19 Oct 2022, 03:04
Finally, a piano away from home...
@Guinevere Bwye
Klaus had never been so far away from home. He grew up in a rather secluded manor, a little ways away—but still walkable—from a little Muggle town. The Muggles probably thought it abandoned, it had been charmed to ward away unexpected guests. He missed the grey stone of the house and the ivy that consumed it, but he also missed what was inside. Rooms and rooms of storage (his father curated magical artifacts, but they often wound up in labeled boxes in spare rooms), and rooms of instruments. His father, while on his many trips across the globe, never forgot his wife. His father knew she loved music so he brought it to her.
Klaus’ first introduction to music had been very young. His mother had procured a child-sized violin that she had charmed to stay in tune, but he didn’t have the posture for it. She tried guitar, but it hurt his fingers. Finally, her eyes had fixed on the grand piano in the music room—of course! She sat him on the bench and uncovered the keys, and Klaus fell in love. His mother gave him lessons, which, at first, were frustrating. But as Klaus grew older, he grew more attuned to the keys until it felt like an extension of himself. He was only eleven, but he played at a very high skill level.
Since Klaus had come to Hogwarts, he wasn’t able to find a piano anywhere. He didn’t realize how frequently he played (hours at a time, several times a day) until he had no instrument. He thought about asking one of the Prefects if there was a music club or something—but he was nervous. And since he couldn’t play out the nervousness on the keys, it was piling up. He even thought about including how much he missed the piano in his weekly owl home, but he chose against that, too. Klaus was feeling like a nervous wreck. He found himself fantasizing about the grand piano at home instead of paying full attention in classes—a mistake he very much regretted when he had to write a four foot parchment about one of the Goblin Wars with no class notes.
Klaus was wandering through the corridors when he stumbled past a door slightly ajar. He gently pressed the door open, revealing a grand ballroom with tiny floating lights. As he stepped through the threshold, the lights seemed to grow brighter. Despite being born into a pure-blood family, Klaus was always amazed by magic. He stepped in, his footsteps echoing throughout the massive room, and he truly took it in. It was beautiful, but if it was empty now.. what did it look like when it was meant to host parties?
He explored the room some more, until he finally found a familiar-looking shape tucked under a large, heavy-looking cloth. With glee, Klaus approached the mass. He gently pulled the dusty cloth off of the shape to reveal a gorgeous grand piano, much more elegant than the one at home. Its ivory keys were real ivory, turned to a yellow-y cream color as time passed, and its smaller details were inlaid with gold. It was breathtaking. He looked around, as if not sure if he was allowed to touch it. Klaus gently pressed on one of the higher notes as he stood next to the piano, before finally giving in and sitting down to play.
And play he did. He hit the wrong note once or twice— but he hadn’t practiced since school started! Klaus was playing his favorite piece: a slightly simplified version of Debussy’s Clair de Lune. He was so engrossed, he didn’t realize he left the door to the ballroom wide open.
Klaus had never been so far away from home. He grew up in a rather secluded manor, a little ways away—but still walkable—from a little Muggle town. The Muggles probably thought it abandoned, it had been charmed to ward away unexpected guests. He missed the grey stone of the house and the ivy that consumed it, but he also missed what was inside. Rooms and rooms of storage (his father curated magical artifacts, but they often wound up in labeled boxes in spare rooms), and rooms of instruments. His father, while on his many trips across the globe, never forgot his wife. His father knew she loved music so he brought it to her.
Klaus’ first introduction to music had been very young. His mother had procured a child-sized violin that she had charmed to stay in tune, but he didn’t have the posture for it. She tried guitar, but it hurt his fingers. Finally, her eyes had fixed on the grand piano in the music room—of course! She sat him on the bench and uncovered the keys, and Klaus fell in love. His mother gave him lessons, which, at first, were frustrating. But as Klaus grew older, he grew more attuned to the keys until it felt like an extension of himself. He was only eleven, but he played at a very high skill level.
Since Klaus had come to Hogwarts, he wasn’t able to find a piano anywhere. He didn’t realize how frequently he played (hours at a time, several times a day) until he had no instrument. He thought about asking one of the Prefects if there was a music club or something—but he was nervous. And since he couldn’t play out the nervousness on the keys, it was piling up. He even thought about including how much he missed the piano in his weekly owl home, but he chose against that, too. Klaus was feeling like a nervous wreck. He found himself fantasizing about the grand piano at home instead of paying full attention in classes—a mistake he very much regretted when he had to write a four foot parchment about one of the Goblin Wars with no class notes.
Klaus was wandering through the corridors when he stumbled past a door slightly ajar. He gently pressed the door open, revealing a grand ballroom with tiny floating lights. As he stepped through the threshold, the lights seemed to grow brighter. Despite being born into a pure-blood family, Klaus was always amazed by magic. He stepped in, his footsteps echoing throughout the massive room, and he truly took it in. It was beautiful, but if it was empty now.. what did it look like when it was meant to host parties?
He explored the room some more, until he finally found a familiar-looking shape tucked under a large, heavy-looking cloth. With glee, Klaus approached the mass. He gently pulled the dusty cloth off of the shape to reveal a gorgeous grand piano, much more elegant than the one at home. Its ivory keys were real ivory, turned to a yellow-y cream color as time passed, and its smaller details were inlaid with gold. It was breathtaking. He looked around, as if not sure if he was allowed to touch it. Klaus gently pressed on one of the higher notes as he stood next to the piano, before finally giving in and sitting down to play.
And play he did. He hit the wrong note once or twice— but he hadn’t practiced since school started! Klaus was playing his favorite piece: a slightly simplified version of Debussy’s Clair de Lune. He was so engrossed, he didn’t realize he left the door to the ballroom wide open.
Last edited by Klaus Fernsby on 4 Nov 2022, 15:41, edited 1 time in total.
20 Oct 2022, 19:39
Finally, a piano away from home...
Gwyn was leaving Transfiguration class after what was an otherwise uneventful day. Her performance in class was more than adequate, so she'd allowed herself a bit of daydreaming near the tail end of class, and as she made her way down the Grand Staircase, her mind was still racing with fantasies of playing in the woods, or stomping in mud, or, more realistically, a possible letter from her quill pal.
However, as she passed the entrance to the corridor on the fourth floor, Gwyn heard a familiar sound. A piano was being played nearby, and Gwyn would recognize the sound of the music of Claude Debussy anywhere. Mother had made her study his works extensively during her piano lessons.
She followed the sound of arpeggiated chords along the corridor until she arrived at a door that was ajar.
She hadn't expected many musicians at Hogwarts, but that was clearly a mistake on her part. Just because it was a school for magic didn't mean that there were few musicians. She was a pianist herself, after all.
Peeking into the large Ballroom, she didn't have time to admire the beautiful chandeliers, or the spacious floors. Her attention was pulled to a figure in the distance seated at the instrument she'd heard from the staircase. His hands were comfortably making the arpeggiated leaps and blurring the lines between treble and bass quite well, despite the occasional hiccup.
It was arranged into a different key than the normal D-flat, from what she could hear. Was it transposed into D? C? Her ear was still being trained, and she didn't have perfect pitch, so she wasn't sure. As she listened to try to recognize the key, Gwyn found her feet pulling her toward the song like a sailor entrapped by a siren.
When she reached the boy with messy hair and his piano, a glance at his hands told her it was transposed to C. She'd memorized the original, so transcribing it in her head and joining in with the boy would be a simple feat. He was even seated on the bench as if he favored the treble side of the piano anyway.
...the piano had seven octaves. She might as well make use of all seven of them, right? After all, the contrabass section of the piano was practically begging to be played. Why shouldn't she join in?
Before she could argue with her own traitorous fingers, she found herself seated to the boy's left on the bench, matching his arrangement with her own contrabass accompaniment. The arpeggios flowed well and the accidentals in the simple key popped just right as she kept perfect time with him. Words weren't needed, and neither were looks as Gwyn followed his lead, becoming lost in the music.
It was rare for her to have fun while playing piano. Most of her time with Mother was spent running interval exercises and scales, so to just let loose and play a fun piece for the heck of it was refreshing.
Her fingers slipped a few times, mostly due to the unfamiliar keys and the stiffness from holding a quill all morning, but for the briefest of moments, imperfection didn't matter. It was wonderful.
However, as she passed the entrance to the corridor on the fourth floor, Gwyn heard a familiar sound. A piano was being played nearby, and Gwyn would recognize the sound of the music of Claude Debussy anywhere. Mother had made her study his works extensively during her piano lessons.
She followed the sound of arpeggiated chords along the corridor until she arrived at a door that was ajar.
She hadn't expected many musicians at Hogwarts, but that was clearly a mistake on her part. Just because it was a school for magic didn't mean that there were few musicians. She was a pianist herself, after all.
Peeking into the large Ballroom, she didn't have time to admire the beautiful chandeliers, or the spacious floors. Her attention was pulled to a figure in the distance seated at the instrument she'd heard from the staircase. His hands were comfortably making the arpeggiated leaps and blurring the lines between treble and bass quite well, despite the occasional hiccup.
It was arranged into a different key than the normal D-flat, from what she could hear. Was it transposed into D? C? Her ear was still being trained, and she didn't have perfect pitch, so she wasn't sure. As she listened to try to recognize the key, Gwyn found her feet pulling her toward the song like a sailor entrapped by a siren.
When she reached the boy with messy hair and his piano, a glance at his hands told her it was transposed to C. She'd memorized the original, so transcribing it in her head and joining in with the boy would be a simple feat. He was even seated on the bench as if he favored the treble side of the piano anyway.
...the piano had seven octaves. She might as well make use of all seven of them, right? After all, the contrabass section of the piano was practically begging to be played. Why shouldn't she join in?
Before she could argue with her own traitorous fingers, she found herself seated to the boy's left on the bench, matching his arrangement with her own contrabass accompaniment. The arpeggios flowed well and the accidentals in the simple key popped just right as she kept perfect time with him. Words weren't needed, and neither were looks as Gwyn followed his lead, becoming lost in the music.
It was rare for her to have fun while playing piano. Most of her time with Mother was spent running interval exercises and scales, so to just let loose and play a fun piece for the heck of it was refreshing.
Her fingers slipped a few times, mostly due to the unfamiliar keys and the stiffness from holding a quill all morning, but for the briefest of moments, imperfection didn't matter. It was wonderful.
Reducio
@Klaus Fernsby
20 Oct 2022, 21:00
Finally, a piano away from home...
Klaus was so absorbed in the music, he barely noticed the notes he wasn't playing. When he did, though, he peeked his left eye open, spotting a girl sitting besides him. He had seen her before–in class and in the common room, and he knew her last name, but wasn't sure of her first. He smiled and continued to create music alongside her, the big swell coming up. His fingers danced over the keys, crossing each other as he reached for higher and higher notes.
Finally, the swell arrived. It was Klaus' favorite part of the song, and most of the reason why it was completely memorized. Something about it made his heart race. It was also greatly pleasant on the ears. He couldn't quite explain how much he loved it.
There was no sheet music, and the two sometimes made errors, but it was still beautiful music. He was glad to have found this room. He finally opened his eyes and glanced around it again. While many things were covered with cloths, it was still gorgeous. The flooring was parquet style, with gold embossed in intricate designs. The walls were paneled, and reached up to the ceiling, which must be at least two stories high. And on the ceiling, dozens of candles loomed over them in a similar fashion to the Great Hall. They had changed color slightly and were now a burning, bright yellow.
Just as quickly as it began, the music stopped. He played some chords absentmindedly and turned to the girl next to him. She was incredibly well-kept. Not a single hair seemed to be out of place. Her brown eyes had a sparkle to them.
Klaus started to say something, but stopped, instead turning back to the keys. He played absentmindedly as he thought, before finally blurting out, "Do you know Chopin's Nocturnes?"
The Slytherin offered a cheesy smile. He was still getting used to talking to new people, and he felt a bit nervous. So nervous, that he added quickly, before she could answer his first question: "I've got a folder of sheet music in my dorm room. I could go get it. I'm Klaus, by the way. You're, er... Guinevere, right?"
His ears tinged a slight pink. They stuck out of his tawny-brown hair. His curly fringe obscured most of his forehead, and he ran a hand through it to keep it out of the way. He didn't bother brushing it anymore–it just made it frizzy. Instead, he combed through it with his fingers in the morning. He was due for a hair cut, anyway. It would have to wait until Christmas break!
The two's appearances seemed much different from each other. Klaus wore a school-uniform-appropriate jumper under his robes, his collar halfway tucked in and part of it sticking out, and his pointed hat slanted on his head. But something in him told him that the two would be fast friends–they both liked piano, after all.
Finally, the swell arrived. It was Klaus' favorite part of the song, and most of the reason why it was completely memorized. Something about it made his heart race. It was also greatly pleasant on the ears. He couldn't quite explain how much he loved it.
There was no sheet music, and the two sometimes made errors, but it was still beautiful music. He was glad to have found this room. He finally opened his eyes and glanced around it again. While many things were covered with cloths, it was still gorgeous. The flooring was parquet style, with gold embossed in intricate designs. The walls were paneled, and reached up to the ceiling, which must be at least two stories high. And on the ceiling, dozens of candles loomed over them in a similar fashion to the Great Hall. They had changed color slightly and were now a burning, bright yellow.
Just as quickly as it began, the music stopped. He played some chords absentmindedly and turned to the girl next to him. She was incredibly well-kept. Not a single hair seemed to be out of place. Her brown eyes had a sparkle to them.
Klaus started to say something, but stopped, instead turning back to the keys. He played absentmindedly as he thought, before finally blurting out, "Do you know Chopin's Nocturnes?"
The Slytherin offered a cheesy smile. He was still getting used to talking to new people, and he felt a bit nervous. So nervous, that he added quickly, before she could answer his first question: "I've got a folder of sheet music in my dorm room. I could go get it. I'm Klaus, by the way. You're, er... Guinevere, right?"
His ears tinged a slight pink. They stuck out of his tawny-brown hair. His curly fringe obscured most of his forehead, and he ran a hand through it to keep it out of the way. He didn't bother brushing it anymore–it just made it frizzy. Instead, he combed through it with his fingers in the morning. He was due for a hair cut, anyway. It would have to wait until Christmas break!
The two's appearances seemed much different from each other. Klaus wore a school-uniform-appropriate jumper under his robes, his collar halfway tucked in and part of it sticking out, and his pointed hat slanted on his head. But something in him told him that the two would be fast friends–they both liked piano, after all.
Reducio
@Guinevere Bwye
21 Oct 2022, 23:28
Finally, a piano away from home...
As the piece began to wind down, Gwyn's fingers only felt more and more antsy to play more. It was quite strange, actually. Ordinarily, piano lessons with Mother were something to dread. A chore she had to slog through in order to appease the older woman. She didn't get to play with passion or fun because every note had to be in its right place, with no exceptions.
Ultimately, that was all music was anyway. Playing the correct note horizontally and vertically with the tone and volume needed. Still, there were performances Gwyn had heard via muggle records back home that sounded different. The notes were just the teensiest bit out of place horizontally, and there were extra pitches thrown in that didn't belong, but it still sounded so amazing.
Now Gwyn realized what it was that she'd been hearing. The recordings she'd heard had been of musicians playing with emotion, and now that she'd experienced it herself, piano didn't seem like such a bore.
She followed the boy's gaze as he played absentmindedly. There was a fond smile on her mouth as she glanced at the beautiful room around them and listened to the chords being banged out in front of them. At last, the silence was broken by the boy.
"Do you know Chopin's Nocturnes? I've got a folder of sheet music in my dorm room. I could go get it. I'm Klaus, by the way. You're, er... Guinevere, right?" he asked, and Gwyn got the feeling the boy was a bit shy.
"I don't know most of Chopin's Nocturnes from memory, but I'm familiar with some of them. Mother made me study Opus 2 Number 2 extensively, because at the time I struggled with the flat keys. I prefer jazz, truth be told, but Mother considered it too wild and inelegant, I suppose," she answered, wondering briefly if she'd said too much. After a brief pause, she offered a polite nod since anything else would be unnatural due to their shared seating at the bench.
"And yes, my name is Guinevere, but you may call me Gwyn if you like. It's nice to meet you, Klaus."
She tried to smile in a way that looked natural, but most of her smiles back home were quite forced. It was hard to smile genuinely when you were a small child attending social gatherings of stuffy old wizards and witches.
Eyeing Klaus up and down, but trying not to do so judgingly, Gwyn took note of the boy's appearance. His clothes were horribly unkempt (in a way that would have made Mother furious had it been her to dress as such), his hair was long and messy, and, for some reason, his ears were turning a shade of red.
Had she said something wrong and embarrassed the boy somehow? Maybe it was just her horribly formal presence. She tried to act more casual since coming to Hogwarts, but sometimes she couldn't help it and fell onto her old habits from home. Her curtsy at the Sorting ceremony was one example of these habits. Another was her formal speech patterns and writing.
Hoping she wasn't the reason for the boy's discomfort, Gwyn decided to simply ask.
"Are you well?" she asked, lifting the back of her hand and tentatively holding it in front of Klaus's forehead. She didn't make contact. She wouldn't dare do so without his permission, but perhaps the boy was coming down with a fever?
Maybe she was going a bit far, but curiosity was her biggest weakness, and she was going to indulge it.
@Klaus Fernsby
30 Oct 2022, 01:41
Finally, a piano away from home...
"And yes, my name is Guinevere, but you may call me Gwyn if you like. It's nice to meet you, Klaus."
"I'll call you Gwyn!" said Klaus, happy to make a new friend. Since coming to Hogwarts, he had barely made friends or even talked to his roommates–he had an older cousin somewhere, but he hadn't had the chance to run into her yet. "It's nice to meet you, too."
"Are you well?"
When Gwyn spoke, Klaus flushed even harder. He blinked, furiously, and then shook his head no. When she held her hand next to his face, he leaned slightly away before scooting a little ways away. It was fine to do so–the bench was long enough to support the two children with some room between them. He smiled and tilted his head, before speaking again.
"I'm alright!" exclaimed Klaus, waving his hands down in a calming manner.
He smiled again, widely. The splatter of freckles across his nose made a bridge between both of his dimples, with a soft blush traveling from his ears to his cheekbones. He often went red when he talked to other people.
"I'm really fine, I swear," said Klaus, nonchalantly. He cleared his throat and straightened, as though suddenly uncomfortable with his appearance. He shook his head, causing his fringe to fall in his eyes, which he promptly scooped out of the way as if he was shooing a fly away.
"So, you like jazz? I don't really know any, but I can learn! Did you have sheet music?" said Klaus, immediately realizing that there would be no reason for her to have brought it. He only found the piano by mistake, it wasn't as though there was an advertised music club. Maybe they could start one! He added quickly, "It's okay if you don't. You can teach me!"
Klaus flashed his most dazzling–if a bit dorky–smile.
"I'll call you Gwyn!" said Klaus, happy to make a new friend. Since coming to Hogwarts, he had barely made friends or even talked to his roommates–he had an older cousin somewhere, but he hadn't had the chance to run into her yet. "It's nice to meet you, too."
"Are you well?"
When Gwyn spoke, Klaus flushed even harder. He blinked, furiously, and then shook his head no. When she held her hand next to his face, he leaned slightly away before scooting a little ways away. It was fine to do so–the bench was long enough to support the two children with some room between them. He smiled and tilted his head, before speaking again.
"I'm alright!" exclaimed Klaus, waving his hands down in a calming manner.
He smiled again, widely. The splatter of freckles across his nose made a bridge between both of his dimples, with a soft blush traveling from his ears to his cheekbones. He often went red when he talked to other people.
"I'm really fine, I swear," said Klaus, nonchalantly. He cleared his throat and straightened, as though suddenly uncomfortable with his appearance. He shook his head, causing his fringe to fall in his eyes, which he promptly scooped out of the way as if he was shooing a fly away.
"So, you like jazz? I don't really know any, but I can learn! Did you have sheet music?" said Klaus, immediately realizing that there would be no reason for her to have brought it. He only found the piano by mistake, it wasn't as though there was an advertised music club. Maybe they could start one! He added quickly, "It's okay if you don't. You can teach me!"
Klaus flashed his most dazzling–if a bit dorky–smile.
Reducio
@Guinevere Bwye