Emma Potter

71: The Flute

I raced up to my dormitory with a hurried greeting to my friends. I pulled out the box, there was no note, but musical notes were engraved on that. Dudley had, for a time period this summer, tried to learn the flute. I had listened and learned. I knew a bit. 

I pressed the flute to my lips and played the notes, it came naturally after getting the tune, it sounded a bit. It sounded...metallic if that's a word. And gave me a weird feeling at the pit of my stomach. 

I thought of Zoe, I certainly cared for her. So I repeated the tune and immediately I felt.. sense of insecurity or dissatisfaction. Something  halfway between anger and discouragement. It is different than anger by most often being mental, and internal--when you feel the fault is either in yourself or that expressing anger will not do any good. It is different than discouragement because you are still trying. Though you may suspect your situation is hopeless, you haven't yet admitted that to yourself.

'Stupid Runes'I heard Zoe's voice, clearly irritated in my head 'Who would want to--' I had stopped playing because I was stunned. If this worked--

I raced downstairs. "Hello person who ignored us" greeted Nicholas, with a raised eyebrow. I ignored him, and set my eyes on Zoe "how are you feeling?" I asked. she scowled at me, "annoyed" she growled "these  runes are stupid". It--It worked. 

"Is your dormitory empty?" I asked Draco and Nicholas, they couldn't come into ours. "Yeah" said Draco "why?" 

"Let's go there. Now."

Clutching the flute, I hurried behind them. 

"Emma, What--" I cut him off by playing, focusing on Draco's name. A new emotion flooded through my body; Disbelief flooded through my and his voice filled my head "is she going on about that flute again? It will never work?" His face was completely neutral. 

"It did work." I said, he jumped. Nicholas and Zoe were still confused. "S-she read my mind" spluttered Draco "she-she--"

And then the whole next 5 minutes were spent explaining.

*The next morning*

I had heard about the Crookshanks-Scabber incident. It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Eachwas so angry with the other that I couldn't see how they'dever make up.

 Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks'sattempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a closeenough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. 

Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercelythat Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, thatthe ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and thatRon had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshankshad landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie. 

Personally, I'm sure Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidenceall pointed that way, she lost her temper with Harry too.

"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "Firstthe Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leaveme alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"

"Shove Potter" Zoe had sighed, prising a book  away from hermione and pushing a plate towards her "leave her alone."

 Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed. 

"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabberswas," said Fred bracingly "And he's been off-color for ages, he waswasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly —one swallow — he probably didn't feel a thing."