Playing Flute in a Tree

[Lapis Lazuli]

Lapis smiled as she strolled out of the castle's front doors. What she was about to try would make her known for being strange, but she didn't mind, and she'd been wanting to do it for ages. Ever since she'd seen that movie . . . Lapis couldn't even remember which one it had been. Anyway, today she was going to try it. She'd even found the perfect tree.

At the edge of the Great Lawn was a massive oak tree; its strong twisting branches were just what Lapis needed. It occurred to her that she would probably get in trouble for this. Never mind. Perhaps it was time for some blemishes on her otherwise perfect record. Tucking her flute case under her arm, Lapis resolutely began to climb the tree. It was more difficult than she had ben expecting, and twice she scraped a knee slipping on the textured bark. But Lapis was tall enough to easily reach between branches, and strong enough to heave her own weight. She carefully placed her flute case on the branch above each time, not wanting to damage furthur the already battered instrument. Eventually Lapis reached a branch where she felt secure and comfortable, and began to unpack her flute.

It was an interesting experience to put her precious instrument together so high in the air, and Lapis assembled the thing with great care. She hadn't been able to bring her music up, so decided to play something off by heart. It felt blissful to Lapis, playing sweet notes with the wind blowing in her face, and soon she entirely lost track of time.

 

[Roze Castro]

"Where is that coming from?" Roze wondered as she walked around the Great Lawn. She'd been hearing music for the last few minutes and she was having the hardest time trying to figure out where in the world it was coming from. She finally stopped and looked around, surveying every person in sight. Not a single one of them had an instrument. It was really starting to frustrate her.

Roze told herself not to worry about it, and sat down in the sun for a bit, letting her mind wander off. After sitting in the sun a while, she began to get hot, so she moved under a large oak tree on the edge of the lawn, laying under it with her eyes closed. She soon found herself humming along to something. Suddenly, she remembered the music. It had just become part of the background noise of the lawn and had gotten louder when she layed under the tree. Roze opened her eyes, looking straight up in the tree.

"Ah!" She let out a yelp as soon as she quickly proped herself up on her elbows. There was a girl sitting in the tree above her. And what was she doing? Playing the flute.

At first, Roze could only stare. "What is she doing up there?" She thought. "Playing the flute, duh." She told herself. She then started arguing with herself as she often did, forgetting about the girl in the tree above her.

 

[Lapis Lazuli]

Lapis had her eyes closed enjoying the music when she heard a voice below her. She opened them, and looked down. Below her a Gryffindor girl was sitting. She appeared to be talking to herself. Lapis could relate to that; she did it quite often. The girl below looked friendly, so Lapis decided to interrupt her verbal musings.
"Ah, hello?" Lapis stopped playing and peered over her branch, long dark hair drifting in the slight breeze. She was anticipating queries, and decided to let them come.

 

[Roze Castro]

Roze looked up, a little startled, when a voice other than the one in her head sounded from above her.

"Oh! Uhm... hi." She said, remembering the girl in the tree. "Uh... You're playing the flute... In a tree..." She said stupidly.

 

[Lapis Lazuli]

Lapis grinned down at the other girl, amused by her discombobulation.
"Yes, I am," she replied matter-of-factly. The Ravenclaw was thoroughly enjoying herself now, surprisingly secure in the tree's strong branches. She had decided to let the glorious sunshine wash her cares away, take pleasure in the little things that made life wonderful. Like, apparently, playing flute in a tree. She swung her legs happily.

"Care to join me?" Lapis didn't really have any expectation another person would want to follow her in this odd, perhaps dangerous persuit. Still, it could be fun. "My name's Lapis Lazuli, by the way. Don't laugh." Lapis laughed herself, not really caring today. "What's yours?"

 

[Roze Castro]

Roze paused in thought for a moment before answering. "Sure," She replied happily. "Why not?" Roze got to her feet and grabbed on to the lowest tree branch and boosted herself up.

"I'm Roze Castro." She replied as she climbed from branch to branch, getting closer and closer to Lapis. "We're both named after nature," Roze stated matter-of-factly, "And considering our current location, I assume you're also a lover of nature?" She asked as she settled on a branch just below Lapis's.

 

[Lapis Lazuli]

Lapis grinned at Roze as she climbed up into the tree. Feeling happier than she had in days, the tall girl gave a high trill on her flute, a joyful undulating string of sound. "Greetings, Roze," Lapis laughed. "Welcome to my humble . . . tree!" Well, it wasn't really hers at all, it was the school's tree, but whatever. Faking solemnity, Lapis tucked her flute under her arm and offered Roze her hand to shake.

And then disaster struck. As Roze shook Lapis' hand, the old flute worked its way loose under her arm. And fell. Lapis grabbed at it desperately, but missed, and her beloved instrument went cascading to the ground. It rebounded off several branches of the oak, and finally smashed to the ground, twisted and broken beyond repair. Lapis had been intending to answer affirmatively to her new friend's question, but now she forgot all about it in the terrible, heartbreaking moment. "My flute!" she gasped.