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	Elara blinked, a little surprised by the answer. Five years old seemed very young to her. She couldn't imagine learning an instrument at that age. Back then, she had been more interested in books and drawing. "Since you were five?" she asked. "That's a long time." Learning on his own sounded difficult too. There must have been a lot to figure out without someone showing him what to do. She wondered what it had been like at first, especially when he had been so young. "I think I'd get frustrated if I kept getting something wrong," she admitted. "But I guess that's part of learning." Another quiet chord sounded from the guitar. "I suppose you get used to it after a while." Pearl settled a little closer to Lumi, and Elara couldn't help noticing how comfortable the two cats seemed. They really didn't look like they were planning to leave anytime soon. "I don't think they're going anywhere," she said, a little amused. "Lumi seems quite happy here." Her book stayed beside her instead of being opened. She could always read later. For now, the music was pleasant to listen to, and she was still curious about what Bartholomew had said. "I can read later," Elara said with a slight smile. "Do you play any other instruments besides the guitar?" She thought for a moment before adding, "Did anyone in your family play too?" Only after asking did she realize how many questions she'd asked. Elara gave a small, slightly embarrassed smile. "Sorry, I'm asking a lot of questions."
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	Elara let out a small breath, relieved that her questions hadn't bothered him. She hadn't meant to be nosy. She was simply curious about the things he had mentioned. The list of instruments made her smile a little. A keyboard, drums, and a few things she'd never heard of before. She looked slightly curious. "I don't think I've ever seen a djembe or a cajon before. What are they like?" Elara's expression softened as she listened. She hadn't expected Bartholomew's mother to be the one who taught him. Having someone in your family who understood music probably made it easier to get started. "Your mum taught you?" she asked. "That sounds nice." She glanced at the guitar for a moment, then back at him. "I think it's nice that your family had so many instruments around the house. You must have had a lot to choose from." She paused when he asked about her book. Her eyes moved toward the book lying beside her. "It's a fantasy book" she answered. "Nothing for school." She picked it up and turned it over in her hands without opening it. "I like stories where there's a whole other world to discover. I think that's why I like reading so much." A small smile appeared on her face. "And no, I don't read History of Magic for fun." She gave a quiet laugh. "It's interesting sometimes, but I don't think I'd choose it when I have a whole library to explore." She looked at him again. "What about you? Do you like reading too?"
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	Elara gave a small smile at his explanation. She hadn't realised the djembe and cajon were both hand drums. "I didn't know they were hand drums," she admitted. "I've probably seen something similar before, but I don't think I knew what they were called." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It would be interesting to hear them sometime." Her eyes moved briefly toward the lake before returning to him. "If you don't mind, of course." She listened as he continued talking about his family. The mention of his fifth birthday made her eyebrows lift slightly. A whole room filled with instruments sounded like a lot for a five year old. "Your fifth birthday?" she asked. "That must have been exciting." She smiled faintly. "I can see why you ended up learning so many instruments." When Bartholomew mentioned his friends' opinions about fantasy books, Elara gave a small shake of her head. "I don't think there's anything strange about that," she said. "People can like different things." She glanced down at the book in her hands before looking back at him. "And those Auror stories sound interesting. I've never read anything like that before." She turned the book over once, thinking about it. "There are probably more stories like that than I realise." A small smile returned to her face. "I suppose the library has more than enough for both of us." She was quiet for a moment, thinking about it. She'd read plenty of fantasy stories, but most of them were about unfamiliar places and magical creatures. Stories about famous Aurors sounded a little different. "Maybe I'll have to look for one sometime."
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	She smiled faintly as she listened. She still didn't understand why anyone would think fantasy was only for girls. To her, a good story was a good story. "I don't think there's anything to judge," she said. "If you enjoy reading it, that's what matters." When he mentioned bringing the cajon, her attention shifted to the guitar in his lap. "A wooden box?" she asked, looking a little puzzled. She thought about it for a moment. "It sounds interesting, though. I wouldn't mind hearing it sometime." His offer to lend her an Auror story caught her by surprise. She hadn't expected that. She was starting to feel curious about them, especially since she'd never picked one out herself. "I think I'd like that," she said. "I've never read an Auror story before." Her thumb ran along the edge of the book before she opened it again. She searched for the page she'd left earlier. "Maybe you can show me which one you'd recommend." Once she found the right page, she settled back against the tree. A small smile crossed her face at his last remark. "I won't keep you from your music, then." The breeze moved through the leaves overhead. Pearl and Lumi were still curled up together nearby. They really had made themselves comfortable. She looked back at her book and began reading. This wasn't quite the afternoon she'd planned. She had expected to spend it alone by the lake, but she didn't mind the change. After a moment, she turned another page.
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Peaceful Encounter PV Bartholomew Lindenmomo Finished