"𝕺h my Merlin!" James exclaimed, standing up from his bed, pacing around the room with a grin on his face. The other four of us exchanged a glance, waiting for him to continue and tell us what random thing just popped into his head. He stopped, spinning around to face us the most mischievous smirk on his face, "You know what we should do?"
"No, but that smirk on your face tells me you are going to tell us anyway" Remus pointed out, closing his book and resting it on the bedside table.
"We should.....dye Dumbledore's hair black for a week" Sirius proclaimed, Peter and I bursting out laughing while Remus stared at him in disbelief.
"Not what I was thinking, but we'll definitely do that soon" James noted, "We should form a band and then at like seven in the morning go down to the courtyard before anyone else is up and start performing live" He declared.
"That sounds...."
"Incredible!"
"I'm in"
"Definitely"
"Moony?" We all questioned, always needing his final approval before we do something. I could see him pondering for a few moments, the cogs turning around in his mind.
"I'm bass guitar" He claimed, all of us cheering in triumph. We had our Moony on board.
"I can do drums" Peter piped up.
"I can play guitar" James nodded, Sirius and I exchanging a glance.
"You sing" We both blurted in unison, the other three laughing at us.
"How about you both sing?"
"I can't sing" I mumbled, twiddling my thumbs around.
"You're joking, right Lunes? Your name is literally Melody" James stated in an obvious tone.
"Yes, the name I was given before I could even speak" I deadpanned, "I can play piano"
"And i'll play lead guitar and sing. You could join in when you feel up to it, which you will" Sirius decided, displaying an expression that said 'do not argue with me'.
"Okay" I nodded reluctantly, before beaming at the four boys.
"This is the best idea you've had yet, Prongs"
"I know... wait what?! All my ideas are good!"
•••
Around forty minutes later, we found ourselves in the room of requirements, practicing together singing and playing random songs together. The first few attempts were awful, we knew we had the potential but something just wasn't fitting right. I played with the keys on the keyboard, humming whilst James and Sirius argued over what it could be that we were missing.
"You didn't sing" Peter whispered to me, spinning around to face me as he was set up on the drums beside me.
"I know I didn't" I mumbled, playing a soft tune my dad had taught me when I was younger, allowing my hands to naturally glide across the keys into the tune.
"You should sing, Mel" He responded, "Sing for me, they aren't paying attention. It's just me, sing for me" The boy instructed nodding to me.
I spared a glance to the two boys across the room, Remus now joining in to give his thoughts and opinions. I turned back to Peter, sighing softly. I began playing the tune again on the keyboard quietly, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes before beginning,
(i'm aware this song wouldn't have been out at the time- just imagine it was)
"I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin"
The three boys stopped their arguing, all of them snapping their heads to the beautiful sound that filled their ears, Peter winking at the three of them in accomplishment, listening to the girl sing. They moved back to their instruments, starting to pick up the song and beat, playing along with her.
"And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know"
I sang, smiling as I heard the others start to play along with me, finally opening my eyes, nodding to Sirius.
"Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go? So why don't we go?
Oh, this could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know"
He sang with me, with me adding in a harmony I picked up as he sang the main tune, our voices syncing together flawlessly. We finished, the music gently fading out as I slowed down the tune on the piano, glancing up to the boys.
"That was-"
"Incredible!"
"We totally have to be a band. That's what we were missing, Lunes why didn't you sing before?" James quizzed, fiddling with the strings of the guitar that hung around his neck by the strap.
"I don't know" I murmured, shrugging my shoulders. I wasn't the best singer, people could definitely sing way better than I ever could, I was average at best. It's not like one of our Gryffindor parties when we would drink and forget the night- this was real, sober.
"You're amazing, El" My brother complimented. I smiled at him, using the hair tie on my wrist to scrape my hair back into a low, messy bun, out of the way of my face.
"So are we going to practice songs or what? Because I think we need a wide range of genres" I voiced, sliding my hands down the keyboard. We all exchanged a mirrored expression, a sense of excitement in our eyes.
•••
The following morning we woke up around six am, getting ready for the day and transporting all the instruments to the courtyard. Fortunately for us, it wasn't raining, there was a clear sky and a beaming sun. The previous day we had spent a few hours in the Room of Requirement playing random songs to get the feel of the band, what suited us best.
"Morning, Dumbles" James greeted out of instinct, the old wizard walking by as we set up outside the castle.
"Morning, boys, Melody" He greeted, pausing in his path to eye us, "Would I be right in believing you are going to perform songs as a band to wake the whole castle up this morning?"
"Oh, we would never do that, Al" I shook my head, gliding my fingers across the keyboard to warm up my hands.
"Of course not" He corrected, nodding his head and winking at me through his crescent moon spectacles. Everywhere I go it seems there is a reminder of the moon.
"Would you like to be our first fan, Dumbles? It will be a huge honour for you" Sirius inquired, pulling his guitar strap over his hand so the instrument hung from him.
"Sure, sure" He nodded, conjuring up a chair and sitting in front of us in the empty courtyard. We all exchanged a glance, nodding our heads.
"Can anybody find me somebody to love?
Ooh, each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet
(Take a look at yourself) Take a look in the mirror and cry (and cry)
Lord, what you're doing to me (yeah yeah)
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief, Lord!
Somebody (somebody) ooh somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
I work hard (he works hard) every day of my life
I work 'til I ache in my bones
At the end (at the end of the day)
I take home my hard earned pay all on my own
I get down (down) on my knees (knees)
And I start to pray
'Til the tears run down from my eyes
Lord, somebody (somebody), ooh somebody
(Please) can anybody find me somebody to love?
Everyday (everyday) I try and I try and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm going crazy
They say I got a lot of water in my brain
Ah, got no common sense
I got nobody left to believe in
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh, Lord
Ooh somebody, ooh somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
(Can anybody find me someone to love)
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat (you just keep losing and losing)
I'm OK, I'm alright (he's alright, he's alright)
I ain't gonna face no defeat (yeah yeah)
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
One day (someday) I'm gonna be free, Lord!
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love love love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Somebody somebody somebody somebody
Somebody find me
Somebody find me somebody to love
Can anybody find me somebody to love?
(Find me somebody to love)
Ooh
(Find me somebody to love)
Find me somebody, somebody (find me somebody to love) somebody, somebody to love
Find me, find me, find me, find me, find me
Ooh, somebody to love (Find me somebody to love)
Ooh (find me somebody to love)
Find me, find me, find me somebody to love (find me somebody to love)
Anybody, anywhere, anybody find me somebody to love love love!
Somebody find me, find me love"
We finished, the once empty courtyard filled with students and professors all listening to us after being woken up, all in their nightwear apart from some. Dumbledore in the midst of the group on his chair, being the first to stand up and applause, the crowd following in repeat, Marlene and Mary whistling and cheering for us. We all grinned, bowing to them all,
"What do you think Dumbles?" Sirius spoke through his muggle microphone, "Still our first fan?"
"Very much so, Mr Black" He spoke calmly, nodding to us, "It seems as you have more of a fanbase than just me" He acknowledged, nodding to the group of girls squealing at the boys, whispering and pointing to each of them.
"Who wants another song?!" James yelled, the entire crowd cheering for us to continue, "This one is for you Minnie!" He spoke through his back up microphone, pointing to the professor now stood beside Dumbledore.
They all nodded to me, gesturing for me to begin playing the song, locking eyes with Sirius as he picked up the beat, ready to sing. I knew exactly what James meant when he said this was dedicated to Minnie, it was pretty self explanatory- in a whole different context. She rolled her eyes when she realised the muggle song.
"Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time
I feel alive
And the world I'll turn it inside out, yeah
I'm floating around in ecstasy
So, (don't stop me now)
(Don't stop me)
'Cause I'm having a good time, having a good time
I'm a shooting star leaping through the sky
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity
I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva
I'm gonna go, go, go
There's no stopping me
I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah
200 degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you
I'm having such a good time
I'm having a ball
(Don't stop me now)
If you wanna have a good time just give me a call
(Don't stop me now)
'Cause I'm having a good time
(Don't stop me now)
Yes, I'm havin' a good time
I don't want to stop at all
Yeah, I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars
On a collision course
I am a satellite I'm out of control
I am a sex machine ready to reload
Like an atom bomb about to
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, explode
I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah
200 degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic woman of you
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Don't stop me, hey, hey, hey
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Ooh, ooh, ooh, I like it
Don't stop me, don't stop me
Have a good time, good time
Don't stop me, don't stop me, ah
Let loose, honey, all right
Oh, I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah
200 degrees
That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm travelling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you
I'm having such a good time
I'm having a ball
(Don't stop me now)
If you wanna have a good time (alright)
Just give me a call
(Don't stop me now)
'Cause I'm having a good time
(Don't stop me now)
Yes, I'm havin' a good time
I don't want to stop at all
La-da-da-da-dah
Da-da-da-ha
Ha-da-da, ha-ha-ha
Ha-da-da, ha-da-da-ah"
We performed, Sirius as usual being his dramatic self, engaging with the crowd as he sang the lyrics, James, Remus and I being the back up vocals for him, the crowd clapping and singing along with us. They praised us once again when we finished, the five of us winking at our favourite Professor, to which she tried to keep a straight face but we could see the smile pleading to brighten up her face.
"I think they like us, boys" I chuckled into my microphone, the huge crowd acclaiming to my words. It looks like we've started something here, the first band Hogwarts has ever seen, The Marauders.
•2392 words•