(1941-11-24) With Silver Bells and Cockleshells
Details for With Silver Bells and Cockleshells
Summary: Ralphael fiddles a bit of Bach in the Hogwarts Gardens, and encounters some friends and classmates.
Date: November 24, 1941
Location: Hogwarts Gardens
Related:
Characters
PhoeniciaAidenTavish

A tall and lean student sits on a bench to the north end of the gardens. One leg is propped up on a nearby bench while the other dangles aimlessly over the edge. He seems distracted by the violin he holds in his hands as he plays with precision. The plants near him seem to perk up to the music, swaying back and forth. Is it due to wind or are the plants truly dancing?

Phoenicia laughs gaily, her voice echoing 'cross the field as she twirls herself through the gardens. Though she is obviously a Gryffindor student from her garb, she doesn't seem to have any special lean for the moment, enjoying all four floral houses. Sunny days are beautiful days. She stops mid-reverie to eye the swaying plants, attempting to figure out the truth behind them.

Aiden is running through the grounds past the green houses and to the gardens. Hes laughing and smirking mischievously who knows what kind of trouble the lads been up to. When he sees the older boy playing to what he assumes to be no one. Then he notices the girl perhaps hes playing for her he cautiosly approaches.

Ralphael is enthralled in his music, swaying back and forth with the notes and the flowers seem to move in unison.

Though she recognizes Ralphael from their shared Care of Magical Creatures classes, the redhead doesn't do her traditional booming greeting of joy. No, Phee just closes her eyes and allows herself to listen, falling still; the flowers can do the dancing for her. Her robes sway softly in the gentle tailwind as music envelopes her.

Aiden approaches closer his eyebrows raised a bit. "'ello 'ow are ye' doin'?" He asks not so politely interrupting whats going on he is Still wearing his robes which anyone can see has him marked as a member of Slytherin house. "W'as goin' on?"

Ralphael continues playing, eyes closed consumed by the music. Without missing a note though he responds, "I'm serenading the plants. They seem to enjoy the music and they appear to grow stronger & healthier for it." He's still wearing his class robes as well, a blue and bronze tie loosened around his neck.

"Aye," Phee says, her eyes still closed in contentment; "if music soothes a savage beast, what like dae a tulip?" She swayed her head softly in time with the meter of the music.

Aiden looks around again rolling his eyes. "Whaddya mean i' 'elpsem tae grow? I donnae see how I mean their plan's roight? I's no' loike theyve go' ears tae hear wha's goin' on." He says shaking his head as he gets closer.

Ralphael chuckles lightly. "They're living things, just like animals and people. They recieve stimulus in ways that you and I may not but does not make it any less legitimate." He opens his eyes finally and casts his blue eyes first at the red-head, then at the first year. He stands up from the bench and begins to stroll around the nearby area of the gardens. "It's also been said that music is the universal language. Whatever language one speaks or can comprehend, anyone can understand music. It communicates on an emotional level, less on the physical."

"Ye must've spent quite the while practicin'. Yer pure 'eavenly on the fiddle, Mr. Lovegood." She opens her eyes finally. "And who might this wee'un be?" Phoenicia canted her head down towards Aiden with a smile on her face.

Aiden stands to his full four foot ten inch height trying to make himself look at list a little bigger than he is. "Me names Aiden Merrythough' an' ye'? An' Im no' so wee I'm quite tall fer me age iffin Im tol' an' see roight." Aiden says looking between the two.

Ralphael winds down his song and dops his violing and bow to his side. "Nice to meet you Aiden-" He turns to the Red-head, "-and please, call me Ralph. Mr. Lovegood's my father." He turns to Aiden to give him a nod of introduction, then faces back at her with a smile.

Phoenicia couldn't quite stifle her laughter, though she was reasonably good at making her giggles and guffaws infectious rather than accusatory. Beaming down at Aiden, she shook her head. "Well! I dinnae realize what a 'andsome bairn ye are, Mr. Merrythought." She extended a hand politely and tugged at her robe for a shallow curtsey. "Phoenicia Felicity Phillips, but ye mae just as well call me Phee-Phee."

Aiden looks around and takes her hand giving it a polite shake before stepping back. "Than' ye thar Phee-Phee. Im jus' sayin' tha' iffin they don' 'ave ears, than they cannae 'ear the music an' if they cannae 'ear the music than 'ow can they be made tae grow fas'er or stronger from i'?" He asks curiously looking around his molten gold eyes appear to be scanning around for something. "I mean i's jus' common sense O' course roight?"

Ralphael shrugs as he points to the greenhouse. "There's lots of plants in there that are animated and react to light, sound, touch, and such." He points back at the blue flowers behind him, which have since stopped swaying since he ended his music. "These plants are much the same way. Not exactly the same, but living plants just like those are. Perhaps they feel the vibrations in the air traveling from the music." He turns around and picks up a case that was leaning next to the bench and lays it on the bench. He says while stowing away his violin, "Have you ever heard music loud enough or the roar of a creature so loud that you can litterally feel it shake your body? It could be a similar thing."

"Well," Phee starts, "I grew up in a household full o' muggles. If there's one thing I learned from that, it's that whate'er common sense is, it's pretty limited to what ye know. And … there's a lot that none o' us know. So I dinnae rely on it much for explainin' things about the world."

Aiden quirks an eyebrow at Phee's statement. "Woah wai' ye' were raised wi'h a 'ouse full O' muggles?" He asks curiously yet calmly his nose wrinkling slightly. Thinking back to his own family and the way they are he takes a step back and thinks long about what to say next. "I dunnae if I coulda don' tha' a 'ouse full O' muggles no magic used seems loike a tough loife." He says with his lips curling ever so slightly.

Ralphael raises an eyebrow himself, but not at Phee but Aiden. He rolls his eyes briefly before his face turning back to a friendly demeanor. "I'm sure it was difficult for her in more than one way, the lack of magic in the home as well as keeping her magic a secret from muggles outside the home." He looks to Phee and shrugs "I dunno, I'm a of pure blood myself but was raised back in a cottage in the woods. So long as magic is kept secret from muggles everyone can live a more peaceful and quiet life. If mishaps happen and the word gets out, that's what the Obliviate Charm's for…" He smiles disarmingly in hopes of puting the Gryffindor at ease. "..and yes, I've practiced a lot since I was a child, my mother taught me how to play and how to garden."

His schedule says he has a one hour block for relaxation, and Tavish rarely deviates from schedule. A necessity due to taking four N.E.W.T. level classes while playing on the Quidditch team, and maybe a convenient excuse for avoiding social responsibilities. 'Oh, sorry, terribly busy for the rest of the week.' 'I've plans for then, sorry!' etc etc. At any rate, his schedule says take a break, so take a break Tavish does. Dampness aside, he decides a spot of fresh air is in order, so armed with a good book under one arm, the sixth year Ravenclaw comes strolling through the gardens with his hands in his pockets.

Aiden shakes his head at Ralphs comments but doesnt say much more on it obviously anything he says to this wont be well received in present company. So he figets a bit not sure what to say or do his attention being pulled in a couple of directions and he sees the next boy strolling up. "Anyway, the poin' is iffin the plan's can' 'ear the music than they can' un'erstan' i'. Tha' bein' sai' the vibrations o' the music can' al'er speed er streng'h o growth perhaps with magic bu' surely no' with on'y music."

Ralphael nods "I agree, in the hands of a witch or wizard using music as a medium for magic can produce many effects depending on the casters will and knowledge of spellwork. Music can inspire, bring sorrow, joy, rile up a team before a quiditch match, music can be used to produce many effects even of its own accord. Now if you add the powers of magic into the mix too…" He lets the sentence trail off to let the first year fill in the blank himself. He looks over and smiles at Tavish with a wave of the hand, surprised to see him taking a break from his busy schedule.

For a moment or two, Tavish seems caught up in his own thoughts, eyes drifting across the gardens, but then he notices the other students and offers a polite tip of his head— then actually pulls a hand from his pocket to wave, when he recognizes his cousin. "Tending the gardens?" he asks, flashing a small, tight smile to Ralphael.

Ralphael nods lightly with a shrug. "More or less, just playing for them so that they'll grow better." He gestures to his violing case leaning against the nearby bench. "Aiden here was asking me how playing music for the plants can help since they have no ears."

Aiden looks back toward the other student just approaching he curiously raises an eyebrow and shaking his head he turns back to Ralph to speak. "I' makes no sense tha' music can 'elpem grow in anyway. I donae see 'ow. Iffin they can' 'ear i', i' 'as no effect. Oi bu' anyway i's a weird though' tae 'ave iffin yer askin me." Aiden says a tight curled lipped scowl on his face now obviously his confusion at the illogical thought of music helping a plant grow is starting to get to him a bit. After all hes only thinking practically right?

"I don't remember that from Herbology class," Tavish admits, but he shrugs one shoulder. He's no green thumb himself, after all. "But that would hardly be the oddest way for magic to affect the world, aye? And I suppose there's a certain ritual element to playing… repetitive practice, the structured songs." After a moment his eyes drift away, and rubs his chin thoughtfully. "It might make an interesting topic for research."

Ralphael nods. "I've seen people sing to the plants and they responded well to it." He shrugs, "I wondered if they'd respond well to music as well. They seemed to sway with the music as I played but that was it. Perhaps they cannot hear it but perhaps due to the vibrations of the notes caused certain stimulus to be affected and cause such a phenomenon. Stranger explinations have been given for more odd things, true. Magic itself has a certain mundain magic of its own too on a purely emotional level. Depending on the order of the notes it can evoce joy, sadness, determination, and in circumstances of an experienced player, anger and annoyance."

Aiden shakes his head and starts to laugh. "tha's jus' lunacy tha' is. Yer goina troi an' tell me tha' the music can move the plan's? Boyo they don' 'ave ears, feelin's or emotions. Theyre plan's they are wha' yer sayin makes no' a bloody lick o' sense. Now an Auror usin' the roight spell from 'is trainin' tha' makes sense tha's practical bu' this I dunno this don' seem a' all roight." Finally turning to Tavish a smirking sneer. "Me names Aiden, Aiden Merrythough' by the way an' who moight ye' be?" He asks.

Tavish looks at Aiden for a moment, steadily, before he tilts his head. "You must be a first year, then," he says. "Haven't yet been introduced to mandrakes, eh?" He drums his fingers against the book still caught between his side and his elbow, looking off at some distant point. "The most important thing to know about magic is that discounting anything as impossible will cause you nothing but grief." After a beat, he adds: "A pleasure then, Aiden. I'm Tavish Urquart."

Ralphael nods and grathers his things together and sits near his cousin. "The first thing to understand coming in as a first year into Hogwarts is that you have to keep an open mind. There's so much to learn, explore and know that no one is going to know it all right off the bat. Some may be more ahead of the race than others in their studies but everyone here is constantly learning." He shrugs while pulling out a book out of his pack, Charms for Fifth Year.

Ralphael continues "Some may not make the most logical sense at first glance, but upon further delving and breaking things down, they soon begin to take shape and things begin to click."

Aiden shakes his head to both of the older boys. "Pleasure." is his response to Tavish. "Bu' there are still thin's tha' jus' aren' possible e'en wi'h magic. I come from a pure-blood family I know tha' there are thin's that can be altered an' changed wi'h magic ta ac' in manners in which they aren' supposed tae bu' music isnt magic i's music." He says shaking his head back and forth. "An' as far as learnin stuff goes I know Im gonna keep learnin' boyo bu' tha' doesn' mean I want tae learn when Im no' in class." Aiden says with a chuckle as he starts to figet again.

The pure-blood comment gets a briefly quizzical look, which turns into a genuinely curious eyebrow raise that Tavish directs at Ralphael, but otherwise receives no comment. Instead, he pages idly through his book, ('The Man Who Knew Infinity', obviously an arithmancy text of some kind) and looks at Aiden. "In the hands of a capable witch or wizard, anything can be magic." When Aiden professes to not wanting to learn outside of class, Tavish looks almost aghast. There's a reason he was sorted into Ravenclaw, after all.

Ralphael shrugs to his cousin when the look is given and shakes his head with a "tut-tut-tut" of his tongue at Aiden's comment about leaving learning in the classroom. "As long as you live, like a plant, you will be growing. Be it personally, emotionally, maturaty, or academically. Also like a plant the moment that you stop growing you begin to wither. For a wizard their mind is their greatest weapon, although this has been debated by many. Like any other weapon it must be kept a sharp edge and trained with regularly to the point that it becomes merely an extension of its wielder." He turns his attention to his satchel and begins digging around in it.

Aiden plops down in the grass pulling his journal out of his own bag and digging around for a bottle of ink and his quill. He opens the bottle and dips his quill in the ink and begins to start writing something his quill scratching across the paper. "No I don' need tae take learnin' ou'soide the classroom er the commonroom fer 'omework an' such tae keep me wits sharp. Tha's wha' quidditch er in my instance flyin' when Im allowed tae an' playin wizards chess is fer. An' well this." He says gesturing his head at the journal hes currently writing in. "No' tha' i's bad fer ye' lo' tae loike takin' yer studies ou'soide jus' no' fer me is all."

"Quidditch is more of a time-sink than anything. Aside for scheduled team practices, I dedicate three two-hour sessions each week and it still feels like not enough." Tavish talks as he reads, eyelids lowered as his gaze scans across the pages of his book. "I suppose you've not begun prepping for your O.W.L.s yet, though, and there wasn't much assigned work in first year anyway, was there?" He makes a quiet noise.

Ralphael turns to Ish briefly before continuing to look through his bag. "I'm going to need to start getting ready for mine soon. I still need to work on my Charms a bit more before I feel completely comfortable with the test." He sighs and stops looking long enough to say "Of course then it's just a matter of figuring out which N.E.W.T. classes to settle on." He continues looking in his bag, "There's a few different career routes that I'm sure I'd excell at but it's ust a matter of deciding on one….ah! Here it is!" He withdraws a book from his bag and hands it to Aiden, Quidditch Through The Ages. "Here, this is for you. I can get another copy easily enough."

Aiden nods to Tavish a few times as his quill keeps scratching across the page. "Aye I know tha' bu' as me da 'as always said practice practice an' practice some more if ye' wan' tae be great greatness comes with the proice of dedication." He says thinking for a moment as he looks up to Ralph handing him the book. He takes it with a smile. "Well thank ye' boyo I 'eard this ones a goo'un."

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