Brownie points to whoever can figure out what movie I quoted from twice. I didn't write the song. That credit goes to Drew.
People were looking confused.
"What's wrong, honey?" Ginny asked, stepping forward and becoming all motherly.
"Did you steal it?" She asked, turning to Shane. He shook his head.
"Of course not. Would I do that for you?"
"Yes."
"Well I didn't steal it. I just asked nicely for it. Seems your dad had a heart after all." Gwen smiled and turned back to her guitar. The others stared at it fascinated. They had never seen a muggle guitar before. Gwen quickly tuned it and strummed a few random chords. She smiled and bent over the body of the guitar and began 'Stairway to Heaven'. Her audience may not have known much about music, but they knew that she was good. She finished that haunting melody and was prepared to put the guitar aside when Shane stopped her.
"Play Kryptonite." He ordered.
"Shane the words need to go with it."
"So sing."
"I haven't sung in ages."
"So what, your voice always was beautiful. It'll be even more so to these poor, deprived people who haven't ever heard it."
"Alright." She played the intro and started singing. To the people in the room, it seemed as if time had stopped to listen to this little girl with the beautiful voice. The entire room was in tears by the time she was finished. She played song after song, Shane telling her what to play, and the people listening. Now they understood what Dumbledore had said about music being the greatest magic of all. Gwen sang until her voice was hoarse and her fingers bleeding. Only when she could no longer strum the guitar without shaking did her friends let her stop. It was as if a spell had been broken. Children suddenly realized they were tired and hungry and adults scurried about, feeding them and putting them to bed. Remus sent Gwen and Shane home, but stayed to help clean up. As he was leaving, Harry pulled him aside.
"Did you know she could do that?"
"No. I had no idea she was that good at the guitar."
"Not my point. Did you know that what she did was magic?"
"Yeah. Like Dumbledore always said, 'Music is the greatest magic of all.'"
"No. That was real magic. Wandless, but real magic. It's very rare. She works with the magic already in the guitar. I forget exactly what it's called. You better take her to Dumbledore soon. If she ever lost control of that, I'd hate to see what could happen." Remus just stared at his friend. "Trust me on this. And please, go see Dumbledore. He knows more about this than I do." Remus was still a little doubtful, but Harry had never steered him wrong before. He owled Dumbledore as soon as he got home. He smiled at Shane and Gwen, curled up on opposite ends of the couch, both fast asleep and went to bed himself. Gwen and Shane were throwing small bits of food at each other the next morning at breakfast when an owl arrived for Remus. He was still in bed, so Gwen took the owl's letter, gave it some water, and sent it on its way. She gave the letter to Remus when he finally came downstairs. He read it in silence.
"It's time for a spring cleaning." He announced when he was finished.
"Why?" Gwen wanted to know.
"Professor Dumbledore is coming." The three vigorously began scrubbing, washing, and cleaning everything in the house. Remus helped a lot with magic, and Gwen sometimes managed to clean something when she got really mad. Remus sent Shane home late in the afternoon. He protested, but left anyway. Remus borrowed one of Harry's house elves to make a delicious dinner. The dinner was ready by five. Dumbledore finally showed up around five-thirty.
"Remus." He greeted the werewolf warmly.
"Albus. It's so good to see you, sir."
"As it is to see you. I'm looking forward to your coming back to Hogwarts. Perhaps now we can get a Defense teacher who lasts a while."
"Well sir, with Gwen attending, you'd have to try pretty hard to get me to leave."
"Ah yes, Gwen. The reason I am here. Did you tell her?"
"No sir. I felt that you could explain it better." Professor Dumbledore turned his attention to Gwen.
"Hello, Ms. Lupin. Would you be so kind as to play and sing for me?" Gwen nodded and, for some strange reason, curtsied.
"Of course." She went to get her guitar. "What should I play, sir?"
"Anything that you like, dear." Dumbledore smiled encouragingly at her as she sat down.
I had a dream that I could fly.
I can feel each moment as time goes by.
We'd never be too far away.
You would always be here.
I heard you say
'I never thought
Thought that it was our last good bye.'
I still can dream
That one day love will fall from the sky.
Do you still remember
All the time that has gone by?
Do you still believe that
Love can fall out from the sky?
Dumbledore was wiping tears from his eyes as she finished.
"That was beautiful. Who is it by?" He inquired. He really must get one of their albums.
"Um. Shane wrote it. For me. It's so we can always remember each other. He learned how to play it too. There's another verse, but it's his and I don't really want to sing it."
"Ms.
Lupin, this may come as a shock to you.
You have magic."
"I already knew that."
"You don't understand. You have a special kind of magic. You have the normal everyday magic that witches and wizards use and you have the magic of music, too."
"I don't quite follow."
"There is magic in everything around us. Some people can work with the magic that is already in objects. It's called Natural Magic. You have that talent with music. Unfortunately, you are the only person currently alive with that ability."
"What could I do?"
"You could cast spells, without a wand, just by singing or playing an instrument. You'd have to teach yourself."
"How?"
"I think we should start with music lessons. Also meditation lessons. I'd hate to see what could happen if you ever lost control of you magic. Then maybe we can set you to researching everything about Natural Magic. That's one great thing about it. All different kinds of Natural Magic are learned the same way."
"There are other kinds of Natural Magic?"
"Yes. I myself had a friend who had Natural Magic with stones. Unfortunately, he passed away about twenty years ago." The dinner lay forgotten as Remus and Gwen peppered Dumbledore with questions. Then Remus asked the fatal one.
"How will this affect her schooling?"
"Ah. The penny drops. I'm afraid she will not be allowed to be a student at Hogwarts until she masters her magic."
"But that could take forever!" Gwen exclaimed.
"Ms. Lupin, I'm not asking you to be perfect when you come to Hogwarts, I am asking that you learn control over your power."
"Then I won't teach. I won't go there without Gwen."
"Remus, I never asked you to. I said she could not be a student. She can live there, with you, of course, but she cannot attend classes. At least, not the normal classes. She will learn music and meditation and spend a lot of time in the library."
"But who will teach her?"
"I will, if that's acceptable. I know enough about music to teach a beginner and I used to meditate with Nicolas before he died."
"I would be honored to be your student." Gwen said, raising her brown eyes to meet Dumbledore's sparkling blue ones.
"And now that that is settled, I shall have to leave you. I need my beauty rest." He winked at Gwen, then disappeared with a pop.
"What do you think?" Remus asked Gwen as he heated up the now cold dinner.
"He's very different. I like him." She announced after a moment's thought.
"I knew you would."
"Can Shane come over tomorrow?"
"I suppose. You'll figure out a way to spend the day together anyway. Geez, not even Sirius and James were that close." Gwen grinned.
"What can I say? We're best friends." The two werewolves argued good-naturedly throughout dinner. They played a game of chess (Remus won) and went to bed.