Chapter 31, Dream On

With Delphini's demise, things returned to normal. Well as normal as things could be with most wizards and witches having no magic. For those still in possession of it, the world was only different rather than frightening and inconvenient. The magical world moved on, the cogs still turned. With Kereston making sure the new revamped Ministry had quickly hired goblins and elves to do the jobs that the now magicless witches and wizards once had, nothing really stopped happening.

Now that Delphini was dead, it was literally at last safe for everyone to simply sit back and adjust to the new shape that magical society was taking. Hydra enjoyed the last few months of term, because the school only had ten percent of the students it'd had before the uprising. This meant the education was better and more personalized. With fewer students, more time could be dedicated to each. Of course this had been the case while Delphini lived as well, but now one could focus better without always wondering what unexpected disaster might happen next. Nearly best of all, the stupid physical education was ended for the time being, though Albus threatened to bring it back in the fall. It was safe to be outside, and even to go to Hogsmeade for the weekends. Feeling safe allowed things to be normal, at least as far as Hydra was concerned. For her, normality was closely tied to safety. Being free to function as she ordinarily would made her feel safe. For nearly a year, Delphini had taken that away.

To her surprise, not everyone was feeling safer. Bellatrix made it no secret that she was still unsettled. Hydra understood why, but she couldn't bring herself to fret as much. Bella worried that the wizards and witches who had lost their magic would rebel soon in ways the newly formed Ministry might not expect. Perhaps Hydra relished her returned normality too much to allow herself to share Bella's concerns. Lyra wrote Hydra and Loughness often of news, so they kept well informed.

The Lestranges insisted that Arthur move to England so that he might help against whatever may come of the rebellion. All three Lestranges were certain that Arthur was needed and perhaps the only one who could help when it came to any Muggle matters or potential future Muggle involvement. Bellatrix was concerned that the magicless wizards and witches may turn to Muggle methods to improve their own ways of life. As most Muggle tools were destructive, Bellatrix was concerned over what upset witches and wizards would do with Muggle guns or explosives. Previously Delphini had provided a distraction to both sides, but now with her dead, the Ministry was focusing on protecting its own goals. Hydra didn't see what the worry was if magic was to be slowly returned to a large percentage of the magical population. Kereston had already spread the word by way of The Daily Prophet that a cure was being worked on, after all. Still, this did not ease Bellatrix's worries. It occurred to Hydra more than once, that perhaps the Lestranges were simply too accustomed to having something to fear, first with the trauma Voldemort eventually inflicted upon all or most of his own followers, then with the jarring emergence of Delphini.

At least Hydra truly hoped that was the case, because they all needed a little peace right now. The wizarding world needed peace to allow this new and certainly improved way of life to grow and flourish. Hydra did not discover the exact manner in which she wanted to be a part of that herself, until Mag suggested they start a band. There was about a month of term left when it happened. Everyone was having a study session in the Snape's sitting room. Often the common rooms weren't quiet enough to allow everyone to focus properly, so Sortia took full advantage of the fact that her parents taught at, so thus lived at the school. She never had qualms invading their space and dragging her four friends along. Mag was idly plucking old Irish tunes on her fiddle for a bit of background studying ambience during that particular study session in the Snape's sitting room. When she began playing a song that Hydra knew, she began humming along. "You and I should start a band next year," Mag told her. "Severus and I are returning to teach, at least until you have all graduated. It may be fun to perform here at the school. What do you think?"

Hydra blinked in surprise, lowering her Astronomy book. "Really? You want to start a band with me?"

Mag chuckled. "I think it would be fun. We could all use a bit of fun what with so much going on these days and..."

"What? You think Bella's right about whatever she's worried over," Loughness asked. What with Mag basically being the Lestranges shrink, surely Bellatrix had expressed her concerns during one of their sessions.

Mag's slender shoulders rose and fell in an eloquent shrug. "I may have checked the runes and they may have predicted a bit of trouble in the future. But don't ask me what, because they weren't clear on that. Only that it is a secret. The peorth rune was in all five of the castings that I did which means that there is some sort of hidden or secret knowledge involved." Mag's slight frown of concern caused Hydra's stomach to lurch. As a rule, Mag was very calm, an at times necessary counterpoint to Severus's frequent high-strung bitchiness.

Granted she was just as Dark, but far more mellow about it. She could tell you that there was a giant troll about to burst down the door as casually as she could say that the clock is off and needs to be reset. Very little rattled her. Voldemort had, according to the Daddies, but only because she knew that Severus was in danger. "We will sort out whatever trouble could be coming, when it comes," Mag assured calmly. "Until it does, though, and even after it does, we all need something to brighten our days. Music is a powerful force as you know, Hydra. It can uplift, and it can destroy. You have integrated your father's bardic gift, and I would love to be a part of teaching you how to use it. With music, you can bring joy, or you can help fight a war. You can move people unlike anything else can with your voice if you use it properly. It is a power."

Hydra nodded, feeling her excitement rising. "Of course I want to do it, and if you want to help train me, I'd be more than honored and grateful!"

Mag smiled. "Good. I think we will have a blast."

"Who else shall we invite to play with us?" Hydra asked.

Mag frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know, actually. I hadn't gotten that far. Have you any ideas?"

Hydra was opening her mouth to say that she hadn't any ideas at all, but before the words could come out, she realized that she had!

"What if we make it a sort of multiracial band," she asked excitedly. "I mean we've already got a human witch and a half-human half-elf, being you and me, so let's try to keep it going! I'll ask Graven if she can recommend any goblins who can play any sort of instrument! Guillermo can ask Romeo to ask his elf Aurors if they have any family who plays or sings! All the races working together could be good for like normalizing or supporting or you know." Hydra shrugged, knowing the concept she wanted, if not having the proper words to express it.

Mag smiled, nodding. "Yes I do, and that's a very good idea." After a moment, she added, "I can ask Griphook if he has any recommendations as well." Mag had become friendly with Griphook when she was a student at Hogwarts herself due to her love of gemstones. Gringotts imported them, and when Mag began making gemstone wands in her seventh year, Gringotts was nearly her second home.

"That would be great," Hydra said, giving her a warm smile. "Thanks!"

"Do most elves have time to learn to play anything, though," Loughness asked skeptically. "I mean they're always polishing the silver and shit." The dark look on his face as he spoke of polishing silver made Hydra's lips twitch. Surely her twin was recalling that rough patch in their early childhood when Daddy Kreacher had insisted they learn their elf magic by teaching them kitchen skills. Both Loughness and Hydra had resisted strongly, not enjoying the servile, enslavement associations. Both daddies had insisted that as their elf side was the most powerful, it was important to learn that magic. As Daddy Kreacher insisted on teaching by way of basic cleaning skills, Hydra and Loughness resisted heavily. At least, until Stormy explained calmly that one might boil a person's brain in their skull with the same spell used to boil an egg. Suddenly both children were a bit more intrigued.

"Loughness," Hydra said in a tone of clearly feigned patients. "There are several elf Aurors these days, as well as several elves employed at Gringotts, so I think enough of them are utilizing their skills for more than silver polishing."

"Yeah, but do they have time to learn to play an instrument," Loughness pressed speculatively, clearly unmoved by his sister's objections. "Because I certainly don't. How can I expect more of them than I expect of myself, their future Dark Lord?"

Mag's lips twitched, then she chuckled. "Future Dark Lord of the elves, now is it?"

"Of elves, of humans, of goblins, of whoever," Loughness said, waving a hand in an expansive gesture. Hydra sighed.

"What about Kereston," Sortia drawled, clearly bored.

"Oh she has nothing to worry about. I may be everyone's Dark Lord, but when she's ready for this, it's all hers," Loughness said, striking his chest with a fist.

Sortia choked.

"So I'll write Graven tonight," Hydra told Mag pointedly. She wanted the conversation off of her annoying brother and back onto music, after all. "And Guillermo, you'll write Romeo for me, right?"

"Sure," Guillermo said. "About what?" He lowered his Alchemy text book and reached toward the coffee table for a quill.

Mag cringed. "Do not write in that book, Guillermo!"

"Why," Guillermo demanded. "I paid for it."

"About asking his elf Aurors if they know anyone who can play an instrument!" Hydra reminded. "Aren't you listening?"

"Only a little," Guillermo admitted. "I'll write him tonight, though. No problem.

"Just because you own a book, there is no cause to ruin it," Mag objected, but it was too late. Guillermo was already jotting down a note in the margin of his Alchemy text.

"Thanks," Hydra said, giving him a smile. It occurred to her then that Greok's girlfriend Leaf may know some elves who played instruments too. As she was no Auror, Romeo would not know her, so Hydra would ask the daddies to write her. While they were at it, they could ask Greok if he knew any goblins who played instruments as well.

Perhaps that would finally give her an in to talk to Ballan. If Greok or Leaf had any connections, Hydra could ask to meet with them. Perhaps they would bring Ballan, and if not, she would ask them to do so next time! They could all be friends. She'd invite them to some social event or something, and this would be her in. She would at last get to know the enigmatic, fascinating, beautiful Ballan!

"I'm going to write Graven and the Daddies now," she said, leaping to her feet and practically flying from the room toward the Owlery. The thought of Ballan being connected to this new project in any way made her all the more eager for the band. After all, did passion and music not go hand in hand? Finally it felt as though she was at last waking up from the near stasis that Delphini had put everything in what with the school having been on lock down. With her death, everyone was finally able to relax, but now that part was over and it was time to truly thrive again. Hydra was already making set lists in her head as she hastily wrote her letters. The faster they were off, the faster she would get replies, so there was no time to waste.

Graven wrote back first, within the hour!

Sure, I think I can help. The bro from whom I get my high potion has a little brother with weird ass hair that I've seen strumming a guitar from time to time. Want me to ask him if he'd like to play in your weird ass band? I say weird ass cause it sounds like it's gonna be weird ass with humans, elves, goblins, and you in it. Weird keeps shit interesting, though. -

-Graven

Hydra couldn't help grinning as she read Graven's reply. It was almost terrifying to wonder what Graven could mean by weird ass hair, but now she was curious. Due to a bit of research in the restricted section, she and Loughness along with their friends finally knew what high was at least to a degree. Whoever Graven got her high potions from was likely some sort of Herbologist, apparently with a musician brother with weird ass hair.

She hastily wrote Graven back expressing interest as well as her thanks and asking when she could meet this goblin musician with weird hair. Graven promised to check into it and get back to her within the next few days. In their letter the next day, the Daddies promised the same when it came to Leaf and Greok. The Daddies were always a bit slower at responding to letters if it wasn't an emergency due to being caught up in one another. At least that's what she and Loughness both believed the reason to be.

Over the next few days, most of Hydra's thoughts were consumed with Ballan, though she did dedicate some consideration to what the new band might be like. She supposed it would depend on everyone's musical styles and how they all meshed together. It would be sad if she and Mag couldn't find any goblins or elves to play with or if they found some but couldn't connect or vibe with them. She really wanted this to work. Music was a fine art, though, and those who played it together had to mesh well or it would just end up dreadfully discordant with no life to it. It would be extremely disappointing if she and Mag could not find any elves or goblins with whom they connected musically, because the idea of a multiracial band was really exciting. Learning from one another would be amazing as would be the societal message they could send!

For far too long goblins, human magicals and elves were so separated by their cultures and lived experiences. It was more than time for a bit of harmony on many levels.