Experimenting With Music

Amelia had never once touched an instrument in her life. She has memories of her father playing guitar and bagpipes often. None of her other siblings seemed as interested in music. She had never really tried and she had free time so she was going to try. She wasn’t sure if she was good at singing or not, she sounded like a dying bird according to Jessica but that isn’t really a good source. She remembered her mother singing all the time in French while Amelia was growing up. Amelia had even once heard her mother playing on a different guitar that her father’s, she could still hear her mother playing guitar and singing in French of course. She had never known her mother could play until then.

She picked up a guitar and a pick and tried to play the best she could. She knew very little about guitar just from what she knew from watching her parents play. She didn't really know French she had just memorized the song she was going to try to do since her mum sang it all the time and Amelia was a auditory learner at heart.

On me dit que nos vies ne valent pas grand chose,
Elles passent en un instant comme fanent les roses.
On me dit que le temps qui glisse est un salaud que de nos chagrins il s'en fait des manteaux pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit...

Que tu m'aimais encore,
C'est quelqu'un qui m'a dit que tu m'aimais encore.
Serais ce possible alors ?

On me dit que le destin se moque bien de nous
Qu'il ne nous donne rien et qu'il nous promet tout
Parais qu'le bonheur est à portée de main,
Alors on tend la main et on se retrouve fou
Pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit ...

Mais qui est ce qui m'a dit que toujours tu m'aimais?
Je ne me souviens plus c'était tard dans la nuit,
J'entend encore la voix, mais je ne vois plus les traits
"Il vous aime, c'est secret, lui dites pas que j'vous l'ai dit"
Tu vois quelqu'un m'a dit...

Que tu m'aimais encore, me l'a t'on vraiment dit...
Que tu m'aimais encore, serais ce possible alors ?

On me dit que nos vies ne valent pas grand chose,
Elles passent en un instant comme fanent les roses
On me dit que le temps qui glisse est un salaud
Que de nos tristesses il s'en fait des manteaux,
Pourtant quelqu'un m'a dit que...



((This song is owned by Carla Bruni))

Alice didn't often find herself on the fifth floor. Actually when she thought about it, she would very rarely walk down these halls. Simply because she had no need to. There was no a single class she had here so that immediately made this floor her least priority. But today Alice wanted to try out a shortcut some of her friends had told her. And of course, it went terrible wrong. She ended up on the fifth floor instead of the second, not even close enough. And now she had to go down to the second floor by stairs again. Lesson learned, never listen to a friend who thinks she knows a shortcut. Those have been proven to be dangerous and just time consuming for her.

As she walked down the corridor, she heard the sound of music coming from a room. But not just music, someone singing again. Out of curiosity, Alice leaned in towards the door in hope of hearing more. She was so intrigued by this song which seemed to be in French, as much as she could hear, that she slightly opened the door. Just to catch a glimpse of who's inside of course. She wouldn't want to disturb anyone's privacy. But to her surprise she saw Amelia. "I didn't know you could sing like that. It sounds beautiful. What is it?" she asked suddenly walking into the room with a smile.

Amelia nearly jumped out of skin. She didn’t think anyone would be around to hear her. Then she saw it was only Alice. She no longer cared as much. “I think it is called Quelqu'un m'a dit,” Amelia replied. “To be honest I didn’t know. My mum sings it all the time,” said Amelia. She put the guitar down. She guessed she was good with music like her parents. She had no idea that she was until now. Well, she had never tried. She didn’t know any other songs otherwise she would try them too. Maybe if she looked around the classroom she’ll find something.

Even though Alice didn't speak French, she could still appreciate the beauty of the song. "It sounds beautiful" said Alice softly with a smile. "But please...go ahead. I mean don't mind me. I didn't want to disturb or anything" she said quickly. The last time she saw Amelia it was in her house for their annual Christmas dinner. Which in all honesty was a mess, much like the rest of Alice's life seemed to be. She thought that she could somehow handle it, but before she knew it she got tired. Tired of worrying all the time and always having to explain herself. Life was so much easier for her before and she wanted to get back to that time.

"Do you know how to play? Cause from what I just heard, it sounded pretty good" said Alice looking at the guitar in Amelia's hands. She had never really seen her play any instrument before and she was curious as to when she has learned how to play. "I love music. Shame I'm just really not that creative. My dad took me to a few piano lessons when I was a child but it ended there. And my voice is like a dying cat trying to sing" she said with a chuckle.

“I don’t really know any other songs so you weren’t disturbing anything else,” sighed Amelia. Amelia would have to send a letter to her parents after this. Maybe they would send her a songbook. She really did want to learn it now.

“Erm, I just watched my parents play. I honestly hadn’t tried until now,” she said. She listed to Alice closely. “If Jessica was the one who told you sound like a dying cat than it’s not a reliable source. She wished she knew more songs. She knew how to read music because when Edgar was trying to learn the bagpipes she’d always be looking over his shoulder and picked up on it rather quickly.

"You seemed to have a talent for it" said Alice which was obvious to her. Music was something you were either born with or not. A special kind of talent that you couldn't really work at all that much. No one in her family really had any creative talents or abilities. Even as a child Alice had trouble coloring within the lines let alone drawing something by herself. It was nice to see that Amelia's side of the family had that gift, as she enjoyed nothing more than a nice voice and a simple song. "Perhaps even take a class or two. You can take up the guitar, it would be pretty cool if you knew how to play it properly" she suggested.

Alice laughed at her next words. "No Jessica didn't tell me that. But I don't need her to because I know well enough. All of my family sounds like we're suffocating or something when we try to sing. It's quite amusing when you get to hear my dad humming a song when he thinks he's alone" she said with a giggle.

It was nice to talk to Amelia again. She felt like she hadn't talked to her in a really long time. Sure they saw each other a few times and exchanged a few words but it was only of out politeness. "How have you been Amelia?" she asked with a warm smile. "I know we haven't talked in a while. I'm sorry about that I don't really know why.

“Music comes from both sides of the family and art comes from my dad’s side. I can’t draw or pain but Claire can, it’s really incredible if you ask me,” said Amelia. She had always admired how talented Claire was but deep down she also felt jealous. She felt she had no talents besides being a witch and knowing basic household chores like cooking, mending and gardening. Maybe she did have something in music. She just had to try; it would be a good experience to say the least. “I’ll have my Mum or Pa teach me,” Amelia said.

“I’ve heard your father humming to the plants a few times but I never paid attention. I’m too busy looking at the plants trying not to get eaten. Did you dad tell you about that time I nearly got eaten by one of his hybrid plants?” asked Amelia.

Amelia was wrapped up in her own world of studying, she had to be. She was going to get as many O.W.L.S.’s as she could. She knew the Ministry sucked right now but once she graduates she is sure she will help make it right. She was going to do right by the first Amelia and Uncle Edgar. “I’ve been busy studying so to be honest I’m rather anti-social at the moment. But I am planning a party though in the Room of Requirements. But Alice don’t stay to long because we might get caught and I know Jessica will be bringing in Spice,” said Amelia. Amelia knew of it from her older siblings but she had never tried it. She was scared of her dad finding out. He was well…his own breed. Her mum wouldn’t be that mad because she knew Amelia would be responsible but Amelia knew her mum hated Spice.

Alice laughed at Amelia's story. It was so typical of her dad to keep dangerous plants around the garden. They are usually used for research but sometimes her dad was known to keep them simply out of entertainment or curiosity. Well he wouldn't necessarily consider them dangerous, he just lists them as plants that require a bit more patience. To Alice it was all insane. She wouldn't come near some parts of his garden for the sake of her own security. But she never complained openly. She couldn't ask her dad to neglect something he had such a strong passion for. "No, he didn't, but I'm not surprised at all. What happened? You must have a lot of courage going into his parts of the garden" she said with a chuckle.

"I know how you feel. I've been locked up in the library myself" Alice said with a sigh. Every year the course load seems to double and this year it's harder than ever for Alice to stay on track with everything. Especially because she's such a diligent learner and hates learning things half bad. A curious smile came upon her lips when she heard about the party. Finally, some excitement in this school! "Count me in" she said with an enthusiastic grin. "Ok, I won't. Make sure you have all of the protective spells on before you start it. That might help us not being discovered. And don't worry, I don't really use Spice" she said shaking her head. Alice had heard about it, but had never really tried it herself.

“I was ten years old I think. My mum would dump me off since I refused to go to muggle school I would fallow your parents around. Your dad would let me fed the plants. I think I’ve learned more about plants then I ever do in school. My dad says there’s a good chance I’ll get exceed expectations in Herbology since I know so much. But back to the story, I was fallowing your dad and he turned away for just a second and one of his plants had grabbed hold of my braid. I shrieked and your dad turned around. He had to pry the mouth open with a prey bar and scolded it,” laughed Amelia. It hadn’t been that funny at the time but it was now. “He never told my mum though. I started to bring in meat to fed it so it didn’t eat me,” said Amelia.

“Don’t try it Edgar says he’s seen some young kids try it and pass out. My mum was looking into Spice and thinks it may be more dangerous than Firewhisky and muggle drugs together. Jessie is just a rebel,” said Amelia. At least she could tell Uncle Neville that Alice didn’t use Spice.

She kept flipping through music books. She was looking for something interesting to try. She didn't know a lot of the words but she knew if she signed it out she was sure she could figure it.

Alice laughed at the story as only her dad would have plants like that around the garden. "He's never told me that before. And I'm sure you'll do very well in Herbology. At least one of us will. Unlike you, I hated that garden and never really liked going in there for some reason, so I haven't really learned anything. And I don't think Herbology classes have taught me that much either. I always found in hard to concentrate in that class. Hopefully, I won't completely disappoint and fail that subject. My dad would surely not be pleased" she said with a chuckle. If of all her subjects she failed Herbology well that would be ironic but not in a very good way. Thankfully she still had time until her OWL examinations but she found herself already getting nervous about it, even though she still had a whole year to prepare.

She frowned when Amelia mentioned the bad side effects of spice. "But aren't you at least curious as to...how it feels or something? I don't know" she said shrugging her shoulders not wanting to admit that she was more than just curious about it. From what she heard from other people it was a feeling very different from anything else. But the fear of her parents finding out and experiencing these bad side effects herself stopped her from taking her curiosity further, at least right now. "What happens if Jessica gets caught with it? I mean what will the school do?" she asked.