Chapter 2 - Voldie's Downfall
Harry stood transfixed as he listened intently to the music. The tune and lyrics was so haunting and he found he could identify with it.
...I want to escape
...I want to live an ordinary life
...Where there are no complications
...Where life is fine
...I want to love
...Someone who'd love me back
...For who I am
...Not what's shown to them
...Sometimes it's hard
...Sometimes I miss my old life
...But I had to move on
...I am moving on...
'Wow! Pretty sums up what I'm feeling right now.' thought Harry. 'I think I like their songs.' He turned around to see the audience's reaction but was disappointed to see some frowning faces. It seemed like the crowd were not enjoying themselves too much at all. He observed the band again to find out what the missing ingredient was .
Matt, the driver who was also their drummer, was very efficient with his instrument. Billy was on rhythm guitar and also the vocalist. He was also good and he played lead guitar during the adlibs. Chuck was the base guitarist and apparently adept at his playing too. 'So what's wrong?' He racked his brain for some answers then it hit him...the band lacked the drama...the fluid movements that would sway the audience with them...and they also lacked another guitarist. If they had someone who could focus on the lead, then that person could accentuate the tone of the song and make it more haunting and metallic at the same time.
Feeling a bit reckless and intrusive, he decided to wait for the band members inside their van. That way, they would not be able to ignore him even if they wanted to. Besides, he owed them a constructive suggestion at least for providing him the means to escape.
Within several hours, the band who called themselves 'Voldie's Downfall' was dejectedly reloading their instruments inside the van. They were so downhearted that they did not even notice the boy who fell asleep on top of two large speakers.
"Hey, Billy, cheer up! It's just our first gig." shouted Chuck over the latest Metallica S&M album playing on their built-in cd player.
"Yeah...we've been angling for an invitation to play in one of those bars for four years now and we bombed. What do you expect me to feel?" grumbled Billy remorsefully.
"We're here. Let's unload the stuff and talk about that later. I don't know about you but I'm terribly exhausted - not to mention dead hungry." said Matt in a very weary voice.
The three alighted from their van and started to unload their instruments when they heard someone moaning from behind the amplifiers.
"No!!!!!" shouted the voice.
Alarmed by the noise, the three quickly removed the stuff and were surprised to find a teenage boy crouched on top of the speakers and drenched with perspiration. They took in his loose clothes which was now covered with dust and grime and decided that he must be a vagrant who just sought temporary shelter in their vehicle.
"Jesus! I think he's having a nightmare." said Billy and shook the boy's shoulders vigorously.
"Poor boy! I wonder why he ran away from home." said Chuck as he helped Billy wake up the boy.
"That won't work. Let me try this one." said Matt evenly and he suddenly pulled out his drumsticks and pounded the cymbals repeatedly.
"W-what ---" the sudden noise jerked the boy away from his nightmare and he stared in shock at the three people who were curiously hovering at him. "Who are you?" he asked wonderingly.
"We should be the one asking that, boy. What are you doing inside our van?" asked Billy sternly.
Harry stared at all the instruments and at the three people then he slapped his forehead at his own stupidity. Of course! How could he forget? He was just waiting for them to come back and he fell asleep. He smiled sheepishly at the three who were impatiently waiting for his reply.
"Oops, sorry. I heard your playing at the bar and I wanted to talk to you about it. I guess I fell asleep." he said politely.
The three looked dubious at his answer but decided that he couldn't do them much harm.
"What about that?" asked Matt curiously.
"Umm...first of all, I want you to know that I really liked your songs but..." Harry paused for a while and looked imploringly at them. "Could we please discuss this in a more umm -- comfortable location?"
The three looked at one another again. Harry was afraid for a moment that they would deny his request but amazingly, the three gave him a broad smile.
"Oh, what the heck! Come with us inside. This is the first time someone decided to talk to us about our music." stated Chuck in a friendly manner.
"Thanks." said Harry happily as he followed the three to their apartment. He even helped them bring their equipments inside to show his sincerity. He was surprised to see that the place was very well-furnished for people who were not yet earning money in their chosen field but who was he to question their financial situation?
"Nice house!" he commented casually as Billy brewed some coffee for all of them and Matt made some toast. It was one o' clock in the morning and they were already having breakfast! What a distorted sense of time!
"Err...so what do you want to talk about again?" asked Billy after munching a whole slice of toasted bread.
"Oh, your music. I listened to your lyrics and it was very good. However, I think there was something missing." said Harry carefully. He had no intention of offending these guys.
"Yeah, we know but we could not figure it out." agreed Chuck honestly and the other two nodded in assent.
"I think you need to add some drama in your performance. I mean...umm...please don't get offended...I just want to help you."
"Get on with it, boy. It's nothing. We're used to criticisms by now." said Matt dejectedly.
"No, I don't want to just criticize you. I want to help you improve. You see, you're so stiff on the stage. Your lyrics are good but your playing has no passion in them. Do you get me?" said Harry and noted that the band was hanging on to his every word now.
"If you mean we need to have long hairs and epileptic stunts on the stage to get the audience's attention, then save your breathe. We're not doing that." said Matt caustically.
"But you don't need to do that. Just feel your music and let it show on your face. And you need to have a separate lead guitarist with you so that the song would have more impact."
"We already figured it out but we just could not do that." said Billy softly.
"You could not get another guitarist? Why?" asked Harry in wonder.
"Well, aside from the fact that the band doesn't make money yet, we have another reason that we couldn't tell you." said Matt in a tone that implied that he wanted to drop the topic.
"I'm sure many would be willing to be in your band even if you're not earning anything yet." insisted Harry.
"As Matt said earlier, we have a reason that we cannot divulge to anyone so it's a big no-no." stated Chuck matter-of-factly but his pitch went higher than usual.
"Fine. It's your band, anyway. I'm just making a suggestion." said Harry as he shrugged his shoulders carelessly.
"What's your name by the way?" asked Billy suddenly as if it had just occurred to him that they were conversing with a total stranger. "I'm Billy, this is Chuck and that 'cheerful' one is Matt."
"I - umm...I'm J-Jeremy ... you may call me Jeric for short." he stammered as he let the lie roll from his lips. Damn! Why hadn't he thought of this before?
"And your surname?" asked Chuck with one eyebrow raised.
"That....is something that I also do not wish to divulge right now." he replied evasively. "You have your secret and I have mine."
"Oh!" said Billy, his grin reaching his ears. "You're amusing me, kid."
"I'm not a kid." said Harry irritatedly.
"But you look like one to us, kid." said Chuck in the same teasing manner.
"I AM NOT A KID!" yelled Harry in annoyance.
"Do you play the guitar?" asked Billy lazily, drastically changing the mood of the moment.
"A little - why?"
"Then join our band. It would be fun. Don't worry, I'll teach you." declared Billy in a tone that suggested that it was a very brilliant decision for him.
Harry, or rather Jeric, looked dumbstruck for a moment. "Are you kidding me?" he asked in awe.
"No, do I look like I'm joking?" said Billy with a grin that was so much like Fred's and George's when they were about to pull a very creative prank on someone.
"Yes." he replied sarcastically. Billy and Chuck laughed like a maniac at his reaction but Matt only glared at his bandmates.
"No, we're serious. It's the first time someone cared enough to make a suggestion so you're in if you want to. Your lack of skill is not an issue. We could train you." said Chuck merrily.
"Alright, I accept. So can you tell me now why you did not want to look for another band member before?" he asked cautiously.
"Sorry. We still can't." said Matt in a very serious tone.
"Fine. That's okay, I guess."
"So, can you tell us your surname now?"
"Sorry. I still can't." replied Harry in the same tone that Matt had used before. Billy and Chuck seemed to find it hilarious.
"Did you run away from home or did you just stay around to talk to us?" asked Billy after a while.
"I ran away and please don't ask why." replied Harry anxiously.
"Oh, that's okay. You can stay here with us...help us write some new songs and stuff." said Chuck kindly.
"What about the rent and supplies?" asked Harry and was suddenly horrified to realize that he did not have much muggle money with him.
Billy casually waved his worries off. "Don't mind that. We could manage and we own this place so we don't have to pay the rent. You have anymore questions?"
"Yeah - why is your band called 'Voldie's Downfall'?
The band members stiffened immediately and exchanged looks that Harry could not identify. Then slowly, they relaxed and Billy gave him a reply in an ultra-casual, very carefree voice that sounded fake and highly suspicious to his ears.
"Oh, doesn't really mean anything...just something that we pieced together."