Hermione learns about Forte

Hermione knew she had to deal with Forte's influence before she'd be able to get the Beast fully on board with her. She trusted her instincts and she knew she was onto something with that organ.

Hermione decided to go downstairs for breakfast, determined to ask the staff about him.

Mrs. Potts, of course, had the table full of delicious breakfast options. Hermione selected a few items, not paying attention to what she was grabbing.

Once Hermione settled in with her food, she turned her attention to the waiting staff.

"Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth, I have a question for you," Hermione said seriously.

They all turned to look at her.

"What is it, dearie?" Mrs. Potts asked.

"Well, I heard music yesterday," Hermione asked, playing dumb. "Could you tell me where that might have been coming from?"

The three objects looked at each other.

"Well…" Mrs. Potts said. "That would have been Maestro Forte, the music master."

"Oh wow, you have a music master?" Hermione asked, intrigued. That would make sense why someone like Forte would have been turned into a musical instrument of all household objects he could have been turned into.

"Why yes," Cogsworth said. "Our court, as we told you, is very well off and established. We would often entertain."

"Ugh, but he played the most DULL music," Lumiere complained. "I never understood why we kept him around. Maestro Cadenza was much more merry."

"That's because you have no ear for the classics," Cogsworth sniffed.

"Anyway," Mrs. Potts cut in before the two could start bickering. "The master enjoys listening to his music and that's what counts."

Lumiere still looked out of sorts. Hermione sensed a tension in the air.

"Do you, erm, notice a difference when the master listens to Forte's music?" Hermione asked, trying to be diplomatic. "Does it seem to make him feel better?"

Mrs. Potts looked a bit uncomfortable. "To be honest, dearie," she said. "It seems to make him more sullen and irritable."

"Do you think so?" Cogsworth asked, surprised.

"Haven't you noticed that every time the master comes back from a visit with Forte, he's more likely to snap at us?" Mrs. Potts pointed out.

"Yes!" Lumiere declared, leaping onto the chance to criticize Forte. "He gets moodier and sulkier. Like when he was younger."

Cogsworth seemed to be thinking about their words. "You might be right there."

"Why do you think that is?" Hermione asked. "Do you think the music has any magic?"

As she asked the question, a memory from her first year at Hogwarts popped into her mind. Albus Dumbledore stood at the front of the Great Hall, wiping away a tear and declaring, "Ah music!A magic far beyond what we do here." She smiled at the memory.

"I'm not sure," Mrs. Potts said. "I suppose anything is possible. Is there a particular reason you're asking?"

"Well, I'd really like for your master to come around and work with me so we can figure out how to break the enchantment on all of you," Hermione said, deciding to reveal her intentions. "I'll confess that yesterday I heard the music and followed it until I found the room where the organ resides."

"You didn't!" Cogsworth said. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"Oh, why?" Hermione asked. "What's the matter?"

"Forte is permanently stationed in the West Wing," Mrs. Potts said.

"Oh," Hermione said, realization dawning on her. "And I'm not supposed to go there." She'd been so focused on finding the source of the music that she hadn't realized that she'd walked right into the forbidden West Wing. Oops.

"No matter," Mrs. Potts said. "What's done is done. What happened?"

"I heard Forte talking with your master," Hermione said. "He told your master to throw me out and tried to convince him not to trust me. So I'm worried about him succeeding in convincing your master that I'm not trustworthy." Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. "And if he throws me out, I have nowhere to go."

Hermione was surprised at the sudden emotion. She normally felt fairly calm and collected, but she realized at that moment how precarious her situation felt to her.

"We're working on him," Mrs. Potts said reassuringly.

"Indeed," Cogsworth agreed.

"Leave it to us!" Lumiere said.

"Thank you," Hermione said. "I believe in all of you."

And that was true. Hermione believed these three would help her. But she also thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to track down that hopping piccolo she'd seen and have a talk with him.

So, after breakfast, Hermione decided to go on a hunt for that piccolo she'd seen. However, after a few hours of fruitless searching, she realized just how futile looking for him would be. It was a huge castle and she needed help. She knew nothing about where the piccolo might like to spend his time.

Hermione went back to have some lunch and chatted with the staff. On the way out, she flagged down Lumiere.

"Lumiere!" Hermione said. "Could I ask you something?"

"Certainly, mademoiselle," Lumiere replied, seeming delighted to be sought out.

"Do you know the golden piccolo?" Hermione asked.

"Ah, yes. Fife." Lumiere said with an air of disapproval. "Always hopping around and putting his nose into people's business. He loves ingratiating himself with Cogsworth."

Hermione made a mental note to talk to Cogsworth about him next.

"Do you know how I might be able to find him?" Hermione asked.

"Why would you want to talk to 'im?" Lumiere asked. "Surely, myself or one of the others can tell you anything you need to know."

"It seems like he's close with Forte," Hermione said.

"True," Lumiere said. "Fife IS Maestro Forte's assistant. I try not to think about 'zem too much."

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm not used to seeing you be so negative, Lumiere."

"I am sorry, mademoiselle," Lumiere said. "But I have never liked Maestro Forte. He has always been very unpleasant."

Hermione could understand that. She didn't like Maestro Forte much herself.

"Anyway," Hermione said, trying to get the conversation back on track. "Could you tell me where I might be able to find Fife?"

"I believe this is around the time he goes to visit Cogsworth," Lumiere said. "I can show you."

Lumiere escorted Hermione to an office on the ground floor near the stairs. Cogsworth was inside standing on top of a desk looking at some papers. He looked up at their entrance.

"Ah, hello," Cogsworth said. "What brings the two of you here?"

"I'm looking for Fife," Hermione explained. "Lumiere said I might be able to find him here."

Cogsworth's eyes crossed for a moment and then refocused. "Ah yes, it is about that time, isn't it?" He straightened the papers on the desk. "Would you like to wait here for him?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Hermione said.

"I will leave the two of you then," Lumiere said and exited the room.

Hermione let her eyes roam the room. She loved how cozy it was and how many books lined the wall.

"I haven't seen so many books since I've been here," she commented, walking over to one of the shelves and perusing the titles.

"Do you like books?" Cogsworth asked.

"Yes, I love them!" Hermione said. "I've never gone so long without reading anything."

"Well then you must visit—" Cogsworth started to say, but broke off when he heard a trilling sound and a metallic thump. Fife entered the doorway.

"Hello, Mister Cogsworth!" Fife said cheerfully. "How are–?!" Fife noticed Hermione standing there and stopped speaking abruptly.

"Fife," Cogsworth said. "Have you met our new guest?"

"No-no," Fife said. "I haven't."

"My name is Hermione," Hermione said bending down to introduce herself with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Fife."

"N-nice to meet you, too, miss," Fife said.

Hermione suspected that flattery would be the best way to get Fife's allegiance. He seemed nervous. Hermione thought that he might not have very many friends based on how Lumiere talked about him.

"I heard that you're a musician," Hermione said. "I love music! Would you play something for me sometime?"

If an object could blush, Hermione could have sworn Fife would have blushed at that moment. "Y-yes, I am," Fife said. "Maestro Forte is working on a solo for me! I'd love to play it for you."

"That would be lovely," Hermione said. "And Maestro Forte transformed into an…organ? Did I hear that right?"

"Yes, he did," Fife said. "He's bolted to the wall, so he doesn't get to move about much. His only visitor is the master."

"I see," Hermione said. "He must be lonely."

"I think he likes it that way," Fife commented. "He gets to spend all his time composing music, which he didn't get to before."

"Solitude can inspire creativity," Hermione said. "But it can also make you feel disconnected from things. What about you? Do you get to spend time with others?"

Fife looked somewhat embarrassed. "I try to," he mumbled. "But only Cogsworth ever talks to me."

Cogsworth cleared his throat. "Well, the rest of the staff is very busy, as you can imagine."

"I'm alone a lot too, Fife," Hermione said. "You can hang out with me any time you'd like."

"Really?" Fife said, looking excited. "Thank you!"

Hermione, Cogsworth, and Fife spent some time talking about anything and nothing. The topics tended to turn towards music and Hermione didn't know much about classical music. Cogsworth, it seemed, loved music. A familiar name popped into the conversation.

"When Maestro Cadenza was here," Cogsworth said reminiscently. "He often treated us to upbeat waltzes. Oh, how I loved the way he and Madame de Garderobe would perform together."

"Madame de Garderobe?" Hermione interjected. "The wardrobe in my chambers?"

"Yes!" Cogsworth said. "She's a great opera singer. Her husband was the maestro before Maestro Forte."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know a lot of the details, I'm afraid," Cogsworth said. "It's best to ask her. All I know is that Maestro Cadenza left and was replaced by Maestro Forte. I, of course, have my suspicions, but I do not like to gossip."

"I understand," Hermione said, making a mental note to go talk to Madame de Garderobe as soon as she could.

"Maestro Cadenza was really nice," Fife sighed. "Do you remember that party where…"

The conversation turned to times Hermione was not part of and she let her mind wander. She didn't want to press Fife too strongly just yet, but she was eager to get to the bottom of the situation with Forte.