Eleanor Snape- Book 3

Being Outcasted

I went through the rest of the day as I normally would, my mind always drifting from the subject at hand. All day I thought about the curse and what I was going to say to my father. I had a feeling things weren't going to go over smoothly. Maybe if I approached him with-

"Are you feeling okay, Miss Snape?" Flitwick interrupted my thoughts. I looked up from the piano keys, trying to push my thoughts aside.

"Yeah. I'm feeling fine." I shook my head.

"I was just making sure. You didn't come to my class today, and I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Yeah. I'm just distracted today. Sorry. What was it you were asking me to do?"

"I asked you to replay the piece again."

"Okay." I looked at the music in front of me and started playing. As I did so, Flitwick counted off the chorus and they started singing. Every note made me cringe.

The poor soprano section was so lost with out Sarah Beth. She was the leader of the group, like the mother duck. Now that she was gone, the 'ducklings' were always off pitch and unable to reach high notes.

"Stop!" Flitwick yelled, and I stopped my fingers as fast as everyone else stopped their voices. "Miss Snape, please play the Soprano part... again." I silently did as I was asked, playing their part perfectly. "Sing it." He instructed, but when they did it came out flat. "Ugh! I just don't know what I'm going to d-" At that moment he was interrupted by the door opening. We all turned to see what it was.

"Good afternoon." Umbridge flashed the smile that her and Sarah Beth shared. "Don't mind me. I'm just observing." As if to prove it, she scratched a couple notes onto her clipboard.

"Yes, well, you can have a seat over there if you would like." Flitwick tried to hid the annoyance in his voice. Umbrdige shook her head.

"Thank you, but for the moment I must decline. But I would like to have a word with your accompanist." She turned to me. "Miss Snape, I wish a word with you."

"Yes?" I asked, not bothering to get up. She eyes me with disapproval before turning the look to someone behind me. I turned to see; every student was leaned forward, not wanting to miss a word. She looked at Flitwick.

"Is there a place where we can talk in private?"

"Yes. The instrument closet." He nodded to the back of the room.

"Thank you." She smiled again and then signaled for me to follow her. She lead me to the closet. Once we were in, I sat myself down on one of the lower shelves, "I just need to ask a few questions." Umbridge lifted up her clip board. "Firstly, how long have you been the accompanist for the Hogwarts Choir?"

"Since my third year. Well, first year, technically." I answered, trying to talk as least as I could. She scribbled that down.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I guess." I scratched my head. I decided it was probably a good idea to 'forget' that the first two years were a punishment.

"Student is unsure about opinion." She wrote, mumbling, before continuing. "Two more questions, dear. Are you planning on rejoining this group next year? And if so, why?"

"Yes, because it gives me something to do, I guess."

"Now, last questions; How do you feel about your unpaid work?"

"What?" I starred at her.

"Isn't accompanying someone a job in the real world people are paid to do?"