Early update as I'm away tomorrow. Enjoy! x
There were thankfully no repeats of the earlier yelling and taunting as they left the class room. The older monster girls filled the corridors again, but now also filed to their own lessons so largely ignored the new first years. So the first years, both Group A and the day walkers, trooped off to the music room together without much fuss.
"Mil I know we said to be careful," Maud said quietly, tugging on Mildred's arm. "But don't let Ethel bully you. I saw what she did with the book. You should have told HB."
"I tried too. But she's scary. HB I mean." Mildred said inspecting the paper cut. She hadn't really though much of Ethel's little prank. She was more concerned what HB …and the upcoming flying lesson. Ethel did glare at them as she and Maud sat down though. Mildred hoped it didn't spell bad news for Maud by association now.
Chanting wasn't too bad at least. Mildred had braced herself to be totally lost but wasn't, not completely. She'd hoped it might be like her old music lessons at normal school, and wasn't too far off the mark.
Miss Bat welcomed them in song, giving Maud, Mildred, Ruby and Jadu an extra cheery hello. Mildred would learn that, for her lack in statue and scariness as a vampire, Miss Bat made up with in exsubriance and personality. She looked a lot different to when they had first met her. But not much.
Even out of her bat form she flapped and fluttered about in a dainty dramatic fashion. Her grey hair was wild as her fur had been and she had a baton stuck in it like a hat pin. She had large sharp ears, lots of sharp little teeth and her spectacles on an upturned little snout of a nose. And double chin as she played the old piano.
After a rousing set of Vocal warm ups and keys, Miss Bat made them go around the room, to introduce themselves and asking what instruments anyone played. She then got each student standing up in turn (bar Harriet who stayed in her seat) to sing the first lines of Eye of Newt or Natures Beauty Blessing, depending on their preference.
Of course Ethel could play a list of instruments and had the most beautiful charming lilting voice that got her showered with praise. Maud had a great singing voice too but very quiet. And had a tendency to accidently howl the longer notes or when Miss Bat tried to push her to sing louder.
Most of others were fairly fine singers- chanters, Mildred corrected herself- too. Jadu could also play a few instruments (but only when she had apposable thumbs) and Drusilla could play the fiddle. Bryony asked her if she could play panpipes too and Drusilla threated to shove a pan in Bryony's wind pipe.
Izzy said she played base in a rock band.
"Rock music eh?" Miss Bat brightened. "How wonderful. Do you play pop, Modern or classic?"
"Jazz mostly."
"But… Izabelle dear, I thought you said it was a rock band?"
"No, it's a Rock band as in we play jazz music on rocks Miss." the Mountain Troll corrected.
"Oh. Well I'll have to get a boulder in for you to give a demonstration." Miss Bat twittered. "Who's next?"
And Harriet. oh, Harriet's singing voice was WONDERFUL! Even better then Ethel's! Even better than a pop star's!
Mildred had no idea what it was she was singing, or how someone who spoke like a stone in a bottle bank could sing like that. But it was lovely, like hearing spun gold in her ears. even if it did leave her head feeling fuzzy afterwards. Harriet blushed blue at the attention, and applause she received had Ethel almost fizzing in jealousy.
Mildred was last and didn't know any chants at all. So she ended up with the inevitable extra homework to learn some by next lesson. She knew the notes at least. It didn't get her out of singing unfortunately. Miss Bat made her sing Rock a bye baby and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star instead. It was very embarrassing.
"Those are very different lyrics to what I know." Miss Bat said "still, excellent potential there Mildred. And in all of you for that matter. Oh dear is that the time-! See you all again soon!"