Sharing
For the second hour of training, Deborah and Sev reorganized the fifth-year group into four groups, fighting two against two while being cornered. They proposed that after half an hour they exchange roles.
Then Deborah went to talk with Valerie and Andrew, to decide the other three warriors who would participate in the punishment, including the seventh-year boy she liked, and she made an appointment with all of them in Sev's office after dinner.
Meanwhile, Sev spoke briefly with Alice, to propose that they also exchange the fighting groups half an hour later. Then he waited for Deborah to finish. It's past eleven thirty. In the end, we are barely going to fight less than half an hour. But she came right back.
"How efficient you are, Deborah."
"I was dying to fight with you, it's going to be fantastic after what we just did. My hangover has gone completely, you have left me as good as new. You are a sex god."
They fought until twelve, they had a great time. They returned to the meeting room with the rest of the commanders, discussed the results, and Sev also told the fourth and sixth years to swap groups halfway through. The sixth-years had already done so, at Julia's initiative. (Magnificent. Best commanders, combination of two Houses.)
The Rave couple commented that the fourth-year kids were delighted with the new way of organizing, they found it much more fun to do it that way, and the commanders of higher years that the older warriors considered it a good idea, since that was how they used to fight in real fights.
(And all thanks to finding alternate commanders for fifth year. What a great team we make. All my unease about yesterday's incident is gone, thanks to Deborah and the success of the new training idea. Now I trust what Alice says. We will win, the Universe is on our side.
(By the way, tomorrow we are going to the fir tree. I have to think my meditation. This time I'm going to ask for things. May none of us die this summer.)
They went to lunch, finally calmly. Sev was able to spend some time with Ariel, then chatted with Lauren in private, telling her everything about Deborah. She was very happy for both of them, but she didn't tell him what she had seen, the only thing she told him was that, indeed, Jack had become jealous.
(She doesn't tell me anything else so that I don't tell Deborah and give her away. I wouldn't, but it seems good to me that she does so. I'll find out when we make the Union, it's enough for me what Deborah has told me.)
They finally talked to Lily some more and told her some of what Lauren had read in the malefics. (So she has all Sunday afternoon to take it all in and recover, there are no classes and she can talk to Cecile and Remus telling them that Albus told us, and she doesn't find out at night either and it steals her sleep.)
They returned home and Sev went up to his bedroom for a while, to kill time while people went out to do their duties, looking at the Map. Now almost everyone goes to the Library, exams are approaching, except for some who are still hungover and stay resting in the dormitories.
Among them Audrey. She must have seen me with Deborah and got drunk with her friends to forget her sorrows, maybe even hooked up with some guy, even her boyfriend that she dumped. Someone I've gotten into trouble and now I've hurt. How do I mess up.
Better, that way she also lowers me from the pedestal and doesn't fall in love with me, because I'm not in love with her at all, and even less after having discovered someone as special as Deborah.
When the Common Room was empty, he went downstairs. Deborah was already waiting for him in his corner and they bonded to talk. She told him the names of the other three chosen warriors. George, the sixth-year boy who came to the last training of the Guard in the Forest, Brooke, a seventh-year girl, and Paul, the one she liked.
"Very good taste, Deborah. He is not handsome but he seems very serious to me, and he is the best warrior in the House after me."
"Of course I don't care that he is handsome, not at this point in life. Neither are you, and yet you are irresistible as soon as one meets you."
(Wow… How sincere she is.) "Thanks for the compliment, Deborah. You are both, beautiful and irresistible because of your personality, you are going to win him over immediately. I'm going to help you connect with him. Next training I'll ask the Longbottoms to release him and let him train you half the time and me the other half. How about?"
"Great, Prince. He will also be honored and recognized for being the teacher of a commander, that in a way will make us be on a par, which is what I'm looking for, someone at my level, that's why I prefer him to be older than me, more mature. I wish I was still in a lower year and had a choice with someone two or three years older."
"Then wait until next year to commit. Aurors will also come to train in Occlumency and Ancestral Magic." (This gives me time to convince her to stay with me.)
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. I hadn't told you because the plan isn't in place yet, but it's already approved by the old man," Sev informed her. "Jack and I will be contacting them this summer through their uncle. Do you know his uncle?"
"Of course I've known him, all my life, since I was a child. I have also been out in London with them and we have met often at family gatherings."
"And he is more reliable than Jack?"
"Of course. He does have good judgment," she replied.
"Wonderful. Because it will be he who chooses the Aurors to whom it is convenient to communicate the secrets."
"Now that you mention it, his uncle isn't married and he's barely twenty-five. Maybe he would be good for me."
(She is still determined to find another.) "Then we'll meet with him this summer too, as long as you don't mind seeing Jack," he suggested.
"Well, if you're present I don't care at all, just ignore him and that's it."
(Wow… She doesn't mind being with Jack as long as she's with me. Good sign.) "Then we will also all go out together in London, so you will connect. Get drunk together, like we did last night. We will celebrate your birthday, also with the Gryffs."
"Very good idea, Prince."
(An idea just occurred to me, I'll take her to play the piano, that way I captivate her even more.) "A true snake never refuses a party. Do you like music?"
"Of course I like it."
(Good…) "Will you accompany me to the Room of Requirement to play the piano?" Sev asked.
"Do you play the piano?" amazed.
(Good…) "I'm learning, Cecile is teaching me. At the moment I only know one song."
"Which?" Deborah asked.
"'Wish you were here' by Pink Floyd."
"Wow… it's fantastic. You're out of the fishbowl, Prince."
(Everybody says the same thing to me when I mention it. It's my song.) "Yes, I got out, thanks to all you."
"Do you want me to go find Valerie and Andrew? They'll love to hear it too, so we don't take a risk going alone."
(Oh… I wanted to go alone with her,) he thought. "I hate that you bother them, they are in the Library, studying. They spent the whole afternoon yesterday learning Occlumency."
"Okay, but it will take a while. You play it and let them go, then we both come back alone."
(Okay, yes. Then we demand a bedroom and we do it in a bed.)
"Okay, go then. Meanwhile I'll keep an eye on the Map."
They did so. Deborah went to the Library and meanwhile Sev looked up the malefics on the Map. The Raves were also at the Library, the Gryffs at home. Okay, they're separated, they don't plan to do anything together. Let's see what the Raves do when they see Deborah, Valerie and Andrew move.
He waited until they were out of the Library and into the corridor that led to the dungeons. Nothing. They either haven't seen them or they just don't care, and they're also pretty far from Lily and the Gryffs, and the Library is full of Slys. In that aspect there is no danger.
Sev folded the Map to continue seeing the seventh floor. A couple of minutes later his friends arrived. He handed the Map to Deborah. "You have to watch the Gryffs. The Raves are in the Library."
"Yes, I've already seen them."
(Of course, she doesn't miss one. And Valerie and Andrew are seeing the Map for the first time and they don't say anything. Discreet Slys.)
"Let's go to the room where we trained at the beginning, this time we have to ask for 'Classroom for Complete Studie of Solfeo and Piano'," Sev said.
"Is it the Room of Requirement?" Valerie asked, very interested.
"Yes, it's the Room of Requirement. But it must remain a secret, because otherwise anyone would use it for anything, like I do."
"How quiet you were, Prince," Andrew told him.
"Of course, because it is not multiple. If someone is using it, you can't get in."
"Oh…"
"Only seven people knew it," Sev said. "Now nine, my number, and I hope it doesn't go beyond that."
"Of course, we will keep the secret."
"Let's go then, quietly up to the third floor and then through the passageway. Line up in twos, with Deborah and me in front and you in the rear, and down the passage I go in front, then Deborah and you in the back. Keep an eye on the Gryffs, Deborah, we're going very close to their house."
"Of course, Prince," Deborah replied.
"Let's go there."
They lined up and left. Climbing up to the seventh, the Gryff malefics didn't budge from their common room. They demanded and entered.
"Wow… what a piano," Valerie said.
"Lily's friend is teaching me to play it," Sev said.
"Yes, Cecile, we met her yesterday morning. She loves you very much."
"And I her. She is extraordinary."
Sev started preparing the piano.
"Well, this isn't demanding the Room of Requirement for anything, it's really worth it," Valerie commented excitedly.
"Of course, let's see if you like the little I know," Sev said. "I only know one song and I still can't sing it at the same time."
"Don't tell us what it is, let's see if we recognize it," Andrew said.
(Of course, Deborah hasn't told them anything, she wanted to surprise them.) "I think you will, it is very famous. I found out that it existed at Easter."
He sat down at the piano and began to play. After two bars, Andrew exclaimed excitedly, "Wish you were here! The fishbowl! It is your song!"
(Everyone tells me so.) He looked at them smiling, just for a moment so as not to interrupt. He played it all without singing.
When he finished, Valerie told him, "Haven't you tried singing it along yet?"
"I haven't," Sev replied.
"I can sing it. I know it."
"I know it too," Andrew said.
"And me," Deborah said.
(Everyone knows it, it's very famous. Lily and I were completely ignorant when it came to music, we need to fix that this summer.) "Then sing it while I play."
"I sing very badly," Andrew said.
"Me too," Deborah said.
"What does matter that?" Sev asked.
"Yes, it matters," Valerie said. "Because it's hard to sing and you play it very well."
"Well, well… it's not that good."
"Yes it is, you put a lot of feeling into it."
(Wow… great.) "And you don't dare, Valerie?" Sev asked.
"Yes, I do dare. Go ahead."
Sev played and Valerie sang.
"Wow, Valerie… you sing great," he said when they finished.
"True? I would love to sing in a band," she replied.
"It would be nice to form a band, with people from home. We could play at school parties."
"Yes, it would be great."
"You could also play at Muggle pubs in London," Andrew suggested.
"It's true. Not this summer, we don't have time anymore, but maybe for the next one," Sev proposed.
"We have to start planning it, because they will have to learn to play more instruments," Valerie said.
"So look for people from sixth year and younger who like music and are willing to sacrifice some time to learn, and we'll start next year."
(I know Jack would love it, but I leave it up to them. After yesterday, they must be upset with him, he was alone in the Library. With Deborah and me, however, they are not at all, despite of what we did. Who knows the row they had last night or this morning too, because Jack was very soft when he woke me up, and I believe Deborah when she says that he was jealous of her, Lauren has confirmed it to me. Now that he has seen her with me, values her.)
"Play it again, Prince, and try to sing it with me, it will be easier for you than if you do it alone," Valerie said. "Keep concentrating on the piano and sing the bits you can."
"Wow, Valerie, it had not occurred to me and it is a very good idea. Do you want me to Summon some chairs for you to sit on?"
"I'm going to stay standing, Prince, it's better to sing."
"If you let me sit with you on the bench, there's the other chair for Andrew," Deborah said.
(How cute. She wants to be close to me and is no longer shy in front of her friends. It must have been very sweet for them, too, to wake us up last night, both of us asleep in the chair, and take us to bed, they undressed us and everything. How nice. How glad I came with everyone.) "Sure, Deborah, sit with me."
"That way I see you play."
They settled. Valerie stayed standing. Sev played and began to sing when Valerie did. He sometimes interrupted himself, so as not to lose concentration on the keyboard. (It sure is hard to sing along with playing, so great that Valerie is helping me out a lot.)
When they were done, Andrew told him, "Prince, you sing fantastic. Better than Valerie."
"Oh, man!" she exclaimed, recriminating him. "If my own boyfriend doesn't value me, who is going to?"
"Sorry, but it's an obvious fact," very sure of himself, "You sing very well, but he does it even better. He puts more feeling into it and has a beautiful voice."
(Wow, wow…)
"It's true, Prince. You sing very well," Valerie admitted.
"I suppose this one works out so well for me because I feel very identified with the lyrics," Sev said.
"Yes, that's probably also why."
"I loved it too," Deborah told him. "You do great. Is there something which you are not good at?"
(I feel overwhelmed by so much admiration. I don't deserve it, this is innate, it hardly took me any effort. I'm going to admit the great lack I have.) "Yes, I am very ignorant, I have no idea of the Muggle world. Yesterday, a third-year girl had to explain to me where Rome is. What do you think?"
(Nobody answers me. It's embarrassing.)
"And what beautiful hands you have," Deborah continued. "It's spectacular to see you move them on the keyboard."
(How cute. Getting me out of trouble and taking the opportunity to give me another compliment, in front of her friends. Well, I'm going to do it too. Let the Slys learn to say what they feel. Valerie and Andrew are much more predisposed to it, they don't hide their emotions. I guess it's because they do each other a lot of good, they would also get along great with the Gryffs. It's great that they met them yesterday, even under such unfortunate circumstances. We'll all be together in the summer. I'm looking forward to come summer.) "You really are beautiful, Deborah, inside and out."
(She was embarrassed, how cute. She's not ashamed to tell me and is that I tell her. She's not used to compliments, she's not a spoiled girl.)
"Play it again, Prince," this was Valerie. "Together again, until it comes out whole."
"I feel bad that you are wasting your time on this. You were studying."
"What do you say, waste time?" Valerie exclaimed, almost exasperated. "Best used time of the week. You are making me happy, I really miss music at school."
"Yes, me too," Andrew said. "I don't think it was a waste of time at all."
"I brought a radio from home," Sev said. "In the Forest it is heard."
"Yes, I remember," Valerie said. "You had it when we trained there the first day with the Guard."
"I can leave it to you. Go to the clearing where you were yesterday learning Occlumency whenever you want and listen to it."
"Wow, we'd love to, Prince."
"That way I repay you a little for the favor you are doing me. It is a great sacrifice to learn to occlude."
"Not at all, Prince," Andrew said, very sure. "We consider ourselves privileged, we will be much better prepared for war."
"Thank you for appreciating it."
"Come on, come on, I can't wait to sing," Valerie said anxiously.
(Valerie is very emotional and expressive, she could have been Gryff. I really want to know her horoscope as well, and Andrew's. The three of them are delighted. Valerie for singing, Andrew because he adores and admires her a lot and loves to see her do things, like Friday in training, and Deborah for the same with me. A new affinity group. The four of us will go together when it's time to take them to the fir tree.) "I'm going there."
Sev and Valerie continued to play and sing, for a good half hour, until he managed to sing the whole song with her without missing a beat. They did it a couple more times and then she said to him, "Come on, now you alone, dare. If you get lost I'll reconnect with you," courageous.
"Okay."
Sev played and sang alone. It came out the first time. (The ritual of the cave. I have to take them all too. How much work.) The three applauded him, he died of embarrassment. (My first clap.) Deborah hugged him. (How cute, how much she loves me.)
"You are wonderful, Prince," Valerie told him. "A great artist."
(And she knows what she's talking about, she sings great. My friends, Cecile, my piano teacher, and Valerie, my singing teacher. How lucky I am.) "It was thanks to you, Valerie, you have taught me."
"Don't underestimate yourself, you're worth a lot. When did you start playing?"
"The same weekend that I met you," Sev answered.
"What are you saying?" very surprised.
"What you are hearing. The first two weeks I came almost every day, but since the week before the mess I've only been two or three times a week, when I'd sneak out with Jack after dinner."
"Wow... that's amazing. In just over a month. You have a lot of talent," she appraised him.
"It looks like I do."
"Play it again. You alone."
He did it.
"The last one, together again," said Valerie. "Give it your all, I will too."
They did it, sang a duet, putting their whole soul into it. The four of them ended up crying. Those who were sitting got up and gave each other a four-way hug, pampering and kissing.
(How I love them, all of them, and they me. And I have made Deborah cry again, the one who had not cried for years. How much good we are doing to each other. What a desire to Bond with them. I love them. I'm going to take them to the Mirror.)