Hogwart's First Musical
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Pairing: R/Hr, perhaps more later
Disclaimer: All characters and setting belong to J.K. Rowling. We receive no profit from this. Only the OC (Professor Letalis) belongs to us.
Dedication: To Letalis because she is silly enough to not believe in Ron and Hermione, so we made her be part of it instead.
Harry smiled slightly as he walked into the Great Hall. The ceiling was cloudy tonight, and the moon shone through in shafts on the long tables. He felt at home for the first time in months. He didn't see the worried looks Hermione was giving him or hear Ron chattering about the Chudley Canons' statistics this year. They had a rookie this year that could take them to the Cup if he kept up his spectacular scoring rushes.
"And then Bredson dove in a circle around the Keeper and--"
"Ron, be quiet. I cannot take any more Quidditch, and Harry is oblivious."
Ron looked seriously offended, "Harry listens to me, don't you mate?"
Harry nodded distractedly, "Of course, Ron."
Ron beamed, and Hermione rolled her eyes in disgust.
"You are hopeless, Ron Weasley."
After the Sorting, Gryffindor gained six First Years and Slytherin had three. Ron sneered across the hall at Malfoy who only smirked back.
"I don't know what he's so thrilled about. His dad's still in Azkaban. Maybe Voldemort is getting him out and--"
"Ron Weasley, stop that nonsense," Hermione cut in quickly. The look on Harry's face was pained. Hermione knew he felt responsible for Voldemort and Death Eater remaining at large.
"I should've killed him already, Hermione. It's my destiny, isn't it? I wish I could get it over with, and then the deaths would stop."
He had told her this after some escaped Death Eaters murdered a Muggleborn family last year.
"Merlin, Hermione. It was on Christmas too." The tears he blinked back hadn't escaped her notice. Oh Harry. Hermione wanted to be there for him, but more and more, Harry closed himself off. Ron, being the dolt he was, didn't noticed at all.
Hermione smiled. But Ron kept Harry out of his dark thoughts. He always talked to Harry, made him play Wizard Chess, or discuss Quidditch strategies. Ron managed to pull Harry out of his shell with his sheer enthusiasm. She was grateful to Ron. She didn't really know how to joke and tease Harry. She always felt so lost around him because he wouldn't ever talk to her about his feelings. Except that once. He had denied it vehemently afterward. Then again so had she.
I'll just have to get you drunk more often, dear Harry. She clapped her hand over her mouth to suppress the giggle.
Ron gave her an odd look, "What the blazes is wrong with you, 'Mione?"
She blushed a pale pink before exclaiming in relief, "Oh look. That must be the new Defense Against the Dark Ages teacher."
Hermione pointed to a tall, dark woman in green cloaks sitting next to Professor Sprout. Last year, Lupin and Snape had taught the sixth years between themselves. No other teacher had felt brave enough to come to Hogwarts, which was Voldemort's main target. Lupin was needed in the fields, and between espionage and Potions, Snape grudgingly admitted he couldn't take on DADA also.
So this was the courageous replacement. Hermione squinted at her, but she couldn't seem to focus on the woman's face. She looked oddly familiar but Hermione could not place where she'd seen her before-
"Students." Dumbledore grinned and his eyes took on the old twinkle. "We have a new teacher this year. For DADA this year, Professor Letalis has agreed to come to Hogwarts. She has a surprise for the sixth and seventh years but that is irrelevant at the moment. Please bid her a warm welcome." He beamed and raised his glass in toast.
"Letalis, Letalis," Hermione murmured. "Where have I heard that name?"
"Look, 'Mione! There's roasted quail this year. I've missed it." Ron eyed the mountains of food adoringly.
Harry snorted. "You sound as if you're talking about a girlfriend abroad."
Hermione clenched her spoon unnecessarily hard, and Ron's face flamed.
Harry grinned, "You don't have a girlfriend abroad, do you Ron?"
Ron mumbled something incoherent, and Harry was going in for the kill when Hermione threw her spoon the table and yelled, "I've got it!"
Seamus looked over at her appraisingly, "You sure do, 'Mione."
Harry spat out his pudding, laughing with tears in his eyes. Ron's face had gone suddenly pale, and his eyes looked glazed over. Harry's laughter intensified to the point that Ron none so subtly pushed him out of his chair. Hermione blushed furiously before announcing, "Letalis is an Elf name. Ancient, of course. It's from when they were the Fair Race and the first who held magic. This all was before slavery and degradation." She looked menacingly around the table.
"But, Hermione, why does her name matter?" Ron asked perplexedly, ignoring her S.P.E.W. related comment.
She sighed heavily, "Because she's an Elf, Ron."
Ron sputtered. "She is not. The Elves died out a long time ago. Only the House Elves are left."
Hermione nodded, "Well, that's right. The true Elves are long gone, but it's been said that the Second Elves are coming into existence."
Even Harry looked interested, "What do you mean, Hermione?"
"I don't really know, actually. I just read that Elves were still alive."
Ron grinned maliciously, "Now where could you have read that, Hermione? Not in the Prophet, I imagine..."
"Well, I..."
Harry took on a look of mock shock, " 'Mione! You haven't been reading The Quibbler now have you?"
"Won't Luna be thrilled?" said Ginny suddenly, getting in on the fun.
"Oh, you. You're all so awful." But she was smiling anyway.
The rest of the dinner passed in good cheer. Harry and Ron shot peas at the Slytherin table. "5 points for Crabbe and Goyle. 10 for Malfoy, and 15 for his hair." They stopped when Ginny landed some mashed potato on Draco's nose. Neville almost chocked on the fudge, but Seamus stuck some biscotti in his nose and Neville coughed it up. Then Dean and Ron started Quidditch strategies with Bertie Bott's Every-Flavored Beans. "Already?" asked Hermione in exasperation.
Hermione was happy. Everyone at the Gryffindor table seemed happy, even Harry. Hermione put away the face and name of the strange new DADA teacher for the night and laughed when Ginny stuck Chocolate Frogs into Lavender's pumpkin juice. Her scream came out as a ribbit.
By the time dinner had ended, the older Gryffindors had succeeded in thoroughly terrifying the first years with their antics. They took no notice of the eleven-year-olds who carefully watched them and just went about finishing eating what they hadn't thrown at one another. After the meal Hermione carefully monitored the fifth year prefects lead the nervous first years to Gryffindor tower.
"That's right, 'Mione! I'd forgotten you made Head Girl this year. You don't have to walk with the little buggers anymore," Ron said as she surveyed the chaos.
"Yeah," Hermione began, biting her lip, "but I just wish that you had been made Head Boy with me, Ron."
"Oh, Hermione, you'll be just fine. Who is Head Boy this year? Is it Ernie?" Ron replied good-naturedly.
"Well, actually," Hermione said slowly, "it's Draco Malfoy." She winced as she looked up to see Ron's reaction.
"WHAT?!?" Ron exclaimed. "Why would Dumbledore make that slimy ferret Head Boy? Dumbledore should know that he's about as good as a Death Eater! Why..."
Harry almost retorted with "Perhaps Dumbledore trusts him, Ron" but the last thing Harry wanted was to fight with his best friend only hours after getting to school.
Ron went on for a while, but Harry tuned him out. They made the familiar walk to Gryffindor tower together, and Harry felt a pang of immeasurable sadness thinking that this would be his last year at Hogwarts, his only home. He refused to go back to the Black estate and let it sit and rot. He had no idea what he wanted to do after this. Defeat Voldemort wasn't really an occupation. Perhaps he'll stick around long enough, and I can have the first official position of "Wizard Savior." Harry smiled bitterly.
The huge group of Gryffindors reached the Fat Lady, and one of the prefects proudly said, "Hippogriff feathers". Everyone smirked when Neville moaned. "I won't ever remember that!"
"Don't forget the password like this bumble brain," Dean said, grinning at Neville, "or you'll be locked out many a cold nights in the corridor."
Everyone but the first years laughed and stepped inside, passing the bulletin board.
"Oh, look!" Hermione said, most likely in an effort to stop Ron's tirade, which showed no sign of ending. "There's going to be a class with all sixth and seventh years that meets three times a week. The first class is meeting tomorrow during DADA. The rest will meet after hours. Professor Letalis is signed as professor. Huh. I wonder what it's about."
"Oh that's all we need this year. Another class," commented Ginny as she walked by.
"At least you don't have the N.E.W.T.'s to worry about on top of extra classes!" retorted Ron. Ginny rolled her eyes and walked away, going to talk to Colin Creevey.
"Great, all we need is to start off the day with Slytherins," muttered Harry.
"Well, I think it will be interesting," Hermione said pretentiously. "I mean, she is a real elf! I bet she'll have all kinds of things to teach us. Maybe that's why she needs the extra class time."
Harry and Ron exchanged a look of humor and exasperation as they entered the common room together and settled in their normal seats by the fireplace. When they began catching up for their friends, all thoughts of the new class and odd Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher were forgotten. At the end of the night, each of the students went to their respective bedrooms and got their last peaceful sleep before classes started again.
The next morning the sixth and seventh Years all filed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, excitedly wondering what their mysterious new class would be. As Professor Letalis walked to the front of the room, she cleared her throat, and the noisy group of teenagers went silent. Even Neville's toad, Trevor, hushed his ribbits.
"Thank you," she began, elegantly dressed in dark green robes, as she had been last night. "I am Professor Letalis, and as some of you may or may not have noticed, I am an Elf of the second Generation, descended from a line of House Elves--"
"Oh Merlin's goatee, don't tell me that those things breed!" Draco Malfoy whispered loudly while Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.
"They do, Mr.- Malfoy. Like bunnies in fact," Letalis said without skipping a beat. "As you can see, I'm much taller than an average House Elf, even if I do possess their long limbs and characteristic facial features." Tall was an understatement. Professor Letalis was a few meters from Hagrid's full height, and he was half-Giant. The Professor also had a large, piercing eyes, exceptionally lengthy fingers, and an angular face. It was now quite easy to see her vague likeness to a House Elf.
"Second Elves have House Elf magic, along with the possibility of Wizard abilities. This makes us relatively powerful, if we possess both sides of heritage magic." Hermione was scribbling furiously on her parchment.
"So genetically and magically speaking, some other blood must have contributed to our anatomy. In this case, that would be human blood."
Draco twisted his face in a look of disgust, causing the Slytherins to snicker. Hermione looked up from her notes and glared half-heartedly. She hated to miss out on this fascinating lecture because of some stupid gits.
"Seeing as Purebloods most commonly have House Elves in their service, those two groups eventually reproduced Second Elves as offspring." She looked steadily at Draco.
Draco's face turned to a deep shade of puce, which caused Harry to swallow his sugar quill in mid-guffaw and choke profusely.
"Regurgitus. Do be careful- Mr. Potter."
The quill was dislodged, but instead of thanking the Professor, Harry stared with his eyes widening in shock.
"Harry," whispered Hermione furiously, "Harry, you're staring."
Harry shut his mouth with an audible snap and looked down in growing interest of the table's grain.
That was strange, pondered Hermione. Why did Harry have that strange look on his face?
Professor Letalis turned her dark gaze from Harry to the entire class. "I would take notes if I were you. I'm not lecturing for fun. This is your first DADA lesson, although the rest will be separate and during regular schedules." The shifting of paper, clink of ink pots, and frantic scratch of quills filled the room's silence. Hermione had a disgustingly smug look on her face.
The next forty-five minutes were spent listening to Professor Letalis lecture on the origins of the First Elves, and the beginnings on the Second. After an eternity of notes, she stopped.
"That will do for today. Be familiar with this information as you will be tested over it. Now, for the introduction of this class's true purpose."
"All your teachers were kind enough to allow me this block of their class time for this. I expect you to pay careful attention. Hogwarts has added a new class for sixth and seventh years. This is not a normal class. You will not be tested in the traditional way of academic courses." She paused for the cheering, "But it will still be difficult, perhaps more so than your other classes. You will not only show me what you have learned but the entire school." Professor Letalis suddenly jumped on a table before continuing dramatically, "This year you will study truth! Beauty! Freedom! And Love!" Lavender and Parvati squealed in unison and giggled at the mention of love. No one else seemed to understand what was going on.
Upon seeing the blank stares of her students, Professor Letalis sighed. She stepped off the table and said, "This will be your first theatre class. Hogwarts wishes to further education in the fine arts, which I hope to accomplish while simultaneously teaching you about the Dark Arts. We will perform the musical Moulin Rouge for the rest of the school. Auditions are Friday during this class time. I expect to see you all here. Class dismissed," she finished half-heartedly, feeling a bit disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm. After surveying her potential cast one last time, she exited the classroom.
As soon as Letalis had left, the students started buzzing with excitement.
"Moulin Rouge? What the hell is that?"
"Oh, it's a Muggle movie! It's absolutely wonderful. They sing and dance the entire time. There are lovers, whores, and all kinds of good stuff!"
"What? I can't dance!"
"Whores? We're doing a play about whores?"
"All right!"
"Well, I expect I'll get the lead role. As long as I'm not with some Mudblood, like Granger, I will gladly benefit the school with my artist genius." Draco Malfoy's voice penetrated the general roar in the room. "I mean, really. Look at my competition," he said, sneering as he sized up the rest of the boys in the room.
Everyone but the Slytherins ignored Draco's egotistic musings. The Gryffindors were in a corner, chatting animatedly with each other.
"Ooh, I saw that movie this summer!" Lavender squealed. "It was absolutely amazing and so gorgeous! Christian and Satine were truly in love." She and Parvati sighed at the thought. "I hope I get Satine!" they both exclaimed at the same time. They giggled.
"I wonder who Christian will be," cooed Parvati.
"Well, I think it sounds bloody stupid," Ron said sullenly.
"Oh, Ron, why?" Hermione asked. "The movie itself may lack plot, but the theme is quite wonderful. It's all about Satine, a beautiful prostitute, and she's supposed to marry the Duke, but she's really in love with Christian, a handsome young writer, and oh, she's deathly ill too, and you will try out, won't you, Ron?"
Ron just gaped in amazement at one of the most impressive run-on sentences he'd ever heard. Hermione grinned weakly as she attempted to catch her breath.
"Well it didn't really seem like any of us had much of a choice," remarked Harry, smiling. "But I suppose a play might be fun."
Slowly the students started to file out of the classroom, still excited about the prospect of Hogwart's first musical. Each person was secretly hoping they'd get cast as one of the leads and was mentally playing out their road to stardom. One student, however, was daydreaming about the Moulin Rouge in a much deeper way.
Hermione Granger daydreamed about Ewan McGregor slowly growing floppy red hair, awkward limbs, and a multitude of freckles. Nicole Kidman's sleek auburn locks became frizzy brown curls and her piercing eyes softened to warm brown. She and Ron, in rather strange costumes, danced, sang, and most importantly, kissed in her waking fantasy.
They had been playing a large part in her dreams, morning and night, since fourth year. During the Yule Ball, Viktor Krum magically transformed into Ronald Weasley throughout the evening, bumbling along to the dance steps and cursing under his breath. Hermione kept hoping Ron would come over and ask for a dance. Instead he sat sulking in his ridiculously adorable dress robes and glaring at Padma Patil. I cannot fathom why. Padma is so nice, after all. Hermione giggled quietly.
While Hermione liked Viktor quite a lot, her feelings for Ron were no longer strictly platonic. She knew she more than fancied Ron, and that now she was in love with him.
I'll never have the courage to tell him. I'd die of embarrassment first. At least that way I wouldn't have to face the rejection. Hermione sighed heavily. And I'm a terrible actress. I can dance all right but my singing is lousy. I have no theatric flare. Stop getting your hopes up, Hermione. And no way Ron will agree to try-out for Christian anyway.
Hermione listened to the other girls gush about Satine's costumes and make-up. It's not fair, really. They're not in it for the play, just looking pretty and showing off.
She ran a frustrated hand through her tangled hair. You're not being just, Hermione. You want it for the purpose of getting your best friend to fall in love with you. They have every right to the play just like you. You should be brave enough to tell Ron without some stupid play.
One person who had seemed excited was Harry. She smiled thinking about his reaction. Harry really needed something to get his mind off of everything else.
"'Mione! Oi, Hermione, get your head out of the clouds. We're going to be late for Transfiguration!" Ron yelled. Hermione shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. Ah yes, her Wizard in shining armor...
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Hermione replied. She walked quickly to catch up with Harry and Ron, and the trio walked together to their next class.
A/N: Well, there's the first chapter! Oh, and we do know that our story would be set in 1997, and that Moulin Rouge wasn't made until 2001, but we'll just call that part AU, okay?