Open Sunset Serenade

[Hester MacGillivray]

Having grown up in a house full of pipers, (not to mention full of brothers,) quiet was not something Hester had ever been accustomed to. Her surroundings had always been loud, and that was the way she liked it. Other people, it seemed, didn't quite feel the same way. Practicing in her dorm had made people angry, practicing in the common room had made people angry, and even Hester had the good sense not to try practicing near a classroom. So that left outside. After dinner she had lugged her pipes out to the lakeside, thinking as she set up, that this felt fitting. Playing the bagpipes by a lake, as they should be played. If today went well this would have to become her new practice spot. After a quick warmup and making sure she was ready to go, Hester clutched her bagpipes proudly and burst into a fierce rendition of 'Scotland the Brave' to get into the flow of playing, her pipes filling the air all around her as the breeze rustled her curls.

 

[Tilly Drage]

Tilly was still over the moon that she’d made the house team. The first practice was tomorrow and her heart was jumping with excitement. Deciding to shake out the jitters before bed, she went outside for a walk. She made her way to the lakefront. Perhaps she could even dip her toes in.

As she neared the shore, a loud caterwauling reached Tilly’s ears. Of course she moved in to investigate. A girl in her year was playing an instrument. The sound was chaotic, but it worked at the same time. Tilly smiled at the girl, hoping she wouldn’t mind an audience. Tilly sat cross-legged by the edge of the lake. She was far enough away where the music wouldn’t blast out her eardrums.

 

[The Golden Eel]

The eel had never heard a noise like this. The deep water muddied the sound, but it still drifted downwards and stirred the eel from its evening slumber. Rising to the surface, it chased the noise to the surface, barely breaching the surface as the sound came into sharp relief. It was enchanting and strange and the eel closed its eyes as it listened, trying to make sense of the mystifying sounds drifting across the lake from the not too distant shore.

 

[Seraphina My]

Seraphina had decided that she no longer wanted to live in her dorm. Her roommates were insufferable, and she was just over it. Because of this, the Gryffindor had decided she would live near the lake for the timebeing until she could figure out how to live in the common room and secure a room of her own. She had nevitated a blanket over a strong tree branch to provide a small shelter. She had easy access to the lake, and the scenery was relative nice. That was, until, she heard a familiar screeching sound from outside her new abode. She shot her head outside her makeshift tent and noticed one of her roommates playing a weird instrument she had seen her do before. Nearby, she saw Skyscraper sitting. It was the perfect storm of unpleasant people that she did not enjoy. Seraphina left her space, huffing, and booked it over to the bagpipes. "Would you PLEASE go take that stupid noise making device back to the towers? I am TRYING to relax!" She crossed her arms and glared at the Hufflepuff girl she so disliked.

 

[Hester MacGillivray]

Hester had spent her whole life playing for audiences, marching in parades and entering competitions, so the lack of performance opportunities in Hogwarts had always felt strange and sad. Blue was the only housemate she knew of who appreciated her playing, so when she spotted Tilly watching from further down the lake she gave the Hufflepuff a quick smile between blows. As she was coming to the end of the song, Hester noticed a disturbance in the water. She leaned forward, eyes widening as she processed what she was seeing. That was some kind of creature, and it was massive. Hester scrambled to think of what song to play next, not wanting whatever pied piper effect she was having to end. As she was about to transition into Auld Lang Syne, though, she heard just about the worst voice she could have heard at this crucial moment. Hester usually tried to be more polite to even unpleasant classmates than she would to her brothers, but in a moment like this it was hard to stay controlled, and she snapped. "Shut yer gob, Sera! Look!" She exclaimed between songs, gesturing to the lake before quickly beginning her next song.

 

[Tilly Drage]

Tilly hadn’t noticed the movement in the water. She was quite enjoying Hester’s lakeside concert, even though she didn’t know what the wheezing and wailing instrument was called.

And then the lovely serenade was interrupted by one of her least favorite people- Seraphina My. Yep, Tilly had made a point to remember the unpleasant Gryffindor’s name after their fight last year. It was easy, she just actually had to pay attention during roll call in Astronomy class.

Tilly shot Seraphina a look that could curdle coconut milk (never mind that coconut milk couldn’t curdle.) She was about to open her mouth when Hester shouted and pointed at something in the water. Tilly stood up to her full height and squinted. It was hard to see with the setting sun reflecting on the lake’s surface, but she thought she noticed a ripple of movement, too.

“Whoa! What is that?” Tilly shouted, but then clapped her large hand over her own mouth. She didn’t want to scare the creature away.

 

[Seraphina My]

Seraphina was about to yell back at Hester for first of all calling her Sera and second for tell her to shut up when she saw the lake move near her. She let out a scream and ran furthur away from the body of water. She was very much into scary and creepy things, but whatever was in the water was BIG and probably something not to be messed with. Potentially something that could eat her whole, and that was not a feeling she wanted to experience. Her heart racing, Seraphina kept her hand near the wand in her pocket, unsure of what exactly she was planning on doing. But what if that thing could walk on land? She looked over at Bigfoot, the girl whose name she still didn't know and really didn't care about, and Hester, trying not show fear in her eyes. Unfortunately, Hester began to play again, and Seraphina was not pleased. "UUUUUUUGHHHHH! Hey YETI! Tell her to stop!" she shouted, covering her ears like a toddler and sitting on the ground far away from the lake. She stared at whatever was in the water, ready to move at a moment's notice, but she very much disliked whatever noise her roommate was making.

 

[Hester MacGillivray]

Hester had no idea what that movement in the lake was about, but if her playing had summoned something, she certainly wasn't going to stop now. She shot Seraphina a dirty look when she heard her roommate call the other girl by the lake a name, but Hester wasn't taking her mouth off the pipes for long enough to respond. She just kept playing, hoping whatever creature of the deep she had summoned would be lured closer to the shore by her song. Maybe it was a mermaid... if witches and wizards were real, why wouldn't mermaids be?