Notes of the Author: J.K.Rowling owns all. Me nothing. Boo-hoo

Chapter 2: The Stage

The Great Hall was far too silent for as many people as were in the room. Nearly every student of the school was lined

up along the walls, memorizing as many lines as possible before the big audition. At the head of the room, a particularly proud

and anxious Trelawney sat before a makeshift stage ready to criticize those brave enough to mount it. From her seat before the

crowd, the gaudy professor called out to the still room, "Now, students, welcome to Hogwarts first annual theatrical production.

I am pleased to be here today and greatly look forward to witnessing your auditions. Auditions will be voluntary, so who among

you feel brave enough to go first?"

Faces paled, knees quaked, and some third year fainted. From amid the panic a haughty Hermione raised her hand in the

air waving it to and fro as she as she uttered breaths of excitement. Ron rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, Harry had to agree.

Professor Trelawney pulled her glasses down along the bridge of her nose and peering over the rim of her frames gazed out into

the crowd focusing on the origin of the noise. Raising an eyebrow she sited Hermione, "Why Miss Granger, it has been some

time now, has it not? Please, begin."

Unafraid of the glare lurking in the eye of the professor, Hermione crossed the room and climbed onstage. Below,

Trelawney asked, "Now, Miss Granger, what role shall you be assuming for us today?" Everyone else in the room shivered at

the restrained hatred in the voice of the professor, that is, all but Hermione, who calmly stated, "Well, I am well versed in

Shakespeare having read his collective works back in primary school. I am proud to say that I am able to assume any role

required but for today I will be performing the dramatic role of Juliet Capulet the gentle and tragic lead. I daresay that-"

Interrupting, Trelawney waved her hand to stop the eager talk of Hermione. Inhaling deeply, Harry watched as she

began reciting the lines. Harry considered her performance like the many others present as both superb, and terribly boring.

"Well, Miss Granger. I must say that you by far surpassed my expectations," Trelawney drawled, continuing with, "but I

do believe that your performance lacked any inflection whatsoever. This play may end in tragedy my dear, but it must not be one

in and of itself. There is always so much one can learn from books. You had best learn what cannot be learned in the text my

dear. You would make a great understudy however, I will promise to keep you in mind."

Hermione, who had been so unaware of everything mere moments ago, was overwhelmed by the looks shot her way.

Harry looked towards her with sympathy as she blushed and dashed from the stage. He would have gone after her, but he and

Ron had just earlier this morning promised that under no circumstances would he not audition. That and she was not one prone

to accepting sympathy kindly. He rather valued his life.

After that last and shocking episode many of the hopeful actors had exited the Great Hall in want of their own safety. A

cocky Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin House pack leader, walked proudly toward the stage. Puffing out his chest, "I am going to a

better job than any silly old mudblood," Malfoy sneered and redirected his gaze toward the teacher, "today I will be portraying

Romeo, or whatever his name was. And I had best get the part, you would not want my father dragged into all of this now would

you?"

A rapid succession of auditions passed nearly as quickly as the time. A shy fourth year droned through the lines of the

nurse and Ginny gave a stirring performance of Lady Capulet that would have been truly remarkable except that she was a

fourteen year old girl playing the role of a thirty year old mother. Harry had made it through all right, but Ron had been a total

failure. From the moment he had walked on stage his voice had evaporated. The lines that had been written so neatly across his

palm had proved of little use. And the extent of his performance focused on the flailing arm and other body movements he used

to convey his message. Harry decided that if Ron ever wanted to become a mime, he would have impressed his audience very

much. From the look on her face Professor Trelawney was not a mime enthusiast.

The afternoon slowly waned into a rather anticlimactic conclusion. Trelawney stood from her seat and shooed the

hopefuls out of the room, many of them near tears. "The results will be posted next Tuesday, outside my classroom. Good

luck!"

Harry followed the others out of the room. So far this was turning out to be one of the most tragic events to hit Hogwarts

this term.