Music Room on Magical Arts Room and Sports

Emrys Lucan

May 31, 2013 9:18 PM

Music Room by Emrys Lucan

Once he'd settled in a little bit at Sonora and in Aladren, Emrys decided that it was time for him to explore the school grounds a little bit. Somehow he'd contracted a cold shortly after the Feast and decided that going outside to the Labyrinth Gardens was not something that he should do, despite his original plan for the day. So, he took his violin case out of his trunk and ventured to MARS where he'd heard that there was a room for music. The room was better than he'd imagined and Emrys took his rosin out and became to apply it to his bow, sighing happily because he hadn't practiced in awhile and as his music was one of the few things that his grandfather approved of him doing- his obsession with Camelot not being one of them, it made him love music even more.

Once he began to play, he felt a sense of relief overcome him, listening to the notes that came out of his violin soothed all his worries about being good-enough and his stresses about class away. It even made him forget about his cold and eased the headache that he had felt coming on. Once he was better, he couldn't wait to get to go out into the Gardens, fresh air being one of his favorite things. Something about fresh air just made his lungs feel cleaner and when he thought about how the air had been around forever, it made him feel closer to Camelot and the knights of old. As Emrys' mind began to wander, his playing did too and the song that he'd initially started out with, a slow, classical piece by Beethoven was soon replaced with a more lively tune that might have belonged in a documentary about Camelot. He might have been pure-blood, but once his mother had found out about t.v.s and DVDs, she'd gone ballistic and bought several documentaries about Camelot so that she could visualize the story.

Emrys sighed contently, happy with his playing and excited to be on his own, finally. Music was something that brought him peace of mind and, as much as he loved his dear mother, a break from Camelot. He enjoyed drinking in all that information until he was a walking talking Camelot encyclopedia, but sometimes he liked to just play, relax and forget about things. Suddenly, a voice shook him from his thoughts.

10 Emrys Lucan Music Room 260 Emrys Lucan 1 5

Charlotte Spencer

May 31, 2013 10:54 PM

Slipping In. by Charlotte Spencer

Several days into the new term, Charlotte still didn’t feel at home at Sonora. She missed home terribly. It could have been all right if she had been put into the same house as her brother Adam, but she was in a room full of strange girls in Crotalus instead and she hated it. She hated all of it and wanted to go back home to London and stay there forever. Missy, her grey tabby, brought her some comfort, but it was hardly the same. She was looking for a new place to hide today and Adam had tipped her off on where the MARS rooms were to practise piano. At home she’d had all the necessary equipment at her fingertips to practise her hobbies as a proper witch should, but here she did not. It was just another reason to loathe this institution.

The walk from the Crotalus commons felt long and Charlotte had brought Missy with her. Stroking her dear kitten brought the incredibly shy witch some comfort as she walked alone through the corridors. She got lost a couple times before finding the right door and was glad she hadn’t turned back as she had been tempted to. Charlotte opened the door with her free hand as she carried Missy in the other and immediately saw the grand white Steinbeck in the room. Her clear blue eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly. It was beautiful and looked exactly like the grand piano she had at home. Maybe Sonora did have a couple perks.

She walked into the room timidly, her slippered feet not making a sound against the floor. “Hello?” she asked, hearing her voice echo in the acoustic-friendly space. It made her feel self-conscious, but even more so when she realised there was someone already in here. She blushed, but he seemed not to notice her as he began playing his violin. Charlotte watched in awe as the gentle, familiar song by a Muggle composer changed into a livelier tune. She enjoyed classical music, but what he was playing was lovely. Beautiful, even.

Charlotte was very reserved and felt invisible against the wall. She liked feeling invisible when she could observe people freely. She pet Missy absent-mindedly as she watched the wizard play, mesmerised by the strokes of his bow against the taunt strings of his instrument. She had always wished to learn how to play the violin, but her mother had warned her against ruining her fingertips against those harsh strings. A girl like her ought to have soft piano hands; otherwise no wizard of pure blood would ever take her, her mother had scolded her. A young Charlotte had believed it and stayed with the piano. It was better, anyway. Charlotte adored playing the piano now, but her adoration for the sound of the violin was indefatigable.

Once the wizard finished, she smiled without knowing. “Lovely,” she said, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. She cleared her throat, embarrassed. “That was lovely.” She lowered her head so her long, wavy blonde locks hid most of her face, though she could still watch him. Missy mewed as if in agreement. “Do you play in here often?” asked Charlotte, her voice quiet once more. She hated interacting with people, but she did so want the wizard to play again.

40 Charlotte Spencer Slipping In. 265 Charlotte Spencer 0 5

Emrys Lucan

June 01, 2013 2:52 PM

Botching up the introductions. by Emrys Lucan

"Lovely, that was lovely. Do you play in here often?"

Emrys whirled around to see who had spoken. It had been a soft voice but a sweet sounding one and he had liked the sound of it very much, it kind of reminded him of Caelia, his little sister. His eyes met a girl with wavy blonde hair that was covering most of her face. He smiled a little unsurely at first, he didn't know how he felt about being watched but then he decided it probably wasn't a bad thing as the girl had complimented his playing. "Uh, thank you," he said. "I don't know, this is my first time in the room, I have a cold right now, otherwise I'd be playing outside. Do you, uh, play?" He hoped she did play, he really wanted to have a friend who played an instrument as well, a friend who he might be able to duet with. "Violin, I mean. O-or anything, really."

He didn't know why he was stuttering the way that he was. The boy with the name so similar to his had been easy to talk to. Then again, he hadn't exactly talked to many girls his age before and was only used to interacting with Caelia who was like two. Okay, well maybe not two, but younger than he was at least. Thinking about his seven-year-old sister who never muddled up her manners reminded him of his. "I'm Emrys, by the way, Emrys Lucan. I know that was the wrong way to introduce myself but I've never been able to get the hang of it. My sister on the other hand, she is the model child when it comes to manners. What's your name?"

He could have smacked himself. His grandfather had always gone off at him about properly introducing yourself when it came to meeting anyone of wizarding blood, especially of the opposite sex. How else was he supposed to find someone worthy of being the wife of the heir to the Lucan fortune? Grandfather Lucan had already written off Emrys' father. He was too wishy-washy for Myrddin's taste, and as the oldest and only son, one of his children had to then be next in line. That made Emrys. So, Emrys dabbled too much in his mother's fondness of Camelot, that could easily be fixed and could just be a boyhood fancy that Emrys might grow out of. When Emrys had heard Myrddin talking about that, he rolled his eyes. He would never outgrow Camelot.

10 Emrys Lucan Botching up the introductions. 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5

Charlotte Spencer

June 01, 2013 6:14 PM

Right. Introductions. by Charlotte Spencer

It was a little funny that the wizard was stuttering so, but Charlotte knew better than to giggle. It would be rude to be anything but apathetic especially if he wasn't meaning to be funny. At least that's what she thought. She hated being embarrassed and hated seeing people embarrassed. It was all right when it was just her and Adam, but she had never felt truly comfortable with other people, even her parents.

The wizard had asked her a question and Charlotte realised she might have just accidentally initiated a conversation. Her mother would be proud and there was suddenly a splash of pink on her pale cheeks at the thought. Clear blue eyes peered at her classmate through her waves of hair. "I play the piano," she said, her voice even softer as she withdrew into herself a bit more. "It's all right. I'm pleased to meet you. My name's Charlotte Spencer." The latter bit was said a little louder so he could hear her clearly. The Spencers were dominantly located in London and Charlotte's immediate family resided in Kensington, but none of that was very important.

Emrys Lucan had said he wasn't exactly skilled when it came to having manners and Charlotte wondered when she would see that come about. She hadn't thought his manner of introducing himself was strange by any means. It wasn't like the adults, of course, but close enough. Charlotte herself struggled with manners too, but her mother would have warned her never to reveal her weaknesses to anyone, even family members who could use it against her.

The look that Charlotte had, blonde with blue eyes, was a characteristic of the Princeton line and made her stand out from the rest of her siblings. Charlotte was the spitting image of her mother which was why Cassie was so hard on her. Her mum wanted to groom her into the perfect young, respectable lady who could snag any wizard she wanted as the younger Cassie Princeton had done for herself. She was the eldest daughter of her parents and would be expected to be an example for the baby as she grew. Charlotte was far from fulfilling her mother's expectations, but then again she was only eleven and terribly shy. It was supposed to be 'just a phase,' but only Merlin knew how long Charlotte had been this way.

It was a lovely room and Charlotte's eyes wandered for a moment as she took the rest of the room in. She remembered, then, that she should have complimented his playing. Using one word to describe the sound from his violin was not satisfactory. "You play very well," she said, feeling embarrassed that she hadn't complimented his playing earlier. She didn't want to play the piano nearly as much now that there was someone here to listen. She was content, however, with hearing someone else play as she sat and pet her kitten. "This is Missy," she added, lifting the kitty slightly.

40 Charlotte Spencer Right. Introductions. 265 Charlotte Spencer 0 5

Emrys Lucan

June 04, 2013 3:04 AM

It is a good way to start, right? by Emrys Lucan

"Oh, you play the piano?" Emrys kept his disappointment at bay as the piano opened all sorts of new opportunities for him to explore in the world of music. "I'd love to hear you play sometime- you know, it would only be fair seeing as you totally snuck up on me." All his awkward conversation was gone in the presence of a fellow music enthusiast. "Who's your favorite composer?" He figured that was a relatively safe topic that wouldn't offend anyone and a topic that his grandfather would be proud of him for bringing up.

He really hoped that she'd play for him, perhaps even with him at some point. He hadn't had anyone to play with since Wesley left, really. Caelia didn't really put herself into her music the way that Wesley had and Emrys just found that playing with her was nothing like playing with his beloved cousin. He just missed the older boy so much. He and Wesley had been like brothers. Wesley had never been one to make fun of Emrys for mistakes he made in his playing or his mother induced obsession with Camelot, but he did put him in check if he overstepped boundaries or mentioned a Knight of the Round Table at an inappropriate time. It was because of Wesley that Emrys hadn't mentioned his greatest reading passion. Wesley had always told him that girls didn't like gruesome knight tales and battles. They liked the clean kind of knight who was refined and rescued princesses. Not at all the kind of knight that Emrys liked. Besides, that view of knights was totally wrong. They didn't really bath back then and Emrys was willing to bet all his pocket money for a whole year that after running around in metal suits all day those knights were pretty smelly.

"Thank you," he answered appropriately when Charlotte complemented his playing. "Your kitten's very cute. I have a dog back home but I couldn't bring him. Well, he's not totally mine. I was supposed to share him with my cousin Wesley but Wesley moved to Wales or something like that and took Lio with him. That's our dog's name, Lio." Emrys smiled, his dimples flashing. "Wait, are you a first year too?"

10 Emrys Lucan It is a good way to start, right? 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5

Charlotte Spencer

June 05, 2013 5:24 PM

I suppose. I'm just not good at them. by Charlotte Spencer

The thought of playing in front of someone other than her mother and her piano teacher was a horrible thought. "I don't play in front of people," she said as she shook her head. Maybe it was a bad idea to come in. She hadn't meant to sneak up on Emrys, but his music had sounded so lovely that Charlotte had to stay to listen.

The question Emrys asked was one that Charlotte could readily answer. "Lysander Blodwyn," she told him. "He's my favourite magical composer. He does a lot with piano and the strings together. His music is gentle and I like that." Those were the most words Charlotte had uttered to anyone at Sonora without Adam by her side and she checked another accomplishment off of her mental list no matter how pathetic it was. "Who's yours?"

Emrys complimented Missy and Charlotte smiled a little. It was nice that Missy was being noticed. Her kitten would be growing up here and would be with Charlotte for the next seven years. Merlin. Seven years was a long time. Being away from home for that long seemed almost impossible with her younger siblings to think about and her mum and dad whom she missed dearly. At least Adam was here to take care of her, but Charlotte would have to learn to take care of herself and she was afraid of that.

Emrys apparently had a dog named Lio and Charlotte thought briefly of her cousin Leo. "Wales?" she asked with a smile. Any mention of the United Kingdom was comforting. "Oh! I live in London." There really wasn't anything else to say and Charlotte felt a little silly for saying it afterwards, but the conversation moved on. Emrys seemed a little surprised to find that Charlotte was a first year and Charlotte herself was surprised that he hadn't guessed. Would a second year be as hesitant and cautious and nervous? Well, knowing Charlotte, a second year like her very well could be. "Yes," she said. His 'too' indicated that he was a first year as well. "I haven't met too many other first years yet, really. Only my brother's friends."

40 Charlotte Spencer I suppose. I'm just not good at them. 265 Charlotte Spencer 0 5

Emrys Lucan

June 12, 2013 4:28 AM

Sorry if I'm too overwhelming! by Emrys Lucan

When Charlotte declared that she didn't play in front of people, Emrys tried to hold back a dejected look. He loved hearing people play- good or bad because he didn't really care about the outcome so much as the effort put into it. He remembered one particular boy, Tony, who was in the choir back home. Tony, though a terrible singer, was Emrys' favorite person because he had so much interest in music and put so much of himself into his singing even though the results were dastardly. "Oh, that's too bad," Emrys tried to smile comfortingly. "I love hearing people make music. It's like magic!" He then proceeded to describe his dear friend, Tony to Charlotte. "He really was something. Though I'm sure your piano playing isn't nearly as awful as his singing- nothing could quite match up to our Tony's talent." Emrys laughed a bit.

"Oh, Blodwyn's nice," Emrys said politely. It wasn't that he didn't like Blodwyn, in fact he thought if he'd discovered him on his own he actually would have quite liked him. However, his grandfather had demanded he play him a Blodwyn piece one day and ever since he couldn't really completely enjoy himself while playing- or listening to Blodwyn. "Would you play with me if we did one of his pieces?" Honestly, if it meant he could duet it with someone, Emrys didn't mind playing one of his grandfather's favorites. He crossed his fingers behind his back waiting for Charlotte's reply. He really did want someone to duet with but he hoped he wasn't being too pushy. He didn't want to scare Charlotte off as he feared he'd done to that nice boy the first night.

"London's cool," Emrys tried to figure out what to say next. He hadn't expected to really meet anyone who'd lived near Wesley. Wesley didn't really write home about his new area much, just tales of escapades with Lio and new friends that he'd made at Hogwarts. However, he should have known Charlotte would have been from somewhere over there- she didn't speak in the same manner as his family did. "Wesley says it's pretty awesome but he's not the best at descriptions so..." He trailed off awkwardly.

"So are you a twin then?" If Charlotte hadn't met any other first years, only her brother's friends, Emrys deduced that either her brother didn't have any friends his own age or that he was the same age as Charlotte.

10 Emrys Lucan Sorry if I'm too overwhelming! 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5

Charlotte Spencer

June 13, 2013 5:21 PM

Not at all! by Charlotte Spencer

Making music did not seem like magic to Charlotte, but listening to it struck a chord within her that magic could only do. In that sense, she agreed with him. Emrys continued on to describe a wizard named Tony to her and she nodded with interest. How could Emrys like him so much though he couldn't sing? Charlotte couldn't understand it. Her mum had always commented that people ought to pursue what they were good at. Whether or not they actually enjoyed their talent was irrelevant. And if someone loved a hobby but was terrible at it, they were better of doing it in the privacy of their bedroom than going out and making fools of themselves. Charlotte's mother had stony ideals of propriety and Charlotte had no choice but to adhere to those.

Emrys didn't seem to completely believe his own words when he remarked on Charlotte's favourite composer. She adored Blodwyn's music, but she knew he wasn't for everyone, especially boys who liked to play in the dirt or play Quidditch and live the fast life. A duet was tempting and Charlotte actually thought about it. Would she be willing to risk humiliation if she could duet with one of her peers? This was a perfect opportunity to befriend someone other than her brother in a setting where she felt rather comfortable. She knew Adam would be proud of her and her parents. That was enough to tip her over the edge. Charlotte nodded with a smile. "OK," she said. "But only if I can choose the piece."

There. Now there was a promise of meeting Emrys again at a later time and playing together. The thought of a duet was really exciting. She had only played with her mother and her youngest sister was still too young to play music with. Adam had no ear for playing music, which was a shame, and she had been content with playing alone for her duration at Sonora. Maybe that would change now that Emrys was here, interested in a duet, and happened to play Charlotte's favourite instrument. It was just the thought of playing in front of anyone but her family that could set Charlotte's knees knocking.

It was clear Emrys didn't know much about London and Charlotte simply nodded. "I'm sure he likes it," she replied not at all knowing whether or not Emrys's cousin really enjoyed her country. He must be attending Hogwarts, then, and Charlotte was almost jealous. At least she would have been closer to home there. It was unfair that she had been sent to America because of her maternal grandfather. What say did he have in their lives?

A twin? The question caught her off-guard and she blinked at him for a moment. "Me?" She shook her head, unsure of how he had gotten that idea. "No. My brother is a second year. He's been showing me around and introducing me to his friends." She paused for a moment, unsure of whether to turn the question back to him. "Do you have any relatives here?" she asked instead, thinking Emrys would volunteer that information with a broader question.

40 Charlotte Spencer Not at all! 265 Charlotte Spencer 0 5

Emrys Lucan

June 18, 2013 10:14 PM

Cool then! by Emrys Lucan

If Charlotte chose the piece then he wouldn't have to which Emrys didn't entirely mind as he knew his knowledge on the composer was limited to the few songs his grandfather had made him learn. Fun pieces to play but still slightly tinged with an air of discomfort. Emrys didn't really like to be forced into anything. So, beaming, Emrys nodded his head and accepted Charlotte's terms. "That sounds wonderful!" He exclaimed. "I'm really excited, I haven't played a duet in a really long time so I might be rusty the first time we do it."

Emrys was pretty excited now. It seemed that he just made plans to hang out with someone- his first plan for the year and one he hoped would go very smoothly. It was nice thinking that people liked him here. He wasn't entirely sure as he hadn't had a chance to speak to many just yet but having Charlotte agreeing to the duet was reason enough to believe they could be friends. He smiled happily to himself, his dimples flashing. Charlotte kind of really reminded him of Caelia. Well, not entirely, she gave much more intelligent responses, he decided. His little sister didn't seem to be as smart as he was, but Charlotte and Caelia both had the blonde hair and the quietness aspect going for them.

After Charlotte said Wesley probably liked living in the U.K., he didn't know what to say back. His knowledge of the place was limited to Camelot and he didn't really have any clue on how to carry on that part of the conversation. He paused awkwardly before posing the question about her twin. When she asked about if he had any relatives at Sonora, he frowned inwardly, not letting it show on his face. He was the first of his family to go to Sonora due to his both sets of grandparents insanity and Wesley who was supposed to have gone before him so he'd have someone to touch base with once he got there was at Hogwarts. Wesley was supposed to have been like his older brother, watching out for him and introducing Emrys to his friends like Charlotte said her brother had been doing. He felt a little bit jealous of Charlotte. "That's cool that your brother's doing that. I don't have any relatives, just me." He hoped he didn't sound too bitter when saying that. "I have a younger sister though, she just turned six but she'll be coming here once she's old enough. I'll definitely be taking care of her like your brother does you." He tilted his head a bit as he thought of what he wanted to say next. "Do you know what you like best about Sonora yet?"

10 Emrys Lucan Cool then! 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5

Charlotte Spencer

June 27, 2013 5:44 PM

Making plans. by Charlotte Spencer

The sound of a duet as well as Emrys's excitement made Charlotte smile. She wouldn't mind if he was rusty so long as he improved as they played together. If he started off rough but ended beautifully, that was all she could ask for. She was particular about the people she played with. It was partially the reason her number of duet partners came down to only one. She was glad Emrys was allowing her to choose the song. She was also particular about what she played. A lovely song about green pastures and the wind and wild geese came to mind. She absently stroked Missy as the melody played softly in her head.

Emrys's dimples were exceptionally adorable and she was reminded of her little brother. He still had a few years until he came to Sonora, but at the moment he was an adorable little lad with an equally adorable smile. It made her miss home, Emrys's dimples, because it reminded her of whom she had left behind. Her younger siblings, most importantly.

Emrys was here at Sonora alone and she almost sympathised with him until she remembered that he was a boy. Wizards were supposed to pave the way for the ladies and she knew he was doing the right thing. It was still brave, though it was an inevitable responsibility, and Charlotte couldn't help but admire him for it. "That's brave," she told him. "I'm sure you'll get to know Sonora well enough to show your sister around. My younger brother will most likely be coming to Sonora around the time your sister does too so that'll be my responsibility as well. Showing him around, that is." She smiled. Emrys seemed like he would be a good older brother. Her tongue had loosened slightly and she was happy she was making conversation with a complete stranger. It was a first for her.

Her favourite part of Sonora. Well, that was easy. "The music room is my favourite," she declared, though she was self-conscious the moment she heard her slightly louder tone echo in the room. The acoustics were amazing. Charlotte was not very fond of the rest of Sonora, but that was because she was afraid of change. However, she did not want to admit that she had any fears. Any sign of fear was a sign of weakness that could be taken advantage of and, though she was shy and afraid of everything, she stayed quiet and followed her brother around dutifully.

"What's your favourite part?" she asked before adding, "And what house are you in? And, um, when would you like to meet for a duet?" as her voice dropped to a quieter level. One good thing she had learnt about questions was that they could be turned around. She had learnt to keep up conversations with her peers that she was forced to socialise with that way.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply.

40 Charlotte Spencer Making plans. 265 Charlotte Spencer 0 5

Emrys Lucan

July 06, 2013 7:18 PM

Plans are good. by Emrys Lucan

Emrys watched as Charlotte smiled, he thought it was a rather pretty smiled and liked that way that she petted her kittens head as if it were second-nature to her. He thought that she seemed like a very nice girl if not a bit shy but he hoped he'd be able to open her up a little bit. He still hadn't made a friend at Sonora yet and desperately wanted to. Someone who liked to play music and liked animals as he did would be a good choice, he decided. There would be a lot to build a friendship off of and a lot to talk about too. When Charlotte told him that it was brave of him to come to Sonora alone, he shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't really upset about coming to Sonora alone , more that Wesley and he were in separate countries and Wesley was probably replacing him with other friends at Hogwarts. "I suppose, but I've always been kind of impulsive, I never really get scared about things. My grandfather says I'm cheeky." He wrinkled his nose. "I like to think that I'm not though seeing as how neither of my parents agree with him. But I definitely hope to be able to show her around well and make sure she makes some nice friends!"

He smiled deeply when Charlotte who had been quieter before shot off three questions in a row after answering his about her favorite part of Sonora. It made him feel like he was having an actual conversation instead of stilted, polite back and forth where one person asked a question and the other person answered it then asked one of their own. Perhaps it was because he was a boy- his younger sister seemed to prefer the other type of conversation but then again she was only four, but he enjoyed a bit of chaos and excitement. "I have no idea. I love the Music Room so far, and I really enjoy the library, but there is one part of the school that I haven't gone to yet that I really want to see and that's the Labyrinth Gardens. I love the outdoors but just haven't had a chance yet! Maybe you'd like to come with me sometime?" He hoped she'd say yes, Charlotte was reminding him more and more of Caelia by the moment and despite his rough attitude towards her he really did love and miss his younger sister. Then, before he forgot, he added "I'm in Aladren, what about you?"

After Charlotte answered her house, Emrys nodded. "Anytime for the duet works for me, just not while we're in class!" he joked. "How about next week exactly? That way we can have a little time to practice first, get to know the music a little. You might not need it, but I probably don't know it yet."

OOC: That's okay, I'm running a little behind myself!

10 Emrys Lucan Plans are good. 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5