Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't. The song "I Write the Songs" belongs to its creators.
Chapter 39: I Am Music and I Write the Songs
Garion sighed as he finished marking the last of the first year essays. Severus Snape was a sadistic, evil bastard. When he said he wanted Garion to help with the first and second years, Garion didn't think this was what he meant. The man dropped all the essays to be graded in his apprentice's lap with a knowing smirk. Garion also had to help in class, to keep the little snots from blowing each other up. He was beginning to understand Snape's frustrations and paranoia.
About the only good thing about the whole arrangement was the fact that Garion didn't have to take sixth year potions. Both of them knew that Garion had no need for the classes.
But still, to dump the essay grading onto Garion was just plain wrong in Garion's book!
Payback was going to be a bitch!
Garion had started training Severus in Bardic Magic and found it amusing that Severus just could not understand why he hadn't heard of this type of magic before.
"Simple," Garion explained. "The last true Bard that wielded full Bardic Magic was Taliesin. He was a Druidic wizard as well as a bard and he lived long before Merlin."
He went on to explain. "As the Druids died out, Bardic magic died with them. British Wizards now have lost the Druidic and Bardic knowledge. In they arrogance, they now refuse to acknowledge other forms of magic in the world, past or present. They believe they alone have the right to wield magic – have the right to play god. The best tangible example of that is that awful statue in the Ministry." Garion gave a heavy sigh.
"Wizards have forgotten so much. . . You will find no books on Bardic magic, or any other type of ancient magic, in reputable book stores. They are considered 'dark' and therefore banned by the Ministry. That is why it isn't taught."
Severus scowled. "I can't sing nor do I play a musical instrument. How is it possible for me to be a bard?"
Garion laughed. "You do have a very drop dead sexy voice that, with a bit of training, would give any Shakespearean actor a run for their money. Music is but one way to use bardic magic, bardic voice is another. My adoptive mother Sarah, for example, is a bard. Granted she isn't as powerful magically as you or I. In fact, she would be labeled a squib by most wizarding standards. However, she creates magic in her writings. She creates worlds that come alive in people's hearts and minds with her words. When she is Above-ground where she works she creates a small pool of magic that funnels back to the source."
Severus knew that the ambient magic that surrounds Hogwarts from centuries of students and teachers living, working and casting spells has made the castle sentient. However, that left over magic laid stagnant unable to return to the source which is why Garion could not stay in the castle without his crystal. It kept him from climbing the walls from magic overload.
Garion piled the finished essays to the side and pulled out his guitar. "This is what I am, what I do." He began to sing:
"I've been alive forever, and I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music and I write the songs
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs"
Severus could feel his heart move as it hadn't since Lily died. Something in the music spoke to him. There was something intangible in the voice that called to his soul. What was the teen was trying to tell him?
Garion's voice called up power within the music. The air in the room felt heavy, saturated with magic. A rainbow of colors started to form in the center of the room, it's whirling mass radiating both magic and light as it whirled and danced to his music.
When the song came to the last notes, the whirling array rose to the ceiling before diving to the floor, disappearing in a shower of sparkles and glitter.
"And that, my apprentice, is bardic magic and how you send the left-overs to the Underground so that the magic can renew itself. In time, you'll be able to call on your own bardic magic, not through music but through the cadence and resonance of your voice. Through its power you will be able to do as I do, but with the spoken voice. I suggest you study Shakespeare. He was a great Bard of both creation, like Mum, and the Vox Potentia. He may have been a wizard, but without realizing it, he drew on bardic magic to write his plays."
The brat! With one simple song he had done what Severus couldn't. The room took on a freshness that he hadn't smelled or felt in years. He was constantly burning candles and incense to help with the heavy, damp smells that permeated his quarters. Turning back to the brat, Severus raised an eyebrow. "Indeed?"
Garion smiled and with a wave of his hand, spoke with his stage presence:
"If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I
am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrust upon 'em. . . "
Severus watched as another whirlwind of magic formed. It wasn't as big as the first, but of good size, spitting sparkles and bolts of static lightening. Garion went on to expound in a melodic, ringing voice.
"Thy Fates open
their hands; let thy blood and spirit embrace them;
and, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be,
cast thy humble slough and appear fresh. Be
opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; let
thy tongue tang arguments of state; put thyself into
the trick of singularity: she thus advises thee
that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever
cross-gartered: I say, remember. Go to, thou art
made, if thou desirest to be so; if not, let me see
thee a steward still, the fellow of servants, and
not worthy to touch Fortune's fingers. Farewell."
The whirlwind rose and disappeared just like the first one had done.
"And that my dear apprentice is how one uses his voice to command the Bardic Magic. You will find that your chambers will feel like someone has opened a window on a spring morning and allowed all the stale air out and all the fresh air in."
0o0o0o0
Albus Dumbledore was still trying to get the stench out of his nose. No matter what he tried, it lingered. Every night, he had the same dream over and over again.
On top of that, he still didn't know where Harry was! The boy was no where to be found. With Sirius dead, Albus was sure the boy would be alright with his relatives. Now Remus Lupin was also missing! Could Harry be with the werewolf?
The other puzzle was this boy Garion Williams. The only information that Albus could glean was that the boy was home- schooled in the United States. He had a very cultured accent that seemed to be a mix of American and British and his voice itself made Albus shudder with the leashed power that seemed to ripple through it. The power the boy gave off was like nothing he had ever seen before.
Albus sighed as he reached for another lemon drop, only to spit it out as soon as it touched his tongue. Now his beloved sweets tasted like that horrendous swamp!
0o0o0o0
Hermione Granger was one troubled teenage witch. Not only was Harry Potter, her first friend, missing, but her second friend, Ron Weasley, if you could call him a friend, was ignoring her for Lavender Brown! Life was so unfair!
About the the only people to give her the time of day were Neville Longbottom and that cute new apprentice, Garion Williams.
This Williams was a puzzle. He reminded her a lot of Harry, but Harry was never that outgoing, that insane, or that good looking. They weren't friends, per se, more like friendly acquaintances. The few times she spoke with him, he left her feeling confused and thwarted.
Ron was claiming he's a Death Eater wannabe, since he is apprenticed to Snape, the greasy git of the dungeons. Hermione couldn't see it. Williams didn't strike her as a pure-blood supremacist. Look what he did to Malfoy! No, Ron was wrong, she was sure of it.
She walked into the library as she always did after classes, to get a start on her study revisions. She came up short to see the person her thoughts were on. Williams. He was sitting by the window reading. To see him actually sitting still was amazing in and of itself.
Before she could ask if she could join him, Ginny Weasley came over. According to the lastest gossip, the red-haired Weasley hadn't mourned the lost of Harry that much. She had been bouncing between boys like a manic quaffle. It seems she had now set her sights on Williams.
"Can I sit here?" Ginny asked, a bit coyly.
Williams looked up at the red head then passed her to smile at Hermione and shrugged. "I guess so but I was just leaving."
"You don't have to go on my account," Ginny said with a pout.
Williams smiled and shrugged. Standing he placed the book he was reading in his guitar case. "I'm due to help Professor Snape with his class. An apprentice's work is never done."
As he brushed past Hermione, he gave her a wink. "Alas parting is such sweet sorrow. Until we meet anon, my fair ladies."
Ginny sighed dramatically as Williams left. "Oh honestly, Ginny," Hermione chided. "We don't know anything about him. Aren't you still pining for Harry?"
Ginny shrugged, flicking a strand of hair behind her shoulder. "So? A girl can't just wait around."
Madam Pince, the school librarian, shushed the girls angrily. "Sorry Madam Pince," Hermione said softly as she went to her table while Ginny exited the library.
0o0o0o0
Thanks for waiting so long for an update. By our calculations, there are maybe 3 to 4 chapters left of this story. We can't believe it has taken us so long to write and finish this story.
Real Life really sucks some times.
The Quotes in this chapter belong inTwelve Night, Act II, scene v and Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene ii. Also, no one got all the songs right in the last chapter. First was the "Jellico Cats", "One Tin Soldier", "Blowing in the Wind" and "Underground." If you think you deserve a cookie, check out Genkaifan's profile, it has a wonderful recipe to make your own.
Until next time! -GF and the Frau