NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Music of an Angry Soul
"Urg", I woke feeling like hell. "What happened?" I looked around and saw I was in the hospital wing.
"Good morning, Mr. Carter," Madam Pomfrey said, "you were attacked last night."
"Attacked?" I remember the flash of a spell. "Dammit, are Grant and Tim okay."
"Yes, they were the ones to find you." She told me."do you know who attacked you."
"I can take a couple of guesses, but no, I didn't see them. They jumped me", I told her, 'God Dammit, I'm such an idiot. No more walking alone, especially to class' I thought to myself.
"Well, here, drink. This should help my the bruising", as she handed me a potion. As I sat up to take it, I noticed how hurt my chest was. "Damn, that smarts" holding my ribs drinking the potion helped some. Snape strode into the hospital wing, "madam, can we have a moment alone," he said, looking at me.
"Sure, Severus." She walked away to check on another patient.
"I told you you Were playing a dangerous game." He snapped at me.
"Yeah, I know, but Harry started to ask about you, so I needed to escape. I didn't think", I said to him honestly.
"Why can't you just keep your head down and not make yourself a target?" he looked at me with sympathy.
"Was already a target, sir, and I don't bend to oppression", I said, anger in my eyes. "They burnt the bridge; we're just enjoying the other side."
"Fine, but you are not to go anywhere alone again, and that means no more early morning solo runs." Snape told me when he saw I was going object he added, "I promised the Malhooks I would look after you. so you will listen to me." I hesitated, then nodded.
"Good, you have been excused from classes today; I will collect you when it's time for our lesson. You, in the meantime, will stay here."
"Sure," I said.
Sitting in the hospital bed all day was annoying. I did get visitors; Grant and Tim showed up first around breakfast. Again, at lunch with Hermione, Susan, Hannah and surprisingly, Harry. I kept telling them I was okay and needed to stay for observation. But the truth was I wasn't okay; I was angry. Beyond angry, those cowards jumped me while I was alone. I was sure it was one of the older kids because I doubt a first-year could knock someone out with one spell on week 1 of school. I even suspect it was a prefect. Grant had told me Snape was furious and had barged into the common room and let It rip at the prefects, saying he would have no in-house fighting and they would be personally responsible if it happened again. Of course, he said Snape didn't yell, but it was a scary scene.
So I waited and had my meals in the hospital wing. I was becoming restless; as time ticked on and my anger grew, I really wanted to let my feelings and frustration out. I wanted music. It always helped in these situations. I started to realise this was the longest I've gone without music.
Snape strode in with my guitar and Grant and Tim in toe. "Come, Eddie, it's time", he said.
"Finally!" I shouted, "Is it going to be safe for them?" I looked at my roommates.
"Don't worry I'll keep them safe, they are very insistent" he said in response handing my guitar to me.
We walked through the castle to classroom 1-15. The room was abit odd, I noted that there was no echo, and there where tired raised platform to the side where the other teachers where sitting. Headmaster Dumbledore was standing talking to them.
"The boy was just attacked surely we can wait a few days to do this" Professor McGonagall said.
"No, if my theory is correct, the best thing for the boy is to do this now." Dumbledore counter.
"Headmaster", Snape said, "meet Mr Carter and his roommates, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Mathers."
"Ah, it's always good to meet the new students." He smiled at us, and so did the other professor. In total, there were five teachers. Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick and Professor Burbage; she was the muggle studies professor.
"Good evening, professors and headmaster", I said, and Grant and Tim said the same.
"Mr Stewart and Mathers, please take a seat." Dumbledore gestured to the stand. "Now, Mister Carter, I presume you know why you are here."
"Ah, yes I can't control my magic when I play music and I want to play so Professor Snape said he would help me get it under control" I explained.
"Quite right", he smiled ", but there is also a reason we are all here as well." He paused. "Tell me, over the week, since you stopped playing or listening to music, how have you felt."
I paused to think, "increasingly frustrated and angry," I whispered, "my tolerance deteriorated to the point I couldn't stand to listen to the Slytherin's rubbish anymore."
"Exactly; we all noticed a shift in emotions from the start of the week as well." Dumbledore said."Now I want you to play something for us, anything you like. Choose something that you share your feelings." Dumbledore went and took a seat. Snape cast a few charms on Grant and Tim.
I paced back and forth with my guitar, thinking of a song and my feelings. I seemed to start to get angry with the Slytherins because they thought I was less than them, but there were other things; Ron's and Hermione statements about how we couldn't be friends or trusted because we were Slytherins also pissed me off. I stopped, and a song came to my mind, so I turned and faced the crowd and realised this was going to be my first actually live performance. That thought resonated with me. I tuned the guitar. And strummed a fast beat. My magic boiled within me, and I let my frustration out in the first lines of the lyrics. •Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts•
♫I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation!
Living in the past, it's a new generation!
A guys can do what he wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do♫
A squeal came from Professor Burbage.
♫An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation!
Oh no, not me♫
As I hit the second verse, my magic warped the acoustic guitar's sound, making it loud and electric. Sparks flew from me and lashed out. I heard Dumbledore cast
I was huffing in exhaustion, my eyes closed, and sweat dripped from my body. Silence reigned in the room. I looked up. The room had changed during the song; scorch marks were scattered around the room on the floors and walls. Some of the furniture was also damaged; it seemed that it had been tossed about. The scene looked violent. I looked at the professors, who had a variety of looks. McGonagall and Snape had shocked looks, Burbage was frightened, Flitwick and Dumbledore had huge smiles, and Grant and Tim were shocked, but excitement played in their eyes.
Flitwick started to clap "marvellous, marvellous," he said. His clapping seemed to break the spell of silence, and the rest of the teachers gave a clap.
"I agree with Professor Flitwick that song was marvellous." Dumbledore said, "But, I must say your suspicion was right, Professor Snape."
"Huh?" I wheezed
"I'll explain, but first, tell me how you feel," Dumbledore asked.
"I don't know, tired, exhausted. But also calm like all the negative emotions are gone, or maybe sedated?" I said.
"Yes, excellent, excellent," Dumbledore said. "Now I'll explain. Magic involves the Golden triangle, body, mind and soul. If one is put out of balance, it affects one's magic. Your soul sings with music, and so does your magic. It's more like saying your soul craves music. It's a part of you, so your magic reflects that." Dumbledore explained.
"Okay, so that's why my emotions were wonky, I was going through withdrawals," I said.
"But dumbledore, his magic is to wild, look around. Look at the damage he caused by playing a song," McGonagall said. "Surely we can't let him continue."
"We must because if he doesn't, he will suffer a fate worse than death." Dumbledore said, and sadness entered his eyes of a past failure. "he would become an Obscurial."
There were gasps. "Surely you kidding, Dumbledore?" McGonagall said.
"No, for him to repress his music would be just as bad as he repressed his magic." Dumbledore didn't joke about this topic, having had his sister and nephew die because of it.
"I might have a solution, professor, but it is beyond my capabilities," I said
"Oh." Dumbledore said.
"I brought with me to school a portable music player, but because how hogwarts is, it won't work, I was going to see if I could rune it or something to get it working." I explained, "But I haven't had time or temperament to try yet."
"Ah, I see" give it to Professor Snape and a detailed explanation of how it works, and I'll personally see if I can get it working." He seemed pleased with the idea of the project. "For now, I would suggest going to the room where you found the guitar; I'm sure you can play there every night. Take Grant and Tim with you, it should have the correct protections should you require it" he winked. " your lessons will still be with professor snape on Friday nights. I'll send a house elf to your dorm with some food. I'm sure you are extremely hungry and tired now. Off to bed, you lot."
Grant Tim and I walked off to the dungeons.
"Eddie, I just want to say" Grant started
"That was bloody awesome!" Tim shouted.