one's touch and in one's ability to judge how an animal behaves. Whilst she herself could not speak with an animal, that approach works on the whole and, if a rapport gets established, trust would create opportunities for other forms of contact that a creature would not reject.
Soon after, about eighteen students who formed the Muggle Music Club met. Professor Flitwick discussed artists worth listening to and new trends in various styles of music in that world. Then he presented the idea of the group compiling a playlist for some kind of party at the end of the year but well before exams would take place, as a kind of mental break for the students who came. It might lessen their burdens temporarily.
Various older students and those of the same age liked the idea a great deal – as a way to show they could contribute to the school and have an outlet before things got too burdensome for students. Discussions began about content, how to amplify the music to the Great Hall (presumed the best place for a dance) and who would take on what role.
Professor Flitwick said he hoped the older students would take a leadership role in this. Still, he said once the group as a whole decided on content and its variety, they could ask Miss Woodcock for some ideas, since she tended to get new music sent to her from her brother, who had a friend in the muggle music industry. Then they could organize who would obtain what – as in the format and how it would be played.
"Format?" The eldest male in the group asked. He had straight, somewhat long red hair, blue eyes and pale skin. Livia had never noticed him before but now looking at him thought him very handsome, though she usually did not think so of young men with auburn or red hair.
"You better answer that, Livia – you told me, but I'm not sure I can recall all of the details."
"Muggle music is issued in several ways," Livia said. "We often see large records here played on turntables with horn-like amplifiers. Muggles call those vinyl records. They now make tape, smaller items that use something called a cassette. I'll show you." Livia closed her eyes and pointed with her wand. "See this? See the tape inside this plastic item? Now I understand there is another format just starting to become popular. They are disks but smaller than vinyl records but fit at least as much on them. They are made of a different material. They are called compact discs or CDs. I do not have any yet. The recordings on these are supposed to deliver a better sound quality. Though the discs are obtainable, the means to play them are still a bit scarce or expensive. Given our familiarity with vinyl records, I think we should acquire those and just play portions of them, to alter the artist or tempo or mood. Since the other formats may be displacing vinyl, the records may be unusual to get but inexpensive."
"How do you know so much?" This young man asked again.
"My brother's friend works in the muggle music industry, and I have benefited from this by getting a few things before the muggle public could even buy them. Also, when I was confined before I came here, I listened to a great deal of muggle music on a radio. From that, I got a sense about how one organizes content into a program that lasts a few hours."
"Maybe you should be running this," the young man admitted.
"I do not seek the credit, even if you rely on me more than some others. I want the event to be successful. I have no right to overstep your place, and I will not do so, under any circumstances. Make me your worker bee, and I will give you all I know and can do."
"Okay, I will handle organizing, but you must be my assistant overseeing the groups and the details," he said. "We will need groups that will handle how the room will look, we will need those choosing content, which Professor Flitwick will need to approve, and that will include a playlist, right?" Livia nodded. "Then we will need to have a group dedicated to ensuring the sound quality is good and fills the room. Finally, we will need people to promote the event or suggest ways that other students, well, other than Slytherins of course, will want to attend. Did I cover everything?" Livia and the group nodded. "Do we need approval for this, Professor Flitwick?"
"Already being handled by me, so not your concern," the professor replied.
This male student asked to speak to Livia alone while the rest wrestled with belonging to the group they felt best suited to join. "Forgive me, I have forgotten your name," he stated.
"Livia Woodcock, at your service," she pronounced, extending her hand.
"Bill Weasley, nice to meet you," he responded, as they shook hands. "Was this your idea?"
"More or less," Livia replied. "I would rather that not be common knowledge, though – unless you need to blame me for something."
"Why?" he asked.
"Long story, but my mission is to be unnoticed as much as possible," Livia answered.
"You did not do that last year, if I recall correctly. I have to admit, I laughed so much at that incident you had with Professor Snape. How did you survive that?"
"My father, it seems, was a Slytherin – I am not sure of any other reason."
"Do you know who he is?" Bill asked.
"Not a clue. The family who adopted me, especially my brother, got me interested in music. In fact, it was because of him as well as his friends that I got to see the London portion of Live Aid in 1985."
"Oh blimey, I heard of that," he asserted. "Was it good?"
"I consider it the best day of my life, so now you know why this event means a lot to me."
"From what I have heard, I totally get that," he maintained. "What do you think is the most important thing as far as making this successful?"
"Actually, it was everything you covered," she responded. "They all matter. The right songs, a good mix, maybe some ability to take requests, if any of the students know enough to ask for something, the sound coverage and ambiance or room setup, the turnout – if one of those falters, it could be a fiasco. Students could not show, students could dislike what we have or the sound quality or anything else and opt to leave. So each deserves attention."
"We should test the Great Hall when empty to hear how sound travels in it, so we have an idea of what we will need to do to carry the room," he asserted.
"Yes," Livia agreed. "Perhaps before the Winter Ball, the room will be empty and that could be done. You should ask Professor Flitwick to give us a time window to figure that out."
"Agreed," Bill said. "I am very excited about this. More so than being a prefect, actually, but don't tell my mother. I cannot believe you do not want credit for this, if we pull it off well."
Livia wanted to see if she could send thoughts to him. Bill, can you me hear though I am not verbalizing?
Startled, he grew wide-eyed. "Are you kidding me?" he asked.
"You try it," Livia suggested.
Bill collected his thoughts, slowly blinked, then looked at Livia. Livia, I heard you, but can you hear me?
"Loud and clear," she confirmed. I have certain talents, but the headmaster does not want them widely known. He has his reasons, though I am not sure I understand them all. Nonetheless, taking any significant credit for this event may violate his request, so I aim to keep my head down and nose to the grindstone. He asked me this after my run-in with Professor Snape last year.
"Okay," he said. "You confiding this in me makes me feel better that I am not stealing something from you."
"Not at all," she stated. "You are doing me a favor. The fact that so many students know you will boost the turnout, also."
Bill and Livia went over to each group, who each chose a committee leader. They each began brainstorming ideas. Shelley wound up heading the content/playlist committee, since she knew about the artists and songs in Livia's collection. The list looked pretty good, especially for just getting started. Livia had one suggestion.
"Shelley, we want this to be a fun dance, right? So I think from what you have done, the first song ought to be David Bowie's 'Let's Dance.' What do you all think?"
At least some did not know it, so Livia materialized her Walkman and a tape with song. Bill and each of the students there gave it a listen. They all thought it set the right tone.
With everything off to a good start – and even Professor Flitwick liked "Let's Dance" – they adjourned, which each committee vowing to talk amongst themselves before the next meeting. Meantime, Bill would find out when he and Livia could check out the acoustics of the Great Hall later in the term. Professor Flitwick said he would give them an answer and ensure the dance would be formally approved. Livia felt satisfied. She had found a way to contribute to the school.
* Author's Note
"Cant Get There From Here" appears on the 1985 R.E.M. album Fables of the Reconstruction as well as a single from the same year. Its authors are all four band members: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.