Music Magic

By: Patronydoe77

Chapter 1

Audition

Harry Potter ran across the crowded stage between the musicians and the numerous music stands, ducking pass trombone slides and violin bows. He had been working at the local theater for the last month or so as a runner for the United Kingdom's Symphony Orchestra Auditions. It was something that kept his mind off what had happened and out of Number 4; there was no need to hang around any longer than he needed to. The music was an old fall back, from his primary school days; it was not only an escape from this cousin and his gang, but also an escape from life itself. There was no way for him to get back into the music scene, but this was a start.

However, Harry Potter was not only that but the savoir of a world these muggles could only dream of, a world of magic. He was the only person to have survived the Killing Curse and killed the dreaded Dark Lord Voldemort when he was the baby, and now he was destined to vanquish the same Dark Lord again, who was re-born only a year ago. With that prophecy came sacrifices of not only his freedom, but sacrifices of life: his godfather, Sirius Black, had lost his life at the Ministry that night. Harry had sunk into a state of depression, not wanting to talk about anything with anyone. Dumbledore has sent him back to the Dursleys against his will and he was not happy, leading him to go hide at the local theater during the day. The director had stumbled upon him in one of the empty practice rooms early one Saturday morning, playing on the piano. Even with his rudimentary skills, the director hired him on as a runner and that was where Harry was now.

The auditions were to start in a half an hour and he was running around in search of bottles of water and extra music stands. The trumpets were being there egotistical selves, the flutes and piccolos were twittering amongst themselves sharing baked goods and other sweets, the clarinets were socializing with the tubas and the saxophones and the percussionists were goofing off behind the timpani. The strings were separated off into their own little group with the piano and guitar players and the vocalists.

The director and his assistants were grouped in the audience seats, taking notes on clipboards. What wasn't known was that the practice area was also part of the audition.

"Evan!" Director Warner yelled from his seat, Harry skidded to a halt.

"Yes sir!" Evan was Hurry's alias, not only as a safety precaution, but also to keep people from finding out what his life in the smuggle world was, too.

"Make sure Group 1 is in tune, we'll do the strings last." He tossed Harry the tuner, which Harry caught and ran off. As he tucked the tuner in his pocket he tossed three bottles of water to the euphonium players and grabbed the extra stands before heading off to the Group 1 waiting area. Inside, the select groups of musicians from Ireland were waiting and Harry flipped out the tuner.

"Director Warner said to tune, you'll go through soon, starting with the flutists."

Harry waited for the tuner to go around before leaving with the first to audition; he escorted her to the green room where Director Warner and three other judges were waiting behind a curtain.

"Begin when you're ready. Remember to play all 24 major and minor scales, chromatic scale, prepared piece and an impromptu piece. I'll be outside the door to escort you back." Harry stepped outside and closed the door with a click behind him. He slid down the wall and sat on the floor staring at the poster on the other wall. It was a picture of a ten-year-old boy holding a violin. Underneath were the words:

Missing

James Evans

Violin prodigy, Age 10

He shall always stay in our hearts, minds and prayers

The first violinist needed to be on stage in five minutes and she was nowhere to be found. Harry ran into the audience where everyone was waiting to leave. It was for security purposes, to stop the leak out of results, everyone was to know the results at the end of the auditioning.

"Has anyone seen Sally Jessup?"

Backstage, came the answer from one of the viola players, one of her strings had broken. Harry sprinted back to the stage and found the twenty-three year old bent over her instrument.

"Sally." She turned around, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes.

"Sorry, but one of my strings broke and I have to be on in four minutes. I do not know what to do!"

"Let me see?" Harry asked. The young woman looked skeptical, but finally handed over her pride and joy. Resting the violin on his knee, he twisted tuning knobs, pulled steel strings and clipped the wire. "How much longer?"

"Three minutes." Came the reply. Harry nodded and lifted the instrument up under his chin and rested it on his shoulder. He plucked the replaced string. Flat. Grabbing the bow sitting on the music stand, Harry let out a deep breath. By this time there was a small crowd of other musicians, distracted by the fact that this black clad runner, with no obvious musical experience, was going to play on a near professional's violin. Taking a second deep breath, he set the bow on the strings. He hadn't played in front of anyone in over five years. He closed his eyes and pulled down on the bow. The single note rang loud and clear, and he jumped right into a fast and complex piece letting his fingers lead the way.

The three-minute song still reverberated as it closed. Pleased with the sound of the instrument he handed it back to the shocked young woman. Nobody said anything as Harry noticed the amazed faces of those who were much older than him. However, the look simply fell off their faces as they notice someone standing behind him. Harry slowly turned to meet his fate, hoping that it was not Director Warner. Unfortunately, his worst suspicions were confirmed, but the look on Director Warner's face was not of anger and disappointment but one of amazement and recognition.

"Somebody, get him a chair and an instrument to borrow." Director Warner barked. "You are to get him whatever he needs. Make sure the stage is clear by the time I get back." He handed Harry a clipboard. "Fill this out. Don't answer any questions until I get back."

Harry nodded and sat down the chair offered to him. All the musicians were adults, who curiously looked on as the fifteen year old filled out the paperwork. Hurry's hand flew across the page filling in all the information that had been drilled into his head. By the time Harry looked back up the stage was completely cleared and the last of the violins had auditioned. Director Warner pushed back one of the curtains blocking backstage from the view of the audience and let it fall back behind him as he walked over to Harry. Seeing Director Warner, Harry signed his name with a flourish and handed him the clipboard. Grinning, the Director took it and handed Harry a violin and bow, and then placed on his lap.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The disappointment could be heard in the Director's voice.

"I didn't plan on anyone finding out, another one of my stupid mistakes." Harry said this last part under his breath. He looked up at Director Warner with haunted eyes. "She needed help. It was part on my job, was it not?"

"You were correct." He could not fault the boy. The best thing to do after replacing a string was to play the instrument. Still he was enthralled. He had met the boy only once before, nearly six years ago, when it looked like he was having the time of his life and had everyone wrapped around this little finger. Now however, he still had people wrapped around his fingers, but there was something else there he wasn't sure of. "Come on. I told the judges I had someone special to show them. They're hoping I'm not going to let them down, but they are nearly bouncing in their seats anyway." Director Warner smiled at Harry, which he returned.

"Fine. Lead on."

The Director pushed open the curtain and motioned that Harry to go through. Harry gabbed the violin and ducked under the curtain. The stage was lit and the house lights were off. He couldn't see the faces of the people waiting but he knew people where there. A dark shadow moved quickly along the aisle and came to rest behind one of the lit judges' tables. Harry breathed to get his emotions under control as he walked to the center of the stage.

"Please begin," rang a voice. Harry lifted up his violin and in less than five minutes he had finished all twenty-four scales and his chromatic scale. There was a slight pause between the scales and the prepare piece as nervousness started to creep in, he closed his eyes, envisioning the piece of music he had only briefly glanced at once. Director Warner looked worried as he watched from the audience. There was no need for him to worry it was perfect! Harry ran through his mental library for a song for his impromptu piece. He was leaning towards a requiem but decided to go with his theme, hoping the judges would catch on. Harry had help write it when he was eight with one of the local composers.

The young violinist grabbed the judges' attention on stage. What surprised them was the sound that was being produced by this boy, child even.

It ended on a beautiful minor chord and the kid looked up. Two of the judges were sitting looking slack jawed and the third, a woman, had fallen out of her seat. Standing behind them was Director Warner smirking triumphantly. Once the woman was helped up, they began whispering excitedly and pointing up to the stage where the boy was patiently waiting for his results. When they reached a conclusion, the older man showed them his clipboard, there was a looked of astonishment on their faces, as they nodded eagerly. He then finally walked up to the stage, clipboard in hand; a runner handed him a wireless microphone. Director Warner said something to the boy who smiled and stayed on stage.

Harry smiled slightly as Director Warner told him to stay on stage, he really didn't want this. The prophecy weighed heavily on his mind. A decision had to be made...did it? He knew it was only a matter of time before some one recognized him. Even he had been James Evans or Harry Potter; someone might have made the connection. He'll go with it... find Ms. Jennings and keep it a secret from both the Dursleys and the Order, most importantly, Dumbledore. Harry felt on guilt in deceiving his headmaster, he has deceived him. It was a small price to pay for his own happiness. Serves Dumbledore right for trying to treat him like a weapon and not telling him everything, his life was his own and he was perfectly able to be happy in the hell hole Dumbledore created. Now, he had to contact Ms. Jennings and set up emergency contact with Director Warner.

"The violinists will consist of Robert Clainler, Sally Jessup and Maria Galvez as our third, second and first chairs. Finally, before I announce the solo violin. There is one last thing." Director Warner was saying. The ball of nervousness tightened itself in Harry's chest. "This young man up on stage with me you all might recognize as my runner and assistant Evan. However, I just discovered something our friend Evan conveniently forget to tell us. Ladies and Gentleman please welcome back into our midst: James Evans."