......fall......

[potter_fan122]

This was perfect. The best ever. The leaves were all different color, and they floated through the air on the slightest breezes. Everything smelled crips and clean, unless it rained, of course. Then everything just smelled modly and wet, but it hadn`t rained yet. This was her favorite time of the year, the time she loved to be outside and in the forest.

But today she was inside and all alone in the solitude of an empty room. Everyone was outside or in Hogsmead, so no one had bothered her yet. Stacey sat poised at a grand piano, her back straight and ankles crossed. Her toes jiggled with the beat of the song she was playing, a beautiful song with a complicated melody and a wide range of notes. It was a great song, and very old, too. She doubted that anyone else in the school would know it. Of course, they hadn`t danced since they could walk, and they hadn`t been in Muggle theatre their whole lives.

The sound from the piano filled the room, but also somehow seemed to be quiet, or at least contained. Contained, that was a good word. It seemed to take up the entire room, but no more. Stacey started to sway with the music, her brown hair shifting across her back as she did so. The sleeves of her dark grey shirt had been pushed up to the elbow so they wouldn`t interfere with her hands. Her fingers were moving gracefully over the keys, playing each note perfectly, and without music to look off of, too. Then she started to sing.

"You were once
my one companion . . .
you were all
that mattered . . .
You were once
a friend and father -
then my world
was shattered . . .

Wishing you were somehow here again . . .
wishing you were somehow near . . .
Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed,
somehow you would be here . . .

Wishing I could hear your voice again . . .
knowing that I never would . . .
Dreaming of you helped me to do
all that you dreamed I could . . .

Passing bells and sculpted angels,
cold and monumental, seem, for you, the wrong companions -
you were warm and gentle . . .

Too many years fighting back tears . . .
Why can't the past just die . . .?"

She sang the song beautifully. The last time she had heard that song was about six years ago for a musical, and she was singing and playing it perfectly now. She had no idea why, she just knew that it was spot-on. Brilliant. Some of the higher notes she had never sung before. She hadn`t sung this before, and yet here she was. This confused her. Why was she inside on this beautiful day singing a song that she didn`t really know? It didn`t make sense, but she was doing it. She thought about it for a while, her eyes turning purple as she plucked out the rest of the song without singing, although she did hum.

((Rhyme!))

[~Harry Potter~]

((I should really be doing philosophy homework but oh well))

In the wall phased a slightly dazed Rhyme.  Since his powers unlocked he learned that he could sense sound much more easily and even work with it from far away.  He learned a cool trick that would let him warp time to teleport to any source of sound without the general air displacement bang of magical teleportation.  The warping of space took a good bit of concentration to keep going and hurt his head from just being warped with the space. 

He stood silently and just listened to her sing.  She was quite good.  At times he was expecting himself to wince from a botched high note but she hit it perfectly.  Her voice showed training and honing that few in this day and age had.  He also sensed a little bit of bard magic, nothing more than he would expect form a great grand niece of an old bard grandmother so he dismissed it.  He never heard her sing before so it could have always been there. 

When she finished he started his own song that showed his own pain like hers but of a much more modern tone.  He knew the older songs but still loved using new ones.  Most people saw the bards as playing the same old ballads, not many knew some of the best songs of today were written by bard children or great grandchildren.

The music started soft as he slowly stepped out of the wall it warping slightly like jello as he did so.  The music was never overly strong, at least for Rhyme.  His powers were really subdued for now, muffled a lot by the depression of the song.  His powers worked by emotions, anger could turn any song deadly while other ones could temper his power, make it feel like a soft wave instead of a sharp whip. 

Wrap me in a bolt of lightning
Send me on my way still smiling
Maybe that's the way I should go,
Straight into the mouth of the unknown
I left the spare key on the table
Never really thought I'd be able to say
I merely visit on the weekends
I lost my whole life and a dear friend

I've said it so many times
I would change my ways
No, nevermind
God knows I've tried

Call me a sinner, call me a saint
Tell me it's over I'll still love you the same
Call me your favorite, call me the worst
Tell me it's over I don't wan't you to hurt
It's all that I can say. So, I'll be on my way

I finally put it all together,
But nothing really lasts forever
I had to make a choice that was not mine,
I had to say goodbye for the last time
I kept my whole life in suitcase,
Never really stayed in one place
Maybe that's the way it should be,
You know I've led my life like a gypsy

I've said it so many times
I would change my ways
No, nevermind
God knows I've tried

Call me a sinner, call me a saint
Tell me it's over I'll still love you the same
Call me your favorite, call me the worst
Tell me it's over I don't wan't you to hurt
It's all that I can say. So, I'll be on my way

I'll always keep you inside, you healed my
Heart and my life... And you know I try.

Call me a sinner, call me a saint
Tell me it's over I'll still love you the same
Call me your favorite, call me the worst
Tell me it's over I don't wan't you to hurt
It's all that I can say. So, I'll be on my way
So, I'll be on my way
So, I'll be on my way

He sang of his past with his family, of the pain of him having to leave for his own protection.  Whenever there was a duelism, such 'call me a sinner, call me a saint' one part of him would sing then the other, there was no conflict though, just calm peace for now.  Nobody would be sure what happened in that void Rhyme sent himself too but he seemed stable.  Though at times to show the confusion still within his own mind between themselves they would change who said what.  One chorus Rhyme would call himself a saint and in the next a sinner. 

The song sang out to those who were broken off from something that still bleeds deep within.  For Rhyme it was his family no matter how bad it was, it was still his family. 

At the end of the song he slid down to a sitting position his back against the wall.  The way he ended up was a way most girls would sit, their legs together bent at the knee and pulled up to their chest.  He gave her a sad but true smile.  One that spoke of him being at peace for now and that she didn't need to worry. 

[potter_fan122]

Stacey almost didn`t feel him appear. She almost didn`t notice him, and she had been trained to. She had been trained as if there were people looking for her, trying to kill her. There never was, of course, but it was still a little unsettling to her that she didn`t notice him, almost. So she just closed her eyes and continued playing until her song was over. Then he started to sing. His voice was deeper than hers, naturally, but it was a really nice voice. Rich.

She turned on the piano bench that she was seated on and rested her chin in her hand, which was on her knee. Her eyes ended up closed as his song progressed. She shivered suddenly and pulled her sleeves down as the song ended. The girl tilted her head.

"How do you do that?" She asked, her eyes a strong purple with curiosity. "How can you sing so well, and know so many Muggle songs? Your magic isn`t the same as everyone else`s, I know that, but I don`t know what you are." She asked sofly. She had never felt his kind of magic before. At first it felt like silk against her skin, fingers brushing against her skin, and she figured it was because it was a different kind of magic, but then it felt like the silk had electicity streaking through it. That had never, ever happened before. Not even with Ginny, who was definatly the strngest witch she`d ever met. It was strange, and almost magnetic. It seemed to call to her, teasing her because she couldn`t use it to its full strenght.

And how did she sing so well? That was just... odd. She wasn`t the best singer, but even she knew that she hit every note perfectly-- even the highest ones, which were pretty high for her. Her face wrinkled as she thought, and she held up a finger, indicating for him to wait:

"I'm as mild and as meek as a mouse
When I hear a command I obey.
But I know of a spot in my house
where no one can stand in my way.
In my own little corner in my own little chair
I can be whatever I want to be.
On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere
and the world will open its arms to me.
I'm a young Norwegian princess or a milkmaid
I'm the greatest prima donna in Milan
I'm an heiress who has always had her silk made
By her own flock of silkworms in Japan
I'm a girl men go mad for love's a game I can play with
cool and confident kind of air.
Just as long as I stay in my own little corner
All alone in my own little chair.
I can be whatever I want to be.
I'm a slave from Calcutta I'm a queen in Peru.
I'm a mermaid dancing upon the sea
I'm a huntress on an African safari.. it's a dangerous type of sport and yet it's fun
In the night I sally forth to seek my quarry
And I find I forgot to bring my gun.
I am lost in the jungle all alone and unarmed when I meet a lioness in her lair
Then I'm glad to be back in my own little corner,
All alone in my own little chair.
"

The simple song said so much about her. In a way, she was obediant and meek, but in other ways she was great and... out there. The song just said so much that she couldn`t even begin to think about, but she lowered her hand anyway and looked at Rhyme, smiling anyway.

[~Harry Potter~]

He waited for her to finish before he answered her question.   He enjoyed listening to a person sing well and he always felt like a person really showed who they really were in song.  When you are singing with your heart it is hard to hide who you were. 

"I feel different because my magic is different.  It is much older than most of the magic here.  Long before Hogwarts was even an idea in a single person's mind there used to be many different forms of magic, druidism, bardic, witchcraft and sorcery.  Over the centuries though, many began to die out.  And even the main one to survive, witchcraft lost much of its power.  This school is a great example, do you think anyone could use just a wand to make the Room of Requirement, but here it is."

"My magic is bardic and magely in nature.  Those two combined makes a very weird combination that makes up what my powers are.  I got a bit of the old and the new, often borrowed but never blue." He said making a small joke from an old wedding rhyme.  "But to answer your first question, long story.  It would probably take a couple of hours to explain how I do that, even I don't understand it completely."

He held back a small portion of the truth though.  He did know kind of how he did it, but he didn't think it was best to let everyone know that he could warp reality.  At least that is what Artemis told him so he had to take it with a grain of salt.  His mother always told him, 'The only way 3 people can keep a secret is if two of them are dead.'

"Oh, and for your last...well second question I guess, I know so many songs since it's my job to know all types of songs.  Bards primary work with music, and even though I have a bit of mage in me, I still need music to do most of my magic.  That is one of the downsides to older magic, it was always powerful but also always finicky demanding specific things to work." He said with a shrug as he got up.   

[potter_fan122]

Stacey watched Rhyme as he spoke and stood up. She could easily believe what he said, and didn`t doubt that it wasn`t the truth. She was good at finding lies, but there was something that just rang true with his words, even if it didn`t really make sense to her.

"So, did I absorb something from you, then?" She asked, her eyes changing to an orange shade. "Because, trust me, normally I can sing worth a dime." She said, grinning. It was true, she couldn`t sing well. And all of a sudden she was perfect. She didn`t understand it before, but she thought she did now. "I mean, I can sort of do that screen thing that I did for you, and that first song I was singing, I haven`t heard that in about six years. And it was for a play I danced in, I didn`t even sing it. I haven`t played or heard the song since, and I just sang it. That has to be something from you." She said, talking quickly as only a girl could.

"I mean, I`ve played piano and done ballet forever, but I`ve never just played something off the top of my head without music or at least memorizing it before. I don`t think anyone has, except maybe you." She added, tilting her head again. She could talk a lot if she wanted to, and aparantly she wanted to talk now.

[~Harry Potter~]

He shrugged again but this time it was more active.  The first was an 'eh' shrug but this was a "maybe' shrug. 

"Who knows.  It's very possible, that is another thing with old magic, it tends to get around.  I know bards can play instruments any instrument decently, even those they never tried before and if they actually 'know' how to play it gets even better.  Though I never really figured out if the memorization of music by ear or our great retention of music was a magical trait or just a trained from being around it so much.  Though if you picked up some of it, I guess it has to be magical."

"I can help you when I can to learn how to use it more; it is good to see the old magic getting around more.  Just remember, the oldest of magic comes from the heart, which is what makes it so strong.  The heart is the only true source of limitless power.  I can't really show you how to do anything since the bard magic will probably manifest in a different way for you than it does for me."

[potter_fan122]

Stacey nodded again, looking absently at the wall.

"But I absorb other power`s anyway. It`s something that is practically unique to just me. I can absorb anything, that`s why I was able to skow you what happened back in they alley, but if old magic moves around anyway, doesn`t that mean that I kind of got a double-dose?" She asked, looking back to Rhyme.

"The only other person who I know can absorb powers is a man in some mountains way away, and I don`t even know him. Someone just told me about him. I can even absorb powers from different species." She said, still talking quickly. She wondered idily what would happen if she met someone else who could absorb powers. Would she become super-sensitive to all of the magic around her? She didn`t know, and she wasn`t exactly sure if she wanted to.

[~Harry Potter~]

Rhyme thought for a moment trying to remember all the stuff his mother told him about bards and how they would apply to Stacy.  He couldn't think of much that would show how much bard power she knew except for the ability to remember songs well. 

"If you want to see how much energy you got, take this"

He waved his hands and an accordion of yellow energy appeared.  It would play fine though despite its appearance.  Conjuring was always hard though he found instruments easy.  He chuckled lightly as he remembered one time dropping a piano on someone's head to avoid capture. 

"I am guessing you have no idea to play the accordion.  How well you do can show how much energy you have from the bards.  Don't worry about getting any of it from me, I myself have no abilities with instruments, I am all with voice."

[potter_fan122]

Stacey made a face as the accordion appeared. She barely knew what it was, just that when you pushed it and the keys on the side, sounds came out. Accordions were one of the few instruments she had had no experience with. She took the strange thing from Rhyme gingerly.

"And, what? You want to know if I can play it?" She asked, looking back to the boy. It was true that she was much better with instruments than her voice, but and accorion? And despite what Rhyme said, any of his musical knowledge would influence how she played. She closed her eyes for a moment, making sure that her blocks were up properly. They were, and she opened her eyes again.

Suddenly she felt shy. Here she was, standing in front of this guy who was easily stronger than her, and he wanted to see how well she could do something. She felt like she was in a class, and the teacher expected something that she knew she couldn`t do. She knew that she was probably being silly, but she couldn`t help it.

[~Harry Potter~]

((Oh and Rhyme isn't in the closet or anything, decided to try that out too and thought it would bring a bit of difference to this bland school environment.  Really, I don't think we have a single African-whatever student.  Him being gay just never really came up and Artemis likes to make shots at that))

Rhyme looked at Stacy and saw her really starting to tense up.  He sighed since he could tell he was making her stressed out. 

What do you expect, you just threw an accordion at her and expected her to play it, a god awful instrument if you ask me.
I just wanted to pick one I was pretty sure she didn't have any experience with and its not like she would get any of that ability from me, I can barely play the piano.

"Stacy...breath" he said simply to try and at least make her laugh and let go of that breath it seemed like she was holding. 

You know, she really needs a confidence boost though at least now she isn't crumbing under the pure weight of our power.
Can't you be nice?
I'll be nice when you date a girl.

Rhyme didn't seem to zone out too noticeably when he talked with Artemis.  He only tended to zone when he was arguing with his other side.  The void where he went to think had really helped get his thoughts in order.  Coming to terms with having a whole other side of you is never easy but at least now he was at the point where he could cope a bit.

[potter_fan122]

Stacey tried to smile-- and only half successfully-- and looked down at the accordion. The thing just looked ugly, and she thought that they sounded ugly, too. But she knew that she had to try it, so she pushed the instrument together and pulled it apart, pushing the keys on the side by only an instinct. The sound that came out of it was surprisingly good. It sounded like the first couple notes of a song that someone was nervous about playing. It didn`t sound like someone just picked it up, and she didn`t understand how that was possible.

Had she absorbed something from Rhyme? Some sort of power she couldn`t detect? All of the powers she had taken before had been noticable. Reading minds or using the element of earth. Never something as subtle as being able to play a new instrument.

She looked up at Rhyme then, her eyes wide and a bright yellow. She was amazed, and she looked like it, too. She looked back down to the accordion and tried to play something else, again being successful.

[~Harry Potter~]

Rhyme grinned as he saw that she did indeed have the bardic touch.  He was sure it wasn't from him since he could barely play any instruments well if at all.  His bardic powers manifested in his voice which as others saw often, he could warp to fit his need. 

He couldn't read minds but he could read faces pretty well from working the streets for money. It was handy to know if a person was about to try and steal your hat full of money for their own needs, a small twitch of the eyes could show so much. 

"And think, this is all your power.  Even I can't play that god awful thing." He said as she actually played some good songs. 

[potter_fan122]

Stacey looked up to Rhyme and a grin spread across her face. Her eyes flashed a bright, triumphant blue. She pushed her hands together, the accordion protesting, but disappeared.

"I`ve found that I shouldn`t be surprised when my powers expand. After I learned that I could absorb other powers, I gained a lot, but it came with its own burden, too. That`s why my mental abilities are so strong. If Ginny hadn`t been here, I don`t think I would have made it." It was true, and she would never deny it. Without Ginny and Lavy, she would have been completely lost and crumble under her own powers. Even now, it was still a little hard to be near to Rhyme and his different powers.

Turning gracefully on her heel, she wondered back to the piano.

"I`ve played this and danced for years, so that may be part of it. I`ve always been better with instrumentals than with my voice, but I think you`ve improved that, too." She explained as she seated herself on the piano bench. She ran her fingers over the keys in an almost loving way. Music had gotten her through a lot.

[~Harry Potter~]

"Who knows, old magic always focused a lot on the performance aspect of it too.  To summon fire you had to dance like the fire, to summon wind you had to sing like it.  It made it harder but the power was so much richer.  But even the bards lost those songs long ago."

That was one of the few things that draw his parents together.  His father was interesting in the old magics since they required almost no strength of the caster, you used the strength of the magic around you, that has diminished a lot over the years but still contains a lot of power.  His mother knew a lot about the old magics and she hinted at knowing an old song or two but never told them to Rhyme. 

"Ah, the voice may be me since..." he said pausing and giving a small cough "I could always warp my voice to nearly any level." He continued but this time with Ginny's voice.  "Some levels can be reached but puts a lot of strain on my vocal chords" he said going back to his 'normal' voice which was one he used for the school, nobody ever really heard his 'real' voice.  He could barely remember what it was himself for times. 

[potter_fan122]

Stacey smiled.

"That`s easy to understand. Old magic-- to seem like something you have to be something. That`s kind of how I knew that I could use fire. Fire repreents me really well. It can be deadly, or it can bring life and happiness. It depends on how you look at it and react to it. If you tell me that I`m stupid, then you`ll get a big surprise. If you give me a big hug, I`ll probably hug you back." She shrugged.

"Fire suits me, so I can use it a lot better than the other elements." Her eyes glowed orange, the exact color of fire. She spread her hands apart and a flame rotated around. She glanced up at Rhyme. "Fire can be so many things, and so can I."