THE THING THAT SAYS I DON'T OWN THE THING
If I were high I might say I owned HP and TP, but I not, so I wont, so I don't, so let's continue.
Chapter Fourteen
The Right Pair for the Job
As Severus entered the mages room the feeling one gets when they are just about to start a million pieced puzzle came upon him. He saw both the small muscular forms of Cami and Peter using obvious magical strength to lift the beds effortlessly in order to move them to a deserted corner of the room. Scott was setting up what Severus recognized as muggle music stands, while Emma placed two chairs behind each. When Emma noticed his entrance she leaned over to Merra to whisper something before both girls gave him venomous looks.
Oh god. One sarcastic comment and it's like I have a life sentence on the black list.
Severus felt a slight tap on his shoulder right before he was pushed into a chair by Merra. Severus then spotted Sarah by the door leading to the bathroom talking lightly to Kaki. Severus heard a tapping sound and turned to see Neil standing on a wooden podium. The tapping sound was a little baton with complex engravings on the handle, it reminded Severus of a wand. In front of the podium was a high music stand.
All of the remain mages sat in the chairs. Sarah, guided by James was led over to the chair next to Severus. She sat without even looking at him and proceeded to open what looked like a small briefcase. Inside the case was lined with velvet. Five separate, oddly shaped pieces lay in custom sized holes. Severus watched as she began to take out each piece and ensemble them to make one long black instrument with silver buttons and a sliver of wood that covered the open hole of the piece, Severus assumed, was supposed to go in your mouth.
Severus cast his gaze to the other mages to gather clues at to what was going on when he realized that every mage including Neil on the podium had some sort of instrument that he had never seen before. Muggle. He thought. Severus's gaze then jumped to Neil who had called his name.
"I'll give you an instrument in a minute, but for now I just want you to listen." Severus nodded although the last thing he really wanted to do was play an instrument, especially a muggle one.
Neil counted them off, with a few brisk movements of his baton before they started. The music was distant at first as a few low sounding instruments played. He heard them start to fade away as Emma, Merra, and Sarah came in on the high instruments. In the back of the room Kaki was using her chair as a place to rest her leg on as she dampened the sound of what looked to be the muggle version of a large base drum. Severus notice a lot of different instruments crowded around Kaki. A table like instrument with a bunch of jingling plates, a set of smaller drums all connected to one another with to shining disks as well, what he thought to be highly over sized wind chimes, and many other odd things.
Severus turned his attention back to the music as all of the instruments began to play harmoniously. They repeated a complex, soothing pattern a few times before the middle voices started to get louder and louder. When they reached a forta the other instruments popped up to join them. Severus thought his ears were about to burst at one by on the instruments began to drop out until it was only flute, oboe, and clarinet left. Then Neil picked up the instrument Severus remembered as a trumpet and began to play. Soon it was only him and Sarah on her clarinet playing a soft melody.
Severus sat fully erect in his chair, with his eyes sharp and curious. However he did, in some sort of far off way, find the music a bit more that tolerable. The only thing that seemed to irritate him was when Neil was playing alone with Sarah. The tune was a soft melody that seemed to want to bring happy thoughts to the listener, however in Severus's case it failed miserably.
Neil set down his trumpet and grasped the baton that had began to move in the air on its own and cut the band off. Neil paused for a moment with both arms up in the air as if he were a plant soaking it the sun. As he lowered his arms all instruments were set down on their owners knees. "What did you think Severus?" Neil asked, a broad smile on his face."
Severus gave a sarcastic reply, "Lovely," he said.
"I thought so to but James I heard you get lost at…" Neil began to flip though the pages of music that lie on the music stand in front of him. Seeming to be completely oblivious to how much Severus did not want to be their. "I believe it was measure seventy-two."
"Right, sorry about that."
"It's okay just watch out for those high E-flats."
James nodded and Neil then tuned to look a Emma. "Emma you need to watch your forte. The flute is not supposed to be a loud instrument."
The flutist nodded and he then turned to Sarah. "The clarinet part was beautiful, Sarah. Our duet sounded like something fit for a king."
Severus thought he was going to be sick when he heard his teacher beside him speak. It seemed at though she was working hard not to smile too broadly. "Well I sincerely hope so. After all the song is called Delicate sounds of the King."
At this a few mages laughed while James let out a low chuckle from behind Severus.
"Well anyhow," said Neil. "we need to move on to the next order of business… Severus, what was your favorite instrument?"
Almost an hour later Severus had tried playing the trumpet, the saxophone, the trombone, and a variety of percussion instruments. He had absolutely refused to play the flute earning another icy glare from Emma which made Severus slightly giddy. His latest instrument was the oboe. An instrument that in Severus's option made every note sound like a screech. After a few awful sounding notes Severus withdrew the foul instrument from his mouth with a new found level of discussed.
"Hum… Your a difficult one to place Severus I'll give you that." Neil said to him massaging his chin with one hand. In my opinion you sounded best on the oboe. The only problem is you didn't like it… Well, I think woodwind is the way to go but, you don't like the flute either…" Severus had trouble understanding if the mage was talking to him or himself. True it was that Severus hated the sound of the oboe however, he did like its look. Sleek and dark with small keys to add shine and class. The only problem was that he didn't like the piece of wood sticking out of the top, which Merra had called a reed.
"Sarah, left Severus try the clarinet. It seems his stile and it's a woodwind too."
She nodded and pulled out and extra mouthpiece from the instruments case and attached a reed to the mouthpiece with the use of a ligature. Severus liked that the reed was covered by the mouth piece. He liked that both the Clarinet and the oboe looked almost identical. He wouldn't mind trying this one.
Severus put the mouthpiece in his moth and blew. The note was a medium low which Severus found tolerable. He blew again and Neil began to smile. "Sarah show him how to hold it and how to set his mouth and fingers"
Sarah leaned over to him, moving his fingers into place. "And your thumb goes under that little metal piece in the back." She said. Severus usually hated it when people touched him, and he especially hated when people would correct him. However, he found that being corrected by Sarah wasn't so bad. "Then set your mouth with a flat chin, tight corners, and roll your bottom lip in a little. Also make sure you have your front teeth resting on the top of the mouth piece. Good. Now, place it in your mouth… and blow.
Sarah blew into her clarinet as Severus blew into his. Severus looked at her at the corner of his vision. Her mouth was set perfectly as her fingers hovered not even a millimeter from the keys. And Severus didn't miss that her sound was better than his.
Long after Severus had run out of air Neil cut Sarah off with a swish of his hand. Neil walked over to Severus and stepped behind him. Before Severus could stop him, Neil had put his hands on Severus's temples and started trying to force magic upon.
Severus felt the intrusion upon his mind almost immediately. What was this mage going to him. He force upon the barriers of his mind, forcing Neil to draw his hands away as if scorched.
"What in Methos name?.. I couldn't get past the… walls?"
"What are you bloody trying to do! Stay OUT of my MIND!"
Sarah stood. "Quite both of you. Neil you no Severus well enough not to intrude upon his mind like that… And you, he was only going to take control of part of you mind so that you could play the clarinet as well as the rest of us play our instruments is all. To be a mage you have to trust. Trust others, trust magic, trust the magic of other. You should realize by now I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Your my student like it or not and I don't plan on killing you so just… RELAX!"
Severus as astounded. She had stood up to him and he couldn't think of anything to say to get her back for it. "I don't want him in my mind."
"And he doesn't have to be, but I would appreciate it if you would let him. Your mind is strong Severus, if you feel he goes to far I know that you could push him out."
"That is if I can get past all those barriers in the first place. Sarah right you know. You could push any of us out without giving it a second thought… Well perhaps Sarah and Scott would give you a run for it, but-"
"Will you trust him, Severus?" Sarah looked at him deeply. "After this I think mind control lessons are where we need to go in your lessons. I just need to know that you trust my judgment or you won't learn anything, that's a promise."
Severus looked from Sarah to Neil then back to his teacher. As much as he hated the fact he did trust Sarah. He didn't trust her friends however. Especially Neil who is exactly who he needed to trust. "Quickly." He said finally.
Sarah smiled and Neil said, "Start at the beginning. Ready, one… two… three…" Neil placed his hands on Severus's face once more. Severus felt himself forced to take a deep breath as he tried to relax his mind. Trust he thought. I need to trust. Severus felt his finders begin to move as he blew air out of his lungs. When he thought he was about to pass out he felt himself take a breath. Relaxing a bit more he began to listen to the music being played around they. It was the same harmonic melody he had heard before.
When the song ended Severus felt Neil's withdraw from his mind. No sooner had the mage let go did Severus start gasping for breath. Neil began to pat him lightly on the back as Sarah took the clarinet from him. "Deep breaths." She said as she swiped Neil's hand off his back, making Severus force down the powerful urge to smirk.
"Sorry about that Severus. You'll be able to hold your breath longer the more you practice. As a parting gift for the evening…" Neil clapped his hands and the case to Severus's clarinet opened, floating in mid air. Neil pulled his hands apart and the clarinet dismantled it self, settling in the case. One last clap and the case shut with a snap. A book flew off the conductors stand and landed in Sarah's hands. She handed this to Neil who gave it and the clarinet case to Severus.
"I know your busy, but if you have a few spare minutes you can practice. The workbook explain everything, however I'm open for any questions you might have and I'm sure Sarah is to. The female mage nodded as a house elf came busting through the door.
"Professor Snape, Professor Merloom, the Headmaster wishes to see you's immediately."
The instrument and book flew back into Neil's hands as Severus gave him a puzzling glare. As if reading his mind the mage said, "I can control the book because their is music in it."
Severus nodded and left the room at his normal hurried pace with Sarah in toe. The said nothing to each other the whole way to the Headmaster's office. When they came to the door Severus udder the password and they both stepped onto the rotating staircase. When reaching the top Severus was about to knock when Sarah trust the door open.
"God evening Severus, Sarah, please have a seat."
Severus was about to demand why they had been told to come in such a hurry, but Sarah beet him to it. "Headmaster, what is you reasoning for have a house elf bust in on what could have been a very delicate part of Severus's lesson. Not to mention the poor creature looked absolutely terrified."
"My dear child, would you both please sit down so I can explain?"
Severus blinked and Sarah was in a chair opposite of Dumbledore. He then took the other one.
"Good. Now Severus, I that just learned of what Voldemort was planning at your last meeting. The details are still sketchy however, we know that he thinks their is someone who knows a way for his Death Eaters to get into the Ministry."
"How do you know this, Headmaster." Asked Severus. His voice as deep and venomous as ever.
"Young Harry seems to be having nightmares again. The boy is being coaxed for information my Minerva as we speak. As far as I understand it Voldemort has recruited some new followers as you told me Severus. However they are to prove their worth to Tom by finding this person who knows the Ministry.
Severus wanted to strangle the old bat in front of him. Could the man never just come right out and say what he wanted him to do? "How could this not wait till the next Order meeting." He cast a glance at Sarah. "You know I can do nothing to help without risking my cover as a spy."
"Yes, yes," Dumbledore waved his hand in dismissal, "I know you can not simply ask the Dark Lord for his plan or anything of the sort Severus, but in you will put on just your double agent mask for a moment I would like for you to think about this." He paused and looked at Sarah who still s in her chair a feeling of impatience radiating from her. "Voldemort thinks that I have no idea you are spying for him. He thinks that I am under the impression that you are on my side when you aren't. If you were to say, be acting upon a certain roll so that I would not send anyone in who was truly working for me in and so that you could keep your partner that I give you's nose out of the Dark Lords business what would he say?"
The Headmaster's eyes were twinkling with the air of brilliance as Severus began to feel annoyed. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Severus gritted his teeth. "Who is this person, how am I to find him, what do you know that I don't?.. And since when do I need a partner!" Severus was gripping the arms of his chair with great strength.
"Since that partner his powers and skills you do not. Also that partner of yours with be able to slip in to conversations and gossip that men are not welcome to."
"A WOMAN! Where in the Bloody Hell are you sending me?"
"The Squeaky Door." Said Dumbledore smiling.
"And where in hell might that me? Is that where I'm supposed to find this mystery fellow?"
"Yes Severus you are quite right. Sarah how do you feel about this?"
Severus was about to ask way her opinion mattered as all when he caught the look on her face. Realization came rushing to him. No! No! Hell no! If that old fool thinks I'm going to let her be My partner… The fool must have a death wish for her… Blithering idiot!"
"I will do it."
No.
"What is this Squeaky door?"
No!
"It's a night club for squibs and other magical beings and all things related are said to be welcome. Although most pure-blood wont set a foot near the place. Do you now see why Voldimort sent his New followers to this take?"
Let the Dark Lord strike me now… Please!
"And he is said to be found there?" Sarah asked not answering her grandfathers question.
Dumbledore nodded. "So it would seem. Now Severus, you have two weeks from tomorrow to make your settlement with Voldemort. Sarah with of your friends will be accompanying you?"
"With of my friends? Grandfather I shall not need any help. I understand how Severus being who he is shall make it easier… I shall not drag my friends into this."
Her voice held such high authority that Severus even forgot about how she had suggested that he was being sent to help her and not the other way around.
"You may not, but I will. Two pairs at they least. I will not let either of you go without five others with you and if know one goes this whole thing will blow up in our faces."
An hour later Severus and Sarah were walking down from the Headmasters office. Sarah to her class room and Severus to his office. Suddenly Sarah stopped grabbing Severus's arm and turning him to face her. "Meet me in my classroom right after your last class tomorrow. I doubt any of the students will miss you at the Great Hall."
And with that she stormed off in a serious pace. Her feet making no noise as they quickly patted the ground.
HA, HA! THE PLOT IS FINALLY REVEILED!
Thanks tops! I'm mean come on, what would I do without you.
Blackfire: Your reviews brighten my day even if they can be a little threatening.
ANYWAYS:
questions wanted
reviews needed
Have A Great Day!
Instrument List:
Emma/Flute
Merra/Oboe
Sarah & Severus/Clarinet
Scott/Saxophone
Neil/Trumpet & Conductor
Peter/Tuba
Cami/Baritone
Raoul/Trombone
James/Bassoon
Kaki/Percussion