Lives Untold

Hermione looked just as intrigued. Just what on earth could they do in that new class?

"Good morning class!"

Ms. Starr gave her students a huge smile as she walked into the classroom.

"Now, today is going to be pretty easy. I just want to explain to you what exactly we will be doing in Muggle Arts and Entertainment."

Ron smirked as Hermione sat up straighter and poised her quill to take notes.

"The course will be divided into four 9-week quarters. Each quarter we will learn a new skill. The first nine weeks we will learn singing, then dancing, and third acting."

The entire class started to buzz with all sorts of surprised sounds.

Ms. Starr clapped her hands. "Please let me finish." Everyone settled down but everyone looked a little more apprehensive about the course.

"Thank you. Now. On the fourth 9 weeks we will put on a play. A musical, if you will. You will audition and we will rehearse everyday. Everyone will participate whether you are an actor, a make-up artist, or costume designer. The musical will be performed in front of the school at the end of the year.

As she finished her last word, every hand shot up in the air.

Ms. Starr held up a hand. "Yes, you must audition. Yes, it definitely will be in front of the entire school. No exceptions."

Everyone lowered their hands except for Draco Malfoy. The Gryffindors had been lucky enough to share this class with Slytherins.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Ms. Starr asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't really feel that I should participate in any of these... activities," Malroy spat out.

"And why, pray tell, is that?"

"My father is getting me out of this so-called class, as soon as possible. He is shocked and annoyed that Hogwarts is insisting I take such an unimportant course," Malfoy said with his drawl.

Ms. Starr stared at Malroy so hard that he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I see. Well, I would have to disagree with you. Not only is this class mandatory, but you will not graduate from Hogwarts unless you complete it with a satisfactory grade. I find is impossible for anyone-yes, even a Malfoy- to bypass these rules. So you will take this course and you will do it with a smile on your face because I have absolutely no problem with failing you and making you retake it next year. Now, is there any more question?"

Hermione slowly raised her hand into the air. Ms. Starr noticed her and consulted her seating chart.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"What musical will we be doing?"

Ms. Starr smiled. "An excellent question. That remains to be determined. I will pick out the play closer to audition time but I have a few in mind." She looked around the room, "Ok. If there's no more questions, you all may converse among yourselves. Tomorrow be prepared to sing!"

Hermione turned to Ron and Harry who each had a look of absolute horror on their face.

"Is she mad?" whispered Ron incredibly.

"I think so," Harry agreed. "Sing? Dance? Act? What does she think this is? Broadway?"

"What's that?" Ron asked, confused

"Muggle thing," Harry and Hermione answered together both with a smile.

"Oh."

"I can't believe Dumbledore is allowing this," Hermione stated, "We should be learning useful things, not how to look like idiots!"

"Well either her must have a really good reason or he doesn't know what she's making us do," Ron deduced

"Let's ask him after class," Harry suggested, "maybe then he'll see what a terrible idea this really is."

* * * * *

"I think it's a wonderful idea!"

"But Professor Dumbledore, she's making us sing!" Ron whined with a shudder.

Harry looked hard at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, there must be a real reason behind this."

"Right you are Harry! Come to my office"

The three students followed Dumbledore and made themselves comfortable in his chairs in his office.

"Now, you all know that these are dark times," Dumbledore said gravely. "I wanted a class to lift the spirits of my students and faculty."

"And you think this class will," asked Hermione.

"I do. Who wouldn't feel more relaxed about our current situation outside these walls when then have to go up on stage? And it will give the other students something to look forward to."

Harry thought for a moment. "Did you make it a 5^th year class because of me?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Well, that may have influenced my decision a bit. Now, you 3 better go. Lunch will begin in a moment."

The trio left Dumbledore's office without much comfort.

"Checkmate!"

Ron merrily grinned at Harry who sat, shocked.

"But... How did you... I was about to..." Harry fumbled

"Sorry mate," Ron said as he put away the chess game. "Better luck next time"

Hermione looked up from her Transfiguration textbook. "Don't you two think you should be doing something a little more productive, like, I don't know, studying?"

"Aww, Hermione," Ron whined, "We've been in school for like 48 hours and you want to study?"

Hermione gave him a Look as if to say 'Have you forgotten whom you're speaking to?'

"Right then."

"You need to be prepared Ron. You too, Harry," she said as if she just remembered he was there, "What would you do if we had a pop quiz tomorrow?"

"Um, fail?" Ron asked perkily.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless."

Harry had been quiet throughout this exchange. "Guys? What do you think is going to happen," he asked suddenly.

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks. They knew he was not referring to Transfiguration.

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said softly, "I really don't."

"He can't hide forever. He's out there right now, doing who knows what! Dumbledore is so concerned that we have to take this stupid class now!" Harry said, banging his fist on the table.

"It will be okay, Harry. It has to be," Hermione said with wide-eyes

"Will it? Will it really? Because I don't know if it ever will be," Harry replied

"Whatever happens, we'll get through it together, mate," Ron said seriously, in an unusual show of affection.

Hermione reached over and grabbed Harry and then pulled Ron in for a group hug. The three of them sat like that for a while before they went upstairs to sleep.

* * * * *

"Alright! Are you ready class?" Prof. Starr asked brightly.

The entire class groaned.

"Great to hear it! Now, don't worry. We're going to start out very slowly. We are going to learn the scales this week and then we will go into karaoke."

Parvati raised her hand.

"Yes, Ms. Patil."

"Um, what's a kare-a-okay?"

"Karaoke is when you sing along with the music."

Ron brightened up immediately. "Hey! That means we can just mouth the words," he whispered excitedly to Hermione.

"But," Prof. Starr continued, "If I do not hear any noise coming from your mouth, I will stop the music and the entire class will not leave until you have sung the entire song by yourself without the music."

Ron's face fell.

Hermione leaned in, "Don't worry, Ron. You only have to see these people for the next two years anyway."

"That's a real comfort, Hermione! Only two years!" he mimicked. "Don't forget, you have to sing too!"

That got Hermione quiet and she turned away from Ron with a little huff.

"Okay, class!" Prof. Starr announced. "We are going to learn a little song that goes," she nodded to the pianist who was situated in the middle of the music room and cleared her throat, "Do-Ra-Me-Fa-So-La-Te-Do!" (A/N I don't know if that's how you spell it so pretend it's right!)

The entire class got quiet. Ms. Starr was good. Very good. She had hit the high notes perfectly.

"I really hope she doesn't expect us to do that!" Ron whispered nervously to Harry.

Obviously Prof. Starr had overheard Ron because she quickly reassured the class. "Now, it has taken me years of practice and hard work to learn to do that scale so well. I do not expect any of you to do it like me, even at the end of the year. All I ask of you is that you try your hardest. Really give it your all. You might be surprised about how well you do."

Prof. Starr quickly spoke up again, "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! As you know this is a Muggle class which means no magic at all to assure that you do not change your voice. The outside of this room will be charmed tomorrow morning so that all spells will be undone as soon as you walk into this room. So if you have any acne prevention of anti-bed-head, think again. You have to do it the Muggle way from now on."

Draco Malfoy looked absolutely appalled and he gave a shudder every time Prof. Starr said the word 'Muggle' as if it physically hurt him to hear it.

"Ok, class. Let's try the scale together. Try to stay in tune. Everyone now, one, two, three go!"

The room was all of a sudden engulfed by a horrible noise that gave singing a bad name. Most people screeched out the Me Fa So part and others must have been tone deaf since they couldn't carry a note for the life of them.

When they finished Prof. Starr just stared at them with a look of utter horror. "Ok. Um. Well. That was..umm... a good start. Yeah. A great start. But maybe I started out too fast. Maybe we need to slow it down a little. Right. That must be it. Ok. Good job. I think that's enough for today. My ears couldn't really handle any more of that... unique... singing. Good job. Yeah." Prof. Starr then realized what a job teaching a group of 15 year-old wizards and witches could be. And they were supposed to dance too? Oh boy.

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