A/N: Hello again, and thank you for all of your fantastic support! As I mentioned before, I'm going to try to be more consistent with posting. Also, there will be a reference to a song later in the chapter. If you want to look it up in order to follow along when it comes up, just search "Masters of Harmony This is the Moment". It should be the first option. And finally, song lyrics will appear

"As such"

Whereas thoughts will be italicized like so.

In any case, here is the next chapter!

_._

Well, this was it.

Her first ensemble at Downton Academy.

After voicing the students for the first two days, and helping with the main choruses for the following week, she finally got to meet her first ensemble at this school. This particular group of women were all from the Mixed Choir - the group Mr. Carson held the most pride for. In all honesty, it hardly mattered if they were four years old at this rate: Elsie would finally get to direct once again - having not done so in quite some time. She would finally be able to work with willing students, and would finally be able to maneuver sound of volunteering voices.

But, so far, they seemed more interested in maneuvering information out of her.

"As you now see, one of our first pieces we will be working with this semester is 'Panis Angelicus'." They hardly glance at it, still pinning her down with inquisitive stares. Something they'd been doing ever since she gathered them all in this room.

"Mrs. Hughes, was this a piece you selected? Or, did Mr. Carson choose it?" Sarah O'Brien was someone Mr. Carson mentioned she should keep an eye out for - the young lady could easily border the boundary lines of impertinence at the best of times.

Fortunately, Elsie could handle herself.

"Seeing as how I only had two days to prepare, I was hardly in a position to pick the music, Sarah."

"I see." The choir teacher doubted that O'Brien truly did see. She also had the funniest feeling that she would be the subject of a rant later today. And that it would probably seem as though the world was treating Sarah O'Brien in the cruelest of fashions now that an authority figure was going to sass her right back.

"Now, then,"

"What would have been your first choice, Mrs. Hughes?" Anna Smith, on the other hand, seemed to be speaking from less of a challenging tone. "If you had been able to pick the music, that is."

Challenging tone or not, speaking out of turn so early on could not be tolerated.

Not yet, in any case.

Not until they had proven they could pick up the music and perform it.

"While I don't take kindly to interruptions when there's music to learn," Anna nodded at this while O'Brien stiffened. "If it will satisfy your curiosity enough for us to accomplish the task at hand, I see no reason as to why there can't be an answer." She waited another moment, content to take advantage of their full attention. "I would have chosen a little different. Perhaps something with more of an a cappella sound."

Judging from their now rising curiosity, she should have just started the original piece.

For it was now very unlikely that they would let the matter rest and focus on the task at hand.

"A cappella?" Sybil Crawley coyly asked her question, but Elsie knew that if she didn't answer Anna then she would hardly have anyone's attention for the next hour.

"Is that like Glee or Pitch Perfect?" Rose MacClare piped up, seemingly unable to help herself. Mrs. Hughes sighed, refraining from scowling as she turned back to Rose. It wasn't the girl's fault that these two were her only references to a cappella.

"While Glee Clubs do exist, those are typically for show choirs and the likes. Furthermore, show choir music isn't always a cappella. And, while Pitch Perfect is one representation of a cappella music, there's far more to the genre than just that."

"Could you show us, Mrs. Hughes just exactly what you mean by that?" She allowed a very faint smile at Edith Crawley's curiosity, having not encountered such genuine interest in her favorite genre for quite some time.

"Only once we have worked on 'Panis Angelicus' for what I deem to be a sufficient time."

_._

He's focused on getting the Advanced Men's Ensemble invested in "Mary Had a Baby" today. Simple enough and well known enough that even the most inexperienced singers before him can pick up at least part of the first page within the first thirty minutes.

This contentment is further accentuated with relief by the fact that he can hear the dulcet tones of "Panis Angelicus" faintly coming from next door.

See, the walls of Downton Academy were thick enough that quiet conversation would never make it past the door. But, they were thin enough that music would always ring through the wood and transcend the physical barrier.

And that ringing sound currently told him that Mrs. Hughes's first ensemble rehearsal could quite easily be classified as a success.

So, while smiling would never be an action for Charles Carson to take while he was in "Director Mode", he certainly could enjoy the unusual smoothness that was accompanying their first official rehearsals.

Surely, it was a sign of the easy-going semester to come.

_._

It took only 35 minutes after the warm-ups for her to decide that they've given "Panis Angelicus" enough of a go for today.

The real question is, she thought to herself bemused, What should I show them first?

But as she looked over her charges for the day, she knew just which piece to show with the time remaining.

_._

Each choir room is equipped with a projector and a projection screen. Mr. Carson would hardly spend a minute at best touching any of it if he has to - he'd only use it to show concert videos so the students can self-critique themselves. And, even then, he would have a younger student put all the connections and wires and what-has-its together.

Mrs. Hughes, on the other hand, isn't afraid of a little technology.

_._

Edith faintly sighed in relief as the music binders were neatly shut and the sheet music was put away for now. Singing second soprano was fun, true. But "Panis Angelicus" was a song that made her think of dreary days spent in church. Days where she had wanted to look outside, take note of what was going on in the world, maybe even write a story. But, days that she unfortunately had to spend hours inside church.

So, when Mrs. Hughes finally pushed the projector into action and brought out her phone to pull up a video, Edith was convinced that this was already off to a better start than any of those days in church.

"Now, ladies," The older woman's voice hinted of many stories in just those two words, something Edith was sure she couldn't have been the only one to notice. But, alas, Sarah, Mary, and a fair amount of the others had furtively whipped out their phones after they stopped singing. "The voices you're about to hear belong to the Masters of Harmony."

Edith eagerly looked at the screen, curious to see what would properly flicker to life in just a minute. A Youtube video showed up screen, the grainy quality dating it to the 90s. And even though the projector was still warming up, Edith could already tell there was an unusual sight waiting to be witnessed:

After all, never before had she seen so many men on a stage at the same time - and certainly not to that level of coordination when it came to their wardrobe.

"This is the moment," It was a faint whisper, a soft promise that was made now to fifty girls in an old dusty room. But, a promise nevertheless.

"This is the day," The projector was now beginning to show at least one hundred men adorning an ensemble of blue and white upon a simple stage. Edith was already bewitched, but the air around her spoke of a crowd that still wasn't fully focused on the scene at hand.

"This is the moment when I know

I'm on my way,"

She could hardly withhold a slightly smile, glancing back at Mrs. Hughes. Only, upon looking at her teacher, there clearly were many memories now coming to life in the woman's eyes. The choir teacher seemed absolutely lost to the song, to the point where a shooting star could've slammed into the building and she wouldn't have noticed.

"Every endeavour," Heads shot up at the captivating sound now pouring into the room.

"I have made ever," Phones were blatantly ignored, and some even started to actually swoon at the sound of the voices.

"Is coming into play,

Is here and now today."

Even when it was clear that a fair amount of the singers themselves were older than Mr. Carson, the young ladies moved past superficial judgments - quite fixated by that powerful tone.

"This is the moment,

This the time,

When the momentum and the moment are in rhyme."

_._

What on Earth is Mrs. Hughes playing at?

He had been shocked to have heard the sounds of men singing begin to come from the women's ensemble room. And seeing as how all of the male singers of Downton Academy were either in front of him or attending their other classes, there could only be one explanation:

It was only Week Two of the new semester, and she had already abandoned her pupils' need to learn their material? Week Two of a new year, and she apparently was content to watch videos with her students?

A smooth start was clearly what this was not meant to be. And Charles Carson was quite affronted by that, to say the very least. So affronted was he that his gentlemen had quieted immediately when he paused his own rehearsal in order to go properly investigate this disturbance.

_._

"Looks like Mrs. Butte is going to be back sooner than we thought." Jimmy grumbled to Thomas, undoubtedly bored with the current proceedings.

Thomas merely glanced at his fellow singer, too curious about the whole situation to really pay Jimmy any attention for once.

Furthermore,

"Give me this moment,"

If Jimmy was sufficiently quiet.

"This momentous moment,"

He could actually hear the song.

_._

"I'll gather up my past,"

"Wish we could sing like that." Joseph Moseley confessed to his current companion, John Bates.

"And make some sense at last,"

Bates looked at him, thought about it for a moment, and tilted his head.

"But why can't we?"

_._

He had reached the door just in time.

Charles Carson has been an expert in choir music for decades. By this point, he knows the general nature of a song. Therefore, he knows that he can still save the day while still following his personal rules. For if he opens this door and puts a stop to this deviation within the next five seconds, they won't have even made it into the chorus.

Now, why would that matter?

Well, one of his own little rules about singing is that one should never interrupt a song. It takes away from the style and the show, and is simply disgraceful to say the least. However, if one simply had to interrupt, one might as well do so before the chorus has begun. For the chorus is typically when the audience has fully immersed themselves into the piece.

So, if the chorus is unsung, there's hardly a desire for proper resolution. There's a disappointment from not being able to enjoy the musical possibility. However, the listeners have hardly become so enamored that they simply have to finish the song.

Therefore, he has to interrupt. And he has to do so before the chorus, has to follow his little rule as best as he can, because this is simply too much. He has to turn back into the stern choral director instead of the humoring teacher. The intimidating instructor, one who's ready to put a stop to Mrs. Hughes's silly tangent, instead of the unintentional accomplice. He has to bring them back to the main path at hand, has to focus them on their true priorities.

Because in such a tumultuous times, the students need to be absolutely focused.

For the beginning, especially the beginning of a choir's journey, is always a tumultuous time. That would be because, simply put, it is within this time that the choirs will form their attitude for the rest of the semester.

And, if it is known that Mrs. Hughes showed this without his permission, then he will undoubtedly lose the very respect he requires to create the success he is so known for.

"This is the moment!"

Now, how could he have gotten so caught up in making sure they didn't stray from the path, that he actually allowed them to do so?!

"My final test!" Charles looks up, thoroughly disappointed in himself and his inability to control what was-

"Destiny beckons,"

They're all riveted.

"I never reckon

Second best!"

Stupefied to say the least.

"This is the day,

Just see it shine!"

Every single person in 403 has their eyes glued to the screen. The only one not held captive is Mrs. Hughes. And even he can tell that, though his fellow teacher may not be staring down that video, that wistful look and those misty eyes are just as connected to that song as all those penetrating stares before him.

"When all I lived for,

Becomes mine."

_._

The director of the choirs at Downton Academy was not one to beat around the bush, this the teenagers currently residing in 402 knew quite well.

"This is the moment,"

So, when the video didn't come to an immediate stop and when the sounds of a indignant lecture didn't ring forth, they were confused to say the least.

"This is the hour,"

"Perhaps Mrs. Butte isn't going to be coming back quite so soon after all." Thomas muttered, still captivated by the soloist now taking over in the other room.

"When I can open up tomorrow

Like a flower."

_._

Sarah was almost gaping when she realized the conductor was the soloist.

"And put my hand to

Everything that I planned to,"

Conductors were never soloists. Furthermore, she could hardly imagine Mr. Carson taking part in such an unorthodox set-up.

"Fulfill my grand design,

See all my stars align."

Though, even she had to admit, it almost did seem a little cool.

But, only a little.

_._

"This is the moment,"

Even Mary was impressed.

"Damn all the odds!"

She had started a little at the unexpected cursing, which only brought her attention to the doorway. For there was a figure standing in the shadows that had jolted just as she did.

"This day or never,"

And, it was only after careful examination - they really weren't in sight at all, this mysterious figure - that she realized it was Mr. Carson himself.

"I sit forever,"

Mary had wondered when he'd catch on to this silly little game the girls and Mrs. Hughes were now indulging in.

"With the gods."

Oddly enough, she was somewhat hoping he wouldn't lecture them for once.

_._

"When I look back,"

Anna couldn't help but glance in the direction of the main choir room.

"I will recall,"

A new choir teacher, new interactions with this fascinating John Bates, it all seemed to be pointing towards an exciting change for the year.

But, with the swaying, thriving tones now filling the room, Anna couldn't really focus on the possibilities.

She could only listen to the music at hand.

_._

"Moment for moment,"

The voices grew, flowing into an ocean of promise.

"This was the moment,"

The waves spun into spirals of gorgeous chords and vibrant sound, building into something far larger than just voice or mere sound.

"The greatest moment of them all,"

One section held a steady current of noise, pushing their wave of sound to maintain itself while the others raced on to grow into seas of potential.

"The greatest moment,

Moment of them,"

The sound grew once more, before finally crashing into brilliant resolution.

"All."

_._

Charles was still in the doorway when the women and the men next door leapt to their feet to applaud the video.

And, he, too, found himself unable to do anything other than quietly clap along with them.

The choir director couldn't pretend that it wasn't all very impressive. He also couldn't pretend, for that matter, that the students before him weren't properly captivated in musical endeavours - quite honestly for the first time in very long time.

And, so, all he could do was applaud.

_._

"Mrs. Hughes," Elsie found herself once more under the piercing gaze of one Sarah O'Brien only moments after the video ended. "When can we do that?"

_._

A/N: A guest reviewer had pointed out that one of the singers in the video resembled Mr. Carson. The guest reviewer then posed the question of whether or not this is coincidence. Personally, I think not ;D