Stars Go Blue: Chapter 14
Standard Disclaimer applies. Mature.
"Go ahead, open it."
Mara moved before Draco had finished speaking, and pushed open the door. It was heavy, yet swung open easily at her soft touch. Behind the door lay a beautiful room, a large fire roaring, a comfortable couch to sit on, and there, the piece de resistance... A grand piano shone softly in the flickering firelight.
Mara walked forward, as if in a trance, and gently ran her fingers along the ebony and ivory. The piano itself was made of rosewood, and was a rich red colour; so dark it seemed to be black. She tentatively played the middle "C", and a rich tone was emitted from the instrument. She turned quickly to face Draco who had seated himself upon the couch, rather comfortably.
"Can I play it?"
"Of course, this is the Room of Requirement, and you required a piano. I mean, personally, I don't understand why you'd want to play it. I'd just enchant it to play for me... But then, I'm rather lazy like that."
Mara cocked an eyebrow at Draco, seemingly deciding whether to respond or not. Finally, she resolved to do so.
"I play because it's my release... I guess I can't explain, really..."
"Play then, and perhaps I'll understand," Draco cut her off, gesturing to the piano.
Mara seated herself, and took a deep breath. Then, closing her eyes, she began to play...
And as you walked away
I couldn't disguise
The hurt and the pain
Laying raw in my eyes
So I call out to you
But you're already gone
You'll never hear those words I whispered
And I know this is true
That you may not be the one
And those words you never heard were...
I stood and you walked
I cried again
I raised my hand in wave
To you
I stood and I went
Over the brink again
I'm left behind.
So I call out to you
But you're already gone
You'll never hear those words I whispered
And I know this is true
That you may not be the one
And those words you never heard were...
I've clung to you so desperately in my dreams
Yet had to reckon on innocent screams
You tear my life asunder, the wounds you cause, a toll
Your bloody past is writ upon my everlasting soul
So I call out to you
But you've already gone
You'll never hear those words that I have whispered
And I know that this is true;
That you may not be the one
But those words you've never heard were laid down long ago...
Those words you've never heard are all I know.
Draco sat in awe; she had claimed that singing and playing was her release, and truly, it was. Yet he had not expected to have his own heart twisted so profoundly. Her fingers had made the piano come alive, yet it was her voice that carried the music.
After sitting in shock for a moment, he realized somewhat else...
She had been trying to get in contact with her grandfather for years. She'd never had a response until he invited her to meet with him.
Draco's blood boiled. How dare anyone treat her that way? And now Voldemort wanted to know more about her? He was already planning his owl to Severus in his mind when the door burst open.
~*~*~
Harry had been taken to Madame Pomfrey immediately after attacking Draco Malfoy. He had been poked and prodded, and finally she gave up trying to find proof that he was being jinxed or otherwise controlled. Giving her report to McGonagall, she scurried away, leaving Harry to face the disappointed look on the features of the Headmistress.
"Harry, I am disappointed in you," Minerva sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed, "I just don't understand. Perhaps we should have told you from the beginning who she was, and why we were letting her go to meet Voldemort... But you must realize the grave danger you have put Mara in."
Harry nodded. He had found that pounding on Draco had cleared his head rather quickly, and had spent his entire examination time thinking upon what had spurred him to do such a rash thing. He had found no answer that was satisfying. His obsession the previous years with Draco Malfoy had reappeared, and he had lost his head... To be honest, he knew that the words that his mentor would have had for him would have been much worse than any the Headmistress could send his way. Even if Mara was Voldemort's granddaughter, he had no right to say anything... And it was more than obvious that he, Harry Potter, had let down everyone by succumbing to hatred... The one thing that Dumbledore had noted Harry was not even tempted to do.
"I'm not sure what to do Harry," the Headmistress wrung her hands, bringing Harry back to the present.
Harry noticed for the first time how tired the Headmistress looked. He knew Dumbledore's death had hit her hard, but had not guessed the level of affection that it now appeared she had held for Albus.
"I'll apologize. That's all that I can do right now..."
"I meant about the school, although you're right," the Professor shook her head, "It was bad enough the owls that Dumbledore received when there was a werewolf on staff... When the parents become aware that we're harbouring Voldemort's granddaughter... The school may indeed have to be shut down."
Harry could hardly believe his ears. A rash action on his part, spurred on by doubts and anger, could possibly be the reason that his home would be shut down for good.
"But Professor, there must be another way..."
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter," the Headmistress reverted to her normal tone and manner of speaking, "There are no options left open to me."
As the Headmistress disappeared from the Hospital Wing, he donned his Invisibility Cloak and slipped out behind her. He had to find Hermione and Ron, and then Mara and Draco... They needed to find a way to keep the school open.
~*~*~
Draco and Mara looked to the door in shock, to see the Trio standing there. A long silence engulfed the room as Mara sat frozen upon the piano bench, and Draco strode to place himself between her and Harry.
"Come to attack me again, Potter," Draco's sneer broke the silence, as Potter turned a bit red.
"Actually, Malfoy, I came to apologize. And," Hary sighed here, as if loathe to say what he needed to, "to ask for help from the two of you."
"Go ahead, open it."
Mara moved before Draco had finished speaking, and pushed open the door. It was heavy, yet swung open easily at her soft touch. Behind the door lay a beautiful room, a large fire roaring, a comfortable couch to sit on, and there, the piece de resistance... A grand piano shone softly in the flickering firelight.
Mara walked forward, as if in a trance, and gently ran her fingers along the ebony and ivory. The piano itself was made of rosewood, and was a rich red colour; so dark it seemed to be black. She tentatively played the middle "C", and a rich tone was emitted from the instrument. She turned quickly to face Draco who had seated himself upon the couch, rather comfortably.
"Can I play it?"
"Of course, this is the Room of Requirement, and you required a piano. I mean, personally, I don't understand why you'd want to play it. I'd just enchant it to play for me... But then, I'm rather lazy like that."
Mara cocked an eyebrow at Draco, seemingly deciding whether to respond or not. Finally, she resolved to do so.
"I play because it's my release... I guess I can't explain, really..."
"Play then, and perhaps I'll understand," Draco cut her off, gesturing to the piano.
Mara seated herself, and took a deep breath. Then, closing her eyes, she began to play...
And as you walked away
I couldn't disguise
The hurt and the pain
Laying raw in my eyes
So I call out to you
But you're already gone
You'll never hear those words I whispered
And I know this is true
That you may not be the one
And those words you never heard were...
I stood and you walked
I cried again
I raised my hand in wave
To you
I stood and I went
Over the brink again
I'm left behind.
So I call out to you
But you're already gone
You'll never hear those words I whispered
And I know this is true
That you may not be the one
And those words you never heard were...
I've clung to you so desperately in my dreams
Yet had to reckon on innocent screams
You tear my life asunder, the wounds you cause, a toll
Your bloody past is writ upon my everlasting soul
So I call out to you
But you've already gone
You'll never hear those words that I have whispered
And I know that this is true;
That you may not be the one
But those words you've never heard were laid down long ago...
Those words you've never heard are all I know.
Draco sat in awe; she had claimed that singing and playing was her release, and truly, it was. Yet he had not expected to have his own heart twisted so profoundly. Her fingers had made the piano come alive, yet it was her voice that carried the music.
After sitting in shock for a moment, he realized somewhat else...
She had been trying to get in contact with her grandfather for years. She'd never had a response until he invited her to meet with him.
Draco's blood boiled. How dare anyone treat her that way? And now Voldemort wanted to know more about her? He was already planning his owl to Severus in his mind when the door burst open.
~*~*~
Harry had been taken to Madame Pomfrey immediately after attacking Draco Malfoy. He had been poked and prodded, and finally she gave up trying to find proof that he was being jinxed or otherwise controlled. Giving her report to McGonagall, she scurried away, leaving Harry to face the disappointed look on the features of the Headmistress.
"Harry, I am disappointed in you," Minerva sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed, "I just don't understand. Perhaps we should have told you from the beginning who she was, and why we were letting her go to meet Voldemort... But you must realize the grave danger you have put Mara in."
Harry nodded. He had found that pounding on Draco had cleared his head rather quickly, and had spent his entire examination time thinking upon what had spurred him to do such a rash thing. He had found no answer that was satisfying. His obsession the previous years with Draco Malfoy had reappeared, and he had lost his head... To be honest, he knew that the words that his mentor would have had for him would have been much worse than any the Headmistress could send his way. Even if Mara was Voldemort's granddaughter, he had no right to say anything... And it was more than obvious that he, Harry Potter, had let down everyone by succumbing to hatred... The one thing that Dumbledore had noted Harry was not even tempted to do.
"I'm not sure what to do Harry," the Headmistress wrung her hands, bringing Harry back to the present.
Harry noticed for the first time how tired the Headmistress looked. He knew Dumbledore's death had hit her hard, but had not guessed the level of affection that it now appeared she had held for Albus.
"I'll apologize. That's all that I can do right now..."
"I meant about the school, although you're right," the Professor shook her head, "It was bad enough the owls that Dumbledore received when there was a werewolf on staff... When the parents become aware that we're harbouring Voldemort's granddaughter... The school may indeed have to be shut down."
Harry could hardly believe his ears. A rash action on his part, spurred on by doubts and anger, could possibly be the reason that his home would be shut down for good.
"But Professor, there must be another way..."
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter," the Headmistress reverted to her normal tone and manner of speaking, "There are no options left open to me."
As the Headmistress disappeared from the Hospital Wing, he donned his Invisibility Cloak and slipped out behind her. He had to find Hermione and Ron, and then Mara and Draco... They needed to find a way to keep the school open.
~*~*~
Draco and Mara looked to the door in shock, to see the Trio standing there. A long silence engulfed the room as Mara sat frozen upon the piano bench, and Draco strode to place himself between her and Harry.
"Come to attack me again, Potter," Draco's sneer broke the silence, as Potter turned a bit red.
"Actually, Malfoy, I came to apologize. And," Hary sighed here, as if loathe to say what he needed to, "to ask for help from the two of you."