Sing Me a Song Mr. Piano Man

Vivian looked around in awe at the diverse amount of shops in Hogsmeade. The more the merrier, she couldn't help but think. A paticular store caught her eye and she found herself mindlessly sashaying over to it. More intrigued by the sign proclaiming it a music store, Vivian gladly went inside.

She spotted the vast array of musical instruments first and plucked a violin of the shelves. It was her favorite instrument and she knew how to play any song on it. This one was nice, glossy and brown, but it wasn't hers. She adored her own violin with its ivory strings and silver body that was meticulously cleaned to a glowing hue.

Vivian experimentally picked a few of the strings. It was a bit off, but with a few quick turns of the tuning pegs she had it practically singing. She took the bow and placed it gingerly on the strings before playing a fast-paced tune absently, completely oblivious of the world around her as she melted into the music and the sensational sounds of the violin.

Gabrielle wandered aimlessly around Hogsmeade. She was only window shopping because she had no money on her and going in the store would only make her want to buy something and then feel bad about it.

There was a certain store though that she had never seen before that caught her eye and made her want to go in. Dominic's Maestro. The bell jangled merrily as she opened the door. It was amazing, everywhere she looked were instruments. Beautiful ones. Gabrielle admired the pianos and ran her hands along the shiny surface of the saxophone. Walking over to a grand piano she sat down carefully at the stool and nervously looked around.

She placed her hands on the ivory keys and began to play a haunting and lilting tune. She was in her own planet, where nothing mattered but the music.

Though she was still entranced by the violin, Vivian could hear another great musician a mile away. She immediately heard a piano playing somewhere else in the store. Walking towards the sound, she lowered her bow and then found Gabrielle playing the piano. She smiled and, as greeting, quickly picked up the tune and played along with the violin.

Charlotte had been in the shop for a few minutes, looking at all the instruments and everything there, but knew it was time for her to head back to the castle. When she heard a piano and a violin playing, though, her thoughts of leaving flew away from her mind and she was amazed by that beautiful sound.

Being Charlotte, lover of music and a curious person, she couldn't help but follow it, and was surprised to see Vivian and Gabrielle playing the instruments.

She stood there, a big grin on her face, and watched them play for a while.

When the beautiful melody was finished, Gabrielle sighed and smiled at her friend. "You take the meaning of playing the violin to a whole new level!" Then noticing Charlotte she smiled wider. "It looks like we have ourselves a audience.

Vivian sighed in content as the song finished. She had been a little rusty, she had to admit, but she hadn't touched the violin in such a long time. Vivian had missed it dearly.

She winked at Gabrielle and said playfully, "I do my best to please."

Vivian then turned to see Charlotte and grinned, deciding to play it up a bit. She gave an elegant bow and asked wryly, "Well, I do appreciate fellow music appreciators. How were we? I know I was a bit rough but Gab here sounded pitch perfect."

Gabrielle laughed at Vivian's comment and winked cutely back. "You do please, everyone really,"

She thought that she hadn't sounded the best, it had been weeks since she'd actually tickled the ivories. "Oh, now now, I wasn't that good at all,"

Vivian grinned at Gabrielle and made another small bow, twirling her bow around. She then studied the girl and shook her head, "Nonsense. You sounded more rehearsed than I did." Vivian then shrugged and added, "Though I didn't know the song. What was it by the way?"

Charlotte laughed and cheered for them as they finished. "No, you both were amazing, really," she assured them, "It was brilliant."

"Where did you learn to play like that?" she asked them.

[OOC: I was so sure I had already posted D: Maybe I'm hallucinating ]

Vivian laughed good-naturedly, grinning despite hereself at the compliment. "Thanks Char! You wouldn't believe the grief I get normally for playing the violin. I never get compliments so yours is appreciated, truly."

She paused, considering Charlotte's next question. "Where'd I learn? Well, I kinda was self-taught, you know? I have no formal training. I even went so far as to steal a violin from a music store when I was little. My guilty conscience didn't let me keep it but, thankfully, the store owner was fond of me and gave the violin to me as a gift." She laughed lightly, adding, "Or perhaps charity, who knows?"

"How come you never get compliments?" Charlotte asked, frowning. That wasn't right, the girl was amazing. And everybody deserved compliments.

She nodded and smiled, "You're very good for someone who learned by yourself." Laughing a bit at the stolen violin, she shook her head, "He was probably giving it to you as a gift. Probably saw that you'd have knack for it, they usually realize these things. At least, it's what they tell me."

"I wonder the same thing," Vivian replied slyly, laughing. "To be honest, I think it's because of my family. The only one who supports me is my stepmother. Ha ha, kinda changes the stereotype on them, doesn't it?"

"Thank you," she smiled kindly at Charlotte and then giggled along with her. "Perhaps, perhaps. I also knew the owner of the store and had been reknowned around town for having a bit of a burglary problem. It's over though now."

Charlotte raised her eyebrows, "That's terrible. Why don't they support you?" She wasn't usually one for prying, but she liked Vivian, and wondered if there was anything she could do to help. Laughing slightly when she talked about her step-mother, she said, "It really does. But that's nice of her."

When Vivian talked about the burglary problems, the Ravenclaw frowned, but shrugged it off mentally, since she wasn't one to judge.

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Vivian laughed lightly, waving a hand as if to banish the subject. "I appreciate the concern though. It's mainly that my family isn't what it used to be, to put it lightly. We used to be famous, the Hawthorne name reknowned... I came here to try to get that back."

She caught Charlotte's frown and smiled slyly, saying, "Worried I'll steal from you? Don't be. I only did it back then for attention from my father. I liked dragging my brother with me and letting him get caught."

Vivian chuckled again and played a few quick cords on her violin to add some drama, declaring grandly, "Thus, my knack for trouble-making, and escaping I might add, began!"

"I'm sure you'll get that back," Charlotte told her, "You're amazing in all the classes and we're only just getting started. I don't doubt the Hawthorne name will be known all around Hogwarts very soon."

"No, no, it's not that," she said quickly, shaking her head, "I don't like judging people, everyone has their reasons for everything they do. But I'm glad you left that behind."

The Ravenclaw smirked, "Trouble maker, huh? You'd get along well with my brother."

Vivian laughed. "Thanks. You're awesome at the classes, too. To tell you the truth, I'm horrible at potions."

"Hmm," Vivian smiled slightly. "I suppose I can understand that. Truthfully, I tend to judge people. It's not that I do it on purpose, oh no of course not, but it's human nature. Plus, you aren't judging me at all. More like... stereotyping..." she started to giggle shakily, adding, "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

"I'll bet," Vivian grinned widely. "You have a brother? Is he younger or older than you?"

"I didn't even sign up for potions," Charlotte admitted with a small laugh, "I'd probably just blow everything up. And I suck at Transfiguration. Like, majorly. You've probably noticed by now."

"Everyobdy judges," she said with a shrug, "I just try really hard not to. Though you always end up forming an opinion of the person on first sight, you know? You just can't let that affect how you interact with that person, if you don't even know them." She sighed and giggled, "I suppose I'm not making too much sense either."

Charlotte smiled, "Same age. We're twins."

Alexander walks into the music store. He needed sheet music for his violin and piano. the old songs were getting boring. He wanted stuff by his favorite band, My Chemical Romance, they were muggle yes but he didn't care. he notices the firsties in the room and smmiles embarrassed. "oh hello ladies..."

"You don't want to be in that class, trust me," Vivian said distastefully.

She nodded. "Truer words have never been said, my friend."

Vivian's face lit up when Charlotte said they were twins. "That's so cool! I don't think I could handle a twin, though. I'm already desperate for attention enough."

She then looked over at a Slytherin boy who had walked in. Vivian didn't recognize him but he looked older than her. "Umm, hi."

He sighs "i didnt mean to intrude..." he blinks "you wouldn't by chance have any relation to aragorn hawthorn would you?" he thinks. was it possible for his friend to have another unknown family member?

"You weren't," Vivian smiled and then raised an eyebrow. "Who? No, I only have one brother and he doesn't go here. I'm Vivian Hawthorne, with an 'e' at the end."

She studied the Slytherin boy. "Have I met you before?"

Alexander shrugs "i dunno, you could've i tend to lose track, the young boy marcus has seemed to grow quite attatched to me however." he sighs. that marcus child was a pest, no doubting that.

Vivian smiled. "I know what you mean about Marcus."

She then turned to Charlotte and asked, "Have you met him yet?"

Alexander gives a small laugh. "he insists were best friends, like hes known me his whole life, in all reality i ment him while helping on the train, and he latched onto me like a leach." he shudders "he makes a leach look like a kitten..."

"Why don't you just quit it?" Charlotte asked the girl, frowning. She wasn't one for quitting, and she enjoyed a good challenge, but if something was really that horrible, she supposed she would've ended up letting the class go.

"It's really awesome having a twin, you're never really alone," she said, chuckling, "But it does get annoying at times. Very irritating, that boy can be. But he's my best friend."

Another boy came in and Charlotte greeted him with a small 'hello', returning, once again, to that shy posture she often had. She watched the exchange between him and Vivian, wondering where he knew her name from.

The Ravenclaw shook her head, "Not all that well, I've only seen him in classes."