Admiring the roses

[Willow Autumn]

Willow wandered into the small area known as the rosebush that laid near the lake front, the winter breeze creating delicate ripples through the lake. It was a beautiful sight, even in winter time. It was supposed to snow at some point, and Willow was excited for the prospect of Snow. Living in Mosgiel, when it snowed it created a wonderland, her farm which was surrounded by rolling hills created a picturesque moment of beauty and peace.

Clutching her violin in one hand and her satchel in the other, Willow briskly walked towards a small sitting bench near the rosebush, making out a small memorial for a first year girl named Rose Landers who passed away in her first year. Silently sitting, Willow wondered what Rose was like when she was at Hogwarts, was she excited about her classes? Did she make many friends while she was here? Did she think Hogwarts was the most magical and breathtaking place she has been in her short life?. It was questions that Willow would never knew the answer to; placing her satchel on the empty space next to her and unpacking her violin, she played a short tune that echoed through the silence, the lake's gentle waves dancing in the sunlight. It felt good to play music in a place that seemed so far.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate was looking for a good place to practise her violin which she had been neglecting for the past few weeks.She had decided to go to the rosebush because she loved the flowers and the smell.

When she got closer she heard violin music near the bush she thought maybe she should leave thsi person be but the music was so beautiful she had to see who it was.She rounded the rosebush and recognised her friend Willow.She waited until she was finished the song then she walked over "Hey Willow, that was beautiful"She said smiling at her

 

[Willow Autumn]

Willow let the bow of her violin glide along the fourth string, the vibrating sound of a high pitch note finished off her short melody, a song that she composed her self while she was out of Hogwarts and in the small comforts of her cousins house.Feeling a little melancholy, she breathed in the crisp winter air, she relaxed and let her senses intertwine - the cool breeze enveloping around her hands and her face, the smell of the roses mixed with the salty air from being near the lake.

She placed her violin on her lap, thinking of what song to play next. Her trance was broken when she heard footsteps crunching amongst the pebbled pathway, looking up she smiled and saw her friend Kate Moon who seemed to be clutching a Violin case. Getting up she walked towards her friend and greeted her; "Hi Kate! I didn't know you played the violin!" She spoke and smiled softly at Kate's comment about her music playing - Willow was very modest when it came to compliments.

 

[Kate Archer]

She smiled when she made the comment about her violin "Well I didn't bring it with me in the first place I came down here to practice I haven't done so in a while"She said smiling.She liked Willow she was a nice, honest person and Kate was glad they were friends "So what were you playing there"She asked sitting down on the grass to the other side of Willow's violin

 

[Willow Autumn]

Willow nodded in Kate's comment about practice, although Willow almost-religiously practices her violin for at least 2 or three hours a day in between studying, Willow was starting to neglect her practices also.
"Oh the lovely word called practice, I haven't practiced in ages either...unfortunately, it seemed to have take it's toll on my violin playing." She looked over at her violin and picked it up off the ground and sat beside Kate.
"The song I just played? It's called 'Dreams'...just something I wrote in my own time, it's not very good" Willow gave a hesitant giggle, she was being very modest indeed.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate sighed when they talked about practice it was something her parents had constantly told her to do but Kate was a last minute person for example she had a violin exam in a week and she still hadn't learnt her concerto but after three days of practice she had got it perfect she had even got an award for getting the highest result it had only been guilt form her violin teacher and the embaressment of going into the exam and not knowing the tune that had got Kate to practice none stop for three days.But since then she had began to like violin she found it much easier the piano but unfortuanatly her parents did not listen to her."Yes the word practice one that is not in my vocabulary a lot"She said smiling sadly.It wasn't that she didn't like the violin it was just the fact that she had to practice made her not practice.But since starting Hogwarts she had began to miss her violin so she had asked her parents to send it over and she had soon started practicing again and strangely she liked it she guessed it was because she didn't have an exam coming up and the thought that she didn't have to practice everyday.

"Not good are you mad it was beautiful"She said smiling at Willow.Even though Kate loved music and she had a talent for it(Her sisters words)She could and never would be able to write a decent song "I wouldn't be able to write a song if you paid me!She said laughing. "Did you write any other songs"She asked quietly for some reason everything about this place was so calm and peaceful.

 

[Willow Autumn]

Willow laughed, Practice seemed to be in no one's vocabulary, just forced upon them. "I learned that Practice only comes into anyone's vocabulary when they actually want to - not being told to...all the time." Willow rolled her eyes and remembered how the first semester was all about practice and trying and then trying again until you got it right and then practice so you'll do even better. It never really worked that sort of teaching, Willow thought, you should be at the student's level and think how they are doing and what challenges they are facing. It wasn't right for a teacher or a professor to tell them to go away and just practice.

Willow fiddled with the tuner on her violin, making sure it was pitch perfect. The plus side of having an uncle who has his own music studio was that Willow learned all sorts of tuning tricks here and there and Willow sure did have an ear for certain notes that had to sound just right.
She smiled at Kate and smiled sympathetically about writing songs; "I'm sure you can write a song Kate, when you get that sudden burst of inspiration that's when the song starts to form...it's kinda like baking something, once you have ingredients you mingle them together and they become something beautiful and delicious in the end. Once you find that inspiration then the tune will form and in the end you'll have beautiful music." Willow believed that Kate can write a song, she just needs to find it within her self to find that little spark of inspiration to write it.

She strumed her violin, the notes sounded right and she blushed a little; "I've written a lot, some of them I hate now, if you go into my satchel beside you, you'll find a black sketchbook - you'll find some of my compositions." Willow nodded towards her satchel that was sitting beside Kate, from where Willow was sitting she can see the black sketchbook poking out, inside it was full of Willow's handwritten music - written with a black ink pen. Willow was guilty of writing music when she wasn't supposed to be, the rosebush seemed to give Willow inspiration and she started playing a soft, mellow tune that reflected her feelings about the fallen first year.

 

[Kate Archer]

Kate nodded at Willow's statement it was completely true and Kate didn't like practice at all . "Yes your right sadly"Kate said rolling her eyes too.It was so annoying to be constantly told "Do your practice" all the time why couldn't they just leave you do it in your own time.But Kate knew that answer sadly she was just to lazy to practice she would just find time to do something else and forget about her violin,piano and flute practice.She usually worked better under pressure she could learn a piece of music in three days under constant pressure but if she wasn't under pressure it would take her about three weeks and this annoyed her parents who said she just didn't try hard enough.

Kate started to tune her violin it was quite out of twin from its journey from England to New Zealand and the fact she hadn't played it in ages. She made a face when she heard the strings she had a musical ear which was helpful for tuning and knowing when you playing a note to sharp or flat. "I suppose your right"Kate said sighing Willow was right but until the words and notes were in front of Kate she wouldn't believe it.

Kate went over to Willow's satchel and took out the black sketch book it was almost filled up she started to read it and gasped at the lovely music that was inside she heard Willow playing a song softly on her violin Kate decided not to interupt her so she kept reading and for some of the songs fingering the music

 

[Willow Autumn]

Willow smiled at Kate while she played her tune, she didn't think what string to play on or where her bow should be like, gentle and flowing seemed to be the answer, she let her emotions run through her fingers while she played her tune.

As she was playing, she spoke; "you can borrow that book if you want, There's some things scribbled in there by my uncle whose a violin teacher that might help improve your music playing if you like, and you can try some of the tunes if you wanted to." She smiled, it wasn't everyday that she got to play beautiful music in front of someone, She knew Kate would be as equally as talented as Willow was - all she needed was a little encouragement and a push in the right direction.